If the partition was not raised.
The driver's seats where the two of them were currently located could have extending wooden boards pulled out from underneath on both sides, allowing their feet to rest on them, making it directly usable as a bed.
Therefore, this top-tier carriage, specifically designed for travel and escape, truly had many thoughtful small features. For example, both the front and rear doors could be opened, and the bottom of the doors had foldable small wooden ladders that could be lowered for easy entry and exit from the carriage.
Moreover, folding stools were attached to the rear door of the carriage, which could be removed and used for sitting when needed. The top and bottom of the carriage each concealed a spare wheel. Not to mention, the interior of the carriage was equipped with various small conveniences for daily life.
The weight of such a carriage was indeed not light, but due to the sufficiently large wheels and clever design, the horses did not find it particularly strenuous to pull.
The two horses were also for running faster; one horse couldn't run for extended periods. Additionally, having two horses pulling the carriage also served as a form of deception.
In reality, one horse could pull it, but its endurance wouldn't be as strong.
Lai Fu and Ji Bo were not crowded in the front driver's seat; in fact, it was spacious. If their legs became tired, there were small footrests underneath. It was truly a comprehensively well-designed vehicle, perfectly suited for long journeys.
Otherwise.
Their group wouldn't have been able to travel so quickly and cover such a distance in one go.
Finally, they could breathe a little easier.
They no longer had to fear enemy soldiers catching up as much. The current concerns were the shortage of salt, overnight accommodation, and potential future dangers. The mountain villages were very resistant to outsiders.
Forget about exchanging supplies; they might even band together to rob you.
Not to mention the bandits in the mountains who constantly ambushed travelers. The slightly friendlier ones would merely charge a toll, but the more brutal ones might capture your entire caravan, which was not unheard of.
However, a caravan of fifty people, at least, had some deterrent effect. The government had also cracked down on many mountain bandit groups over the years. Now, the large bandit strongholds were gone, and the remaining ones would not have many able-bodied young bandits to deploy.
Their group still needed to proceed with caution. Fortunately, the exterior of these vehicles was extremely low-key, and the wood used was of good quality. The death-fearing Master Cheng had definitely invested a significant sum in these carriages.
Ordinary arrowheads couldn't pierce them, and knives wouldn't easily cut into them.
They could be considered relatively safe.
The exterior was also deliberately aged and painted in dark colors that could blend in with the forest.
They were hundreds of times more discreet than those opulent carriages.
Things should be much better.
Their group made a brief stop midway to relieve themselves.
They didn't stop for too long.
Finally, as the speed of the carriages slowed down again, they arrived at the temple.
Lingyun Stone Temple
The guards had completed their reconnaissance.
The carriages were orderly parked in front of the stone temple, and everyone disembarked.
Although the old official road was narrow, it was much smoother than the dirt mountain paths. This time, no one suffered from motion sickness, and most people were quite energetic.
Master Cheng dispatched his trusted guards to scout the surroundings and maintain vigilance.
Once it was confirmed that there were no issues.
Everyone busied themselves. Some unloaded the carriages, others led the horses to their designated resting stables, groomed them, and gave them water and feed. The other maids and servants went to clean and prepare the beds.
In less than half an hour, the resting area was well-prepared.
Finally, everyone could set foot on solid ground and relaxed.
Once Su Miaomiao could move independently, she began to follow Cheng Hao, as he had requested. They were inseparable, leaving Jiang Xiyue with no opportunity to find a moment to speak with Cheng Hao.
This made her secretly annoyed.
Su Miaomiao was unaware that as she toured the new camp with Cheng Hao, she discovered the temple was located on the mountainside with many small forests nearby, suggesting the presence of some small animals.
This temple was smaller than the previous one, but it was sufficient for their needs.
There was still a kitchen, and although some roof tiles had fallen off, the stove area was intact, so cooking would not be a major problem.
The firewood from the previous mule cart came in handy again. Dry wood burned easily. The collected wet firewood had also been moved out by Xiao Wuzi and his companions to dry under the eaves of the front courtyard. Suitable firewood wasn't readily available. If not, they would have to fell trees, which required considerable effort, whereas picking up fallen branches was easier.
Picking up firewood earlier had been a good decision. There were many large trees and small branches here, but the large trees were difficult to fell, and the small branches didn't burn for long, indicating that finding firewood was not easy.
As Xiao Wuzi was complaining, Su Miaomiao and Cheng Hao discovered something different. They both said simultaneously, "There's probably a village nearby!"
Their synchronized statement surprised Xiao Wuzi, who then looked at their young master and young mistress. Xiao Wuzi humbly asked, "Young Master and Young Mistress, how can you tell? I, your servant, don't understand at all!"
Su Miaomiao giggled, "Silly, so many forests here mean there must be firewood. If there's no suitable firewood, someone must have collected it."
Cheng Hao also smiled and said, "It's not necessarily certain just because of that. I saw signs of logging. You two take a closer look at those trees over there."
He pointed to a spot.
Su Miaomiao and Xiao Wuzi both looked over. Indeed, on the lower part of a particular tree, there were signs of being cut. His observation was indeed sharp.
"Alright, you win this time! Your evidence is more solid than mine!"
Su Miaomiao generously admitted that she wasn't as capable as him this time, without any hesitation.
Xiao Wuzi just chuckled and flattered, "Young Mistress is equally capable. She can find water sources by observing plant growth. I am far behind."
Su Miaomiao beamed with joy at his praise. While remembering the teachings of her and Cheng's grandparents to be humble, she said, "Not at all, not at all, just average." She couldn't help but smile broadly, almost wagging her tail.
Cheng Hao found her slightly triumphant demeanor incredibly endearing, and couldn't suppress the smile in his eyes. However, he teased her, "Don't praise her. If you praise her any further, she'll fly up to the heavens. Alright, since there's a village, it means there's an opportunity."
With his remark, he brought up the important matter. They needed to send someone to scout the village. Villagers generally wouldn't go too far to chop firewood, so there must be a village nearby. They had to understand the situation first.
They needed to take the initiative and avoid being caught off guard. If the entire village surrounded them later, they would be in a passive position. They had to strike first.
Cheng Hao told Xiao Wuzi to get busy, as he couldn't help with the subsequent tasks.
He immediately nodded vigorously, understanding that his abilities were insufficient for such important matters. It would be best for the guards to handle the reconnaissance.
At least they trained regularly. Although most of them were young and inexperienced, they were still practicing martial arts daily.
Their physical fitness was much better than the servants working in the back. To put it bluntly, if discovered, they would be able to escape faster than these young servants.