Chapter 463: The Journey Continues at Dawn

The night after the rogue attack was the longest night of their journey.

Nobody slept peacefully.

Even after the attackers had disappeared into the darkness, the memory of their sudden assault lingered in everyone’s minds. The horses were restless, the children clung to their parents, and the adults remained alert, afraid that another group of rogues might emerge from the surrounding forest.

The instructors had warned them repeatedly to travel quickly and avoid wasting time on the road. Yet, over the previous two days, the group had stopped more often than necessary, indulging in leisurely meals, sightseeing, and unnecessary arguments.

Now, after experiencing a real attack, nobody felt like complaining about the instructors’ strictness.

Lian An sat beside the dying campfire, watching the darkness beyond the trees.

Beside her, the Emperor sat quietly, his eyes occasionally moving toward her face to make sure she was all right.

Although they were travelling as commoners, without royal guards announcing their arrival or servants attending to their every need, the concern in his eyes had not changed.

"Are you tired?" he asked softly.

"A little," Lian An admitted. "But I don’t think I’ll fall asleep tonight."

"Neither will I."

She glanced at him.

"You should rest whenever you can. Tomorrow’s journey won’t be easy."

He gave her a faint smile. "Then we’ll face it together."

Lian An looked away, pretending to be interested in the fire.

Even after travelling together for three days, she still wasn’t accustomed to how naturally he said such things.

Across the camp, Lady Chen was helping Princess Zhi settle a young child who had been crying since the attack. Prince Liang and the Emperor’s brother were checking the supplies, while his sister-in-law helped the older women prepare warm water.

The Dowager, their mother, sat beneath a tree with a blanket around her shoulders. Although she was exhausted, she refused to return to her tent until she was certain everyone was safe.

General Wei Rong stood nearby, checking the weapons and speaking quietly with the instructors.

Yao Qing, Lian An’s friend from Whisper Bowl, was helping her fellow restaurant manager count the remaining food supplies.

Meanwhile, Lin Wei and the twin girls, who were pretending to be Lian An’s younger siblings, had volunteered to assist with the camp’s chores.

The twins had been unusually quiet since the attack.

Even their usual bickering had disappeared.

Lian An noticed and called them over.

"Come here, both of you."

The girls immediately approached.

"Are you frightened?" she asked gently.

The elder twin shook her head, though her fingers were tightly intertwined.

"We’re all right, Elder Sister."

The younger twin nodded quickly. "We’re just thinking about what happened."

Lian An reached out and squeezed their hands.

"Being frightened doesn’t mean you’re weak. What matters is that you don’t let fear stop you from moving forward."

The twins exchanged a glance before nodding.

"We understand."

"Good. Now go and get some rest. We’ll have to leave early tomorrow."

They obeyed, though the younger twin turned back after taking a few steps.

"Elder Sister?"

"Yes?"

"If another rogue comes, we’ll protect you!"

Lian An stared at her for a moment before laughing softly.

"All right. But remember, protecting one another is everyone’s responsibility. You don’t need to fight alone."

The girls smiled and finally returned to their sleeping area.

The Emperor watched the exchange.

"You’ve become very fond of them," he remarked.

"They’re good girls."

"And Lin Wei?"

"He has a good heart, too."

The Emperor nodded, making no further comment. He understood that Lian An had always valued people for their actions rather than their status.

Perhaps that was one of the reasons he had fallen so deeply in love with her.

### The Instructors’ Warning

Before dawn, the chief instructor walked through the camp, waking everyone.

"Get up! Pack your belongings immediately!"

His loud voice shattered the remaining silence.

Several people groaned, but nobody dared argue.

The instructor stopped in the middle of the camp and surveyed the sleepy faces before him.

"I warned you yesterday that we needed to travel faster. I warned you the day before that unnecessary stops would put us behind schedule. Did anyone listen?"

Nobody answered.

"Now look at us! We were attacked last night, and we still have a considerable distance to cover before reaching the next safe settlement."

He folded his arms.

"From today onward, we will follow the schedule strictly. We leave at dawn, stop only when necessary, and keep moving until I give the order to rest. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Instructor!" everyone answered together.

The instructor raised an eyebrow.

"Louder!"

"YES, INSTRUCTOR!"

"Good. Perhaps the rogues have finally taught you something that my words could not."

A few people lowered their heads in embarrassment.

Lian An covered her mouth to hide a smile.

Beside her, the Emperor murmured, "You’re laughing."

"I’m not."

"Your shoulders are shaking."

"Perhaps I’m cold."

He glanced at the warm cloak around her shoulders.

"Of course."

She gave him a warning look.

He smiled innocently.

For the first time since the attack, a little of the tension between them eased.

