Chapter 368: The Eleventh Day in the Struggle for Supremacy World

Chapter 368: Day 11 of Transmigrating into a Hegemony Struggle Novel

The next morning, in the last quarter of the Yin hour, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

In the alley by the side gate of the An residence, however, the place was already a hive of orderly activity.

Carriage wheels rumbled and voices murmured low, breaking the stillness of dawn.

Besides An Yi's own carriage and those of his younger siblings, this trip back to Sique also included—

An Jin and the other younger kids each rode with a wet nurse and a personal maid, riding in two smaller but just as comfortable oil-cloth carriages.

An Yi himself rode in a plain-looking green-canopied carriage that didn't stand out—deliberately, to avoid trouble.

Besides the maids and servants tending to his daily needs, the entourage included fifty elite retainers led by Chief Mao Hua, the head of the guard.

A few scholars, traveling as guests and advisors, each had their own carriage—Bai Ji naturally among them.

Add in several big carts loaded with books, clothes, and daily necessities, plus some supply carts, and the whole convoy was pretty sizable.

As dawn light spread across the sky, An Zheng, Dong Yi, and a few elder relatives and stewards staying behind in Yuncang had already gathered at the main gate to see An Yi and his group off.

An Yi wore travel-friendly arrow-sleeved robes, cinched with a leather belt, soft boots on his feet, and his black hair tied up with a simple green jade hairpin. He looked clean and sharp—less of his usual flowing-robe elegance, more of a young man's spirited edge.

He first bowed formally to each elder in turn, taking his leave.

The elders told him to "be careful on the road" and urged him to "go home, study hard, and never forget the family's honor." An Yi nodded to each in turn.

Finally, he came before his parents.

An Zheng stepped forward without a word, just reaching out to give his son's still-thin shoulder a firm pat.

An Yi looked up, met his father's eyes, and saw the complicated, unspoken emotions there. He gave a small nod.

Dong Yi's eyes were already red, and she was barely holding back tears.

She took An Yi's hand and repeated the same instructions she'd given a hundred times: "Be careful on the road, watch what you eat and drink, dress warmly morning and night, and write as soon as you get there..." Her voice caught.

"Don't worry, Mother, I understand." An Yi squeezed his mother's slightly cool hand, his voice extra gentle: "Take care of things at home, Mother. And look after yourself—don't worry too much."

The youngest, An Jin, held by his wet nurse, had his little face all scrunched up and his eyes red, but he stubbornly refused to cry. He just stared at his mother, his lower lip jutting out slightly.

An Yi let go of his mother's hand, walked over to his little brother, and crouched down to his level.

He reached out and gently ruffled An Jin's soft hair, saying warmly, "Be good, Jin'er. Say goodbye to Father and Mother."

An Jin nodded firmly, let out a nasal "Mm," then threw himself into Dong Yi's arms for a tight hug before quickly pulling back and returning to his wet nurse's side, standing up straight like a little adult—though his shiny eyes gave away how much he didn't want to leave.

An Yi stood up and took one last look around at the familiar gate, his parents and family, and the Yuncang estate where he'd lived for over ten years.

In the morning light, the upturned eaves and carved rafters, the deep courtyards—all just as they'd always been.

He smiled faintly, turned, and walked toward his green-canopied carriage.

Servants had already set out the stepping stool and pulled back the carriage curtain.

An Yi climbed onto the carriage. Before ducking inside, he turned back, clasped his hands, and gave the crowd a deep bow.

Then he ducked inside, and the curtain fell, cutting off the view from outside.

"Move out." Mao Hua's voice rang out from the front of the convoy.

The whip cracked sharply, and the wheels slowly began to turn.

The carriage's exterior was indeed unremarkable—even a bit plain—but the inside was a whole different world.

----------

The cabin was nearly twice as wide as a normal carriage, with custom shock-absorbing built into the floor and walls, which cut down the jolting a lot.

An Yi had personally designed this carriage years ago and had reliable craftsmen modify it. Back then, An Zheng had seen it and scolded him for not focusing on proper pursuits and wasting his talents on frivolous things.

An Yi had just smiled and not argued, but later used similar improved designs to secretly partner with several carriage shops, making a good chunk of money—most of which went into his retainers' training and his secret workshops.

An Yi leaned back against a soft cushion, resting with his eyes closed.

Morning light filtered through the gaps in the finely woven bamboo curtain, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow across his face, his long lashes throwing a soft shadow under his eyes.

He wasn't alone in the carriage.

Bai Ji sat quietly by the small table, a copy of "Geography of Tongzhou" in his hands, slowly flipping through the pages.

But his gaze kept drifting, almost imperceptibly, to An Yi across from him.

Bai Ji's eyes lingered on that face for a moment, then quickly dropped back to the book.

His fingertips unconsciously traced the edges of the page, feeling the rough texture.

He'd originally had his own carriage—one of the perks of being a top advisor.

But...

Before the convoy set off, he'd very naturally asked An Yi if he could ride in the main carriage, citing "important matters to discuss with the Lord on the way." After getting the okay, he'd climbed aboard.

After they finished talking, he didn't get off. He just stayed.

An Yi smiled faintly, didn't kick him out, and went back to resting with his eyes closed.

The wheels rolled over the dirt road, making a steady rumbling sound.

Bai Ji turned a page, and his gaze once again drifted, almost against his will, toward the seat across from him.

An Yi still had his eyes closed, seemingly really asleep, his breathing slow and even, his chest rising and falling gently.

Bai Ji watched, and a strange sense of satisfaction and peace quietly welled up inside him.

He could just stay here, so close to him, without any guard up, the distance small—just the quiet of the cabin and a faint, elusive scent.

This feeling... was nice.

Comments section:

"??? Wait, what? The male lead thinks An Yi smells good? Is that right?"

"Ugh ugh ugh~ I told you guys! You idiots!"

"Ugh ugh bro, you're still here? Why torture yourself?"

"Wait, brothers, the more I read, the more something feels off! Isn't there too much description of Bai Ji looking at An Yi? 'His gaze lingered on his sleeping face for a moment,' 'turbulent emotions surging in his eyes'... Is this how you look at your lord? This is how you look at your girlfriend! Author, come explain yourself! (Razor blades) (Razor blades)"

"Who said An Yi plays the girlfriend role? If he really swung that way, given that he can lift the male lead with just his fingers... the male lead would be the one getting pinned, right?"

"No way!!!"

"No way! Help! @Author! I'm begging you on my knees! I'm crawling out of my skin, and even if I drop this novel right now, I can't unsee it! Why? Why is life always so hard? Don't let the male lead get pinned! I can't take it! Aaaahhh!"

"Can't take it? Didn't roll your eyes back?"

"??? You, up there!"

"Damn! No way, right? It can't be! The author just can't write, so they made the male lead's actions all wishy-washy. Anyway, I don't believe it! Would they really drop gay stuff in our male-oriented genre?!"

"Heh, look at you all in denial! Ugh~"

"..."

An Yi curled his lips slightly. This was always a classic routine.

He slowly opened his eyes and met Bai Ji's gaze.

Bai Ji wasn't flustered at all. He smiled and said, "My Lord~"