If Gu Xingzhao hadn’t gotten to know the Lu family, hadn’t spent the past month with them, she wouldn’t have cared about the lives of people who existed only in history books, far removed in time by a thousand or two thousand years.

But now, these people were part of her world.

There was the loyal and righteous old man, Lu Qing; the straightforward and lovable Lu Xingyao; the frail yet resilient Lu Xingyan; the kind and protective Mrs. Song; the seemingly tough but tender-hearted Mrs. Xu; the outwardly stoic yet deeply caring Lu Zhou; and the perpetually unserious Lu Yang.

Gu Xingzhao couldn’t stand the thought of watching them walk toward the tragic end described in the book.

The system had already mentioned that there was no strong historical evidence to confirm the events in the unofficial history. Things were still in their hands, and her presence had already begun to change the course of events. Perhaps, if she could safely guide them to Huaibei, she could alter their fates.

The next morning, the Lu family rose early, eating the bread and oatmeal with hot water that the Ancestor had sent them the night before. The bread was soft, and the oatmeal, rich with the taste of milk, warmed their stomachs.

Mrs. Song took a bite of the honey-flavored bread and chatted with Mrs. Xu. “This bread is so delicious, it melts in your mouth—unlike the cold, hard, and tasteless rations the officials give us.”

Thinking of those rations, she clutched the bread more tightly. The food sent by the Ancestor was far superior.

The Lu family used to follow the strict rule of not talking while eating, a custom especially enforced in Mrs. Song’s scholarly household. But now, in their difficult situation, such rules had long been abandoned.

Besides, the food from the Ancestor was so good that it was hard to stay silent.

Mrs. Xu, helping her daughter eat, agreed with Mrs. Song. “Youtang loves sweet things—this is perfect for her.”

Little Lu Youtang had already eaten one bread roll and two bowls of oatmeal. She wanted more, but Mrs. Xu wouldn’t give her any more.

Children have no self-control, and if she overate and felt sick later, it would be a problem.

Mrs. Song looked at her niece for a moment. “Why do I feel like Youtang has gained a lot of weight compared to a month ago?”

Mrs. Xu quickly covered her daughter’s ears and coughed. “You must be mistaken, Sister-in-law. Children this age always look chubby. Besides, we’ve been busy traveling—how could she gain weight?”

Despite her words, Mrs. Xu was secretly worried. Her daughter was already self-conscious about her appearance. If she found out she had gained weight, she might refuse to eat altogether.

Mrs. Song didn’t press the issue.

As they continued their journey that day, the Lu family members were in high spirits. The new shoes were so comfortable that they couldn’t help but whisper excitedly to each other.

“They say new shoes usually cause blisters, but the ones the Ancestor sent are so soft and comfortable—no blisters at all!”

Another relative chimed in, smiling widely. “Exactly! The shoes are so light, it’s effortless to walk.”

“I never thought we’d be in such dire straits and still get to wear such fine shoes.”

“That’s right. Most people would be lucky to have any shoes at all, let alone new ones.”

Lu Xingyao’s face radiated pride. “That’s because we have an incredible Ancestor!”

Hearing this, the others quickly joined in the praise, each trying to outdo the other, fearing that if they didn’t praise the Ancestor enough, Lu Xingyao would receive all the favor. They all wanted a share of the Ancestor’s blessings.

As Mrs. Song looked at her son, she noticed that it wasn’t just her niece, Lu Youtang, who had gained weight—her son had too. In fact, many of the Lu family members had visibly gained weight, especially her brother-in-law, Lu Xingyan.

A month ago, when they left the city, he was so thin and pale that it seemed a gust of wind could blow him away. Now, his complexion was rosy, and he was strong enough to help the old man walk.

Reflecting on the past month, Mrs. Song realized that the Ancestor had constantly sent them food—rich and nourishing meals. It was no wonder they had gained weight.

But they were still on the run, and their growing plumpness might attract envy and trouble.

Frowning, Mrs. Song sought out Lu Qing to share her concerns.

After hearing his daughter-in-law’s worries, Lu Qing finally noticed that many of the Lu family members had indeed gained weight, especially his three sons and eldest grandson.

This wouldn’t do!

He immediately summoned his three sons and grandson, speaking to them sternly. “Starting today, you’re all going to cut your meal portions in half. As elders, you must set an example for the rest of the family.”

The men were shocked, as if struck by lightning. Cut their meals in half!?

Lu Zhou’s heart sank. “Father, could it be that we’ve offended the Ancestor in some way?”

Lu Qing quickly interrupted his eldest son, forbidding him from making such wild guesses. “Don’t be ridiculous. The Ancestor hasn’t said anything. The truth is, you’ve been eating too much. Look around—other families are skin and bones, while you’re all getting fatter!”

Lu Xingyan lowered his eyes, looking at his hands. His appetite had indeed been good lately, and without realizing it, he had gained weight.

Lu Xingyao touched his face, thinking that it wasn’t so bad. Everyone was dressed in thick clothes—who could tell if they were fat or thin unless they looked closely at their faces?

Lu Yang, who had originally hoped to lose some weight during their exile to win his wife’s favor, found it impossible to resist the delicious and novel foods the Ancestor sent. With a cheeky grin, he said, “Father, it’s all the Ancestor’s kindness—how can we waste it?”

Lu Qing snorted, glaring at his second son. “Especially you. When we left the capital, I could still see some bones in your face. Look at you now—how much weight have you put on?”

Lu Yang pouted. Was his father really resorting to personal attacks?

As the few of them were reprimanded, the rest of the family, who couldn’t hear the conversation, felt a growing sense of unease.

Du Hangwu’s men, who were keeping a close watch on the Lu family, noticed that they were traveling faster than the day before. It didn’t take long for them to figure out that every member of the Lu family was wearing a new pair of shoes, even the Liu family!

“Boss, those shoes look really comfortable. They must be a gift from the Ancestor!”

Du Hangwu gave his subordinate a sidelong glance. In the middle of nowhere like this, of course the shoes were a gift from the Lu family’s Ancestor. Did that really need saying?

Another soldier, eyeing his own worn and tattered shoes, couldn’t help but grumble, “The Lu family sure is something. They don’t even think to offer our boss any of the good stuff they get.”

“Exactly! So inconsiderate.”

“When other families have something good, they bring it to us first.”

“If you ask me, we’ve been too soft on them lately.”

Du Hangwu knew exactly what his men were thinking. They were only flattering him in hopes of getting some of the benefits for themselves.

In a serious tone, he warned, “Watch your words, or you might get struck by lightning.”

The soldiers immediately fell silent.

Although Du Hangwu outwardly dismissed the matter of the new shoes, he was itching with envy. It wasn’t just his subordinates who wanted new shoes—he had been longing to replace his own worn-out pair for some time.

But he had just asked the Lu family for the miraculous medicine not long ago. Would asking for shoes now make him seem too thick-skinned?