Traveling from Jing’an Town at Lintong Pass to Xuanzhou Prefecture, located east of the capital, was a journey of nearly 1,500 miles.

Even if everything went smoothly, it would take them more than half a month to arrive. However, they knew that the journey would not be as easy as they hoped.

The entire family could only make the best possible preparations.

This time, when Qiao Xin went to the market, she not only bought coarse rice and beans but also collected almost all the eggs from half the marketplace.

As the weather was getting colder, boiled eggs could be stored for several days without spoiling.

The few taels of silver they had won were immediately spent for the family’s needs.

Qiao Xin cut up five braised chickens, and a group of children stared wide-eyed at the bowl full of meat, their mouths watering.

The youngest, San Niang, who was still too young to learn proper etiquette, sucked on her fingers and swallowed her saliva before asking eagerly, “Grandma, it smells so good!”

Qiao Xin crouched down, gently removed the little girl’s fingers from her mouth, wiped them clean, and placed a chicken drumstick in her hand. “It smells good, doesn’t it? Then be a good girl, sit at the table, and wait for dinner, okay? Dalang, divide the drumsticks among everyone. Each person gets one. Take care of your younger siblings.”

Dalang glanced at his younger siblings and, without hesitation, led them all away.

After they were seated, instead of immediately handing out the drumsticks, he said, “Let’s wait for Father, Mother, and Grandma to finish their work so we can eat together. We haven’t done anything for the past few days, but they have to drive the carts and handle all sorts of tasks. They work much harder than us and should have the best food.”

Erlang and Sanlang had already begun their studies and understood the importance of respecting their elders.

Silang and Wulang were their elder brothers’ loyal followers—whatever Dalang said, they would follow without question.

As for Da Niangzi and Er Niangzi, they had eaten more meat during this journey than they had in their entire previous lives.

As long as Grandma was there, they weren’t worried about missing out, so they waited patiently.

San Niang, however, stared at the drumstick in her hand, now covered in her saliva, and then looked at her siblings.

Her little face was full of hesitation.

Should she eat it or not?

“Sanmei is still young and gets hungry faster. This one doesn’t count,” Dalang said, taking matters into his own hands and lifting the drumstick to her mouth.

It was already covered in her saliva—putting it back in the bowl would just mean she’d eat it later anyway, so there was no point in making a fuss about it.

Qiao Xin boiled a large pot of egg and wild vegetable soup and gave each person half a wheat pancake, completing their simple lunch.

The whole family ate happily, especially the children, who patted their full bellies and burped contentedly. If they could gain a little more weight, they’d look like a house full of chubby, adorable dolls.

The thought warmed Qiao Xin’s heart.

The youngest ones, San Niang, Silang, and Wulang, clung to Qiao Xin’s arms, acting spoiled. “Grandma, will we always get to eat this well?”

At that moment, Qiao Xin felt like she was walking on clouds, her heart floating with happiness. “Yes, yes, of course, we will! While we’re traveling, we may not always have enough food, but once we settle down, Grandma promises you’ll always have enough to eat.”

“Yay! Grandma is the best!” San Niang cheered and burrowed into Qiao Xin’s embrace, her thin little arms tightly hugging her waist.

Silang and Wulang weren’t willing to be left out and squeezed in as well.

The older children watched their younger siblings with envious eyes.

They wanted Grandma’s hugs too!

Holding the frail little bodies in her arms, Qiao Xin felt even more motivated to make money.

She had seen too many picky, spoiled children before, but these obedient and well-behaved grandchildren were precious to her.

Just wait—she was going to raise them into healthy, plump little dolls and shower them with love every day!

…

Through the Treacherous Mountain Roads

Leaving Qingshui Town and heading south, they traveled through a winding mountain valley.

The road became rugged and treacherous, with towering forests on both sides.

Qiao Xin fiddled with a small stone in her hand and clicked her tongue. “This is the perfect place for an ambush.” It was unlikely that their journey would remain peaceful.

Despite her casual words, she did not take safety lightly.

She carried a bow and arrow on her back, and each of her sons and daughters-in-law had a machete for protection.

She didn’t expect them to fight off enemies, but at least having a weapon would give them some courage—it was better than being unarmed.

To pass the time, she carved a few wooden slingshots and taught the children how to use stones as ammunition, aiming at leaves on the trees to practice their accuracy.

While driving the cart, Qiao Yunqing watched his adoptive mother play with the children, teaching them how to use the slingshots.

She didn’t seem like a grandmother at all—more like an older sister playing with her younger siblings.

Somehow, despite the hardships of their journey, she made it feel like a fun excursion.

Such a person could thrive anywhere, Qiao Yunqing thought with admiration. With a mother like this, could their family avoid the tragedy of their previous life?

..

After traveling day and night for several days, they finally crossed Youzhou and entered Yanzhou. Surprisingly, despite their concerns, they did not encounter any bandits along the way.

Qiao Xin found it suspicious. Weren’t poor, remote areas supposed to be full of bandits?

Wasn’t Youzhou and Liangzhou known for its lawlessness?

“Youzhou is where His Majesty rose to power. With the Emperor’s fortieth birthday approaching, anyone daring to cause trouble now would lose their heads,” Qiao Yunqing explained.

So, they were lucky enough to be traveling under the Emperor’s protection?

As the sun set, Qiao Xin decided they should rest for the night. Everyone was exhausted, including the horses, which were already at their limit.

“Once we exit the mountain pass, we’ll find a sheltered spot to rest,” she said.

“There’s a mountain temple at the exit—we can stay there,” Qiao Yunqing suggested, being familiar with the route.

The autumn night was eerily quiet, the wind howling through the mountains. The only source of light came from a small lantern hanging between the horse’s ears.

Wrapped in a thick fur coat hastily sewn by his wife under Qiao Xin’s instructions, Qiao Yunqing felt much warmer. In his past life, they had walked all the way to the capital with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Compared to that, this was a luxury.

Suddenly, Qiao Xin spoke. “Wait!”

Qiao Yunqing pulled on the reins, immediately alert. “What is it?”

“There’s blood in the air. Slow down and be careful. If anything happens, protect the children first,” Qiao Xin said solemnly.

“Should I go ahead to check?”

“No,” she refused firmly. “We’re already outnumbered—we can’t split up. If they attack from another direction, we’ll be helpless. We have no choice but to move forward.”

As they advanced cautiously, the metallic scent of blood grew stronger. Soon, they came across the aftermath of a battle—seven or eight corpses lying by the roadside.

Qiao Xin’s heart sank.

“This one… we’ve seen him before!” Qiao Yunting pointed at one of the bodies.

Qiao Xin recognized him instantly. He was a servant of Heng An.

Why was he here?

“Search for survivors!” Qiao Xin ordered.

She had a bad feeling about this.