Transmigrated into the Scum Female Consort - Chapter 26

Everyone was puzzled by her request, wondering why she made it. Did it matter who did the feeding? Perhaps she was afraid the Zhou family would take her water pouch…

Regardless of their thoughts, everyone wisely kept silent.

Zeng Laosan, however, cast a sinister look at Yun Chi. He recalled that the water pouch had been hanging from Yun Chi’s waist, yet now Ye Xuejin was using it to win people’s favor. This beggar is indeed dishonest, he thought. Fortunately, he had anticipated this possibility and found another way. Hmph, just wait, he thought. He would soon be able to deliver his report, and then all these people would meet a miserable end.

Old Imperial Censor Zhou immediately moved aside: “Thank you for your trouble.” Saving the child was paramount. At this moment, he would agree to any request Ye Xuejin made. Furthermore, it truly did not matter who did the feeding.

Under the silent gazes of the onlookers, Ye Xuejin stepped forward with composure, bent down, and supported young Ying’er’s head. Her movements were careful and deliberate. When the Zhou family saw young Ying’er start to swallow and drink the water, they all sighed in relief. Thank goodness, the child was saved!

The cold wind blew, lifting Ye Xuejin’s robes, seeming to threaten the frail body beneath the thin prisoner’s uniform. Ye Xuejin maintained the action of feeding the water, her head slightly lowered. Although they could not see the expression on her face, her usual appearance flashed through everyone’s minds. Her features were cold and clear, her expression detached, like snow on a high mountain peak that the sun could barely melt and the wind and rain could not erode.

By a strange impulse, everyone almost forgot her usually perceived weak, defenseless demeanor. Their minds were clearly imprinted only with her calm, steady movements at this moment, the figure that the cold wind could not shake.

In the silence, young Ying’er opened her eyes and mumbled dazedly: “Fairy Elder Sister, it is so sweet.”

“Ying’er!”

“Ying’er!”

Surprised calls rang out one after another. The Zhou family all moved closer, and Ye Xuejin timely rose and stepped back two paces.

“Your… Elder Sister Ye, thank you.” Zhou Qiyue immediately burst into tears and fell to the ground.

“Many thanks.” Old Imperial Censor Zhou checked young Ying’er’s pulse, turned around, and performed a deep bow.

“Thank you.” Old Madam Zhou and Zhou Qishan immediately knelt down toward Ye Xuejin, their eyes filled with gratitude. In this time and place, they could not address her as Your Highness, but they could use the act of thanking her as a means of performing a formal kowtow.

“Thank you.” Seeing their masters act this way, the old butler led the Zhou family servants to kneel together.

“Everyone here is traveling the same road; we should naturally watch out for each other. There is no need for this,” Ye Xuejin said quietly, then returned to Yun Chi’s side.

The constables exchanged glances, remaining silent for a while. Especially Xiao Gao and the others, who felt a strange sense that they, too, wanted to kneel. What was that about?

Yu Lu gazed steadily at Ye Xuejin for a moment, then withdrew his gaze. Previously, his status never allowed him to interact with the Princess Consort He’an. Most of what he knew about her was based on hearsay. Even when he was assigned this task, despite repeated warnings from the high official, he only had a vague impression of Ye Xuejin. It was only just now that he felt he had truly glimpsed a corner of the Princess Consort He’an’s true self. On that thin back, he saw: calmness, stability, and forbearance. She was not as weak and easily bullied as she usually appeared…

Ye Xuejin noticed the scrutinizing looks mixed in with the general gazes. Hesitating for a moment, she quietly said: “Should I not have claimed the Fù Mǎ‘s credit?”

Yun Chi was unconcerned: “What does it matter? I originally…”

“Originally what?”

“Nothing.” Originally, it was all to change your deadly fate. Only if you survive will I avoid being cleared out by the heroine, and only then can I survive. So, credit or no credit, it does not matter.

Ye Xuejin did not get an answer but did not press further, only looking at Yun Chi quietly. Actually, this person hadn’t understood her meaning. If it had been at the beginning of the exile, she might not have bothered to explain, nor would the thought have even occurred to her. But now, she wanted to talk more with this person, because this person had brought her hope.

Ye Xuejin lowered her eyes, took Yun Chi’s hand, and walked a little farther away.

“Fù Mǎ.”

“Yes?”

Ye Xuejin looked her in the eye and said slowly: “What I meant by saying I should not claim this credit is—”

“Is what?”

“Qián Lóng Wù Yòng (The hidden dragon should not act).”

Yun Chi did not understand: “What does that mean?”

