When his parents and clansmen were killed, he gritted his teeth, pretended to be crazy, and cooperated with the Northern Expeditionary Army to slaughter three thousand barbarians and avenge them.

How could he give up on the girl he loved just because of such a small setback!

He had no family, no dreams, no place to belong, and drifted through the world like a lost soul.

She was the ray of light he had finally managed to grasp, and no one could let him sink into the boundless darkness again!

Li Lao Er, Li Lao San, Mr. Wen, Li Ge'er, Mao Ge'er, and Jia Huan, who rushed over, all got into the carriage with Jia Ren.

Jiayin stood with her sister-in-law at the door, watching the convoy drive away. She couldn't help but glance at the figure on the carriage shaft, but he didn't turn around even once.

She felt a mix of emotions—grievance, regret, and anxiety.

Actually, she and he didn't have a very deep relationship; it was just a matter of habit.

He was used to always being there for her, protecting her and supporting her in everything she did.

Like a friend, there's no need to worry about gender or worldly rules.

It's fair to say that she felt very comfortable around him!

She had even considered that being of the same generation as him might be a good thing.

However, a sudden frost overnight killed the budding romance between them.

She doesn't blame her family because they love her unconditionally and are afraid she will be hurt.

She didn't blame him, because Mr. Tang was her only living relative, and it was understandable that he would compromise. After all, they hadn't made any grand promises or vows...

But no one is to blame. Now that things have turned out this way, should we blame her?

"Sister-in-law, I'm going to check out the shop, then I'll go back to Suijintan for a couple of days. If you need anything, just have someone call me." Jiayin hugged her sister-in-law's arm and said, "The pastries in the shop just came out of the oven, I'll have someone send two boxes back."

Wan'er's mind was entirely on her departing husband, and she casually asked, "Why did you suddenly decide to go back to Suijin Beach? Your family isn't there..."

Jiayin softly replied, "I miss Grandma."

Wan'er was stunned for a moment, and finally realized that something was wrong with her sister-in-law.

Could someone have upset my sister-in-law? Why did she suddenly bring up her beloved grandmother?

But after thinking about it carefully, she still had no clue what to do, so she could only cautiously reply, "Okay, go for a walk around the streets, and come back if you get tired. Once your sister-in-law has settled things at home, I can go back with you tomorrow."

"Okay." Jiayin nodded, then hailed a carriage and left with Shuiling and Shuiyun.

Wan'er was left standing at the door, her heart like a withered leaf hanging on a branch in autumn, suddenly feeling a little desolate.

No wonder the old folks say that life is all about people, and a large population makes life prosperous.

Once Li Ge'er goes to take up his post, the house will probably be even more deserted...

As soon as Jiaren and his group left the city gate, they met Lao Hei and his men at the crossroads.

Old Hei and the others are used to traveling long distances. In recent years, some of them have gotten married and had children, and stayed in the second village, but most of them still prefer to wander outside, finding great freedom in it.

Therefore, their team's manpower, after some additions and subtractions, remained at the original size.

However, after two years of trials and tribulations, they are all experienced and incredibly tough.

At this moment, each of them had a horse and eight carriages. They were all neatly and cleanly arranged, which greatly reduced Li Lao Er and the others' worries.

With such a team following them, they wouldn't have to worry about anyone blocking their way on their journey west. Li Lao Er and the others jumped off the vehicle, and Lao Hei stepped forward to pay his respects.

Li Lao Er helped him up and said with a smile, "Brother Lao Hei, I'm entrusting this journey to you and the brothers. Jia Ren doesn't travel often and isn't as experienced as you are, so I'm afraid you'll have to put in a lot of effort."

"Second Master, you flatter us. It's all our fault." Old Hei said very humbly and sincerely. "We brothers are all useless. Apart from our skill in killing barbarians, we are good for nothing."

"Thanks to our family and the princess for not looking down on us, they gave us brothers this way to make a living. Now that our master can use us, we are happier than anyone else."

"Second Master, rest assured, if we encounter any danger on the road, as long as one of us brothers is still breathing, we won't let the young master lose a single hair!"

"Alright, Brother Lao Hei, I trust you. But please be careful in everything you do, and I hope you all return safely." Li Lao Er cupped his hands and smiled, "Putting everything else aside, the princess can't do without your help. If anything happens to you, I, as her second uncle, will be in a difficult position to explain."

When the princess was mentioned, Lao Hei and the others all laughed.

Old Hei replied, "Don't worry, Second Master, we will definitely bring back many good things for the Princess when we return."

After exchanging a few words, Jiaren stepped forward to tell Lao Hei and the others the truth: "You've had a hard journey, so please prioritize safety above all else. If things get urgent and you don't have time to discuss them with me, then safety is the priority, and you can leave your luggage and money behind."

Old Hei quickly agreed, feeling a surge of emotion in his heart.

They really are siblings!

The princess gave the same instructions every time they went out.

This is why they are willing to give their lives for their country; the feeling of being valued and cared for is wonderful.

Old Hei quickly stepped back, re-inspected the vehicles, and assigned manpower.

Li Lao Er, Li Lao San, Mr. Wen, and others surrounded Jia Ren again, giving him repeated instructions.

"Jiaren, go to your post with peace of mind. I will take care of things at home. I will write to you as soon as possible afterward, so don't worry about me." Li Lao Er patted his son's shoulder, feeling very reluctant to part with him.

If it weren't for the worry that my son would be caught in the middle, he could have stayed at home for at least a day or two longer.

Mr. Wen only learned about Mr. Tang's matter this morning, and he advised, "Jiaren, just go to your post with peace of mind. I'll help your father."

Jia Huan, Li Ge'er, and Mao Ge'er nodded in agreement. Jia Huan said, "Big brother, we will also protect our little sister and won't let her suffer any injustice."

Just as Jiaren was about to speak, two more fast horses galloped out of the city gate, nearly knocking over the loads of the people entering the city.

Just as the commoners were about to utter a few curses, the attendants following behind the fast horse tossed them a small piece of silver...

"Brother Li, why are you suddenly setting off without telling us?" Lu Zong jumped down first and shouted.

Jia Xu was not good at riding a horse and tripped over the stirrup, almost falling headfirst to the ground. Fortunately, Jia Ren rushed forward to help him up.

Even if there were some misunderstandings before, they have been friends for many years after all, and now that they are about to part ways, there is no point in holding grudges.

Jiaren hugged the two of them and said with a smile, "My family found a caravan that can accompany me all the way to the southwest. They are waiting for me to join them so we can continue our journey, which is why we arrived a day early."

"I didn't have time to say hello to you because I didn't want you to go through all that trouble, but I never expected you to still come."

Lu Zong punched Jia Ren on the shoulder and replied, "We're brothers, why are you talking like that?"

Jia Xu also said, "Yes, this is the last time we'll see you after at least three years. How could we not come to see you off!"

Jiaren laughed and said, "If you have some free time, come find me, and we'll have a drink and a good time."

Jia Xu immediately agreed, "Sure, let's drink for three days and three nights then."

Lu Zong smiled wryly. He figured that once he married the Third Princess, he would only have a chance to return to the Southwest if he had a child and left the child in Xindu.

Two updates today!