Becoming the Villain's Discarded Wife
Chapter 484

Chapter 484: 484

"Miaomiao, don’t cry."

Shi’er lay on the couch, his voice hoarse from lack of food, his eyes filled with guilt.

He had worried Miaomiao.

"I, I’m not crying. I’m happy to see you back."

Shen Miaomiao forced an awful smile, worse than crying, unwilling to worry him. She knew it was not her place to meddle with palace affairs, and she couldn’t say much. But to see her husband in such a state broke her heart.

"Lie down and rest. I’ll pour you some hot tea to warm you up."

As she spoke, Shen Miaomiao was already turning away in hurry.

Seeing her holding back her tears, Shi’er felt a pang of pain in his chest and finally made up his mind.

He could not stay in Kyoto any longer.

He had to get Miaomiao out of here.

With the emperor’s demise, the palace was in chaos.

Given the constant natural disasters and the impending human calamity, he couldn’t keep Miaomiao in Kyoto any more.

Shen Miaomiao wiped away her tears, trying to control her emotions.

"What would you like to eat? I’ll have someone prepare it."

"Just white porridge will do."

Shi’er managed a smile. Watching his wife leave, he finally closed his eyes.

Outside the city, disaster struck relentlessly. The rat plague had devastated the farmland so much that cultivation was impossible.

Inside the city, intrigue and confrontation were so widespread that who would care about the life and death of ordinary people?

Now that the imperial court was in power, the remaining princelings were of little help. Who knew the fate Jof those left behind?

Leaving Kyoto might offer a chance for survival, whereas staying there could mean dying in one’s sleep at any time.

Shen Wenchen and his followers were struggling to move through the mountains, holding torches in hand.

The pitch on the torches was repeatedly doused by the rainwater, barely keeping alight.

The farther they trekked up the mountain, the stronger the rain and wind became.

Aze, almost blown off the mountain by the wind, was now clinging desperately to a tree trunk to prevent being swept away.

Shen Wenchen’s face was pale as a sheet. Cold rainwater had soaked most of his clothing, and his lips were tinged with a purplish hue from the cold.

His feet were numb and icy, but his relentless forward steps demonstrated his determination.

Some amongst the group were having second thoughts while others gritted their teeth and pressed on behind Shen Wenchen.

The torches had been extinguished by the rain numerous times, only to be relit again and again, casting their flickering light across the mountain forest as if intending to set it ablaze.

"We’re almost there."

Seeing the slope ahead, Shen Wenchen finally halted.

His spoken words formed a haze in the cold air. His limbs were already rigid from the cold, but thankfully, the rain in the mountain was not as heavy as in other places.

It even seemed to be letting up a little.

It was as if Heaven wanted them to die and the rats to survive.

As they moved downhill, the heavy downpour suddenly disappeared, leaving only dry land.

Everyone, soaked to the bone in the storm, changed their expression at the strange warmth.

This bizarre scene would raise doubts in anyone’s mind.

Shen Wenchen smirked coldly, shedding his heavy, wet cloak and flexing his stiff neck.

His guess was right after all.

"What’s going on back there..."

Those who were on the mountain for the first time were shocked by the sight, barely managing to stutter out the question.

"Alright, let’s get started."

At Shen Wenchen’s words, the others quickly set aside their astonishment and began to move, shedding their wet coats.

Chi Sheng’s face turned ugly as he stared at the densely populated rat burrows in the ground, gritting his teeth secretly.

Inside Yan City, torrential rain poured, but there was no longer any thunder.

Nanzhi, having barely escaped death, was utterly worn out. After the maids changed her into dry clothes, she fell into a deep sleep.

The heavy rain did not stop all night, only relenting slightly the next day.

The incessant rain had ruined many of the old houses in the city, and the river diverted into the city had already overflowed onto the streets. A shallow layer of water had accumulated throughout Yan City.

"Does the Heaven want us dead?"

Rain was still pouring from the sky and water was not draining on the ground.

It was winter, and the city was already flooded. If this continued, wouldn’t they all freeze to death in the city?

The cost of winter coal wasn’t high, even less well-off families could afford a few pounds. But the chilly winters of Yan City didn’t require much heating, so not many households stocked coal.

With the rainstorm, the firewood stored in each household was damp and nearly impossible to ignite without producing thick, suffocating smoke.

Those citizens who hadn’t stocked coal found themselves in a predicament. Cooking was out of the question, and going outside was risky. They had no choice but to huddle together under blankets to keep warm.

Outside, the houses were wet from the rain, but at least it didn’t freeze. However, the cold seeped into the interiors, sending shivers down the spine of the inhabitants.

Those who did have coal were only slightly better off. Since they did not have a lot of coal, each family had to huddle together in a single room, keeping warm by a small coal fire.

The sound of rain beating against the tiles was loud and unsettling.

Lin’s mother was worried about Nanzhi, so she got up early, and the pouring rain only added to her anxiety.

"Get some more rest. Our plump girl is being looked after by a maid."

"I can’t rest easy."

Shaking her head, Lin’s mother insisted on getting up from bed.

She didn’t trust others to take care of her daughter.

"The rain is so heavy outside. You should be careful not to catch cold. Stay calm and indoors, don’t make things harder."

Lin’s father said with a glum face.

Nanzhi was already ill. If he and his wife fell sick too, wouldn’t that just make things worse? At their age, a simple slip or case of the flu could be lethal.

"So what, I should just sit around and not take care of my own daughter? My little girl is sick and I have to see to her no matter what!"

Lin’s mother was unhappy. She looked tearfully at the man who had been by her side for half of her life.

Nanzhi had had a hard life, always sick and suffering. It was all because she, as a mother, had failed.

She wouldn’t let a heavy rain stop her from going, even if it were raining knives!

The sight of his wife’s red, tear-filled eyes silenced Lin’s father.

Listening to the rain outside the window, he sighed. He added an extra layer of clothing and reluctantly followed her out of the house.

Thankfully, the corridors of the city lord’s residence were extensive enough to avoid significant flooding.

The elderly couple held onto each other as they made their way to Nanzhi’s courtyard, where they saw Xiaohe sitting on the rooftop.

As usual, Xiaohe was dressed in white. He sat still on the roof, letting the rain wash over him without showing any discomfort. His figure appeared blurry in the rain, creating an eerie sight.

With only a glance, Lin’s mother did not ask any questions, but murmured quietly as she entered the house.

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