Transmigrated Into A Novel As A Scumbag Princess’ Consort - Chapter 2

2:

Ye Xuejin held the coarse bread in her hand but didn’t eat it, her eyes lowered as if lost in thought.

Yun Chi pondered for a moment. Since building a good relationship was proving difficult, she’d keep her distance and avoid making an enemy. Surviving the next half month would be enough.

With her mind made up, she handed over the cornbread bun. “We may have gone through the marriage ceremony, but we never consummated it, so there’s no real bond between us. Take this cornbread bun, and from now on, let’s go our separate ways.”

As long as she didn’t steal Ye Xuejin’s food or clothes, or beat and humiliate her like the original consort did, this woman should be able to live long enough to see her name cleared in half a month, right?

Ye Xuejin glanced at Yun Chi blankly before lowering her head again, neither taking the bun nor responding.

Seeing this, Yun Chi explained, “This cornbread bun was entrusted to me by Shushi and Soseki to be given to you.”

At these words, Ye Xuejin looked at her again, pursed her lips, and took the bun, softly saying, “Thank you.”

As the words “thank you” fell, Yun Chi froze on the spot.

[Gave one cornbread bun. Please choose a reward: one water pouch or ten taels of silver.]

Two glowing lines of text appeared abruptly in midair, strange and out of place.

Yun Chi’s face showed a flicker of shock before she quickly composed herself, pretending to be calm as she glanced at Ye Xuejin.

Ye Xuejin seemed completely unaware, her head lowered, her expression hidden.

Yun Chi hurriedly looked at the others.

The prisoners were still in their places, and the escorts were eating, occasionally glancing over. No one showed any unusual reaction, as if only she could see the text.

Yun Chi’s heart raced. Could this be her cheat system?

Was the trigger helping someone deliver something? Or was it enough for anything to pass through her hands? Or perhaps it was tied to Ye Xuejin specifically?

As her thoughts churned, she tested the waters. “Ye Xuejin look over there, is that a butterfly?”

Ye Xuejin instinctively raised her head, following Yun Chi’s pointed direction, but saw only the distant blue sky and white clouds—no butterflies.

“I don’t see it.”

Yun Chi kept her expression neutral, but her heart surged with excitement. It was confirmed, only she could see the text.

As she pondered, another line appeared: [Selection countdown: 10, 9, 8…]

Yun Chi’s heart skipped a beat. With no time to overthink, she hurriedly asked, “Ye Xuejin, if we get thirsty, will the escorts give us water?”

“No.” Ye Xuejin faintly replied with two words.

Hearing this, Yun Chi didn’t hesitate, shouting in her mind: I choose the water pouch! I choose the water pouch!

The text in the air vanished instantly, and a flat, round water pouch, about the size of two palms, appeared in her right hand out of nowhere.

Thankfully, her wide sleeves hid most of it, but she still couldn’t be careless.

Yun Chi tucked the pouch further into her sleeve, shook her arm, and felt the slosh of water inside, breathing a sigh of relief. It wasn’t empty, good.

That was terrifying. Luckily, she reacted quickly.

Since the water pouch was listed as an option alongside ten taels of silver, it couldn’t be judged by ordinary standards. The safest approach was to choose based on their immediate needs.

After this heart-pounding moment, Yun Chi steadied herself, trying to relax, and casually asked, “Why aren’t you eating?”

Ye Xuejin glanced at her, tucked both the cornbread bun and the flatbread into her bosom, and didn’t respond.

Yun Chi couldn’t help but overthink. “You’re not worried I poisoned the cornbread bun, are you?”

Ye Xuejin shook her head, still silent.

Seeing her denial, Yun Chi dropped the topic and asked instead, “You said the escorts won’t give us water. We can’t just stay thirsty forever, can we?”

This time, Ye Xuejin spoke, “Look over there.” Her words were concise, her voice still low and hoarse.

Not far off, the two similar-looking brothers were crouched by the river, scooping water with their hands to drink.

Since their drinking spot was within sight and not far away, the escorts only glanced over occasionally without following.

Yun Chi understood. So that’s how it was. But drinking straight from the river like that, it was way too unsanitary.

For the prisoners, though, there didn’t seem to be any other choice. Unlike the escorts, who all had water pouches at their waists and could even start fires to cook.

Yun Chi looked away, realizing why Ye Xuejin was so sparing with words. Her voice was so hoarse it was barely audible—her body must be extremely weak, and even speaking was an effort.

The red stains seeping through her clothes were indeed bl00d, fresh bl00d.

This woman was badly injured, her wounds still bleeding. If this continued, even if Yun Chi didn’t act like the original consort, she might still die from bl00d loss…

Unfortunately, Yun Chi wasn’t a doctor and had no medicine. All she had was water.