### Departure at First Light

By the time the eastern sky turned pale gold, the entire group had packed their belongings.

The horses were saddled, the carts loaded, and the cooking utensils secured. The instructors checked each travelling party before giving the signal to depart.

Nobody complained about the early hour.

Nobody asked for an additional break.

Nobody suggested stopping to explore the nearby hills.

Even the people who had spent the previous two days arguing about the travel arrangements now moved with admirable efficiency.

The chief instructor watched them with satisfaction.

"It seems the lesson has finally been learned."

The group began moving along the northern road.

The morning air was cold, and a thin layer of mist hovered above the fields. Birds called from the distant trees, while sunlight slowly spread across the countryside.

For a while, everyone travelled quietly.

The wheels of the carts rolled over the uneven road, and the occasional sound of a horse’s hooves broke the silence.

Lian An walked beside the carriage, enjoying the fresh air.

The Emperor accompanied her.

Although he could easily have ridden a horse, he had chosen to walk whenever she did.

"You don’t have to keep pace with me," she told him.

"I know."

"Then why are you walking?"

"Because I want to."

She sighed.

He looked far too pleased with himself.

A short distance ahead, Lin Wei noticed an elderly man struggling with a heavy bundle tied to his back.

Without hesitation, he hurried forward.

"Uncle, let me carry that for you."

The old man looked surprised.

"No, no. You’re young, but you also have your own belongings."

"It’s fine. I’ll carry it for a while."

Before the man could refuse again, Lin Wei lifted the bundle onto his own shoulder.

The elderly man stared at him.

"Young man, that’s very kind of you."

Lin Wei smiled. "We’re travelling in the same direction. There’s no reason not to help."

The man thanked him repeatedly.

A little farther down the road, one of the twin girls noticed a woman struggling to keep up while holding a sleepy child in her arms.

She hurried over.

"Auntie, would you like me to carry the child for a while?"

The woman hesitated.

"You’re still young. Won’t he be too heavy?"

"I can manage."

The girl carefully took the child into her arms.

The little boy stirred, looked at her sleepy-eyed, and promptly rested his head against her shoulder.

The woman watched with relief.

"Thank you, young lady. I’ve been carrying him since before sunrise."

The second twin joined them, taking a small bag from the woman’s hand.

"You can walk more comfortably now."

The woman looked between the two girls, visibly moved.

"What kind of family raises such thoughtful children?"

The twins exchanged a proud glance.

"Our Elder Sister always tells us to help people whenever we can."

A few steps behind them, Lian An heard the exchange.

She smiled.

The Emperor noticed her expression.

"You’re proud of them."

"Of course I am."

"They seem to have taken your advice seriously."

"They’re better at following advice than certain people I know."

He turned to look at her.

"Who are you referring to?"

Lian An gave him a sweet smile.

"Wouldn’t you like to know?"

He laughed quietly.

### Yao Qing and the Restaurant Manager

Meanwhile, Yao Qing and the manager from Whisper Bowl were helping an older couple rearrange the supplies on their small handcart.

One of the cart’s ropes had loosened, allowing several cloth bundles to slide dangerously close to the edge.

"Please stop for a moment," Yao Qing called.

The couple immediately halted.

"What’s wrong?"

"Your rope is loose. If the bundles fall, they might get damaged."

The manager crouched beside the cart and tightened the rope while Yao Qing carefully repositioned the packages.

"There," he said, giving the rope a final tug. "It should hold now."

The elderly woman looked relieved.

"Thank you. We wouldn’t have noticed until something fell."

Yao Qing smiled.

"It’s nothing. We work in a restaurant, so we’re used to carrying heavy things."

The old man chuckled.

"Then you must be very hardworking."

"We try to be."

The manager glanced toward the front of the travelling group, where Lin Wei was still helping the elderly man.

"Our whole party seems to have turned into a group of porters today."

Yao Qing laughed.

"Better porters than people who only know how to complain."

The manager immediately nodded.

"That is certainly true."

Their conversation made the elderly couple laugh as well.

Soon, a few other travellers began asking for help with their belongings.

Yao Qing and the manager assisted whenever they could, making sure not to fall too far behind the group.

Their kindness did not go unnoticed.

### Praise Along the Northern Road

As the morning progressed, the atmosphere gradually changed.

The fear left by the previous night’s attack did not disappear entirely, but the sight of people helping one another brought a sense of comfort to the travelling party.

An elderly woman praised Lin Wei for carrying her water jar.

A young father thanked one of the twins for helping his daughter cross a muddy stretch of road.

Another traveller complimented Yao Qing and the manager for helping several families secure their luggage.

"They’re all from the same family, aren’t they?" someone asked.

"They must have been raised very well."

"Look at those young people. They don’t hesitate to help anyone."

"