Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Hurrying on the road alone...

Sun was apprehensive. The farthest she had ever traveled was from Yu'an to Chong'an, a mere half-day's drive, and she knew she'd be back soon. She'd gone to seek refuge, so she wasn't worried. But this trip back to the capital was over a thousand miles, and it would take twenty days if she traveled quickly, or a month if she was delayed by rain.

Lin Qiuran was not in a hurry, but since she was bringing her child with her, it would be more reassuring to arrive early.

The escorts often took this route, and Lin Qiuran planned to follow their lead, traveling during the day and staying in an inn at night. He would focus on getting to the capital, avoid any trouble, dress simply, and keep a low profile, striving to reach the capital safely.

They don't go out of their way to experience the local customs and culture, nor do they look for delicious restaurants. When they are not in a hurry, they just rest in the inn, rarely go out, and naturally eat simple food.

During the day, Sun mainly ate dry food. This time, she wasn't in a rush like her last trip to Chong'an. She had prepared for quite a while and brought steamed buns with fermented rice wine, dumplings, tea eggs, salted duck eggs, and seasonal fruits...

Although Lin Qiuran said that anyone with money could buy it, he was still afraid that he would miss something, so he even brought water with him.

It was a bit like parents in later generations who had to bring their own things when traveling. However, Lin Qiuran thought it was good because the journey took up most of the time and they were always in the carriage. There was no time to stop to buy food during the day and they could only eat some hot dishes at the inn at night.

Not only did Sun bring some, but Lin Qiuran did too. The weather was getting colder in September and October, and things kept longer. Lin Qiuran made a lot of meat sauces, mushroom sauce, roasted pepper sauce, chopped pepper sauce, spicy rabbit cubes and legs that were easy to store, dried meat, meat floss, some steamed snacks, air-dried shrimp, and braised meat...

Air-dried food and meat can be preserved longer, so she ate the braised pork buns first, which can last for two or three days. She also brought pots and pans, and her usual knives. Over the past two years, she has changed the handles, but the knives are still the ones she made at the beginning. Occasionally, she sharpens them with a whetstone when they become blunt, so they don't affect their use.

Lin Qiuran also equipped Lin Dong and the others with knives. This time when they went out, Lin Chun and the others also brought their own knives.

This way, when the dry food is finished, you can easily make a fire and cook when you pass by the water, which is comfortable to eat when it is cold. And you have a knife for self-defense, so you can feel at ease when you are out.

Although Lin Qiuran and the others looked slender, their hands were very steady from cutting vegetables every day. They were like butchers butchering an ox, and they weren't afraid of anyone causing trouble.

Lin Xia and the others receive monthly allowances, so they brought them with them this time. They packed their luggage before going out. It is inconvenient to buy things outside, so bringing things from home is very useful. They don't have to worry about food and can eat their fill.

The escorts and drivers hired by Lin Qiuran all take care of their own meals, so she doesn't have to worry about them. They not only protect people, but also keep an eye on things. It costs a lot of money, but it's worth it.

We packed up and set off early in the morning, passing through the woods and official roads, and today we will rest at an inn in Anyu County, Xuzhou City.

Lin Ming went to inquire and booked three rooms. Lin Qiuran and Sun Tangyuan lived in one room, Lin Chun and a few others lived in one room, and Lin Ming and his two companions lived in one room.

After dinner, Lin Qiuran closed the doors and windows and told Sun Tangyuan to go to sleep quickly. "Tangyuan, you are not allowed to play anymore. Go to sleep quickly. We have to travel after dinner tomorrow morning."

Tang Yuan nodded, got into bed and fell asleep. He fell asleep quickly. Sun placed the package beside him. She was in good spirits. "There's really nothing wrong with the things in our car."

Lin Qiuran shook her head. "It's okay, Mom, you can go to sleep too."

