Chapter 84: It’s My Fault for Misleading You

Chapter 84: It's My Fault for Misleading You

He Zhiran?

She vigorously rubbed her ears, feeling as if she had misheard.

Mo Jiuye had always given her the impression of being aloof, enigmatic, reserved, and even prone to bashfulness.

If not for hearing it with her own ears just now, she wouldn't have dared to believe that Mo Jiuye could utter such words.

Besides, when did I ask you to make up for our wedding night?

Did I say something wrong? If so, it's my fault for misleading you...

Upon closer reflection, she indeed didn't object to physical contact with Mo Jiuye.

Could it be that she was already falling for him?

That can't be. How many days have we been in contact?

It was impossible for her to fall for someone so quickly.

Although she had idolized Mo Jiuye in her previous life, an idol was entirely different from a loved one.

For a moment, He Zhiran felt her thoughts becoming jumbled.

Still, she had never been one to shy away from problems.

As a modern woman with a soul, she had always been bold in love and hate. However, she was yet to determine the true nature of her feelings.

He Zhiran vigorously shook her head, striving to regain clarity.

Whatever developed between her and Mo Jiuye would unfold naturally...

"I'll go check when we're leaving," He Zhiran said, attempting to diffuse the awkwardness by changing the subject.

Seeing her rush out, Mo Jiuye's tense demeanor eased slightly.

After a simple breakfast and packing up, Peng Wang gave the order, and they continued their journey.

To everyone's surprise, they encountered Fei Nanyu once more as they reached the city gates.

Spotting the large group of exiles, Fei Nanyu approached them directly, clearly having waited on purpose.

Fei Nanyu also recognized Peng Wang – the man who had aided him alongside He Zhiran that fateful day.

Nodding at Peng Wang, Fei Nanyu exchanged polite words before making his way into the ranks, evidently heading in the direction of the Mo family.

Mo Jiuye immediately grew vigilant, suspecting that Fei Nanyu might be a messenger sent by Prince Qi.

Stopping in front of the two, Fei Nanyu spoke, "Madam Mo, I know your journey into exile is long and arduous." As he spoke, he withdrew a stack of silver banknotes from his breast pocket.

"This is a small token of my goodwill, hoping it will provide some assistance to you all."

He Zhiran could see that each note in Fei Nanyu's hand was worth one hundred taels, with roughly ten notes in total, meaning that Fei Nanyu was bestowing upon her a thousand taels of silver.

A thousand taels was an enormous sum for ordinary exiles, undoubtedly considered a fortune.

To someone like He Zhiran, who oversaw the entire national treasury, such an amount was indeed insignificant.

Fei Nanyu's ability to produce so much silver at once must have been a reward from Nan Qi.

Even if Nan Qi valued Fei Nanyu greatly, he wouldn't have given him such a large sum of money after just a short acquaintance.

It was likely that Fei Nanyu had emptied his pockets to give her these banknotes in one go. For this, He Zhiran felt gratitude; it showed that he was a man who knew how to repay kindness.

However, she couldn't possibly accept Fei Nanyu's silver.

His gift of so much money was probably his way of repaying her for her help the other day.

If he were just an ordinary person, it might be acceptable. But Fei Nanyu was no commoner; he was destined to become the future emperor.

He Zhiran wasn't foolish enough to wipe out her favor towards Fei Nanyu with a mere one thousand taels of silver.

Although uncertain if their paths would cross again in the future, she was willing to take a gamble on Fei Nanyu's humanity.

After all, Mo Jiuye's fate in this life had already changed. Being vindicated after death was entirely different from being cleared of one's innocence while still alive.

Yet, the person with the potential to clear Mo Jiuye's name before her demise was none other than Fei Nanyu.

He Zhiran didn't reach out for the money. Instead, she firmly declined, "Mr. Fei, I cannot accept this money. Please take it back!"

But Fei Nanyu insisted.

"Madam Mo, you may not be aware, but if not for your help that day, I wouldn't have been able to afford a coffin for my father. Your immense kindness is something I'll never forget. I sincerely hope you'll accept this token of gratitude so that I can find peace."

Find peace?

How could that be? I want you to remember this favor for the rest of your life...

As He Zhiran muttered to herself, she decisively pushed the banknote back towards him.

Seeing this, Mo Jiuye stepped forward and said, "Sir, my wife is a woman of her word. If she says she won't accept it, she truly won't. Please don't put her in a difficult position."

As the couple was on the verge of pushing away the silver that was practically within their grasp, everyone present couldn't help but feel a sense of regret on their behalf.

With this thousand taels of silver in hand, there would be no need to worry about any difficulties on the journey of exile. It might not even be exhausted all the way to the northwest.

It's truly perplexing how these two think, to refuse such a substantial amount of silver.

The elder sisters-in-law watched with great concern, but they all knew that He Zhiran was a woman with a plan in mind. There must be a reason behind her refusal to accept the silver.

Consequently, they all held their tongues, helplessly watching as the silver bills were returned.

Fei Nanyu knew in his heart that he wouldn't be able to part with his silver today.

He smiled wryly and slipped the banknote back into his chest pocket.

"Since that's the case, I won't put either of you in a difficult position," he said.

As he spoke, Fei Nanyu leaned forward and whispered in Mo Jiuye's ear, "If I ever have the means, I will surely help clear your name."

Though his words were soft, He Zhiran caught a vague understanding of them.

What she sought was precisely Fei Nanyu's assurance, and that was worth far more than a thousand taels of silver.

Mo Jiuye nodded solemnly, responding softly in kind.

"In that case, I'll thank you in advance, Mister Fei."

Fei Nanyu patted Mo Jiuye's shoulder lightly before striding away.

The procession continued on its journey, traveling for three days straight. On the fourth afternoon, the weather became abnormally sweltering.

At that very moment, the heavens seemed to change their mood. A sky that had been clear as far as the eye could see turned overcast after a strong gust of wind swept through.

Zhou Laoba, at the rear of the group, hurried to catch up with Peng Wang, who was leading the way.

"Boss, it looks like it's about to rain."

Peng Wang gazed up at the sky, now blanketed by dark clouds.

"This rain seems like it won't be a light one. There's a village ten miles ahead. Let's quicken our pace and seek shelter from the rain in a villager's home."

"Very well." Zhou Laoba acknowledged, addressing the crowd, "Hurry up, all of you. Anyone falling behind will face the whip."

Everyone was anxious, none wishing to be drenched in the rain. After Zhou Laoba's urging, they obediently quickened their pace.

Unfortunately, fate seemed against them. Barely had they walked a short distance when large raindrops began to fall.

To make matters worse, the surroundings were wide open, offering no shelter from the downpour.

With no other choice, Peng Wang ordered them to keep moving forward.

The rain intensified, resembling a torrential deluge.

The officials were better prepared, each having brought a broad-brimmed hat from the capital. But the exiled convicts were not so fortunate, lacking any rain protection.