Chapter 6: Really Delicious
From the original owner’s memories, Jiang Lili learned that three months ago, on their way back to the capital after a victorious campaign, the Marquis of Zhaoping and his sons received an imperial decree from Emperor Qingning. The decree ordered that the Marquis’s only daughter, Xin Ningyu, the younger sister of Xin Che, be conferred the title of “Princess Dunlun” and sent to the northwest grassland tribe as part of a political marriage, to serve as a concubine for the khan!
This was the outcome for the father and sons who had fought for Emperor Qingning on the battlefield!
It seemed Emperor Qingning had deliberately withheld the news, as Xin Che only learned upon returning to the capital that his sister’s marriage caravan was already nearing the grassland tribe!
After five years of not seeing each other, he didn’t even get a chance to bid her farewell.
As someone who had just transmigrated into this world, Jiang Lili already found herself seething with anger at this old schemer, Emperor Qingning.
Xin Ningyu was only seventeen years old, the same age as Jiang Lili’s current body. Historically, princesses sent off for political marriages rarely lived long; those fortunate enough to survive often lived in humiliation.
Wait—political marriage? Grassland tribe?
Jiang Lili’s breath hitched. The grassland tribe Xin Che’s younger sister had been sent to… Could it possibly be the same tribe where her classmate, the “Kidney-deficient Young Master” Yan Chaoyue, was staying?
Noticing everyone bustling about in a flurry, Jiang Lili decided to find a better moment to confirm her suspicions. For now, Madam Yang’s safety was the most urgent matter.
She approached Xin Che and asked, “Is there anything I can help with? What do you need right now?”
Before Xin Che could answer, Sister-in-law Chen shoved Jiang Lili aside. “Someone is on the verge of dying, and you’re pretending to be helpful here?”
Xin Che reacted quickly and caught Jiang Lili before she fell. He shook his head at Sister-in-law Chen. “Sister-in-law, don’t take your anger out on her. Mother is simply too exhausted.”
“If not for her, would Mother have fainted from anger?”
Sister-in-law Chen had long been displeased with Jiang Lili’s dramatic tendencies. However, since the Marquis of Zhaoping and his wife always defended her, Sister-in-law Chen had held her tongue.
Xin Che’s younger brother, Xin Cheng, was a quiet type, while Sister-in-law Chen was his complete opposite—fiery and outspoken.
Seeing that her mother-in-law was on the brink of death, Sister-in-law Chen finally lost control of her emotions and unleashed all her frustration on Jiang Lili.
“Mother needs proper care, good food, and a comfortable place to rest in bed! In our current situation, even an immortal would find it hard to help! Can you manage that?”
Pointing her finger right at Jiang Lili’s nose, Sister-in-law Chen lashed out, “It’s all your fault, you troublemaker! You’ve been nothing but a nuisance this entire journey!”
“How much has Mother worried herself sick over you?”
Jiang Lili glanced at Sister-in-law Chen, feeling her ears ringing from the tirade.
She reached into her pocket. Just as Sister-in-law Chen’s hysterics reached their peak, Jiang Lili swiftly stuffed a soft, milky steamed egg cake into Sister-in-law Chen’s mouth, effectively sealing it shut.
“Mm! Mm—mm!”
Sister-in-law Chen’s eyes widened in shock. Jiang Lili had dared to shove something into her mouth?!
The others didn’t see what Jiang Lili had stuffed into Sister-in-law Chen’s mouth, assuming she was simply fed up with the noise and had silenced her with whatever was at hand.
This spoiled, unruly daughter-in-law was already known for her lack of decorum, but now she had actually laid hands on Sister-in-law Chen!
Everyone knew that during their exile, Sister-in-law Chen had been the one taking care of the elderly and the children, singlehandedly supporting the entire Marquis’s household.
How dare this troublemaking Jiang Lili pull such a stunt?
Sister-in-law Chen herself was stunned, her anger flaring as she prepared to spit out whatever had been shoved into her mouth and scold Jiang Lili. But just as she was about to do so, a rich, milky aroma filled her senses, sweet and enticing.
Instinctively, she chewed.
It was delicious!
Soft, fluffy, sweet, and warm—it melted in her mouth, igniting taste buds dulled by weeks of thin rice gruel.
Sister-in-law Chen wanted to say something but found her mouth working faster than her mind. In just a few bites, she had devoured the soft, milky egg cake.
The murderous expression on her face had been replaced by one of blissful enjoyment.
Xin Cheng, who had been about to defend his wife, paused in confusion at the abrupt change in her demeanor. His sharp nose caught the lingering sweet aroma, and the words he was about to say turned into, “Sister-in-law, do you have more?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Sister-in-law Chen shot him a glare.
Xin Cheng awkwardly added, “I was asking for Ayan.”
