Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

After waiting for a long time, the镖局 (escort agency) personnel finally arrived in twos and threes.

The leading old bodyguard was none other than Wu Jian, the head of Zhenyuan Escort Agency. He was in his forties, with a vigorous and sharp look in his eyes. He wore a short, close-fitting outfit and had a nine-section whip wrapped around his waist.

In addition, there were seventeen or eighteen bodyguards who were skilled in martial arts and carried knives and guns.

Judging from the looks of it, the Zhenyuan Escort Agency takes this shipment very seriously. But what exactly are they escorting? Yu Wanran examined the neatly stacked wooden crates on the cart.

Actually, even if you knew what it was, it wouldn't matter.

Because there are two types of darts: visible darts and concealed darts.

While it may seem like a grand display of cargo being transported, the escort agency might actually be protecting a VIP or some priceless little item.

Ordinary people wouldn't be able to tell at all.

Yu Wanran felt uneasy. If there really was a hidden smuggling operation on this trip, would something unexpected happen along the way?

With the chief镖头 (chief镖师, a term referring to a high-ranking镖师, often implying a powerful body of couriers) personally involved, the safety factor is greatly increased. However, this also foreshadows hidden dangers.

Besides the three members of the Yu family, there was also a frail scholar who was hitching a ride on this shipment. He was carrying a satchel of books, and it seemed he was heading to the capital early to prepare for the upcoming imperial examinations.

Wu Jian personally stepped forward and checked their documents again. He also inspected their luggage, asked them many questions, and only after confirming that they were residents of Tongcheng did he return their documents to them.

With this certificate upon his return, he wouldn't need to pay the escort agency's protection fee again. Yu Wanran noticed that the scholar hadn't taken the certificate back, indicating that he didn't plan to return to Tongcheng anytime soon and would wait for the results of the imperial examinations.

Yu Man, worried that her daughter would be scared, sat on the roof of the same car as Yu Wanran. Yu Wenbin, on the other hand, sat in another car and guarded most of the luggage.

They thought they could set off now, but no. The镖局 (security company) said there was still an important guest who hadn't arrived.

They waited until 9 AM before an inconspicuous carriage pulled into the escort agency. The driver was a young man wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a sword at his waist. After exchanging a few words with Wu Jian, Wu Jian waved to organize the group and signaled them to set off.

The boy's build and voice were very familiar. Yu Man stared at him, trying hard to recognize him for a long time. Suddenly, she was surprised and whispered to her daughter beside her.

"Ranran, look at that young man, isn't he the medicine apprentice from Ruicaotang?"

Yu Wanran had already recognized the other person. Since it was none of her business, she didn't take it seriously. Only when her father mentioned it did she nod slightly.

"The person sitting in that car must be the owner of Ruicaotang? Maybe this batch of goods also belongs to their family."

Yu Man, bored, casually chatted for a bit. It was perfectly normal for merchants to entrust their goods to others. The young apprentice noticed they didn't join the conversation, presumably because they didn't want to get involved.

The father and daughter suppressed their curiosity, wrapped themselves tightly in their blankets, curled up on the roof of the car, and began to doze off. They hadn't slept well all night and needed to catch up on sleep now.

The second young master inside the carriage quietly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, glancing at the Yu family members sitting swaying on the roof of the carriage, his eyes flashing with curiosity and questions.

Nine escort wagons, along with the accompanying bodyguards, drivers, and passengers, totaling thirty-three people, made their way out of the city in a grand procession. The bodyguards all rode tall horses, and each wagon bore the flag of Zhenyuan Escort Agency.

Logically, both the legitimate and criminal worlds should have their own networks of connections to secure passage; otherwise, they wouldn't dare to open branches in major towns. However, this particular shipment was of paramount importance, so Wu Jian and his镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) remained extremely vigilant, keeping a close eye on any activity along the way.

They set off at 9:00 AM and camped near a village at dusk.

