Chapter 734: 734 leave
Wei Guangxiang and the other three also nodded. Indeed, no one had considered not giving it to the two brothers, after all, they were a small group.
"Old Lin, take it. This way, we all feel comfortable." Lin Gensheng finally accepted the money. He truly admired the five of them.
After finishing their meal, the five of them went back to rest, leaving any issues to be discussed the next day.
The next day, after breakfast, the five of them gathered together.
"Xiao Su, let’s head back."
Su Yuanyuan nodded. "Sure, let’s leave today. If it really snows heavily, the railway might be cut off. It’s safer to leave early."
Having decided, they each went back to pack their luggage. However, Su Yuanyuan and Zhan Yunzhao went out with Lin Gensheng to collect three ginsengs. In total, they gathered ten, digging up four themselves, which was quite the harvest.
Knowing they’d depart early, Lin Gensheng asked his oldest son to drive the family cart to send them off.
"Uncle Lin, there’s no need. The mountain road is too dangerous. We’ll walk slowly; there’s no rush.
And thank you and your family for taking us in during this time." Zeng Hongling quickly refused. On such a narrow mountain road, she didn’t dare take a vehicle.
Although it was a long and tiresome walk to the city after descending the mountain, at least it was safe.
The others also declined. No matter how things were before, they absolutely wouldn’t dare to ride, nor did they want regrets and self-blame should anything happen while sending them off.
"If you don’t want to take the cart, let my eldest lead the horse to help you carry your luggage, making the walk easier."
In the end, the five of them still refused. With the overcast weather, there was really no need to trouble others.
Their spirits were high, so the descent didn’t feel tiring.
"Daoist Zhan, is it really going to snow?" Zeng Hongling asked.
"It looks like it might snow. We should speed up and catch that train."
"Yuanyuan, are we going back to the Capital together?"
"I don’t know yet. Probably not heading back."
They chatted and walked, helping to distract them from the fatigue.
For humans, walking a distance horses would cover in a day wasn’t an easy task.
"Yuanyuan, we agreed before, wherever you go, I go."
"Alright. As long as you want to. But I haven’t decided where to go yet."
Zeng Yixin had remained silent but now spoke up, "Sis, let’s visit home. I want to bring a ginseng back for Grandpa and Dad."
Being a man of the Zeng Family, living it up outside with only the elders at home left him uneasy.
Though under the guise of eliminating wrongful acts, they’d been away from home for two years.
Zhan Yunzhao, listening to the side, suddenly began calculating with his fingers.
"Yixin, Zeng Hongling, you two should go back. I foresee your grandpa facing a hurdle."
The siblings were stunned by Zhan Yunzhao’s words, then looked at him with anxious fear.
"Daoist Zhan, is my grandpa okay?"
"I calculated that you should visit. Ideally, you should bring the two elders to our Daoist Temple."
Zhan Yunzhao said nothing more.
This made Zeng Hongling anxious, quickening her pace considerably.
"Yuanyuan, can you come back with me? I need to persuade Grandpa and Dad to leave, and you can help hide our things?"
"Hongling, do you have any place in mind to hide these things?"
All five quickened their pace.
"No. But Grandpa has already hidden some valuable items. There’s still a lot at home, mainly books, paintings, and porcelain."
"Alright, I’ll go back with you."
It’s a favor she could help with.
"But you must pick a good place. I can definitely get it out for you but I’m unfamiliar with the area."
Zeng Yixin glanced at Su Yuanyuan, "I have a safe place. I’ll tell you about it later."
Su Yuanyuan nodded. Such help was necessary; if it came to it, she could use her credentials to borrow a truck locally.
"I can’t go back. Take the two of them to the mountain. They want to eliminate wrongful acts but it’s not easy. However, in the Daoist Temple, it’s different."
Where and how it was different, Zhan Yunzhao didn’t say.
"Alright, thank you, Daoist Zhan." Zeng Yixin had already made up his mind. He would persuade Grandpa and Dad to go to the Daoist Temple.
"Su Yuanyuan, can you send our family items to the Daoist Temple?"
"I think I can, but I’m not sure if my credentials will work in your area. Let’s try it."
The cart took ten hours to reach the foot of the mountain, not to mention on foot, especially with the baggage they carried.
Fortunately, they were wearing coats. They carried five pounds of dried noodles and a flask of water each.
Su Yuanyuan felt her legs moving mechanically forward, utterly exhausted.
They only rested when it got dark.
They gathered some firewood to light a fire.
They used a lunch box to boil water, cooking the dried noodles with a bit of salt.
After eating, they rested a while before continuing their journey. They didn’t reach the city until nearly midnight.
They headed straight to the train station to buy tickets.
"Yixin, should I go back with you?" Wei Guangxiang had been pondering throughout the journey.
He also wanted to return, wondering how his fellow disciples were. Though their paths diverged, they grew up together.
But he also knew if all three left, Zhan Yunzhao alone in the Capital wouldn’t necessarily manage.
"Brother Wei, no need for you to return. Stay with Daoist Zhan.
When I get back, I’ll make inquiries about your fellow disciples and the Sect."
"Thank you, I am worried about them."
Zhan Yunzhao listened quietly, grateful for companionship.
Despite being nearly forty-six, the outside world still daunted him.
He had good friends, and hadn’t wasted his time, so pleasantries weren’t necessary.
At the train station, the two girls were too tired to move, sweating profusely but keeping their hats and scarves on to avoid catching a cold.
Zeng Yixin and Wei Guangxiang went to buy tickets.
They were lucky, Zeng Yixin bought four sleeper tickets for a 6 a.m. departure.
Wei Guangxiang and the others were even luckier, with the train arriving in just over an hour.