Chapter 181: Central Sichuan

The carriage galloped out of the capital.

The huge city gate behind slowly closed in the golden sunset, and the night gradually darkened as it moved further away from the city. It shrouded the sky in darkness, obscuring the once bustling sounds and making the clattering of horse hooves on the official road clearer.

Jiang Xue sat quietly in the car for a long time.

In the end, unable to hold back, he lifted the car curtain by the window and looked towards the rear: the bright lanterns on the city tower were getting farther and farther away in the line of sight, slowly fading, like the sparse hanging cold stars in the night sky.

She always thought that if one day she finally gave up everything and left the capital, she would be as happy and joyful as a caged bird.

However, things went against our wishes.

At the moment of parting, Xie Wei's disappointed and resolute words were like a vicious curse, turning into a dark cloud. A gust of Yin wind kept swirling in her mind, enveloping her heart, driving it away and lingering.

There is no real freedom in the world.

Even if we escape to the ends of the earth, as long as there are ties in our hearts

I will always be trapped in a cage!

What does he know?

It's just intimidation, coercion, and not wanting her to leave the capital!

Jiang Xuening withdrew her gaze and slowly closed her eyes.

She forcefully cleared her chaotic thoughts, counting only the sound of the coachman waving his whip in front of her, to stop thinking about the extreme unexpected things that happened at Xie Wei's mansion.

The journey from the capital to Shu is far, as far as 3000 miles.

Although there was an urgent communication between the imperial court for 300 li, 600 li, or even 800 li, which could take ten or even a few days to make a trip, Jiang Xuening did not bring many gifts, but he also brought a carriage, along with two maids, Tang'er Lian'er, and the accompanying guards to ensure safety. Even if the horses were well selected, they could not be compared to the imperial court. Therefore, when the weather was good, traveling more than a hundred li a day was already considered sky breaking.

Summer days are long and nights are short, making it suitable for traveling;

But in summer, there are also many storms. Once encountering unsuitable weather, they have to stop at the post station or inn, or even stay in the village.

Jiang Xuening was used to living a privileged life in the capital in her previous life, but she was determined to go to Shu earlier. It was inconvenient to eat and live all the way, which forced her to lose a lot of weight and make her look a bit frail.

When we arrived at the edge of the Yellow River, we had just passed the flood.

Starvation is everywhere in the eyes, and there are starving people on the road.

I don't know where many Tianjiao people came out. They spread rumors about the incompetence of the imperial court and the incompetence of the monarch. They said that the emperor's failure to do a good job caused the natural disaster. They opened Congee tents to give alms, but they held their hearts in their hands.

Jiang Xuening is not in court or an official. Even if she cannot witness such a tragic scene, she cannot rescue so many disaster victims. Although she has a clear understanding of the plan of the Heavenly Sect and is worried, when she looks back, the words spread by the Heavenly Sect cannot be considered as "rumors". Xie Wei has planned and strategized, and in the previous life, even the Heavenly Sect was completely eradicated. She has insight into these things and does not need anyone to remind her.

She was ruthless and asked the coachman to continue driving.

Crossing the Yellow River, passing through Luoyang, crossing the Sichuan Road, and reaching Chengdu, it is almost from early summer to early autumn. The scenery along the way also changes from the vast plains to Wei River soup, the Sichuan Road is breathtaking, and finally, it is the fertile land of Tianfu surrounded by towering mountains and steep mountains.

You Fangyin received the news that she was coming to Sichuan early and used her own money to set up a mansion for her in Chengdu and Ziliujing, one for permanent residence and one for settlement. She also planned to arrive at the post station in Chengdu half a month in advance to pick her up.

When Jiang Xuening got off the carriage, he almost didn't recognize anyone.

Exquisite and pale, covered in the dust of servants, the exhaustion of running around for a long time made her look much thinner than before. She even had an indescribable sense of desolation and depression, which almost made You Fangyin cry at the sight.

Ren Weizhi looked somewhat awkward and curious, standing in the distance and not getting close for a long time.

Jiang Xuening laughed and helped You Fangyin, who was bowing to her.

Looking around, the scenery was different from that of the capital city. The passersby were speaking the dialect of Shu, but except for You Fangyin who came to greet her, everything was very unfamiliar, giving her a sense of wandering in a foreign land.

For a dazed moment, Xie Wei's words echoed in his ear again.

However, what comes with it is novelty and joy.

She ignored the strange melancholy and emptiness.

In the next two years, Jiang Xuening disappeared from the Ren Salt Field and, in order to fulfill her promise to Shen Zhiyi, expanded her business territory regardless of the consequences. Any business that brought in money quickly had traces of her involvement, and through the technique of quickly accumulating wealth through issuing silver stocks, she gradually promoted it in the commercial towns along the Yangtze River.

In the second year, she had secretly contacted Yan Lin.

Jiang Xuening made herself have no time to think. She never wronged herself in terms of food and clothing, and everyone below obeyed her. No one above could control her, let alone those hypocritical and tedious social interactions.

Even so, I still dare not stop.

She was afraid that once she stopped, a moment of leisure would be used for quiet contemplation, and she would find that even if the choice to come to Shu was not wrong, the two-year defection was just a demonstration of how right that person was.

In the new snow, chasing after the past