Chapter 346: Bound to the Child-Bearing System, Becoming a Winner in Life Chapter 347: A Passerby Strives to Live (15)

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

Co-Regent? Is he trying to make an already terrible situation worse? The Emperor really knows how to play games.

Shen Yao muttered in her heart, expressing surprise at the news sent by Lady Liu.

Liu Jingyan also frowned tightly, "It is well known that the Emperor's several Princes have never been on good terms; how could they jointly serve as Co-Regents?" It would be more like them tripping each other up.

They were all the sort who would rather their brothers die out so that they alone could inherit the great legacy.

Lady Liu spread her hands helplessly, "Anyway, this is how the Emperor arranged it." As for whether the mentioned Princes could handle the Co-Regency well, it would depend on whether their methods were high enough.

Based on Lady Liu's years of experience in the inner household, Luojing would sooner or later fall into chaos; if the Emperor returned early, the problem might remain controllable, but if the Emperor returned late or simply met with misfortune, it was hard to say.

The three looked at me, I looked at you, tacitly bringing the topic to a close without continuing.

After resting for one night, they set out early on the second day, with the car fleet heading straight for the nearest town.

Liu Jingyan hired two different Escort Agencies with money, with only one destination: Yingchuan.

After simply buying some supplies in the town to replenish their stocks, the car fleet hurried on their way; for this, their expenses for this trip would exceed the budget by a great deal.

"As long as we can reach Yingchuan safely, everything else can be accepted."

Lady Liu was in charge of the accounts, watching the supplies and silver money decrease day by day, and she was also calculating frugality in various ways.

When they stopped the carriage to dine during the day, Lady Liu always had to find Shen Yao to complain a few sentences; it was not that she wanted to hear Shen Yao say anything, just chatting.

"This place is less than half a month from Yingchuan; once we reach Yingchuan, it will be the end of bitterness and the beginning of sweetness."

"Yes, just half a month; they had previously been able to persist through wind and dew lodging, so there was no reason to feel uncomfortable and dissatisfied at a time like this."

After the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law finished speaking, they smiled at each other, then each went to do their own things.

…………

The car fleet moved forward; because fresh blood had joined, Liu Jingyan no longer had to work as hard as before.

Whether day or evening, there was no lack of people around them who could provide protection.

But despite such tight defense, when the car fleet entered the territory of Hengzhou, separated from Yingchuan by only one city, the car fleet was once again attacked by something from outside.

Shen Yao remembered that it was during evening rest, and the entire camp was very quiet.

Shen Yao lay on the bed with the two children, Qing Shui slept on the couch, and on both sides of the doorway were pasted a sheet of Defense Talisman Paper each.

The talisman paper flickered, and the light it emitted woke Shen Yao, who had not yet fallen asleep.

She instinctively protected the two children beside her, then woke Qing Shui to ask about the situation outside.

Unfortunately, Qing Shui was just an ordinary person, her sensitivity far inferior to Shen Yao's; she had not even walked out of the tent before collapsing unconscious to the ground.

Shen Yao:...

Shen Yao could only go down to the ground herself, not forgetting to paste talisman papers all over the children before leaving.

She ran barefoot to the doorway, only to see the camp quiet, the moon above her head covered tightly at some unknown time; with her mortal eyes, she could not see through it at all.

Tsk

Shen Yao scratched her head, thinking it over; she could not wait. This time, she did not know what this strange phenomenon was, and dragging it out would be disadvantageous to them.

Her expression shifted, and suddenly a string of golden bells the size of a palm appeared in Shen Yao's hand.

The bell's surface was engraved with the swastika character, tied at the bottom with a red string, and at the tail end was tied a string of copper coins.

Ding ling ling—

As soon as the Soul-Calling Bell rang, sound drifted through the entire camp, like layers of ripples, spreading open the painting scroll before her eyes.

Shen Yao shook it at a constant frequency; the bell sound was pleasant, carrying a hint of Buddhist Charm, and it brought the entire camp back to life.

Those trapped in the Illusion Realm woke up in time and took advantage of the situation to break free from the strange phenomenon's binding.

Soon, Liu Jingyan ran back to the room to confirm the situation of Shen Yao and her two children.

"A Yan, we are fine," Shen Yao got up, the corners of her lips turning pale, with no color on her face.

Liu Jingyan reached out and embraced Shen Yao, patting her back to comfort her.

"It's good that you're fine, it's good that you're fine. Just now, a strange phenomenon skilled in setting up Illusion Realms came," Liu Jingyan noticed too late and was dragged into it.

The Illusion Realm was dangerous, widespread, and not under human control; if not for the sudden divine sound of the bell, Liu Jingyan feared he would still be besieged.

"Stay here and do not move around; wait until I have checked on the situation of the others."

Afraid that danger would strike again, before leaving, Liu Jingyan gave Shen Yao many defense methods and ordered the Liu Family servants to guard outside the door, only then did he have the mind to pay attention to the camp situation.

