"On the mountain."
Wang Shi smiled eerily, "You're quite clever, girl. You know to catch the king first. And you used the timing perfectly."
"I don't understand. Now I know why my uncle and elder brother run when things happen. It's in the genes."
A Jiu forcefully pulled the curtain closed, unseen by anyone. In her anger, she had put too much strength into it.
Looking at the curtain in her hand, she hesitated to look up for a long time.
"This... it fell off. It's cooler now."
These words were spoken by Zhao Di.
A Jiu found this comment extremely awkward.
When Wu Da Lei had recovered, Meng Shao De let him ride in the carriage, but he adamantly refused.
Meng family provided all the food and drink along the way. With his wife, child, and mother in the carriage, Meng elder brother had already shown utmost benevolence.
The carriage jolted.
"Giddy up!"
Meng Shao De cracked his whip, his eyes scanning the dark surroundings, never daring to relax for a moment.
He was afraid bandits would suddenly leap out from the trees on either side of the road.
"Boss, do you like that little girl?"
Zhao Kun, who had held back for half the journey, finally couldn't resist asking.
Things were different now; there was no need for strict hierarchies between lord and subject.
"Quite like her." Tuoba Yan admitted frankly, though his voice was very soft. He had no idea how Ah Jiu felt about him.
"No wonder." Zhao Kun scratched his head. He could tell that in their master's heart, this girl was like their supreme ruler.
Just look at how quickly their master reacted when she alighted just now, rushing to help her.
Tuoba Yan suddenly slowed his pace, looking at the carriage ahead.
"Zhao Kun, have you ever noticed that people from our country lack emotions?"
"Ah?" Zhao Kun was stunned. "What do you mean by emotions, Master?"
"It's like..." Tuoba Yan pondered for a moment, then looked at Zhao Kun with a smile. This fellow certainly wouldn't understand, so he decided to give a simple example.
"Like, your feelings for me."
"That is obedience... Master, what are you trying to say?"
"Heh heh." Tuoba Yan looked at Zhao Kun's bewildered expression and felt that he understood much more than this simpleton since meeting Ah Jiu.
"You don't understand, so don't overthink it."
Saying this, he walked on with his hands behind his back, humming a tune, following the carriage.
But in Tuoba Yan's mind, their world was devoid of emotions. It was strange that Zhao Kun, the simpleton, could understand this feeling he was experiencing for the first time.
Zhao Kun watched his master's retreating figure. Good heavens, his master had changed.
Meng Shao De gripped the whip, dozing off several times. Finally, dawn arrived.
Cai Shao Hua watched with concern, "Old Meng, why don't we stop and rest?"
Meng Shao De looked up at the mountains and ridges on both sides, and his eyes immediately became intensely alert.
"No, this area is a bandit's den. Besides, if we get past Qiming Mountain, we can catch up to the main group. There'll be more safety in numbers."
"Alright." Cai Li Hua had remained silent throughout the journey.
She was still replaying the events of yesterday in her mind.
She feared her husband would lose his life, feared her daughter would be abducted by bandits. If she were to live alone, life would be meaningless.
For safety, she could put aside all her own thoughts, as long as they were safe...
Cai Li Hua sat on the wooden plank at the front and cautiously pushed open the carriage door.
Although it was packed full inside, seeing her daughter sleeping soundly in the corner filled her heart with joy.
She gently closed the door and sat down. "Old Meng, why does our daughter always sleep with a troubled expression? Is the carriage too bumpy for her to sleep soundly?"
Indeed.
At this moment, A Jiu was inside the spiritual spring space. There were only three water skins in total.
Two were filled, and there was one remaining.
A Jiu was at a loss. She turned it upside down and tried to pour with all her might: "Earth Dragon, you can come out now."
But nothing came out.
A Jiu plopped down on the ground. "How about you come out for just a little bit?"
Still, it did not appear.
The small bamboo cage she had woven was completely useless.
"Please come out. Next time Father hunts, I'll give you meat."
A Jiu's mouth was sore from talking.
However, the water in the spring clearly required this water skin to be filled before it would rise again.
A Jiu looked at the little Earth Dragon, which refused to come out, and rolled her eyes.
It seemed the water in this water skin could only be used to water the seeds.
She would fill it up first. A Jiu deliberately put different marks on the three water skins so she could at least identify which one housed the little Earth Dragon.
When she opened her eyes, the carriage had already stopped for an unknown amount of time.