Chapter 24: Arrival in Yongzhou and Encounter with the Main Branch of the Su Family

The two rabbits were not particularly large. Likely because they hadn't found much to eat during the winter, the creatures were so thin they were practically skin and bone. But thin or not, it was meat—it was wild game. The Su family ate until every morsel was savored.

As they set off again on the treacherous, snow-covered ancient road, the once-daunting, ominous mountains no longer seemed quite so terrifying. Su Da and Su Er felt a newfound closeness to the figure in purple; had it not been for the disparity in their stations, they would have treated the stranger like a brother. The person in purple remained masked and sparing with words, speaking only when addressed, and their voice carried a faint, detached quality—not one of arrogance, but of distance. Consequently, the journey continued in a remarkably harmonious spirit.

It took the Su family nearly three days to traverse the thirty-three peaks of the ancient road. When they finally reached the exit and looked up to see a village nestled at the foot of the mountains, the family exhaled a collective sigh of relief. They were safe. Just as the stranger in purple had predicted, they had encountered no more bandits on the road.

Beyond the mountain pass lay a small town, and ten miles further on, they would reach Yongzhou. This meant it was time to part ways.

"Kind soul, thank you for your protection along this journey," Old Mrs. Su said sincerely, clutching little Tianbao. "May we ask your name, so that when we pray to the Bodhisattva, we have someone to thank?"

The figure in purple glanced at the small child in her arms. The child tilted her head to look back, her dark, clear eyes as still and deep as an ancient well. After a brief silence, the stranger replied, "My master’s surname is Wei."

After a pause, the figure added, "Once you reach your place of exile, remember to remain cautious and discreet; do not speak out of turn. The order in the Yongzhou exile zone is chaotic, beyond even the reach of the imperial court. Be especially wary of Fengyun City, which lies nearby—it is a den of wickedness. Farewell."

As the last word fell, the Su family felt a blur before their eyes, and the figure in purple was gone. The cold wind howled at the exit of the ancient road, leaving the family standing alone.

After a long moment, Old Mrs. Su let out a soft, weary breath. "Let’s go. We must continue our journey."

"That person was a truly kind soul; goodness will surely be rewarded. Let's move on," Old Mr. Su added. He wore a faint smile, though a closer look would reveal the unease in his eyes. If the ancient road of Yudu was a wolf’s den, the place of exile was a tiger’s lair.

Whether the Su family could find a sliver of safety in this tiger’s lair would depend entirely on fate. To avoid further complications, they did not stop to rest, pushing straight through the small town toward Yongzhou.

By the end of the second lunar month, the sky over the border city of Yongzhou was overcast and sunless, with unmelted snow clinging to the landscape. Upon passing through the city gates, a sense of desolation and decay washed over them. The storefronts along the main road were weathered and dilapidated, their signs swaying precariously in the bitter wind. Half the shops were boarded shut, and the few pedestrians on the street hurried by with downcast eyes. There was no trace of the bustle and prosperity one might expect of a provincial city. It was deathly still.

The Su family did not dare to look around, heading straight to the government office to register their exile papers and await instructions. The two stone lions guarding the entrance were stained and covered in gouges and cracks. The guard on duty looked as though he had barely woken up, his eyes half-closed as he processed their paperwork.

The task assigned to the Su family was to head to Tubei Mountain, thirty miles outside the western suburbs of the border city, and open up the wasteland for farming. Upon hearing the result, the tension in the family’s eyes eased. Once they were out of the office and away from the guards, Su Da and Su Er could not help but smile. "Father, Mother, this outcome is actually quite good. We’re peasants at heart; we’ve been working the earth since we were children. We might not be good at much else, but clearing land and farming is something we know well!"

"Isn't that right?" Su Er chuckled. "I heard many exiles get assigned to be slaves or laborers, forced to carve out mountains or work in mines. Compared to that, farming is a blessing—at least we won't be beaten or pushed around."

Old Mr. Su reached out and tapped both of them on the head, refusing to be so optimistic. "Can anything about exile ever truly be 'good'? They call it clearing land, but it’s really just leaving us to fend for ourselves. Besides, we don't know what conditions are like at Tubei Mountain. We must remain cautious."

The old man had not forgotten the warning from the figure in purple. That den of wickedness, Fengyun City, remained a heavy stone weighing on his heart.

Old Mrs. Su sighed. "What’s done is done; we must take it one step at a time. Look on the bright side—at least our family is still together. Let’s go, no more stalling. It’s thirty miles, and it will be dark by the time we arrive."

The three young wives had little say in such matters and followed the lead of the elders. The three children, who had been listless for days after the terror of the bandits, seemed to recover a bit of spirit upon hearing the adults. Su An crouched on the wooden cart, her small hands gripping the rear railing. Her face brightened slightly, her eyes filled with anticipation. "Grandpa, Grandma, once we get there, do we not have to keep traveling? Can we finally stay in one place?"

Su Wen and Su Wu watched them with wide, expectant eyes, waiting for an answer.

Old Mrs. Su forced a smile. "Yes, once we arrive, we can stay there. We won't have to keep traveling like this anymore. From now on, Tubei Mountain will be our home."

By rushing, the family finally arrived before nightfall. One glance, however, and their hearts turned to ice.

Tubei Mountain stretched for over ten miles, a vast expanse of desolation. Across the mountain slopes, gullies, and rolling foothills, there was nothing but piles of white snow and strangely jagged rocks, interspersed with frozen, rotting weeds and thorns. Beyond that, there was nothing else—not even a sturdy shrub could be found.

Su Er sat heavily in the snow, his face twitching as he looked at the bleak landscape. "Damn it... even if we clear this land, can anything actually grow here?"

The Su family fell silent. The wailing mountain wind swept down, chilling them to the bone.

"Faster! Are you looking for a beating, dragging your feet like that? You bunch of wretches! You won't shed a tear until you see the coffin!"

"Don't hit us, please! Mercy, official! Ah!"

"Shut up! What are you howling for? If it weren't for you worthless lot, I’d be drinking and eating meat at Fuyue Pavilion right now! What rotten luck, having to be on guard duty today!"

A barrage of curses, accompanied by the sound of a whip cracking and the cries of men and women begging for mercy, cut through the family’s gloom. They looked back and stiffened.

On the other side of the path they had just traveled, a group of ragged, emaciated exiles was being driven forward by guards with whips. Every one of them was disheveled and stumbling, their hands and feet shackled with heavy chains that scraped against the ground with a grating, metallic sound. In the dim light of dusk, one could see the bloodstains on their ankles where the shackles had chafed—many wounds had festered and exposed bone. There were dozens of them, old and young alike, some with hair as white as frost, others mere children.

Old Mr. Su stared at them intently. After a long time, he squeezed a voice through his gritted teeth: "It’s the Su family of the High Gates."