My game can make money starting from the Three Kingdoms period.

Going to Xinye in Jingzhou is not like going south to Huailing before.

The journey is thousands of miles long, and one must travel against the current of the Huai River.

Moreover, with all their assets already taken, it would not be easy to travel thousands of miles with two children.

Mountain bandits, river bandits, corrupt officials and soldiers, wild beasts and untamed wilderness—all of them are deadly.

Fortunately, Ah Xiang had previously purchased property, which is now the only large item she can sell.

The previous famine and the resulting chaos caused by displaced people made people realize the sense of security that having a house in the city brought, which led to the high value of houses in the city.

Ah Xiang was sold for a high price, which was used to support her family's exile to Jingzhou.

Food, clothing, daily necessities, bribing officials, getting through checkpoints—it all costs money!

They could also live like refugees, begging along the way and enduring wind and rain.

But this makes it too easy for the garrison to capture them and force them to cultivate land, turning them into villagers.

It would be better to pay money to join a caravan and buy peace of mind.

"This parting may be our last. Let us go and bid farewell to our beloved teacher."

Lu Congtian and Lu Congshan agreed to their mother's request and went to Mr. Chen Shi's residence.

Chen Shi was deeply moved when he heard that they were leaving.

"During the famine, I received food from your mother to help me get through the year. Now that you wish to go to Jingzhou and Xiangyang, I have a few words to say to you. Listen carefully."

Please enlighten me, sir.

Chen Shi helped the two children up. "The prominent families of Jiangdong are Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang. You two will take the surname Lu and have studied under me. Your talents are certainly no less than those of the noble young masters. If you encounter difficulties traveling to Jingzhou, you can assume the surname of the Lu family of Jiangdong and seek a place to live."

"Sir, didn't you teach us to be honest and trustworthy?"

"Honesty and trustworthiness depend on the time and social class. If you can't even survive, how can you expect to fill your stomach by being honest and trustworthy? I was bound by my circumstances and lived a life of poverty. You must never follow my example."

"Students are being educated."

"To avoid arousing suspicion, you should conceal the character '从' (cong) in your names to highlight your nobility. If anyone asks about your courtesy name, just say that you are not yet of age and have not yet used it."

"Yes, sir."

He watched his prized disciple leave.

Chen Shi was helpless. "The farmers are simple and honest, the mountain people are clever and resourceful. Compared to the gentry, they only lack the advantage of their birth. Their talents are hard to recognize, and they are forced to wander and live in exile. Meritocracy? To hell with meritocracy! I, Chen Shi, have believed in it all my life, but I am stuck in this corner, unable to move an inch!"

Xuzhou was a salt-producing region, and caravans often transported salt into the hinterland to sell, then exchanged it for coal and iron, which were then transported back to Xuzhou.

When Liu Bei was in Xuzhou, he received help from the wealthy merchant Mi Zhu, whose family was in this business.

Even though wars frequently occur, the garrison commanders adhere to the established rules and do not target the white-clad merchants for their own gain.

We have to fight a war, and we also have to do business; that's the situation.

Therefore, those who need to travel mostly use business channels.

Ah Xiang led the two brothers onto a merchant ship bound for Jingzhou.

The source of the Huai River is in Jingzhou, and Huailing is downstream, so it is almost necessary to go upstream along the entire Huai River.

We followed the caravan, stopping and starting along the way.

When winter arrives, we will reach Fuyang in Jingzhou. From there, we still need to travel overland for another three or four hundred miles to reach Xinye.

In fact, Jingzhou has a well-developed water system, and it is also possible to reach Xinye directly by waterway.

Ah Xiang really didn't have any money to rent a boat.

Ten days later

The mother and her two children, shivering and struggling, braved the snow and wore tattered hemp clothes.

"Mother, there is a city ahead."

"What is the name of the city wall?"

"Xinye! It's Xinye!"

Ah Xiang's tense nerves suddenly relaxed. "We're here! We're finally here!"

For hundreds of miles, they ate wild fruits and begged for scraps to survive, and by this time they had reached their limit.

Suddenly, Ah Xiang, who had become skin and bones, collapsed on the roadside, unconscious.