Ye Xuejin slightly raised her head, looking up at the pitch-black night sky, and said unhurriedly: “Before my mother passed away, she told me those four words…” At the time, she understood. Her mother meant for her to conceal her talent and act simple. She just did not quite understand what people had to fear from her. She had never cared about the throne, and her imperial brother also held her, his sister, in high esteem.

Yet, despite following her mother’s words and acting even more indifferent, rarely concerning herself with court politics, she unexpectedly fell from grace. Now, she was forced to conceal her sharpness and act simple. She did not even need to conceal any sharpness, because she saw no hope of survival.

Until Yun Chi tightly held her hand and said: “I will never leave you on this journey.”

It was the Fù Mǎ who brought her hope.

Yun Chi listened, utterly confused, still not fully understanding: “You mean you should not attract attention?”

Ye Xuejin nodded: “We do not know when this exile journey will end. I should not attract the notice of others.”

Yun Chi laughed: “You are overthinking it. In just nine days, your innocence will be restored. Besides, even if you act cautiously and show weakness, the necessary attention will still find you.”

Ye Xuejin pursed her lips slightly and shook her head, saying nothing more. There was still a difference, but these differences were only tiny sparks, not enough to share with others.

Seeing her shake her head, her eyes seeming to hold a deeper meaning, Yun Chi could not help but carefully ponder her recent words. Qián Lóng Wù Yòng, conceal sharpness and act simple, Qián (Hidden)… Lóng (Dragon)! It couldn’t be what she thought, could it? Why was this plot different from what she had read?

Yun Chi was startled, but quickly relaxed. Whatever Ye Xuejin intended to do in the future, it had nothing to do with her. She only needed Ye Xuejin not to die on the road of exile.

With that, the two, either by tacit understanding or avoidance, did not continue the conversation.

Late into the night, because the area was just an open space with no caves to shelter from the wind or rain to obscure sight, Yun Chi and Ye Xuejin could not use the cotton quilts. They could only endure the cold wind, tightly huddled together.

“A-choo…”

A sneeze, from an unknown person, acted like a fuse, triggering a chain reaction. Sneeze sounds rose and fell relentlessly. The mountains were truly too cold. Even huddled around the fire, the chill could not be completely driven away, making it hard to sleep.

Yu Lu worried that the prisoners would catch a cold, so he could only order a few more fires to be lit, telling everyone to gather closely around them and allowing them to move around on their own. Motion would generate warmth.

But with nothing in their stomachs and no water, who had the extra strength to run around?

Yun Chi and Ye Xuejin were huddled around one fire pit with the five members of the Zhou family. Although their eyes occasionally met, no one initiated a conversation.

Young Ying’er looked directly at Ye Xuejin through the firelight. Her mouth was constantly savoring the sweet water she had drunk when she woke up—so sweet, so sweet. She wanted to drink more, and she was still very hungry.

“Ying’er, what are you staring at?” Zhou Qiyue, seeing her little niece staring without blinking at the opposite side, feared she was mentally exhausted and might faint again, so she deliberately spoke to her.

Young Ying’er stared at Ye Xuejin’s face and murmured: “The Fairy Elder Sister has sweet water.”

Zhou Qiyue smiled and corrected her: “You should call her Aunt Ye, or Aunt Fairy is fine, too.” Otherwise, if she called the Princess Elder Sister Ye and her niece also called the Princess Elder Sister, they would be of the same generation.

“I like Aunt Fairy,” young Ying’er obediently changed her address. “I want to go play with Aunt Fairy.”

Zhou Qiyue was about to refuse, but looking at her little niece’s expectant face, she could not bear it. “Go if you want, but be a good girl, Ying’er, and do not bother your Aunt Fairy.”

Young Ying’er’s expression brightened. She stood up and ran toward Ye Xuejin.

Ye Xuejin looked at the little girl, who was now thin and sallow from starvation after only five or six days, and her heart softened. She hugged her: “Are you still feeling unwell, Ying’er?”

Young Ying’er shook her head: “I am not feeling unwell, just hungry and thirsty.” Then, she glanced toward her family’s direction, as if afraid they would hear, and whispered into Ye Xuejin’s ear: “Aunt Fairy, can I have one more sip of sweet water? Just one sip. I want to savor the taste.” She truly wanted to drink it so badly. The taste was so sweet, sweeter than anything she could taste in a dream.

Ye Xuejin’s heart ached. She turned to Yun Chi and spoke without lowering her voice: “Fù Mǎ, let us walk with Ying’er for a bit, so we can all warm up.”

Yun Chi happily agreed. The three of them, big hands holding a small hand, slowly walked farther away.

Behind them, Old Imperial Censor Zhou said in a low voice: “Da Lang, go follow them and stand guard from a distance.” Although the prisoners would not dare cause trouble, what if they did? He felt uneasy about this sudden, hurried departure; it felt like a flight.

