The entire family set out with Li Da Tou and Wang Da Ming, along with a few guards.
And two wet nurses.
Along with Yuan Yang and Xing Hua; everyone else had to remain in the capital.
Ji Bo was too old and couldn't endure the jolting.
Lai Fu needed to manage the household affairs, and Jia Wang had to help with the shop and accounts.
So, neither of them left.
Only Cheng Hao and Su Miao Miao, their four-person family, set off with their entourage.
Before departing, Cai Shi and Xi Shi also came along, saying they wanted to go for a stroll and have some fun. Anyway, the children were grown up and had their own lives, not clinging to their mothers. Cheng Xiao Hua managed the shops so capably.
They didn't need to worry about them at all, so they joined to attend the wedding banquet and join the festivities.
Cheng Kai Chun and Cheng Feng Tai did not come either.
They had left in advance; there was still quite some time before Cheng Xiao Xi's wedding date.
They could take their time along the way, stopping and starting.
And visit sights as well.
Cai Shi and Xi Shi were not lacking in money now. The two of them were as close as sisters, closer than real sisters, actually. They traveled together.
They talked non-stop on the road.
They were so excited.
They sat in one carriage, gazing at the foreign scenery and sighing with emotion.
"When we were fleeing for our lives, it was so terrifying. We were nervous even riding in a carriage, afraid of being caught, ambushed, or even having things thrown at our carriage! It's so good to be in this peaceful and prosperous land now!"
Xi Shi sighed, and almost two years had passed since they arrived here.
Street vendors were also hawking their wares outside.
It was so lively.
Cai Shi felt the same way. She lifted the curtain and said, "Indeed, time flies so fast!"
They were now living lives of affluence, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a life of luxury.
For this trip.
The two of them had also changed into new clothes, looking every bit the part of wealthy ladies.
Because they had seen a lot.
They had both become more composed, their every gesture exuding the demeanor of important figures.
They were no longer like the farm women they used to be.
Xi Shi recalled their past life and laughed, "I wonder if my in-laws are still alive. People with such vicious hearts might actually live this long. If they knew we were living such a good life now, they'd probably be so envious their eyes would fall out. They'd die of jealousy."
The thought of it made her feel a great sense of relief.
Or perhaps the in-laws were long gone.
Thinking of her past life, Xi Shi also thought of her own family. Her family was a mix of love and hate.
She finally sighed.
Cai Shi also advised, "We're living good lives now, why think about the past?"
It was enough to live well in the present.
They were very happy now.
Xi Shi nodded and said, "That makes sense, I was just thinking about it."
Since they weren't lacking money lately.
Their lives had become leisurely.
Feeling a bit bored, she would sometimes reminisce about the past to feel better by comparison.
Cai Shi thought of her eldest son, and while she was worried about him, she also hoped he was doing well. The child was stubborn; if he hadn't achieved something significant, he probably wouldn't have made a sound.
Seeing her look a bit down, Xi Shi guessed why and offered words of comfort, "Xiao Tian is quite capable, he'll definitely be fine."
Cai Shi forced a smile and said, "I hope so. It's strange, neither his father nor I have the courage. Honestly, if it were us, we wouldn't dare to get involved, nor would we want to participate in such matters. It's frustrating, but life is more important."
She didn't know where the children got their courage and unwavering determination.
They actually went to endure hardships.
As parents, they naturally worried, but in the end, they could only choose to support him.
Xi Shi laughed and said, "Ah, that just proves Xiao Tian is even more capable. He can do things ordinary people cannot, isn't that impressive?"
She said if they truly managed to reclaim their homeland, then they would be truly remarkable.
Cai Shi just smiled and shook her head.
She didn't comment on it.
Sitting in the carriage, the two of them reminisced about the past and talked about the future.
Time passed quickly.
Cheng Hao and Su Miao Miao were busy with the children. The older child was much more fun at this age.
Babbling away.
He just talked too much.
As parents, and as an older sister, they watched Chao Yang happily talking to himself. He even invited his sister to play. Chen Xi was very perfunctory.
Cheng Hao couldn't help but laugh, "Younger brothers can be so willful, always bothering us."
Su Miao Miao was self-aware and said, "When they are younger, they can be willful!"
Cheng Hao also smiled.
They had added half to their journey, and the children showed no signs of discomfort.
Their physiques were excellent.
They were very resilient.
They didn't cry much, only crying when it came to basic needs like eating, drinking, and using the latrine.
Oh, right.
The younger one would sometimes whimper and hum when he was in a bad mood, and then he would need to be held. He would hug his parents and mumble something.
Cheng Hao and Su Miao Miao listened patiently at first, but later realized they could just understand him. They would hold him, pat his back, and accompany him with a few hums and haws. The younger brother, Chao Yang, would then be easily soothed.
When Chen Xi cried, it was mostly related to eating, drinking, or using the latrine. If she wasn't cleaned promptly, she would whine. Most of the time, she was very well-behaved.
Su Miao Miao kissed her every day. Seeing her cool little expression, so much like her father, made her happy.
The daughter, usually after a few kisses from her, would have to chuckle or two even if she wasn't smiling.
Su Miao Miao became even happier.
Having children was like playing; teasing them like this every day was so much fun.
Even the carriage ride didn't feel long.
The two little ones, only a few months old, were already traveling with their parents to see the world.
They had seen people from many different places.
Many people, seeing such adorable children, would playfully interact with them.
They were often praised.
Cheng Hao and Su Miao Miao took turns holding the children, generally holding them themselves when moving around outside, as they didn't trust the wet nurses completely, especially considering the greater risks outside.
It's not that children have no memory, but in fact, more exposure to the outside world is good.
The two children also enjoyed looking around.
Everything was new.
By the time they arrived at the village of Cheng Da Zhuang and his brothers, the children could already speak and call out to people.
They would call out "Uncle" and "Auntie" one after another, their adorable appearance captivating everyone.
They received a warm welcome from everyone.
People could hold the children too, as long as it was under the watchful eyes of Cheng Hao and Su Miao Miao.
The children were very smart.
They even recognized people.
When Cheng Da Zhuang and his wife wanted to hold them, the children didn't react much.
They also let Cheng Xiao Xi hold them.
But if it were the in-laws of Cheng Da Zhuang's wife's family, it was different.
Because they weren't very familiar.
This made everyone laugh constantly.
They were also extremely hospitable, having tidied up a small courtyard long in advance.
Specifically for them to stay in.
Cheng Xiao Xi, as the soon-to-be groom, felt a bit embarrassed, constantly smiling shyly. He spoke eloquently and enthusiastically about the ranch, but when it came to his soon-to-be wife, he stammered, unsure how to express himself.
Finally, he said, "Why don't we go take a look at my ranch!"
Cheng Xiao Xi said with a smile, and then led them to visit the ranch first.