When Bai Zhi woke up the next morning, Xiao Yu was already up and preparing breakfast.
She tidied up their goods and prepared to carry the basket directly to the kitchen, since the side gate was located behind it.
Suddenly, Xiao Zelan spoke.
“It’s cold outside. Take this cloak.”
Bai Zhi glanced at the cloak beside the bed.
It was the same one Xiao Yu had been wearing before.
The material and craftsmanship were obviously first-rate.
The only problem was that it was white.
Far too easy to stain.
And far too conspicuous.
“Fine.”
“If it fits, I’ll sell it and exchange it for some padded winter clothes.”
“All right.”
“You decide.”
Bai Zhi noticed that Xiao Zelan seemed to agree with everything she said.
She couldn’t help looking at him.
“What is it?”
“Is there something on my face?”
Being stared at so intently made Xiao Zelan feel strangely warm.
He touched his face awkwardly.
“No.”
“I’m leaving, then.”
“All right.”
“Be careful on the road.”
Worried about dirtying the cloak and lowering its value, Bai Zhi placed it inside the basket instead.
The bottom layer contained cosmetics.
The middle held books.
The top was covered with bedsheets.
The cloak rested safely above everything else.
Bai Zhi was small and thin.
She found a fine cotton outer garment in her dowry chest and wore it over her light padded jacket.
Then she added her cotton vest.
The basket weighed roughly thirty to forty pounds.
Even for her, carrying it wasn’t easy.
Xiao Zelan watched silently as the skinny girl—barely reaching his chest in height—walked out the door carrying a basket almost half her size.
His gaze lingered on the doorway long after she disappeared.
Only when the cold began creeping painfully into his knees did he retreat beneath the blankets.
The sky was still dim when Bai Zhi reached the kitchen.
Xiao Yu was boiling eggs.
A second stove was heating water.
There was still half an hour before the guards changed shifts at the side gate.
There was no rush.
Bai Zhi removed the cooked eggs, cleaned the pot, and started simmering the large soup bones from yesterday.
“These bones need about two hours.”
“Later, warm up the leftover buns.”
“Drink some broth and eat an egg.”
“Oh.”
Xiao Yu didn’t sound particularly enthusiastic.
Assuming he disliked the bones, Bai Zhi explained,
“Bone broth is good for strengthening the body.”
“I know.”
Yet he still looked gloomy.
Bai Zhi decided not to bother asking.
She washed her face and peeled an egg.
While she sat on a stool eating, Xiao Yu slowly shuffled closer.
“Ba… Bai Zhiluo…”
Bai Zhi rolled her eyes internally.
When there was food, it was Imperial Sister-in-law.
When there wasn’t, it was Bai Zhiluo.
“Call me Bai Zhi.”
Xiao Yu immediately corrected himself.
“Bai Zhi…”
“Yesterday…”
“Do you believe what Imperial Brother said?”
Bai Zhi turned to look at him.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“What reason would he have to lie to me?”
Xiao Yu’s expression grew nervous.
“Then… then you…”
He couldn’t finish the sentence.
But Bai Zhi understood.
She deliberately admired his anxious expression for a moment before replying seriously.
“Don’t worry.”
“I’m not exactly a good person.”
“But I don’t kill innocent people.”
“And don’t forget our agreement.”
“I won’t.”
“I said I’d help you, and I will.”
Then her tone shifted teasingly.
“What about you?”
“You don’t still want to kill me, do you?”
“I… I don’t.”
“Really?”
“You’re stuttering.”
“Don’t tell me you’re planning to kill me during exile instead?”
“N-No.”
“I stopped thinking that way later.”
Bai Zhi immediately seized on his wording.
“So you did think about it before.”
Xiao Yu lowered his head.
Ashamed.
“I’m sorry.”
“But in the dream…”
“You betrayed Imperial Brother.”
“So because of something that hadn’t even happened yet, you sentenced me to death?”
“…I’m sorry.”
Still the same answer.
Bai Zhi decided not to press further.
She picked up two eggs and prepared to head for the gate.
