Abandoning Wife and Selling Daughter? Turning Around to Marry a Powerful Minister and Wiping Out Your Entire Clan! - Chapter 16

Zhang Xiaolan woke up in the Tao family’s house.

The Tao family’s house had already been repaired, but the house she had bought was not yet ready to live in.

When she fainted, Manager Hao had ordered someone to take her back to the Tao family.

After she woke up, Mrs. Tao carefully repeated everything Manager Hao had told her.

“Manager Hao said that tornadoes are common on the grasslands, but people caught in them don’t always die. The Shi family has been royal merchants for generations, and since they lost someone this time, they will keep an eye out in all the trade caravans heading to the northern border. Not just in Huihu, but also in Turkic lands and Anxi, they will search everywhere.”

As Zhang Xiaolan listened, she calculated her remaining money.

For embroidering the scripture scroll, Manager Hao had paid her two thousand taels. For the painting draft, he had given another five hundred taels. After buying a house and spending money on daily necessities, she still had about fifteen hundred taels left.

That was a large sum of money for anyone. If she spent carefully, she could live on it for a lifetime.

But since the Shi family was helping to search for her daughter, she had to offer some money in return. She decided to give them five hundred taels. As for the remaining one thousand, if she went searching herself, she didn’t know how long it would last.

Zhang Xiaolan did the math and still felt that she had too little silver.

If she had the power of the Shi family, she would surely find Xiang Ning. Or, if she had unlimited money, she could simply hire the Shi family to find her daughter.

Sighing, Zhang Xiaolan asked Mrs. Tao how much it would cost to buy a carriage in the capital.

“Are you planning to drive it yourself to find Xiang Ning?” Mrs. Tao was startled.

“Of course. When Xiang Ning was taken away, I had no money and was badly injured. I had no choice but to let her go. But now that I have some money, I must find her.” Zhang Xiaolan steadied her emotions, swallowing her tears.

Sometimes, she wondered—if she had risked her life back then and taken her daughter back, would things be better now?

But such thoughts were fleeting. She knew it was impossible.

Shen Ting guarded Zhou Quan as if he were her own eyes. She would never allow another woman’s child to exist.

If Zhang Xiaolan wasn’t strong enough, Shen Ting would still find a way to take Xiang Ning away.

“Besides, if I take the carriage and find Xiang Ning, I might never come back.” Zhang Xiaolan leaned against Mrs. Tao’s shoulder. “The Zhou and Zhang families hold too much power in the capital. I can’t fight them. It’s better to leave far away and live freely.”

Mrs. Tao understood but was worried and reluctant.

The distant frontier had different languages, and they would be a lonely mother and child. How could she not be concerned? Even though her young lady had suffered much in the Zhang household, she had never lacked food or shelter. If she went out and ran out of money or fell ill with no one to care for her, what would she do?

Without delay, Zhang Xiaolan took her money and bought a carriage.

The horse was an ordinary one, and the carriage was a simple green-oiled cart, just like the others on the road, even more worn-out.

Then she bought supplies and asked Manager Hao to get her a travel permit.

Everything was ready. After much persuasion from Mrs. Tao, Zhang Xiaolan agreed to leave the next morning.

That evening, when Tao Yi Ming returned home and heard that Zhang Xiaolan was leaving alone to find Xiang Ning, he immediately said, “I’ll go with you.”

“How can that be? If you leave, what about your work? Are you going to leave your mother alone in the capital?” Zhang Xiaolan’s voice turned cold.

“I’ll bring my mother with us,” Tao Yi Ming said.

“Traveling to the northern border is unpredictable. Your mother is old and should be enjoying her later years in peace. How can you make her suffer like this?” Zhang Xiaolan was speechless. How could he even think of dragging his mother along?

Tao Yi Ming said nothing more and simply started packing.

His words gave Mrs. Tao an idea, and she quickly helped her son pack.

Zhang Xiaolan had no way to stop them.

But having two people who were determined to stay by her side, how could she not be touched?

Holding back her tears, she went to sleep. She tossed and turned until late at night, finally falling into a hazy sleep. When she opened her eyes again, dawn had arrived.

The three of them had a proper meal before leaving. Mrs. Tao had gotten up early to prepare dry rations, and as Zhang Xiaolan looked at the carriage packed full, her eyes stung, but she forced back her tears.

As the morning drum sounded, they drove the carriage toward the city gate.

The queue moved slowly. When it was their turn, the city guard checked their travel permit and then looked at Zhang Xiaolan.

“You cannot leave the city. The other two can go.” The guard pointed at Zhang Xiaolan and moved on to check the next traveler.

“Officer, is there a problem with my travel permit?” Zhang Xiaolan quickly got off the carriage and grabbed the guard’s sleeve, hoping for an explanation.

It didn’t matter if the others couldn’t leave, but she had to!

“I said you can’t leave, so you can’t.” The guard pointed at the carriage. “Are you leaving or not? If not, move aside!”

“You’re holding up the line. If you can’t leave, just step aside!”

“If she were a law-abiding citizen, why wouldn’t she be allowed to leave?”

“Maybe she’s an escaped servant from some noble house!”

People in the queue started murmuring. Zhang Xiaolan stepped forward to argue.

“Oh dear, officer, look! She’s about to cause trouble!” a woman in the crowd exclaimed, stepping behind the guard.

The guard grew impatient. “Are you leaving or not? If you keep blocking the way, I’ll have the city defense officers throw you in jail!”

Worried for her daughter, Zhang Xiaolan couldn’t accept such unfair treatment.

She reached out, determined to get an answer.

“You—”

“Officer, I’m sorry. We’ll go back and ask again.” Tao Yi Ming quickly pulled Zhang Xiaolan back, cupped his hands in apology, and led her away.

Zhang Xiaolan wanted to protest, but Tao Yi Ming covered her mouth, dragged her onto the carriage, and drove away from the city gate.

“Nanny, why did you stop me?!” Zhang Xiaolan cried in the carriage, struggling desperately. Mrs. Tao held her arms tightly.

“Miss, please don’t go!” Mrs. Tao’s face showed pain, but she couldn’t let Zhang Xiaolan lose control. “That guard was clearly suspicious. Let Yi Ming find a quiet place to wait, and we’ll ask around at noon.”

How could Zhang Xiaolan give up? Her daughter’s life was uncertain. How could she retreat at the first obstacle?

Mrs. Tao’s grip weakened. Suddenly, the carriage curtain lifted.

“Xiaolan, don’t do this! Do you want the guard to accuse you of disturbing the peace and lock you up? If that happens, even if you were in the right, you’d still be in the wrong!”

Tao Yi Ming’s words froze Zhang Xiaolan in place.

She stopped struggling. Sadness spread across her face as she collapsed onto the carriage floor, covering her face with her hands. Hot tears leaked through her fingers.

Tao Yi Ming and Mrs. Tao looked away, unwilling to see her cry.

But then, they saw someone else.

“Xiaolan, look! Isn’t that Zhou Quan?”