Exiled to Lingnan, the Crown Prince's wife raises children, cultivates the land, and leads the

"We won't eat it."

Gao Shenglan clung to Cheng Qiqi in fear. She truly hadn't expected that even though they were so poor they were practically begging for scraps, someone would still try to take advantage of them.

"That won't work."

The man looked at Cheng Qiqi with a smile.

"I don't like braised pork belly, but I do like red-cut pork."

Cheng Qiqi pulled a dagger from her cloth bag. The sharp blade, held in her hand, seemed ready to draw blood at any moment.

"They even used a knife? Who are you trying to scare!"

The man was nonchalant and showed no fear whatsoever.

Cheng Qiqi's eyes turned slightly cold. With a flick of her wrist, the dagger in her hand instantly gleamed with a chilling light, and crimson blood condensed and dripped down.

"That bitch, she actually dared to lay a hand on me!"

The man sensed something was wrong and immediately withdrew his hand. There was a cut on his palm, not deep, but it looked scary.

"lady!"

Just as the man was about to step forward, a burly man with a thick beard stepped out and stood in front of her like a guardian, his sharp eyes sweeping over her.

The man was about to say something when his companion pulled him away.

"Gangzi, did I just take this for nothing?"

"Are you stupid? That man looks like he's seen blood. You think you're tough enough already?"

"..."

As the two voices faded into the distance, Cheng Qiqi looked at the bearded man, Hei Tu, and said, "Thank you for helping us."

"It's what I should do."

Heitu looked at the blood-stained dagger in Cheng Qiqi's hand and said, "The dagger is sharp, Princess Consort, please be careful."

After saying that, Heitu walked into the alley and seemed to disappear into the crowd in an instant.

Gao Shenglan stared at the vanished black soil, tightly gripping Cheng Qiqi's hand: "Sister-in-law, this, this..."

"The Crown Prince's former subordinate, Heodo."

Cheng Qiqi explained, then disgustedly wiped the blood off the dagger with a handkerchief, saying, "Is there anything else you want to buy? If not, let's go home."

"Go home, hurry home."

Gao Shenglan felt her legs go weak; those two thugs were truly terrifying. "Sister-in-law, did you already know someone was protecting you?"

"Fortunately, fortunately we had the Crown Prince's old subordinates, otherwise, we would have been..." Gao Shenglan felt a lingering fear.

Cheng Qiqi raised an eyebrow. She, a mere decoration for the Crown Prince's wife, actually had someone specially protecting her?

Perhaps it was just a coincidence.

Cheng Qikai didn't think much of it. Looking at Gao Shenglan's terrified expression, she thought: Even without the prince's old subordinates, she wasn't afraid. Those two thugs were clearly bullies who preyed on the weak. As long as you're tougher than them, they'll back down.

The two hurried back to the village.

"Boss, we've caught him!"

Chongshan grabbed the man who had just harassed the Crown Princess and said, "One is called A Niu, and the other is called Gangzi. They are both notorious local thugs who especially like to prey on pretty young women."

"Have mercy, sir!"

Ah Niu was pinned against the wall, facing Gangzi, almost kissing him. He begged for mercy, knowing these two were not to be trifled with.

"Spare us! Spare us! We didn't do anything!"

As they got closer, Gangzi could almost smell Ah Niu's bad breath, but he didn't care anymore: "We'll never do it again."

"Yes, I'll never do it again."

Ah Niu wanted to nod, but the big hand held him down firmly, and he couldn't move an inch.

"Big brother, what should we do with them?" Chongshan looked at Jin Mozhi, twisting his neck as he said, "How about..."

"No, no."

Ah Niu and Gangzi caught a glimpse of Chongshan's movements out of the corner of their eyes, and they both gasped in shock as a strong stench of urine wafted over...

……

"worn out!"

"My hands are about to break."

"My hands are covered in blisters. The blisters on my feet don't hurt unless I touch them, but these blisters on my hands hurt even when I don't touch them!"

After transporting the ten camphor trees, Marquis Zhongyong and his entourage returned to their lodgings, their hands covered in blood.

"We're even more exhausted. Pounding rice and grinding flour are jobs that are simply inhuman!"

Lin Huilan dragged her weary body, feeling that the future was bleak and hopeless.

Back home, Cheng Qiqi and Gao Shenglan had just arrived home a short while earlier.

"Cheng Qiqi, you've been lazing around at home all day, haven't you? Why didn't you even cook?"

Lin Huilan was seething with anger. When she got home, she yelled at Cheng Qiqi, saying that they were working themselves to the bone, and Cheng Qiqi was just enjoying herself at home, not even cooking.

"Who said I have to cook for everyone?"

Cheng Qiqi had just taken two strings of candied hawthorns and gave one string to each of Jin Sui'an and Jin Yun!

The thoughtful Jin Sui'an not only gave her a candied hawthorn, but also saved one for each of her grandparents, which made Cheng Qiqi feel very sorry for him. Just as she was feeling touched, she suddenly heard Lin Huilan's words and instantly became annoyed.

"You spent a hundred coins, no, a hundred and fifty coins, and you don't do any work? You don't even cook at home?"

Jin Xue'er stared at the candied hawthorn in her hand. Thinking of the hard work she had done pounding rice during the day, she suddenly exploded and rushed towards Cheng Qiqi: "Cheng Qiqi, you actually wasted money on candied hawthorn, you..."

The instant she rushed over, Cheng Qiqi pushed her daughter An'an next to Liu Suyi. She stood up, grabbed Jin Xue'er's hair, and pressed her down hard!

"what……"

With her hair pulled, Jin Xueer stood in an extremely awkward position.

"Xue'er!"

Lin Huilan looked at her daughter with concern and stepped forward to grab Cheng Qiqi.

"stop!"

Liu Suyi shielded An'an behind her and, imitating Cheng Qiqi, grabbed Lin Huilan's hair and pressed her down forcefully.

Before Lin Huilan could scream, Liu Suyi looked at Marquis Zhongyong and said, "My lord, even if Qiqi and Shenglan went to the county to buy grain today, and even if they were just staying home taking care of the children, does that mean you should cook for everyone?"

Qiqi spent 150 coins to take care of the children at home, but who said she had to cook?

"Qiqi bought the candied hawthorns with her own money, and even shared one with Xiaoyun. What, do you think I didn't know that Qiqi had to share the money in her pocket with you guys?"

Liu Suying's gaze swept over the various expressions on the faces of the Jin family members, and she said, "I haven't done any work either, so do I have to cook too?"

Finally, Liu Suyi glared at the Marquis of Zhongyong.

"Suyi, you're right. Qiqi is resting at home taking care of the children, not staying home to cook for everyone."

Marquis Zhongyong was clearly on the side of Liu Suyi and Cheng Qiqi. Lin Huilan and Jin Xueer instantly wilted like flowers and dared not say another word.

"Xue'er, Qiqi is your sister-in-law. Apologize to your sister-in-law."

Marquis Zhongyong had a cold face. Jin Xue'er pursed her lips and finally apologized to Cheng Qiqi.

Marquis Zhongyong's gaze swept over Lin Huilan and said, "Lin Huilan, this is your final warning. If you dare to cause trouble again, get out of the Jin family!"

Lin Huilan's repeated tantrums have eroded any remaining affection between them.

"My lord."

Lin Huilan looked up in disbelief. She had given birth to a son and a daughter for the Marquis of Zhongyong. She had stayed by his side for so many years. Even if she hadn't done anything great, she had still worked hard. Even when she was exiled, she never had any other thoughts. How could he treat her like this?

Lin Huilan swayed and finally fainted.