Just as she reached the door, Xiao Yu grabbed her sleeve.
“There are child traffickers outside.”
“Be careful.”
“I know.”
“But do you really think I’d be afraid of traffickers?”
Xiao Yu’s eyes shifted uncertainly.
Still, he continued.
“You…”
“You don’t have household registration papers.”
“If someone discovers that, they’ll treat you as a vagrant.”
Bai Zhi sighed.
Then she reached out and rubbed his head.
“Don’t worry.”
“I’ll come back.”
With that, she turned and left.
Leaving Xiao Yu standing alone in the kitchen, face burning red.
Men and women should keep proper boundaries!
How could she just touch my head like that?!
Meanwhile, Bai Zhi waited patiently beside the side gate.
At last, the hour arrived.
The footsteps of the departing guards gradually faded into the distance.
Not daring to waste time, Bai Zhi approached the gate with her basket.
Knowing Xiao Yu was watching from the kitchen, she first pushed the gate open slightly.
Then she stuck a hairpin through the crack and pretended to fiddle with the lock.
A moment later—
Clink.
The bronze padlock dropped to the ground.
After checking that nobody was nearby, she slipped outside, relocked the gate behind her, and headed east.
The snowfall had stopped.
The world outside was covered in white.
Snow reached just above her shoes.
She deliberately stepped where others had walked before.
Those paths had already been compacted and wouldn’t soak her feet.
The western outskirts were filled with estates belonging to wealthy families.
People were scarce.
Xiao Zelan had told her that if she was lucky, she might encounter families heading into the city to buy supplies.
She could hitch a ride on their ox cart.
But she also needed to beware of ill-intentioned strangers.
After only fifteen minutes of walking, Bai Zhi was already freezing.
At this point, she no longer cared about keeping the cloak clean.
She pulled Xiao Zelan’s white cloak from the basket and wrapped it around herself.
The cloak was far too large.
Normally it would drag on the ground.
But the basket on her back propped it up enough that she didn’t have to hold it constantly.
Fortunately, luck was on her side.
About fifteen minutes later, she encountered an elderly couple driving a mule cart into the city.
After paying them a small piece of silver, she climbed aboard.
The couple repeatedly insisted that the payment was too much.
They even offered to bring her back if she returned at the same time.
After considering it, Bai Zhi agreed on a meeting time.
“If I’m not back by then, don’t wait for me.”
The old couple nodded.
After another half-hour journey, they finally arrived at the Western Market that Xiao Zelan had described.
Bai Zhi removed the cloak, returned it to the basket, and headed directly toward a medium-sized cloth shop.
The moment she entered, the shopkeeper greeted her warmly.
“Welcome, miss.”
“We’ve just received some beautiful new fabric.”
“Apricot yellow.”
“Perfect for making jackets and skirts.”
“Do you sell winter clothing?”
“Cotton is fine.”
“I need something warm.”
“Of course!”
“Right this way.”
“We have ready-made jackets, padded trousers, robes, and winter skirts.”
Bai Zhi touched one of the garments.
The outer fabric was fine cotton.
The stuffing inside was thick and substantial.
Good quality.
“How much for a jacket and trousers?”
“That depends on size.”
“For someone your size, one tael and seven qian.”
“I need three sets.”
“All blue.”
“One for me.”
“One for my older brother.”
“And one for my younger brother.”
She gestured roughly to Xiao Yu’s and Xiao Zelan’s heights.
The shopkeeper quickly selected appropriate sizes.
“This larger set is two taels.”
“The smaller one is one tael and three qian.”
“All three together come to four taels and eight qian.”
Bai Zhi didn’t bother haggling.
Instead, she asked:
“Do you have boots?”
“Good ones.”
The shopkeeper’s smile instantly widened.
Clearly he had realized this little girl was a serious customer.
“Certainly.”
“Please come this way.”
“These boots are made from top-quality fur.”
“They’re warm, lightweight, and extremely durable.”
“The only downside is that they’re a bit expensive.”
“How much?” Bai Zhi asked.