Chapter 239: Chapter 235: To Protect Second Miss, I Alone Am Enough

Afternoon, after the rain cleared, they set out again.

Due to the addition of Li Mu and his group, the team underwent some changes.

First was the change in leadership.

Originally, the team was mainly organized by Gu Yuan and Li Xingyuan, both openly and secretly. Now that these two were gone, Gu Hui naturally felt he should take on his cousin’s responsibilities and rearrange the formation.

But Li Mu’s side did not agree.

“Your Black Cavalry has the strongest combat power; it should go ahead to scout so that in case of danger, it can protect Second Miss!” Although Li Mu had angered him greatly this morning, Gu Hui was well-mannered and could speak calmly now.

The boy over there listened calmly but was unmoved: “I alone am enough to protect the Second Miss.”

As he spoke, standing beside Tang Xiaobai, he didn’t move an inch. He raised his hand and ordered, “Black Cavalry at the rear.”

“Swish!”

All fifty Black Cavalry turned simultaneously.

Looking at it this way, it really seemed like bullying.

Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but speak: “Ah Xiao, you—”

“No harm done,” Gu Hui, instead, suppressed his anger and smiled at Tang Xiaobai, “His people follow his orders, I’ll lead the team to forge ahead.”

Tang Xiaobai thought about it and agreed.

The little ancestor’s people naturally listened to the ancestor’s command, while her people listened to Gu Hui.

So she nodded and said, “Then it’s hard work for Cousin Hui,” then added, “Could Brother Tao and Ah Jin join the forward team?”

Thus, the front team was led by Gu Hui with Tang Xiaobai’s people, while the back team was Li Mu’s Black Cavalry, distinctly separated.

Li Mu’s gaze turned cold.

Was he now the outsider?

…

After setting out, Tang Xiaobai, as usual, observed the terrain and recorded the mileage, while occasionally chatting with the people beside her.

Li Mu walked beside her but didn’t have much to say.

Even when he occasionally spoke, it was no different from talking with others.

He walked silently for a while and suddenly said, “Second Miss would have a clearer view if she observed the terrain from the front.” Walking in the middle of the team, surrounded by many people.

Tang Xiaobai was very intrigued upon hearing this.

She certainly knew the view was better from the front, but for safety reasons, she had obediently accepted the arrangement to stay in the middle.

Suddenly someone urged her—

“With me and Mo Ji and Mo Huan, there won’t be any unpredictable danger,” Li Mu continued to encourage.

Mo Ji and Mo Huan, both highly skilled, were far superior to Li Xingyuan, which gave Tang Xiaobai much reassurance.

Thinking it over, she turned her head and asked Wenren Jia: “Do you want to go to the front together?”

…

Tang Xiaobai wanted to move to the front lines, and although Gu Hui didn’t quite agree, he didn’t object either.

Since the Black Cavalry joined, there was indeed no need to be as fearful as before.

But he knew, his little cousin usually wasn’t one to stir trouble; having this idea was definitely under someone’s influence.

Gu Hui secretly glared at Li Mu, then instructed Tao Fen and others to stay close.

At the front with fewer people, Miss Tang talked more, mainly communicating with Wenren Jia.

When busy, she didn’t even glance at Li Mu for half a day.

Li Mu quietly followed alongside, making some adjustments in secret.

Tao Fen first noticed the change: “Are we slowing down?”

Wenren Jia looked back at Tao Fen, then glanced around, finally focusing thoughtfully on Li Mu.

Tang Xiaobai’s first reaction was also to look at the little ancestor.

Among this crowd, he was unquestionably the most prone to causing things.

Li Mu didn’t deny it: “Since the route is confirmed, there’s no need for a hurried march. Going slower aids in observing and recording the terrain and avoids brushing past the large army,” he said, glancing at Wenren Jia, “If you are in a hurry, I can assign someone to escort you away first.”

Wenren Jia was slightly taken aback, then shook his head with a smile: “No rush, there’s no need to trouble you.”

Li Mu lowered his gaze, hiding a cold glint.

He recalled that back in Capital City, Second Miss paid close attention to this person.

Unexpectedly, while he was away, their friendship deepened, and Wenren Jia even accompanied her to the Northwest?

Gu Hui was from the Gu family, Tao Fen was a senior brother, he could understand that.

Wenren Jia, what gave him the merit?

Back then—

Li Mu’s eyes flickered, and he suddenly lifted his gaze: “Your determined mind and deep sense of discretion are indeed remarkable. It’s no wonder that, back then, even when the Second Miss visited you in person, you refused to lend a hand.”

Eh?

Tang Xiaobai blinked in confusion.

When did this happen?

She remembered Wenren Jia helping her quite a lot, almost always responding to her requests and not even charging money.

Tang Xiaobai couldn’t recall, but after a brief pause, Wenren Jia remembered, slowly smiled, and said: “Indeed, it wasn’t time back then, but now, it is.”

…

After nightfall, they still camped at the foot of a hill sheltered from the wind.

A layer of animal skins was laid on the plush grass, and Tang Xiaobai sat on it, sipping a steaming bowl of fish soup.

The little ancestor expressed worry about encountering her when she was freezing and starving.

Actually, he was worrying too much.

From the time she set out from Shanzhou, each person had only brought a thick robe, and along the journey, Yingying had already fashioned ten-odd fur coats from animal hides.

She even saw semiprocessed ones from the dozens of wolves skinned yesterday.

With these, they should manage well even when they venture deeper into the plateau.

As for starving, that was even less of a concern.

Ah Jin was familiar with plateau environments, Tao Fen excelled in hunting, and the culinary prodigy Tao Zi hadn’t disappointed her in a single meal; when fortunate enough to find a village, they could even trade for some barley and wheat flour.

Food-wise, she really wasn’t struggling, while the little ancestor seemed quite rough around the edges…

Thinking of this, Tang Xiaobai raised her head and asked: “Go check if Ah Xiao and Wenren are done talking.”

Their conversation was mysterious, talking about how the time hadn’t been right then but was right now.

In front of so many people, it wasn’t suitable for her to ask.

At dusk, while they were resting, Wenren Jia had actively invited the little ancestor for a discussion.

The little ancestor didn’t mind her listening in, but Wenren Jia refused: “This matter involves the Qin Family’s core. Afterward, if Mr. Qin wishes to tell anyone, it’s none of my business. But before that, I’m only allowed to inform Mr. Qin alone.”

Tang Xiaobai believed that’s reasonable.

Still unaware of the issue, the little ancestor just wanted to pull her in together to listen.

Ah, the little ancestor really values her too much!

With this thought, Tang Xiaobai couldn’t help but raise a corner of her mouth.

But she soon realized it and hurriedly suppressed her smile, coughing lightly a few times.

Tao Zi heard the cough, turned around, and patted her back: “Sip slowly, don’t choke.”

Tang Xiaobai guiltily lowered her head to continue drinking the fish soup.

Why rejoice? Why feel proud?

After nurturing him for so many years, isn’t gratitude quite normal?

While quietly scolding herself, Yingying, who had just returned from checking the situation, reported: “Mr. Qin has returned to his tent.”

Tang Xiaobai blew on the remaining fish soup, drank it in one gulp, accepted a handkerchief to wipe her mouth, and instructed: “Serve another bowl and let it cool for Ah Xiao to drink later!”

She jumped up, running towards the little ancestor’s tent.

Although the conversation between those two was cryptic during the day, she understood it afterward.

What they were discussing was likely the matter of the forged letters slandering the Qin Family.

Wenren Jia indeed knew the origin of that fake seal!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep