"Monitoring?"
Song Qingmu looked up at the messy crowd ahead.
The sighing crowd was punctuated by the crack of whips.
Shoe soles scraped against the ground, and chains clanked noisily.
Song Qingchao nodded lightly, emitting a soft "Mm."
She lowered her head to look at her worn-out shoes. "The man at the front, wearing the black forehead cloth, has been watching us for days. Most people here are with their families, but he, strong and fit, trails at the end of the line."
She pointed to the stumbling figures behind her. "They are at the end because they have been subjected to punishment."
Song Qingchao then pointed to herself. "And we are here because our bodies won't allow us to keep up. Anyone with any strength would not lag behind, waiting to be whipped."
The officials' threatening shouts continued. Those who couldn't walk and fell were whipped until they stood up again.
The sound of "dada da" horse hooves passed by, and a whip landed near the siblings' feet.
Song Qingmu pulled her back, stumbling slightly.
"Move faster. Can you bear the consequences if we delay the journey?"
Startled, she looked up at the person on horseback.
Lean Monkey sat high above, a frown on his face. "What are you looking at?"
He nimbly dismounted, coiling the whip in his hand. With a sinister grin, he approached Song Qingchao.
His appearance was fierce, but his voice was low.
"Young Madam, if we quicken our pace for another three days, we will reach the next reception point. By then, I will no longer be in charge."
"Good," Song Qingchao replied, her expression unchanged. "May I ask who that man is?"
Lean Monkey squinted and turned his head to look. "Oh, him? A notorious scoundrel. He got into trouble this time and offended the Fang family, so he's been directly exiled."
He turned back. "Instead of worrying about others, Miss Song should focus more on Young Master Song's health. He has to walk forty thousand steps daily, and it will take a full sixty days to reach the Northern Desert."
Lean Monkey pulled out a small medicine jar from his pocket and placed it in Song Qingchao's hand. "My master sent this to you, Miss Song. Frostbite in the Northern Desert is the most common ailment. Your hands will become unable to curl, your knuckles will swell like blood-red steamed buns, and purple sores will grow on your joints. My master does not wish for you to become like that."
Song Qingchao curved her lips. "Then please thank your master on my behalf."
After Lean Monkey left, Song Qingmu, who had been silent, snatched the small medicine jar from her hand and threw it far away.
"Bad omen."
Song Qingchao looked at her empty hands and couldn't help but laugh and cry. "Why did you throw it away? It's good to have it."
"Are you still thinking about Feng Shaocheng?"
Song Qingmu's tone suddenly became estranged. She pulled her arm away, not allowing Song Qingchao to touch her.
"No, I'm not."
Song Qingchao chuckled angrily. She picked up the item and put it into her space. "It's a good thing. Who knows what will happen on this journey? It might be useful."
"An excuse."
Song Qingchao smiled and coaxed him for a long time before Song Qingmu's expression finally softened.
"Are you not angry anymore?" She re-clasped Song Qingmu's arm, tilting her head with curiosity. "How did you know Lean Monkey was Feng Shaocheng's man?"
"He's too foolish," Song Qingmu said with a straight face, lifting his hand, which was wrapped like a zongzi. "Besides him, I can't think of anyone else who would do such a thing."
Song Qingchao let out a snort and laughed.
She had actually guessed it long ago.
In her past life, whenever his demeanor towards Mumu changed, it became worse. Later, Feng Shaocheng's target shifted.
The new Zhuangyuan, Wang Gao Ya, became what he called mediocre.
She didn't know at the time that the new Zhuangyuan was her brother, who had changed his name. It wasn't until Mumu came looking for her that Feng Shaocheng was so angry he couldn't get out of bed for three days.
"Why do you have such hostility towards him?"
Song Qingmu lowered his head. "If he hadn't been pestering you, how would I have noticed him?"
"Is that so?"
Song Qingchao's voice rose, her eyes curving as she met his gaze.
Song Qingmu's eyes held a silence like the evening breeze.
This innate noble arrogance was a pity for those eyes, which, though capable of affection, were sharp and cold when looking at people.
"Lean Monkey doesn't just have Feng Shaocheng behind him," Song Qingchao's eyes also glazed over with ice. "This is the second group of people monitoring us."
She stopped smiling and looked towards the distant, hidden forest. "There's more than one group there. We are in great danger."
"Don't be afraid, Elder Sister."
"What do you mean?" Song Qingchao regained her usual cheerful demeanor. Hidden in her sleeve, she held a piece of candied fruit taken from her space, and slipped it into his mouth under the guise of wiping sweat from his brow.
Song Qingmu visibly stiffened, but he still imperceptibly kept the item in his mouth, experiencing the sour and sweet taste.
"They don't want to kill us. This exile caravan is our best protection."
Song Qingchao nodded.
Of course, she knew that. Otherwise, she wouldn't be suffering here obediently.
When one lacks strength, only obedience will bring peace of mind.
"Does Elder Sister know the map of Southern Yi?"
Song Qingmu's thin lips curved into a cold smile. "The charges on that paper are all fabricated. The one above seeks military power."
"But the map wasn't..."
"Lost?" Song Qingmu coughed lightly, her voice trembling. "Father didn't lose it; that person sent someone to steal it."
"What!"
Song Qingchao never expected that the person who stole the map would be the Emperor.
She still remembered the three years her father spent exploring every corner of Southern Yi to draw the map.
On the day the map was completed, her father even boasted to her, saying that his imperial uncle would surely be happy and reward him with several jars of the finest bamboo leaf green wine.
"But that map was swapped," Song Qingmu lowered his hand. "That person wasn't malicious. He knew the character of the person above, and he knew that Father could only survive if he held military power."
He smiled and sighed. "Even if it wasn't swapped, he wouldn't have let Father go."
"Mumu..."
Song Qingchao's heart was filled with grief and indignation.
When she saw her father again in her past life, she couldn't recognize him.
He was as thin as a skeleton, wearing ill-fitting armor.
If it weren't for the Song Family Spear, she would never have believed that the one-armed general who vowed to defend the city to the death was her father, who had been missing for five years!
He stood on the isolated city wall, covered in blood.
Even in death, he had not let go of the long spear in his hand!
"Elder Sister, this is a dead end. Father and Mother knew this." His voice turned desolate. "Do you remember the Yin-Yang Fish Talisman?"
Song Qingchao tremblingly took out her portion of the Yin Talisman from her space.
Song Qingmu directly grasped her hand.
"This is the security Father left for us. He knew this day would come."
"Then why..."
Song Qingchao couldn't understand. Her father knew everything, so why did he remain loyal until his death?
"I suppose we can only ask Father."
"Father isn't dead?"