Lu Yao was completely oblivious to what was happening with her brother.

Her family of four, along with others, embarked on the arduous journey of exile under the escort of the imperial guards.

They were traveling on the official road.

It was called an official road, but it was simply a bit wider and smoother than other paths.

The official road near the capital was still good, paved with bluestone slabs, but further away, it was just gravel, or they simply leveled the road and called it a day.

If there was gravel, it was still better, as it wouldn’t be too difficult to walk on during rainy days.

But if the road wasn’t paved with gravel, it would be full of potholes and easily accumulate water, not to mention that every step would be muddy, making it extremely difficult.

Fortunately, the weather was clear today, and they had only just left the capital, so they hadn’t encountered such a situation yet.

However, dragging heavy shackles was not an easy task in itself.

The punishment of walking in exile was a punishment for criminals. The various hardships and tribulations along the way were enough to break many.

However,

There were loopholes to exploit.

For example, one could pay the guards to make things easier, such as providing better food, or replacing the shackles with hemp ropes.

Although they would still be bound, they would at least not have to drag the heavy iron shackles, making it much easier for them.

This was not an unusual occurrence. The higher-ups chose to turn a blind eye to this situation, not encouraging it, but not explicitly forbidding it either.

After all, they understood the hardships of escorting prisoners. They had to give people a little incentive.

Therefore, when the group stopped to rest midway, someone immediately cautiously inquired about the situation with the guards beside them.

The leader of the escorting guards was the general riding a horse, wearing a crimson military uniform embroidered with a tiger.

His surname was Lin, and he was not originally in charge of this task, but had taken it on due to other reasons.

Lin Hongyang, although this was his first time escorting prisoners, was aware of the ins and outs behind the scenes.

So, when the people below came to ask, he didn’t stop them, but just told them to be careful and not be too obvious.

The guards thought that they wouldn’t be able to earn extra money this time, but they didn’t expect the general to be so easygoing.

He immediately instructed them to collect what they should, and not touch what they shouldn’t.

If they collected it, they had to follow the rules. If they didn’t have money, they shouldn’t be too harsh, lest General Lin think they were greedy and unwilling to do their job.

As the saying goes, gentlemen love money, but they get it in a proper way. They were honest people, with principles and integrity.

When the people in the crowd heard that they could suffer less if they had money, they were immediately overjoyed.

Anyone with some money was willing to make things easier for themselves.

They had only been on the road for half a day, and they were already half-dead. It would only get harder from here on out.

If they kept their money, they might not even live to enjoy it.

After hearing the specific amount, the Shen family members all looked at the old lady and Wang Yalan with expectant eyes.

Old Lady Wang, heartbroken for her son and grandson, immediately told Wang Yalan to pay.

Wang Yalan hesitated. It was fine for her husband and son, but why should she pay for the second branch?

Besides, the silver notes that Jiaojiao had brought were all kept by the old lady, so if anyone was going to pay, it would be the old lady.

The money Jiaojiao had given her privately was her personal allowance, and she would definitely not touch it unless it was absolutely necessary.

They didn’t know what would happen on this journey, and there would be many places where they would need to spend money. She had to plan for herself and her children.

Seeing this, Old Lady Wang was a little unhappy, but she understood her niece’s thoughts, so she took out a silver note, “Go and arrange it.”

The old lady gave a limited amount of money, and Wang Yalan didn’t plan to spend it on everyone. In the end, the only ones who got their shackles removed were her husband and son, as well as Shen Yaoming, the second branch’s Shen Shifu and his two legitimate sons. As for Liu Wan and her two daughters, she could only say sorry. There was nothing she could do, the old lady only gave so much.

Liu Wan didn’t expect Wang Yalan to be so straightforward. She immediately went to the old lady with her two daughters. The old lady glanced at them coldly and said coldly, “This is all money Jiaojiao gave.”

In other words, if they wanted to be comfortable, they had to pay for it themselves. She wouldn’t give another penny.

The mother and daughters didn’t expect the old lady to be so heartless, and their faces immediately turned pale.

Shen Lili and Shen Juanjuan, the two sisters, glared at Wang Yalan angrily, this woman must have done it on purpose.

Wang Yalan spread her hands, indicating that she hadn’t taken a penny, and she was innocent when faced with the accusation, “We only spent it on three people.”

Didn’t they see that their first branch still had several illegitimate sons and daughters, as well as concubines, all wearing shackles? Why should the second branch be treated differently?

Just because they were incompetent and could still give birth?

Thinking about how this sister-in-law had been belittling her for only having one son and one daughter all these years, she felt even more relieved.

She had finally gotten her revenge.

The illegitimate sons and daughters, as well as the concubines, who were sitting on the ground, panting heavily, heard their decision and couldn’t hide their disappointment.

They had to push carts and wheelbarrows along the way, and they didn’t know when their master/father would be able to walk again.

Shen Yulian looked at the concubine, whose complexion was becoming increasingly worse, gritted her teeth, and gathered her courage to say to Old Lady Wang, “Grandmother, we still have to push the carts…”

“What’s wrong with pushing carts?!” Old Lady Wang was already upset because of Liu Wan and her daughters, and before she could finish speaking, she angrily interrupted, “Yaoming and the other legitimate sons also pushed, did they say anything?”

“…” Shen Yulian lowered her head to hide the emotions in her eyes, her hand hidden in her sleeve clenched tightly. She wanted to retort, but years of oppression made her unable to say a word.

Shen Zhao, thirteen years old, was the child of Shen Shifu’s most favored concubine. Because of this relationship, his temperament was no less than that of the legitimate children. He immediately protested, “But they didn’t even exert any effort!”

He glared at Wang Yalan and the others, “We’re all members of the Shen family, why are we being treated differently!”

This sentence spoke for everyone.

“You’re getting out of hand!” Old Lady Wang glared at her youngest son, “You’re spoiling him, a bastard actually dares to question your old mother!”

She then turned to Shen Zhao, “You’re just an illegitimate son who can’t even stand up to the legitimate sons, who gave you the nerve to compare yourself to them!”

Shen Zhao’s eyes were red, and he wanted to say something, but he was immediately silenced by Shen Shifu.

The group was arguing, oblivious to the fact that the person on the cart who had been unconscious opened his eyes and glanced in their direction, then closed them again, as if the scene had never happened.

Unfortunately, Lu Yao, who had been paying attention to this side, noticed it.

She curled her lips and asked Old Lady Wang politely, “Grandmother’s meaning is that illegitimate children and female relatives can’t have their shackles removed?”

“Of course!” Old Lady Wang didn’t understand the implication of Lu Yao’s words for a moment, but it didn’t stop her from sticking to this decision.

“In that case, please don’t forget me and Rong Ge.”

She then seemed to remember something and explained “softly”, “We’re the original wife’s family, there are only two of us.”

？？？

！！！

“Why?”

“Why!”

Not only Old Lady Wang and Wang Yalan, but even Liu Wan exploded.

She wasn’t even a proper wife of the Shen family, why should this little slut who had been kicked out of the Shen family have the right?

“This money was given by my daughter, it has nothing to do with you.”

“If you want to be comfortable, pay for it yourself. If you don’t have money, then you deserve to suffer.”

“You’ve already been kicked out, don’t think you’re still a member of the Shen family just because you have the Shen surname.”

“Some people are like flies, wherever there’s meat, they’ll swarm.”

“…”

Several people spoke in turn, either indignant or angry and resentful.

Lu Yao listened with a smile, showing no sign of anger. This attitude, in the eyes of the Shen family members, meant that she was just trying to get something for herself, shameless and thick-skinned.

Ugh, how shameless!