My domineering ex-husband is living off his wife in ancient times.

Chapter 10 Shangqingshan County

There is only one straight road from Baihua Village to Qingshan County. The entrances to several villages are all located along this road, and pedestrians on the road are always in a hurry.

It was still dark, and there was no one else on the road except for the three families traveling in a large group.

The surroundings were eerily quiet; not even the chirping of birds or cicadas could be heard.

The earthquake not only killed people, but also animals.

Fortunately, their group had nearly thirty people, so walking on the street didn't feel creepy.

Si Shaoheng pushed the fourth family's wheelbarrow, walking beside the Cheng family's donkey cart. He and Cheng Ruoan were on the cart and off the cart, chatting away.

Si Shaoheng: "You upgraded your space, didn't you bring out any food for the kids?"

Cheng Ruoan glanced at him: "We already took it last night. How much longer do we have to walk to get to the county town?"

"It will take another hour and a half to get there."

Cheng Ruoan: ...

We've been walking for half an hour, which means it will take four hours to get from the village to the county town!

She now highly doubts Si Shaoheng's claim that fleeing north to find his family relatives would only take two months!

Looking at the young couple, Madam Cheng smiled and said affectionately to Zhao Shi, "Mother-in-law, look how well Sanlang and Ruo'an get along."

Zhao:......

Your soft-hearted daughter hasn't told you what kind of life she's been living these past few years, has she?

Zhao replied awkwardly, "Yes...yes."

"Sigh, now that we've gone to the North and Ruo'an's leg has healed, I think we can consider having another child. Xin Xin is already four years old."

"Yes...yes."

No matter what Madam Cheng said, Madam Zhao went along with it.

She had no choice; her third son had said that she would probably have to live off her wife's family from now on.

Li, who was following behind with her child in her arms, felt so uncomfortable seeing the good atmosphere on the donkey cart that she wanted to vomit.

But he was also afraid of being beaten and scolded by Zhao again.

He could only mutter curses under his breath.

After speaking with her family, Xia walked over to Li and heard her chirping crickets.

I can tell at a glance that he's criticizing the third wife.

Xia rolled her eyes and grabbed Li's sleeve.

"What are you doing, sister-in-law?" Li asked, turning her head away irritably.

Xia: "Second sister-in-law, do you and your second brother really not want to come with us? Then I'll think of a way for you?"

"Hmm?" Upon hearing this, Li perked up. "Sister-in-law, you have so many ideas! Tell me, how do we do it?"

"When we arrive outside Qingshan County, isn't it only Fourth Brother who will take Cheng Shi in to see a doctor and get a travel permit?"

We're all waiting outside the county town. It's only right that you and your husband take the children back to your parents' home to say goodbye, isn't it?"

"It should be."

"When your family heard this, they thought it was absurd that you would flee north for a disease that might not even come."

"The Si family may have lost their house and land, but the Li family still has them, right? You and your husband are both capable people. The Li family cares about you and insists on keeping you. What can your mother say?"

Upon hearing this, Li realized that it made sense.

"But my parents won't insist on keeping us here. I'm planning to swallow my pride and beg my family to give us a room..."

Xia quickly covered her mouth: "What your family says is up to you to decide when you come back. Do you think your mother would go to your family home to confront them?"

She was truly exasperated; her foolish sister-in-law was utterly brainless, blurting out whatever came to mind.

Li opened her eyes wide and nodded.

She got it!

Seeing her confident expression, Xia secretly smiled with satisfaction.

They finally arrived at the gates of Qingshan County. Si Shaoheng wanted to take Cheng Ruoan with him, just the two of them, but Zhao was worried.

“Son, if you take the land deed to the yamen, do you think the government will give you any subsidies? Why don’t you find Liu the village head and have him take you to get a travel permit…”

"No, you should let your mother stay with you. Cheng's leg isn't very mobile either; she doesn't want you to cause any trouble."

Cheng Ruoan, standing to the side: ?

No, she asked.

Whether the government provides compensation or not is none of her business as a "weak woman".

How can you blame her for all this?

Cheng Ruoan scoffed, "Then let's bring my eldest sister and brother-in-law along. My eldest sister is good with words, and my brother-in-law is a hunter, he can fight. If the government doesn't subsidize the land, I'll have my eldest sister curse them to death, and I'll have my brother-in-law tear down the county government office. What do you say, Mother?"

Zhao: "What nonsense are you spouting! How can you say such things?!"

They were just peasants; how could they possibly stand up to the officials?

Even if her third son said he had seen in the laws of the Great Xia Dynasty that the imperial court would provide certain subsidies for farmland destroyed by natural disasters, the officials still had two mouths to speak, so the magistrate still had to have the final say!

Cheng Ruoan gave two fake laughs: "You know that whether or not we get the subsidy is up to the government, so why are you blaming me? It's not that I, as your wife, am criticizing you, but you are nine-tenths responsible for the bad relationship between Sanlang and me these past few years!"

She inherited all of the original owner's memories, so naturally she could see them clearly.

The original couple were very much in love when they were newlyweds, but Zhao would say bad things about the original couple to Si Sanlang eight hundred times a day, and even the best feelings were destroyed by her.

Cheng Ruoan couldn't stand Zhao Shi making trouble for her.

"You!" Zhao stamped her foot in anger.

Si Shaoheng comforted her: "Alright, Mother, I brought Ruo'an in to find a doctor to bandage her leg, not to have her do anything else for me."

"I can go to the yamen myself. Besides, Village Chief Liu is there too; I can just go to him if I need anything."

“But Mrs. Cheng is lame, she…”

"Mother, don't worry about it. I'll go in with Third Brother and Third Sister-in-law. Can you rest assured now?" Si Silang said as he walked over. "I'll pay for the city entrance fee myself. I won't use Zhonggong's money. Is that alright?"

People who weren't from the county town had to pay a 50-wen entrance fee to enter the city, which is why Si Shaoheng and Cheng Ruoan were able to convince everyone to wait outside while only the two of them went in.

The two had three tasks upon entering the city: first, to apply for compensation for the farmland damaged by the earthquake at the county government office using the red deed; second, for Cheng Ruoan to find a doctor to treat his leg and get medicine; and third, to purchase food for the family to eat on their escape journey.

In addition, Cheng Ruoan took a glass teacup out of the villa and planned to pawn it to get more money to store in the space.

So when Si Silang said this, Cheng Ruoan and Si Silang exchanged a silent glance.

If there are multiple people, it's not very convenient for them to move around.

Cheng Ruoan gave Si Shaoheng a wink, and Si Shaoheng was about to politely decline Si Silang's offer when they heard an urgent shout coming from the city gate.

"Master Si, over here! Third Master Si, come in quickly! Something's happened to Liu the Village Head! You're a scholar, you must come and help!"

Si Shaoheng couldn't remember who the person was, but Cheng Ruoan recognized him.

"That's the son of the village chief of Xinghua Village. Didn't Doctor Hu say yesterday that the village head had taken the village chiefs from several surrounding villages who hadn't been involved to the county government office? He must have come with his father... Did something happen to them at the county government office?"

In an instant, the group couldn't care less about anything else.

Si Shaoheng and Si Silang rode the Cheng family's donkey cart together, pulling Cheng Ruoan to the city gate, where they paid and went inside.