It was a stretch to say she valued Old Sun.
Did she have no one else to use? As the saying goes, it's like picking the tallest mushroom in a patch of short ones.
Old Sun had spent a few years at the Medicine King Temple, and most of his ruffian demeanor had faded. He could pass as a guard, which was fine. With him around, she at least had some assistance.
Speaking of guards, the two by the Ninth Prince's side were truly excellent. One was as cold as ice, the other a chatterbox, but their martial arts were superb. Having two such followers would be like adding wings to a tiger.
She then recalled the one she had thrown into the alley behind the brothel. Someone so careless and carefree was out of the question. It seemed the people around the Ninth Prince were just as unreliable.
Li Man'er's eyes snapped open at this thought.
Li Qingyan, who was about to sneak a bite of a pastry, sheepishly retracted his hand, feeling the awkwardness of being caught red-handed. His cousin was just too sharp; he couldn't fool her so easily.
But Li Man'er was thinking of something else entirely.
The Ninth Prince had said he was going out on business for two to three months. She wondered if his business was related to Mobei.
Things seemed to be getting more and more mysterious. What had happened in Mobei to stir up so many different factions?
Li Man'er lifted the curtain and saw Old Sun leaning against the carriage. She didn't know when he had gotten there.
"Miss."
"Get in the carriage." Everyone else was either riding horses or in carriages. Only Old Sun was walking on foot, which looked rather pitiful.
"Is that appropriate?" Old Sun was from the martial world and didn't adhere to such rules of male-female separation. However, Li Man'er came from a marquis's household and was now semi-in-charge of him, making him cautious.
Li Man'er simply said, "We're out on a journey, there's no need for such strictness. If you don't want to ride in the carriage, tell my Third Uncle, and you can ride a horse."
Old Sun's face lit up. "Then I'll go tell Third Master and ride a horse."
He trotted to the front of the caravan, moving at a decent pace. She didn't know what he had said to Li Nian, but he actually got a horse.
Old Sun mounted the horse, gently squeezing its belly with his legs. The horse broke into a trot, its hooves kicking up dust. His riding skills were decent, and the horse was obedient. They worked well together.
The caravan left the capital and gradually picked up speed. Within half a day, they had traveled over forty li and found a secluded, sheltered spot to water the horses and rest.
Liu Ya rode her horse to the side of Li Man'er's carriage and relayed, "Eldest Miss, Fourth Young Master, it's getting windy. The caravan will rest for a while. Please stay in the carriage if you have no other needs; if Eldest Miss wishes to change, I will accompany you."
"Do you want to get out for some fresh air?"
Li Qingyan nodded. "I'll be right out." As he pushed open the carriage door, he remembered to ask Li Man'er if she wanted to come down too.
Li Man'er shook her head. "I'll rest for a while. You go on your own, but don't wander off. Let Liu Ya accompany you."
Li Qingyan, with his childish eagerness, immediately jumped out of the carriage, grumbling that he wanted to ride a horse and get to Mobei quickly.
"We've only traveled forty li, when will we ever get there?"
"This is the outskirts of the capital, the horses can't run at full speed. Once we reach the main road, we'll go faster."
His voice and Liu Ya's drifted over.
Li Man'er lifted the curtain and peered out. Old Sun seemed to be talking with some other guards. He didn't know anyone, but getting along with Li Nian's guards would be good.
Li Man'er let down the curtain and took the opportunity to enter her space, changing into a set of men's clothes she had prepared earlier. She tied her hair into a tight bun and used a simple wooden hairpin to secure it further.
She quickly looked in the mirror, quite satisfied, except her face was too fair.
Li Man'er rummaged through her belongings, searching for a contouring cream, but instead found a bottle of darker foundation.
This was even more convenient. She directly applied it to her face, making it a bronze color, looking even darker than the skin tone of an average man.
Her neck, ears, and hands couldn't be neglected. Then, she drew her eyebrows a bit thicker, making her look even more like a man.
By the time Li Man'er returned to the carriage, she had indeed transformed into a young lad.
Someone called out, "Let's go, let's go."
The commotion outside the carriage immediately intensified.
Li Qingyan opened the carriage door and was initially stunned when he saw Li Man'er. Then, he exclaimed, "Who are you?" His eyes held a look of deep caution, as if he hadn't recognized Li Man'er at all.
"Who am I? Who do you think I am?"
Li Qingyan's eyes widened. "Eldest Sister, why are you dressed like this?"
"When traveling, men's clothing is more convenient."
Liu Ya, who had rushed over, also looked astonished. "Eldest Miss knows disguise techniques!"
Li Qingyan's eyes lit up, as if he had witnessed some incredible martial arts skill.
"This isn't disguise at all. It's just darkening the skin, changing into men's clothes, and altering my appearance," Li Man'er said. "It's not as miraculous as you make it sound."
Liu Ya smiled. "I've never seen anything like it before. Eldest Miss is truly clever."
Li Man'er then said, "I'll have to trouble Miss Liu Ya to look after Old Sun."
Liu Ya immediately replied, "Don't worry, Miss. Old Sun has a good disposition and has already hit it off with the guards." She bowed and added, "The caravan is about to depart. I will follow alongside the carriage. If you need anything, just call for me."
"Thank you for your trouble."
Liu Ya closed the carriage door and went to lead her horse.
A moment later, the carriage started moving.
Li Man'er had intended to use the travel time to test Li Qingyan on the essence of his incantations. Who would have thought that Li Qingyan's stomach would start rumbling noisily at that moment?
"Didn't you eat anything when we stopped?"
"Heh heh," Li Qingyan said sheepishly. "I was too busy getting some fresh air."
Li Man'er handed him two pastries. "Eat a couple of these to tide you over. When we find an inn with hot food, you can have a proper meal."
"Okay."
The siblings were getting along quite well, if one didn't consider the testing.
"With just these few sentences, you've been reciting for days and still make mistakes?" Li Man'er found it incredible. Xuanyi practitioners were all intelligent beings with great destinies. How could they possibly fail to memorize a simple incantation?
It was likely due to a restless mind and lack of focus.
Li Qingyan, however, countered, "The incantation is just too difficult to understand! What are these 'meridians' and 'channels'? And water, and fire? I can't remember."
Li Man'er said with a mix of exasperation and amusement, "If the heart is detached from the meridian, it is like water and fire, embracing all rivers, yet like a flowing stream."
"Isn't that just water, fire, and rivers?"
Li Man'er felt a pang of frustration. "Focus, this is a matter of your life! If you can't memorize it, you can't practice. The heart incantation must be understood and integrated to heal your Three Calamity Syndrome."
Li Qingyan seemed unconcerned. "Eldest Sister, do you really think my illness can be cured?"