Qin Yining climbed into the carriage, thinking of how the two children had cried so pitifully just now, her heart still aching wave after wave.

It was just that she was going out to attend to serious business. This temporary separation was for the sake of future long-lasting happy days. Moreover, with Sun Shi and Ma Shi looking after the children, there wouldn’t be any mishaps either.

However, though she understood the reasoning, her heart was still grieved. Having her separated from the children was even more painful than being separated from Pang Xiao.

Pang Xiao stood before the carriage, lifting the curtain to peer inside. Seeing Qin Yining still lowering her head and sobbing, a plain handkerchief already soaked through, he said helplessly, “Yining, stop crying. Look, going out was also your decision, yet now you’re crying again. Be careful, or I’ll tease you about it later.”

Qin Yining glared at him through tear-blurred eyes. “Tease me all you want! Being separated from the children is like having my flesh carved away! Am I not even allowed to shed a few tears now?”

Her eyes, moistened by tears, were brighter than usual, and her aggrieved, petulant tone was truly pitiable. Though Pang Xiao felt somewhat jealous of the children in his heart, more than that was tender affection and heartache.

“All right, all right,” Pang Xiao leaped onto the carriage and sat beside Qin Yining, clumsily helping her wipe away her tears. “Don’t cry anymore. Don’t people always say that when children see their mother, they cry over every little thing? They’re just used to crying—you’re not usually like this. Besides, mother-in-law and grandmother are both experienced in age. They have far more experience caring for children than you do. I’ve also arranged everything properly for safety on the road, so just rest assured. You’re fortunate to have married me and can personally care for your children. Just look at those consorts in the imperial palace of the previous dynasty—they had to hand over their own flesh and blood to others to raise. If you were like that, wouldn’t you cry yourself unconscious?”

“Bah! I’m not a consort! I don’t care for such things!” Qin Yining spat at him. Though she said this, her tears stopped flowing.

Pang Xiao laughed and said, “I know you don’t care for it. Otherwise, you have the fate to be an empress—where would it be my turn as this great troublemaker?”

Hearing his words filled with both jealousy and self-reproach, Qin Yining was amused and giggled. “All right, great troublemaker, you should get off the carriage now. We should also set off.”

“Mm. I’ll get off now.” Though he agreed with his mouth, his lips unhesitatingly pressed against her forehead and both eyes, his gaze infinitely tender as he looked at her. “Take good care of yourself.”

Meeting Pang Xiao’s gentle gaze, Qin Yining buried her face in his embrace and said reluctantly, “I will. But here on your side… take care of yourself. When you encounter situations, be sure to respond calmly and don’t be impulsive. You don’t need to worry about me here—I’ve brought all the necessary people.”

Pang Xiao turned his head sideways, lovingly kissing her cheek, his slender fingers twirling around a strand of long hair hanging over her chest, sighing, “I know. You’re the one who needs to be more careful out there. I can’t look after you closely, which makes me very uneasy. Fortunately, I entrusted Mutou to you. Though Mutou is close to Tianji Zi, his character is trustworthy. Since he’s promised me, he’ll do everything in his power to protect you completely.

“I don’t ask for anything else, just that you can be safe and sound. As for those Sifang Bank matters, if you can investigate them, then investigate. If you can’t, then come back. Just consider it going out to play. Never force yourself for such matters. If you harm yourself, that would be more loss than gain. Do you understand?”

“I understand. Even if I can’t succeed, there’s still you. I won’t force myself either.”

Pang Xiao nodded. Looking at the sky outside, no matter how reluctant he was, he could only forcibly suppress it. He released Qin Yining, had her sit properly, and helped arrange her long hair and straighten her collar that had become askew, saying, “I won’t say more to delay your journey, lest you miss the time to find lodging. You should set off now.”

Qin Yining nodded, her pale white small hand covering Pang Xiao’s large hand and patting it. “Rest assured.”

Pang Xiao grabbed her hand and kissed it, looking at her with infinite reluctance for a while more before jumping down from the carriage.

Bingtang and Ji Yun, who had earlier stepped aside, now got onto the carriage and closed the door properly.

Here, Pang Xiao mounted his horse, his cloak fluttering as he raised his hand toward those behind him. “Set off.”

Huzi immediately called out loudly, “Set off!”

All the elite Tiger Guards around Pang Xiao set off together, escorting Qin Yining’s procession away from the old capital. Only after reaching thirty li outside the city did they reluctantly bid farewell again.

Their departure this time wasn’t hidden from anyone. So very quickly, both the Yang Mansion and Yuchi Yan received the news.

Yuchi Yan and Gu Shixiong naturally didn’t understand the reason. But some days ago, they had learned that elders had come to the Qin family, so perhaps the womenfolk wanted to visit relatives and friends. Thus, they didn’t take this matter to heart.

Here at Qiu Feishan’s place, hearing Governor Yang’s report, she smiled and said, “Are you certain they went west?”

Governor Yang nodded. “We can be certain.”

Qiu Feishan’s smile grew. “I understand.” She turned back to instruct Mr. Liu who was following her, “You go see Prince Zhennan later. Though they’re useless, they’re also loyal and obedient. Having left them out in the cold for a while is enough.”

Mr. Liu immediately nodded and turned to go deliver calling cards to Yuchi Yan and Gu Shixiong.

When Yuchi Yan and Gu Shixiong learned that Sifang Bank’s people had actively made contact, they were overjoyed beyond measure and paid even less attention to Qin Yining’s departure from the city.

Under the escort of many people, Qin Yining’s journey went very smoothly. Even when they encountered some “heroes,” they were all resolved one by one by those traveling with them.

After traveling for over a month, when summer was approaching, their group finally neared the Shu region.

Qin Yining discovered that the closer they got to the Shu region, the better and more prosperous the common people’s lives became.

Compared to the old capital’s scene of devastation everywhere, where common people often went hungry, the people near the Shu region were living lives of peaceful prosperity.

Finally, on this afternoon, Qin Yining’s procession arrived outside Jianchuan Pass in the Shu region.

Qin Yining alighted from the carriage, her moon-white long dress stirred by the breeze, outlining her figure that had grown much thinner over the past month.

The air was filled with a faint fragrance of green plants. Using a round fan to shade the sunlight from her forehead, she squinted and looked up, seeing towering steep cliffs extending to both sides. On the precipices wound walkways that only allowed one person to pass sideways. Further up and down, there was no place to set foot—one false step would mean a ten-thousand-zhang abyss.

Right in the center, the fortress-like Jianchuan Pass was like a stern warrior, solemnly guarding the territory behind it. Guards in bright red jackets stood on the gate tower. Though the city gate was open, few people passed through—most were stopped outside the gate.

Qin Yining was shocked by the scene before her, and even the people behind her fell silent for a while.

After a long time, Mu Jinghu said, “No wonder they all say ‘The roads of Shu are difficult, more difficult than ascending to the blue sky.’ This pass hardly needs any troops to guard it. Just station people in the gate tower—those hanging cliffs and steep walls on both sides can probably only be crossed by sprouting wings and flying over.”

Qin Yining nodded. “Earlier, when the people sent by the Prince returned with their report, they mentioned that they couldn’t get in here. Now that I see it with my own eyes, I understand why they couldn’t get in. Those walkways built on hanging cliffs and steep walls—even walking along them properly would be difficult, let alone climbing over the mountain walls. Jingzhe, go forward and see why so many people are gathered at the city gate but not going in?”

Jingzhe nodded and strode toward the city gate.