The rabbit woke up while they were eating, wobbling as it tried to run away. Chang'an rolled up a snowball and threw it at the creature.
Already disoriented, the rabbit collapsed again, dazed.
After finishing their meal, Old Gu Six washed the dishes and began to prepare the rabbit. Chang'an thought they could have spicy rabbit for dinner.
Having fed the mule and packed up their belongings, they didn't linger. Though it wasn't as deadly cold as during the winter disaster, it still wasn't comfortable to rest outside.
Two more days passed as they traveled. The father-daughter pair came across a tea stall in the middle of nowhere. There, a thinly-clad woman with a face turned blue from the cold was kneeling on the ground, offering to sell herself to bury her father.
The few customers at the tea stall paid her no attention. Why would someone sell themselves in such a desolate place? Couldn't she go to town or the city?
Moreover, she didn't look like someone who couldn't afford to bury her deceased father. The woman was sweet-faced with fair skin, not the kind that came from a poor family.
Her clothes were made of fine cotton without a single patch, and she even wore a silver hairpin.
If you're going to sell yourself to bury your father, at least make it believable. Don't you know to wear mourning clothes?
Even a fool could see something was off about this woman. Anyone who wasn't blinded by lust wouldn't approach her.
What could she be up to?
Old Gu Six drove the mule cart past without stopping. In his mind, the woman's dead father was none of his business. He hadn't killed the man, so why should he buy her and pay to bury her father?
He was poor too, you know?
The woman was disappointed. She had finally seen a young, handsome man pass by, but he didn't even glance at her. He just drove past the tea stall as if he were blind, eyes fixed straight ahead.
She had been kneeling there for days. The only people who stopped at the tea stall were middle-aged men without a shred of sympathy.
She couldn't fool anyone in town or the city anymore, so she had come out here to try her luck.
If she didn't bring back any money today, she'd face another beating from her good-for-nothing husband. She just wanted to meet a kind soul who would take her away, but it seemed nearly impossible.
In the cart that had driven away, Chang'an lay on the blankets and asked casually, "Dad, what did you think about that woman selling herself to bury her father?"
"I saw her from the cart. I didn't even stop," he replied.
Chang'an: *facepalm*
"Dad, when you die, remember to leave me plenty of money. Otherwise, I might have to sell myself to bury you too."
"That's impossible. If there's no money, I'll just wrap you in a straw mat, dig a hole, and be done with it."
Old Gu Six smacked his lips. "Don't worry. If we're out of money, I'll dig the hole for myself first. You can just have someone throw me in and cover it with dirt."
Very good, a realistic version of digging your own grave.
"Dad, keep up that invincible attitude. And don't trust women by the roadside, especially don't pick them up. They might want both your money and your life."
"I understand, darling. Don't worry, no one can swindle even a copper coin from me, except what I give willingly."
The father and daughter chatted idly. Sometimes the mule would act up a bit, but usually, a few threats would sort it out. It wasn't a big deal.
Perhaps because it was just the two of them, appearing vulnerable, they caught the eye of some bandits.
"This tree I planted, this road I paved. If you want to pass, leave some cash!" the bandits shouted.
This was the first time Chang'an had seen robbers wielding hoes. Their slogan wasn't nearly as impressive as "Toll booth ahead in 100 meters, please slow down."
Oops, wrong script.
These clearly weren't professional bandits. They were probably just trying to make some extra money for the winter.
Chang'an didn't judge whether they were good or evil, but she certainly wouldn't give them money just because they looked pitiful.
They were planning to do some robbing of their own, after all.
Old Gu Six didn't waste words. Without even getting off the cart, he cracked his whip at the road-blockers, scattering them, and drove on without stopping.
The bandits were dumbfounded. This wasn't how it was supposed to go!
"Boss, should we chase them?" one asked.
"We can't beat them. Don't chase," the chubby leader replied, clearly intimidated as he picked himself up.
The walls of Linyun County loomed high, with guards wielding long spears standing atop them. The city gates were tightly shut, and outside, a smattering of refugees had set up windbreaks, waiting to be settled.
Chang'an and Old Gu Six stopped in a grove outside the city, not approaching the gates.
"Dad, they're not letting anyone in. What do we do?" Chang'an asked.
Old Gu Six lazily glanced up, unconcerned. "We don't have to use the city gate to get in."
"What, are you going to parachute in? Or climb the wall? Can you even scale such a high wall?"
"Don't rush. When it gets dark, I'll take you into the city."
"Alright, you're the dad. I'll follow your lead."
"Darling, you rest here. I'll be back soon."
With that, Old Gu Six vanished. Chang'an guessed he was going to scout.
Indeed, he was reconnoitering. First, he checked the guards at the front of the wall and found no gaps to exploit. Then he went to the right side of the wall. In the corner, there was a blind spot. As long as they didn't make a big commotion, they wouldn't be discovered.
Old Gu Six paced back and forth at the base of the wall. The guards on top naturally spotted him and kept a close eye on his every move.
But they saw that he was just walking back and forth, as if taking a stroll. They lowered their raised bows but continued to watch him closely, ready to shoot if he caused any trouble.
Old Gu Six knew he had caught the attention of the men on the wall, but he paid them no mind and continued searching for a way into the city.
Having confirmed that the blind spot on the right side would work, he disappeared around the corner.
The father and daughter pair waited until nightfall. The pitch-black night, without even a single star, was perfect for mischief.
"Darling, put away the cart. We'll tie the mule here," Old Gu Six said. Whether it would be stolen by other refugees was up to the mule's own luck.
The spatial storage could only be accessed by Chang'an herself; no other living creature could be put inside. It was truly inconvenient.
Chang'an had called out to "that person" several times, hoping to upgrade the space, but no one answered her.
They had prepared night clothes back in the small town and now changed into them. They quietly made their way to the spot Old Gu Six had scouted in the afternoon.
Old Gu Six had Chang'an take out a length of rope with an iron hook tied to one end. He swung the hooked end forcefully, catching it on a battlement.
He tugged hard to make sure it was secure, then piggybacked Chang'an and used his lightness skill to leap up the rope.
They descended the same way. In the deep of night, only the sound of the night watchman's clapper could be heard on the streets. Old Gu Six continued to carry Chang'an on his back without putting her down.
He didn't take the usual path, but instead leaped across the rooftops of various houses, with Chang'an on his back.
The night watchman happened to glance up, catching a glimpse of a dark shadow flashing overhead. He rubbed his eyes, but saw nothing.
Recalling ghost stories he had heard before, he shuddered violently, nearly wetting himself in fright. With a pale face, he scrambled and tumbled his way back home.
The father and daughter were unfamiliar with Linyun County. Being strangers in a strange land, finding the Prefecture Governor's Mansion would be a bit challenging.
