“Brother Yong, have you really decided?” Since Jiang Chen’s treatment, Yong Peng’s wife had largely recovered to her usual condition.

Hesitation flickered across Yong Peng’s face. “Are you worried, Ah Tang?”

A candid smile appeared on the woman’s face. “I’m not scared of anything as long as I’m with you, Brother Yong. How about you, kids?” She caressed her docile children.

“We’re not scared, daddy and mommy!”

Yong Peng took a deep breath. “I’ve decided, Ah Tang. We must leave this place. I don’t want Zhen’er and Li’er to be stuck here their entire lives. Neither they nor we have committed any crimes. Are we supposed to be imprisoned here forever simply because one of our ancestors did? Fated to be chained down, never seeing the outside world?”

The guardsman couldn’t resign himself to his fate. If he were alone, he might’ve been able to, but he didn't want his children to live on Winterdraw forever. He didn't want them to wallow in a hopeless life, devoid of any freedom.

Existence without liberty and hope was meaningless, even if one struggled...