Chapter 122 -

Chapter 122: Chapter

Madame Zhao and her children arrived shortly after, completely ignoring the chaotic mess as four more plain carriages were brought to the front yard to accommodate the entire group. She didn’t bother helping anyone, just standing back with her arms crossed.

Third Uncle Chenghao and Old Master Bai hurried over to Old Madame Bai, their faces pale with anxiety.

"Mother, please!" Third Uncle Chenghao begged, his voice trembling as he held his hands out in desperation. "Think about our family’s dignity! How can we travel across the country in these cheap, wooden boxes? The whole capital will laugh at us!"

Old Master Bai stepped up beside his brother, nodding rapidly. "Brother is right, Mother! Even if we are going to the southeast, at least let us take two of our private carriages and a portion of our silver! How can we survive in a strange land with practically nothing?"

Old Madame Bai’s face remained as cold as ice. She didn’t even look at them, waving her hand dismissively with a harsh glare. "Dignity? You lost your dignity the moment your greed ruined this family! I said what I said. Not a single coin or luxury carriage leaves this gates! Now get into those carriages before I make you walk to the southeast on your own two feet!"

Old Master Bai and Third Uncle Chenghao choked on their words. Seeing that their mother was completely adamant, they hung their heads in bitter defeat and turned toward the carriages.

Yimei helped Zhengyu into their carriage, bringing along only a few light bundles that held a change of clothes and some books.

The rest of the family scattered, hopping into their assigned rides. Madame Zhang and her husband got in with their son, while Madame Liu squeezed into her carriage with her husband and their two children. Madame Zhao entered next with her two children. Madame Bai, Master Bai, Meiling, and Rulan packed into another carriage, while Madame Chen, An Yulan, and Wenliang boarded theirs, still looking utterly miserable in their heavy, lavish robes

.....

The wooden carriage creaked and groaned as its wheels rolled over the bumpy dirt road. Outside, the winter air grew colder by the second, sending sharp gusts of wind through the small gaps in the wooden walls.

Inside, everything was completely quiet. Zhengyu leaned his head back against the wall, his eyes shut and his breathing slow and even. The long days of stress, mixed with his morning acupuncture, had finally worn him out. He was fast asleep.

Yimei looked at his pale face for a moment, then shifted her eyes down to his shoulders. He was wearing only his dark blue travel cloak, and the cold was creeping in fast.

Without making a sound, she untied her cloth bundle, pulled out a thick blanket, and unfolded it gently. Leaning forward with care, she spread the soft fabric over him, pulling it all the way up to his chest.

Zhengyu moved slightly in his sleep, a tiny frown forming on his face, but he didn’t wake up. He simply pulled the warm blanket a little tighter around himself and drifted deeper into sleep.

Yimei sat back on her seat and looked out the small wooden window.

The light snow from earlier had turned into a heavy, swirling storm. Big white snowflakes danced wildly in the freezing air, covering the road ahead in a thick layer of white.

Through the heavy snow, Yimei caught sight of a small figure walking right beside their moving carriage.

It was Qinqin.

The poor girl had her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her lips turning pale and blue as she pushed through the deep snow. Every time the carriage hit a bump, she had to run a few steps just to keep up, her hair flying across her cheeks in the biting wind.

Yimei frowned. She knocked hard against the front wall of the carriage. "Stop the carriage!"

The driver pulled the leather reins right away. "Whoa! Hold on!"

The horses whinnied, and the heavy carriage came to a complete stop in the middle of the snowy road. Behind them, the other carriages slowed down too, the drivers shouting to one another over the howling wind.

Yimei pushed open the carriage door and looked down at the shivering maid.

"Qinqin, get inside."

Qinqin froze, her eyes widening in surprise. She shook her head quickly, her teeth chattering so hard they made a clicking noise.

"N-No, Young Madame!" Qinqin stammered, taking a quick step back into the snow. "I... I can’t come in! First Young Master is sleeping inside! It isn’t right for a maid to sit in the same carriage as her master! I can walk, I really can!"

Yimei’s gaze sharpened, her voice firm and direct. "Get in right now, Qinqin. Don’t make me say it twice."

Qinqin looked at Yimei’s serious eyes and knew better than to argue. Nodding quickly, she stepped up onto the wooden ledge and slipped into the carriage, shutting the door tight to keep out the icy wind.

The moment she stepped inside, the warm air wrapped around her face. She glanced nervously at Zhengyu, who was still sound asleep under his blanket, and let out a quiet sigh of relief. Walking as quietly as she could across the floorboards, she sat on the very edge of the bench beside Yimei, tucking her wet shoes close so she wouldn’t dirty the floor.

Yimei didn’t say a word. She reached into her bundle, pulled out another heavy blanket, and dropped it right onto Qinqin’s lap.

"Wrap yourself up before you catch a cold," Yimei said casually. "I don’t have time to take care of a sick maid on this trip."

Qinqin stared down at the soft, warm blanket in her hands. Her nose turned red, and tears instantly filled her eyes.

In rich noble families, servants were expected to walk through mud and snow until their boots fell apart. No master ever stopped a carriage just to let a maid sit inside, let alone handed her a warm blanket.

"Madame..." Qinqin sniffled, her voice shaking. She leaned over and wrapped her arms tightly around Yimei’s waist, pressing her cold face against Yimei’s sleeve. "Thank you, Young Madame... You are so good to me..."

Yimei rolled her eyes, though her face remained calm and soft. "Stop crying. You’re going to soak my sleeve."

Even as she spoke those sharp words, Yimei raised her hand and patted Qinqin’s head twice, gentle and steady.

"Sit properly," Yimei added quietly.

Qinqin wiped her eyes with the corner of the blanket, nodding with a small smile. She wrapped the heavy cloth tight around her shoulders until only her small face was peeking out.

Yimei knocked twice against the front panel. "Drive on."

"Yes, Young Madame!" the driver called back.

With a sharp crack of the whip, the carriage gave a gentle shake and rolled forward once more, moving steadily through the heavy snow outside.