Chapter 329 Post Stations and Inns
The camels were carrying people and goods, so they couldn't move fast. After noon, the caravan passed by a small official post station, but did not stop.
As it was getting dark, the caravan passed by another official post station.
Zhang Shun received the order, he struck the gong, and the caravan stopped outside the official post station.
"Central Minister Geng, let's stay here tonight," said Sui Yu.
Geng Zhongcheng nodded, and with the help of his attendant, he got off the camel and handed over the official disc when the postman came to ask questions.
Sui Yu waved to Lu Yaer, took the household registration and walked into the official post station with Geng Zhongcheng. The post stations outside the four counties of Hexi were simple and small, like a temporary supply point, with only two postmen, two horses and two camels on duty.
Fourteen or fifteen years passed, and the post station became more and more dilapidated, but Sui Yu did not despise it at all. She walked from the dirty and smelly stable to the clean house, and every step was not easy.
As she sat on the couch, a mixture of emotions threatened to overwhelm her.
"Mom, why don't you say anything?" The kid came in holding two oil lamps, which were brought by their caravan.
"Come here, let me hug you." Sui Yu stretched out his hand.
The boy felt strange, but he still put down the oil lamp and walked over. He leaned in Sui Yu's arms and muttered, "Mom, if you sit down, I will be taller than you."
Sui Yu said "Oh". She wanted to say something but didn't say it. It seemed that there was no need to mention the past.
Sui Liang walked in from the door. He stood at the door and looked out. He said, "This post station is so small. It's only fifty steps from here to the stables."
In his dream, the post station was very large and the stables were very sturdy. He could never get out or escape.
Sui Yu let go of the cub, he sat next to her and asked, "Mom, are you happier?"
"I'm much happier now."
Although the cub didn't understand why, he was also happy. He speculated, "Maybe when you passed by here before, you thought I wanted to cry, so you felt a little sad when you passed by here again today?"
Sui Yu laughed, "Yes, that's why I want to hug you."
The kid was so proud.
Zhao Xiping brought in the meal and said, "The caravan has been arranged. They'll be staying outside tonight. The postman has brought the fire, and Xiao Chunhong has already cooked the meal. This is the hot soup noodles the postman brought. You and Xiaozai can eat first. Sui Liang and I will wait a little longer."
Sui Yu let the kid eat first. He had never been hungry since he was born. When he was at home, he had three meals at regular times and places. Grandma Yin even cooked for him in different ways. It was rare for him to have cold pancakes and cold braised eggs for lunch today.
The kid was indeed hungry. His stomach rumbled at the smell of soup noodles. With the encouragement of his parents and uncle, he held the bowl of hot soup noodles and swallowed it in big gulps.
"There are not many houses here. Lu Yaer will sleep with me tonight, and the three of you will sleep together. The same arrangement will apply if you stay overnight at the inn later." Sui Yu said.
Sui Liang and the little boy ate and slept together, so they had no objection to this. Zhao Xiping had some objections but he understood and followed her arrangements.
A bowl of hot soup noodles was almost finished when Xiao Chunhong and Xiao Xi came in together to bring in the meal. It was boiled dry noodles, topped with braised meat and eggs, as well as wilted vegetable leaves, all of which were brought from home.
The kid picked up another bowl of fragrant soup noodles, but he was already half full, and he was full after just eating the braised meat and braised eggs.
"Dad, you eat the rest."
"Okay, put it on the table."
"I'm going out to play." The kid was a little excited.
"Don't run around the post station. Just walk around the caravan. Don't run to places where there are no people." Sui Yu instructed.
The cub responded with a "OK" and immediately rushed out the door. He was like a little camel that had been in the pen since birth. It was his first time leaving the pen, and he was excited and curious about everything he saw.
This was also the first time that Zhao Xiping went out with a caravan. After eating his son's leftovers, he used the excuse of going out to look for his son. He also walked out of the post station to watch the slaves feeding camels and cooking in the wasteland.
Sui Yu asked the postman for two buckets of hot water. She and Lu Yaer closed the door, poured a basin of water, and washed a few times. Then they called the maid in the caravan to come in and wash and change clothes.
"Master, can you all stay in the inn on the way? Then can we all come in and wash our butts?" Xiao Chunhong asked.
"Well, this time we're going to Chang'an, we can stay at the post station both ways."
"That's great! It would be great if we could stay at an inn when we go to Chang'an in the future. We wouldn't have to carry water all the way to wash ourselves."
Lu Yaer nodded in agreement. It was much more comfortable to live in a house than to sleep in the wilderness or in a tent and listen to the men snoring.
"That's impossible, but it's possible to build our own guesthouse along the way." Sui Yu smiled.
"Waiting for your good news." Xiao Chunhong said playfully. Seeing that everyone had put on their pants, she opened the door and went out to get some water.
