Chapter 434: Chapter 432: Setting off for Xiangzhou_1
After resting for two days in Woniu Village, Lin Jinxu and Lin Jinzhou accompanied their little sister, along with Wang Meng, Shitou, a proud little kingfisher, and a well-behaved, cute little leopard, as they bade farewell to their relatives and officially embarked on their journey of traveling abroad.

Traveling in a horse-drawn carriage was not convenient, so they decided to ride horses.

Lin Qingluo rode Lightning, accompanied by Little Prince, Wang Meng rode Black Wind, and Lin Jinxu, Lin Jinzhou, and Shitou rode the tall and magnificent horses brought from the Duke of Zhen’s residence.

The group of five horses trotted swiftly along the mountain path towards their predetermined destination.

*****

The Qilian Mountains were connected by a series of hills, which led to a vast plain at the end.

The edge of the plain met the sea, and the coastline stretched for miles, connecting several neighboring states and counties.

The coastal towns had convenient transportation, and business caravans traveled between the states and counties all year round, transporting goods and boosting the economy.

Lin Qingluo had obtained a copy of the Chronicles of the Seven Kingdoms during her stay at the royal academy, which detailed the customs and geography of each kingdom.

The geography within the Fengqi Empire was also recorded in great detail.

This time, their destination was Xiangzhou, the nearest coastal state to neighboring Xuzhou.

She wanted the Little Prince and her two disciples to understand the vastness and richness of the sea in order to broaden their minds and gain knowledge.

Xiangzhou was located in the southeast, and the weather grew warmer as they headed south after leaving the mountains.

The thin overcoats worn at the beginning of winter were no longer sufficient, and the siblings changed into lighter single-layer clothes.

Dressed as students traveling abroad, they rode their horses leisurely along the official road.

Occasionally, they would stop at roadside snack stands to savor the local delicacies.

Lin Qingluo was a food enthusiast and would carefully note down any exceptional eats in order to revisit them when she grew older, recalling the memories of her childhood.

On the seventh day after leaving Woniu Village, they left Xuzhou and arrived at their destination, Xiangzhou.

As they entered Xiangzhou, the official road bustled with even more cargo caravans, coming and going without end.

From time to time, armed escort wagons carrying valuable goods would pass by, shouting their slogans as they sped past the siblings.

The accompanying armed escorts were often surprised by the striking appearance of the young men, riding tall and powerful horses.

Lin Qingluo had her hair tied with a blue ribbon, dressed as a travelling student in a simple blue gown, looking graceful and elegant.

She sat on horseback in front of the Little Prince, the outstanding pair of siblings attracting the attention of the majority of the people.

“Brother Xu, we’re about to enter Xiangzhou City. There’s a pavilion up ahead where we can have a cup of tea, rest a bit, and gather some information before entering the city.”

“Alright.”

Upon hearing his sister’s words, Lin Jinxu instinctively tightened his reins, slowing down his horse to match pace with his sister.

Wang Meng and Shitou, who were starting to get a bit tired of riding, galloped toward the pavilion upon hearing about it, elated at the prospect of a rest.

“These two youngsters have quite the stamina, still so energetic after seven or eight days on the road.”

Lin Jinzhou rode close to his sister’s left side, only a half horse-length behind her.

The two brothers formed a protective barrier around their little sister.

“Brother Meng has honed his strength through years of hunting in the mountains.”

Lin Qingluo jokingly smiled, “As for Shitou, he’s suffered quite a bit since he was young, traveling all around with his thief godfather. He’s trained his legs and feet to be deft.”

“Your two disciples are quite skilled!”

Lin Jinzhou laughed, “Both of them have their unique talents: one is strong, and the other is a quick runner – great assets for an army.”

“The two of them don’t like reading, and their heads ache as soon as they’re asked to recognize characters.”

Lin Qingluo smiled helplessly, “I guess joining the military is the only way out for them in the future.”