Chapter 154: To Hit the Road

The group hit the road this day.

Wei Qiyu kept craning his neck to peer when Chen Xiao Mai moved the luggage to the carriage.

Yuan Bao sat on the doorway with his chubby legs crossed, watching hid Little Uncle move stuff.

Suddenly Yuan Bao shifted his gaze from Mai to Wei Qiyu. The more Yuan Bao looked at Wei Qiyu, the more he found that guy suspicious.

Wei Qiyu who had noticed Yuan Bao's gaze turned around and stroked his hair as if nothing had happened, then he opened his folding fan and slowly walked away.

Yuan Bao then tugged at Chen Xiao Mai's sleeve.

"Yuan Bao, you look sulky, is everything all right?"

Yuan Bao whispered to Chen Xiao Mai, "Little Uncle, that guy is sneaky."

Chen Xiao Mai looked at Wei Qiyu and said, "That's Wei Qiyu, Ji Yun An's friend, you've met him before in the county yamen, remember? He gave you a rattle-drum as a gift."

"Now I know who he is, but he keeps looking around, looks so stealthy.".

Wei Qiyu heard the conversation between Chen Xiao Mai and Yuan Bao. When he heard that Yuan Bao called him sneaky, he was unhappy.

Wei Qiyu walked to Ji Yun An and complained, "Yun An, that little guy called me sneaky."

Ji Yun An glanced at Wei Qiyu and said, "You are indeed sneaky, I mean you appeared sneaky just now."

Wei Qiyu's face suddenly reddened, "What are you talking about?"

"You have been peeking at Big Brother's carriage," said Ji Yun An.

Wei Qiyu defended himself, "I was just trying to have a look at the luggage and see what food Big Brother has packed. I heard Highness Cheng packed a piece of ham made by Big Brother when he went back to the capital city, so I was just trying to have a look and sniff."

Ji Yun An looked at Wei Qiyu and gave up, "All right, how about this, II will ask Big Brother to share the ham with you if he packed some."

Wei Qiyu's eyes sparkled on hearing that, "Thank you, me best friend." Then he said, "But you know what I saw? A bow! Not just a regular bow, a Snow Iron Bow. That bow is very powerful! Why would Big Brother pack such a bow?"

"To protect us."

Ji Yun An had heard it from Mai that Chen Xiao Mi used to be a hunter for a living, he had even hunted a tiger once, and his uncle once told him that Chen Xiao Mi had won respect from the soldiers after he made a demonstration on how to build a Snow Iron Bow.

Wei Qiyu was a little worried, "Yun An, you really need to behave yourself after you get married, both of Mai's brothers look like they can kick ass."

Ji Yun An glanced at Wei Qiyu and said in his heart, 'I'm not you, Wei Qiyu, me and Mai are in love.'

After checking everything on the list, the group set off at a steady pace.

Chen Xiao Mi lifted the curtain on the carriage, emotions welled up inside him.

This was the first time that he and Lu Lin separated since they got married.

He had long been used to the existence of Lu Lin beside him. The sudden separation made Chen Xiao Mi feel a void in his heart.

"Big Brother, are you okay?" Chen Xiao Mai looked at Chen Xiao Mi and asked with concern.

Chen Xiao Mi reached out a hand and stroked Chen Xiao Mai's hair, "Yes, Mai, thank you."

Chen Xiao Mi looked at Chen Xiao Mai and all sorts of feelings welled up in his heart. In the blink of an eye, his Mai was about to have a grand wedding in the capital city! He planned to keep Mai by his side forever in case there wouldn't be someone who appreciated Mai, but look at Mai now, he had found his happiness.

......

As soon as Chen Xiao Mi left, Lu Lin felt the house became cold and cheerless.

Yuan Bao and Dash were still in the stage where they enjoyed freedom instead of missing Chen Xiao Mi.

"Father, I miss Little Uncle, the dishes prepared by the cook aren't as good as the ones prepared by Uncle," Yuan Bao raised an eyebrow and complained.

Lu Lin glanced at the Yuan Bao and said, "That's nonsense, I think these dishes are just as great."

In fact, Lu Lin agreed with Yuan Bao, but he didn't want to encourage kids to complain.

Yuan Bao blinked and took a few more bites, then he sighed, "Nah, they are not as good."

"Brother Bao is right," Dash threw his chopsticks on the table.

