When He Jinghe returned, Shang Ruoyi had already started stewing the chicken.

He placed the colorful mushrooms on the table, chin held high, and said self - importantly, "Look at the mushrooms I picked. Compared with yours, the difference is clear!"

Shang Ruoyi looked at the mushrooms he picked, each one more brightly - colored and more poisonous than the last, and laughed. "Those mushrooms of yours are inedible."

Inedible?

"Why are they inedible?" He Jinghe shouted. "I think you're doing this on purpose, trying to steal my credit."

"Don't put it so harshly. No one is trying to steal your credit." She originally didn't want to interfere, but she was afraid that if someone really died from eating those mushrooms, the guards would hold them accountable. After all, if the journey was delayed because of their family, the guards' whips wouldn't spare them.

She stepped forward and said, "These mushrooms are poisonous. I'm afraid if you eat them, you'll meet your ancestors."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhang stepped forward and said sternly, "You ignorant thing. You just can't stand to see others do better than you."

Shang Ruoyi really wanted to slap her twice. "Well, I've said all I can. If you don't listen, there's nothing I can do."

Zhang looked at the mushrooms her son had picked. Indeed, she had never seen such brightly - colored ones before. "Son, it's not that I don't trust you, but we don't know if these can be eaten. Why don't we let your wife try them first?"

Hearing Shang Ruoyi's words, He Jinghe was uncertain for a moment. Zhang's words now gave him an idea.

That's right!

Let Qiao Yanxin test the poison. If she ate them and nothing happened, it would mean the mushrooms were edible.

Qiao Yanxin, sitting nearby, heard every word of their conversation.

She never expected that the mother - son pair had such a vicious plan.

Before long, He Jinghe came over with the mushrooms. "Yanxin, these are the mushrooms I picked. Try them."

Qiao Yanxin picked one from the pile. "This one will do."

He Jinghe looked at the red mushroom in her hand and nodded. This color was quite bright, and it should be able to test the toxicity.

What he never expected was that among all the mushrooms in his bag, only this one red mushroom was non - toxic.

Qiao Yanxin, of course, recognized these mushrooms, so she took the only non - poisonous one.

With the guards' permission, He Jinghe added spring water to a broken earthenware pot he had picked up and prepared to boil the mushrooms.

Shang Ruoyi was busy in front of the stove. Before long, the aroma of chicken and mushrooms wafted out. The prisoners had been walking all day and were starving. But without supplies, they could only salivate at the smell of the chicken soup.

A young guard walked up to the stove, a smile on his face. "We're in for a treat tonight. I didn't expect your cooking skills to be so good."

Shang Ruoyi smiled. "I'm just glad you gentlemen aren't disgusted. My little skills are nothing special."

He Jingheng watched the guard lingering around Shang Ruoyi, his brows furrowing. He picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at the guard's head.

The stone, carrying internal force, hit the guard right on the forehead.

"Ouch! That hurts! Where did that stone come from?"

He looked around. The prisoners were all sitting there, and there was no sign of anyone throwing the stone.

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Just then, the leading guard came over. He looked at the young guard's head and then cast a veiled glance at He Jingheng.

"Chief, this place is a bit strange. How could a stone fly over out of nowhere?"

"What's strange? It's because you're stupid," the leading guard kicked him. "Get over here. You're flirting with someone else's wife. Do you want to die? The Dingguo Prince's Mansion may seem to be in decline, almost completely destroyed, but the people of the Dingguo Prince's Mansion weren't sentenced to death. They were only exiled.

As long as people are alive, there's a chance to turn things around.

Especially the people of the Dingguo Prince's Mansion.

He didn't believe that a general who had once commanded a million troops could be so easily defeated.

That's why, although the Crown Prince had specifically instructed to make things difficult for them on the exile journey, he still gave them some leeway from time to time.

As the aroma of chicken and mushrooms grew stronger, everyone's appetite was thoroughly aroused.

He Jinghe kept urging Qiao Yanxin to boil the mushrooms quickly.

Qiao Yanxin boiled the water in the earthenware pot and threw only her own mushroom into it.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you only boiling one?" Zhang pinched her arm hard. "Don't you want to include ours?"

Qiao Yanxin suppressed her tears and said in a low voice, "The earthenware pot is too small. If I boil too many, I don't know how long it will take. I'll boil mine first, taste it, and if it's good, I'll boil the rest."

"Hmph, better be," Zhang glared at her and turned away.

Qiao Yanxin clenched her fists, constantly telling herself to be patient, just a little longer.

Shang Ruoyi served the chicken and mushrooms to the guards. She originally wanted to take the roasted potatoes from the fire to distribute among the He family members. Unexpectedly, the leading guard said in a low voice, "I see there's still some chicken soup in the pot. You can take it and distribute it."

Shang Ruoyi's eyes lit up. If that was the case, she could add some spiritual spring water and boil a large pot, enough for everyone to have a bowl.

She boiled the chicken soup, washed the picked - up earthenware pots, filled them with soup, and indeed, everyone in the He family got some. She then took out the potatoes. The fragrant roasted potatoes made everyone eager to eat. Even the guards who had just eaten their fill each took another roasted potato.

"Your cooking skills are really good," the leading guard smiled. "They're on par with those of Tianxiang Tower in the capital."

Seeing that her cooking had won over these guards, Shang Ruoyi knew the time was right. She smiled and said, "Lord Zhang, I have a request."

"Go ahead."

"When I cook for you in the future, can I also cook a bit for my family? I definitely won't delay the journey. My grandmother is old and not in good health. If she gets sick, it might really delay our journey."

In the Tian Shun Dynasty, if they didn't reach the place of exile within the specified time, not only the prisoners would be punished, but the guards would also be implicated.

"Alright, but you have to find your own ingredients."

"Don't worry."

He Jingheng sipped the chicken soup in his hand. Tsk, the cooking skills were really good. It was unexpected that this woman dared to negotiate with the guards.