The carriage continued moving forward, and half an hour later, a dilapidated temple appeared in sight. The temple was crowded with travelers staying overnight.

To avoid trouble, Qiao Xin chose to bypass the main hall and instead went to a side hall with missing roof tiles.

Although the walls were low, they had not collapsed. Looking up, one could still see the vast sky full of stars.

The space inside was fairly spacious—enough to park two carriages side by side with room to spare.

That was enough.

She only needed a place to rest for the night. When traveling, one couldn’t afford to be too picky.

Qiao Xin instructed Qiao Yunqing and Qiao Yunting to drive the carriages into the side hall.

Then, she had the children get off to stretch their limbs nearby.

Next, she told her daughter-in-law to take out the stove to cook soup and prepare a meal.

After making all the arrangements, she grabbed a hatchet and headed to the nearby bamboo forest to cut some bamboo.

The roof needed some fixing.

Placing bamboo on top would be better than leaving it bare. She didn’t ask for much—just enough to block the wind.

With a casual swing of her hatchet, bamboo trees fell in clusters.

Within three to five swings, she had gathered enough bamboo to patch the roof.

The bamboo already had leaves, so there was no need for trimming.

She simply stacked them tightly on the roof, and the windproofing effect was no worse than thatch.

The commotion in the middle of the night had already drawn attention.

Qiao Xin, however, made no effort to hide her actions.

In full view of everyone, she effortlessly cut down a large section of bamboo and casually tossed them onto the roof with remarkable precision.

The travelers who had come out from the main hall to investigate stood there, dumbfounded.

Seeing Qiao Xin accomplish in moments what would take an ordinary person an entire day, one of them couldn’t help but exclaim, “My goodness! Is she the reincarnation of a mighty demoness?”

His companion quickly covered his mouth and whispered, “Keep your voice down! Do you want to die…?”

That brief display was enough for everyone in the main hall to understand—this group in the side hall was not to be trifled with.

A mere woman had strength surpassing that of a grown man, and more importantly, she was skilled in combat.

All they wanted now was to stay out of trouble and mind their own business.

Meanwhile, outside the temple, Fan Jihuai, who had gone to gather intelligence, returned and whispered into Fan Boqing’s ear, “Big brother, that’s the same family we met in Qingshui Town.”

Fan Boqing’s grip on his sword hilt loosened slightly. “Are you sure?”

“I saw clearly. It’s that woman. I didn’t expect her to be this strong. The night we stayed at the inn, I asked the innkeeper about them. They came from Jing’an Town—three sons, two daughters-in-law, and seven children. The old lady chopping bamboo just now is their matriarch.”

Fan Jihuai had a keen eye and never overlooked suspicious details.

It was this very ability that had earned him the rank of hundred-man commander in the military while they were stationed at the border.

It was also thanks to his sharp instincts that he managed to keep his family safe on their long journey from the harsh frontier to their current location.

From the moment he first laid eyes on Qiao Xin, he knew she was no ordinary woman.

How could a common housewife remain completely unfazed under the intimidating stare of a seasoned warrior?

Soldiers who had spent years on the battlefield carried a natural aura of bloodshed, which most people instinctively feared and avoided.

Yet, Qiao Xin acted as if she felt nothing at all.

“Besides, I think someone in their group is injured. I could smell medicine from a distance.”

Fan Boqing narrowed his eyes and spoke indifferently, “Don’t meddle in others’ affairs. As long as they don’t provoke us, we won’t provoke them. Stay alert tonight—we’ll reach the capital soon. The less trouble, the better.”

“Understood!”

…

As Qiao Xin stepped into the side hall, preparing to check on the children in the carriages, her sons, Qiao Yunxin and his brothers, stood up from beside the stove and said, “Mother, you should rest. We’ll take turns keeping watch tonight.”

Qiao Xin waved a hand dismissively. “No need. I’ll keep watch tonight. Your fourth brother, Yunwen, is resting in the carriage. One of you should go take care of him.”

Qiao Yunqing moved closer to Qiao Xin and lowered his voice. “Mother… Fan Lao is in the main hall.”

“Fan Lao? Who’s that?” Qiao Xin was puzzled.

“The former Crown Prince’s mentor! He’s originally from Weizhou Prefecture. At the end of the previous dynasty, he was exiled to Liangzhou. The new emperor has granted him amnesty and summoned him back to the capital to resume his post.”

“A new dynasty comes with new officials. Doesn’t the current Crown Prince already have a teacher?”

“Yes.”

Qiao Xin immediately understood.

Government positions in the capital were like tightly packed slots—one person in, one person out.

If the new emperor was determined to reinstate Fan Lao, it was likely that this journey back to the capital would be fraught with danger.

With over a thousand miles still to go, who knew what unexpected events might unfold?

No wonder Fan Lao had been eyeing her so cautiously when they first met!

“Mother, Fan Lao has an excellent reputation among scholars,” Qiao Yunqing whispered, glancing around as if he were sneaking around.

“You child, honestly!” Qiao Xin rubbed her hands together, her eyes lighting up. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Well, I didn’t have the chance! Besides, people like us could never associate with someone of his status.”

“You don’t want to be his student?” Qiao Xin asked, surprised. Her second son had always been confident—why was he suddenly lacking courage?

Qiao Yunqing smiled bitterly. “How could I dare dream of such a thing? Even forming a friendly connection would be a blessing. Fan Lao’s students are at the very least scholars with official titles—every one of them a renowned figure from the previous dynasty.”

Qiao Xin patted his arm reassuringly. “Don’t underestimate yourself. Who knows? We might just get the chance!”

After only a few days of travel, they had already encountered two noble families.

Who could predict what fate had in store?