Lu Lin looked at the two kids who were about to launch a hunger strike, "Kids, it's time to learn this valuable lesson, we need to just appreciate food prepared by anyone. I only got to have one meal per day when I was your age, even an egg was a treat back then."

Yuan Bao was confused. "Father, why was egg a treat?"

"Because there weren't many eggs."

"Father, I have a question! Why didn't you raise more hens at home?"

Dash clapped his hands, "Father is silly, Brother Bao is so smart."

Lu Lin decided to try a different approach, he put on a serious face, "Eat quickly, finish your food, otherwise no snacks later."

Yuan Bao and Dash made a face and continued the meal unwillingly.

......

Shen Chi looked at Chen Xiao Cai and said, "Big Brother is gone, I wonder how the kids are doing."

Chen Xiao Cai nodded, "Yuan Bao and Dash are running wild, Chi, feel free to visit them if you have time, Lin Ge is having a hard time. Yuan Bao is all right, he still enjoys the freedom, but Dash now starts to miss Big Brother."

Shen Chi nodded and said, "Poor Lin Ge, I will visit them more often."

......

As soon as Chen Xiao Mi and the group set off, Highness Cheng had got the news.

"Your Highness, they are on the way now."

Highness Cheng nodded with satisfaction, "Finally!"

Two women from as pretty as flowers entered the room.

"Your Highness, you really pay great attention to this young couple!" Lou, Highness Cheng's wife, said.

"I almost feel jealous." Zhuang, the concubine, chimed in.

Highness Cheng said angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about? Mai will make Roast Whole Lamb for me, of course I'm excited."

The two women exchanged a look, they were both jealous of Mai because Highness Cheng kept talking about Mai after he came back from Sha County. At first, they thought Chen Xiao Mai was the reason why Highness Cheng stayed in Sha County, but then they found out Highness Cheng stayed there for Mai's cooking more than Mai himself.

Seeing Highness Cheng was really angry, the concubine put on a smile and said, "Your Highness, I've heard so much about the Roast Whole Lamb, is it really that good?"

The Concubine had tried imperial cuisines with Highness Cheng several times, she found it hard to believe that her husband was charmed by the food in a remote and backward county.

The concubine loved hotpot as well, but she lost interest pretty soon, she appreciates exquisite dishes more.

The Wife was determined to learn cooking from Chen Xiao Mai after he arrived. She firmly believed Highness Cheng would love her more if she could cook better.

......

In the patrol camp.

Liu Yun brought back ten free entry tickets for the Hot Springs Resort.

"Mr. Liu, is it true that we can enter the resort and enjoy a hot bath for free with this pass?"

Liu Yun nodded and said, "Yes, but you need to buy buffet tickets separately."

"That's all right, I'm already grateful for the free entry. Mr. Liu, where did you get those tickets?"

"Boss Chen gave them to me."

"Mr. Liu, can I have one?"

Liu Yun put away the tickets and said, "Each ticket is worth more than 500 cents, I won't just give them away."

"Mr. Liu, you are not going to use them all, are you?"

Liu Yun cast a sideways glance at the soldier who asked that question, "General Ji and I have talked about it, we are going to use these tickets as rewards, you need to train harder if you want the tickets."

A soldier made a face and said, "That sounds like work."

Liu Yun replied, "Nothing is free, and this is the only fair way."

The soldiers looked at each other and nodded. To everyone's surprise, they indeed started to tarin harder for the free tickets.

......

Swoosh!

Chen Xiao Mi shot a roe deer.

Chen Xiao Mai clapped his hands and said excitedly, "Big Brother, you're amazing, it's been so long since you went hunting, but you still got it."

Chen Xiao Mi smiled and said, "Thank you, Mai."

Wei Qiyu glanced at Chen Xiao Mi with admiration, 'Big Brother Mi is such a great hunter, he shoots with such great precision!'

Chen Xiao Mai made a fire to roast the roe deer.

Chen Xiao Mai sighed and said, "I miss the big kitchen at home, I have so many better ways to cook this roe deer, steaming, stewing, frying, but now it looks like we can only roast it."

Chen Xiao Mi nodded, "It's all right, Mai, I know you can still make it delicious."

Chen Xiao Mi also started to miss home, he wondered whether the kids were all right, whether Lu Lin could handle the two troublemakers......

Wei Qiyu volunteered to help when Mai and Ji Yun An seasoned the roe deer, but his help wasn't necessarily needed, he didn't leave them alone until Ji Yun An promised him that they would share the meat with him.