Traveling through the busy farmland of a peasant girl

The carriage galloped all the way, and after traveling non-stop for half a day, it finally arrived at a forest.

At this time, the sun has gradually moved to the zenith, and the sunlight shines through the gaps between the branches and leaves, forming patches of mottled light and shadows on the ground.

Birds chirped in the forest, and the leaves rustled in the breeze, creating a unique sense of tranquility.

Bai Jin pulled the reins, dismounted, and systematically directed the accompanying officials to prepare to cook.

The officers had clear division of labor. Some went to find dry firewood, while others were busy setting up stoves. In a moment, the quiet forest became lively.

Shen Li also walked out of the carriage. Seeing that everyone seemed a little flustered, she couldn't help but smile and stepped forward to help give instructions.

She first checked the ingredients, picked up a few and said, "These wild vegetables, before putting them into the pot, it is best to soak them in clean water and wash them, then blanch them briefly to remove the bitter taste, so that they taste refreshing.

Also, don’t cut the meat too thick; thinner pieces will make it easier to absorb the flavor. And when stir-frying, make sure to control the heat well, stir-fry quickly over high heat to lock in the juices. The flavor is incredible.”

As she spoke, she walked over to the official who was lighting the fire, squatted down, and patiently taught him how to make the fire burn more vigorously:

"The firewood needs to be placed higher up to allow air to get in, so the fire can burn more vigorously."

Under Shen Li's careful guidance, the meal was quickly prepared. Waves of tempting aroma wafted out, lingering in the mountains and forests, greatly comforting everyone's bodies and minds, which were a little tired from the journey. They all praised Shen Li's clever tricks for making this ordinary meal extra delicious.

In the capital area, there have been rumors recently that a little fairy boy was born in Qingshan Town.

The little fairy boy actually had fairy chickens and fairy rabbits for sale, and Mr. Zhang, who bought the fairy pets, had his bedridden old mother miraculously recover.

This miraculous event spread like wildfire, and the wealthy families around Qingshan Town heard about it and began to inquire about the whereabouts of the father and daughter who had sold the fairy pet that day, hoping to find a chance to become immortals.

In the majestic palace, His Majesty the Emperor sat quietly on the dragon throne, smiling and silent, just listening quietly to the heated discussions of His Majesty's ministers.

Some ministers were convinced that the fairy boy was undoubtedly a fraud, using sweet words and deceitful tricks to deceive people.

The other side argued confidently, insisting that the fairy boy must have some real magic, otherwise how could Mr. Zhang's mother recover as before?

The old emperor thought to himself: The secret envoy I sent out to investigate will probably arrive in Qingshan Town soon.

The fairy boy who prayed for rain recently and the boy who sold fairy pets in the past must be the same person.

Alas, all the ministers in my court are so mediocre and stupid. How can I entrust them with the many affairs of my country in the future? It really makes me worry.

After everyone had lunch, took good care of the horses, and rested for a while, Bai Jin and Shen Li and their group did not stay any longer.

They quickly packed their bags and continued their journey in a hurry.

As we sped along, before we knew it, the sunset glow in the sky gradually disappeared, and the twilight, like a layer of gauze, quietly enveloped the earth.

The road became increasingly hazy in the dim afterglow until it was completely swallowed up by the gray night.

Bai Jin reined in the reins, looked off into the distance, and thought to himself, "Judging from the situation, I'm afraid it will be difficult to reach the post station ahead tonight."

He immediately turned his horse's head and galloped towards the carriage in which Shen Li was riding.

At this time, Shen Li was sitting in the carriage. Hearing the sound of horse hooves approaching outside, he gently opened the window, stuck his head out and asked, "Master Bai, why did you stop?"

Bai Jin drove his horse closer to the carriage window, bowed slightly, and said with a hint of apology, "Miss A-li, it's really my poor planning. It looks like we'll have to camp out in the wild tonight."

Under the cover of the dark night, they were completely unaware that danger was quietly approaching.

