Making you a son-in-law is not about making you conquer the world.

"Good morning, young master!" The four early-rising gatekeepers bowed respectfully upon seeing Lin Ping, which was quite dutiful.

"Shh! Keep your voice down," Lin Ping whispered in response, not daring to wake his mother, otherwise she would stick to him like a piece of chewing gum.

The gatekeepers were quick-witted and didn't dare to breathe too loudly, just quietly watching Lin Ping leave.

They had heard some of the legends about Lin Ping and knew that this small Lin residence couldn't keep him. Perhaps the next time they met, he would be called Lord Chen.

After leaving the mansion, Lin Ping immediately turned into a small alley and breathed a sigh of relief.

However, just when he thought he had gotten away with it, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in front of him: "Brother, where are you going?"

Lin Xiaomei's voice was slightly angry, after all, the other party was wrong to leave without saying goodbye, but she was more heartbroken. She knew Lin Ping's stubborn personality, and she was afraid that even ten oxen couldn't pull him back.

"Are you trying to stop me?" Lin Ping asked sternly. He knew he couldn't beat the other party, so he could only put on a sour face. Anyway, Lin Xiaomei would listen to him.

Lin Xiaomei shook her head, her voice choked with emotion, and said, "I can't stop you, brother. I'm just worried that the journey will be difficult. Could you take me with you?"

Lin Xiaomei is a disciple of the Lotus Palace. Over the years, she has traveled extensively and knows the hardships of the journey. Even with her skills, she often encounters danger, let alone Lin Ping, who is weak and helpless.

With his own strength, he probably couldn't even deal with the most ordinary mountain bandits or horse bandits.

This time, Lin Ping didn't yell at his sister with his nose in the air. Instead, he patted Lin Xiaomei's shoulder affectionately and said, "Those two old folks at home are getting on in years. Even though Xiaoyu takes good care of them, it's not as reassuring as it is for you to stay home. Who told you, your good-for-nothing brother, to make so many enemies? If you still consider me your older brother, then stay and take good care of them."

Lin Xiaomei didn't refute, and had even expected this outcome. Tears streamed down her face as she choked out, "Will my brother come back?"

"Silly girl, your brother is going to do something important, not to die. Of course I'll come back, and I'll bring your sister-in-law back with me," Lin Ping replied with a smile, pinching Lin Xiaomei's cheek.

Lin Ping wasn't lying; this was indeed his purpose for this trip. However, this purpose was likely to be unfulfilled, and he might even lose his life in vain.

"These twenty coins are what I've saved up by being frugal. Brother, take them and spend them. Remember to bring plenty of travel money when you're out and about." Lin Xiaomei pulled out twenty rusty copper coins from her sleeve with difficulty. She didn't know how long she had saved them.

Lin Ping sadly placed the copper coins into the bundle containing tens of thousands of taels of silver notes, and wept uncontrollably.

He desperately wanted to refuse, but he couldn't bear to hurt the other person's feelings; those twenty coins were made of copper and were quite heavy to carry.

And so, Lin Ping left, stepping out of the south gate of Jiangcheng as the first rays of morning sunlight appeared.

Looking up at the blazing clouds on the horizon and down at the long road beneath my feet, I suddenly realized I might need a horse-drawn carriage.

However, crossing the border by horse-drawn carriage is a dangerous activity, as one is easily mistaken for a rich person and then exploited little by little.

Jiangcheng Prefecture and Yingtian Prefecture are only three or four hundred li apart, and even if you walk, it will only take five or six days.

Lin Ping continued south along the official road without worrying about getting lost. After all, the official roads in Wu Kingdom were divided into three levels, and the road between Jiangcheng Prefecture and Yingtian Prefecture was the widest. As long as he didn't turn onto the side roads, he wouldn't go astray.

Just like how all roads lead to Rome, Yingtian Prefecture was the Rome of the Wu Kingdom.

Lin Ping wasn't worried about camping in the wild. There was a post station every thirty li along the official road, although the post stations only served the government and didn't accept individual travelers.

However, there are small inns next to each post station, which not only provide accommodation but also meals.

Most of these inns are open 24 hours a day, and the innkeepers will welcome you even if you arrive late at night.

At a rate of passing two post stations per day, Lin Ping should be able to reach his destination in six days at most. Before that, he can use the time on the road to think about his next plan.

Walking along the lush forest avenue, watching the bustling traffic, Lin Ping was filled with emotion, his heart as still as a stagnant pool, undisturbed by any ripples.

Since his arrival from another time, he hadn't really had a chance to fully appreciate the tranquil environment of ancient times. Everywhere he went, there were green mountains and clear waters, and blue skies and white clouds.

When tired, I rest under a big tree; when I drink, I sip a mouthful of clear river water to soothe my throat; when I'm happy, I recite a couple of poems and hum a few tunes; when I'm sad, I shout a few times at the tranquil blue sky.

Even if there are passersby around, no one will pay attention to your strange behavior, let alone take out their phones to post it online for netizens to comment on.

If it weren't for the important mission he had, Lin Pingzhen would have liked to keep going like this forever, perhaps until the end of time, or perhaps until he just ran out of interest.

Over five consecutive days, Lin Ping passed through ten post stations, experiencing the local customs and culture of the Jiangshan water town and tasting various authentic local snacks.

Five days later, Lin Ping arrived at the north bank of the Yangtze River. Looking at the majestic and magnificent river, he felt that the whole world was small and that he was just a grain of sand in the river.

In an era before the advent of large machinery, building a bridge was extremely difficult. From its source to its mouth, the Yangtze River had no bridge spanning it.

If there had been a narrow suspension bridge, Cao Cao would not have suffered such a crushing defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs.

Therefore, the only way to cross the river is by boat.

Fortunately, there are several ferry crossings along this official road, specifically for travelers.

Lin Ping chartered a small boat, since the larger boats were for transporting goods, and if he were to ride alone, he would easily be seen as an easy target.

In this calm and peaceful weather, the Yangtze River was not turbulent, and Lin Ping was fully enjoying the magnificent grandeur of nature. Although it was not night, he couldn't help but think of Du Fu's poem "Writing My Thoughts on a Night Journey," and loudly recited, "Stars hang low over the vast plain, the moon surges in the great river's flow."

Fortunately, the boatman was not a scholar and could not understand the meaning of the poem, otherwise he would have been so surprised that he would have dropped the oar, clasped his hands in apology, and then... the two of them went down the river, their fate unknown.

The ferry crossing was located at a relatively narrow section of the Yangtze River. Even so, it was still more than a thousand meters wide from north to south. The small boat drifted on the river for a full half hour, and the boatman sang for the entire half hour.

A one-way ferry ride only cost one hundred coins, and this was a high-income industry. If one could ferry two round trips a day, that would be four hundred coins, and a month's earnings would be a full twelve taels of silver.

However, there are many boatmen at the ferry crossing, making the competition fierce. It's already quite good if they can handle two customers a day.

After disembarking, Lin Ping continued south along the official road. After walking only a few miles, he heard a commotion ahead.