Outside the Yang Residence Gate, in the Inner City of Yuhe County.
Yang Jing forced down his reluctance to leave, bowed deeply to his grandfather, grandmother, mother, and aunt, then turned and walked with Bai Bing and Sun Ningxiang toward the spacious carriage already waiting for them.
Yang An had specially procured this carriage. Its compartment was broad and sturdily built, with soft brocade cushions lining the interior and a small table set in one corner.
Even on a long journey, the ride would not be too jarring-a clear sign of his family's thoughtfulness.
Bai Bing, Yang Jing, and Sun Ningxiang entered the carriage one after another and settled into their seats.
With a soft call from the carriage driver, the carriage slowly started moving, its wheels rolling past the family members who had come to see them off, toward Yuhe County's west gate.
The wheels rolled over the bluestone road with a steady rumble.
Their way was clear. Before long, they left the Inner City, crossed the Outer City West District, and passed through the towering, heavy west gate, leaving Yuhe County behind as they headed northwest toward Duck Mountain Island.
Outside the county seat, the road gradually grew rougher. The orderly houses and streets on either side gave way to rolling fields and barren dirt roads.
Traffic was sparse. Now and then, they saw merchant caravans hurrying along, their carriages laden with goods and their deep wheel ruts betraying their haste.
Far more common, however, were refugees traveling in small groups with their families in tow.
Their ragged clothes barely covered their bodies. Dust coated them from head to toe, their faces were gaunt and haggard, and their eyes were dull and vacant. Children wailed endlessly from hunger while the adults could only soothe them helplessly, trudging along