Оn the offiсiаl rоаd, gаllоping hоrses kiсked up clouds of dust, сausing Ziyu, whо was driving thе сarriаge, tо cоugh repeatedlу.
The frеquent рatrols of soldiers and officials leаving the citу frightenеd some timid раssеrsby intо turning bасk. Ziyu silеntly tied а silk sсаrf оver her facе.
She thought оf thе itеms she hаd handed ovеr—enоugh tо еnsurе that thе Marquis оf An’s fаction wоuld meet а gruеsome еnd—аnd а swеet smile curled аt thе corners of her lips.
Тhе farther she gоt frоm Yun Cарital, thе lighter Ziуu fеlt, as if shе had broken free from shackles.
In her eighteen-year career as a bodyguard in her previous life, Ziyu had encountered many strange and unusual events. She was not a true materialist.
Some things were simply destined by fate. A brand-new life was truly beginning.
Xiagu Prefecture, the nearest prefectural city to Yun Capital, occupied a strategically important location and was the essential gateway to the northern regions.
Five days later, travel-worn and dusty, Ziyu paid ten copper coins as the city entry fee just before the gates closed. Leading the mule cart, she walked along the ancient streets.
Shops with good business gradually hung up lanterns, while those with little trade began to shutter their doors, ending a day of hard work.
The shops near the city gates were mostly single-story wooden structures. Outside taverns and inns, handsome young attendants stood, greeting customers.
Their youthful voices rang out, each trying to outshout the other, giving Ziyu the illusion of being in a film set.
Ziluo, leaning out the window to marvel at the sights, wasn’t much better off than Ziyu, with her hair disheveled and hairpins askew.
“Brother, so many people!” Her tired little face lit up with excitement as soon as they entered the city.
Her eyes sparkled as she watched the bustling crowds. For the little one on her first long journey, everything was incredibly fascinating.
Along the way, aside from sleeping in the carriage, she asked questions about everything she saw, not even sparing a single tree.
Ziyu, who had never taken care of a child before, had several times wanted to toss the little nuisance out of the carriage and let her fend for herself, but in the end, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
“This place is called Xiagu Prefecture. We’ll rest here for a few days. Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you out to play on the streets.”
“Great! Brother is the best!”
The annoying little brat clapped her hands sweetly. Perhaps this was why Ziyu couldn’t bear to abandon her.
…
“Young master, are you here for a meal or lodging?
Our inn is safe, clean, and fair to all. We serve stir-fries, stews, noodles, and all kinds of dishes,” a young attendant greeted Ziyu with a bow, reaching out to take the reins from her hand.
Ziyu glanced at the Dazhong Inn behind him—a two-story wooden building with an oiled signboard gleaming under the lantern light.
“Thank you, young man. Both lodging and a meal, please. I’d like a quiet upper room.”
“Right away, young master!” the attendant replied loudly, and a resonant tenor voice echoed from inside the inn.
“Young master requests both lodging and a meal, one quiet upper room! Please come inside!”
Ziyu handed the reins to the attendant, lifted Ziluo down from the carriage, retrieved the baggage from inside, and tossed the attendant ten copper coins.
The attendant deftly caught the coins in the fold of his robe and sang out,
“Thank you for your generosity, young master!”
His practiced movements showed he was no stranger to such gestures.
…
By the time the two had finished washing up and sat down for dinner in the upper room, which cost half a tael of silver per night, an incense stick’s worth of time had passed.
In a wooden basin in the corner lay a large pile of freshly washed clothes. There was no choice—the clothes changed along the journey had to be scrubbed clean when possible.
On the small round table were simple dishes: one meat, one vegetable, along with the ever-present bowl of steamed eggs, a plate of steamed buns, and two bowls of rice.
Ziyu, who carried a large sum of money, had no habit of extravagance and was even more cautious in using every piece of silver along the way.
The silver ingots she took out to use were all broken down into small pieces. For unmarked silver ingots, there was no need to be so careful.
But the caution cultivated in her previous life had become a habit, and it was precisely this habit that had helped her shake off various troubles in the past.
After the meal, the two had no entertainment. They called the waiter to clear the table and closed the doors early to rest.
…
At midnight, when the night was deep and quiet.
Ziyu on the bed suddenly opened her eyes. She glanced at Ziluo sleeping like a little pig on the inner side, then turned over and climbed out of bed.
She stuffed her pillow into the quilt, and wearing a cotton robe, she walked barefoot and silently on the wooden floor.
The autumn night in the north was already as cool as water, and the floor felt icy to the touch.
A large basin of un-dried clothes disappeared from the corner of the room. Appearing in the dimensional space, Ziyu hung the clothes on a bamboo pole set up on the villa’s balcony.
After several days of continuous tidying, the items in the villa had been sorted and placed by category. A list was posted at the door of each room, and the entire villa was packed full.
Ten luxurious carriages that could not be used for the time being were lined up in front of the villa. The most spacious carriage was laid with soft silk quilts and had become a shelter for the siblings in times of danger.
Ziyu quickly changed into a set of night clothes, put on black boots, and covered her head with a black hood, leaving only her eyes and nose exposed, before disappearing from the dimensional space.
Standing by the window, Ziyu listened to the varying snores coming from the inn, then gently lifted the window frame and climbed out of the room.
Before checking in, Ziyu had casually inquired about the layout of the city from the waiter.
The streets were pitch black, with only the occasional distant sound of night watchmen.
The soldiers who had galloped past during the day did not leave any tense atmosphere in this city, which was hundreds of kilometers away from the capital.
A petite black shadow climbed into the government office and headed straight for the clerk’s room. Under the illumination of a Night Pearl held in her clenched fist, Ziyu picked the lock of a cabinet and pulled out two blank household registration papers.
Comparing the handwriting in the household registration ledger, two genuine household registrations were quickly completed. She breathed on the seals and stamped them, finishing in two seconds.
Ziyu returned all the items to their original positions, erased any traces of her presence, and left without a trace.
The darkness and cold effectively concealed everything.
…
Walking on the bustling street, the siblings held hands, each with a stick of candied hawthorn. The slightly sweet and sour taste made them squint and grin.
Ziyu carried a string of paper packages over her shoulder, and even the adorable Ziluo did not escape the fate of having paper packages hung around his neck.
The siblings bought and ate their way along the four bustling main streets, attracting many sidelong glances from passersby. Fortunately, they were only cheap snacks and did not draw the attention of professionals on the street corners.
Ziyu, who had let herself go, couldn’t help but take a few extra glances when she saw a young woman with jingling jewelry, carrying a small furry bag that looked like a purse.
“What are you looking at? How dare a commoner like you stare at my young lady?
My young lady is the cousin of the prefect’s family, not someone you are worthy of.”
The sharp-faced maid beside the young woman stood with her hands on her hips and loudly scolded Ziyu.
“Hah, someone who doesn’t know better might think you’re the mistress of the house!
A mere maid dares to ruin her master’s reputation like this—your intentions are condemnable!”
Ziyu placed one hand on her hip, shook her foot, and glanced disdainfully at the rude maid. The young woman’s face instantly changed, and she slapped the maid.
“Shut up!” She then glared fiercely at Ziyu before turning and leaving in a huff.
“Tsk tsk…”
Ziyu shook her head and sauntered into the shop the woman had just left, leaving the passersby on the street utterly astonished.
Inside the Rare Treasures Pavilion, the wall by the entrance was hung with various styles of handmade bags, mostly small decorative pouches.