On Lady Liu's side, she had confirmed safety early on; now Shen Yao's side was also safe and sound. The two heaviest stones weighing on his heart successfully landed, and Liu Jingyan handled matters with ease, also making the two groups of Escorts he had hired submit wholeheartedly.

"Young Master Liu, the wilderness is dangerous; Lu suggests it would be best to enter the city to lodge for the night."

This time someone rescued them; they were lucky, but what about next time?

In the wild ridges, they could not always pin their hopes on others.

In the past, when they Escorts went on escort missions, they would never choose such a distant route.

It was also because greed for the reward had arisen this time; otherwise, no matter what, the two Escort Agencies would not have agreed. Yingchuan was still too far.

"Escort Chief Lu's words, Liu understands. Rest assured, tomorrow early morning, we will set off and leave."

In the future, we will also try to choose places near towns to lodge for the night."

Not only were the Escorts afraid, but Liu Jingyan was also panicked.

If such a strange phenomenon of not high rank but able to take a different path and nearly wipe them out appeared again, Liu Jingyan was not sure whether he could wake up in time.

After all, it was still that bell sound that provided help, but he did not know who the person who acted was; as a result, he could not find anyone to thank.

Because they had been suddenly attacked by a strange phenomenon, the entire camp was brightly lit; whether it was Lady Liu and the other women of the back courtyard, or the servants and Escorts responsible for safety and guarding, they all kept their eyes open until dawn.

Shen Yao stayed in the room, and after slapping Qing Shui awake from her faint, she coaxed the two children who had been forced awake by the wet nurses.

By dawn the next day, the car fleet departed directly, without even having time for the morning meal.

"Once we enter Hengzhou, we'll rest properly for two days," Madam Liu said while yawning, with dark purple circles under her eyes.

As a firsthand witness to last night's events, Madam Liu had already regained her earlier composure.

But she still felt lingering fear, just like now—even if she was sleepy, she wouldn't close her eyes unless the car fleet entered the city.

Shen Yao held the child who had just fallen asleep in her arms, gently rocking as she placed the swaddling clothes into the cradle.

The cradle was lined with soft brocade satin, with a thick layer of cotton underneath, to prevent the two children from being uncomfortable and affecting their sleep.

The adults could endure it, but children like this would harm their bodies.

"I heard Hengzhou has abundant resources," they could stroll around Hengzhou City, after all, there was still time.

Madam Liu made an affirmative sound and whispered, "Hengzhou was originally the capital of the previous dynasty."

"When the Founding Emperor of Wei established the state, he worried about border instability, so he set the capital in Luojing."

Luojing belonged to the Plain Area; though not close to the border, it faced no obstacles.

Back then, the Founding Emperor of Wei State had no shortcomings in civil and military strategy; after raising his army, he swept through the surrounding states large and small, directly unifying over half of the Human Race Cities.

If Wei State had not just been founded and needed rest and recuperation, unable to continue waging war, who knows—the Human Race might already have completed internal unification and presented a united front externally.

But Wei State has developed to this day and has long lost the sharpness of its founding days, no longer possessing a unified state of mind.

To put it bluntly, Wei State should thank heaven and earth if it doesn't suffer internal unrest itself; the surrounding small states are far more stable than Wei State.

"I once learned from books that Hengzhou produces minerals, and the Heng People rose through minerals."

Shen Yao bent her finger, mentioning what benefits abundant minerals would bring; the only pity was that Hengzhou's minerals were decreasing year by year, nearly exhausted—a great loss for Wei State.

"I didn't know Hengzhou's minerals had reached such a state, but this has nothing to do with us women; it's a matter for those men to worry about," Madam Liu waved her hand calmly, completely not taking this piece of information to heart.

Shen Yao smiled faintly, fleeting as it was, thinking to herself that it did concern them—it was minerals, after all, a staple item for forging weapons.

Although the Liu Family had no one serving in the military, there were not a few private attendants.

A sharp weapon could not only gain the upper hand in dueling magic but could also save one's own life in certain situations.

Shen Yao's gaze looked forward, as if looking at Liu Jingyan through the falling curtain.

Liu Jingyan, riding on horseback, seemed to sense something and turned his head to glance back.

"Young Master, Hengzhou City is just ahead," the attendant who had gone to scout the road ran back to report, also mentioning traces of bandits on the road; to avoid conflict, they had best hurry through.

"Tell the people ahead to speed up; we must enter the city before noon."

Liu Jingyan waved his hand and said sternly.

The attendant lowered his head, replied in the affirmative, turned around, and ran ahead to inform the car fleet of the latest orders.

As the person in charge responsible for the car fleet's external communications, Liu Jingyan's words still carried weight.

No sooner had the words been spoken than the speed of the entire car fleet increased a notch.

Shen Yao could clearly feel the car fleet beneath her speeding up; she held onto her side with one hand and had Qing Shui come in to clear away the pastries and beverages on the table.

After Qing Shui finished, seeing her master's displeased expression, she quickly asked if they should have the driver slow down.

