The distance from Yangzhou, where Lin Ruhai held office, to Jinling wasn't all that far. By modern reckoning, it was only a little over a hundred kilometers. In the measurements of this dynasty, that would be a mere two or three hundred li.
But in this backward age, when travel was basically done on foot, even two or three hundred li could be enough to make a person despair. If you were traveling overland with your whole family and a pile of luggage, it was even worse. It would probably take ten days or half a month—or longer—to make the trip.
That was precisely why Lin Daiyu, Jia Lian, and the others had hired boats to travel upstream along the great river. It was faster, easier, and far more comfortable!
And now?
In just a few days, their fleet—a large boat towing two smaller ones—had already entered Jinling territory. Before long, they would follow one of the river's branches to a private dock in the city reserved for the nobility.
Inside the cabin of the large boat sailing toward a dock in Jinling, Daiyu watched Xueyan put away their things for a while. Then she lowered her head and reached out, affectionately stroking the head of the little white bear. It had eaten until its belly was round and was curled up on her bed, doing nothing but eating and sleeping all day.
"Listen, Xueyan!"
"You must remember this carefully. We're about to reach Jinling. Once we get to Rongguo Mansion, you must never, ever tell anyone that Little Bear can talk! Otherwise, someone might send our Tibbers away or drive him off. Do you understand?"
After stroking him for a while and seeing that he was fast asleep and unlikely to wake easily, Daiyu looked up again. Still