Chapter 145 Trip 3

Xie Sangning sat alone in her most spacious and sturdy carriage.

The carriage was furnished very comfortably, and she was leaning against the wall with her eyes closed, resting.

She enjoys the quiet of being alone.

Whenever there are outsiders present, even her closest family members, her nerves involuntarily tighten, her mind races like a wound-up machine, analyzing the hidden meanings behind every word and glance, and calculating all possible situations and countermeasures.

This is a habit I developed during those years in the Western Cold, amidst countless open and hidden attacks and struggles on the brink of life and death. It's ingrained in my bones and has become an inescapable bad habit.

Only when she is alone can she barely relax her tense nerves.

The other carriages were much more lively.

Xie Sangning's arrangements were very thoughtful. Considering comfort and space, there were basically two people per car, plus a maid or servant to attend to them, so it didn't feel crowded.

Each carriage was accompanied by a well-trained driver and guards, either on horseback beside the carriage or sitting on the carriage shaft to keep watch.

Xie Sangning knew she had many enemies; in the capital, and even in the deep palace, countless people hoped for her downfall.

This trip with the Lin family has a bigger goal. I absolutely cannot let them be implicated because of me, especially since my great-grandfather Lin Zhu is still in the car. There can be no mishaps.

Security is of paramount importance, and she had already made meticulous arrangements.

The convoy drove out of the outskirts of Nanjing and gradually moved away from the hustle and bustle.

The scenery along the road changed from farmland to rolling hills and stretches of forest.

The Lin family members, especially the children and the women who rarely went out, curiously lifted the carriage curtains and greedily gazed at the scenery outside.

Wow! Look! That mountain is so high!

"That river is so clear!"

"That's a lake! No wonder people say that traveling ten thousand miles is worse than reading ten thousand books, you idiot!"

"Mom, look how big the bird's nest is in that tree!"

Excited discussions rose and fell.

However, as people watched, many gradually felt that something was amiss.

"Hey? Second Aunt, don't you think... our group seems to be getting bigger and bigger?" Aunt Zhao asked Wei in a low voice through the car window.

Lady Wei was also puzzled: "Yes! When we first left the city, there were only about a dozen carriages and guards with us. But now..."

She peered over and looked closely. "Look at the roadside woods and the area in front of and behind our group. Aren't there quite a few more people on horseback? And they're following us at a distance."

Lin Ziyuan and Lin Wantang accompanied Lin Zhu in the largest and most comfortable car.

Lin Wantang nestled obediently beside her great-grandfather, pointing at the birds flying by outside the window, and trying to utter a few indistinct syllables.

Lin Ziyuan, like a monkey, had almost half his body sticking out of the window, looking around.

"Great-grandfather!"

Lin Ziyuan suddenly pulled his head back, pointing outside with a look of surprise, "Look! How come there are suddenly so many strong men on horseback on both sides of our group, and in front and behind? They all look so powerful! They're even more imposing than our guards! And there are more and more of them as we go! There must be at least a hundred of them in total, right?"

Grandpa Lin was leaning back on the cushion, leisurely sipping a cup of hot tea. Upon hearing this, he opened his eyes and glanced in the direction Lin Ziyuan was pointing.

Sure enough, along the side roads and at the edges of the woods on both sides of the official road, one could see groups of two or three men on strong horses with sharp eyes, following the caravan at varying speeds.

They were dressed in ordinary, close-fitting clothes, without any uniform markings, but their calm, capable demeanor and hawk-like gaze set them apart from ordinary passersby.

Lin Zhu put down his teacup, looked at his great-grandson who looked bewildered and curious, and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile. He raised his hand and tapped Lin Ziyuan's forehead: "You, you, you usually seem so clever, how come you're acting silly now? What else could it be?"

Lin Ziyuan blinked, still not understanding: "Huh? What's the reason? Could it be... bandits? It doesn't seem like it, bandits aren't usually this... imposing?"

"Idiot!" Lin Zhu was both annoyed and amused. "Of course, these are people your cousin arranged! They're here to protect us!"

"Huh?!" Lin Ziyuan's mouth formed an "O" shape. "Protecting us? So many people? This...this is too exaggerated! Weren't we going on a trip? And why weren't these people here when we first set off?"

Lin Wantang understood, and a look of surprise appeared on her little face. She subconsciously moved closer to her great-grandfather.

Lin Zhu gently patted his great-granddaughter's back to comfort her, then said to Lin Ziyuan seriously, "You stay in Jinling every day, do you think the world is really peaceful everywhere? Do you think your cousin is so powerful that no one dares to mess with her? She has a lot of enemies!"

"Our whole family, old and young, going out in such a large group, how conspicuous are we? Your cousin is meticulous and leaves no room for error. Since she dared to bring us out, she must be putting our safety first! These people..."

He gestured with his eyes to the guards who were faintly visible outside the window. "She arranged all of this in advance, both openly and secretly! To ensure that we travel safely, and not even a fly can get near us!"

"As for why these people weren't there at the beginning, think about it: is this the kind of guards a county princess should have? Of course, they can only appear after leaving the capital. Right now, they have to pretend to be passersby."

Lin Ziyuan suddenly realized, scratched his head, and chuckled a little embarrassedly: "So that's how it is... Cousin, you're so thoughtful! I thought it was just the guards in our carriage... This procession is even more impressive than the Prefect's procession, isn't it?"

His tone was full of amazement and admiration for his cousin.

Lin Zhu picked up the teacup again, blew away the foam, and a trace of solemnity and heartache flashed in his eyes.

Yes, this setup is more than just thorough; it's like they're on high alert.

This girl appears calm and collected on the surface, but she's incredibly tense inside.

The more thorough her preparation, the more it shows that she has walked on the brink of life and death all these years.

"Your cousin... has had a tough time."

Lin Zhu sighed softly. He looked out the window at the silent and vigilant figures, as if he could see Xie Sangning sitting alone in the carriage, still tense and in control of the whole situation.

The convoy continued on its way, the wheels rolling over the official road with a rhythmic sound.

After the Lin family understood the reason for the extra guards, their initial fear turned into relief, and they felt a sense of security as if they were being protected.

The children continued chattering as they looked at the scenery, while the women relaxed, flipping through storybooks or chatting quietly.

Only in Xie Sangning's quiet carriage did she remain with her eyes closed. But her ears were keenly attuned to all the sounds outside—the coachman's shouts, the rhythm of the horses' hooves, the occasional birdsong in the woods, and... the sounds of her family chatting.

"Great-grandfather, what do you think Xihan will be like? Will they dress like us? Do they speak the Nanjing dialect? I've heard there's a lot of sand there, I've never seen any!"

Hearing the child's innocent questions and her great-grandfather's sigh, Xie Sangning chuckled softly.

It seems not bad at all.