Early in the morning, the prisoners hadn’t had a drop of water for most of the day. Many of them were wilting, but the punishment wasn’t over yet. Even the dry cakes they were supposed to get for breakfast were gone. With their stomachs growling, they could only stagger onward, each of them so hungry they felt faint.

After this round of torment, any remaining rebellious thoughts among the prisoners had been completely extinguished.

By midday, when Zhang Tou asked them again if they wanted to buy water bottles, everyone responded eagerly. Even prisoners who didn’t have much money raised the prices of the water bottles themselves.

They had no choice. The harsh lesson was fresh in their minds—if they didn’t act enthusiastically, what if the constables thought they were being disrespectful again and subjected them to more punishment? Nobody could withstand that.

The water bottles were sold at a price so high that Jiang Huai was dumbfounded. Even though he wasn’t familiar with local prices, he could tell the profit margins on these water bottles were outrageous.

After collecting the money from the prisoners, Zhang Tou distributed it directly among the other constables. Their faces lit up with joy. After all, wasn’t this the real reason they endured the hardships of escorting prisoners? If not for the money, why would they bother with this grueling work?

Watching Zhang Tou’s actions, the prisoners’ hearts sank, though they didn’t dare let it show on their faces.

The meaning behind Zhang Tou’s actions was clear—if they didn’t buy the goods sold by the constables, it meant offending all of them, and they wouldn’t have an easy time after that.

Yet, the prisoners also understood that this wasn’t a one-time expense. They had merely fed the constables this once. What if they couldn’t satisfy them next time? How many times would they have to endure this?

Both the wealthier prisoners and those with nothing to their name realized the severity of the situation.

Some prisoners couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Huai. During the bidding for the water bottles, Jiang Huai had been the only one who didn’t participate. Even though he already had a water bottle, his failure to bid might have offended the constables.

Some prisoners merely thought about this in their minds, but others couldn’t suppress the growing resentment they felt toward Jiang Huai.

Although it was they who had angered the constables, how could people blame themselves? Even though it was Zhang Tou who had punished them, they dared not harbor any resentment toward him. Thus, their anger shifted to Jiang Huai.

After all, it was Jiang Huai who had earned his water bottle by teaching arithmetic and who had deliberately ingratiated himself with Xiao Jingzhao. If not for their jealousy of him, they wouldn’t have ignored Zhang Tou’s warnings.

Zhang Tou counted the silver he had made from punishing the prisoners and found that his earnings had nearly doubled. Feeling much better, he couldn’t resist grumbling at the prisoners, saying that if they had obediently handed over their money, he wouldn’t have needed to trouble them like this.

One of the prisoners noticed Zhang Tou’s improved mood and seized the opportunity to flatter him, adopting a fawning attitude as if they were grateful for the chance to pay. Zhang Tou’s smile deepened, even though he knew the praise wasn’t sincere. But who doesn’t like hearing a bit of flattery?

Jiang Huai didn’t think much of it, assuming the prisoner was just trying to curry favor with Zhang Tou. But then, the prisoner suddenly brought up his name.

“Master Officer, this Jiang Huai is truly ungrateful. That water bottle of his was only spared because of your magnanimity. Now that you’re selling water bottles, he doesn’t even show any support. It’s as if he doesn’t respect you at all…”

The maliciously clear words were hard for Jiang Huai to misunderstand. Realizing the trouble they might bring him, his expression shifted slightly.

The reason he hadn’t placed a bid earlier was, first, because he already had a water bottle and didn’t need another. Second, he genuinely didn’t have any money.

If he had joined the bidding and Zhang Tou decided to sell him a water bottle, he wouldn’t have been able to pay. That would be seen as mocking Zhang Tou, and even if he had earned Xiao Jingzhao’s favor, offending Zhang Tou wouldn’t have ended well.

It had seemed safer not to act. A still tongue makes a wise head.

When Zhang Tou hadn’t reacted earlier, Jiang Huai thought the matter was over. He hadn’t expected a fellow prisoner to use it against him.

“Master Officer…” Jiang Huai couldn’t just sit and wait for trouble to come his way. But before he could finish, Zhang Tou’s smiling face abruptly darkened, and he raised his hand to slap the speaking prisoner hard across the face.

The prisoner, caught off guard and weakened from hunger, was knocked to the ground.

“You dog! Do you think I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours?” Zhang Tou was furious. The prisoner, dazed and seeing stars, didn’t understand what had happened. Begging for mercy, he tried to defend himself, claiming it was all a misunderstanding.

But Zhang Tou wasn’t convinced. He swung his whip, striking the prisoner several times, leaving his skin torn and his cries pitiful.

The moment Zhang Tou started hitting the prisoner, Jiang Huai realized it wasn’t the right time to explain himself. But watching the scene of one-sided violence, his feet felt rooted to the ground, unable to move.

Just then, a hand reached out from behind and grabbed Jiang Huai’s wrist, pulling him aside.

Turning back, Jiang Huai saw it was Xiao Jingzhao. His body immediately relaxed as he let Xiao Jingzhao guide him away.

Xiao Jingzhao didn’t pull Jiang Huai very far. Once they were at a safe distance, he stopped.

