Chapter 37: You Are Not In Exile You Are Clearly Traveling!
Chapter 37: Harvesting the Leeks
Seeing the bailiff refuse her access to the medicinal herbs, Chen Xue didn't get angry but instead questioned him.
"Do you know how to distinguish good from bad herbs, judge their value, determine if they've been mixed up, and preserve their potency?" she asked, bombarding him with questions, leaving the bailiff with an unpleasant expression as he couldn't answer any of them.
Feeling helpless, he had to defer to Captain Sun for a decision.
Captain Sun, equally clueless, waved his hand and said, "Let her see, she can't take them anyway."
As Chen Xue inspected the herbs, the steward kept a close watch, fearing she might conceal some. Unbeknownst to him, she could easily hide them in her space, undetectable.
Opening the boxes, Chen Xue restrained her excitement, knowing she couldn't take all the herbs at once. She selected some that the system hadn't collected yet.
"Summer Withered Vine, 100 contribution points."
"Moon Crescent Grass, 120 contribution points."
"Mullein, 135 contribution points."
...
Inspecting just one box increased Chen Xue's contribution points by about a thousand, equivalent to 100 boxes of instant noodles.
Seeing Chen Xue didn't hide any herbs, the steward relaxed slightly but remained vigilant.
Chen Xue's actions earned gratitude from Captain Sun's men, even leaving the steward feeling guilty for his suspicion.
Captain Sun, upon hearing of Chen Xue's help, instructed his men not to hinder her inspections in the future.
However, little did he know that Chen Xue was simply making use of the opportunity and had already collected a significant amount of herbs, potentially leaving him regretful for his generosity.
Chen Xue was delighted by this unexpected gain and decided to repay Captain Sun's "kindness" by not exploiting the situation too frequently.
Back in the carriage, Chen Xue's consciousness entered her space, where her contribution points had reached 1500.
She considered exchanging them for defensive items like armor and swords but decided against it for now.
Considering the possibility of future altercations, she contemplated acquiring defensive items. However, with each piece of armor costing 1500 points, she hesitated as they would need multiple sets for her family.
Deciding to hold off for now, she settled for a box of spicy strips instead.
Although the system's rules were somewhat inconvenient, with each exchange yielding a whole box, she didn't mind.
The familiar taste of the spicy strips brought back memories, and both Madam Chen and Xiao Die were drawn to it.
"What's this?" Madam Chen asked curiously.
"Spicy strips!" Chen Xue grinned, nostalgic for this snack.
Though it hadn't been long since they last had it, about a week to be exact.
"Wow, it's delicious!"
"Spicy!"
Madam Chen and Xiaodie, tasting it for the first time, found it addictive despite the heat.
"What's that strange smell?"
Chen Yuan, entering the carriage, wrinkled his nose at the smell of the spicy strips.
"What are you burning incense for?" he asked, noticing the incense burning in the stove and the sachets around.
"That's to cover the smell!"
Chen Xue handed him a strip, trying to mask the odor of the spicy strips.
"What's this?"
Taking the unfamiliar snack, Chen Yuan took a bite, immediately overwhelmed by its spiciness.
"Ah, too spicy! Why are you giving me chili to eat?"
"Not spicy at all!"
"Father, you can't handle the heat?" Chen Xue teased, offering him another strip.
"Who says I can't!" Chen Yuan retorted, but upon taking another bite, his face turned red and he started coughing.
"Phew, get me some water, this is too spicy! What kind of chili is this? Not fit for human consumption!"
"Oops."
"Ha, ha, ha! You missed out, father!" With nine packs left, it was a windfall for them.
Rolling his eyes, Chen Yuan refused to eat any more.
"Cough, cough, cough, I think we should keep a low profile," he said after drinking some water. "The other exiles are either thirsty or hungry, and here we are, laughing and joking in the carriage, and making such a big fuss with these snacks. They'll surely be envious, and if someone gets jealous... "
Realizing their insensitivity, they felt ashamed. They had almost forgotten they were exiled, thinking they were just on a trip.
Deciding to maintain a low profile outside, they considered what being exiled actually meant.
But wait, what does being exiled entail, exactly?
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