Chapter 19 Selling Insoles on the Road to Exile

Chapter 19 Selling Insoles on the Road to Exile

Cheng Dai'er looked away with a hint of anger on her face: "Jiang Yutang gave it to me."

"She gave it to you?" Cheng Lanzhou stared at the remaining pair of insoles, lost in thought, his two sword-like eyebrows furrowed together.

Strangely enough, no one took much with them when they left the capital, especially the Jiang family members. I don't know if they were just being honest or stupid, but they really didn't know how to hide anything.

But these days, new things keep popping up one after another. Last time it was that magical noodle, and this time it's insoles.

Could it be that their family arranged for someone to meet them on the way, and he didn't even notice?

Looking at Cheng Lanzhou's increasingly serious face, Madam Lin couldn't help but ask worriedly, "Son, have you discovered something?"

Cheng Lanzhou's expression was grim, and a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes. He simply warned, "Be careful, stay away from the Jiang family."

As they set off, Jiang Huaiyu, having finished his meal, stretched and walked over. Before he even got close, he sensed something was amiss and quickly glanced around before his eyes met those of Cheng Lanzhou, who was scrutinizing him.

This was different from their usual eye contact; the other person's lowered eyes resembled a tiger poised to pounce, and Jiang Huaiyu even suspected that she was being targeted.

Seeing that he had become wary, Cheng Lanzhou casually looked away.

Jiang Huaiyu got goosebumps from the stare he had just received. As a martial artist, he could clearly sense the other man's ill intentions.

But why is that? Since their two families were exiled, there has been no conflict between them.

After this ordeal, Jiang Huaiyu also began to have doubts. Although she was helping the Cheng family, she felt like she was being watched, like a lamb entering a tiger's den.

During a rest stop, Jiang Huaiyu immediately went back and told Jiang Songzhi about the matter.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Songzhi frowned and asked incredulously, "Are you sure you didn't see wrong?"

"I'm a martial artist myself, how could I be wrong?" Jiang Huaiyu looked around and asked in a low voice, "Where is my little sister? I need to go and remind her."

"The young lady was carrying a bundle just now, saying she was going to sell shoe insoles."

"Selling insoles?" Jiang Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled and hesitant to speak. "People in exile don't have the money to buy these things."

When he found Jiang Yutang, he was so shocked by what he saw that he couldn't close his mouth.

Thirty-odd people surrounded Jiang Yutang, holding all sorts of things in their hands, clamoring for her to give them to them.

Surrounded by a crowd, Jiang Yutang raised her right hand and shouted, "Don't panic, there are plenty of insoles, everyone gets one!"

A woman squeezed through the crowd and handed a hairpin to Jiang Yutang, excitedly saying, "Is this okay? I want three pairs!"

Jiang Yutang took the hairpin and examined it closely. Then, she grinned and put it in her bag, readily handing over three pairs of insoles.

"Don't push, don't push, take your time. If you need shoe insoles, come and line up here. You can exchange them for anything—old clothes, hairpins, jade bracelets, jade pendants, books, anything goes!"

With so many people around, she turned to Jiang Sumin behind her and complained, "Fourth Brother, I called you here to help, don't just stand there watching."

"Tsk."

Jiang Sumin's lips twitched down in dissatisfaction as he slowly moved over. Jiang Yutang stuffed a dozen pairs of insoles into his arms, and he couldn't help but complain.

“I have never done this kind of hawking and selling.”

"It's alright, practice makes perfect." Jiang Yutang smiled sweetly at him, her smile revealing two dimples on her small, oval face.

Before Jiang Sumin could speak, a pair of old shoes dangled in front of his face, startling him so much that he took a half-step back.

"I need to change my insoles!" The man, afraid that he hadn't seen it, kept pushing the shoes forward.

Jiang Sumin's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in disgust. He turned his head to the side and asked Jiang Yutang, "Can old shoes be exchanged?"

Jiang Yutang, who was also busy and overwhelmed, replied without turning her head, "If it's not broken, we can replace it!"

The cacophony of voices and the stench of sweat nearly made Jiang Sumin faint. He closed his eyes, suffocating, and tilted his head to the ground.

"Put it on the ground." He then handed over a pair of insoles.

Seeing this scene, Jiang Huaiyu and Jiang Songzhi couldn't help but laugh.

"Why didn't my younger sister ask my second brother for help, but instead went to Su Min?"

“She said that Zhu needed my second brother to take care of her, and at that time only my fourth brother was available.” Jiang Songzhi shook his head helplessly. “Perhaps my younger sister noticed that my fourth brother has been in a bad mood these days.”

Jiang Huaiyu nodded. Since being exiled, Jiang Sumin had been deeply affected, and the injury to his leg had also implicated his family, so it was understandable that he was in a low mood.

Seeing Jiang Sumin, whose face was flushed from the ordeal, he finally regained some of his former energy.

After the people who had changed their insoles had all left, Jiang Sumin limped back to the shade of the tree and sat down, still feeling indignant.

Jiang Yutang sat cross-legged to the side, counting the things she had just received in exchange.

Yun stepped forward with the bamboo tube and handed it to the two of them, asking curiously, "Tang'er, what have you changed?"

Jiang Yutang took the bamboo tube and took a big gulp, then wiped her mouth and smiled, "Thank you, Mother. I've given you some ordinary clothes and jewelry, as well as two books and a jade pendant."

After hearing this, Yun's eyes dimmed, filled with nothing but useless thoughts from the journey.

"Ha, I don't even know what the point of replacing these old things is, it's such a waste." Jiang Sumin sneered, his dissatisfaction stemming more from his own suffering.

Jiang Yutang waved his hand dismissively: "You don't understand, this thing is very useful."

She carefully packed her things, placed the bundle on the cart, and took out the beef jerky and biscuits she had prepared the day before, quietly distributing them to her family.

Jiang Shengan brought the beef jerky to his nose, smelled it, took a bite, chewed it a couple of times, and exclaimed with shining eyes, "It tastes amazing! What kind of meat is this?"

"Beef jerky."

"Such a small piece of meat, yet the flavor is so rich. After chewing it, my mouth feels numb. How is this made?" Even the erudite Jiang Jiuze couldn't help but be curious.

“Good question.” Jiang Yutang pouted thoughtfully, trying to recall the ingredient list, but unfortunately, apart from beef and Sichuan peppercorns, she couldn’t remember anything else.

"The merchant said this craft is very complicated. If you're interested, Second Brother, I'll ask him about it next time."

Jiang Jiuzhe savored the taste and slowly looked at her, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, little sister."

Everyone loves beef jerky, and Jiang Yutang happily reminded everyone, "Remember to eat the biscuits too. Sweet things keep you full longer, and we'll have a good meal later tonight!"

"But Tang'er, are all these things really bought by you and that merchant?" Madam Yun asked her with a puzzled look and a hint of worry.

"Don't let yourself be fooled by the other party again."

Everyone immediately thought of how Jiang Yutang had been deceived and used by the newly appointed top scholar, and they all looked uneasy.

Jiang Songzhi suggested, "Little sister, next time that merchant comes, can you invite your older brother along?"

This put Jiang Yutang in a difficult position. As a businesswoman herself, she could only laugh it off and say, "Haha, definitely next time!"

"Oh right, I have something to do, you guys eat first."

After saying that, Jiang Yutang ran off without looking back, carrying two pairs of insoles and a little beef jerky to find two constables.