Severed ties and living in a dilapidated house? No worries, the poor thing has a space.

Yan'er nodded upon hearing this and replied, "Alright, Madam, you and the Second Miss should wait patiently in the carriage and not get out of the carriage to move around."

Having said that, Yan'er mounted her horse, raised her whip, and galloped away.

She hadn't run far when she saw Fang Yu and Xin Jiyan riding towards her.

Seeing this, Yan'er's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally calmed down a little.

As the crisp sound of horses' hooves rang in her ears, Li could no longer contain her anxiety. She hurriedly reached out and lifted the carriage curtain, eagerly peering outside.

Seeing Fang Yu and Xin Jiyan return safely, the tension in my heart finally eased, as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

Fang Xin also looked anxious. Before Fang Yu could get close, she rushed out and asked impatiently, "Sister, what's going on over there? Did you encounter bandits?"

After dismounting, Fang Yu hurried to the carriage and gently comforted her, "Mother, Xin'er is alright. The bandits have all been wiped out. However, it's getting late, so we'll probably have to spend the night in this desolate place and continue our journey tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Li's worried gaze quickly fell on Fang Yu, and she carefully looked him up and down.

Only after confirming that Fang Yu was completely unharmed, with not even a tear in the hem of her clothes, did Madam Li finally breathe a long sigh of relief, a relieved smile appearing on her face.

The carriage slowly began to move forward again, the wheels creaking and groaning as if telling the story of the arduous journey.

Because bandits roamed the area, committing all sorts of atrocities such as burning, killing, and looting, it was impossible to find even a village nearby where travelers could safely settle down.

Left with no other choice, the group had to stop in a dense forest.

This dense forest looks gloomy, but at least it provides some shelter and a sense of security.

Yun Jie skillfully lit a campfire, built a simple stove with stones, and began to cook porridge.

The flames leaped, illuminating the faces of the group sitting together.

Yan'er sat quietly beside Madam Li, chatting with her in soft voices.

Like a nimble little rabbit, Fang Xin quietly approached Fang Yu, blinked her big eyes, and whispered, "Sister, did you beat those bandits so badly they were running away in a panic?"

Fang Yu nodded slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "These heartless bandits don't even spare innocent civilians. They are utterly wicked! They deserve to die!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Xin couldn't help but show a hint of regret and sighed softly.

She swiftly drew her kitchen knife from her waist, brandished it a few times in the air, and muttered, "They got off too easy! If I run into them again, I'll definitely chop them down myself!"

Looking at her indignant expression, Fang Yu couldn't help but affectionately pat Fang Xin's head and said with a smile, "Okay, but we should rest early tonight. We'll continue our journey after dawn."

As night deepened, a cold wind howled through the air, rustling the branches.

Yan'er quickly fetched a thick cloak and gently draped it over Fang Yu's shoulders: "Miss, it's already quite late, and the wind is so strong outside. You should go inside the tent and rest."

Fang Yu slowly turned her head and glanced casually at Xin Jiyan, who was sitting on a large rock not far away, lost in thought.

He sat there quietly, like a solitary sculpture, clutching tightly in his hand the jade pendant that could guide him to his family.

"You and Yun Jie go and rest for a while, and come back to relieve us later," Fang Yu said softly to Yan'er beside her.

Upon hearing this, Yan'er initially wanted to refuse, but when she noticed that Fang Yu's gaze was fixed on Xin Jiyan's direction, she immediately understood. So she nodded slightly and turned to leave.

Fang Yu gently adjusted her cloak and walked towards Xin Jiyan with light and slow steps.

Each step seemed to carry a unique charm, as elegant and moving as a flower swaying in the wind.

When she stood in front of Xin Jiyan, her fair, jade-like hand emerged from her cloak, carrying a jar of fragrant wine. She said, "Have a little wine to warm yourself up."

Xin Jiyan silently raised his head, took the drink, and tilted his head back to drink it in large gulps.

While drinking, his fingertips unconsciously rubbed the surface of the jade pendant, as if this action could bring him some comfort.

"Don't worry, your family will be found sooner or later," Fang Yu suddenly said, trying to comfort you. Her voice was clear and melodious, like heavenly music.

Upon hearing this, Xin Jiyan put down the wine jar in his hand and carefully put the jade pendant into his bosom.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

The smile contained sincere gratitude for Fang Yu's comfort, but even more so, a deep bitterness that was not easily noticed by others.

Xin Jiyan longed to reunite with her family after being separated for many years as soon as possible.

But at the same time, he couldn't help but worry: what if his family was really involved in the murder of Fang Yu's father back then? How would he face that situation then?

This complex and conflicted emotion lingered in his mind, making him feel heavy and depressed.

As a result, their original relationship will inevitably undergo a dramatic change.

Fang Yu stared into his dark, deep pupils, as if she could glimpse the thing that troubled him deep in his heart.

She slowly moved to a smooth, large rock and sat down gracefully.

He reached out and gently picked up another jar of fine wine, which exuded a rich aroma, and took a large gulp with gusto.

Then she turned to look at him, her lips parted slightly, and said, "What you are worried about will not happen. Even if the worst outcome does occur, I will only deal with the matter at hand and will never implicate innocent people."

Upon hearing these words, Xin Jiyan couldn't help but raise the corners of her mouth slightly again, revealing a faint smile, as if she felt a sense of relief at what Fang Yu had said, but it also seemed to hide other unspeakable emotions.

Immediately afterwards, the two of them tacitly chose to remain silent, simply sitting there quietly, sipping their wine one small sip after another, letting time slip away in this tranquil atmosphere.

The night passed, and the surroundings remained calm and peaceful.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone upon the earth, they resumed their journey.

Around noon, they finally arrived at Pingcheng, the city that the refugees had mentioned the day before, the one that had blocked their way into the city.