Jiang Yeqian and Si Jin were not present because they had gone to explore a mountain with Qi Qingyao, not because they felt guilty. The children were left back at the inn. Qi Qingyao had told them to bolt the door and focus on practicing their calligraphy skills.
Meanwhile, Qi Qingyao and her two "goons" entered the mountain area. "Today's goal is to find all kinds of rare herbs that we can sell at a good price!"
The three of them were carrying baskets on their backs. These contained shovels and the other necessary small tools for their trip. As Qi Qingyao was not skilled in martial arts, she also carried a walking stick with her in order to support her body, lest she fall into a hole.
When it started snowing again, Qi Qingyao looked at the snowflakes lightly falling from the sky. She said to the two of them, "Keep your eyes open and stay aware of the danger around us."