Exile? A mad, wicked woman empties the national treasury to escape famine.

Having said enough about what had happened, Ji Yunshu was too lazy to deal with Da Mao any further.

"Sir, since there's nothing else, I'll head back now. It's getting late; it's time for lunch."

"Lord Da Mao, you should head back early too. Lord Er Mao has already taken the fish back quite a while ago; it's probably already in the pot, just waiting for you to come home for dinner."

After saying that, Ji Yunshu didn't bother to say another word to Da Mao and turned to leave.

Speaking of fish, Da Mao thought of yesterday. He ate until he was stuffed. He hadn't had such a good meal in a long time. Just thinking about the taste of the fish made him crave it.

Feeling a rumbling sound in her stomach, she didn't linger and hurried home.

On the way, Da Mao secretly vowed that he would find the person who stole his things last night!

As soon as Da Mao left, Ji Yunshu also left, leaving only Aunt Zhu and Minister Ji behind. The two looked at each other, and Aunt Zhu gritted her teeth in anger as she watched Da Mao's departing figure.

"Damn Da Mao, he's useless. He was persuaded by that bitch Ji Yunshu in just a few words!"

I wonder what Ji Yunshu said to him! What a vixen!

That Da Mao is really brainless. He didn't take advantage of such a great benefit and just ignored Ji Yunshu and the others, letting them catch so many fish in the river!

If she were Da Mao, she would definitely tell everyone to stop and not arrest a single one!

Stupid, so incredibly stupid!

He missed a chance to make a fortune.

She even wondered if Da Mao had lost his mind!

Just then, Minister Ji's cold voice came from the side.

"Fool, didn't you say that Da Mao would definitely listen to you and take all these fish back!"

Take a good look at yourself. That Da Mao is just a fence-sitter. He was persuaded by Ji Yunshu in just a few words. Now you feel better, right?

I'm really exhausted today and don't want to talk to you about anything else. Just hurry up and get me a fish; I want fish for dinner tonight!

Aunt Zhu was startled, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on her face.

"Master, I... I have no choice. You know our relationship with Ji Yunshu. Even if I ask her for fish, she definitely won't give it to me."

Besides, I was exhausted from work today and really didn't have the energy to do anything else.

"If you want to eat fish, sir, how about tomorrow you go to work by yourself, and I'll try to figure out if I can chisel a hole in the ice when you get back, and then we can go fishing together?"

When she said this, even Aunt Zhu herself almost stumbled over her own words.

She knew her own limitations; it was practically impossible for her to break through the ice on her own.

Besides, the work was just too tiring, and she really didn't want to go anymore.

It would be good to take a day off during this opportunity.

She had a lot of work to do, but not much to eat. After a full day of work, the little food she ate wasn't even enough to keep her full.

Sure enough, she was hungry again as soon as she got near her home.

Not to mention that Minister Ji wanted to eat fish, she wanted to eat fish too.

Minister Ji's face was already pale, and upon hearing Aunt Zhu's words, his teeth clenched so tightly that they rattled, and his fists clenched tightly under his sleeves.

If there weren't so many people around, he really wanted to slap Aunt Zhu across the face. That stupid woman actually wanted him to do the work all by himself.

He was none other than the esteemed Minister Ji.

Now that he's fallen on hard times, he even wants to boss his own woman around. How utterly absurd!

"You slut, you worthless hussy! You useless fool, you actually dare to order me around!"

I think you're asking for it! Do you believe I'll divorce you? You and Ji Yunyao are both useless idiots!

Look at Ji Yunshu. She's a woman too, but how come she's so capable? She broke the ice and led her whole family fishing!

Instead of thinking about how to make a living for our family, you two are single-mindedly racking your brains to make me do things!

I've wasted all those years raising you all. You're one thing, but at least do some work. And what about that bitch Ji Yunyao?

It's been two days already!

We agreed that she would serve those officials and exchange food for us, but she's disappeared in the last two days!

Do you think Da Mao and Er Mao are dead? They'll find out about this sooner or later.

You lied to them before, saying that Ji Yunyao, that bitch, was unwell and resting at home!

Don't think I don't know. She's not even in Anjia Village anymore. You'd better pray that she can find someone to help us. If she can't find anyone and gets caught, she'll be exiled without permission!

"Don't blame me for being ruthless then; I'll kick you both out of the house!"

Upon hearing Minister Ji's words, uttered through gritted teeth, Aunt Zhu's expression immediately changed.

Women like them can only depend on men to live. Their family is now entirely dependent on Minister Ji. If Minister Ji is gone, even if Ji Yunyao really comes back, she and Ji Yunyao probably won't be able to survive.

He will be driven to his death by others.

The thought of that situation immediately made Aunt Zhu panic.

"Master, please calm down. I don't know where Yao'er went. I've been looking for her these past two days, but I can't find her anywhere."

"Didn't you want to eat fish? You go back and wait here. I'll go talk to the villagers and see if any kind souls can share some with me."

She cannot be divorced; if she were, she would truly not be able to survive in this place of exile.

Those people will bully her to death.

The thought of the men's gazes upon her when she went to the woods to pick fruit and wild vegetables made Aunt Zhu feel uncomfortable all over.

It's just fishing, isn't it?

If others can catch it, so can she!

After hearing Aunt Zhu's words, Minister Ji snorted twice, then turned and went home without saying anything more.

He needs to go back and get some rest; he's really exhausted today.

This kind of labor is really inhuman. He had been thinking that he could stay in this place of exile for a while and then figure out a way to leave later, but now it seems that's not going to work.

This matter must be put on the agenda!

He really couldn't stand being in this place of exile for even a single day.

Ji Yunyao has already run out, and we don't know how things are going. Has she thought about getting her father out of there?

After Minister Ji left, Aunt Zhu couldn't help but sigh.

Sigh, this is no life for a human being.

After finishing their work, they still had to figure out how to serve Minister Ji; it was exhausting.

However, her appetite had increased significantly in the past few days; not only was Minister Ji hungry, but she was hungry too.

Aunt Zhu touched her belly; she was frighteningly thin all over, except for her rather large belly.

She looked at her stomach and frowned. She wondered if it was because the unripe plums from a couple of days ago hadn't been fully digested, because her stomach felt hard these past two days.