19: In Chapter 19, Zhang Ying expressed her wish to have a second child, only to be shocked to hear that Huang Yaoshi had appeared.

The inn outside the city was named "Yuelai"; it was dilapidated, but it had the advantage of being remote.

Yang Yuan requested a room in the back courtyard, gave an extra bit of silver, and told the innkeeper to bring dinner to the room and not to let anyone disturb them.

Cheng Ying placed little Xue Jian on the bed and surrounded her with a quilt to prevent her from falling off. The little one was tired from crying and had already fallen asleep, her eyelashes still damp, occasionally letting out a sob.

Lu Wushuang sat on a chair and changed her dressing herself. The wound on her shoulder had reopened, but it hadn't damaged her bones or tendons; it would heal after resting for a few days.

Yang Yuan stood by the window, staring into the night outside. The fields were pitch black, and there was the sound of dogs barking in the distance.

"Where to next?" Lu Wushuang spoke first.

Yang Yuan didn't turn around: "Not decided yet."

"We can't go back to Jiaxing." Lu Wushuang muttered, "That crazy woman will definitely send people there again. If we get cornered by her, all three of us will be done for."

Cheng Ying sat by the bedside, looking down as she tucked in the corner of little Xue Jian's quilt, and suddenly said: "Let's go to Jiangnan."

Yang Yuan turned back to look at her.

Cheng Ying didn't look up: "My ancestral home is in Jiangnan, and I still have some distant relatives there. Although we haven't kept in touch for many years, it's at least a place to seek refuge. Besides, the water towns of Jiangnan, with their small bridges and flowing streams, are easy places to hide, unlike the north, which is so conspicuous."

Lu Wushuang's eyes lit up: "That's right, Cousin, how could I have forgotten! Isn't your ancestral home in..."

"Don't mention the past." Cheng Ying interrupted her, her tone calm but unquestionable.

Lu Wushuang fell silent.

Yang Yuan watched Cheng Ying. She still kept her head lowered, her fingers gently patting the sleeping little Xue Jian, her expression calm, as if she were speaking of the most ordinary matter.

But he knew that it was not an ordinary matter. For someone forced to leave home for many years, mentioning one's ancestral home must require great determination.

"Alright, let's go to Jiangnan." Yang Yuan made the decision.

Cheng Ying looked up and glanced at him, a glimmer of light flashing in the depths of her eyes, then she lowered her eyelids and nodded gently.

At night, Lu Wushuang fell asleep.

Cheng Ying sat by the table, using the oil lamp to mend the outer garment that had been torn during the day. Yang Yuan sat opposite her, took out the dark iron fragment, and scrutinized it repeatedly under the lamplight.

The room was very quiet, with only the faint sound of needle and thread passing through the fabric.

Just then, a line of text flashed before his eyes—

[Host's relationship with Cheng Ying has significantly warmed.]

[Cheng Ying's favorability +10. Current favorability: 85 (Entrusted with Life and Death).]

[Congratulations to the host, unlocked "Qualification for Second Child".]

[Hint: The host and Cheng Ying can conceive a second child in a safe environment; the offspring's Aptitude will be linked to the resonance of the parents' Cultivation Technique.]

Yang Yuan stared at those lines of text, his fingers pausing slightly.

A second child.

He looked up at Cheng Ying.

She was focused on sewing the clothes, her eyelashes casting a small shadow under her eyelids. The lamplight reflected on her profile, soft and tranquil, while the scabbed scar on her forehead added a touch of resilience.

As if noticing his gaze, Cheng Ying looked up and met his eyes.

"What's the matter?"

Yang Yuan pondered for a moment and spoke about what the System had hinted at. Of course, he omitted the parts about the "System" and "numerical values," only saying that he had a premonition—if there were another child, that child's Aptitude would be as good as Xue Jian's, or perhaps even better.

Cheng Ying's ears turned red.

She lowered her eyes, the needle and thread in her hands stopped, and she said softly: "You're saying this now... isn't it a bit too early?"

"Not early." Yang Yuan looked at her and said earnestly, "Xue Jian is still young. If we have one now, by the time she starts remembering things, the younger brother or sister will be able to walk. Two children growing up together will have each other for company."

Cheng Ying was silent for a while.

She put down the needle and thread, looked up, and stared straight into Yang Yuan's eyes. In those eyes that were usually calm, there was now a rare touch of softness and expectation.

"I want to give Xue Jian a younger brother." She said, her voice very soft but clear, "I also want to... give birth to another one for the Yang family."

Yang Yuan reached out and took her hand.

Her hands were somewhat rough, with calluses on her fingertips, worn down from years of managing household chores. But her palms were warm, and her pulse beat strongly.

