"You can't be harmed either?" Tuoba Yan asked seriously when he saw Ah Jiu's stern expression.
"No," Ah Jiu replied resolutely.
The place they were heading to was Nanming City. The two men they just heard about were constables from the city. If Xiao Yan Yan killed someone else, it would definitely be investigated.
She hoped the bodies in the woods had already decomposed and left no trace.
"Okay, Xiao Yan Yan promises Ah Jiu sister that he won't kill anyone anymore."
Tuoba Yan nodded earnestly.
"But Ah Jiu sister, if someone really harms you, what if I can't control myself?"
Tuoba Yan still felt uneasy. Life was unpredictable, and who knew what kind of people would harm Ah Jiu on the road ahead.
"I don't need you to save me," Ah Jiu stomped her feet anxiously and took out her water skin.
"See, the little earth dragon can protect me, so no matter what happens, you stand behind me. I have a way."
"Then..." Tuoba Yan felt a sense of loss for some reason. He had originally intended to protect Ah Jiu sister.
But now it seemed he was wrong.
"Ah Jiu sister, do I have any other use?"
"Yes," Ah Jiu heard his tone and replied, "You can help me with physical labor. If I get tired climbing mountains one day, you can carry me. You're very useful."
Ah Jiu stood on tiptoe to reach Tuoba Yan's shoulder and patted it like a little adult.
Tuoba Yan then started to smile.
Ding dong!
"Merit points increased by six, your total score is thirty-nine." Ah Jiu was startled again by the system's prompt.
"Master, Miss Ah Jiu, the horse is fine." Zhao Kun called out from a distance, cupping his hands to his mouth.
Ah Jiu's pupils contracted, and they both broke into a run.
Saving the horse also earned points. Ah Jiu was truly enlightened.
From afar, they saw the horse standing up.
A large pile of undigested grass lay behind its hindquarters.
Meng Shaode grinned widely, unable to close his mouth. "Jiu'er, your dad told you it wouldn't die, right? You can rest easy now."
"Mm," Ah Jiu pursed her lips, stroked the horse's face, and pressed her own face against it.
"Horse, we're family too. From now on, Jiu'er won't skimp on your water, and you won't get sick."
Everyone looked at the standing horse with mixed feelings.
Judging by this, the Meng family would not be traveling with them.
"Let's set off while it's cool at night." As soon as the horse stood up, Meng Shaode felt as if he was bathed in a spring breeze. No matter how hard or tiring it was, as long as his daughter was happy, he felt it was worth it.
"Hey, hey, hey, Brother Meng, please stay."
Deng Erfu hurried over and circled Meng Shaode, who was putting a bridle on the horse.
"Let's travel together. I've decided that my elder brother won't argue with those two just now, alright?"
"I don't make the decisions. Ask my wife," Meng Shaode said without looking up.
This made the Deng brothers very awkward. "Brother Meng, when did it become a woman's decision?"
"If your woman doesn't make the decisions, can my woman make them?" Meng Shaode was also angry.
He had kindly wanted to join the army so they could look out for each other, but as soon as the horse collapsed, they wanted to eat meat, making his daughter cry with distress.
"Yes, in the Meng family, I make the decisions," Cai Lihua said, hands on her hips, her back straight.
"We do too. My eldest makes the decisions in our family." Tuoba Yan stood behind Ah Jiu, half a head taller, but his face was full of pride.
"This... how come all the women are making the decisions?"
Whispers erupted.
With the horse's bridle secured, Meng Shaode dejectedly jumped onto the carriage.
"Wife, daughter, get in. Let's go."
Ah Jiu and Cai Lihua got into the carriage. Li's wife emerged from the crowd.
"The Meng family has taken good care of me all the way. I won't be traveling with you, sister-in-law."
Ah Jiu then noticed that Aunt Li, with her two sons, had been chatting with a female relative inside. She had been under that big tree when everything happened.
Hearing her call out "sister-in-law," Ah Jiu realized she was likely a sister-in-law from her maternal family, as Uncle Li was an only child.
"Junlan, you must take good care of yourself. Your elder brother worries about you the most."
As she spoke, the woman covered her face and cried.
After getting into the carriage, Li's wife said that her elder brother from her maternal family had also been captured. On the road of fleeing famine, her sister-in-law had been taken care of by a man surnamed Su.
She had followed him, so she felt too ashamed to mention traveling together.
Speaking of which, Li's wife choked back tears and said,
"I am fortunate to have met you all. However, I no longer want to inquire about sister-in-law's affairs. As long as she is being looked after, my elder brother will be at peace."