Even women who travel through time can become prime ministers and nobles.

Night fell over the cabin, and the bandits quietly surrounded it under the cover of darkness. The second-in-command coldly ordered it to be set on fire, and his men responded readily, lighting torches, and the fire quickly spread.

Soon, flames soared into the sky, illuminating the entire night. The cabin crackled and popped as it burned in the raging fire. Thick smoke billowed, and acrid fumes filled the air.

Hidden in the darkness of the dense forest below the mountain, Shen witnessed everything. His heart was filled with anger and helplessness as he watched helplessly as his home was destroyed by bandits.

Li Changyu clenched his fists tightly. Shen Yanchu and Cui Yu'an held him back from either side, afraid he would rush out and fight the bandits. His eyes were bloodshot, and he stared at his home, which had been burned down by the bandits, his heart filled with anger and grief.

That was his life's work, his roots, his everything. Now, it had been reduced to ashes by these bandits. His body trembled with rage, his teeth grinding together as if he wanted to devour the bandits alive.

"Let me go! I'm going to fight them!" he roared, trying to break free from Shen Yanchu and Cui Yu'an's restraints.

"Calm down! Rushing out like this will only get you killed!" Shen Yanchu shouted.

“We will definitely avenge you, but not now,” Cui Yu’an also advised from the side.

He listened to their words and gradually calmed down. He knew they were right; rushing out now would only make things worse. He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself.

"Let's go," he said, his voice filled with helplessness and sorrow.

Shen Yanchu and Cui Yu'an nodded and helped him leave this place that had once been filled with laughter and joy. Their hearts were also filled with anger and grief, but they knew that only by living could they have a chance to avenge him.

Shi Wanxia, ​​with three little girls, followed closely behind them. They didn't know how many bandits there were, so the group constantly dodged their searches. In the pre-dawn darkness, the group cautiously made their way through the mountains and forests. They hid and concealed themselves, fearing being discovered by the bandits. However, the bandits seemed to have already sensed their movements, having completely blocked the road leading down the mountain.

As time passed, the sky gradually turned a pale white, and dawn was approaching. Anxiety filled the people, for once daylight broke, their hiding place would be exposed, and their situation would become even more dangerous.

They nervously looked around, searching for any possible opportunity to escape. Some began to whisper among themselves, while others prayed silently. A tense atmosphere filled the forest; every rustling of a leaf sent chills down their spines.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew by, bringing a touch of coolness. The group felt a glimmer of hope and decided to risk breaking out before the bandits completely tightened their encirclement. Led by Li Changyu, they stealthily made their way down the mountain, trying to remain as quiet as possible.

As they approached the encirclement, their hearts pounded. They took a deep breath and then dashed out as fast as they could. The bandits were stunned by this sudden action and didn't have time to react. Taking advantage of the opportunity, they broke through the encirclement and ran wildly down the mountain. Li Changyu and Shen Yanchu held their backs with their swords, while Shi Wanxia carried Li Qinghuan as they ran through the dense forest.

They dared not stop for a moment while running, and only breathed a sigh of relief when they were far away from the bandits' territory. By then, the sun was high in the sky, shining on their tired but determined faces.

Looking at the group of people before him, Li Changyu felt a mix of emotions. Their appearance left him unsure whether it was a blessing or a curse. Years of hard work had been destroyed in an instant. He carried some belongings with him, but how long could that last? The others were also penniless, and he had no idea what the future held for them.

Shi Wanxia and the others felt guilty because their arrival had ruined his home, leaving him unable to return. So they stepped forward, bowed, and apologized to him.

"Brother Li, we're so sorry. It's all our fault for dragging you into this mess. Your home has been destroyed and you're being chased by bandits. How about this, Brother Li, you're skilled. I need to escort Brother Shen and Young Master Cui back to Cangyan Kingdom. Why don't you come with us and escort them back? These two clearly come from wealthy families. We can have them pay for the escort, so you'll have some money to live on over there."

Shen Yanchu and Cui Yu'an were at a loss for words when they heard this, but it was also because of us that he was implicated.

“Miss Shi is right. Wen Zhu and I have not yet recovered our strength. As long as we leave Yan Yue Kingdom, we will have someone to meet us. Miss Shi and these young girls are also powerless. Please accept our offer.” Shen Yanchu bowed to him with his hands clasped in a Jianghu salute. “Currently, our group is too large, and we are all injured and weak. If Li Changyu were to travel with us, we could negotiate the amount of silver we receive when we reach Cang Ling Capital.”

