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

Hearing the man's words, Minister Ji and Aunt Zhu were momentarily stunned.

"What the heck? What did you just say? You said you weren't here to take us away from here?!" Minister Ji's ears were ringing, and he subconsciously thought he had misheard.

"Yes, officers, what's going on? My Yao'er, didn't you send me and my master to leave?"

"Since you're already here, you don't need to give us these things. Just take us back with you!"

After Aunt Zhu finished speaking, she bypassed Minister Ji and climbed onto the carriage first. She didn't want to stay in this godforsaken place!

Since Yao'er sent the First Prince to see them, it means that the First Prince and Yao'er still care about them. Let's not worry about anything else and go back to the post station with these two men!

Once he leaves Anjia Village, he will never come back, no matter what.

Unexpectedly, just as he climbed up with one foot, the man pulled his other foot down. The man frowned, raised his voice slightly, and looked very impatient.

"I'm asking you, can you even understand human language? I've already said that my eldest prince only asked us to send you some things and some silver so that you can live well here on your own. He didn't say that we should take you back."

Are you trying to force your way back with us by climbing onto the carriage? If we take you back, how am I supposed to explain this to the Crown Prince?

"I don't care, get down right now, don't get on the carriage!"

Aunt Zhu didn't care what the man was saying; all she wanted to do was climb onto the carriage. She really couldn't stay in this place any longer; if she stayed any longer, she was afraid she would die here!

Yao'er is really something. Since she's already sent the First Prince to see them, why doesn't she just have him take them back?

She was so focused on climbing that she didn't notice the man's movements behind her. Suddenly, she was pulled off the carriage and fell into the snow.

"Ouch, it hurts so much! You, you, you actually dared to lay a hand on me! You're just a dog under the First Prince, and he even sent you to come and see us. I, Yao'er, am his person!"

"Once I, Yao'er, rise to prominence and become the Crown Prince's consort, we'll all be able to leave this place one day. You dared to lay a hand on me today? You'd better remember this: when I leave this place, I'll see how I deal with you all!"

The two men snorted coldly, ignoring Aunt Zhu on the ground, and turned around to take something out of the carriage and throw it in front of them.

"Hmph! You're nothing but prisoners! You've entered this Anjia Village and you still dare to dream of getting out? Bah! If the First Prince really cared about you, he would have taken you out long ago. You should be grateful that we two brothers came to bring you some things, yet you shamelessly want to come back with us!"

Besides, even if you go back, so what? I'm one of Prince Nian's men, just doing some things for the First Prince. Sooner or later, I'll still go back to our Prince's side!

I was only following the Crown Prince's orders. He didn't tell you to come back with us, yet you were causing trouble here. It's understandable that I accidentally injured you!

After the man finished speaking, he threw the purse he had just received at Aunt Zhu.

"Alright, with so many people watching, and having delivered the goods and completed our errands, don't try to follow us like that. My carriage isn't careful; if the horse tramples you again, it's not my fault!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than two men jumped onto the carriage, one on each side, and without paying them any more attention, drove off in the carriage.

"Hey, stop right there! Stop right there! Explain yourselves! Explain yourselves! Where is my daughter now?!"

"Fine, if you don't want to take us out, at least pass on a message to him, okay? Hey, stop! Stop right there!"

Two men drove away in a carriage, while Minister Ji followed closely behind.

He was old, and having worked and not eaten enough these past few days, he ran a few steps and then ran out of energy. He tripped over a stone and fell to the ground in the snow, looking utterly disheveled.

He angrily pounded the snow on the ground with his fist.

"Damn it, you snobbish bastards! Why are you running off so fast before I can even finish speaking? Do you think I'm going to eat you all up?!"

Minister Ji was so angry that he kept swearing. This was the closest they had been to going out in recent days!

Just one step away, just one step away, that damned, useless little bitch Ji Yunyao!

What's wrong with talking to the Crown Prince a few more times, being a little affectionate, and getting them out of here in one go?!

The two remained motionless in the snow for a while, until the snow water soaked their clothes, and a gust of wind blew by.

Aunt Zhu felt extremely cold all over, and subconsciously pulled a quilt over herself, looking at Minister Ji sitting in the snow in front of her.

She took a quilt from the side, came to Minister Ji's side, wrapped the quilt around her, and comforted her.

"Master, it's not Yao'er's fault. She probably doesn't know that these two beasts treated us like this when we came to deliver things. We must take good care of ourselves. Who knows, one day Yao'er might plead with the Crown Prince to take us away!"

Before that, sir and I must take good care of ourselves! We are just two lowly servants!

Once Yao'er rises to a high position, there's no one she can't deal with. I've already memorized those two faces; we'll deal with them slowly after we get out of here!

Master, get up quickly, the ground is cold. Let me help you back. Fortunately, Yao'er also had the First Prince get us some warm clothes and some money.

We'll have no problem getting through this winter with these things, and we won't have to work anymore!

As Aunt Zhu spoke, she helped Minister Ji up from the ground.

After calming down, Minister Ji realized that life had to go on.

Besides, right now only Consort Zhu is by his side and can take care of him. Without Consort Zhu to serve him, he has to do everything himself, including eating, drinking, and using the toilet, which Minister Ji is unwilling to do.

Thinking of this, Minister Ji, supported by Aunt Zhu, stood up. His face was red from the cold. The two of them supported each other, but their feet slipped and they both fell down.

As Minister Ji fell, his hand inadvertently brushed against Aunt Zhu's abdomen. He suddenly felt that Aunt Zhu seemed to have become much plumper than a few days ago, and her belly was slightly protruding.

He frowned, and subconsciously glanced at Aunt Zhu's belly, his tone sarcastic.

"Hmph, you've come to terms with things now. I bet you've gotten used to Anjia Village by now. Look at your body, you were so thin when you first arrived, but you've gotten so fat in just a few days!"

"So, have you been sneaking off to eat something fancy behind my back? Let me tell you, if you find anything to eat and don't bring it to me, I'll skin you alive!"