After dinner, Zhilan cleared away the dishes and then started stewing the chicken.
The next morning, everyone drank chicken soup, ate flatbread, and set off again.
Instead of passing through the city, they went around the city and headed straight for Licheng.
Not long after they left, Xiao Yuanhuai and his group returned.
“Master, those people from yesterday have already left,” Xiao Yang said.
Xiao Yuanhuai's face was deathly pale, and his lips were bloodless: "We'll rest here for half an hour before heading to Nanjiang City again."
Xiao Yang strongly disagreed: "Master, I believe we cannot continue forward now. We should return to Licheng. That girl must still possess treasures. If it can save you, I will kill her!"
Xiao Yuanhuai remained silent. This poison was potent; it had been dormant for so many years, only beginning to take effect in the last two months.
When the attack occurs, the wound on my lower back and abdomen begins to fester, feeling like thousands of ants crawling into my heart.
The trip to Kunlun Mountains was also because of that legend, but who knew that it would flare up before we even reached Licheng.
After a long and difficult journey to Licheng, I surprisingly managed to suppress it.
Xiao Yuanhuai didn't want to cause any more trouble, so he wanted to hurry to Kunlun Ridge, but he didn't expect that he would have another attack as soon as he entered Qingzhou City last night.
Seeing that he didn't speak, Xiao Yang became extremely anxious: "Master! We need to control the poison first, otherwise you'll be in excruciating pain!"
"Xiao Wu, you should try to persuade our master!"
After a long pause, Xiao Wu stepped forward and said, "Young Master, preserving your life is the most important thing."
Xiao Yuanhuai was in so much pain that sweat poured down his forehead and the veins on his neck were faintly visible, but his expression remained unchanged.
His gaze toward Xiao Wu held a hint of resentment, as if it were poisoned.
Xiao Yuanhuai suddenly said sarcastically, "Wouldn't my death be just what he wanted?"
Xiao Wu lowered his head: "Please be careful with your words, young master. The lord absolutely did not mean that."
Xiao Yuanhuai sneered: "Everyone knows whether it's true or not. Does he think I know nothing about how this poison came about?"
Xiao Wu's face paled, but he insisted, "The master is only doing this for the young master's own good."
Xiao Yuanhuai, no longer wanting to hear these high-sounding words, said to Xiao Yang, "Go to Licheng."
He cannot die. If he dies, some people will be pleased with themselves, but he will not let them have their way.
On the tenth day of the third lunar month, the sun shone brightly.
Ning Yao and her group have arrived outside Licheng.
"We've finally arrived! Father, shall we go into the city?" Ning Yao asked.
Ning Wenyi shook his head: "Don't go into the city. Turn at the fork in the road ahead. There's a house at the end of the road. Just go there."
"Yes, Father!" Ning Yao controlled the horse with the reins, preparing to turn at the fork in the road.
The convoy moved forward slowly, and Ning Wenyi would glance at Chen Wei every now and then, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
Shen Wei also noticed this and said directly, "Speak your mind."
“Um…” Ning Wenyi hesitated for a moment before asking, “Although I don’t know why you left Changdu and came to Licheng, now that Licheng is so close, shouldn’t you go into the city?”
Shen Wei raised an eyebrow: "Are you kicking us out?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Ci'an also looked at Ning Wenyi.
Ning Wenyi thought to himself: Nonsense, Qiong'er is in the manor, how could I ask you to go there?
"Don't put it so harshly. It's not like we're kicking you out, it's just inconvenient for you right now. How about we invite you over to visit us after we've settled in?"
Shen Wei and Shen Ci'an exchanged a glance, then smiled but remained silent.
"Since you don't welcome us, then we won't bother you any longer." Shen Wei said with a worried look on his face. "We are very grateful for the care you have given us along the way. Let's part ways at the city gate and visit your home in a couple of days."
Ning Wenyi felt a little awkward. Why did he feel like he was being ungrateful?
But then I thought, what does "crossing the river and then burning the bridge" mean? He's not wrong. If it weren't for my family and Yao Yao's storage space, no one would have had an easy time along the way.
Thinking about it this way made him feel much better.
After thinking it over, he said, "These days, times are tough, and you probably didn't come here prepared. Here's the carriage in the back; there's some food in it, enough for you to eat for ten days to half a month. If you ever have any trouble, just come to my house!"
Shen Wei's purpose in coming to Licheng was not simply to escape the capital; his purpose was to find someone, so naturally he wouldn't skimp on food.
However, since Ning Wenyi was offering it for free, he would accept it. In times of famine, who would complain about having too much food?
"Then thank you very much, in-laws!"
"An'er, dismount at the fork in the road ahead and give the horse to your Uncle Ning and the others."
Shen Ci'an looked at Ning Yao's profile, then looked away.
“My son knows.”
Ning Yao, driving the carriage, heard their conversation clearly.
Ning Wenyi knew why she refused to let Shen Wei accompany her.
She also felt that Shen Wei and the others shouldn't know right now.
She could understand Ning Wenyi's act of donating the carriage and grain, so she did not stop him.
She knew her father wasn't stupid; he had his reasons for doing things.
They soon arrived at the fork in the road, a location still several hundred meters from the gate of Licheng.
After changing to a different carriage, Shen Wei and his son bid farewell to Shen Cile.
Before leaving, Shen Ci'an said to Ning Yao alone, "Sister, wait for me!"
A strange feeling welled up in Ning Yao's heart. She nodded haphazardly and brushed it off.
—
The intersection was wide enough that the carriage could easily drive in.
After changing the carriage, there was one less carriage but two more horses.
Ning Lang took over as the driver. Zhi Lan, Zhi Mei, and Dong Yue were also curious about their future new home. Fortunately, the carriage was big enough, so they squeezed together outside.
The two extra horses were given to Ning Yao and Hua Yan.
Mrs. Ning and her husband Ning Jin were sitting in the carriage.
As they were about to arrive at their new home, everyone felt at ease, but also filled with joy and excitement.
Shen Cile opened the car window and leaned out.
"Are we going to live in Licheng from now on?"
Ning Yao tilted her head and looked at her: "If nothing unexpected happens, it should be."
"Will we go back to the capital in the future?"
"I'll go if I have the chance."
Shen Cile was somewhat downcast: "I had never left the capital before, and I only knew that Licheng was very far away. Now that I have been there in person, I realize that what is said to be a thousand miles away is probably more than that. It will probably not be easy for me to go back to the capital to visit my father and the others in the future."
Ning Yao didn't know how to comfort her. In her previous life, this was considered a marriage to a distant place, wasn't it?
In the past, with advanced transportation, places that could be reached in a day were considered to be far away when married. Now, Licheng, which takes several months to reach, is even more of a far away marriage, right?
Madam Ning patted her shoulder and said softly, "Don't be afraid. After things are settled, you can go back whenever you want. Even if you get married, you will always be the apple of Prince Duan's eye. Let Jin'er accompany you back."
"Yes, in the past, it would only take two months to get from the capital to Licheng, not long. If you want to go back, we'll go back, and I'll go with you!"
Shen Cile was instantly moved. Not to mention that Licheng was so far away, even in the capital, it was rare for her to be able to return to her parents' home.
Ning Yao chuckled: "Second sister-in-law, you're not worried now, are you? As long as you're not afraid of the long distance, we have no objections. You can even stay there for a year or two."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
