Gu Kaichen was initially a bit angry, feeling deceived and severely wronged.

However, upon seeing his eldest brother and sister-in-law’s calm demeanor, he quickly realized the underlying situation.

He somewhat regretted not confiding in Xu Yulan earlier, preventing her from causing chaos here.

Grabbing Xu Yulan by the arm, he said, "Dad, Yulan might have caught a chill and is a bit dazed. I’ll take her outside to clear her mind."

Bai Jiang, "..." You’re the one who’s not thinking clearly.

But how did he sense something was off? The eldest and second child were unusually calm today, accepting everything so peacefully?

The strangest part was that when Gu Kaichen and Xu Yulan returned, it was as if nothing had happened, and Xu Yulan even seemed in a good mood.

Especially when Xu Yulan eagerly asked him, "Father, what would you like to eat today?

Are you tired? Why don’t you sit down and rest? I’ll bring you a basin of hot water to soak your feet and relieve your fatigue..."

Gu Antong looked at the family, then at Xu Yulan, and muttered, "What did Second Aunt eat wrong this time?"

Liu Yun wanted to speak but held back and ultimately said nothing to Gu Antong.

Certainly, the task of honoring the father-in-law couldn’t be left solely to Xu Yulan. Despite her own exhaustion, she went over to tidy up the blankets.

Bai Jiang also understood that the biggest conflict at home now revolved around Silver. So he quietly went out late at night.

The next day, when the two brothers saw the hundred-tael silver note in their hands, they treated Bai Jiang with even more care.

They knew the old man had secrets, and whenever their family got into trouble, a group would assist them, secretly guessing it must be the Third Prince, though they wouldn’t say it aloud.

The two brothers formed an alliance in their hearts, determined not to let Gu Kaiyuan get involved.

Gu Kaiyuan wasn’t aware that a crisis had been averted so smoothly, but revealing the matter was also his way to incite the Gu Family against each other, aligning with his initial intentions.

Even though they were staying at a post station, shielded from the wind and rain, the room was still exceptionally cold.

The space wasn’t ideal for staying long, so the two of them snuggled under the blanket. At first, they chatted, but once it warmed up, Bai Suihe couldn’t resist and gradually fell asleep.

Gu Kaiyuan, having already rested in the space before, wasn’t sleepy and stared at the ceiling. Bai Suihe turned over, snuggling right up to him.

He gently pulled her into his arms, letting her head rest on his shoulder, as if this action had been rehearsed countless times, feeling so natural.

Looking at Bai Suihe’s pale, rosy face, Gu Kaiyuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed. This was also the first time since his rebirth that he had been so close to his wife.

In her sleep, Bai Suihe seemed to have found warmth, or perhaps she was having a sweet dream, as the corners of her mouth gently turned up, making everything seem so beautiful.

Gu Kaiyuan raised his other hand, gently stroking her head, his eyes full of tenderness. At this moment, no one knew what he was thinking.

Early the next morning, the pitter-patter of rain made everyone feel particularly heavy-hearted.

For they knew that rain or shine, they had no choice but to move forward.

"Quickly pack everything up; time to set off." As expected, the urging voice came on cue, and everyone wore solemn expressions, silently preparing their belongings.

This time, everyone had prepared ample rations along with thick blankets. Even if they didn’t sit in the carts, the slippery roads made it difficult for carts to proceed.

Those without vehicles felt even more troubled; the heavy rain made it hard for them to keep their balance, let alone carry so much luggage.

Some approached the escort, asking if they could rest for a day?

But those escorts, snapping their whips, replied stiffly, "Who knows what the weather will be like next? If we don’t move in the rain and can’t move in the snow, we might as well wait to be punished from above.

Even in the rain, aren’t we traveling with you? What’s there to complain about?"

The group eventually set off as planned, but they hadn’t gone even a mile when many were soaked through.

In such cold weather, being drenched made it unbearable by afternoon, causing some to collapse.

The experienced escorts dealt with it well, advising those with carts to manage themselves, while those without were casually thrown onto nearby carts.

Witnessing this, some feigned fainting, leaving only one or two family members to push the carts.

With their vehicle bringing up the rear, Gu Kaiyuan’s group faced none of these worries, especially with two escort agency convoys trailing along.

The rain slowed everyone’s pace, but for escorts familiar with the terrain, this was an easy problem to solve.

They found a wind-sheltered mountain cove, whose slight incline provided a haven.

Once everyone was settled there, the two escort agency convoys also arrived.

"Sir, the road’s indeed tough," said the escort leaders Liu and Xu as they approached Liu Pingkang, "Within a ten-mile radius, this is the only place to shield from wind and rain. We hope you’ll allow us some leeway."

While physically strong, the escort guards weren’t keen on conflict with officials and quickly offered a silver note with a smile.

Seeing the two escort agencies, their many robust men and heavily loaded carts, Liu Pingkang quickly reconsidered upon the difficult road conditions ahead.

"This is an ownerless land where anyone can rest.

Being on the road, we should look out for each other."

With many bandits awaiting them further along, possible alliances could reduce his burden significantly.

"Makes sense," agreed the escort chiefs, looking to forge strong relations and ideally propose traveling together.

"You’re transporting quite a lot," noted Liu Pingkang, observing the carts filled with heavy goods, leaving deep tracks wherever they passed.

"No choice, we make our living this way. Whatever the clients require, we provide that help.

The loads are indeed heavy this trip, so speed might suffer, but rest assured, we’ll follow behind you tomorrow without hindering your path," replied Xu, now sensing hunger as the exiled began cooking, pondering if his own crew had started cooking?

"Thank you for your kindness," Liu Pingkang accepted, "If our speeds match, we could travel together."