If you can't make it on Xianyu (a second-hand marketplace), you'll end up losing your whol

Chapter 32 Even walking must reveal its value

A sliver of dawn appeared on the horizon.

The bailiffs walked around, banging their gongs and shouting, "Get up, get up, all of you get up!"

A series of hoarse, raspy shouts and broken gong sounds completely jolted everyone awake.

The fires on both sides of the river had long since died down, leaving behind a ground covered in ashes. As the early autumn wind blew, a few leaves fell, and the ashes danced along the riverbank, creating a beautiful scene of autumn leaves being swept away by the wind.

The yamen runners were busy cooking upwind, and wisps of smoke were already rising from the chimneys.

If someone were sketching, seeing this scene might inspire them to create a painting of a misty early autumn riverside.

Unfortunately, few people can appreciate this kind of artistic conception.

However, Master Zhou was one of them.

At this moment, he was engrossed in the smoky scene before him.

Wenwen opened her eyes and sat up. It wasn't even fully light yet. They had only just arrived, and they were already yelling about giving way. How ruthless.

Sure enough, the autumn wind was quite strong, and a gust of wind carrying moisture blew right up to Wenwen.

Her nose was itchy, and she couldn't help but "cough..."

This sudden sneeze shattered Master Zhou's pleasant mood.

Wenwen was clearly not that kind of refined person; she didn't pay any attention to this so-called "beautiful picture" at all.

Her understanding is that the beauty of nature is there whether you see it or not.

What people perceive as beautiful scenery is merely a matter of their own state of mind.

"Wen'er, have you caught a cold?"

When Mrs. Ren heard her daughter sneeze, she asked worriedly.

The others looked at her with concern upon hearing this.

Wenwen rubbed her nose. "No, no, my nose is just a little itchy."

Ren didn't care about anything else. She opened the bundle, took out a piece of clothing, and put it on her.

Next, because of her sneezing, her brothers and sisters, under the care of their mothers, all put on an extra layer of clothing, causing several large bundles to deflate instantly.

You really can't go against a parent's love. Anyway, it won't be hot to wear an extra layer, so just wear it to put your mother's mind at ease.

After a while, the sky gradually began to lighten with the first hints of dawn.

Early morning is a good time for reading.

Wenwen noticed that the servants' meals weren't ready yet, and guessed it would be a while before they finished, so she had to hurry.

She took out the card and waved it in front of Madam Ren, "Mother, I'm going to find my uncle."

Ren didn't say much, since everything was right in front of them and not far away.

Wenwen quickly moved closer to Master Zhou, and then discreetly placed the small card in her hand in front of him.

Good morning, Master!

Master Zhou was truly astonished when he saw the tiny card, no bigger than the palm of his hand, and the very small characters on it.

The Master sighed inwardly.

Seriously? This kid's cards, does he have to be so serious? Studying even while being exiled?

The scholar really wanted to ask his father-in-law what was wrong with the child.

If he continues to study at this pace, he worries that he won't have enough knowledge to fill his belly.

Wenwen saw and felt Master Zhou's astonishment, which she truly sensed through his unclosed mouth.

Wenwen quickly gave her fourth brother a meaningful look.

It must be said that Fourth Brother is indeed a competent assistant; he always appears at the right time and is always ready.

Upon receiving the signal, Fourth Brother reacted quickly by moving to the side of the Master, blocking part of the outside view.

Wenwen pointed to the card and whispered, "Master, shall we begin?"

Despite having many questions, Master Zhou ultimately found joy in the experience.

With everyone's help and cover, the two secretly began their first private lesson on their journey of exile.

One dares to teach, and the other dares to learn.

Wenwen gained a lot from the teaching process, and the teacher also came into contact with new knowledge. Why not?

Soon, the yamen runners banged on their gongs and shouted, "Lunch is served! Lunch is served! Hurry up and finish eating so we can set off early!"

Even while munching on a rough flatbread, Wenwen didn't forget to recall the new characters she had just learned, taking a bite of the flatbread and glancing at her palm.

The Wen family members couldn't help but admire her diligence.

For those who truly enjoy learning, it's not a boring or tedious thing; on the contrary, it's a particularly enjoyable experience.

Wenwen was so hardworking that everyone in the Wen family thought she loved and enjoyed learning.

Actually, it was a beautiful misunderstanding. Wenwen wanted to be a lazy bum from the beginning, but her boyfriend disagreed, so she had to bite the bullet and keep going. As she went, her competitive spirit was aroused, and once that competitive spirit was awakened, it was unstoppable.

At this moment, we had walked more than ten miles away from the riverbank.

Urged on by the guards, the prisoners made full use of the energy from the coarse bread, their feet moving so fast they were practically smoking, the line clattering forward. There was none of the commotion and misbehavior of yesterday; everyone's attention was focused on their feet, and they kept moving forward with sheer willpower.

Gradually, the team's speed decreased.

The yamen runners ordered a short rest.

Wenwen pulled her younger brother along, her short legs moving incredibly fast, and they landed on their bottoms near the teacher.

Before the teacher could even catch his breath, he hurriedly said, "Teacher, let's continue now."

Without saying a word, the teacher continued to complete the morning's card assignments.

The lesson didn't end until the yamen runners urged them to set off.

After setting off again, Wenwen stayed close to her teacher.

This was an idea she had just come up with.

We can't waste our precious time just walking, but now, this is a road we must walk, and we must make it valuable.

She could learn as she walked, memorizing as she learned, without needing to constantly stare at the cards. If she encountered something she didn't understand, she could ask the teacher for help. This way, it wouldn't hinder her walking, nor would it attract attention.

Once the idea was proposed, the family unanimously agreed, and they also discussed a cover plan.

Thus, for the rest of the trip, Wenwen stayed close to her husband. The two would occasionally slow down, exchange a few words, and their family members would also slow down to match.

The soldiers and yamen runners escorting the passenger didn't notice anything amiss.

As darkness gradually fell, Wenwen finally let go of the teacher, and herself as well, because her tiny handwriting was no longer legible.

The scouts chose a small earthen slope as their campsite.

As the aroma of the yamen runners' food wafted over again, everyone ate their coarse flatbreads, enjoying the fragrance. Even though they felt a sense of loss, no one dared to provoke them. They hadn't forgotten the painful lesson that the spoiled brat Chen Zishuo had learned the night before.

Given the theft the previous night, no one objected when Wenwen suggested sharing the dried meat from the bundle.

Since someone already has their eye on it, it's better to eat it among our own people than to let thieves get it for free.

Of course, Wenwen also smuggled a lot of her own stuff in the darkness. Under the cover of the bundle, she smuggled out a lot of chicken legs to share with everyone. The aroma of the chicken legs mixed with the smell of the yamen runners' food, and at first glance, no one could tell whose food was coming from.

Having been intimidated by the previous night's experience, everyone finished their coarse bread and went to bed early.

Occasionally, the chirping of birds could be heard from around the earthen slope, mingling with the sound of the prisoners' deep sleep.

As Wenwen listened to the steady breathing of her grandmother and mother beside her, she couldn't wait to slip into the space.

Space is great! It's sunny and breezy all year round, with no nightfall. It's practically a paradise for study fanatics.

Wenwen wasted no time upon entering the space and went straight to the study.