In the darkness at the edge of a forest a few miles away, a group of men in black were lurking like ghosts, waiting for their prey to step into the trap.

"Boss! Didn't the second young master say with certainty that the eldest young master would definitely pass by here today?" A man in black lowered his voice, a hint of doubt and uneasiness in his words.

"Yes, yes! We went through so much trouble to dig this huge pit here!

"Is he going to change his route at the last minute and not take this road?" Another person quickly echoed, his voice full of worry, afraid that all his hard work would be in vain.

At this moment, the black-clad man who looked like the leader snorted coldly and scolded in a low voice, "Don't talk nonsense! This is the official road, leading straight to the capital, and there is a post station only ten miles ahead.

If he doesn't leave from here, is there any way he can fly over there?" Although his words were full of confidence, there was still a subtle flicker of nervousness in his eyes.

Here, after hearing what Bai Jin said, Shen Li hurriedly spoke softly, her voice full of anxiety and guilt: "Master Bai, this matter is all my fault.

You see, if it weren't for my annoying motion sickness that suddenly attacked and hindered our entire journey like a burden that couldn't be shaken off, we might have arrived at the post station safely by now.

It's not like being trapped in this desolate wilderness and forced to sleep outdoors like this."

As she spoke, she lowered her head slightly. Her originally fair face was now stained with a faint blush because of her full of self-blame, and her eyes were full of regret and guilt.

She thought silently in her heart: "Ever since I started exercising with Daddy, I have never stopped every day and have been training myself diligently and hard.

I thought that after such a long period of training, even if my body couldn't be called as strong as steel, it should be much stronger.

Who would have thought that I would be so vulnerable to motion sickness?

Alas, it truly lives up to the saying, 'Man proposes, God disposes.' This body of mine still has this weak spot, like a hidden weakness that suddenly surfaced at this critical moment, causing so much trouble for everyone."

When Bai Jin saw the little girl looking timid and guilty with her head down, he suddenly felt a surge of warmth and pity in his heart, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

He leaned forward slightly, raised his hand gently, and gently stroked her furry head. Where his touch was, the hair was soft and smooth, with the girl's unique pure and fresh scent.

"You are just a child. Don't take these trivial matters so seriously."

Bai Jin's voice was low and gentle, like a spring breeze, gently brushing past Shen Li's ears, "If we really want to talk about guilt, it should be me.

It was I who insisted on taking you out of the house, causing you to suffer from motion sickness. It was my poor consideration that caused you to suffer such injustice."

After saying this, his eyes were filled with pity and self-blame, and he stared at the little girl in front of him for a long time.

Shen Li's eyes widened instantly after hearing his words. Her clear eyes stared at him intently, and she asked curiously, "You don't look very old, so why did you come here to serve as a county magistrate?"

When Bai Jin heard her sudden question, his originally calm expression instantly became gloomy and melancholy, as if quietly shrouded by a layer of dark clouds.

He sighed softly, his voice revealing a hint of helplessness and melancholy: "This matter is complicated and tortuous, and the entanglements cannot be explained in a few words. When there is a suitable opportunity in the future, I will slowly tell you.

Besides, I am already eighteen years old, not as young as you think."

After saying this, he turned his head slightly and looked into the dark night in the distance. He seemed to be lost in memories of the past and could not come back to his senses for a long time.

Shen Li couldn't help but be slightly stunned, thinking to herself: Eighteen years old, this age is really not that old! In modern society, people at this stage have just graduated from high school.

However, in ancient times, most eighteen-year-old boys and girls had already completed the major event of their lives, marriage, and many even had children.

When she thought of this, her body trembled slightly involuntarily, and her face was full of resistance. Fortunately, she was only eight years old!

The education and concepts she received in modern times made it absolutely impossible for her to accept such a lifestyle of early marriage and early childbearing.

She longs to be able to pursue her dreams and realize her self-worth at the right age like modern women, instead of being bound by marriage and family too early and wasting her youth and enthusiasm in the trivial life of firewood, rice, oil and salt.