Chapter 634: Chapter 406: Setting Out
"You two want to go back to the city for a few days?"
Second Mother looked at Xiaomi and Wei Ziang with surprise, her eyes full of confusion.
"Mom, we can’t be much help here anyway. I want to see how Brother trains soldiers."
Xiaomi hugged Second Mother’s arm, playfully swinging back and forth.
Of course, they couldn’t directly say they were going to the grassland, so they compromised by saying they were returning to Lishi City to watch Wei Ziang train.
Second Mother frowned, "You’re a girl, why would you go to the military camp?"
Wei Ziang quickly chimed in to help.
"Mom, Xiaomi is just visiting during the day; we’ll go back to the city in the evening. She’s just curious. Once she sees it, it’ll lose its novelty."
"Ziang, you can’t just go to the military camp, can you? Are you sure you and Xiaomi don’t have other plans?"
Jiang Yu, the one who saw through everything the most, immediately suspected the two, scrutinizing them.
Xiaomi stomped her foot angrily, "Brother, what plans could we have? Lishi City isn’t far; if we ride quickly, we’ll get there in a couple of hours, play for a few days, and come back."
Jiang Yu still didn’t believe it, "Are you sure you’re not planning to go somewhere else?"
Wei Ziang laughed, "Brother, don’t overthink. Lishi City is different from Cheng County. For Xiaomi’s safety, I wouldn’t take her anywhere else."
Xiaomi nodded repetitively, "Exactly, exactly. I’m confident, not arrogant. How could I just run around?"
They both said this, and thinking about it, they didn’t have much to help with in Anning Village, besides hunting and fishing.
Moreover, although Wei Ziang had a two-week vacation, leaving the camp and Lishi City for too long wasn’t good. What if something urgent came up? Going back for a look seemed reasonable.
Thinking this, Second Mother reluctantly nodded in agreement, "Alright, it’s a deal. Don’t wander around, maximum five days, then come back, okay?"
Five days? Enough.
Xiaomi and Wei Ziang both agreed.
"Thank you, Mother!"
Then the two went to inform the others.
Once Second Mother agreed, they didn’t have to worry about much else.
However, watching them eagerly and joyfully ride off, Second Mother was still a bit puzzled.
"Why do I feel like those two little ones tricked me? Are they really going to Lishi City?"
Jiang Yu was carrying a bundle of grass, and overheard as he passed by Second Mother.
"Mom, you definitely got tricked. Those two definitely have more plans than just watching soldiers train."
However, Jiang Yu did believe one thing.
Wei Ziang wouldn’t joke about Xiaomi’s safety.
It’s because he heard this that he didn’t say much earlier.
Second Mother sighed, "I feel the same. But they’ve left, we can’t call them back."
Lucky enough, they learned from past experience, heard plenty of accounts of Wei Ziang’s bravery from General Song.
Though worried, they felt reassured.
After all, these two were playful but knew their limits, wouldn’t deliberately go to dangerous places.
Meanwhile, Wei Ziang and Xiaomi headed straight to Lishi City yet did not linger; they entered and exited the city.
Unimpeded all the way to the grassland beyond the border.
"It’s amazing, just one city apart, and such a huge difference in terrain and landscape."
Xiaomi marveled at the sprawling grassland ahead, turning back, she still vaguely saw the direction they came from, the faint mountain peaks.
The distance was too far, they could only see a bit of the mountain peak.
The magpie on her shoulder suddenly vanished, then suddenly appeared, and when Xiaomi lifted her hand, it flew up, "Ling’er, go play on your own."
Ling’er instantly spread its wings and flew high; it’s clear this vast outside world was more appealing.
Next to Xiaomi, Wei Ziang was searching for direction.
He didn’t have a map of the grassland; maps were confidential documents, and as a mere Chiliarch, he wasn’t qualified to have one.
However, he had seen one at the general’s residence, and given his extraordinary memory, a close look was enough for him to remember roughly.
"Xiaomi, go this way. There’s a river; the nomads typically stay and graze by the riverside."
After all, neither people nor livestock can lack water; usually, they camp and set up near rivers.
"Alright then."
Xiaomi nudged her horse and followed, tossing over a chicken leg at the same time.
"It’s getting late; let’s eat first."
Ling’er prepared plenty of food, convenient for replenishing energy whenever needed. The chicken leg was roasted, sprinkled with spices, crispy outside, tender inside, and fragrant.
They gnawed on the chicken leg for a bit. Wei Ziang patted the horse’s neck, "Xiaomi, let’s stop and rest for a while, the horse has been running all morning and is tired."
Xiaomi nodded; they both dismounted effortlessly. Just as the horse was about to lower its head to graze, Xiaomi took out a pile of grass from the space, especially tender kind.
Ling’er planted this along the way to Lishi City.
It was noon by now, very hot, even hotter than inside the border, and the sun was blazing directly overhead, without a bit of shade.
Xiaomi waved up towards the sky, "Ling’er!"
With a shout, Ling’er, who had been circling nearby, swooped down and landed on the saddle.
"What’s up, master."
Ever since Wei Ziang learned about the space, neither Xiaomi nor Ling’er needed to pretend anymore; they were much more open and free.
"It’s too hot; I want to set up a tent. While you’re flying around, help keep an eye on the surroundings. If you see anyone coming towards us, remember to alert me."
Though heading far from crowds after crossing the border, advancing towards sparsely populated areas in particular, there’s always a chance someone might pass by.
After all, the tents in her space were not suitable for others to see.
"Sure, master. I’ll keep an eye out."
Ling’er spoke and flew back up, circling in the sky before heading elsewhere to play.
It could see further from above, with a glance encompassing several miles.
Xiaomi quickly took out the tent, and with Wei Ziang, set it up together, even putting up a shed nearby to give the horses shade.
They used a solar water heater, filled a kettle with hot water, and brewed some tea to cool off before starting lunch.
Today, Ling’er had used potatoes to stew a chicken. The soft potatoes absorbed the flavor from the chicken soup, becoming especially aromatic.
They didn’t even need rice, finishing the pot of stewed chicken and potatoes, leaving not a drop of broth, both stuffed and hiccupping.
"Had I known, I’d have steeped some hawthorn water to aid digestion."
Xiaomi flicked her hand, taking out two lazy sofas, lounged into one, and sprawled out.
Stuffed full.
This feeling of being able to boldly take out items was exhilarating.
Wei Ziang was already accustomed to this, having witnessed much in the past within Stone Forest.
Yet he still moved over to sit, gently rubbing Xiaomi’s belly.
"In the future, once full, stop eating, or you’ll feel uncomfortable."
Xiaomi nodded with her eyes closed.
"Mm-hmm."
Already nearly asleep.