Zhou Qishan nodded, stood up, and followed, keeping a not-too-far, not-too-close distance, careful not to disturb them.

Here, Ye Xuejin saw that they were away from the crowd and asked Yun Chi: “Fù Mǎ, can we give Ying’er a few more sips of water?” She had only given half earlier, and she hadn’t seen Yun Chi drink any, so there should be some left.

Yun Chi reached out, unfastened the water pouch, bent down, and offered it to young Ying’er: “Of course. Drink up.”

Young Ying’er shyly took it and bowed properly: “Thank you, Aunt Fù Mǎ. Thank you, Aunt Fairy.” After expressing her thanks, she carefully took the water pouch as if it were a treasure. After taking a small sip, she quickly handed it back.

“I just took one taste. Ying’er is not greedy.” Her tone was cautious and slightly nervous, like a child who had done something wrong. She felt she had already been greedy. She should not have asked for this one sip…

Yun Chi did not take it back, smiling warmly: “It is fine. Finish it. We have more after this.”

Ye Xuejin also smiled, saying gently: “No one will blame Ying’er. Drink it all.”

Young Ying’er stared blankly at them. Aunt Fairy was so beautiful, and Aunt Fù Mǎ was also kind—they were both wonderful people. Seeing the little girl in a daze, Ye Xuejin squatted down, hugged her, and helped guide the water pouch to her, actively helping her drink: “Don’t worry, drink it. When you are done, eat this, too.”

In her palm was the compressed biscuit that Yun Chi had given her during the day. She hadn’t eaten it because she wasn’t hungry.

Young Ying’er numbly drank the remaining glucose solution in the water pouch, then accepted the biscuit in disbelief. There was food! She instinctively hid it in her clothes, intending to save it to eat secretly.

Ye Xuejin gently stroked her head: “Be a good girl, Ying’er. Go back and eat it quietly. Do not let outsiders see it, but you can let your grandfather and grandmother know.”

Upon hearing this, young Ying’er nodded hard: “Thank you, Aunt Fairy. Thank you, Aunt Fù Mǎ.” With that, she turned and ran. Great! She could take it back to eat, and she could also let her grandfather and grandmother have a taste.

Although Yun Chi was perplexed, she did not stop Ye Xuejin. Only when young Ying’er had run far away did she ask: “Shouldn’t we keep this a secret from the Zhou family?”

Ye Xuejin looked deeply at her: “Why should we hide it?” Since a good deed was done, people should know who to thank.

Yun Chi was startled: “As long as you have decided what to say, I am fine with it.” In the darkness of the night, she could not see Ye Xuejin’s eyes clearly, but she had a strong, fierce intuition that those eyes, which were usually calm and placid, seemed to hold something more now.

Ye Xuejin retracted her gaze, looked up toward the burning fire, and concealed the astonishing ambition in her eyes. “Fù Mǎ, let us go back.” Let’s go back and see if she gambled correctly.

Meanwhile, after young Ying’er started running back, she saw her father standing there, watching her. Her steps paused, and without greeting him, she took off running. Aunt Fairy only said to let her grandfather and grandmother know, so her father definitely could not know.

Zhou Qishan scratched his head in confusion: “Why is that child running? Did she not see it was me in the dark?”

Soon, young Ying’er reached the fire pit, scooted toward Old Imperial Censor Zhou and Old Madam Zhou, tugged at their sleeves, and whispered: “Grandfather, Grandmother, come closer. Ying’er has something to tell you secretly.”

The couple exchanged glances, then humored their little granddaughter, leaning in and lowering their heads.

“What does Ying’er want to say secretly?”

Above their heads, Zhou Qiyue towered over them, openly eavesdropping. Was there anything in this family that she was not allowed to know? Absolutely not.

Young Ying’er, acting like a little adult, glanced left and right, then lowered her head and pulled out the food Ye Xuejin had given her from her chest. Under the firelight, her eyes brightened when she saw what it was: “Aunt Fairy also has food given by the deity!” She still remembered the pastry she had eaten that night, which her grandfather said was given by a deity, and this piece looked exactly the same.

Seeing what her little granddaughter was holding, Old Imperial Censor Zhou’s breathing grew heavy, and he forcefully tugged at his beard. Old Madam Zhou quickly covered her granddaughter’s palm with her hand, vigilantly looking around. Only when she saw that no one was paying attention did she relax.

Above the three of them, Zhou Qiyue bent her body directly into a ninety-degree angle, suppressing her excitement: “Ying’er, who did you say gave this to you?”

Old Imperial Censor Zhou’s question was more direct and precise: “What Aunt Fairy? Ying’er, did you see a fairy?” Could it be that the food was not bestowed by the Venerable Star of Literature, but by a celestial maiden?