RWNEFE -Chapter 35 They Didn’t Bring Them Food—Did They Starve?

The four siblings nodded listlessly.

Shen Lanxi said, “Instead of spacing out here, why not go check again? See if the bandits’ hideout has any hidden treasures left, or if there’s food and clothing we need for the journey, or anything that can be exchanged for money.”

Shen Yuanjing and his siblings immediately perked up.

“B…Big brother, you rest well. We’ll go look for things!”

Shen Lanxi nodded, watching them leave.

Chunxue and Qiushuang, seeing her awake, went to prepare the food.

Her master certainly wouldn’t eat plain, common fare!

Nanny Li’s cooking was exceptional: braised lamb, cold shredded bamboo shoots, sausage stewed with chicken, sweet-and-sour ribs, assorted vegetables, plus a bowl of fish ball soup and a small bowl of glistening pearl rice.

After days of eating rough and sleeping outdoors, this was the best meal she’d had!

Having slept all day, she was genuinely hungry. She had just picked up her chopsticks and taken two bites when she heard quiet sobbing nearby.

“Master, you’ve suffered. In the past, such simple dishes wouldn’t even deserve to be on your table!”

Shen Lanxi paused mid-bite, unsure whether to swallow or not.

Had she ever been that spoiled? Simple food not worthy of her table? What, did she need dragon meat and phoenix meat to be satisfied?

She glanced around. Look at the family she had now.

“Chunxue, Qiushuang, are you eating with me, or on your own?”

The two maids dared not eat with their master.

“Master, Nanny Li saved some rice for us!”

Shen Lanxi said, “Then go eat. I don’t like being watched while eating right now!”

“The sausage chicken and braised lamb, you can take back to Nanny Li’s family to share!”

“We dare not!”

Habits ingrained from childhood aren’t changed overnight. She didn’t intend to change them either; after all, this was the imperial era—this was just how things worked. She hadn’t returned to overturn imperial authority or preach equality.

“I just woke up; I shouldn’t eat anything too greasy. The lamb is too strong in flavor, remove it.”

Chunxue and Qiushuang hurriedly carried the lamb away to eat elsewhere.

The little courtyard was quiet. Shen Lanxi ate while thinking about the next steps.

Liu Yanhui had just delivered some food and drink to his mother and sister, intending to check if Shen Lanxi had woken. Unexpectedly, he saw her eating!

He adjusted his freshly cleaned brocade clothes, looked down at his spotless brocade boots, straightened his headpiece, and then respectfully approached.

“Master is awake.”

Shen Lanxi had known he was there and hadn’t revealed it. Hearing him now, she looked over and thought, What a flashy peacock!

“Have you eaten dinner?” she asked casually.

Liu Yanhui blushed slightly. Seeing his master eating, he should have avoided her.

If he said yes, it wasn’t even the usual mealtime. What if she thought he was just flattering her with empty words?

“No!” he answered honestly.

Shen Lanxi said, “Go see if Liu Laohu is busy. If not, invite him to eat with us.”

Understanding, Liu Yanhui treated it like a mission and went immediately.

Soon Liu Laohu arrived. Without a word from Shen Lanxi, Liu Yanhui fetched bowls and chopsticks from Nanny Li.

Seeing guests, Nanny Li added a large plate of scrambled eggs and filled two big bowls with brown rice.

Only two bowls of polished rice: one for the master, the other as backup.

Seeing the elegantly plated dishes, Liu Laohu awkwardly fumbled with chopsticks.

Liu Yanhui had been trained in refinement a couple of times already, so he handled it naturally—at least more naturally than Liu Laohu.

Shen Lanxi ate while calmly discussing plans.

“I suggest we take everything we can carry. Everything we can’t carry, burn it.”

Liu Yanhui nodded: “Now with refugees gathering, someone might follow us into the mountains. We can’t leave conditions for them to turn to banditry!”

Liu Laohu: “Agreed!”

Shen Lanxi twitched at the corner of her mouth—good thing she only called Liu Laohu to observe, not to make decisions, or he would have choked on that phrase!

“Black Wind Fort has enough carts; we should make full use of them.”

Liu Yanhui: “The situation outside changes rapidly; we don’t know if we’ll encounter refugees. I suggest everyone rides in the carts.”

Liu Laohu nodded: “Agreed!”

Shen Lanxi: “Tonight we rest. Tomorrow we organize the prisoners to boil water, pack everything that needs packing, load the carts, and prepare three days’ worth of dry provisions that won’t spoil easily.”

Liu Yanhui and Liu Laohu nodded.

Unnoticed, the food was finished. Liu Laohu and Liu Yanhui departed one after another.

After dark, Shen Yuanjing snuck over.

“Big sister, grandmother forced father to ask you for food and money. I lied, saying you were hurt—got nothing!”

Shen Lanxi smiled: “I see. Did you eat?”

Shen Yuanjing grinned mischievously: “Yes, ate with the constables. Plenty of rice and meat—plenty to fill me up!”

Naturally, the constables worried that the food wouldn’t last if they took it, so they went all out.

“Big sister, you don’t know… grandfather, grandmother, uncles, aunts, even the two concubines and their children—they’re furious. They still had the nerve to ask us to bring them food. Even if the constables hadn’t stopped us, I wouldn’t have given them anything!”

Shen Yuanjing’s lively nature shone through unintentionally.

Shen Lanxi said, “Good! If they don’t fight for it themselves, why should they get it from you? You earned it; you don’t owe them!”

Shen Yuanjing’s eyes flickered: “Big sister… you think I did right?”

If he could even ask that, life hadn’t yet beaten all the sense into him.

“You didn’t bring them food—did they starve?” she asked.

Shen Yuanjing darkened his eyes: “They bought it themselves!”

She pressed on: “Did the constables give them free corn buns?”

“Yes! I saw them throw the hard ones aside.”

“Yuanjing, remember—without you, they’d have lived just fine! If you don’t fret over them, you’ll live even better.”

Shen Yuanjing: “…”

“Go back. Think carefully about what I said.”

He went back as if dreaming.

The next day, the Shen siblings didn’t pay respects to their grandparents, and their reason was solid: they had to work for the constables. The better they performed, the more the constables would favor the Shen family!

No one could argue with that reasoning.

While working, the four siblings chatted:

“Big brother, skipping respects to grandparents makes me feel so much better!”

“Me too. Every time we bow, serve tea, massage shoulders and legs—after being exiled, the duties haven’t decreased, they’ve multiplied!”

“Enough. If we don’t want to go, none of us go. These days, only we will do filial duties—it’s time for others to try their hand at it!”