Chapter 21.2: The Scumbag Father Gets Slapped in the Face

Noticing the heavy shackles on her hands, which were uncomfortable, Su Qingning directly had Xiao Ai use a 3D printer to make a replica.

She put them on her hands, and the chains made a clinking sound.

Upon closer inspection, it was impossible to tell the difference, but they were definitely lighter than the original.

Su Qingning’s eyes sparkled as if she had discovered a new world.

She then had Xiao Ai print out a set of worn-out prison clothes and shoes, replacing her smelly old clothes and shoes.

She even had Xiao Ai make the new shoes a little bigger and stuffed comfortable, thick insoles inside.

After fiddling with the fake dirt and sweat stains drawn on the clothes and shoes for a while, she spun around in front of the mirror.

Once she was sure everything was perfect, she happily walked out of the room.

As soon as Su Qingning stepped out of the room, she was greeted by the rich aroma of food wafting through the inn. Her stomach couldn’t help but growl.

Given the limited conditions, the women of the Xiao family had prepared all the ingredients and made a big pot of mixed stew.

Although Su Qingning had tasted countless delicacies in her past life, these wild vegetables didn’t compare to those at all.

But sitting at the table now, with mist rising from the steaming pot and the whole family joyously gathered together, she couldn’t help but find the meal unusually delicious. She ate one bowl after another.

The pig Su Qingning had caught was very plump, and the Xiao family couldn’t finish it all. As usual, Liu Qing had Xiao Huaijin take a big pot and share it with the officers.

Although the officers usually ate better than the exiles, they rarely got to eat meat.

Now, they had received a large pot of stew, full of color, fragrance, and taste, and they were all so happy that they could barely hide their grins. Even the Xiao family looked a little happier.

Only Zhang Da, who had been humiliated earlier by Xiao Huaishuo, still had a look of disdain. As he ate the stew, he snorted coldly.

“Heh, the taste isn’t that great.”

“These Xiao people are so good at hunting and cooking, they must have practiced making wild food when they led troops on expeditions, honing their skills like this.”

The younger officer, Li Yang, couldn’t hold back and immediately scolded:

“What nonsense are you talking about?! The Xiao family’s reputation as a family of war heroes is known far and wide. The current Third Young Master, Xiao Huaishuo, is both wise and brave. At just fifteen, he led troops into battle and wiped out thirty thousand Western Rong soldiers with only ten thousand men. Since then, he’s never been defeated and has safeguarded our Great Qian’s peace for many years.”

“Even if the Xiao family has fallen into disgrace now, we cannot casually slander the heroic deeds they and their ancestors accumulated with their lives!”

Zhang Da didn’t dare argue with his superior, but he still muttered under his breath as he ate, his disdain evident.

“Heh! What good is glory in the past? Now, aren’t they just prisoners at my feet?”

Meanwhile, on Su Qingning’s side.

The family had been pushed to the edge, and although a few concubines hated the other side, they still had to cooperate with each other on the surface.

They learned from Su Qingning’s example, bribed the officers to go up the mountain for wild vegetables, and also bought a few plain steamed buns to share among the family.

At first, everyone ate the tasteless vegetarian leaves and buns just to maintain their strength.

But the stew from the Xiao family’s table was so fragrant that it couldn’t be ignored, and the smell kept sneaking into their noses.

As they chewed on the bland buns and vegetable leaves, the taste became worse and worse, making them hungrier and more miserable. Eventually, a few younger illegitimate children were so hungry that their stomachs growled loudly, and in frustration, they threw their vegetable leaves down and cried on the floor, rolling around.

The Xiao family, laughing and chatting as they ate the fragrant stew, turned a blind eye to the Su family, whose pitiful eyes were like those of stray dogs.

The Xiao family had clearly seen the brutal whip marks on Ningning’s body.

Had the Su family ever shown her a bit of compassion, the Xiao family wouldn’t have been so heartless!

Su Bingsheng, chewing the steamed bun in his mouth, couldn’t stop the saliva from dripping. Seeing that the usually timid Su Qingning didn’t even give him a glance, he was filled with suppressed anger and coldly said:

“You’re cooking so much meat and can’t finish it. That extra pot of stew on the table—just give it to us.”