The horses and carriages left Ming County smoothly.
The road was exceptionally wide.
After Jiang Changtian took office, he had people construct roads.
He had them build the roads wide and level, using the excuse of needing to transport supplies to Commander Zi, and even requested many strong laborers from Commander Zi to help with the construction.
With so many people coming, accommodations needed to be built.
These road workers had food to eat, housing, and a series of welfare promises, so they subsequently stayed.
More people started families and settled down.
In short, the population of Ming County experienced explosive growth.
The surrounding He County was also incorporated into the jurisdiction.
It all became interconnected.
Jiang Wan's heart yearned to return.
Indeed, as soon as she left Ming County and ventured out, she could feel the invisible ropes binding her body snapping one by one.
From now on, the sky was high and birds could fly freely, the sea was vast and fish could leap at will.
She felt her beauty had even increased.
Luck was something that couldn't be seen or touched, yet it always felt tangibly real.
It seemed that in Ming County, she would be increasingly suppressed and lackluster, exhausted from running around, always doing meaningless things.
Thinking back, it was true.
During this time, she had made basically no progress.
She spent less time on music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and even less time copying scriptures.
First, she had to take care of her elder brother, then her father, then her pregnant mother, then her injured grandmother.
Managing the household, with its myriad trivial matters.
Before, she had been a carefree young lady, not worrying about making a living, beautiful every day, occasionally sympathizing with the poor, daily calmly copying scriptures and worshipping Buddha, studying.
Her whole body radiated light.
Serene and lovely.
But somehow, everything changed.
Now she was even fleeing as if escaping a disaster.
She leaned back in the carriage, calculating.
Now they were going to the Seventh Prince's station.
Her family going there was actually a burden on her aunt.
But she vaguely had some predictive abilities, this was her trump card, it would surely be useful.
There's always a way out when you reach the mountain.
As long as they left Ming County, anywhere would do.
The carriage was steady, and her heart gradually calmed down.
Old Lady Jiang was injured, with some redness and swelling on her face.
Jiang Huaisheng was bewildered, not understanding how his mother's face had been injured, and even scolded Wan'er for how she had taken care of their mother.
He was also worried about Jing'er, not knowing how she was doing.
He was also willing to leave Ming County.
There were too many unbearable memories here.
Jiang Rong seemed detached, hugging a book, sitting in the corner, swaying back and forth.
The family was silent, each with different thoughts.
Yet they all breathed a sigh of relief.
They only felt that the carriage was galloping, moving very fast.
Suddenly the carriage stopped.
Everyone was startled.
They thought something had happened.
Jiang Wan felt it couldn't be so easy to leave.
But when they lifted the curtain, there was nothing wrong, they had just reached a tea house, and the guards had stopped to drink some water.
Jiang Wan had prepared food and drink in the carriage, so she didn't get out.
She just anxiously waited, hoping it would be quick.
Hoping there wouldn't be any complications.
The guards were indeed very quick.
They finished eating and drinking simply and began to set off again.
The sound of cart wheels started again, creaking.
Harsh yet melodious.
Not long after they set off, the carriage suddenly stopped again.
Old Lady Jiang was getting annoyed.
She was injured, and the weather was hot, the stopping and starting was miserable.
Hadn't they just eaten and drunk? What was it now?
Old Lady Jiang complained before realizing that outside seemed unusually quiet.
There wasn't even the sound of cicadas.
Jiang Wan noticed it too.
Surely no one would dare to stop the Seventh Prince's people?
She lifted the curtain and saw a dense crowd standing opposite them.
Their carriage was backing up.
The Seventh Prince's strong and valiant guards, even their horses were snorting nervously.
There were too many people on the other side.
The old lady leaned back in the carriage, seeing the familiar long-haired figure on horseback not far away, she nearly fainted, her eyes going dark.
The sunlight shone on that person, as if their whole body was gilded in golden light.
Jiang Wan seemed to see him wearing a kasaya, with a Buddha-like yet demonic appearance.
Jiang Wan was shocked, her face turning deathly pale.
Old Lady Jiang felt as if someone was gripping her throat, wanting to speak but unable to open her mouth.
Jiang Changtian sat on horseback, beside him were Meng Shaoxia and Jiang Feng, and in the crowd was the concerned Qin Luoxia.
Jiang Changtian said to Old Lady Jiang in the carriage: "Mother, mother don't go, mother stay with me, mother I'm scared."
The exact same familiar words came out of Jiang Changtian's mouth.
Old Lady Jiang trembled in terror.
Jiang Wan's scalp tingled.