She touched Tangyuan's head while he was asleep. She had been prepared for this and didn't find it difficult. But traveling in a carriage was bound to be bumpy, and the journey was long and slow, so it must be uncomfortable.

When Sun went out, her biggest worry was about Tangyuan. Fortunately, Tangyuan adapted well. Young and curious about everything, he could spend hours enjoying the scenery while on the road. He never complained about being bored in the car, and never once asked to get off or go back to Yu'an.

He is very well behaved. When he is sleepy, he sleeps in Lin Qiuran's arms. When he wakes up, he looks around here and there. He is just like a happy puppy by his mother's side.

Lin Qiuran's heart softened, and Sun couldn't help but smile when she looked at the dumplings, a kind of happiness that came from the heart.

Sun lay down. To be honest, she was worried about this and that before leaving Yu An, but now that she was out, she couldn't go back. She had paid half of the money for the car and the escort, and the other half would be paid after they safely arrived in the capital. Even if they didn't go, the balance had to be paid, and the money paid upfront would not be refunded.

It was a lot of money. We hired six escorts to escort them to the capital, which cost sixty taels of silver. Hiring a carriage wasn't much, but hiring a driver was more expensive. Each trip cost several taels of silver, which was quite a lot of money.

Sun was reluctant to spend money, but she also knew that life in the capital was good. Seeing that Tangyuan was so well-behaved and cute, she also hoped that Tangyuan could study hard and achieve great things.

Before closing her eyes, Sun said to Lin Qiuran, "You should go to sleep too."

Downstairs, the escort guarded their luggage and carriage, and Lin Qiuran slept peacefully that night. The next morning, the family woke up early, had a simple meal, and set off again.

Going north through two county towns, you will leave Xuzhou. Then go north through several state and provincial capitals and you will reach the capital.

They had been traveling for several days in a row. The escort leader was familiar with the route. Sometimes it took a whole day, sometimes most of the day, and sometimes it took until dark before they could find an inn in the city to rest.

Lin Qiuran could understand why. Sometimes there was no county town along the way and there were many villages. It was not safe to stay outside at night, so he needed a place to rest.

She thought that the escort agency had dealings with some inns, and that they would get a share of the profits if they stayed there. Since Lin Qiuran was not familiar with the local area, but the escort leader was, she introduced the inn to them.

Fortunately, the price was reasonable, so Lin Qiuran decided to stay.

This is Yu An's escort agency. Xu Yuanheng introduced it to Lin Qiuran, and Lin Qiuran still believed it. The scenery along the way was different. Sometimes Tang Yuan couldn't help but say, "Mom, I thought Yu An had everything, but I haven't seen this before."

Yu An didn’t have some trees, but today Tangyuan was talking about a local specialty food in Huchuan, which Lin Qiuran had never seen before.

Today's journey was short, and we arrived at the inn in the afternoon. The escort said we would have to travel more tomorrow, so we had to set off early and try to reach the next resting place before dark.

But it was not dark yet, and they would stay in the inn anyway, so Lin Qiuran brought some people and took Tangyuan out for a walk.

She bought some local food and toys for Tangyuan. Since there wasn't much dry food left, she had to buy enough steamed buns to last three days, otherwise they'd starve on the road. Although they'd stop for a rest stop, she also had to be prepared for the possibility of not sleeping at the inn, so she bought a lot.

Lin Qiuran: "Isn't that what I saw? Tangyuan is still young, and he will see more things in the future."

After a quick stroll, Lin Qiuran returned to the inn with Tangyuan. He went to bed early and set off before dawn the next day. At noon, they stopped in a deserted place to rest. There was water where they could rest and eat. Some of the escorts had gone to the river to see if there were any fish.

Lin Qiuran asked Lin Ming to take Tangyuan out for a walk and some fresh air. They were outside most of the day, but Tangyuan never complained about the boredom and was a good boy.

In the car, he would either play with his toys or listen to Lin Qiuran telling stories, and he would also smile and make Sun happy.