He didn't speak, just held her hand tighter.

Some things didn't need to be said aloud. Two people, two hearts, were extremely close at this moment.

Early the next morning, Yang Yuan went into the city to purchase supplies for moving.

He didn't go to the south of the city, but took a long detour and entered through the east gate, buying dry rations, water skins, coarse cloth, golden sore medicine, and several rolls of bandages at some inconspicuous general stores. He also went to a clothing store and bought a set of men's clothing—for Lu Wushuang to change into, to make the journey easier.

Returning to the inn, Cheng Ying had already packed the luggage. Three bundles, not large, but sturdy.

Lu Wushuang had changed into men's clothing, her hair tied up, looking like a frail young lad. She looked at herself in the bronze mirror and curled her lips: "It's ugly as hell."

"As long as it's safe." Yang Yuan divided the purchased items into the bundles, "On the road, we will take the official road and mix into a merchant caravan so as not to attract attention."

"What about martial arts?" Lu Wushuang asked suddenly, "My injuries are seven or eight percent healed, but I don't have any Moves, so I'm still useless if I run into trouble. Cousin-in-law, could you teach me a couple of tricks?"

Yang Yuan glanced at her.

This girl was certainly honest; she didn't treat him as an outsider.

He thought for a moment, then extracted three of the simplest opening stances from the Yue Maiden Sword Technique, drew the footwork on the ground, and told her to practice accordingly.

"These three Moves don't aim to kill, only to escape. When you encounter danger, dodge in these directions, strike with your sword quickly, and don't hesitate."

Lu Wushuang tried a few times; at first, she was stumbling, but her Comprehension Ability was good, and after half an hour, she was doing it quite well.

"That's enough, practice more on the road." Yang Yuan finished his demonstration.

Lu Wushuang wiped off her sweat and grinned: "Thanks, Cousin-in-law."

Cheng Ying stood to the side holding little Xue Jian, watching them, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.

A family.

She recited this word silently in her heart and felt a warm glow inside.

In the afternoon, Yang Yuan went out to inquire about news.

He didn't go to a teahouse but sat at a tea stall by the city gate for a long while, listening to the passing merchants chatting.

They were just chatting about rice prices, salt taxes, and which girl had married into a good family. But one piece of news caught his attention—

"Have you heard? Huang Yaoshi has come to Jiaxing!"

"Which Huang Yaoshi?"

"Who else could it be? The master of Peach Blossom Island, the Eastern Heretic Huang Yaoshi! I heard he showed his face in the city; I don't know who he's looking for."

The hand Yang Yuan was using to hold his tea paused.

Huang Yaoshi.

He recalled the words written on the back of that map fragment— "Beware of Peach Blossom Island." He also thought of his daughter's All Meridians Unblocked Physique and her talent for music.

If it were Huang Yaoshi...

He didn't listen any further and got up to return to the inn.

In the room, Cheng Ying was feeding little Xue Jian rice paste. Lu Wushuang sat by the window practicing her sword, every Move, very earnestly.

Yang Yuan sat down at the table and told them the news he had gathered.

"Huang Yaoshi?" Lu Wushuang stopped her movements, her brows slightly furrowed, "What is he doing in Jiaxing?"

"I don't know. I heard he's looking for someone."

"Looking for whom?"

Yang Yuan shook his head: "The information isn't clear. But this Huang Yaoshi is erratic in his movements and has a strange temper. If we can make a connection with him, it would be an opportunity for us."

Lu Wushuang wanted to say something but hesitated, as if she had thought of something, but ultimately didn't speak.

Cheng Ying put down the empty bowl and asked softly: "Do you want to go find him?"

"Not now." Yang Yuan said after careful consideration, "Let's first go to Jiangnan and get settled. Once the heat dies down, we'll think of a way. Huang Yaoshi being in Jiaxing means he won't be returning to Peach Blossom Island anytime soon. We have time."

Cheng Ying nodded and didn't ask any further.

She trusted him.

In the evening, the three of them took the child and left the inn, heading toward the south gate.

The setting sun dyed the fields a golden red, and the wind carried the fresh scent of rice crops. Little Xue Jian lay on Cheng Ying's shoulder, her round eyes wide open, looking around curiously.

Lu Wushuang walked behind, carrying a bundle, occasionally looking back in the direction of Jiaxing City.

"Let's go." Yang Yuan said from the front.

Lu Wushuang withdrew her gaze and quickened her pace to catch up.

The silhouette of Jiaxing City gradually blurred in the twilight, finally disappearing at the end of their vision.

A new path had begun.