163: Chapter 43: Temporary Settlement, Confession

After some time, the group successfully arrived at the border of the Jin Empire.

There was a tea stall by the roadside selling tea and buns. Huang Rong suggested going over to take a look, have some tea, and buy some buns along the way.

They had encountered wild game during their journey, but the kitchen's supply of rice and flour was nearly exhausted.

Meng Li and the others readily agreed.

The customers and the owner of the tea stall were all amazed upon seeing the Dream Travel Residence.

Then, the stall owner looked at Guo Jing, Huang Rong, and Yang Tiexin's family with a thoughtful expression.

Once they were seated, he walked up and asked, "Excuse me, are you Young Hero Guo Jing, Miss Huang Rong, and Great Hero Yang Tiexin's family?"

Hearing this, the three who were named—Guo Jing and the others—were stunned for a moment.

Afterward, Yang Tiexin spoke up and replied, "I am indeed Yang Tiexin."

Guo Jing and Huang Rong also identified themselves one after another.

The stall owner immediately pulled a letter from his robe and handed it to Guo Jing, who was sitting directly opposite him, explaining, "This is a letter that a Daoist priest from the Quanzhen Sect entrusted me to deliver to you."

Huang Rong took the letter and opened it. After reading, she summarized, "The letter says that the people from the Quanzhen Sect have already found a place for us to settle down, not far from here. They want us to settle in there first, and they will come to meet us in a few days to discuss what happens next."

When Huang Rong finished speaking, Guo Jing, Yang Tiexin, and the others were somewhat surprised.

According to the original plan, everyone intended to return directly to Niu Family Village.

Yang Tiexin's family planned to live at the ruins of their former residence.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong wanted to visit the old Guo family home.

Meng Li prepared to wait for Yang Tiexin's family to settle in, accompany Mu Nianci back to Hotang Village for a look, then go to Hangzhou to the Yiwang Manor to see Zhao Guicheng, and finally return to his hometown.

However, the matter of seeing Zhao Guicheng involved his identity in this world, so Meng Li had not mentioned it yet.

Now the Quanzhen Sect people were saying they had found a place for them to settle and would meet up later.

This wasn't exactly contrary to their set plans, but there were discrepancies.

After a moment, Guo Jing spoke up and asked, "Uncle, Elder Brother Meng, what should we do next?"

"Should we go to the place the Daoist priests arranged, or return to Niu Family Village?"

Meng Li replied, "Since we've received the letter, let's go see the place they've arranged and wait for them to meet us."

Yang Tiexin also said, "Indeed, we shouldn't let the Daoist priests' kindness go to waste."

Thus, the group bought some buns and returned to the Dream Travel Residence, heading toward the location described in the letter.

After about half a day, they successfully arrived at a small courtyard.

Parking the Dream Travel Residence nearby, several of them got out, walked around the courtyard, and then entered the house.

The house was covered in dust, cobwebs hung on the walls and in the corners, and there was a stale, old smell; it was clear at a glance that no one had lived here for a long time.

Guo Jing looked left and right, saying happily, "Ronger, if we clean this place up, it should be quite comfortable to live in."

"Mm," Huang Rong nodded in agreement.

Mu Nianci and the Yang couple also felt that the place was not bad.

Meng Li had the Dream Travel Residence, but from the perspective of an ordinary person, he also felt this house was acceptable.

Yang Kang, however, fanned the air in front of his nose with his hand and frowned. "What is that smell? It's so stinky!"

As he spoke, his face showed disdain. "This place is both dirty and smelly. How can anyone live here?"

As soon as these ill-timed words were spoken, the atmosphere on the scene turned cold.

Huang Rong felt her mood dampened and directly snapped back without politeness, "If you think it's dirty, then go clean it yourself!"

Yang Kang said, "I don't know how."

"Then learn!" Huang Rong replied with a single word, then continued, "If you really don't want to clean, then go buy some grain."

"Don't think that just because we've reached a place to settle, there's nothing left to do."

"If you want to live here, you have to work. Just like before, Sister Mu, Auntie Yang, and I had to cook, while Brother Jing and you had to catch game."