But he was obedient and still looking forward to getting off the bus. As soon as he got off, Tangyuan ran away. His second senior brother followed him. He was Lin Qiuran's second apprentice, fourteen years old this year. His family asked him to learn the craft from Lin Qiuran.

Lin Qiuran watched the three of them running around and sighed in his heart that Tangyuan was obedient and sensible. This child...

The carriage stopped for half an hour, and Lin Chun and Lin Ying went to the stream to cook.

Lin Qiuran asked Sun to get out and walk around as well, "Mom, please move around. Otherwise, it will be uncomfortable to stay in the car all the time."

Sun slowly got out of the carriage, feeling her bones stiffen from the sitting position. A large house was still the best; the carriage was a bit too small.

Being in a carriage wasn't like being at home, where you could check the almanac. In the carriage, you could only count the days by watching the sun rise and set. Sometimes Sun was lost in thought, "You said we've been out for a few days, where are we going, and when will we get to the capital?"

Lin Qiuran didn't know either. She asked Lin Xia to ask the escort leader, who came back quickly. "Madam, this is the village of Luzhou City. We've only been walking for half a month, so we still have another half a month to go."

Sun: "There's still half a month left..."

Sun had gone enough.

The escort leader came over and said, "Madam, Madam Lin, this is considered fast. The weather was good along the way and there was no rain, otherwise we would be late."

Sun nodded and said, "She came here at the end of August. Today is the fourteenth, so there is still half a month left."

Sun stretched her arms and moved her neck and shoulders.

After Lin Chun's meal was ready, Lin Qiuran invited Sun to eat. Lin Ming brought Tangyuan over. The fish had already been grilled at the escort agency. The two sides sat separately. The escorts often went out, so they would make a fire to cook and grill fish in the wild.

It smells nice, but no one here is greedy.

It was the first day that Lin Qiuran and his friends ate outside. They had been eating in the car for the past few days. Today, the weather was good and there was water, so they cooked.

The meal was simple. I just cooked a pot of soup, stir-fried two plates of shredded potatoes, fried a few eggs, and heated up the steamed buns I bought.

Tangyuan didn't think this was too simple. He washed his hands by the stream, wiped them clean, and carefully cut the steamed bun into two halves.

It was separated into two sides in the middle. He took a spoon and scooped up the chopped pepper sauce and roasted pepper sauce made by Lin Qiuran. One side was the same. The steamed bun was heated in a pan until it was soft. He blew his fingers while applying the sauce on the glutinous rice balls.

Steamed buns can bite people!

Sun wanted to help, but Tangyuan said, "Grandma, I can do it myself."

Then he spread the sauce solemnly, and then started to put in the fried shredded potatoes, meat floss, and golden fried eggs. The steamed bun became fatter after being stuffed with all this.

The glutinous rice balls were not too big. He licked his lips with satisfaction, opened his mouth wide to compare them, and then took a bite in the place he had compared.

Look which is bigger, his mouth or the steamed bun’s mouth. He can bite better than the steamed bun!

The coachman and the escort agency staff looked over there. The fragrance drifted over with the wind, overwhelming the smell of fish.

They looked at the slightly burnt fish they had grilled, and swallowed their saliva at the same time, sighing in their hearts that it was no wonder that their family ran a restaurant, as the child was so good at eating at such a young age.

Lin Qiuran, as a mother, is even better at eating. She spread the chopped pepper sauce evenly, added a fried egg, two chopsticks of shredded potatoes, meat floss, and half a greasy salted duck egg.

The duck eggs were pickled to a delicious golden brown, almost sandy inside. They were often used to make porridge. This time, Sun brought a lot with her, and they were delicious with steamed buns and porridge.

Looking at the greasy salted duck eggs sandwiched in the steamed buns, I wonder how delicious they are.

