RWNEFE -Chapter 135 Give the Shen Family a Good Beating!

Xiao Fang realized that if he kept arguing, he would only make things worse and probably embarrass himself even more. Gritting his teeth, he steadied himself on the long wooden chest and quickly said, “It’s a misunderstanding—a complete misunderstanding! We just came to take shelter from the snow!”

The minion, hearing him, immediately widened his eyes, blinked, and added to the explanation, “It’s snowing so heavily. We only came to stay in the village, nothing else. They attacked us first!”

Shen Lanxi turned to look at Nihong and the others.

Nihong froze, her expression revealing that she hadn’t expected this.

Seeing that the killing intent on Shen Lanxi had lessened from before, Xiao Fang slowed his pace and carefully explained, “We just entered the village and they attacked us. If it were you, wouldn’t you fight back?”

Nihong quickly defended, “That’s because we heard you two talking about killing the Shen family!”

Shen Lanxi’s dark, cold gaze swept over her.

Xiao Fang nervously rubbed his nose, then straightened his neck, insisting, “The Shen family caused so many deaths in the Wei army. You can’t just say nothing! Don’t you think that’s unfair?”

Fifth Young Master Feng twitched at the corner of his mouth. A horse bandit lecturing them on reason—he must be joking.

Nihong knew she had misunderstood; otherwise, given Xiao Fang’s skill, seriously injuring them and escaping would have been easy.

“Lanxi, if it’s a misunderstanding, let’s just forget it,” she said.

Xiao Fang thought for a moment. “I was wrong to injure you. How about this—I’ll serve the injured for ten days like a beast of burden. During these ten days, you can make me do whatever you want!”

Shen Lanxi looked at Nihong, who said, “I’ll ask the injured sisters.”

Soon, Nihong returned.

“You injured a few of our sisters, we injured you in return. It’s even now—no need to serve as a beast of burden!”

But Xiao Fang wasn’t willing to let it go so easily.

“I said ten days, ten days it is! A man’s word is his bond!”

Fifth Young Master Feng nodded to Shen Lanxi, who put away her staff.

“Fifth Brother, you handle things here. I’ll head back first!”

Feng Wu nodded and watched his junior sister leave.

Once she walked a bit farther, he immediately shifted his gaze.

This horse bandit… surprisingly shameless. A grown man offering to serve a woman like a beast of burden—is he trying to make amends or just take advantage?

…

Snow fell through the entire night. By the next morning, the thick blanket of snow reached past their knees with every step.

Now there was no need for Liu Laohu to whip them into action—the prisoners had already gotten up early and shoveled the snow from the courtyard and the main paths.

“We’ve got shelter, food, and warm clothes. Those two groups of exiled prisoners are going to suffer big time!”

The woman rescued by the Liu-Zhao village women was still unconscious. Those brutal constables had treated them like animals, not human beings.

“Don’t cause trouble—look at your situation, you should be grateful!”

The prisoners huddled and whispered among themselves, inevitably talking about the Shen family.

“The Shen family is too reckless—they need a warning. Otherwise, in this cold, if they forced us into the cowsheds or stables, we’d freeze to death!”

“Yes, yes! The Shen family doesn’t appreciate what they have. They need to be taught a lesson!”

After some discussion, the prisoners decided to give the Shen family a figurative “beating.”

Shen Lanxi hadn’t opened the door. Chunxue and Qiushuang assumed she was exhausted from the journey and, with no immediate danger, let their Miss rest.

Hearing training sounds outside, Chunxue went out to have them practice farther away so they wouldn’t disturb their Miss.

Nanny Li and the women exchanged some of their grain with villagers for eggs and cabbage. Once they learned that supplies weren’t critically low, they reported back to Liu Yanhui.

Liu Yanhui handed money to Nanny Li’s group to buy more from the village—silver could get more than bartering grain!

It was good news that Dongchuan wasn’t short of supplies. Once their master woke, he would hear this news!

Shen Lanxi had already woken up and gone into the space to organize things.

Previously, there had only been time to stuff items inside—no time to tidy up. Now, finally, she had the chance.

When Nanny Li went out to trade, she returned with a large goose and wild mushrooms, wood ear fungus, and other mountain delicacies.

Stewing them early, by the time Shen Lanxi opened the door, it was already noon. The goose had been stewed to tenderness.

The local people used heated brick beds (huokang). For breakfast, Nanny Li cooked a pot of corn porridge in a large pot and had been simmering the goose over low heat all morning. By now, half of the beds were hot enough to burn feet.

“Master, the locals like to eat on the bed—it’s warm. Should I set the food there too?” Chunxue’s eyes sparkled.

Having slept on the heated beds overnight, they didn’t want to get up in the cozy morning!

Shen Lanxi nodded. “Yes.”

On the small square table in the center sat a pot of goose stew, surrounded by six small side dishes: scrambled eggs with wood ear fungus, vinegar-stirred cabbage, boiled shrimp, braised cured pork with kelp, and two layers of small pickles exchanged from villagers to whet the appetite.

The staple foods were a bowl of rice and a steamed bun—Nanny Li had prepared both, not knowing which Shen Lanxi would prefer.

“Master, someone in the village hunted a wild boar yesterday. I got two big bones from it—we’ll stew them into soup tonight.”

Shen Lanxi nodded and asked, “How are the others arranged?”

Nanny Li replied, “The Liu-Zhao village women steamed buns and cakes. They exchanged plenty with the villagers—vegetables, eggs, and cured meat—they have everything.”

“The prisoners are well-fed too. Liu Laohu made a pot of meat and vegetables; the other prisoners also get their share.”

Everyone was eating well. Some prisoners even spent money to buy extra from the village—they were eating better than the villagers themselves!

Shen Lanxi said, “You all go eat too!”

“Yes!”

The snow seemed endless, as if determined to cover an entire winter.

The snow disaster was worse than she expected—but fortunately, she had prepared in advance!

Silver already arrived in Baihe County. The messenger shook off the snow at the door before entering.

“This snow is really heavy!”

Fortunately, her junior sister had made arrangements ahead of time—they would profit greatly this winter.

Her junior sister was truly remarkable!

Several dozen carts of charcoal were still on the road, not yet arrived in Dongchuan. Now almost all of Dongchuan was snow-covered, making travel difficult.

He wanted to ask his junior sister if they should sell the charcoal in advance.

~

Shen Lanxi was eating when Shen Yuanjing awkwardly approached, carrying a bowl.

He hadn’t wanted to come—his grandparents forced him.

“Big Sister, the family bought a chicken from the villagers. Grandmother asked me to bring some to you!”

Shen Yuanjing glanced at the small square table in front of Big Sister and felt a flush of embarrassment.

Did Big Sister really need this little chicken from the household?

“Have you eaten?” Shen Lanxi gestured to the seat across from her.

“Not yet. I’ll eat after I deliver this!” He felt the bowl in his hands was hot—too hot to hold, too awkward to put down.

Compared to the delicately prepared dishes on the table, the chicken soup in his bowl was plain, with a lot of cabbage at the bottom. It was meant to look meaty, but really it was mostly vegetables!