"You are no longer some Little Prince. Stop thinking that someone will come to serve you. No one will tolerate, pamper, or fear you like they did before. So, you'd better change that spoiled temperament of yours and stop being so arrogant."

Yang Kang: "..."

Guo Jing opened his mouth to speak but hesitated.

Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo exchanged a look but said nothing.

Mu Nianci felt that what Huang Rong said was correct and likewise remained silent.

Meng Li had a strange expression, thinking to himself that she truly was Huang Rong.

Yang Kang's behavior certainly seemed delicate, but Huang Rong's multi-sentence retort was indeed sharp-tongued.

Afterward, Meng Li spoke up, "Nianci and I should go buy the grain. It's a good time to restock some supplies for the Dream Travel Residence as well."

After saying this, Meng Li pulled Mu Nianci, who was beside him, and left.

Leaving the courtyard, the two asked around nearby and learned that the grain shop was in the Market Town, which was quite a distance away.

"Let's ride the horses there," Meng Li said.

"Okay," Mu Nianci readily agreed.

With that, they walked to the front of the Dream Travel Residence, unfastened the harnesses for the two horses, and then vaulted into their saddles.

Immediately after, the two galloped in the direction they had been told and arrived at the Market Town before long.

Once they had finished buying grain at the shop, Meng Li secured it onto the horses' backs and turned to ask Mu Nianci, "That house hasn't been lived in for a long time; just buying grain isn't enough. You have a keen eye; see what else needs to be added."

Mu Nianci thought carefully for a moment and replied, "Quite a lot."

Meng Li: "?"

An hour later, he looked at the two horses laden with items, his expression strange.

Seeing his expression, Mu Nianci said sheepishly, "Did we buy too much?"

Meng Li nodded, then shook his head. "The items are indeed a bit much, but every single one of them is necessary, so it doesn't really count as too much."

This wasn't a lie, but the truth.

Because the place where Yang Tiexin and the others were settling temporarily had nothing besides the house and some large furniture like tables, stools, and cabinets; many daily necessities were missing.

For example, bedding, oil lamps, bowls, chopsticks, ladles, basins, as well as oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

And Mu Nianci had considered all of these; she had clearly been paying close attention.

Furthermore, when buying them, she was very skilled at haggling, obviously having an understanding of their market prices.

Having finished their shopping, the two led the horses back.

Seeing someone selling candied haws, Meng Li conveniently bought two skewers and handed one to Mu Nianci. "It'll take a while to walk back, so it's perfect to eat on the way."

Mu Nianci smiled as she took it.

Leaving the Market Town, Meng Li looked at Mu Nianci eating the candied haws and thought of his original plan, so he couldn't help but say, "Nianci, if I've kept some things from you, would you be angry?"

Mu Nianci's chewing paused, and then she swallowed the sweet and sour hawthorn in her mouth, turning her gaze toward him. "That depends on what it is."

"For example, my identity."

Mu Nianci's eyes narrowed. "You aren't a Person of Song?"

Meng Li didn't expect her first reaction to be this. Feeling slightly startled, he immediately replied, "I am a Person of Song."

Mu Nianci's expression softened slightly, and then she asked again, "Is your name not Meng Li?"

Meng Li answered, "My name is 'Meng Li', but that is my courtesy name."

Mu Nianci frowned and then pressed further, "Then what is your surname, and what is your given name?"

"In this life, my surname is Zhao, and my name is Yurui."

"Zhao Yu Rui." Mu Nianci softly repeated the name. A flash of insight crossed her mind, and she asked in surprise, "The 'Zhao' of the Great Song Imperial Family?"

Meng Li nodded. "Correct."

Mu Nianci's face showed astonishment. "You are a prince or a royal grandson?"

Meng Li thought for a moment and said, "A tenth-generation descendant of Emperor Taizu, Zhao Kuangyin, and a ninth-generation descendant of Prince Yan, Zhao Dezhao. I can only be considered a distant branch of the imperial family, without even an inherited title."

"Then why did you hide your identity?"