At that moment, the escorts began cracking their whips again.

“Get moving!”

“Get up, now!”

“Hurry it up…”

Yun Chi quickly tucked the water pouch into her bosom, thought for a moment, and hooked her arm around Ye Xuejin’s, half-dragging her forward.

Though she was curious about the sudden cheat system, now wasn’t the time to test her theories.

Better to keep moving.

Ye Xuejin’s eyes flickered, and she tried to pull away.

“Don’t push yourself. I’ll support you,” Yun Chi said, glancing at the escorts behind them as she led her forward.

For some reason, she had a feeling the jailer who’d hit her twice was watching her.

If she really fell behind, her gut told her she would get whipped again.

Ye Xuejin pursed her lips, stopped resisting, and leaned on Yun Chi to move forward.

Yun Chi relaxed slightly and whispered, “Don’t worry, I won’t abandon you on this journey.”

To test the cheat system’s trigger, Ye Xuejin was the only person she could rely on.

And to avoid the original consort’s tragic fate, she needed to ensure this woman survived the next fifteen days until her name was cleared.

It seems that keeping her distance wasn’t an option anymore, she’d have to get closer.

Ye Xuejin’s gaze landed on Yun Chi’s preoccupied face, a trace of curiosity flickering in her eyes before settling back into calmness.

Just moments ago, she was talking about going their separate ways, and now she was vowing not to abandon her. This person’s change of attitude was suspiciously quick.

The thought crossed her mind, and she lowered her head with a bitter smile. Suspicious or not, what was left of her to scheme against?

At noon, as expected, the escorts didn’t distribute food again or even stop to rest.

It wasn’t until sunset that Yu Lu reined in his horse, signaling the group to camp by the river for the night.

The journey from the capital to the southern border was about seven hundred li, and by regulation, they had to arrive within twenty days. That meant traveling at least forty li a day to stay on schedule.

(Note: 1 li = 500 meters)

By law, exile was meant to be a punishment of suffering—no staying in inns or post stations, and certainly no eating or drinking to satisfaction.

Yu Lu glanced toward Ye Xuejin, his eyes flickering. He didn’t need to take this assignment. Escorting prisoners was grueling and sometimes dangerous, so those who took such jobs were either down on their luck or from poor backgrounds.

The pay, though, wasn’t bad. A regular jailer’s annual salary was only ten taels of silver, but escorting prisoners earned ten taels for a single trip. Enduring a few weeks of hardship could match a year’s income, with extra perks to skim. For jailers from modest means, this was a coveted job.

As for those perks, Yu Lu tied up his horse, pulled a few bottles of wound medicine from his bosom, and walked toward the prisoners.

“Gold sore medicine,” he announced, instantly drawing every prisoner’s gaze.

The other six escorts exchanged knowing smiles and followed suit, less subtle than Yu Lu.

“White flour buns, trade for silver.”

“Hot soup, trade for silver or anything valuable.”

By the riverside at night, only the escorts’ resting area had two fires burning. The autumn breeze brought a chill, and the prisoners exchanged quiet glances in the dim light.

“Father, let’s trade for a bottle of medicine for Mother. Her feet are all blistered,” someone whispered in the silence.

The speaker was Zhou Qishan, the eldest son of the large family. His father, a former official in the Censorate, was a veteran of two dynasties, steady and prudent.

Old Censor Zhou glanced at the escorts pacing leisurely, nodded, and said, “Go ahead.”

Zhou Qishan stood and approached the escorts.

Seeing only the Zhou family trading, Yu Lu frowned. Could that person really have no money?

That complicated things.

He couldn’t let that person come to harm, but it was hard to act without the other escorts noticing.

“Master Yu, these people come from wealth—they might not know the rules. Should I give them a little lesson?” one escort said, approaching Yu Lu. He seemed dissatisfied with the lack of profit and couldn’t help but suggest it.

The person who spoke was Zeng Laosan, one of three soldiers seconded from the Military Patrol Division, clearly the leader among them.

Yu Lu, recalling some information he’d gathered, gave a slight nod. “Go ahead.”

Under the moonlight, Yun Chi watched an escort approach her, a bad feeling rising in her gut.

When the escort reached her and she saw his face, her premonition landed.

It was Zeng Laosan, the one who’d hit her twice.

“Princess’ Consort, want some hot soup?”

Calling her “Princess’ Consort” at a time like this was clearly mockery.

Yun Chi refused outright. “No.”

She wasn’t an idiot. This guy was like a weasel paying a New Year’s greeting to a chicken, and he is up to no good.