Chapter 15: I Dare You to Say Those Words Again Right in Front of Me!

The constable finished reading the official document and left, showing no concern about the Su family attempting to escape.

In Northern Yue, commoners needed travel permits wherever they went. Those without permits were treated as vagrants, and their fate was far worse than exile.

Su Damu mechanically closed the courtyard gate, shutting out the outside world.

Turning back, the Su family members standing inside the courtyard all looked pale, their eyes vacant and bewildered.

The sudden bad news struck like a thunderclap on a clear day, leaving the Su family numb and unable to recover. The joy that had filled the household for days vanished in an instant, replaced only by suffocating oppression.

After a long while, a woman's sorrowful cries echoed out.

The entire Great Locust Village was equally unsettled, bustling with noise.

News that the Su family was implicated by a high-ranking relative and was to be exiled spread instantly throughout the village, quickly radiating beyond.

For a time, villagers who had heard the news gathered outside the Su family’s gate, loudly discussing the matter—some expressing sympathy, others sighing, and many gloating with malicious delight.

“Oh my! Usually, if anyone gets caught for petty theft, it’s a huge deal! But now, the entire Su family faces exile! They’re to be sent thousands of miles away to a bitterly cold land to spend the rest of their lives! Such a place isn’t fit for humans!”

“Exactly! I heard many who were exiled never even reached their destination—they perish along the way! The Su family has so many people, and the elders are already crippled, not to mention the four little toddlers. Sigh, it’s tragic! Even if the whole family manages to get to the exile land intact, from now on, they’re branded criminals.”

“They say officialdom is a good path; rising from humble origins is like a carp leaping over the dragon gate—your status soars. But ordinary people can’t see the dangers hiding behind the glory... As for old man Su’s family, this time it’s an unwarranted disaster.”

The gossipy woman next door raised her foot and stepped outside, deliberately sneering loudly into the yard, “What did I say before? That newborn brat in their family is a curse! Hah! Old witch Su kept hounding me! Now look! Just after birth, a near avalanche struck that almost took the whole Great Locust Village down with it; barely a month old, and now a sudden calamity has hit the family, and they’re all to be exiled! Isn’t that a curse? You Su family can keep treating her like a treasure! Let’s see if all of you can even make it alive to Yongzhou—!”

Suddenly, the tightly closed gate of the Su family burst open, and a basin of filthy water was hurled directly at the gossipy woman.

Her scream silenced the crowd, who’d just been chattering, as all eyes turned toward the gate.

The old Su matriarch stood there, gripping the wooden basin, her face cold and fierce, eyes bloodshot, her gaze merciless as if she wanted to devour the woman alive.

She stared icily at the scolding woman hopping about, then slammed the basin onto the ground with a heavy crash, the sound striking like a blow to the heart, making hearts leap.

“I told you, didn’t I? If I hear you call my Tianbao that name again, I’ll tear your foul mouth apart! Our whole Su family is already exiled; living now is a fortune! I’m willing to die with you if you dare say those words again right in front of me! Say it again, if you have the guts!”

The fierce intimidator fears the bolder one, and the bolder fears the one who doesn’t fear death.

The gossipy woman, afraid for her life as the old matriarch was about to get serious, quickly retreated behind the crowd, unable to save face yet still shouting to save herself, “Old witch! Don’t think I’m scared of you! For the sake of being neighbors, today I won’t argue with you!”

The old matriarch sneered, spat disdainfully on the ground, then slammed the gate shut with a bang.

After that, no one dared to linger outside, adding salt to the wound with their words.

No one wanted to risk provoking the family to desperate measures—losing their lives over careless words would be meaningless.

Inside, the Su family had all returned to the main hall.

The fire in the brazier had died out; the cold air bit into their lungs, chilling their hearts and all their organs. Yet no one had the heart to rekindle the fire. They sat there numb, each seeming soulless.

Because of Tianbao’s arrival, the family’s situation had begun to improve; hope had been rekindled. The whole family was filled with anticipation, waiting for the coming spring, ready to work together to rebuild their lives.

They did not seek great wealth or honor, only peace and stability.

Now, before spring had even arrived, they had received an exile decree, sealing the fate of the rest of their lives.

Exile!

Branded criminals, from this moment on, they were nothing but outcasts. They could only remain in the place of exile until their deaths, unable to rest in their homeland even after death.

Their children, their descendants, could only remain rooted in that place like drifting weeds without roots.

All hopes and dreams were gone; their future was left only dark and despairing.

The old Su matriarch entered the main hall, her eyes bloodshot and tear-streaked. She bit her teeth but could not suppress the overwhelming resentment.

She pounded the old man’s back forcefully, tears streaking her face, choking back her grief as she snarled, “What kind of relatives are those? Huh? What kind of relatives? When they rose to power, we didn’t get a shred of glory! But when trouble came, we had to shoulder the blame! Aren’t the Su family, the high officials, noble and above us poor relatives? Why don’t they cut ties with us? Leeches only suck blood, but their kind suck life itself! They want to take a woman’s life—wahh! How is our Su family supposed to survive?”

The old man’s face was pale and defeated; he said nothing, letting his wife’s blows fall.

At this point, they could only accept their fate.

Little Su An and the other two toddlers were already pale from the scene, trembling fearfully in their parents’ arms.

“Father, mother, what is exile? Will we die?” Little Su An clung tightly to his father’s clothes, his small hands trembling with fear.

Su Wen and Su Wu, even younger, cried openly in terror.

Su Da pulled his sons close, eyes reddened, teeth clenched, voice choked and unable to speak.

Su Er’s family of four huddled together, completely bewildered.

Finally, the old matriarch was the first to regain composure. She wiped away her tears hard, took the quiet little granddaughter in her arms, and took a deep breath.

“The decree has been issued. Crying won’t help. As long as there’s breath in our bodies, we have to live well! Eldest son, second son, go to the town office to get the exile papers! Yuelan, Daxiang, pack the essentials. We have to depart today. If not, if they investigate us, it’ll be even worse for us!”

She paused, her expression turning cold again, eyes scanning the room.

“Ignore the nonsense outside. Tianbao’s surname is Su; she’s family! Whoever believes those lies, don’t blame me when I settle accounts after the autumn harvest!”

“Mother, you don’t have to threaten us. We understand!”

“Hmph, I won’t believe in curses! If Tianbao was a curse, I would bear all disasters myself!”

Her words shook everyone’s hearts.

The Su family’s young and old responded resolutely, “Together we bear it!”

Liu Yuelan’s eyes were misty with tears as she stared blankly at her grandmother, her bitterness gradually replaced by gratitude.

As long as grandmother was here, the family had its pillar of strength. No matter where or under what circumstances, the family would not fall apart!

In that moment, she suddenly felt that exile—even exile—was not an insurmountable calamity.