Somewhere in a forest filled with coniferous trees,

The golden and scarlet hue of crisp leaves created a harmonious contrast with the snow-covered bumpy path. Birds with black and white plumage were flapping their wings to leave nests, trees, and path at the sound of approaching cavalry.

The scout of this group was a bald man dressed in a black tunic. Behind him followed about twenty men and women on horseback, armed to the teeth and encircling a bronze looking carriage.

The youngest members of this group wore reddish-brown armor with black epaulets. The two oldest were a man and a woman. The latter just wore silky, sparkling and milky colored robes. Unlike the rest of the group, these two weren't mounting horses. They stood on top of the shaking carriage, visibly not affected by its instability.

The woman looked away from the landscape and raised her voice to speak to the bald man in front of the troop, while the man next to her was still focused on some sort of rectangular paper. He briefly glanced in her direction before he studiously went back to his thoughts.

"Mister Chang, how close are we now?"

"We're only two hundred li away according to my calculations, miss..." The bald man answered hurriedly but finished his sentence with hesitation.

"Elder Muyue, address me as such." The woman said nonchalantly.

"Yes...I mean yes elder Muyue." The bald man nodded respectfully.

A derisory voice echoed from inside the coach at that moment.

"Big cousin, you'll never be able to attract suitors if you continue to behave in this way.

You should try to act more informally from time to time, the eyes of the townspeople are not on us in this countryside. "

"Who would want to marry a country bumpkin? Mind your own business, you punk." The woman snorted and replied mockingly.

"You shouldn't underestimate country bumpkins." The man who wasn't speaking previously said. He stretched his limbs before pointing at their feet. 

"...Hmph, whatever." The woman was reminded of something that happened in the clan five months ago. She didn't speak further and sat obediently.

"Uncle Muyun, I asked you before but why did father want you to come with us personally on this trip?"

"That's something I'm still not sure I can say out loud..." The man frowned before looking around and replying. "Let us arrive before we talk about this." 

"Sure." The man inside the carriage didn't inquire further.

"Haofeng, have we arrived yet?" The woman leaning on him inside the carriage woke up before asking.

"You're finally awake sleeping beauty." The man called Haofeng kissed her on the forehead and arranged her hair.

"When did that crying brat even learn to pick up women?..." The woman on top of the carriage frowned as she whispered. "At this rate, I'll be babysitting stinky nippers next year..."

"..."

The man glimpsed at her not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He shook his head and exhaled a long sigh before once again looking at the dusty piece of paper in his hand.

.........................................................................................

Back at Zi Village,

Zi Fei was talking with a group of guards. It was early morning, so the back of the village was exceptionally quiet. The torches were still lit and beside people watching the gates or sweeping the snow, most people were still sleeping.

Footsteps approached the gates. The guards looked in a curious and laid-back manner in that direction, but noticing the appearance of the person slowly drawing near, the guards snapped out of their daze and resumed their respective positions.

"Good morning, young head!" One of the closest guards to the young man said.

"Hmm...hello Duotian." Zi Ming replied politely.

Each and every one of these guards were people Zi Ming had grown with or played with when they were young. Nowadays, most of them were already married and had their own families. 

Zi Ming was a mischievous and very popular youngster, but most of them were recently reminded that he wasn't anyone to be trifled with. Not only was he the son of the village head, but he was also the most outstanding teenager around.

Usually, when Zi Ming came, these people would greet him casually and tell him jokes. But he realized that their attitudes somehow changed. He understood why but he couldn't help it. He didn't have time to hang around with these men and women anymore. Very soon, he would have to leave the mountains.

"Zi Fei, I wish to talk with you alone for a moment. Do you have a minute?" Zi Ming asked the purple hair guard at his right.

"...Sure." The woman blushed and replied. "Duotian, cover for me."

"Huh?! O-okay.." The young guard in front of her took her position and watched them leave with some curiosity.

The rest of the guards also finally stopped acting and looked at the boy and girl walking in the distance.

"Ten hours of shift on young head not being able to seal the deal!" One of the men on top of the wall bet out of nowhere.

"What would you know? Zi Yong, we all know you had views on Zi Fei for the longest time. I bet thirty hours on brother Ming being able to melt her heart in one go this time." Another woman said confidently.

The group of guards went wild.

At the other end of this place, in a small alley, Zi Ming was having trouble dealing with some very old but foreign matters to the majority of men.