If they had known that those who escaped the flood in Qingzhou had all come to Liaodong, could they have traveled with them earlier?
With them, they would have probably reached Liaodong sooner.
The old couple exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with regret.
The young wife in red on the ox cart behind them had not taken her eyes off the girl on horseback since she saw her.
She would often nudge the man sitting beside her, whispering, "Er Lang, look how pretty that Fang family's granddaughter's cape is. I want a bright red cape too. Especially riding a horse, she looks so majestic."
As the woman spoke, she scrutinized the girl on horseback again, even the white horse the girl was riding.
He Er Lang looked at the slender figure on horseback ahead and replied softly to his wife, "Wife, stop fussing. Our sister said that her elder sister-in-law married the son of a county magistrate."
He Er Lang meant that since they were officials, they could wear whatever they wanted. How could they, mountain folk, compare themselves to them?
The woman in red was unhappy with He Er Lang's words and immediately retorted, "Didn't you say the county magistrate was convicted and his whole family was exiled to Liaodong? Hmph, otherwise we wouldn't have come to Liaodong."
"Wife, they didn't ask us to come. You insisted on coming. Also, it wasn't the county magistrate who was convicted, but his relatives. We mustn't spread rumors."
"Isn't it all the same?" the woman pouted, arguing illogically.
"It's not the same. My sister said that when the county magistrate arrived in Liaodong, he was still an official, and now he's still the town head."
The woman in red gave him a sideways glance, thinking: It was precisely because she knew that old man Meng was still the town head that she had racked her brains to persuade her husband and in-laws to come to Liaodong.
She didn't want to live in poverty anymore, not for a single day. She wanted to use the Fang family to get close to the Meng family and live a life of luxury.
The woman, lost in her pleasant thoughts, glanced again at the girl riding ahead and began to scheme.
"Your sister already told you, a town head is a far cry from a county magistrate. But..." The woman paused deliberately before continuing, "But no matter what, they are still officials. You must be respectful to them in the future and find a good job. I'm still hoping to live a good life."
"Wife, don't worry, I'll work hard to give you a good life."
"Mmm, I believe you can do it." The woman pouted again.
While they were whispering, Fu Xin Ci, who was in front, heard everything clearly.
She didn't care about the He family's thoughts, nor was she bothered by them. But if they dared to plot against her own family, she wouldn't hesitate to act ruthlessly.
The ox cart followed Fu Xin Ci along the main road. It wasn't until everyone saw the mountain path ahead that Father Fang was pleased.
"See, we're not lost. If we walk another two or three li along the main road, we'll reach the turnoff."
"Yes." Looking at her grandfather's emaciated and wrinkled face, Fu Xin Ci patiently explained to everyone, "This place is actually quite easy to find. It's a straight road. When you see the fork in the road at the foot of the mountain, turn in, and keep going forward, you'll see the mountain pass."
The woman in red on the ox cart behind grumbled, "Still living in the mountains? If I had known we'd still be living in the mountains, I wouldn't have come."
The more she thought about it, the more disappointed she felt. She already had a bad temper, and now that she was unhappy, her words became unpleasant.
"We were living well at home. It was only because our elder sister's in-laws were coming to Liaodong to seek refuge with relatives that our whole family kindly sent them over. Who would have thought..."
Fu Xin Ci turned her head and gave her a cold glance. Not wanting to beat around the bush, she asked directly, "Are you sure it was out of kindness?"
The woman was surprised that this brat dared to speak to her in such a sarcastic tone, and immediately became displeased.
"How do you speak to your elders? Is this how your parents taught you?"
"It's more fitting for you to say that to yourself. Also, how my parents educate me has nothing to do with you, who are so unrelated. Furthermore, judging by your tone of voice, as if you've swallowed gunpowder, you must have bullied my grandparents a lot along the way."
The girl's tone was sharp, not at all matching her innocent-looking face.
The He family members exchanged glances, a little stunned.
Fu Xin Ci, however, had no intention of showing the He family any respect. If it weren't for their indulgence, would this woman dare to yell at her grandparents?
The He family's expressions gradually soured, especially the old couple. They wanted to intervene, but their younger daughter-in-law wouldn't listen to them. What could they do?
Fu Xin Ci didn't care about their inner thoughts. She reined in her mount and said to the woman, "It's not too late for you to go back to Qingzhou. You can just return the way you came. I can even give you an extra two taels of silver for travel expenses."
The girl's words carried a hint of mockery. The He family were all shrewd people; otherwise, they wouldn't have managed to become in-laws with the Fang family.
However, they hadn't expected that the Fang family's granddaughter, so young, would have such a sharp tongue, not sparing their youngest daughter-in-law any mercy when arguing.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the He family, however, was secretly pleased. She had had enough of this sister-in-law, who, relying on being newly married, did nothing all day and still ordered her, the elder sister-in-law, around.
She was not eloquent and couldn't even refuse properly. She had hoped her husband would say a word or two for her, but he just said that they were all family, and doing a bit more work wouldn't kill anyone.
Listen, was that something a person would say? Doing a bit more work wouldn't kill you, so why should she do the work while that person sat there like a statue, doing nothing? She felt wronged.
Fu Xin Ci ignored the He family's inner schemes and continued to look at the woman, saying, "Don't say you came to Liaodong for my grandparents. We have refugees from Qingzhou here. You came late. If you had come a day earlier, you could have received the relief supplies distributed by the court."
After Fu Xin Ci finished speaking, she urged her horse forward.
Father Fang and Mother Fang had been silent the whole time, stunned by their granddaughter's words.
After a few years apart, their granddaughter's mouth had become truly sharp.
Compared to their parents' shock, Fang Xiao Tao felt relieved. His niece had finally stood up for their family.
After all, although their family had escaped the flood, apart from a few people, an ox cart, and the few pieces of silver his father held in his arms, all their other belongings had been washed away by the floodwaters.
He had cried with heartache then, but his father had consoled him, saying that as long as they were alive, nothing else mattered.
He thought about it and realized his father was right.
Their household goods were gone, but at least they were alive. As his father said, that was better than anything.