"Let’s do our best," Escort Leader Xu said with a bitter smile, "We have so much cargo, we don’t know how fast we can travel in this rain. Of course, if we can travel together with you gentlemen, that would be best."

Though he said so, his heart was blooming with joy. It was like everything he wished for came true, without him even having to make the first move.

Both sides exchanged pleasantries, and Liu Pingkang arranged for a large part of the space to be cleared, settling the matter.

"Boss, why do we have to travel with them?" Guo Baoshu, looking bewildered, finally asked the question he’d been pondering.

"Ma Zhi, you explain to this dimwit," Liu Pingkang, unwilling to tutor him, passed the responsibility to Ma Zhi, who happened to be passing by.

After hearing Guo Baoshu’s question, Ma Zhi replied, "That’s because it’s your first time on a mission, and you’re unaware of the dangers ahead."

"Those men in black earlier, you might think they were fierce, but I tell you, they only target individuals.

But if you encounter mountain bandits, they want both your money and your life. No matter who faces them, you must prepare for the worst."

"But isn’t this an official task?"

"They say ’treacherous people come from desolate lands,’ and it’s no exaggeration. As long as they can fill their stomachs and survive, they don’t care if you’re a government official or a civilian.

Do you think the government hasn’t sent troops to suppress them before?

Beyond that lies a labyrinth of mountains. Once they’re deep inside, who can find them?"

Guo Baoshu, "...Has there ever been a successful one?"

"Even if successful, so what? Soon enough, new groups will form, and they’ll fight among themselves.

Traveling this path really means relying on your own luck."

"Then why send people here?"

"That’s something for those above to figure out. It could be as a punishment or an attempt to develop the area. They definitely won’t explain it to us at the bottom.

Just focus on doing your job properly, and after a few more trips, you’ll mature.

As your elder brother, here’s a piece of advice: when facing bandits, consider wealth as external. Keeping your life is more important than anything."

Did you notice at the last post station, they already divided the silver and entrusted it to the post station to send back to the capital? "By the way, did you give the silver to the post station officer yesterday?"

This is standard practice in their line of work; they don’t carry much silver with them, and the post station will help without embezzling it, as it’s all money earned at risk of their lives.

"I saw you all did, so I did too." Guo Baoshu felt a bit nervous, recalling his family’s words to always listen to Liu Pingkang, never realizing the danger involved.

"Brother Ma, do you think we might lose our lives?"

Ma Zhi patted him on the shoulder, "You silly boy, what are you thinking? 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

It’s not that easy to lose your life; otherwise, we wouldn’t still be standing here.

They’re after money. As long as you don’t resist, they won’t take your life.

So stay sharp when the time comes. At worst, abandon everything, endure a few tough days, and it’ll be fine once you reach the next post station."

Each time, their provisions get replenished at the post station, which is set by the government. Otherwise, who would dare take on such tasks?

"The way you just spoke so seriously really scared me," Guo Baoshu was still worried, "If we encounter them, should we fight back?"

Ma Zhi, "With what would you fight?"

"What about those in the escort agency?" There’s already a way to save ourselves; why travel with the escort agency?

With so much cargo, isn’t it even more dangerous?

"That’s where the boss’s brilliance lies. Why can they run an escort agency here? There must be something exceptional about them.

Each creature has its path; every circle its rules.

And traveling with these two escort agencies this time might save us a lot of trouble."

As long as they’re spared from too much extortion by mountain bandits, they won’t be too miserable.

Once, when they reached the next post station, all they were left wearing was a single inner layer.

And that wasn’t even the worst of it. The worst were the women who couldn’t bear the humiliation; they left their lives on the road.

So when escorting these prisoners, they didn’t want to go to extremes because no one knows if these people have a future.

Regarding why they promised the Bai Family earlier—it’s because they don’t protect most, only a few. Those bandits aren’t overly harsh, nor do they want a big clash with them. No one wants to get hurt or killed.

Seeing it was Guo Baoshu’s first assignment, Ma Zhi patiently explained until the meal call ended the conversation.

Gu Kaiyuan and the others used oilcloths to create a windbreak, and hot meals were laid on a makeshift table.

As per the old custom, Dongmei shared a portion with them, and some moved aside to eat.

Gu Kaiyuan helped Bai Suihe with the chicken soup. They bought the chicken at yesterday’s post station and slaughtered it overnight—no worry about spoilage in this weather.

"It feels like it’s getting colder. Do you think it’ll snow tonight?"

"Probably not yet," Gu Kaiyuan, recalling his past life, couldn’t quite remember the weather details.

At that time, he was immersed in grief, wounded, and drifted through life aimlessly.

"Either way, we’re well-prepared," comparing to the past life, this was like heaven; his wife and child were still with him.

"When we set off today, I saw your elder brother buying many things again. It seems your father has found another source of income." Bai Suihe said, looking at Gu Kaiyuan with a twinkle in her eyes.

Gu Kaiyuan, "Even if he has, it won’t be much. Don’t forget, the Third Prince might be quite poor right now."

It wasn’t soft-heartedness, just impractical to act.

Bai Suihe chuckled dryly, "You misunderstood. I think your great uncle should go tell them of their hardships."

Gu Kaiyuan blinked, "I misunderstood. You’re truly as kind as ever, dear."

Bai Suihe pretended not to hear, sipping her soup before saying, "There’s no choice. Your clan members are elderly and young, as the cause of it all, we can’t remain indifferent.

Back then, when compensating your great uncle, it was the Third Prince who provided the silver, and it had nothing to do with them at all.

If you ask me, your father should’ve taken the initiative. That would show sincerity."

In Bai Suihe’s view, having silver and not using it to atone shows a lack of understanding.

Gu Kaiyuan, "After dinner, I’ll go for a walk. You’re generous, can’t let father, being a nephew, do nothing."

Gu Kaiyuan didn’t see anything wrong with Bai Suihe’s actions, as the Gu Family owed that. Even if it didn’t happen in this life, it still needed repayment, just as he owed Bai Suihe for failing to protect them in the past. How could he stop her from venting her anger?