As Gu Xingzhao read the last line of the text, she felt as if all the blood in her body was flowing backward. A cold chill swept from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, leaving her feeling as though she had been plunged into an icy abyss. Her breathing became rapid, her lips trembled, and her eyes were filled with disbelief. The few short words on the page seemed to foreshadow the tragic fate of the dozens of members of the Lu family.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before she finally spoke, hoping for some confirmation from the system. “System, is what’s written in this book true?”

[Response to the host: What you read is from an unofficial history. There is no further historical evidence to confirm the accuracy of this account.]

The system couldn’t provide a definitive answer, which left Gu Xingzhao uneasy. Even though it was an unofficial history, the fact that so many names matched suggested it might be true.

She looked at the unofficial history book in her hand, then glanced at the figures projected into her living room from the second floor.

At that moment, the exiled group was still on the move. Just a while ago, another prisoner had collapsed from exhaustion and died, and the officials had reluctantly allowed his family to dig a shallow grave for him. The family didn’t even have time to mourn before they had to continue their journey.

Human endurance had its limits.

Compared to the others, the Lu family wasn’t faring much better. They were trudging along on foot, sustained only by their numbers, mutual support, encouragement, and the occasional food drops from Gu Xingzhao. This was how they had managed to hold on until now.

Suddenly, Mrs. Song stumbled. Fortunately, Mrs. Xu caught her in time.

“Are you alright?”

Mrs. Song sighed softly, barely audible. “I’m fine, but I don’t know when this ordeal will end.”

Though they had only been walking for a month, it felt like an eternity. The long road ahead seemed endless.

Mrs. Xu, who had sharp eyes, noticed that Mrs. Song’s shoes were worn out. The soles were practically falling apart. “Sister-in-law, your shoes are ruined. No wonder you tripped.”

Unfortunately, there were no villages or towns nearby where they could get a new pair.

Mrs. Song shook her head. “It’s fine, I can still wear them.”

Lu Zhou, who was helping his elderly father up ahead, overheard the conversation. He turned to see that his wife’s shoes were indeed falling apart, and immediately took off his own shoes, walking barefoot on the rough path as he handed them to her. “Put mine on.”

Mrs. Song was startled when she saw her husband offering his shoes while he walked barefoot on the rocky mountain road. She waved her hands in protest. “No, I can still walk in these.”

She felt a warm wave of emotion. Life was tough, but the husband who had once been only interested in books was now showing her genuine care and concern.

Lu Zhou, however, insisted, pressing his shoes into her hands. “You can’t walk in those. You’ll end up falling again.”

Mrs. Song kept refusing, “No, no, you should wear them.”

Their back-and-forth brought a bit of lightness to the group, easing some of the weariness after a long day’s journey.

Lu Qing, observing the scene, felt pleased. His eldest son had finally come to his senses, showing consideration for his wife throughout the journey.

Lu Yang, who was never one to be serious, started teasing his usually stoic and reserved older brother. “Big brother, don’t you get it? Sister-in-law wants you to put them on her!”

His comment drew laughter from several people around them.

Lu Zhou was embarrassed, and Mrs. Song’s face turned red.

Mrs. Xu, standing nearby, gave her husband a disapproving look. His mouth really had no filter.

Despite his embarrassment, Lu Zhou took his brother’s words to heart. “Shall I help you put them on?”

Mrs. Song whispered to her husband, “Your shoes are too big for me. I’ll trip.”

She wanted to say that ill-fitting shoes might be more dangerous than her own worn ones and that she could manage if she just paid more attention.

Realizing this, Lu Zhou finally understood that his shoes were indeed too large for her.

Meanwhile, Lu Qing was growing worried. They had been walking for only a month, but at this pace, they would need at least two more months to reach the next town. Most of the family’s shoes were already worn out, and it was becoming a serious problem.

Lu Xingyan, who was supporting his father, reminded his older brother, “For now, just tear some cloth and tie the shoes together. Later, we can try to repair the soles.”

His health had improved recently, and as long as he didn’t get too close to his ancestor, he was strong enough to help his father walk.

Lu Zhou immediately tore a strip from his clothing and led his wife aside.

Mrs. Song wanted to handle it herself, but before she could say anything, her husband had already knelt down and used the cloth to securely tie her broken shoe to her foot.

Though they had been married for over twenty years, had a daughter who was already married, and a son who was all grown up, Mrs. Song suddenly felt as if they were newlyweds. A sweet feeling spread through her chest.

Seeing Lu Zhou repairing Mrs. Song’s shoes, Gu Xingzhao was reminded that she had recently bought a batch of shoes, but had been delayed by the recent issues with Lei Ping and Gu Chengzhang and hadn’t yet sent them to the Lu family.

Putting aside her worries about the unofficial history, she got up and went downstairs to pack the shoes, preparing to deliver them to the Lu family. It was impossible to continue their journey without a good pair of shoes.

After another hour of walking, Du Hangwu finally found a suitable spot for the group to rest for the night.

Exhausted and hungry, the group was grateful to finally sit down. Their legs felt numb, and they barely had the strength to chew their rations. Gone were the days when they still had the energy to curse their misfortune; now they were too tired even to complain.

The Lu family was no better off. One by one, they collapsed on the ground, too weary to even set up their tents.

Lu Xingyao, still young and strong, carefully removed his grandfather’s shoes. The old man was so frail that his ankles were little more than skin and bone. The sight of his feet, covered in blood, dirt, and sand, made Lu Xingyao’s heart ache.

He took out the medicine the ancestor had given him, disinfected Lu Qing’s feet, and gently cleaned the wounds with a cotton swab before bandaging them with gauze.

He wanted to ask if his grandfather was in pain but then realized that the answer was obvious. His question would be pointless. It pained him to see his grandfather suffer so much after dedicating decades of loyal service to the court.

Lu Qing, sensing his grandson’s silent sorrow, patted him weakly on the shoulder. “Silly child, your grandfather is still young. I can keep walking.”

Lu Xingyao had been holding back his emotions, but those words broke him. His heart filled with both sadness and bitterness, and he turned away to wipe his tears.

When Gu Xingzhao arrived, she witnessed this scene, and her heart ached as well. She silently divided the shoes from the box according to the sizes listed in the family’s genealogy, placing them beside each family member.

Once the grandfather and grandson had calmed down, she revealed the shoes and spoke up. “Lu Qing, I’ve brought some new shoes. Have everyone change into them. If any don’t fit, let me know—I have more.”

Lu Qing had been comforting his grandson, but now, hearing the ancestor’s words, he felt a wave of emotion wash over him. Gratitude and sorrow mixed in his heart. “Thank you, Ancestor!”

Lu Xingyao was still wiping his tears, quietly cursing the dog emperor back in the capital. His grandfather tapped him twice on the shoulder.

Thinking it was just his grandfather, Lu Xingyao shrugged. “Grandfather, I’m fine.”

Lu Qing coughed lightly and said in a low voice, “The Ancestor has sent us new shoes.”

Without turning around, Lu Xingyao waved dismissively. “Grandfather, I’m really fine.”

Lu Qing couldn’t help but laugh, exasperated. “Silly boy, I’m telling you, the Ancestor has sent us new shoes!”

At that, Lu Xingyao immediately spun around. The Ancestor had sent new shoes!?

He quickly looked around.

“…” Gu Xingzhao covered her forehead with her hand and sighed, covering her eyes.

Tears and snot were smeared all over Lu Xingyao’s face. This kid definitely looked better when he wasn’t crying.