RWNEFE -Chapter 34 Some Get Rice and Meat, Others Just Stare!

“Who told you to ride in the carriage? You exiles didn’t lift a finger last night, and now you want a ride? Pfft, dream on!”

“Everyone walk! If you’re slow, don’t blame me if your legs get whipped!” The constable cracked his whip twice. The Shen family shivered violently.

The constables rode comfortably in the carriage, chatting and laughing, while the Shen family struggled behind, grimacing and baring teeth.

Normally, Grandfather Shen and Grandmother Shen were carried by their children and grandchildren, but now that the young ones were carrying them, they fell far behind.

Fearing the constables might really strike, the elderly couple bit their teeth, pushed away their children, and had them pull them along.

“Treating them like this… do you think Young Master Lan will come after us?”

“Shouldn’t. Boss said these people are cowardly; they need a lesson. Even if Young Master Lan knows, he won’t do anything to us. We’re just following the exile route rules—better than most constables. Don’t believe me? Wait until Young Master Lan wakes and see.”

Hearing this, the constables relaxed slightly.

Black Wind Fort had been entrenched in the mountains for years, holding a lot of valuables. After Shen Lanxi rested, Liu Laohu led another search.

Before, with her awake, he had held back. Now, with no one watching? Even the wall plaster was stripped off!

Sure enough, they found plenty of gold and silver.

The exiles weren’t idle either. They didn’t dare compete with the constables, so they searched rooms the constables hadn’t checked and found many valuable items as well.

The woman who had previously stripped people’s undergarments had become familiar with some and was now called Lady Song.

“Lady Song, you really want this junk?” Other women sneered as she packed up quilts and clothes.

“The weather’s going to get hotter soon; this stuff will come in handy. There’s too much to carry, and we can’t expect the constables to haul it for us!”

Lady Song spat and said, “Jealous hags! You’re just bitter I got the good stuff. Face it, this is mine—take it or leave it! Bring me all the quilts and clothing!”

Hearing this, the other women rolled their eyes and walked away, muttering. They’d rather search more rooms; maybe they’d find silver!

Lady Song snorted, calling her mother-in-law, her husband, and son to help pack.

At noon, Liu Laohu fulfilled his promise, giving special treatment to all the exiles who had participated in overturning Black Wind Fort last night.

They were allowed to sit at the table and eat the same food as the constables.

Those who hadn’t participated? Their situation remained the same—want to eat? Pay for it!

Shen Yuanjing and his siblings wanted to take food back for the family, but Liu Laohu confiscated it all.

“Eat here if you want. Don’t like it? Go eat corn buns!”

Liu Yanhui ate without even looking up. “My Lord is wise and generous. Eat if you like, don’t if you don’t—it’s voluntary!”

Liu Laohu liked hearing that and signaled the constables to give Liu Yanhui an extra chicken drumstick.

Shen Yuanjing looked longingly at the food and then at his family, feeling conflicted—but the taste was delicious!

Rice was plentiful, dishes and meat fragrant… truly delicious!

“Unbelievable! Where’s Lanxi? Hurry, call her over! She worked so hard last night—why aren’t we allowed to eat?”

“Too much injustice! There’s so much food; they can’t even finish it. Why not let us have some?”

“Shen Yuanjing and the others are so unfilial! Only caring about their own eating while the elders and younger siblings starve… how can they eat like that?”

“Lanxi’s not here. Could she be hurt? She’s just a woman. Even if she knows some martial arts, can she really face those ruthless mountain bandits?”

“She better be okay! If something happens to her, what will we do on the road ahead?”

Those who had just been angrily complaining now looked worried.

“Big brother, sister-in-law, don’t be mad at my blunt words. If Lanxi is hurt, we need to plan ahead!” Shen Congyi nudged their mother.

Grandmother Shen straightened her back: “Everything on her carriage belongs to the Shen family!”

Shen Congli remembered something and whispered into her ear.

Grandmother Shen nodded: “Congwen, when Yuanjing and the others bring the things back, have them hand everything to me. From now on, I’ll distribute what’s needed!”

Shen Congwen couldn’t believe it. “Mother, that was earned by the children risking their lives! How can you take it to distribute to others?”

Repeatedly challenged, Grandmother Shen snapped: “Your father and I aren’t dead yet, and you already want to divide up our family?”

“Shen Congwen, all the family’s hard work supported you through your studies, and this is how you treat us?”

“Big brother, how ungrateful you are! You forget how your education was paid for—every penny saved by our whole family? Now the family suffers, and you won’t repay a bit? Had we known, we wouldn’t have let you study!”

Shen Congwen buried his head in frustration, blaming himself.

Shen Lanxi didn’t wake until five. When she opened the door, she saw Shen Yuanjing and his siblings slumped in the corner across from her room. Seeing her, they forced smiles and greeted her.

“Big brother…”

Nearby, constables kept watch. Shen Yuanjing and his siblings complained, looking miserable.

“All the stuff we risked our lives for last night… grandmother took it all!” Shen Yuantang gritted his teeth in anger.

Shen Lanxi said: “You risked your lives for it. Why should she take it? Did father and mother agree?”

Mentioning their parents immediately deflated the four siblings.

“They agreed?” Shen Lanxi asked firmly.

Shen Yuanjing hung his head: “Mother is lost in grief and not in charge; father can’t argue with grandmother.”

“Once grandmother gets it, she’ll give it to uncles two, three, and four!” Back when the first branch had been well-off, the Shen children often saw items they gave grandparents end up with other branch children.

Back then, she didn’t care. Now it’s the exile route, and these were earned through killing bandits.

“They didn’t dare fight the bandits themselves, and now they shamelessly demand what we earned!”

Normally, Shen Yuanjing would have scolded his sister to watch her words—but she was right. They were no better than vultures scavenging from corpses.

Shen Lanxi laughed lightly, looking at her furious siblings: “From now on, anything you earn, put it on my carriage. I’ll hold it for you. If it’s with me, no one will dare claim it!”