The two sons quickly checked on their mother's condition. She was barely breathing, probably because she had been starving and cold, but she was still alive.

"Even though we've arrived in Xinye, without help from others, we won't survive this winter!"

Lu Congshan's gaze fell on a simply dressed man on horseback on the official road.

"Brother, what are you doing?"

"Just like the teacher taught!"

"Can……"

"Are we just supposed to watch our mother starve and freeze to death?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Congtian abandoned his insistence and said, "Fine, I'll cooperate with you!"

……

When Ah Xiang woke up, she found herself in a tiled house.

Although the house is simple and plain, it can still provide shelter from the wind and rain.

"Mother, you're awake!"

"Where are we? From the mountain?"

"I'm helping my elder brother Bo Miao cook porridge. We're at his house."

Upon hearing that his mother had woken up, Lu Congshan, disregarding the scalding heat of the porridge, carefully carried the bowl over.

The man on horseback following behind him was the same one he had seen yesterday.

Ah Xiang knew that it was this man who had saved her.

Despite his weakness, he rolled off the bed, bowed to the man, and said, "Thank you for saving me."

"Madam, there's no need for such formality. Zhi, it is truly an honor to have met my young friends Lu Tian and Lu Shan."

My benefactor's name was Deng Zhi, a native of Xinye, and a descendant of Deng Yu, a meritorious official who helped found the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Ah Xiang was slightly taken aback. Lu Tian? Lu Shan?

Seeing Lu Congshan quickly interject, "Mother, please drink your porridge first. We've traveled a long and arduous journey since we set off from Jiangdong. My elder brother and I both find the people of Xinye to be honest and kind, and Brother Bo Miao is also simple and upright. So, we'd like to stay in Xinye instead of going anywhere else."

Ah Xiang knew that her son was exceptionally clever, and there must be a reason behind his words.

Now that her benefactor was in front of her, Ah Xiang didn't feel comfortable asking any questions, so she simply nodded and said, "If you think it's a good idea, then stay."

The happiest person was not the two brothers, but Deng Zhi.

Seeing Deng Zhi's overwhelming joy, she clasped her hands in a respectful bow, saying, "I am truly grateful to Madam for granting me the privilege of having such a talented young man from the Lu family of Jiangdong as my companion!"

"Madam and her two young friends may stay here for an extended period. This is my family's old residence. If you need anything, just let us know at the mansion across the street."

"Thank you, my benefactor."

Farewell to Deng Zhi.

Lu Congshan immediately knelt down and recounted the events in detail.

Although Deng Zhi was dressed simply and looked like a farmer that day, Lu Congshan analyzed that he was an extraordinary person with considerable economic strength because he was riding a horse.

So he stepped forward and stopped Deng Zhi, revealing that Chen Shi had taught them the trick of impersonating someone else.

They said they came from the Lu family of Jiangdong, were persecuted by their clansmen, and ended up here seeking refuge.

Deng Zhi saw that although the two brothers were young, they were talented and learned, and were not ordinary commoners.

In addition, unable to bear leaving Ah Xiang to fend for herself, Deng Zhi took in the mother and her two children.

Having the identity of the Lu family of Jiangdong as a cover does indeed make things much easier.

It really proves the saying: when you're out in the world, you give yourself your own identity.

Surely Deng Zhi wouldn't go to the Lu family in Jiangdong to inquire about this? Besides, he's quite wealthy; the three of them—mother and sons—wouldn't be able to support him.

On the contrary, for Deng Zhi, it was easy to make friends with the gentry by simply lending a hand, so why not?

"How can you be at peace with yourselves deceiving your benefactor like this?!" Ah Xiang exclaimed angrily, pushing away the millet porridge that Lu Congtian had cooled down.

"I know this is wrong. If I have the chance in the future, I will definitely explain it to Brother Bo Miao and repay his kindness in saving me."

"Yes, Mother, if we don't do this, we will surely starve and freeze to death this winter."

The greatest enemy of ordinary people is not hunger, but the cold of winter!

Ah Xiang was stunned. She had a strange feeling that her son had grown up and could make his own decisions.