The little boy, Xin Yan, who was holding Xin Cheng’s hand, stared longingly at Jiang Lili. Though he clearly wanted to eat, he didn’t cry or make a fuss. “I—I don’t want to eat,” he stammered softly.
Xin Yan was terrified of his aunt, Jiang Lili. She had always been impatient with him, so he didn’t want to upset her further.
Jiang Lili noticed how sunken Xin Yan’s cheeks were. She couldn’t help but compare him to the chubby, rosy-cheeked five-year-olds she had seen before. The sight made her heart ache.
She walked over to Xin Yan, crouched down, and pulled out another soft, milky steamed egg cake. Tearing open the package, she handed it to the boy.
Xin Yan’s eyes lit up like little lanterns. Forgetting his previous fear of his aunt, he accepted the cake with both hands and exclaimed, “Thank you, Aunt! You’re such a kind person!”
Instead of devouring the treat immediately, Xin Yan carefully split it in half. Casting a worried glance at the Marquis’s wife, who lay on the ground, he turned back to Jiang Lili and asked, “Can Grandmother eat this cake?”
Jiang Lili gently patted his head. This child was too thoughtful for his age. “You eat it, Ayan. Aunt has prepared something else for Grandmother.”
Feeling embarrassed, Xin Cheng scratched his head and apologized, “Sister-in-law, I’m sorry. I was abrupt just now. I didn’t realize you were giving Fulan something to eat.”
Fulan was Sister-in-law Chen’s given name.
Sister-in-law Chen couldn’t resist eating the cake Jiang Lili had stuffed into her mouth. For a moment, she felt embarrassed, considering how harshly she had just scolded Jiang Lili.
She tried to maintain her composure, her face stiff with reluctance, and retorted, “What did you just give me to eat? It’s not poisoned, is it? Where did it come from?”
“Someone from our family sent it,” Jiang Lili replied, lowering her voice and glancing around. “Sister-in-law, please be quiet.”
The others were taken aback. It seemed they hadn’t expected Jiang Lili to share the provisions sent by the Shangshu Mansion with anyone outside the family.
Once the curious gazes from the Marquis’s household were withdrawn, Jiang Lili quietly began distributing the snacks she had hidden on her person.
As for drinks, everyone had their own water pouches, so there was no need for Jiang Lili to worry about that.
Jiang Lili tore open a small bun and demonstrated how to open the packaging for Xin Cheng and the others.
The group had been exiled for more than half a month, and they had rarely been able to eat their fill. Now, they ate quietly, focused on their food and not speaking.
However, when the Marquis received the small cake, he simply returned it to Jiang Lili without taking a bite.
He could tell that the “cake” in Jiang Lili’s hand was a rare treat, likely from a well-known bakery in the capital, Lan Gui Fang.
Marquis Xin Chong shook his head. “Good child, the Marquis of Zhaoping’s household has wronged you.”
When the imperial decree for the family’s confiscation came unexpectedly, Xin Chong had initially wanted to have Xin Che write a letter of divorce, sparing Jiang Lili from exile. However, the chief of the imperial guard, Xu Qingyun, had kicked over the ink, causing them to directly arrest Jiang Lili and even shackled Xin Che when bringing him along.
The commander of the imperial guards, Xu Qingyun, was actually a distant relative of Jiang Lili’s stepmother. When the Marquis thought about it, he realized that Jiang Lili had likely been targeted by her stepmother.
This realization only deepened his sympathy for Jiang Lili. “You keep the cake for yourself. I’m still strong enough to get by. Tomorrow, I’ll just drink the rice gruel the guards hand out.”
Jiang Lili glanced at the resolute expression on the Marquis’s face, feeling a sense of emotion. “Father, don’t worry, I’ll make sure there’s enough for everyone.”
With a determined gesture, she pressed the cake back into his hands. Only then did Marquis accept it.
As Jiang Lili reflected on their journey to the camp, she realized it was best to get along well with the Marquis of Zhaoping’s household for now. The Shangshu Mansion no longer cared about her fate, and if they found out she was still alive, they might send someone to silence her.
Until she could ensure her own safety, she needed to cling to Xin Che’s family tightly.
The Marquis of Zhaoping, though older, was still in peak physical form and an expert in martial arts. His second son, Xin Cheng, was a top-tier craftsman in the Great Sheng Empire, skilled in setting traps and forging weapons, with outstanding manual dexterity.
And of course, there was the Great Sheng God of War, Xin Che, who had already been won over with a simple snack.
Jiang Lili glanced over at Xin Che, who was engrossed in studying a lollipop. A mischievous smile crept across her face.
It seemed that a few little snacks could turn the Great Sheng God of War into her personal bodyguard—now that was a good deal!
Just then, a noise came from the back of her backpack.