"No need; the earlier we enter the city, the sooner we can rest easy. Every extra minute spent on the road means an extra share of risk."

Although Shen Yao had means to resist strange phenomena, if she had to help out every time, Liu Jingyan would eventually suspect her.

Contribute according to one's ability; Shen Yao only wanted to be a salted fish and was unwilling to invite trouble for nothing.

Shen Yao stopped Qing Water's actions with an air of understanding the greater situation, patted her chest, and said, "After we enter the city later, we'll buy some daily necessities; whatever we lack here, we'll replenish all at once."

Sure enough, Shen Yao's words greatly diverted Qing Shui's attention.

Smiling and nodding, she noted down what they needed to replenish on this trip, then Qing Shui turned around and left the Che Xiang.

As for the carriage beneath them being too fast? Please, she had ridden in one before; besides, the road to Hengzhou was flat, an official road frequently traveled by carriages and horses, so there was absolutely no such thing as excessive jolting.

Before noon, the car fleet entered Hengzhou.

The Liu Family had no property in Hengzhou, but that didn't mean they couldn't spend money to buy some.

Liu Jingyan once again showed Shen Yao what "money can make ghosts turn millstones" meant.

In less than half a day, they moved from an inn within the city to a luxurious Sanjin Mansion in East City.

This was because Liu Jingyan had been too eager; other better properties in Hengzhou sold too slowly, so they could only temporarily make do.

Shen Yao:...

She had truly opened her eyes; was this the life of a wealthy family? Buying a house was like buying steamed buns, without even blinking.

Shen Yao stood in the courtyard directing Qing Shui and others to tidy up the luggage they had brought; the two children were handed over to the wet nurses and were in the room drinking milk.

"Yao Yao"

"A Yan"

Shen Yao turned around and saw Liu Jingyan walking in; the other person was full of a cold aura, clearly having not rested.

"Your hands are so cold? Why not go inside?" Liu Jingyan felt heartache for Shen Yao; in his view, his wife was merely a delicate and beautiful ordinary woman, and he wanted to shield her from wind and rain, lest this tender flower wither and fade.

Shen Yao, who was merely a shell of a delicate flower but actually a domineering flower inside:...

"A Yan just returned; is there business at the Prefect's place?" Whenever they entered a new place, they would visit the local chief; even if it was just a formality, they couldn't be discourteous.

"The Prefect hasn't entered the capital for a long time; on a whim, he chatted more about matters in Luojing."

After speaking, Liu Jingyan pulled Shen Yao into the house: "For these few days of going out, have more attendants from the mansion accompany you."

"I've already discussed it with Mother; we'll hire a batch of Hengzhou Escorts to escort us."

The originally hired Escorts wouldn't be dismissed anyway; the Liu Family wasn't short of that bit of money.

"Is the road to Yingchuan not peaceful?" Otherwise why hire Escorts.

"The Prefect said there's recently a bandit group that likes to roam and commit crimes, and they haven't been caught yet."

The importance of Liu Jingyan's group went without saying; they definitely had to take precautions.

"If that's the case, Mother will surely grow anxious," Shen Yao said. She already slept poorly, and with Damocles' Sword hanging over her head, she was utterly exhausted.

Liu Jingyan pursed his lips and asked Shen Yao to spend more time with Lady Liu when she had the chance.

He would be visiting the Prefect's mansion these past few days, and by the way discuss another deal.

"A Yan, you go attend to your business; leave the home to me," she said. She would settle everything and carry out the corresponding logistics support work.

As the proverb goes, husband and wife matching makes the work not tiring.

Shen Yao, just as she had promised, took care of everything at the mansion so Liu Jingyan could handle outside matters with peace of mind.

Liu Jingyan, carrying his grandfather's instructions, probed each other's bottom lines with the old fox Prefect, finally reaching cooperation within a range both sides accepted.

Among them was Hengzhou's specialty ore.

No one failed to covet these mining wealth, and no one disliked arming themselves.

Liu Jingyan's return to Yingchuan this time was to seek refuge, and likewise to leave a retreat route for the Liu Family.

Liu Xiuwen sensed that Wei State would not be safe in the future; their Liu Family could not always shrink in Luojing and passively wait. Liu Jingyan was a living pawn Liu Xiuwen had played, and he would surely stir up the waters of the entire Liu Family.

Liu Jingyan had not failed Liu Xiuwen's regard; along the way he had shown great stability, even exceeding Liu Xiuwen's expectations.

Within Luoyang City, Liu Xiuwen received a letter of transmission. First he wrote the reply letter, then had someone summon Liu Jingsheng. Grandfather and grandson, as the actual controllers of Liu Fu, were discussing matters after Liu Xiuwen left the capital.

"Concealment and dormancy; do not take sides, and do not rely on any Prince."

Liu Xiuwen calculated over and over in his mind, and still felt that the Emperor's personal expedition this time had the wrong timing.

As an accompanying personnel, if the Emperor returned safely he could breathe easy, but once the Emperor met with any bad outcome, the Liu Family might well face an extinction disaster.