After feeding the exiled criminals, she was forced to reveal herself

Chapter 202 Aren’t you two hungry?
Gyeongju has many mountains and forests, the terrain is relatively high, and the post roads are winding.

Snowflakes were flying, and the coldness in the air was biting. Xiong Jiushan was worried that the prisoners would suddenly encounter such a sudden change in weather and fall ill one by one, which would hinder the journey ahead.

Seeing that the safety of the road ahead was uncertain, Xiong Jiushan was unwilling to take risks, so he specifically ordered the officers to set up pots to boil some hot water and distribute it one by one.

The servants were shivering with cold as they walked all the way, so they felt happy to boil hot water in a pot to warm themselves.

But in this cold weather, people are too lazy to move. So I went to the prisoners and shouted: "If you are willing to go and collect some firewood from the surrounding areas, we will not only provide you with hot water, but also an extra piece of dry food! Is there anyone who takes the initiative to do so?"

A group of people stood up one after another.

The leading officer shouted: "Everyone, come this way!"

The prisoners who were willing to work and have meals dragged their shackles and followed several officers and dispersed in several directions to collect dry firewood. It's better on weekdays, but it snowed yesterday, and the snow melted on many dry firewood, which made my hands wet and cold.

But in order to have one more bite, some people are willing to do it no matter how uncomfortable it is.

This also includes Pang Jiming, who wants to add more food for his wife and children, and Tieniu, who doesn't care what life is like.

He used to do this kind of work in the village. He didn't think anything of it. Wasn't he given extra food and hot water?
Tieniu thought it was good, he signed up actively and was in good spirits to work.

Pang Jiming's initial feeling of discomfort dissipated when he saw Tieniu.

"Brother Tieniu, can I come with you?"

Tieniu naturally didn't care. He nodded with a smile and said, "Come with me. I see there should be a lot of dry firewood and dead branches over there, which are easy to pick up."

Following the experience, Pang Jiming gave up his hopeless expectations in the face of survival, struggled to survive every meal, every breath, and led his family to choose another path.

Pang's wife hugged her two children and sat on the cold ground, waiting for Pang Jiming to come back.

"Mom, can we eat more when dad comes back?"

Mrs. Pang touched the heads of the two children and said comfortingly: "Yes, the officials are heating hot water today."

Such conversations are not uncommon among the prisoners. The sudden drop in temperature, the falling ice and snow, and the blazing fire ignited a glimmer of hope.

Two guards of the Xie family took the initiative to report to Xie Yuchuan and wanted to go collect firewood with them.

The Xie family is not short of food now, but Xie Yuchuan also understands what the guards mean. He nods and lets them go, and there is nothing wrong with walking around and picking up some dead branches and firewood.

The guards of the Xie family were already in good health, and they had eaten well in the past two days. They were separated by one person on each side. They walked around in a short time and came back. Each person carried two bundles of firewood under their arms and delivered them. The officer is quick and capable.

The officer responsible for boiling water was stunned when he received it.

The two reported their names and then returned to the team, leaving a few guards behind to pick up the firewood they had brought back and look at each other.

"This... seems to be a branch that has been pulled down hard, right?"

"Chopped now?" Someone came over and said in a nervous tone, "The Xie family still has a machete with them?"

The man next to him shook his head, "It wasn't cut with a knife. Look at this...how much force it took to break the gap."

Beside the iron pot, several servants were silent for a long time.

After being gone for so many days, why do the Xie family members still have the energy to go out? Everyone was puzzled.

"It's too little trouble."

A strong and powerful prisoner is not a good thing in the eyes of the escorting officers.

"I'll go talk to the missionary."

No one stopped.

Xiong Jiushan was warming himself over the fire and drinking soup with Cheng Ye in the tent, when the old Yamen servant came in and said a few words about the Xie family collecting firewood.

After hearing this, Cheng Ye frowned and sneered with a dark face, "How many of the servants of the Xie family are so capable?"

Obviously the words were not meant to be praised. He turned to Xiong Jiushan and said, "Sir, the Xie family should keep a closer eye, otherwise there will be trouble on the road ahead." Xiong Jiushan blew on the hot soup and turned to the old Yamen servant. : "How many people are there in the Xie family?"

"Two, one on each side. They walked around a few times and then came back. They left later than others and came back earlier than others."

"Where's the firewood?"

"Just a little more," said the old Yamen servant.

Xiong Jiushan understood in his heart, sneered and said in a deep voice: "Okay, I got it, you just need to keep an eye on the people, as long as many of them don't die and don't cause trouble. As long as the Xie family doesn't cause trouble, don't worry about it. I have my own opinion."

"Yes, sir." The old yamen officer looked left and right in front of the two superior officers, "The little man has retired."

Xiong Jiushan nodded.

After the old yamen officer left, Cheng Ye frowned and said, "Sir, if your family doesn't take care of this, it will definitely become a big trouble in the future."

Xiong Jiushan said: "The soup is getting cold," reminding him to eat.

Cheng Ye took two mouthfuls and was puzzled. He was silent for a long time and seemed to remind: "Sir, this opportunity is rare. Don't miss it. In a world of great competition, if you don't fight, others will fight for themselves, so why should you give others an advantage."

Xiong Jiushan frowned and said in a deep voice: "I act with discretion. What are you worried about?"

Cheng Ye raised his head and wanted to say a few more words of advice, but when he met Xiong Jiushan's dark gaze, he stopped talking.

Xiong Jiushan lowered his expression and said calmly: "The Xie family has different luck. If we act too hastily, nothing will happen. In the end, it will be all in vain."

"But this opportunity to go north is rare."

"We are only responsible for escorting, this is an opportunity."

"grown ups!"

Xiong Jiushan raised his hand, looked at Cheng Ye and said seriously: "Opportunities visible to everyone may not be real opportunities."

Cheng Ye couldn't persuade him, so he could only eat in silence. Seeing that he couldn't turn around for a while, Xiong Jiushan thought for a while and reminded him: "The Xie family's luck is indeed different. Don't reach out ignorantly, look more, listen more and think more."

Cheng Ye said: "I know."

Hot water was delivered to the prisoners one after another. The Xie family was holding bowls, and they were also given hot water one by one to warm themselves up.

Xie Yuchuan took two sips of hot water, and his body immediately felt warm from the inside out.

Ever since Xie Wuying heard from her sixth brother that the family god was going to give them food, the dry rough pancakes in her hands no longer smelled good.

Food must not be wasted, but he doesn't eat it so quickly.

When several familiar guards nearby saw this, they all teased him: "What's wrong with Master Wu Ying today? You have no appetite?"

"It shouldn't be. I haven't seen you like this in the past few days."

The guards didn't know what "extraordinary joy" they were going to have today, so they all ate their cakes with hot water quickly.

The matter has not yet been completed, and it is difficult for Xie Wuying to publicize it.

Sixth Brother told him and Huaizhang, and the two of them came over to free up a few baskets. Others just regarded the two of them as side affairs. Who would have thought that the family god told Xie Yuchuan that he would give food today?

It made both him and Xie Wenjie feel uncomfortable, and they were reminded from time to time to "eat slowly, eat slowly", "eat too fast, it's not easy to digest" and so on.

A group of guards looked at the two of them strangely:...

Finally one person discovered that they hadn't finished half of the cake in a long time.

Zhou Chuan asked curiously: "You two young masters, aren't you hungry?"

(End of this chapter)