Somewhere far from Yanmen Pass where the moon can be seen hanging in the sky, three people are sitting around a fire.

No longer dressed in their original clothes and currently wearing Hanfu, Xiao Yuanshan and his wife bundled themselves with a blanket while Shang himself pokes the fire to make sure it doesn’t go out fast.

The night was long and quiet until Yuanshan decided to break the silence.

Yuanshan: So we can no longer return home?

Shang: Treat it like you just obtained a second life.

Yuanshan:.....

Madam Xiao: Yuanshan….

After Xiao Yuanshan jumped off the edge at Yanmen Pass with his wife, Shang managed to catch both of them after several branches eased their fall.

Shang was able to revive Yuanshan’s wife using a needle version of Akutou, Bita and a red potion.

Shang had to leave the crying and hugging couple for a while before they are able to maintain their emotions to travel along with him.

During the journey, Yuanshan thanked Shang and questioned him about the rescue.

Shang: A few distances after I walked from your carriage, I noticed a group of men in black going the same direction where you are going. I felt something is not right, so I followed them and only managed to see the murder of your wife.

Yuanshan: I see.

Shang: I am sorry about the baby that you left behind. I had to make a choice between two lives and one.

Yuanshan: It's alright. This is our fate. We just have to accept it.

Shang: Since you accept it, then you might want to hear what I have picked up from the attackers’ conversation before I went down to rescue both of you.

Yuanshan: What did you hear?

Shang: They said they killed the wrong people.

Yuanshan: They what!?

Yuanshan flared up after he heard what Shang had said.

Yuanshan: Because of a mistake, they make me lose my men, my son and almost my wife!

Yuanshan clenched his fist in the air.

Madam Xiao had to hug him to calm him down.

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Shang: Any decision after this?

Yuanshan: I planned to bring my wife back to Liao and then come back to Song for my son.

Shang: Liao? You are one of the Khitan people?

Yuanshan: What’s wrong with Khitan people?

Shang: I thought Liao and Song are still at war.

Yuanshan: If it’s not for Western Xia, we should be still at war.

Shang: Looks like I missed out a lot of things. If what you said is true, then It’s better not for you and your wife to go back to Liao.

Yuanshan: Why do you say that?

Shang: Yanmen Pass incident has already started the war between Song and Liao.

Yuanshan: That’s impossible. I am still alive.

Shang: What I mean is a small group of Liao soldiers has died in the territory of Song. How do you think Liao would react to that?

Yuanshan:...

Normally, Yuanshan would have said he should have gone back to Liao to prevent that from happening but at Yanmen Pass, he had already broken his oath to this martial art teacher who is one of the Han people that he wouldn’t harm a single Han people.

He also knows that the court of Liao would make use of this incident to start a war with Song.

Xiao Yuanshan was caught in a dilemma on whether to help the people of Han or take revenge by ignoring it.

Shang looks at Yuanshan’s expression and knows what he is thinking.

Shang had already known Xiao Yuanshan’s background where he was one of Khitan people who was personally appointed as the main army instructor by Empress Dowager Xiao of Liao herself. He himself would sometimes act as an envoy of Liao to maintain the alliance between Song and Liao.

Shang pretends not to know and only said what he has seen and concluded.

Shang: Even if you go back, they most likely have you charged with treason.

Yuanshan: Treason….

Madam Xiao who has been hearing the entire conversation looks at Yuanshan.

Madam Xiao: Yuanshan, I know what you are worried about but I think our fake deaths would at least bring enough wealth for our parents to survive.

Yuanshan:...

Yuanshan looks at his wife.

Yuanshan: I know what to do. We will stay in Song till we find our son. After that, we will return to the pastures where no one will find us. Is that alright with you?

Madam Xiao: Whatever you say.

Shang’s thoughts: Looks like he hasn’t let it go. The attackers not only make him lost his son and also prevent him from stepping on his homeland.

This brings us back to the campfire where Yuanshan broke the silence during the night.

Shang: I suggest we find a place to settle down first as I don’t think your wife is strong is enough to search with us.

Shang looks at the pale expression shown by Yuanshan’s wife.

Yuanshan: You’re right. Where do you think we should settle down?

Shang: Mount Song.

Yuanshan: Mount Song? Do you know that place?

Shang: I hear the residential area there is protected by Mount Song’s Shaolin sect. That sect is considered one of the main righteous sects. It should be a good place to settle in.

Yuanshan: We will go with that.

The reason Shang chooses Mount Song was that it is the very place where Xiao Yuanshan’s son, Xiao Feng who was later known as Qiao Feng, was adopted and raised by the Qiao couple.

Xiao Yuanshan will not expect his son to be near where they have settled down and Shang decides to keep quiet about it.