Chapter 7 – Farewell from Family, an Unexpected Relative

Ziling had no time to worry about what others were thinking. Since they were already being exiled, what mattered most now was figuring out how to survive the journey. Could it be that no one from the General’s family came to send them supplies? In all the novels she had read before, there was always such a scene.

Just as the thought arose, a carriage slowly approached. When it stopped, an elderly woman in her sixties stepped down with the help of a young man. Her hair was white, her expression gentle and kind—it was her mother-in-law’s mother, the Old Madam of the Left Prime Minister’s Manor.

“My child, you’ve suffered.” The old woman’s tears fell as she spoke. “Your father and brother went to plead with the emperor, but they’ve both been confined and forbidden from leaving. They couldn’t come to see you off. No matter what, I had to come see you with my own eyes.”

The young man supporting her was tall and slender, with a delicate scholar’s face. He bowed respectfully to Ziling’s mother-in-law: “Aunt.”

“Mother, why did you come?” Ziling’s mother-in-law hurried forward to steady her. “Yu’er, you shouldn’t have brought Grandmother here. She’s old and already troubled enough over me—how could she bear this?”

The scholar Yu’er pulled out several silver notes from his robe. “Aunt, my father and mother asked me to give you these. Father said: ‘The road is long. With this money, life will be a little easier. As long as the green hills remain, one needn’t fear for firewood.’”

Ziling thought her mother-in-law would decline, but surprisingly she accepted them without hesitation. “Thank your father and mother for me. One day, if I return, I’ll thank your elder brother and sister-in-law in person.”

Ziling silently admired how thoughtful and practical her mother-in-law was.

Turning toward her, her mother-in-law said, “Ziling, come meet your grandmother. You’ve just entered the family and haven’t seen her yet.”

Not knowing how people in this era bowed, Ziling could only imitate what she had seen in TV dramas and made a stiff, awkward gesture, unsure if it suited the dynasty.

“Child,” the old grandmother said gently, “since you’ve married my Han’er, though your father acted shamefully in this matter, you chose to remain in the family. I know you’re a good girl unlike the rest. Here—this is my meeting gift.” She pressed a jade-green bracelet into Ziling’s hand. “Your mother-in-law is not in good health. Along the way, you’ll have to bear more hardships.”

“Han’er, Hao’er, Ying’er—come and bid farewell to your grandmother.”

Her mother-in-law wanted to help support Gong Mohan, but Ziling quickly stepped forward and held him up instead. Gong Mohan glanced coldly at her hand, wanting to push it away, but nearly fell, and had no choice but to let her steady him.

Seeing her once-proud grandson—once famed in the capital for both talent and martial prowess, now stumbling and unable to stand without aid—the grandmother broke down in tears.

“Grandmother, don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Please take care of yourself. Tell Grandfather, I will return.”

Ziling noticed that the grandmother hugged Gong Mohan briefly and secretly slipped something into his hand, most likely more silver notes.

She sighed inwardly—her own family would never come. Her stepmother and younger sister would be happiest to see her suffer. Fortunately, she had her space; even in exile, she wouldn’t let herself live poorly.

But then, unexpectedly, she heard someone calling her name from afar.

She looked up. From a small carriage stepped a middle-aged man. From the original owner’s memories, she recognized him as her uncle.

“Uncle,” Ziling bowed again in her clumsy manner.

“Child, your father truly is a beast,” her uncle said, his face full of grief and anger. “He ruined you like this. Back then, your mother insisted on marrying that heartless man. He climbed to power on her dowry, yet treated her with cold indifference. She died in sorrow, leaving you motherless at such a young age. And now, he’s thrown you into this fire pit. It’s your uncle’s failing—I hold no post and have no power. This road of exile is rough and treacherous. Take these.”

He pressed a small bundle into her hands.

Ziling hadn’t expected that, in this foreign world, she would still have family who truly cared for her. At this moment, she felt deeply the warmth of kinship. Perhaps it was the original body’s emotions bleeding into her own, but she suddenly wanted to hug this uncle.

Just then, the officials overseeing the exile lost patience. With a crack of their whip, the sound echoed sharply against the ground.

“Move along! Anyone who delays will taste the lash!”

But in truth, the officers were deliberately giving time. Once these exiles received items from family, the guards would also have “extra oil and water” to skim from along the way.