Exile after Divorce? Empty the Scumbag Husband First!-Chapter 138 - 136: Just 100 Li Apart, Yet Worlds Apart
Didn’t expect that this little thought was seen through by him.
Indeed, he truly is no ordinary person.
Ruan Mian didn’t hold back any longer and spoke openly, "I remember tomorrow is the day Vice Minister Dong is going to the garrison for purchases. I’d like to join and have a look."
Vice Minister Dong immediately put down his wine cup, "Miss Ruan wants to go to the garrison with me? Aren’t you afraid?"
"The purpose of building roads is to connect with Liao Lie’s garrison. It’s good to go and gain some insight beforehand, I’m certainly not afraid."
Vice Minister Dong still wanted to say something, but Xie Huai’an had already agreed with a smile, "No problem."
Seeing him say this, Vice Minister Dong said no more.
After that, Ruan Mian and Xie Huai’an continued to drink. She saw him drinking slowly; his face slightly flushed, guessing he couldn’t hold his liquor well.
Although this jar of wine wasn’t much, its alcohol content was high, and Vice Minister Dong, after a few bowls, was already drowsy.
Ruan Mian gazed at Xie Huai’an for a few moments, certain thoughts arising in her mind.
So, after coaxing him into drinking two more bowls, she tentatively spoke.
"Sir, are you alright?"
Xie Huai’an held his forehead and smiled faintly, "Seems I’m a bit over my strength, Mianmian, I’ll rest first."
Ruan Mian hadn’t noticed when it happened, but Xie Huai’an began calling her Mianmian instead of Miss Ruan.
A bit awkward, but it didn’t really matter.
Seeing he seemed tipsy, Ruan Mian continued, "Sir, I’ve wanted to ask you for some time, since you were exiled by the official, aren’t your family worried?"
"If the Nanping Marquis Mansion intervened, you certainly wouldn’t have to endure hardship here."
Xie Huai’an only smiled gently and did not answer, leaning back against the mud wall instead.
Ruan Mian pondered for a moment and then asked, "Do you still hold thoughts of returning to the capital? Aren’t you afraid of those at court with ill will pursuing you relentlessly? Or is it that... you have reasons you must return? Or perhaps... reasons for coming here?"
Recalling the original book, there wasn’t a plot where Xie Huai’an was exiled. His main storyline was dealing with King Yan’s faction and assisting the official in stabilizing the government.
He climbed from a minor official to Chief of Staff, and then advanced further.
But in this lifetime, being exiled, to fulfill the main task, Ruan Mian thought he probably wouldn’t be wrongfully sent here without reason.
Since he’s the protagonist, there must be something else behind the scenes.
Seeing him getting tipsy, Ruan Mian’s curiosity was piqued, so she asked a few more questions.
But she didn’t expect that right after she finished speaking, Xie Huai’an suddenly looked up, his dark eyes staring straight at her.
"Mianmian, what are you trying to probe?"
With such sudden words, there was no trace of the previous dazed appearance.
Ruan Mian chuckled, "Sir, your acting skills are truly remarkable, pretending to be drunk when you clearly weren’t."
The truly drunk one was Vice Minister Dong, after all.
Xie Huai’an smiled, staring at her with meaningful eyes, "If I hadn’t done this, how would I know Mianmian, you’re so curious about me."
Ruan Mian knew he wouldn’t reveal anything to her, so she stood up, "Having some curiosity as friends isn’t excessive. Since you’re not drunk, I won’t overstay my welcome."
She saluted, and before Xie Huai’an could speak, she had already walked briskly out of the house.
Back at the underground house, she called Shaoxi and Cui Zhu over to collect the things they had made over the past few days.
They, along with Nanny Fang and a few other exiled women, were in charge of starting fires and cooking for those repairing the roads. In their spare time, they did some handicrafts.
For example, some warming pottery jars, only palm-sized, that could hold charcoal bits. Later, Ruan Mian also made some improvements, sewing little "coats" for those pottery jars to slip on the outside.
Those "coats" were made with fabric and some goose down, so holding the little stoves was especially warm.
Besides that, there were also the Ginseng Moisturizing Creams she made, which when counted, amounted to dozens of jars.
Of course, there were most of those warm little goose down vests.
Ever since she raised a goose pen, the goose down had increased, Cui Zhu was previously surprised at how fast these wild white geese’s down grew back.
Plucked in less than two days, it grew back fully.
In fact, it was thanks to the spiritual spring water in space. After feeding, the feathers of those white geese were plump and thick! The quality was top-notch.
So, she made quite a few small vests with the goose feathers, worn inside the outer garments, extremely warm.
Cui Zhu saw her organizing all these items and asked, puzzled, "Miss, are you planning to take these to the garrison?"
Ruan Mian patted the bulging bundle and nodded, "Perhaps these can be the first pot of gold made in the garrison."
"Miss is going to the garrison to do business?"
Previously, Ruan Mian mentioned her plans for business to them, but Cui Zhu didn’t expect it to happen so soon.
She didn’t know that this was just a small step Ruan Mian was taking.
Just like building roads.
In this situation in Wuheng, if they wanted to save so many innocent lives, developing the valley was inevitable. Especially in this Longchang Mountain, they were not the only ones.
Shaoxi advised her to be careful, and Cui Zhu packed her some dry food to eat on the road.
The next day, just as the sky was starting to brighten, she had already reached Xie Huai’an’s house, waiting for Vice Minister Dong to come out.
However, it wasn’t Vice Minister Dong that she saw, but Xie Huai’an.
"Sir? Where is Vice Minister Dong?"
Xie Huai’an walked ahead and casually replied, "The Assistant Minister drank too much last night, not suitable to head out today. I’ll take you."
"Vice Minister Dong can’t hold his liquor that well?"
Ruan Mian was somewhat skeptical, carefully scrutinizing his back. Before she could figure it out, Xie Huai’an had already whistled.
Soon after, a fine horse came running from the woods.
Ruan Mian was a bit surprised, not expecting that they had made preparations.
Earlier, she was still thinking of how to travel faster. If it weren’t for him, riding the White Tiger, she’d reach the garrison in no time. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
Now, it was just perfect.
Seeing through her confusion, Xie Huai’an casually explained, "This is a horse trained by the Assistant Minister."
Presumably bought from the garrison, used to run errands.
In this desolate area, having no means for errands was truly inconvenient.
Xie Huai’an mounted the horse first, then reached out to her, "Only one horse, so Mianmian, you’ll have to endure some hardship."
Ruan Mian saw his meaningful gaze and smiled lightly.
She wasn’t that reserved, and after grabbing his hand, she swiftly mounted the horse without the shyness Xie Huai’an had imagined.
Indeed, she was different from some of the women he knew.
Ruan Mian initially thought he might take the wrong path and was about to remind him to take out the map, but he had already pulled it out.
After a quick glance, he decisively took up the reins.
About two hours later, after passing through several pieces of woodland, they arrived at an open area at the mountain’s foot.
Looking ahead, a city gate stood conspicuously on the flat ground not far away.
Though not large in scale, it was bustling with activity.
Just at the entrance, they saw people coming and going, bustling inside and outside the gate.
Ruan Mian, seeing such a scene, couldn’t help but think of Wuheng’s misery.
Separated by just a hundred miles or so, yet it felt like two different worlds.
