Hu San also spoke bluntly, "The Eldest Miss is more highly valued than we expected. This well-equipped cavalry tonight should be the personal guard assigned to the Princess Royal by the Emperor; they are all elites."
It wasn't just Mu Si'an who was surprised; Hu San found it unexpected as well.
Pei Hao, however, remained silent.
It was indeed too much emphasis, somewhat unusual.
The Du clan was a prestigious and renowned family of the Great Qin Kingdom with a century of excellent reputation, yet they had produced a black sheep like Du Wan. Any other great aristocratic clan would have long ago expelled her from the family or sent her to a family temple. But the Eldest Miss was quite something; during the time she was missing, not only did the Du clan and the Princess Royal's manor not expel her, but they had never stopped searching.
And look, they came the moment they received news!
Not only were Mu Si'an and the others unable to understand, but many people in the capital couldn't understand it either.
Hu San grinned, "Hehe, luckily they came."
"Yes, luckily they came," Pei Hao said, his peach-blossom eyes narrowing slightly.
Mu Si'an grimaced in pain, "It's a good thing the Eldest Miss was here, otherwise we really would have perished here. It turns out she wasn't wrong last time; I really am facing a disaster of bloodshed."
Pei Hao: "..."
That girl was clearly just talking nonsense last time!
Pei Hao had been watching the siblings.
Sensing that the atmosphere between the two seemed a bit off, Pei Hao stood up. "I'll go over and take a look."
"Master, this subordinate will accompany you," Hu San moved to stand up as well.
Pei Hao stopped him. "No need. You stay here and accompany Si'an."
"Alright then." Hu San smiled sheepishly and did not insist further.
Pei Hao walked toward Du Wan and the other.
As he approached, the guards surrounding the siblings gave Du Qian a subtle reminder.
Du Qian looked up and saw Pei Hao approaching. He didn't stop him from coming over, nor did he have the leisure to pay him any mind, as he was focused entirely on talking to the little girl. However, the little girl's wariness toward Du Qian was very obvious.
Pei Hao heard it as soon as he drew near.
Du Qian asked with a serious expression, "I haven't mistaken you. You are Wanwan."
Du Wan nodded her small head, then quickly shook it.
"..." Du Qian felt like hitting someone.
Nodding one moment and shaking her head the next—what was the meaning of this?
But the way his sister looked at him... was wary and stranger?
Du Wan hung her small head, looking aggrieved.
Seeing Pei Hao approach, the little girl suddenly scrambled up from the ground, darted quickly behind Pei Hao, and began babbling with her small mouth, "Pei Hao, this person just said he was my brother, but I don't remember anything from before, so I don't know if what he's saying is true or false. I wanted to run away but I didn't have the strength, I'm really too tired..."
She doesn't remember the past?!
Du Qian's pupils suddenly constricted, and he turned his gaze toward Pei Hao.
It was as if he were asking Pei Hao: what is going on?
A wave of emotion also rose within Pei Hao's heart. "Her guard was quite heavy before; she rarely mentioned her own affairs. I am only just finding out myself..."
Du Qian re-evaluated his sister with complex emotions.
She had thinned out significantly, and her skin had darkened quite a bit.
The only thing that remained unchanged were her large eyes, dark and sparkling, clear and bright.
During the days she was missing, his sister must have suffered a lot...
Being stared at like this, she didn't seem panicked at all as long as Pei Hao was there; instead, she even puffed out her small chest.
In truth, Du Wan knew very well that judging solely by this physical appearance, even if the heavens themselves descended, they wouldn't suspect she was an impostor. After all, the matter of a soul being swapped was far too inconceivable.
Pei Hao helplessly explained Du Qian's identity to Du Wan.
Du Wan had already guessed, but she still asked tentatively, "Big Brother, are you really certain that I am your sister?"
Before Du Qian could answer, Pei Hao spoke first: "Throughout this journey, I haven't seen you act as if you aren't the Eldest Miss; you let people serve you quite naturally."
Du Wan shot him a glance. "It was you all who wanted to do that; I never agreed to it."
"..." There was no way to talk to her.
Upon seeing this, Du Qian suddenly found it somewhat amusing.
Du Wan leaned forward cautiously and asked, "Big Brother—"
"It's 'Elder Brother'," Du Qian said helplessly.
"I'm just asking if you can be certain? I didn't say I *am* the Du family's Eldest Miss, you know." She put on an expression that suggested if anything went wrong, she would absolutely deny it.
My goodness, his sister was truly adorable!
"I am certain." Du Qian gave her head a doting rub.
Only then did Du Wan breathe a great sigh of relief. "Alright then, I'll go back with you."
As if she had a choice.
Pei Hao was speechless.
Du Wan turned her head inexplicably and glared at Pei Hao with her almond eyes.
Oh!
With someone backing her up, her courage grew instantly.
Pei Hao's expression was complicated.
Just a moment ago she was hiding behind him as if relying on him, and in such a short time... she had changed?
The group hastily cleaned up the scene and buried the deceased before hurriedly leaving with their injuries.
The scent of blood was too strong and could easily attract large beasts. In just one hour, over a dozen wolves had been attracted, and Du Qian had to lead the guards to kill them.
Because there were many injured, the group moved very slowly.
Du Qian was worried about his sister and insisted on sharing a horse with her.
In front of the tall and sturdy Du Qian, Du Wan appeared exceptionally petite.
At a glance, it looked like an adult encircling a small child. And though this child was clearly exhausted, she insisted on forcing herself to keep her back straight, acting extremely restrained.
For Du Qian, sharing a horse with his sister was nothing.
But Du Wan didn't think so.
By all accounts, they had only just met; to act so intimately was bound to feel awkward. Furthermore, the stimulation from tonight had been too great; she still felt as if she were walking on clouds, lacking any sense of groundedness from having narrowly escaped death.
"Giddy up!"
Du Qian suddenly yanked the reins.
The horse began to gallop wildly.
The shock caused Du Wan's thoughts to momentarily snap.
A tiny figure clung tightly to the horse's neck, her small mouth shouting desperately, "Big Brother, slow down! Slow down! Please cherish your little sister's precious life...
"Ahhh, Brother! Help me!..."
"Haha!"
A hearty laugh echoed through the valley.
Du Qian pressed a large hand against her head and laughed loudly, "See, this loud shouting is more like you. Why act so profound at such a young age?"
"Brother!"
Du Wan feigned grievance.
Du Qian said irritably, "Now you're acting aggrieved? The family is about to turn upside down looking for you."
"Uh, well..."
How should Du Wan put it?
She wasn't the original owner of the body, so she couldn't empathize.
Riding a fine steed, facing the wind.
For a moment, she couldn't even manage to speak properly. However, the little girl ultimately could not overcome her physical exhaustion and fell asleep on the horse's back.
Du Qian pulled up his cloak and wrapped the little girl in his arms.
It wasn't until the sky turned a hazy grey that they passed a rocky stream in a mountain ravine.
Du Qian ordered everyone to rest on the spot, then carried the sleeping little girl down from the horse and walked to a patch of shade under a tree.
A guard brought over a clean rock.
Du Qian sat down himself, letting the little girl continue to nestle in his arms to sleep.
On Pei Hao's side, there were many injured, so it was not suitable to press on.
He came over to consult Du Qian, his gaze involuntarily sweeping over the little girl in his arms. "Brother Du, I know there is a cave ahead that is suitable for stopping. I want to take the men there first to recover from their injuries; we won't be traveling for the time being."
Du Qian listened quietly.