Feeling increasingly uncomfortable under the watchful eye, Xu Yuehuai would temporarily hide behind a wooden plank, but this was ultimately not a long-term solution.

Before long, the rain outside stopped, and a few more raindrops fell sparsely from the sky, not affecting movement at all.

Xu Yuehuai quickly got up from the ground, but did not brush off the dust as usual.

She casually picked up a wooden stick from the dilapidated temple and held it in her hand. She had a bad feeling that these beggars were after her.

It's unclear how these beggars figured out Xu Yuehuai was wealthy; they seemed to be able to sense what she carried or what she wanted.

But it's clear that these beggars' eyes are filled with longing.

Judging from their faces and hair, they must have been wandering around this area for a long time, or perhaps they were lost and had no idea where they were going.

The appearance of someone who can clearly discern directions is like a savior to them.

However, they haven't exchanged a single word since they met.

After walking a while, Xu Yuehuai thought she had shaken off all the beggars and breathed a sigh of relief.

The babbling sounds reached her ears, and in the instant she turned around, she clearly saw the group of beggars following her in the direction she had been walking. Then, Xu Yuehuai's mind began to spin rapidly as she looked at the surrounding road conditions. If she ran, she might not have a chance of winning.

As soon as she entered the city gate, Xu Yuehuai immediately found a small alley and walked in while keeping an eye on the movements behind her.

Sure enough, just as she expected, the beggars, upon discovering she was missing, circled around twice before splitting into several groups to search for her.

The atmosphere around her was eerie. Xu Yuehuai walked through the dark and narrow alleys. She was not familiar with this part of the road, so she dared not let her guard down. She would walk a while, look back to observe, and then continue forward.

With great difficulty, Xu Yuehuai looked back several times but couldn't see any trace of the group of beggars. She breathed a sigh of relief, but then her path was blocked again.

Upon closer inspection, he turned out to be a tall man dressed in plain clothes. He spoke with a local accent and seemed honest and simple, but Xu Yuehuai dared not trust him easily.

She took two steps back. "A good dog doesn't block the way. Why is this hero blocking people's path for no reason?"

The man bowed and gave an awkward Central Plains-style greeting: "I noticed you just now, young lady. You seemed to be in a hurry, as if you were hiding from something?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuehuai instantly became alert, subtly taking two steps back, intending to leave by taking a detour: "Brother, you've probably misunderstood something. I have urgent business to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."

“Don’t be afraid, young lady. I’m not a bad person. My ancestors were from Chang’an. Later, our family fell into poverty and we fled to this place. We barely survived thanks to the kindness of others. Later, my ancestors made a rule that if they encountered travelers in a hurry, they should do their best to help them.”

Xu Yuehuai is currently being hunted down and is all alone, so it's impossible for him to believe the story he's telling.

Besides, she didn't need any help, so she shook her head repeatedly and prepared to leave.

Unexpectedly, the older brother stayed by his side, remaining a few steps behind and silently following behind.

No matter how hard Xu Yuehuai tried, she couldn't get rid of it.

It turns out that this man was no ordinary person, and all the stories he told were made up. He was a guard in the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion, the sixth in rank, also known as Lao Liu (Sixth Brother).

The sixth brother has been working at the Marquis's residence for nearly ten years and knows many secrets that are unknown to others. For example, he was the one who led the team to secretly follow Xu Yuehuai this time.

Weeks ago, he lost track of Xu Yuehuai in Jinhe Village, and despite trying various methods, Xu Yuehuai seemed to have vanished into thin air. If the mission failed, no one could bear the consequences of the Marquis of Ningyuan's punishment.

He was incredibly lucky to have such an opportunity for free; how could he possibly let it slip by?

Xu Yuehuai walked out of the city, passed through a grove of trees, and arrived at the outskirts of Chang'an City.

As night fell, the forest became fraught with danger, but Xu Yuehuai dared not find a secluded spot to rest. Surrounded by darkness, she had no way of locating her relentlessly pursuing older brother.

"Tear—"

Suddenly, the sound of a dagger cutting through the air came from in front of him, and a black figure descended from the sky, closing in on Xu Yuehuai in two swift movements.

Xu Yuehuai was prepared. She took two steps back, drew the sharp blade from her back, and swung it at him.

The two were forced back by each other's weapons. Xu Yuehuai looked closely and, sure enough, the one who attacked her was the older brother who had been trying to help her during the day.

The sixth brother's martial arts skills were undoubtedly impressive to have reached his current position. Fortunately, Xu Yuehuai was prepared; she pulled out a purse from behind her back, filled with a whole bag of chili powder, and hurled it at him.

It was dark and Lao Liu couldn't see clearly, but he felt a pungent smell coming towards him, and his eyes hurt so much that he couldn't open them.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Xu Yuehuai used the sword technique she had learned before, using minimal force to overcome great strength, and forced Lao Liu to retreat step by step.

After a series of ambushes and hardships, Xu Yuehuai finally returned to Chang'an.

As soon as she entered the city, she went straight to Tianxiang Tower.

Tianxiang Restaurant was exactly the same as when she left; nothing had changed. The restaurant was bustling with activity, and business was booming. It felt as if the events of the past few days had been just a dream.

Xu Yuehuai took a deep breath and stepped into the restaurant.

Zhou Wan was busy making arrangements on the first floor when she saw Xu Yuehuai. Her eyes lit up and she quickly went to greet her: "Mother, you're finally back! Qianqian has been so worried these past few days, asking her every day why Auntie hasn't come back yet."

When Xu Yuehuai thought of Jiang Qianqian's youthful face, half of her deep-seated fatigue lessened, and she smiled: "I've been through quite a lot along the way. I'll go pack up first and then tell you all about it."

Hot water was quickly prepared, and Xu Yuehuai sat quietly in the bathtub, her mind replaying the entire journey like a movie.

Whether it was the chance encounter with the hunter in Jinhe Town, the little princess of the capital of Mingyue Kingdom, or the lying older brother on the way back, all of them confirmed one thing—the power of Marquis Ningyuan had spread throughout this area and was extremely strong.

Moreover, Marquis Ningyuan and Aqi must have an unusual relationship with the Mingyue Kingdom.

She couldn't help but feel a vague sense of unease. It seemed that both she and Tianxianglou were facing significant hidden dangers.

Jiang Qianqian and Jiang Shichen had already heard the news of Xu Yuehuai's return and were waiting in a room upstairs at Tianxiang Tower. As soon as Xu Yuehuai appeared, they surrounded her, calling her "Grandma" and "Auntie" repeatedly, creating quite a lively scene.

Xu Yuehuai comforted the two little ones with pastries, and then told Tiexiong and Zhou Wan about her journey.

After hearing this, Zhou Wan gasped. She couldn't believe how her mother had survived such a difficult and dangerous journey. If there had been even the slightest mistake, it would have been utter destruction, and she might never have returned alive...