Exchange Fate! She Saved the whole family and the Short-Lived Marquis!-Chapter 202: Grand Finale Part 1

Lin Qingqing’s days at Jingyue Temple were truly difficult, not even as good as a maid in a wealthy family.

Waking up early and going to bed late were the norms, and the food was lacking in nutrition, consisting of nothing but steamed buns and vegetables with a hint of oil.

Because she didn’t perform well in her work, she would be punished.

Though not by beating, but by making her wash everyone’s monk robes.

Luckily, the weather had warmed, but the river water in the back mountains was still very cold, and adding to that was the large amount of laundry to be done, her hands were always soaked and completely wrinkled.

Her fingers were rough and red, like radishes.

If she didn’t finish the work, she couldn’t even eat.

By the time she completed her tasks, the food was already gone.

If she wanted to eat her fill, she had to speed up and quickly finish the work.

Such days were hard to endure as they dragged on, with the rest of her days to be lived this way. Lin Qingqing found it unbearable.

However, compared to Xiao Fengxing, she was already much better off.

The day came when Xiao Fengxing, Madam Liu, and Chang Tai were to be exiled.

The three of them wearing prisoner’s clothes, with shackles on both hands and feet, were paraded out of the city under the watchful eyes of the populace.

"A promising marquis’ son, if only he had lived honestly, he wouldn’t be heading for conviction and exile now."

"Indeed, back then, Xiao Fengxing was once so splendid, one wonders if he ever regrets ending up in this situation."

"That Madam Liu, when the old marquis was around, even overshadowed the old lady of the marquis manor," someone remarked, "and now, she’s nothing but a prisoner."

"Really, what were they thinking? A concubine-born son, with no right to aim for a title. Wouldn’t it have been better to just participate in the imperial exams and earn a future for himself honestly, rather than harming others?"

"True, even a concubine-born son in a marquis house is far superior to ordinary people like us," someone shook their head, "ungrateful."

"Even if he didn’t pass the examinations, doing nothing in the marquis’ house would have ensured a life of wealth and stability. Ungrateful, causing himself such disaster." someone said with a shake of the head.

"Pa!"

Suddenly, a large clump of rotten lettuce hit Xiao Fengxing squarely in the face.

The lettuce was thoroughly rotted, bound firmly to ensure it would not scatter when thrown.

The decaying lettuce exuded a putrid stench, along with decayed slime, which splattered all over Xiao Fengxing’s face.

As the lettuce fell away, it left a smear of rotting lettuce juice, black and yellowish, reeking terribly on Xiao Fengxing’s face.

His hands were bound, unable to wipe it off, the foulness nearly driving him mad.

But no sooner had the lettuce fallen than two rotten eggs were hurled over.

One hit Xiao Fengxing’s hair, while the other hit his face.

The foul egg liquid soaked into his hair, impossible to clean.

The stink from the egg liquid on his face kept assaulting his nose.

Seeing this, Chang Tai hurriedly distanced himself, to avoid the risk of being hit by mistake.

"Who!" Xiao Fengxing went mad, glaring ferociously at the surrounding crowd.

"Move quickly!" The government officer prodded Xiao Fengxing with the hilt of his knife, causing him to stagger.

As Xiao Fengxing looked over, the officer said, "What are you looking at? You’re a felon now, still trying to show off! Move along!"

Suisin stepped out of the crowd, walking over to the carriage parked by the road, "Young master, young lady, second young lady, all thrown. I hit the mark perfectly, not a bit off!"

"Well done!" praised Fu Changqin, "All that practice with pot-shooting and slingshots wasn’t for nothing."

"It’s all thanks to spending so much time with you, young master, I’ve become familiar," chuckled Suisin.

Fu Mingzhu: "..."

Fu Shinian: "..."

Their words made it sound as if Fu Changqin never dealt with proper business.

Previously, people in the capital would say Fu Changqin was a good-for-nothing; perhaps these two were in part responsible.

Listen to how they talk, how easily it could be misunderstood.

The group watched from a distance as Xiao Fengxing and the others exited the city, finally satisfied, then returning to the mansion.

"Exiled to the bitter cold northwest, just the long journey there is enough to torment them," Fu Shinian remarked.

In her dreams, she saw only a small segment of the journey, and it was already very difficult.

Especially considering Xiao Fengxing and Madam Liu, who have never suffered before.

Chang Tai would likely fare better than Xiao Fengxing.

Just as Fu Shinian anticipated, during the journey, Xiao Fengxing and Madam Liu found it unbearable, with their feet covered in one blister after another.

But they could not rest, and as they walked, the blisters broke.

The bloody fluid inside soaked their socks, sticking tightly, causing more and more pain with each step.

Not to mention, their daily meals consisted only of dry buns, without even any pickles.

Compared to them, Lin Qingqing’s existence at Jingyue Temple was indeed relatively better.

Originally, Xiao Fengxing was a famous noble son in the capital, always towering above others.

Suddenly fallen, the officers escorting them especially enjoyed watching such formerly high-standing personages become prisoners, intent on trampling them down.

Throughout the journey, they were neither polite nor merciful to Xiao Fengxing and Madam Liu, resorting to beating and cursing.

The two received many beatings along the road.

Madam Liu, holding a hard dry bun, complained, "Is there only dry buns to eat? No vegetables?"

"Just a prisoner, still wanting vegetables?" A soldier eating his meal, being interrupted, was infuriated, pulled out a whip and struck Madam Liu, knocking the bun from her hands, "If you disdain it, then don’t eat!"

"Mother!" Xiao Fengxing cursed, "If there’s none, there’s none, why hit people!"

"What? You want to rebel?" The officer whipped Xiao Fengxing, "More talking, you’ll get hit too!"

Madam Liu felt the hand covering her loosen, looking at Xiao Fengxing in disbelief, "Fengxing!"

"Mother, between the two of us, one must survive," Xiao Fengxing said.

Madam Liu took several more whippings for this.

The officer finally calmed his rage, returning to his meal.

Madam Liu weakly leaned against a tree.

But Xiao Fengxing dared not ask the officer for some medicine.

Fearing another beating.

In contrast, Chang Tai, often dealing with all sorts of people because of his dealings with Xiao Fengxing, was quite adept at winning them over.

After only a few days, Chang Tai became closer to the officers.

He even received a bowl of greens with his meals on occasion.

Seeing this made Xiao Fengxing and Madam Liu envious, Madam Liu said, "Chang Tai, I know you have always been loyal; share some of this meal with us."

Chang Tai sneered, "Madam, do you still see yourself as a mistress? Since Xiao Fengxing tried to make me take the fall, our master-servant relationship is over. Now we’re all prisoners; there’s no distinction of master and servant."

"But you, asking for food with such an arrogant tone, still don’t understand your situation?" As Chang Tai spoke, he took another bite of the vegetables, deliberately choosing not to leave, eating with relish in front of Xiao Fengxing and Madam Liu.