“Keep your head down and don’t make a sound,” Xiao Jingzhao instructed in a low voice. If he hadn’t been speaking right next to Jiang Huai’s ear, it would have been hard to hear.

Jiang Huai instinctively obeyed, lowering his head.

Xiao Jingzhao’s movements weren’t subtle, and the other constables noticed.

“What’s with the new guy being so nice to Jiang Huai?” one constable asked, puzzled.

“Maybe he’s taken a liking to him. Why else wouldn’t he treat the other prisoners this way?” Another constable smirked. He didn’t actually mean it, but such gossip was an entertaining distraction during the dull journey.

The smirking constable glanced over and saw Xiao Jingzhao still holding Jiang Huai’s wrist. His expression turned thoughtful—maybe his guess wasn’t entirely unfounded.

Young men with strong urges, months of travel without any indulgence—it was enough to test anyone’s limits. If he himself were into men, he might have entertained such thoughts too.

But speaking of those thoughts, the constable suddenly turned to look at Sun Yong.

Everyone knew Sun Yong liked men. Though Zhang Tou had recently warned him, it was obvious to the other constables that Sun Yong had been eyeing Jiang Huai. He just hadn’t dared act on it—yet.

Sun Yong stared intently at Jiang Huai’s wrist, pale and slender, with a youthful delicacy. And yet, someone else was holding it.

Sun Yong regretted it deeply. He had been watching Jiang Huai all along and knew how easily he had won Xiao Jingzhao’s favor. If only he had made a move earlier, perhaps it would be his hand holding the beautiful boy’s now. Perhaps there could have been even more to look forward to.

The sticky, heated gaze was so intense that Jiang Huai noticed something was off. But remembering Xiao Jingzhao’s earlier instruction to keep his head down, he hesitated and chose not to look back.

Meanwhile, Zhang Tou finally thought of Jiang Huai. Although he knew Jiang Huai hadn’t bid because he lacked silver, hearing the prisoner’s earlier provocation still left him feeling annoyed.

Over the years, Zhang Tou had escorted many prisoners. Usually, he could treat them however he pleased. But Jiang Huai was different—too light a hand, and it felt like coddling him; too heavy, and it might cause trouble later. This left Zhang Tou simmering with unspent frustration. But now, he saw an opportunity: even if it was just one lash of the whip to vent his anger, it would be worth it.

Zhang Tou still remembered the lash Jiang Huai owed him.

He scanned the area for Jiang Huai and caught sight of Sun Yong’s lecherous gaze before spotting Jiang Huai standing quietly with his head lowered.

Zhang Tou preferred obedient prisoners. Wealthier ones might bring in more silver, but they were troublesome. Taking their money meant treating them with a bit of respect, and that respect sometimes emboldened them to scheme. But obedient ones like Jiang Huai were easier to manage, making the job less stressful in the long run.

Looking at Jiang Huai’s compliant posture, Zhang Tou’s anger eased a little.

Forget it. The boy hadn’t done anything outrageous, and besides, he was too frail. A single lash could make him ill, delaying the journey and creating more trouble. If he fell sick and died en route, it would be an even bigger headache.

Jiang Huai’s circumstances were unique. If an ordinary prisoner died along the way, it wouldn’t matter much. But Jiang Huai’s case was different—his body and cause of death would need to be meticulously documented because of his family’s serious crimes. If there was even a hint of tampering, the higher-ups would come down hard.

If an investigation was launched, Zhang Tou, as the leading constable, would have to offer endless explanations, and maybe even bribe the investigators. Just thinking about the hassle made his scalp tingle. His anger, already somewhat diminished, disappeared entirely.

But the remaining bit of irritation still needed an outlet.

Zhang Tou’s gaze shifted to Sun Yong. Seeing his lascivious expression made Zhang Tou frown in disgust. Muttering curses, he stomped over to Sun Yong.

Hearing Zhang Tou’s footsteps approaching, Jiang Huai, still keeping his head down, wasn’t sure what was happening. All he could do was brace himself for the worst, thinking Zhang Tou might still come for him.

His hands trembled slightly with tension, but Jiang Huai forced himself to stay calm. He listened carefully to Zhang Tou’s footsteps, trying to predict how the whip might land and how to minimize the damage.

He knew he had to protect his face. A good-looking face might not matter much now, but when he reached Anyuan Prefecture, it could make a significant difference. After all, people judge by appearances.

As Zhang Tou’s footsteps drew closer, Jiang Huai took a deep breath, bracing himself for the lash. His body trembled faintly with anticipation—then he heard a cold snort beside him, and Zhang Tou walked past without stopping.

Although Zhang Tou had reasoned with himself earlier, a trace of anger toward Jiang Huai still lingered. But seeing how frightened the boy was filled him with smug satisfaction, and his anger dissipated completely.

The other prisoners, unaware of Zhang Tou’s considerations, only saw someone report Jiang Huai and get beaten savagely for it, while Jiang Huai himself escaped punishment thanks to a constable’s protection.

How could they not be envious?

Some prisoners had still been unsure about currying favor with the constables or how to go about it. But after seeing Zhang Tou’s actions and Jiang Huai’s results, they made up their minds: they had to do whatever it took to win over the constables.