The sound of horse hooves against dirt roads, the occasional creak of the carriage, and the distant chatter of vilgers filled the air as Xuán Zhi and his unlikely group traveled toward the border city of Tàiyáng (太阳).

  For three days, the journey was retively peaceful.

  Xuán Yan had disguised herself as a young nobleman, her long blonde hair tied back in a high ponytail, her red eyes sharp and observant. She had even padded her chest with bandages, making her figure less noticeable.

  Xuán Mei, with her bck hair and striking red eyes, looked less conspicuous. She mostly stayed quiet, marveling at the world outside the pace walls for the first time.

  Their two guards, Wei Rong (卫荣) and Li Feng (李峰), were visibly tense. They knew they were escorting three royals of the Xuan Dynasty, and with 2300 gold ingots, gemstones, and priceless jewelry, they were practically carrying a fortune on their backs.

  Xuán Yan had 1500 gold ingots and a collection of jewelry, while Xuán Mei had stolen 500 gold ingots and rare gems from her mother’s treasury before leaving.

  Xuán Zhi, meanwhile, had 300 gold ingots and the heavy burden of responsibility.

  “Remind me,” Xuán Zhi said, staring at the ceiling of the carriage, “why exactly are we carrying enough wealth to buy an entire city?”

  Xuán Yan smirked, lounging comfortably on her seat. “Because we aren’t beggars, little brother.”

  Xuán Zhi groaned. “This is a huge security risk. If anyone finds out—”

  “They won’t,” Xuán Yan interrupted, adjusting her male disguise confidently. “Besides, don’t you want to live comfortably?”

  Xuán Mei, who had been quietly staring out of the carriage window, tugged on Xuán Zhi’s sleeve. “Big Brother… is it really bad to take money?”

  Xuán Zhi sighed, patting her head. “Not when you take it from the right people.”

  She beamed, clearly pleased with his answer.

  --

  By the time they reached Tàiyáng, Xuán Zhi knew they needed to be smart. A royal convoy would be too obvious, so he decided to hire a merchant caravan.

  After some careful negotiation, they joined a well-known merchant group traveling to the Gu Dynasty.

  The caravan master, Old Liu, was a shrewd but kind-hearted man who accepted their request without prying into their identities.

  Five hours after they left Tàiyáng, imperial guards from the Xuan Dynasty arrived, searching for three missing royals.

  By then, it was too te. Xuán Zhi’s group had successfully disappeared into the vast roads leading to the Gu Dynasty.

  --

  On the third night of traveling with the caravan, Xuán Yan found a jar of strong liquor among the merchant’s goods.

  With a mischievous grin, she uncorked the bottle. “A drink would make this trip much more fun.”

  Xuán Zhi snatched it away instantly. “No.”

  Xuán Yan pouted. “Why not?”

  “Because you can’t handle your liquor.”

  Xuán Yan scoffed. “Excuse me? I’m older than you.”

  Xuán Zhi rolled his eyes. “That doesn’t mean you have a good tolerance.”

  Xuán Yan folded her arms. “How would you know?”

  Xuán Zhi narrowed his eyes. “Because the st time you drank, you tried to climb a tree, fell into a ke, and decred yourself the future Empress of the Moon.”

  Xuán Yan gasped dramatically. “I did not!”

  Xuán Zhi held up a hand. “Swear on your life.”

  Xuán Yan opened her mouth… then slowly closed it.

  Xuán Mei, listening to their bickering, giggled. “Big Sister, you really fell into a ke?”

  Xuán Yan gred at Xuán Zhi. “I’m going to kill you.”

  Xuán Zhi grinned. “Not before I drink this first.” He took the liquor bottle and pced it far away.

  Xuán Yan groaned, leaning back. “Fine. But I’ll remember this.”

  Xuán Zhi smirked. “I’m counting on it.”

  --

  After finishing dinner, Xuán Mei yawned, her little body exhausted from the journey. Without hesitation, she crawled over and y down, resting her head on Xuán Zhi’s p.

  Xuán Zhi stiffened.

  Xuán Mei mumbled, half-asleep, “Big Brother is warm…”

  Xuán Zhi opened his mouth to argue—but seeing her peaceful face, he shut up.

  Xuán Yan, after watching this, let out a soft sigh before resting her head against his shoulder.

  Xuán Zhi froze again.

  “Just for a moment,” Xuán Yan muttered.

  Xuán Zhi, speechless, sat still.

  For the first time, he saw them not as princesses, but as two girls who had lived difficult lives.

  His heart softened.

  They’re just kids who grew up in hardship. They deserve better.

  That night, Xuán Zhi made a silent promise to protect them.

  --

  On the fifth morning of their journey, they arrived at Zhènxiāng City (震襄).

  It was one of the rgest border cities in the Gu Dynasty, a pce filled with merchants, travelers, and soldiers.

  However, this city also had a dark past that will occur in a year according to novel.

  The General’s Family of Zhènxiāng will be falsely accused of treason by the mad Emperor of Gu.

  The entire family—men, women, and children—will executed.

  Only one survivor will remain.

  The General’s son, who had once been a proud warrior, turned against his own country and secretly colluded with the Xuan Dynasty’s enemies.

  Xuán Zhi had no intention of meeting this man.

  As their caravan entered the city, Xuán Zhi looked out at the bustling streets and felt a deep sense of unease.

  He had successfully left the pace.