The three brothers were startled and looked back to see Zhen Meili standing in front of the horse pulling the carriage, stamping her feet. "Ah, ah, oh no, our horse is frozen to death, what are we going to do!~"
Because Zhen Meili's carriage had gotten stuck in the ice crust last night and the horse was still harnessed, it couldn't get away and was frozen to death...
Meanwhile, Yun Siman's horse had found a place to shelter from the wind and snow. Although a bit tired, it could still pull the sled.
"Tsk!" Yun Siman sneered, "Why are you making such a fuss? I thought the sky was falling. Second brother, third brother, let's go, ignore her!~"
With that, Yun Siman whipped the horse and was about to leave...
Seeing this, Zhen Meili stumbled over and blocked the front of the sled. "You, you can't leave. It's in the middle of nowhere, and there isn't a soul in sight. What if it snows heavily again?"
Yun Siman glanced at her indifferently. "What, you want to latch onto us? Who said last night that unless you were seriously ill, you'd rather die than latch onto us brothers? Has Madam forgotten so quickly?"
He hated people who were unreasonable the most.
Zhen Meili: "......"
These bumpkins just want money. As long as they have money, she didn't believe these people wouldn't help her.
"Fine, tell me how much money you want, and I'll give it to you!~" Zhen Meili said, calling Xiao Cui over to get the silver notes.
Yun Siman played with the whip in his hand, remaining silent.
Er Man and San Man looked at Zhen Meili with disdain, their faces filled with scorn and disgust...
A little money and you're acting so high and mighty, you don't even know your own name.
"Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and get the silver notes!~" Zhen Meili nudged Xiao Cui and said angrily.
Xiao Cui had been frozen stiff last night, and her mind was still muddled.
She pulled out a silver note and handed it to Zhen Meili tremblingly, "Ma... Madam, do you think this is enough?"
Yun Siman looked closely. One hundred taels of silver. It seemed this noble lady was indeed wealthy.
Zhen Meili held the silver note between her fingers and waved it in front of Yun Siman. "I now order you to take us to Dashui Village. When we arrive, I will give you a generous reward!~"
She had expected that with so much money, the three brothers would be tempted by greed, perhaps even fighting over the silver notes...
But upon closer inspection, all three spat in unison. While not exactly treating money as dirt, it was close.
Yun San Man asked curiously, "Why are you going to Dashui Village?"
As far as he knew, none of the villagers in Dashui Village had such wealthy relatives.
Zhen Meili replied, "What I'm going to do has nothing to do with you. Will you help or not?"
"If you don't say, then forget it!~" Yun Siman couldn't be bothered to deal with her and casually threw a bundle over. "There are steamed buns and dried meat in here, enough for you two to last until the post station. And looking at the weather, it won't snow for a while. I wish you a smooth journey..."
With that, Yun Siman whipped the horse and shouted, "Giddy up, giddy up!~"
The horse neighed, pulling the sled, and rushed out, quickly disappearing into the vast snowy plains.
Zhen Meili stood there blankly, holding the bundle. After a long moment, she finally reacted, "No, what do they mean by that?"
They didn't even want the money. Were their heads full of water?
Xiao Cui rubbed her shoulders and whispered, "Ma... Madam, we should hurry. This place is too desolate. What if we encounter wolves or wild beasts!"
"Can you say something more auspicious?" Zhen Meili was so angry she pinched Xiao Cui and pointed to her legs and feet, "What if my delicate body gets exhausted?"
She was the third wife of General Jingbei, unable to lift a shoulder or carry anything. Making her trek through the snow-covered ground was simply an insult.
Xiao Cui: "......"
Then you just stand here. This servant will not accompany you.
Xiao Cui lifted her skirt hem and slowly walked forward along the tracks left by the sled.
As the saying goes, if a man does not look out for himself, heaven and earth will destroy him. In the face of life and death, people always look out for themselves...
Seeing this, Zhen Meili immediately panicked and hurried after her, "Hey, hey, hey, what's going on with you, girl? Did I mistreat you usually?"
"Oh, Madam!~" Xiao Cui supported Zhen Meili. "Why are you arguing with them? If they hadn't saved us last night, we would have both frozen into ice blocks!"
Hmph, you have a beautiful face but no sense of propriety...
Zhen Meili pursed her lips and swallowed her complaints and grievances.
The Yun brothers arrived at the post station before noon. They each drank a bowl of hot dough drop soup, fed the horses, and then continued on their way...
Meanwhile, Zhen Meili and Xiao Cui walked all the way, and it was almost dark when they shakily arrived at the post station.
The mistress and servant rested there for a night. When dawn broke, they bought a horse and sled, hired a driver, and then slowly headed towards Dashui Village.
Heyang County.
Yun Jinshan rushed into his dormitory after his last class and began packing his things...
The academies in the Great Liang Kingdom all had collective holidays at this time of year.
It had been a long time since Yun Jinshan had returned to the village since his last visit.
The worn-out bundle was filled with letters, almost all of them from Qin Yiyi.
Yun Jinshan randomly picked out a letter, unfolded it, and read it with a smile. "Hehe, Yiyi, don't go back on your word!~"
Qin Yiyi had said that when her parents were free, she would bring her and Feng Lan to visit Dashui Village...
Yun Jinshan had been waiting for this day for a long time.
A classmate walked in and saw Yun Jinshan engrossed in reading the letter. He smiled and teased, "Oh, Jinshan, did your little wife write to you again!~"
Yun Jinshan's face turned red upon hearing this, and he glared at him. "Don't talk nonsense, be careful your tongue rots!"
Although he didn't admit it, he was overjoyed in his heart...
The classmate shrugged. "Let me tell you, having a girlfriend really affects your studies. The exam is next spring. If you can pass as a Tong Sheng, it's fine. If you can't, it's best to go home early and help your parents farm!~"
Yun Jinshan: "......"
Does this person have to be so malicious?
What does it have to do with you whether I can pass or not?
"I'm leaving!~" Yun Jinshan tied up his bundle and slung it over his shoulder. "See you after the New Year!"
Since his elder brother Jin He went to study elsewhere, Yun Jinshan didn't like returning to the village much anymore. Because there was no one to accompany him on the road, he didn't want to go...
So he was unaware of anything that had happened at home recently.
Just as he was walking out of the academy gate, intending to hail a carriage to Dashui Village, a familiar figure suddenly appeared before him.