Qiao Xin glanced at the dimly lit sky.

The light was bright enough to travel now, so she directly opened her mouth to chase them away.

“Have you eaten enough? If so, leave on your own. Since you’ve already come out of the mountains, don’t linger at my house. Once you leave the village, cross two dirt slopes, and walk another twenty miles, you’ll reach Jing’an Town.”

Xu Can’s hand, holding the chopsticks, froze.

He actually didn’t want to go back so soon. For some reason, he felt a sense of security staying with this aunt.

However, he also knew that if he didn’t return soon, many people would be unable to sleep, especially the old man at home, who was probably crying and searching for him all over the place.

But who could guarantee that there wouldn’t be any more dangers along the way?

He absolutely did not believe that this accident was just a coincidence.

Sensing his young master’s sudden mood shift, Ah Yuan quickly stepped in to help. “Auntie, you should deal with these pigs and bears in a timely manner. How about selling all of them to my family’s restaurant? We guarantee a fair price. It’s just… just that… Auntie, could you also take us along the way?”

Qiao Xin lifted her eyelids and glanced at him.

This servant was really dutiful, always thinking about his master.

Was he trying to buy her goods while also making her a free bodyguard?

His calculations were so loud that she could almost hear the abacus beads clattering against her face!

Xu Can quickly realized as well and hurriedly said, “Auntie, the Jingtai Restaurant in town belongs to my maternal grandmother’s family. They regularly buy wild animals at fair prices—you can ask around. If you take me there, I’ll give you an extra one hundred taels as a reward.”

“What is Yang Mingchun to you?” Qiao Yuanqing, who had been silent all this time, suddenly asked.

“He is my grandfather!”

Xu Can hadn’t expected to hear his grandfather’s name in this place.

Qiao Yuanqing immediately revealed Xu Can’s true identity. “You’re the youngest son of Marquis Xiaoyao?”

Ah Yuan instantly stepped in front of Xu Can, looking around warily at everyone present.

However, Qiao Yuanqing turned instead toward Qiao Xin, cupping his hands respectfully. “Mother, I once received the Yang family’s kindness, which allowed me to pursue my studies. If not for the good deeds done by Elder Yang when he returned to his hometown, I would never have been able to learn to read and write.”

Xu Can hadn’t expected this connection.

His grandfather had passed away nearly ten years ago, yet there were still people here who remembered his kindness.

Qiao Xin suddenly recalled that her second son’s ability to pass the county-level exams was indeed thanks to a wealthy family in Jing’an Town.

No wonder!

She had always wondered how their poor household could afford to educate a child.

The Yang family was the largest gentry clan in town.

They had once produced a court official and were a noble family well-known in the capital.

However, during the late emperor’s reign, the government was corrupt, the people suffered, and disasters were frequent.

When the Huihu invaded Jiangcheng and carried out a massacre, the late emperor fled with the royal family and nobles without putting up a fight.

Elder Yang, having narrowly escaped death, became completely disillusioned with the court.

He resigned, returned to his hometown, and waited for a wise ruler to rise—but he never lived to see it.

In his first few years back, Elder Yang had once encountered five-year-old Qiao Yuanqing.

At that time, Qiao Yuanqing had already learned to hide his talents.

He had secretly studied poetry and literature while working as a servant for a group of students on a spring outing.

Even at such a young age, he remained calm when discovered, leaving a deep impression on Elder Yang.

As a result, Qiao Yuanqing was taken in as a menial worker at the Yang family’s academy. Whether he could truly gain knowledge depended on his own abilities.

He took every opportunity to listen to the students’ lessons while cleaning, absorbing knowledge like a sponge.

Within just two years, he had memorized all the basic educational texts.

However, at that time, Yang Mingchun suddenly passed away.

Due to certain reasons, Qiao Yuanqing lost his position at the academy.

But with his accumulated knowledge, he managed to find a job at a bookstore—like a mouse falling into a rice jar.

Back then, Qiao Xin had spent most of her time earning money for her father’s medical treatments while also trying to keep the household running.

Life was extremely difficult for a woman on her own.

She felt heartache knowing that her three sons had to fend for themselves in town at such a young age, but she was powerless.

In troubled times, having food was better than starving to death.

Her second son had never mentioned who had helped him, and the original owner of her body hadn’t asked either.

Those two years were definitely not as easy as Qiao Yuanqing made them sound.

If Elder Yang had truly valued his talent, why hadn’t he taken him in as a formal disciple?

Instead, he had only let him work as a menial laborer.

Clearly, Qiao Yuanqing was unwilling to share more details, and Qiao Xin sensibly chose not to ask further.

Regardless, Qiao Yuanqing owed a debt of gratitude. This favor had to be repaid.

To avoid overcomplicating things, Qiao Xin made a decision. “Eldest, third, go to the village and get a few carts. At dawn, we’ll head to town. Second, come inside with me. You two, clean up and rest before we set out.”

Once inside, Qiao Xin handed the silver she had received from Xu Can to Qiao Yuanqing. “We can consider moving to a more prosperous place. This money is enough for us to settle down.”

Qiao Yuanqing looked at the gold ingots and silver notes in his hand, shocked.

This wasn’t just enough to settle down—they could immediately become small landlords!

Since when had their mother become so capable?

Then why had they suffered so much before…?

His thoughts were complicated, but instead, he asked, “Mother, are you thinking of going to the capital?”

Qiao Xin looked at him in surprise. “Do you think this little bit of money is enough for us to survive in the capital? Land in the capital is worth its weight in gold! I was thinking of somewhere just a little better than what we discussed yesterday.” She gestured a tiny distance with her fingers.

Qiao Yuanqing smirked slightly and sighed in relief. “I’ll go with you to the market later to gather information. Keep all the money with you.”

Qiao Xin didn’t refuse. “Take a hundred taels to buy a good carriage. Let the children and the women rest along the way. You three brothers can squeeze into the ox cart. If we can’t sustain the carriage at our new home, we can always sell it later.”

As for food, clothes, and other necessities, she planned to buy them herself.

The children and daughters-in-law were too used to hardship and would be reluctant to buy anything good right away.

Qiao Yunxin and Qiao Yunting each carried a large pig leg, while the others borrowed two ox carts from the village doctor and the village chief.

They loaded them with wild boars and a bear before heading toward Jing’an Town.