The escorts traveled extensively, their work was not easy, but they earned a good amount of money each year and never missed a beat. They had been to the Jinding Tower countless times, but when traveling, making do with simple fare was common. Today, they didn't want the Jinding Tower's braised pork; they preferred the steamed buns.

Tang Yuan watched Lin Qiuran make it, and now he realized, "Mom, I didn't put any salted duck eggs in it. Can you let me have a bite of yours?"

Lin Qiuran gave him a bite. Tangyuan's eyes lit up as he chewed and swallowed. "Mom, the one with salted duck eggs tastes even better. It has such a rich taste. It has everything. The potato shreds are crispy, the egg yolk is soft, and the meat floss is fragrant..."

Lin Qiuran wanted Tangyuan to stop talking. No matter what they ate, the people from the escort leader and the coachman were currently eating bread and grilled fish.

Before Lin Qiuran could say anything, Xu Biaotou came over and said, "Madam Lin, what kind of sauce is this? Can you sell me two bottles?"

The shredded potatoes and duck eggs are hard to open, but the sauce looks delicious.

Lin Qiuran called out to Lin Chun, and Lin Chun went to the car and got two cans of sauce.

Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "Homemade food isn't worth much, you can eat it, Chief Escort."

Lin Qiuran had already given this recipe to Xu Yuanheng, so she definitely wouldn't sell it. But she made a lot, so she could give him a few cans. When you're out and about, be kind to others; you might need them later.

Xu Biaotou thanked him several times. Tangyuan looked at him and said to Lin Qiuran with a smile, "A lot of people like what mom makes."

That’s great, you have good vision.

Lin Qiuran tapped Tangyuan's nose and said, "Yes, I like Tangyuan too. Eat it quickly, it will be cold soon."

Sun thought so too and said, "Grandma made some new dumplings with salted duck eggs. You eat this and I'll eat yours."

It is said that glutinous rice balls with salted duck eggs are delicious, and Mrs. Sun must want her grandson to eat delicious food.

Lin Qiuran frowned slightly. She felt that since it was useless for Sun to help with the dumplings, she should eat the ones she made herself and not give them to others.

Lin Qiuran wanted to make the glutinous rice balls by himself, although it was mainly for fun, but he was willing to do so because it could help him develop his independence. However, if he gave the glutinous rice balls to others if they were not made well, he would be more interested in playing around in the future.

These are all food. How can I eat the delicious ones myself and the unpalatable ones for Sun?

But outside, Sun was kind-hearted, so Lin Qiuran couldn't say anything.

Tang Yuan took another bite of his steamed bun and said, "Grandma, no need. Mine is just not as delicious, but it's still delicious. Just eat yours."

Tangyuan thought that if he were to eat this again tomorrow, he could follow his mother's example and put salted duck eggs in it.

Sun asked Tangyuan again, "Really?"

Tang Yuan nodded seriously, "That's really not necessary, Grandma, you eat it, it will be cold soon."

After saying that, Tangyuan took another bite of the steamed bun. The filling inside was very rich and the texture was layered. It had a different taste from the big steamed beef dumplings and was very delicious.

After finishing their meal, they packed up their things and rested for a while before setting off again.

It was cold in October. Lin Qiuran remembered that it was not this cold at this time last year. It might be because they were heading north, or it might be because they were always on the road. The carriage was small and could not shelter them from the wind and rain like a house.

Even though Lin Qiuran was willing to go out and go to the capital, he felt the journey was tiring at this moment and hoped to arrive earlier and settle down quickly.

Tangyuan didn't complain, but she would ask, "Mom, where are we?"

Sun would occasionally complain, "Life outside is no better than at home."

Lin Qiuran tried to appease him at first, but then, seeing the city getting closer and closer and the city becoming more and more lively, he said with certainty, "It will be soon."

It was indeed approaching. On the evening of October 3rd, Escort Leader Xu said to Lin Qiuran, "We'll be there tomorrow afternoon. Does Madam Lin have anyone in the capital to pick her up?"

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