With that said, he leaned back in his seat. Su Xiao with Mu Wei turned their back and left with their people. The drop zone was anything but cozy, there was no tavern, inn or lodging. It was indeed a disorganized and lawless place. They eventually found a heavily damaged, half collapsed and abandoned building. They couldn't make out the features.
The inside was a mess but it at least had a door. It was unknown why no one bothered staying here but they had no time to ponder on that. Even though they were clothed, the cold was already getting to them. Lu Tui and Lu Dan immediately took over the job of clearing the inside and removing any dangerous objects. Bai Ling swept the place with a makeshift broom she could find.
Shi Dong moved to steady the carriage inside as the kids were carried down. Mu Wei found something to block the door and any other openings to avoid any unforseen situation. Su Xiao took out the quilt she bought and arranged them orderly. Without saying a word, everyone worked in tact understanding. A rapport had been built amongst them throughout their journey.
In an hour, a warm room materialized. She took out the brazier and put the smokeless charcoal which made the room heat up. Everyone took off their heavy clothing as the room became warmer and sat on the quilt. The sleeping kids were laid on a thick quilt and covered properly. Everyone was hungry and tired after everything.
"We're finally here. No more hellish journey"
"Chuckles. It all thanks to Master and Madam"
"Yes. Without you both, we might not have made it here alive or in full piece"
"Let's not dwell on that. Sister Bai, come lend me a hand so we can make something warm to eat"
"Yes ma'am"
They both entered the kitchen while the men discussed. Mu Wei turned to the men,
"It's a good thing we're here and alive. I must thank you all for not abandoning my families and enduring hardship till we got here"
"What are you saying master? It all thanks to your kindness and generosity that we made it here alive"
"Yes master. We brothers are grateful to you"
"Alright. No need for such formalities, I have a task for you three"
That immediately caught their attention. They shifted closer to know how their services was needed.
"Shi Dong!"
"Yes master?"
"I need you to gather information. From the tiniest detail to the biggest one. I need them all if we're to survive here"
"Rest assured master, I will complete the task"
"Lu Tui and Lu Dan, I need you both to scout the environment. And see if there any suspicious figures"
"Yes master"
"That will be all for now. Be careful not get hurt, if you sense any danger then get out from that place immediately"
"Yes master"
As their conversation ended, Bai Ling brought in a plate of steaming egg pancakes and mutton meat. She woke the kids up and made sure they had something to eat. Su Xiao carried the remaining food to the room where everyone sat down and dug in. It was indeed the perfect meal for the weather, their bodies felt warm immediately and all traces of cold limbs vanished. The kids immediately clung to her asking questions,
"Have we arrived mummy?"
"Yes babies. We won't need to move around anymore"
"That's good. That way mama and papa won't always be tired and fighting"
"Yes and uncles and sister Bai can rest easily".
The innocent chatter of the kids brought smiles to their face. They children although naive were not stupid. They knew their family was struggling and wanted them to rest. After some jokes and chatter, everyone felt sleepy. The kids who seemed lively with boundless energies were the first to fall asleep. Then slowly everyone closed their eyes and slept too, the weariness and stress getting at them. Their nerve has been taut stretched with worries, now they could at least rest properly without thinking what tomorrow held.
The next morning, Su Xiao was awoken by the urge to use the restroom. There was no sign of the three men but she didn't fret. After stoking more charcoal in the brazier, she opened the door and stepped out. It was an expanse of snow outside, she carefully trudged to avoid falling. Observing the scenery, she noticed smoke rising from some shacks, children were carrying basket filled what seemed like fruits and wild grass. The women carried firewood sticks in their head which were not clearly dried. They all avoided her and didn't speak to her, not like she minded.
She finally made her way to the back of the mountains and relieved herself in her space. The mountain was just an excuse obviously. She stood on the ground surveying the area as a plan made hatched in her mind. She mentally drew a blueprint of what needed to be done before smiling. She knew what to do next. She made her way back through the way she came and made her way back inside. Shrugging off the snow on her coat she sat inside.
The men were back and discussing something with Mu Wei. Bai Ling had already heated the leftover mutton soup and made some pancakes for everyone to eat. She quietly ate her own share while chatting with the kids. When everyone was done eating, she cleared her throat,
"What did you find out?
"Ma'am, that boss Chu is actually a nephew of the big boss who runs the gang here"
"Hm, no wonder he has the arrogance. Continue"
"All land affairs go to him and he has the final say in it. Also, there are two ruling power here. The Azure Dragon Den and the Celestial Tiger Den"
"Pfft, What a terrible naming sense"
Shi Dong was speechless. Was that the main point here? He cleared his throat and continued,
"Currently, the Azure Dragon Den has been topping in ranks. He is the uncle of boss Chu and runs a lot of illegal and legal deals here"
"Good. Know your enemies and know yourself. That aside, I need to say something"
Everyone focused on her to know the plan.
"We need a place to stay. I plan to buy the whole land by the mountain side"
They all stared at her dumbfounded. Only Mu Wei kept quiet seemingly lost in thought.
"Ma'am, why do we need such amount of land for?"
"To build our own impregnable fortress. I don't plan to stay here or like this forever. I plan to turn this Northern wilderness into a place we can call home!
Her powerful speech sent a thrilling feeling coursing through them. They looked at her determined eyes and felt hope surge through them.