Li Changyu stood there, frowning, pondering his current predicament. He looked around and realized he truly had nowhere to go. Although these people seemed unreliable, what they said wasn't entirely without merit. Relying on him might be the only way to safely return to Cangling Kingdom.

However, a lingering worry remained in Li Changyu's heart. He knew that the journey back to Cangling was fraught with danger and uncertainty, and the consequences of being discovered would be unimaginable. He couldn't help but recall his past experiences, and a nameless fear welled up within him.

But reality was staring him in the face, and he had no other choice. Li Changyu took a deep breath, made up his mind, and decided to follow these people. He silently told himself that no matter what difficulties he encountered, he must remain vigilant and protect himself.

Led by Li Changyu, the group embarked on their journey back to Cangling. They carefully avoided potential dangers and tried to remain inconspicuous. Throughout the journey, Li Changyu remained vigilant, observing the surroundings.

At the entrance of Li Family Village, Li Changyu and his group appeared, looking travel-worn. The village chief and a few others stopped them, since the three women inside had already been driven out and could not possibly be seen in the village.

The village chief sized them up with an unfriendly expression. The group looked like refugees, disheveled and haggard, their clothes tattered. He raised his hand to signal someone to stop them: "Hero Li, I'm sorry, but for the sake of the reputation of my Li clan, you should leave! I cannot entertain you."

Seeing that the village chief had misunderstood, Shi Wanxia immediately explained, "Village chief, you've misunderstood. We want to go to the town and are wondering if there are any horse-drawn carriages or oxcarts in the village that can give us a ride. I'll pay you one hundred coins, and I'd appreciate it if you could help us arrange that. I also have one tael of silver here, so please help me arrange some dry food and clothing as well. Thank you for your help, village chief."

The village chief warily observed them, a hint of unease in his eyes. His body was tense, as if ready to face any potential danger at any moment. However, despite his doubts, the village chief decided to send someone to prepare for them.

Fifteen minutes later, an elderly man in his forties or fifties arrived in an oxcart. The village chief finally breathed a sigh of relief and began to explain.

"This is Uncle Chen from our village. He will take you to where you need to go," the village chief said, pointing to the old man.

Old Chen smiled and nodded to them, then gestured for them to get in the car.

They climbed onto the oxcart and sat on the simple wooden planks. Old Chen gave the reins a gentle tug, and the oxcart slowly moved forward.

Li Changyu turned to the village chief and told him that the bandits might come down the mountain soon, reminding him to be on guard. The village chief already knew the news, but still thanked him.

The carriage quickly disappeared at the village entrance. Shi Wanxia sat in the oxcart, rummaging through the medicinal herbs in her backpack and the last of her money, and sighed leisurely.

“Brother Shen, once we get to town, let’s rest for a day! The old man said he’ll arrive around tomorrow morning. Brother Li and I will go to the restaurant to sell some of the game and furs we brought. Then we’ll rent two carriages. By the way, do you know how to get there? We don’t have a map, and it would be troublesome if we went the wrong way.”

Shen Yanchu sat there quietly, his posture upright and his face serious. His gaze fell on the girl opposite him, his eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and habit.

The girl, on the other hand, was completely different. She sat casually in the chair, her body slanted, her legs crossed, showing absolutely no manners. Her demeanor was relaxed and at ease, as if she were completely unrestrained by etiquette.

Shen Yanchu was already immune to her behavior; he knew that no matter how much he reminded her, she wouldn't change. He secretly resolved that once they returned to Cangling, he would find someone to properly teach her manners and etiquette.

"Okay, Wenzhu, you go with them then. Protect Miss Shi well; the situation here is complicated, and neither you nor I understand it." Cui Yu nodded. He'd been in these deep mountains for almost a year, and was finally out. But he had no money on him and would have to rely on Li Changyu and Miss Shi for now.

"Sister, what about us? We want to go too!" Li Qinghuan sat obediently beside her, clinging to her arm and acting coquettishly. This little girl was young and quite lively, so she clung to her especially. But we were going out on business, and bringing a child along wouldn't guarantee her safety.

"Qinghuan, be good. You and your second and third sisters stay at the inn. Don't wander off. It's very dangerous outside."

While talking to the little girl, Shi Wanxia rummaged through two large bags of fabric. She looked at the fabric with some difficulty for a long time, thinking, "I don't know any needlework! What am I going to do with so much fabric?"

"Sigh, I should have known better than to buy fabric. I don't know how to make clothes anyway! I should have just bought ready-made clothes. How am I supposed to handle so much fabric?"