Along the way, the Yu father and son listened to the talkative coachman chatter about many rules of the escort agency. Things like the three requirements for entering an inn, the three things one must not do while sleeping, and the three meetings and one prohibition—it was all quite eye-opening.

Yu Wanran had long since lost interest in these things, having heard and seen them before. She dozed off in a daze the whole way until the caravan stopped, at which point she followed the Yu father and son off the carriage.

Yu Wenbin rummaged through his luggage and found a few old bamboo poles and a large piece of patched cloth, preparing to set up a simple tent.

Yu Man accompanied Yu Wanran to a secluded spot so her daughter could relieve herself, while she kept watch from a distance.

Yu Man realized that her status as a daughter made running the business very inconvenient. But without Yu Wanran, this business trip would never have been possible.

He couldn't help but feel conflicted.

I wonder if it's right for my wife and I to keep indulging our daughter's behavior like this.

Back at the camp, the bodyguards took out their personal pots, pans, bowls, and chopsticks, found a nearby water source, fetched clean water, and started a fire to cook their food.

They travel frequently and know how to make their travel life more comfortable.

This was no challenge for the Yu family father and son, who were skilled in practical work.

In addition, Yu Wanran was a natural survivor in the wilderness. Before long, the Yu family set up a campfire in front of their small tent and cooked porridge in a small earthenware pot.

Ji Chunhua brought her own rice and vegetables, and even traded money with villagers for a small piece of cured meat.

Yu Man diced the meat, sprinkled it with chopped radish pieces, and cooked it into the porridge. When it was ready to serve, he added coarse salt, and as soon as the lid was lifted, the pure aroma of farm-style rice wafted out.

The jar was too small to cook much porridge; each person could only get half a bowl. We also had to fill our stomachs with the dry biscuits we brought with us.

While they were busy with these things, they saw the young master of Ruicaotang, who seemed to be the owner, sit down with his apprentice and several bodyguards, including Wu Jian.

Wu Jian and the others treated him with the utmost respect. They presented him with the first bowl of porridge they had cooked, using both hands.

Sure enough, money can make all the difference.

The three members of the Yu family withdrew their gaze. Since the other party did not wish to know them, they naturally would not shamelessly go over and introduce themselves.

It was just selling some dendrobium to someone.

However, they didn't bother with anyone. Instead, the scholar in their group leaned over and craned his neck to look at the ceramic jars they had placed on the fire.

"Did you bring meat with you? Could you cook me a bowl of meat porridge too? I'll pay!"

As he spoke, he took out a small silver ingot, which, judging by its size, was about one tael.

The Yu family father and son were stunned.

This scholar is really generous! A bowl of meat porridge costs one tael! Or does the other party want them to provide meat porridge along the way?

That's something we can't provide.

Yu Wanran glanced at the man and said, "Why don't you buy some from those bodyguards? We don't have much meat with us."

Moreover, the journey to Beijing is a long one, taking at least ten days. If we sell him this little bit of meat, what will we eat ourselves?

Her parents had been frugal, managing to bring out only a tiny bit of meat. Yu Wanran suspected that if they sold it, she wouldn't be able to eat any meat for the next few days.

Can you manage without eating well when you're out and about? She might even have to step up and help in dangerous situations.

The scholar glanced at her with his small, narrow eyes. His gaze was somewhat greasy. When Yu Wanran seemed to realize something and looked back, the scholar's gaze was fixed on Yu Man and his son.

"Old man, I didn't bring any cooking utensils. I've been freezing on the roof of the car all day, and my hands and feet are almost numb. I'd like some hot food. Could you put some rice in this pot and cook some porridge for me? Those bodyguards look fierce, and I'm too scared to go."

Yu Wenbin glanced at the man with disdain.

A scholar is utterly useless!

But then he proudly puffed out his chest. Although he was illiterate, he was skilled at typing, unlike this useless man.