bookrandom Chapter 11 Embarking on the Path of Exile
Chapter 11 Embarking on the Path of Exile
"Xiao Xi, Xiao Xi, wake up."
"Mom, let me sleep a little longer!" Ning Xiaoxi mumbled, turning over to continue sleeping. The clothes covering her slipped off, and a cold wind blew into Ning Xiaoxi's neck.
Suddenly, Ning Xiaoxi nimbly sat up, turned her head and looked at Ming Luoying with her bright eyes, "Mother, I'm awake."
Ming Luoying reached out and handed over a damp handkerchief, saying softly, "Clean yourself up first, we'll be on our way after we eat something."
Ning Xiaoxi quickly got off the bed, took the handkerchief and wiped her face. From time to time, she could hear voices and the neighing of horses outside the window. Looking out the window, it was still pitch black, so they had to set off before dawn.
Ning Ziqing quickly tidied the bed, placing the groceries bought yesterday at the bottom of her carrying basket. However, she didn't put the ceramic jars and bowls at the bottom of her mother's basket; instead, she placed them on top of her own. The cotton clothes on the bed were also neatly packed and placed in the basket, weighed down.
Ning Shi watched over him from the sidelines, lending a hand from time to time.
Because they were both wearing handcuffs and shackles, the clattering sounds from time to time as Ning Shi and Ning Ziqing moved reminded them of their status as prisoners.
At that moment, the room door opened, and the guards carried in two large wooden buckets, placing them on the ground. "Breakfast, eat quickly, we'll be leaving in a quarter of an hour."
Ning Shi looked at the wooden buckets. One bucket contained her fist-sized coarse flour buns, which looked like enough for one person each. The other bucket contained clear soup with a few drops of oil floating on top.
Ning Shi turned around, picked up a spoon and chopsticks, and called to her son, "Ziqing, go get some steamed buns."
Ning Ziqing quickly picked up four steamed buns, turned around and handed them to her mother and younger sister, then turned back to take the soup bowl and pass it on.
Ning Xiaoxi smiled and accepted the steamed bun and soup bowl, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, brother."
Soon the family of four began their breakfast. When no one was looking, Ning Xiaoxi secretly took out four flatbreads from her bundle and handed them to her family. The flatbreads were small enough to hold in her tiny hands, so how could they possibly fill her up? On the first day of their journey, they needed to eat their fill to keep going.
Watching their family members eat and drink continuously, a few people finally couldn't resist going forward to take some steamed buns and share them with their own families. However, no one had prepared anything; there was nothing to eat, no soup, so they could only chew on the dry buns. After yesterday's ordeal and hunger, everyone gradually realized their predicament, and at this point, they could only feel sorry for themselves.
At this moment, a boy of similar age to Ning Ziqing gently picked up a rough teacup from the square table in the room, and walked over to Ning Shi. "Uncle, may I borrow your spoon?" As he finished speaking, the boy's face was already as red as blood.
Ning readily handed it over, saying, "Okay."
The boy took the spoon, bowed slightly, and said, "Thank you, Uncle."
Ning Xiaoxi watched as the young man quickly weighed the soup and handed it to his family. The family consisted of about eight people, including a strong girl of about twelve or thirteen years old, who was the same girl kneeling next to her at the execution ground.
The boy handed the soup bowl to his parent, a burly man, taller than Ning Shi, who sat imposingly on the bed. He took the bowl and nodded slightly to Ning Shi. After all, going almost a whole day and night without water and only eating dry bread was hardly a pleasant experience.
After the family finished eating, they quickly cleaned up the dishes and put them in their baskets, then checked that the water bags were full. Ning Xiaoxi looked at the bucket of steamed buns. Although there were people like her family who could adapt to the new environment, some people still couldn't let go of their former pride. There were still some leftover steamed buns in the bucket.
Ning Xiaoxi turned her back, opened the two bundles containing the flatbreads, tried to put the flatbreads into one bundle and then placed it in her basket, while holding the other bundle and waiting.