The people were tired and the camels were resting. The servants outside the post station had eaten and drunk their fill and were lying on the ground covered with hay and fell asleep. The maids went out and Zhao Xiping came in with the kid. The father and son stood at the door and said a few words to Sui Yu, then went to lie down in the next room.
After a good night's sleep, the next day at dawn, the sound of camel bells drifted in the cool morning breeze.
They left from a post station early in the morning, covered sixty miles a day, and rested at the next post station at night. For a caravan accustomed to fast travel, this was a relatively easy journey. Both the people and the camels ate well and slept well, and everyone was in high spirits, except for Zhao Xiaozai, who was on his first long journey.
When passing Jiuquan, Zhao Xiping pointed to his son who was leaning on his arms and said, "Your grandparents live in this direction. I'll take you there and come back to pick you up next spring."
"No." The kid shook his head.
"The road ahead is still long. If you insist on following, you will have to endure a lot of hardships."
"I'm not afraid of hardship." The kid sat up straight. "I don't feel it's hard, I just feel a little tired from riding the camel."
Zhao Xiping pushed him aside, letting him continue to lean on his arms, and said, "Just don't regret it."
Passing through Jiuquan, the official post station in the city was much larger than the one outside the city. Sui Yu led the caravan there. She discussed with Geng Zhongcheng and they rested at the post station for two nights. Only after the cubs had rested and became full of energy again did the caravan leave Jiuquan and continue their journey eastward.
After another six days of travel, the caravan arrived at Zhangye County. Sui Yu did not stay in the city at the post station, but chose to live in his own guesthouse. The slaves who had been sleeping in the wild for nearly half a month finally had a bed.
"Master." Liu Yaer was overjoyed to see her family. "I figured we'd welcome our own caravan this year. I've been looking forward to it since the beginning of summer, and you're finally here."
"Take us around," Sui Yu said. "Are you encountering any difficulties here?"
"Yes, there are, but they've all been taken care of." Liu Yaer first led people to the kitchen and said, "The cook only hired two permanent workers. With more caravans coming and going in spring and autumn, I will hire four more temporary workers. Now there are six people taking care of the meals, which is just enough to handle it."
After that, she introduced herself to the cook who was preparing the food: "This is our host family. They are passing through with a caravan today. Please prepare some delicious food."
"Oh, okay, Manager Gan has come over to talk."
Liu Yaer's face flushed, and she hesitantly explained, "When the Second Shopkeeper came here in the spring, he told them to call us stewards."
Sui Yu nodded and said, "It's okay, that's the way to shout."
Liu Yaer fanned the kitchen with her hands and said, "It's too hot in the kitchen. Let's go check somewhere else."
Pigs were also raised in the livestock pen, but chickens were not raised because they were afraid that they would run out and eat the crops. However, since there was no one living downstream of the river, there was no need to worry about polluting the drinking water, so Liu Yaer also raised a group of teal ducks.
"Shopkeeper Yu?" A group of merchants, just waking up, walked out of the guesthouse. Seeing Sui Yu, they quickened their pace and approached him, asking, "I heard you're growing cotton? We were just about to go to Dunhuang to look for you. Why are you here?"
"I'm going to Chang'an. The cotton is grown in Dunhuang, so just go there," Sui Yu said. "The cotton has been sold to the weaving shop. Cotton cloth, quilts, cotton clothes, and hand warmers are all made. Hurry and buy some. The weaving shop is just north of Changgui Guest House, so you'll see it when you get there."
"It's so fast." Someone exclaimed.
"A lot of caravans must have gone there after hearing the news, right?" someone else asked.
Sui Yu nodded, "After all, it's already September, and most of the caravans entering and leaving the customs gather in Dunhuang at this time."
"Can we still buy quilts in the past?" someone asked the most concerned question.
"There is less cotton this year, but more cotton will be planted next year. If you can't buy it this year, there's still next year." Sui Yu said vaguely.
“How much cotton can we grow next year?”
"About 600 acres." Sui Yu said.
"That's all right." The merchants were pleased. They had heard in Chang'an that cotton seeds wouldn't be shipped out of the country, which meant they could make a killing by shipping cotton quilts and jackets. But the biggest winner was Sui Yu. With the cotton seeds, she could make countless cotton cloth and quilts, earning her a fortune.
"Is the weaving workshop yours?" someone asked.
"No, it's Jinxiu Weaving Workshop." Sui Yu replied, "I buy cotton cloth and quilts from the weaving workshop, just like you."
When Sui Yu made this decision, she considered her relationships with the other caravans. If she sold her quilts and cotton cloth, with so many caravans she knew, and cotton supplies low, she would be in trouble if she sold too much, too little, or even no cotton at all. She would offend them, and there was no guarantee they would become enemies. By then, her relationships with them would be ruined. She could make a few years of money from cotton, but her business would be ruined. It wasn't worth it.
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