My parents, elder brother, Miao Yin, younger sister, Yuan Xiao, and even the previously escaped Xiao Huang were all with us. Disguised, we followed the Tang faction’s arrangements and traveled day and night. After more than ten days, we finally reached the border town between Da Qi and Nan Rui.
Returning to their homeland, my parents were emotional, never expecting their return would be for escape. They had begun to understand the An family’s true identity and sighed at the unpredictability of life. My younger sister, raised in Yan Feng, found the scenery fresh and interesting, seemingly unaware that we were fleeing.
However, Miao Yin’s situation was concerning. She was two months pregnant and had become noticeably weaker due to the turbulence. Despite preparing medicinal soup to stabilize her pregnancy, she was severely vomiting and unable to eat, experiencing strong reactions.
If it weren’t for me, she and my elder brother would have surely opened a tavern in Yanfeng, living comfortably together and avoiding hardships.
Feeling guilty about implicating my family, I was comforted by Miaoyin, who said that families should share both good and bad times.
Most of our relatives in the countryside had passed away, making it inconvenient to visit. However, Mother secretly took me to the town’s cemetery to pay respects to the old nanny.
After just one day in Yao Town, the Qi Emperor’s wanted notice appeared throughout the town. It included portraits of me and my family, along with Yuan Xiao’s, showing the Emperor’s fury. We had no choice but to continue moving towards the South Rui border, where we would be safer.
Unexpectedly, as we approached the border, Yuan Xiao had a quarrel with Xiao Huang, jumped out of the carriage to play, and was caught by the border guards.
The guard held up the portrait from the wanted notice and compared it to Yuan Xiao, his gaze suspiciously shifting towards our carriage.
I quickly lowered the curtain and instructed everyone to put on human skin masks and be cautious.
“Are all white dogs in the world going to look the same? Can they really tell?” My younger sister grumbled while putting on her thin-faced mask, which greatly displeased her.
