Sun Juanfang glanced up and immediately spotted the original host's parents not far away. Ting-jie'er was even more eager to rush forward and see her maternal grandparents, but Sun Juanfang quickly pulled her back.
The little one soon understood the situation and quietly stayed where she was, though her eyes couldn't help but keep glancing in that direction.
Soon, when Sun Juanfang saw the constables accepting bribes from these families, the prisoners were one by one allowed to meet their relatives.
As soon as Madam Sun saw her daughter and granddaughter reduced to this state, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. She quickly grabbed one in each hand.
"Sigh, it's all that damn Qian family's fault! My poor daughter... Once you're gone, I may never see you again… Oh, right—here, I prepared a bundle for you. Please, make sure to keep it safe."
Seeing her tearful mother, Sun Juanfang felt terrible, but she had to force herself to stay strong and comfort her.
"Don't worry, Mother. After this ordeal, I'll learn my lesson. I won't be deceived by the Qian family's sweet talk ever again."
Beside them, Censor Sun also sighed continuously as he watched the two. He lamented his own powerless status, unable to help his daughter much.
They chatted for a while longer. Just before parting, Sun's mother quietly reminded her, "My dear, the sleeves of the two short jackets in the bundle contain silver notes. Make sure to keep them safe."
Looking at her mother's anxious and worried face, Sun Juanfang could only nod firmly.
Ting-jie'er also didn't want to part from her grandfather, but they all knew that goodbyes were inevitable.
In the end, they had to force themselves to hold back their tears and press forward without looking back.
This time, not all the prisoners' relatives came to see them off—for example, Old Madam Qian's brother and sister-in-law didn't show up.
Back when the Qian family rose quickly to become nobles in the court, Old Madam Qian had begun to look down on her brother, a mere fifth-rank official. She barely bothered with holiday gifts.
Now, the Li family had also received the news, but remembering the disdain they'd suffered in the past—and afraid of being implicated by the Qian family—they naturally didn't want to get involved.
It was early autumn, and though it was nearly noon, the heat was still oppressive.
Sun Juanfang carried a bundle on her back and held four-year-old Ting-jie'er's hand. When the little one got too tired to walk, she'd carry her for stretches of the road. It was tough going.
Fortunately, Ting-jie'er was an understanding child. She empathized with her mother's hardship and gritted her teeth to endure, only complaining when she really couldn't take it anymore.
Had Sun Juanfang not possessed this body and subtly improved its constitution, she would've collapsed long ago.
But exiled criminals had no right to stop—if the constables saw anyone falling behind, they would lash them without hesitation.
At first, the pampered young masters and ladies cried and refused to march, but a few lashes from the constables quickly quieted them.
An hour later, Officer Zhou, leading the group, glanced at the sun and ordered a rest. Finally, everyone got a chance to catch their breath.
This time, even when the constables handed out plain cornbread, no one dared complain. When hunger reached its peak, people no longer cared about taste.
During the break, Sun Juanfang took a moment to inspect the bundle her mother had prepared. Inside were a water pouch, a few pairs of cloth shoes, some flatbreads, two short jackets, and some loose silver.
The jackets were clearly tailored for her and Ting-jie'er. She secretly felt the sleeves and indeed found a few large-denomination silver notes hidden inside.
It had been the same in her previous life, but the original host had been too naive, believing her mother-in-law's claim that all items would be confiscated and redistributed. None of it ever reached her or her daughter in the end.
Thinking of this, Sun Juanfang decided she wouldn't let those who had bullied the original host live comfortably. After all, this long journey into exile wouldn't be lonely with such people providing entertainment.
And here came Old Madam Qian, with her fake smile and feigned kindness.
"My second daughter-in-law, your eldest sister-in-law already handed over the package she received. Don't you think you should turn yours in too? Don't worry, I won't treat you and the child unfairly."
"I think it's safest to keep what my maternal family gave me with me. No need for you to worry, Mother."
Old Madam Qian was displeased. She knew very well that everyone had received supplies. But since no one from her own family had come, she wanted to seize everything and flaunt her authority as the head of the household.
She shot a look at her second son, clearly signaling him to take care of Sun Juanfang.
Qian Mingwu, catching the cue, put on a stern face and said, "Wife, as a daughter-in-law of the Qian family, you should be filial to your mother-in-law and follow the family's rules."
Had the original host heard this, she would probably have immediately submitted and complied.
Tch. These two really thought they could manipulate her so easily.
Silently, Sun Juanfang used her psychic ability to give both mother and son excruciating headaches.
Watching them roll in pain on the ground, the other Qian family members panicked. Sun Juanfang used the opportunity to slip away from the mess.
Nearby constables saw what was happening and assumed the two were just faking illness out of laziness. Each gave them a heavy lash.
Still not satisfied, one of the constables kicked Qian Mingwu and scolded, "It's only been half a day and you're already pretending to be sick? You think I was born yesterday?"
In the end, Old Madam Qian and Qian Mingwu could only grit their teeth and stagger back to their feet. They didn't dare provoke Sun Juanfang again.
Watching from the sidelines, Li Yuexi was also frustrated. If the second daughter-in-law didn't hand over her things, she didn't want to give hers up either.
But knowing Old Madam Qian's temperament, she had no choice but to endure—for now. But with such emotions piling up, it was only a matter of time before she snapped.
Meanwhile, Qian Mingwu leaned on Concubine Zhao for support, growing more and more resentful of his wife. He thought Sun Juanfang was useless for not bearing a son and for causing unrest at home.
But the more he focused on her faults, the more intense the pain in his head grew. After several such episodes, he stopped daring to think about it.
Watching the scene she had orchestrated, Sun Juanfang was quite satisfied. She thought she might stage a few more such episodes in the future.
Next to her, Ting-jie'er saw that her mother was happy and smiled too. The little girl knew that she really liked this version of her mother—one who stayed by her side.