Just then, the bailiff's voice rang out from outside the door, "Come out, everyone, let's set off."
The young man quickly rinsed the spoon with water from the teapot and returned it to Ning Shi, not forgetting to bow again, "Thank you, Uncle."
People in the room came out one after another. Ning Xiaoxi lagged behind. After everyone had left, she quickly took out a cloth, wrapped up the remaining steamed buns in the bucket, and followed them out.
Seeing her sister's movements, Ning Ziqing also slowed down and stood in front of her to shield her.
People gradually emerged from each room, walked out of the post station, and came to the open space in front of it. More than two hundred people, plus more than twenty guards, stood densely packed together, the clanging of handcuffs and shackles echoing throughout the area.
The five guards responsible for counting the number of people took the roster and began counting them in order.
Ding You stood beside the supply wagon, and after the headcount was cleared, he waved his hand and said, "Let's go!" He then took the lead and sat in the front seat of the wagon, leading the way.
Ning Xiaoxi gripped the straps of the baskets tightly. These baskets were sturdy and had thick bases, so with the weight of the supplies, they weighed over twenty pounds. The heavy shackles made a dragging sound that carried far in the dim light of the early morning.
The light snow that fell intermittently yesterday has not yet melted, and it reflects white light in the morning light. Although the sky is not fully bright yet, the road can still be seen clearly by the morning light and the reflection of the snow.
Not far from the capital, the exiles continued along the official road, which was relatively flat and easy to travel. The surrounding plains were covered in white snow, with only a few tall trees, their bare branches a result of the harsh winter, creating a desolate scene.
The handcuffs were only a little over a foot long, threaded through the straps of the basket, and with their hands clasped together in front of their chests, supported by their elbows, Ning Shi and Ning Ziqing found walking extremely difficult. For these frail individuals, who were traditionally unable to carry anything, simply persevering was a remarkable feat.
The procession of exiled prisoners was not long. Although the constables did not physically beat or verbally abuse them, they inevitably shouted at them.
The arduous walk continued until nearly noon. The sky was pale and the sun had not yet risen. The dim sky seemed as if snowflakes might fall again at any moment.
Gradually, some prisoners began to fall behind, and the guards couldn't help but shove them forward. The heavy clatter of shackles and the weary footsteps mingled with the occasional painful groans of the prisoners.
A biting, icy wind swept across the wilderness, turning it into a giant ice cave that seemed poised to swallow up all life.
The supply wagons leading the way finally descended from the official road and reached a relatively flat area. In the distance, a grove of withered trees could be seen. At the entrance to the grove, several withered trees stood crookedly, like menacing monsters welcoming intruders. Their trunks were covered in cracks, like deep wrinkles etched by time and hardship. The branches, dry and fragile, pointed lifelessly to the sky, as if desperately pleading for something, yet frozen in the cold, remaining stiff and grotesque.
Ning Xiaoxi sensed the group's shift and looked up into the distance. She felt a sense of gloom and terror. Although the sky was dark, it was still broad daylight. Why did this forest look so eerie?
The guards called out to the prisoners, who could finally rest. The prisoners, ignoring the snow on the ground, sat down one after another. After half a day, their feet were blistered, their legs were sore and weak, and they were all panting heavily, trying to recover their strength as soon as possible.
The Shi family of four did not venture into the old woods. Instead, they found a spot at the edge of the forest, cleared away the snow with bare branches, and settled down at a few protruding tree roots.
In the distance, the constables had already cut down branches from some old trees to start a campfire. A soup pot was hanging on the fire, and a faint smell of alcohol wafted over. Being able to drink a sip of strong liquor to ward off the cold when going out in such cold weather was truly enviable.
Four other bailiffs each took a cloth bag from a carriage and distributed coarse flour buns to the prisoners, one for each person.
Ning Ziqing looked at the campfire in the distance and the messenger slowly approaching. This messenger was the one who had guarded the room yesterday. He picked up his water bag and went to greet him.