Chapter 34: Meeting an old friend, the annoying Tian Jilang
"Set off!"
"Let's go!"
In order to go out early and return home early, Gu Youan and the Du family hurried to leave after purchasing the medicinal materials. They lined up at the south gate of Songjiang City as soon as it was dawn this morning and set off as soon as the time came.
Gu Youan was sitting in a carriage at the front of the convoy, and he stuck his head out of the window to look back. The Du and Gu families had less than thirty cargo carts in total, which was only 30% of the Han family's convoy that set out last month.
"We have quite a few here."
Second Uncle Du sat in the carriage, smiling contentedly, "How many years has the Han family been operating in Songjiang City? How can we compare? Besides, this is our first trip south to test the waters. We're not looking for a lot of money, but stability."
Gu Youan hummed and asked, "Second Uncle, shall we go to Luoyang first?"
"Let's go to Luoyang first. I know the owner of every medicine shop on Xinglin Street in Luoyang. Let's go there to scout things out. If we can sell everything, that would be great. If we can't, that's fine too. We can take the remaining herbs to Nanjing."
They went south to sell medicinal herbs, and the money they earned would be used to buy cloth and other goods to ship back to Songjiang City. Cloth was cheaper in Nanjing, so they had to go to Nanjing anyway.
Uncle Du smiled and said, "Although our Du family is a small family and our business is not big, we do have a share of the authentic medicinal herbs sold by Bashu. After a few visits, we have a few acquaintances in Nanjing."
Last year, Uncle Du took the Ping An Escort Agency all the way to Suzhou Prefecture. He then took the water route from Suzhou Prefecture back to Yizhou Prefecture thanks to the connections of an old friend, which allowed him to reach home safely.
"An An, which car is your ginseng in?"
"how?"
"I'm reminding you, don't get it mixed up. Tell Wenqing and the others to keep an eye on that carriage. If anything goes wrong, make sure to protect the ginseng first."
Gu Youan smiled and said, "Don't worry, it's safe."
When Gu Youan said it was safe, he meant, firstly, that the journey from Songjiang City to Shanhaiguan was safe, and secondly, that the ginseng was safe in the space.
If the space was not big enough and difficult to hide from others, Gu Youan would even want to put all the medicinal herbs in the space so that he would feel safe.
However, people should always be content. It is better to have something than nothing. It is enough to have space to store some precious goods.
Uncle Du had obviously only understood the first one, "safe and sound." He said, "Two years ago, when you were exiled to Songjiang City, Prince Qi's Mansion killed a bunch of big bandits on the way. I heard that in the past year or two, things have been much more peaceful outside the Great Wall. There are still petty thieves, but the big bandits have all disappeared."
Gu Youan heard about this matter from people at Ping'an Escort Agency, but no one could say for sure whether there were robbers or not.
Uncle Du asked, "Where did you encounter the robbers?"
"It's in the valley not far from the next post station."
Gu Youan remembered that place very well.
We just went out today, and everyone was in high spirits. In addition, the weather was good these days, with no wind or rain and no scorching sun. In the evening of the next day, we arrived at the valley where we encountered the robbers that day.
Gu Wenqing and Tian Erlang couldn't help but sigh while sitting on their horses. The exile three years ago was like a dream.
After walking a distance, Tian Erlang pointed to a small path going up the mountain and laughed at Gu Wenqing: "We ran separately from here at that time. If you hadn't fallen and screamed so loudly, which made me look back and delayed me, I might have escaped and wouldn't have been caught by the robbers."
Gu Wenqing rolled his eyes and said, "Stop making excuses. If you were really capable, how could you have been caught?"
"You're the first one to be caught, and you still have the nerve to roll your eyes?"
Gu Wenqing snorted lightly and ignored him completely.
Tian Erlang also felt that he was being unreasonable. He urged his fastest horse to catch up with Gu Wenqing and said with a smile: "If it were now, even if the two of us brothers couldn't capture the robber leader alive, we could at least protect our family and escape."
Gu Wenqing's eyes were solemn, and he was thinking the same thing in his heart: in this world, learning martial arts is much more useful than learning literature.
If it weren't for their good luck and if An An hadn't been smart enough to seize the opportunity, their whole family would have died here.
When the Du family heard Tian Erlang and Gu Wenqing say they encountered robbers here two years ago, they looked around nervously. Uncle Du sighed, "It's not easy to be away from home."
Life is not easy.
Guo Su rode up on horseback with high spirits and enthusiasm: "An An, have you brought your bow and arrow?"
"I have it and put it in the carriage."
"An An, you have good archery skills. If robbers come, you can dodge them with your bow and arrow. One arrow can kill one person and make them run away."
Tian Erlang laughed heartily, pointed at Guo Su and said jokingly, "You are even more boastful than I am."
Guo Su glared at him fiercely: "Want to compete with me?"
Tian Erlang shut up wisely, he couldn't beat Guo Su.
Guo Su snorted lightly, walked past Tian Erlang arrogantly, and rushed to the front of the team.
From outside the Great Wall to inside the Great Wall, the further south you go, the denser the population becomes. By the time the caravan reaches Shanhaiguan, its pace slows down.
Gu Youan changed into men's clothes, tied his hair on top of his head, and the skin color exposed outside became darker. Gu Youan got out of the carriage and walked, occasionally saying a few words to the mountain people who were traveling with him to enter the pass.
It is already summer, and furs are hard to sell at this time of year. The mountain people come down the mountain now to sell medicinal herbs in exchange for salt and cloth.
If Gu Youan saw that their medicinal herbs were good, he would spend money to buy them, and a few more sacks of herbs would be added to the cart carrying them.
We arrived at Shanhaiguan before dusk, and after completing the customs clearance documents, the convoy passed through the customs slowly, and naturally there were some unnecessary arrangements in between.
Gu Wenqing saw that the captain guarding the pass looked familiar, and Tian Erlang whispered, "We met him when we were in exile."
I heard that Lord Su paid someone to deliver a message to Prince Qi's mansion, but the message was not delivered and they were all caught by robbers.
After all, he was exiled. Even if the criminal official has changed his identity now, Lord Su will not come back to investigate the person who took the money but did not do the job. The right and wrong are all in the past.
"There are three groups of troops stationed in our area. The Northeast Army is on the grassland, the Liaodong Army is on the sea, and the Yanzhou Army is guarding Shanhaiguan. I think the Yanzhou Army is the richest."
Guarding Shanhaiguan, there are a lot of bribes and extortions.
"That's not necessarily true. If the person in charge is a good manager, neither the Northeastern Army nor the Liaodong Army will be poor."
The Northeast Army relies on the grassland and can do business with the tribes on the grassland in the form of cattle, horses, furs, etc. The Liaodong Army relies on the sea and can make a lot of money by selling seafood in winter.
Gu Wenqing heard from his father that the imperial court's management of the garrisons in various places was not as strict as that of the previous dynasty, and many bold officials and their families would even use the convenience of the tugboats to do business.
Officials and ordinary people are not the same kind of people. Once you become an official, you will have many ways to make money.
Tian Erlang snorted and laughed, "So, before Li Hongwen was exiled, he was a third-rank Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, had a husband who was the Minister of Rites, and married the imperial concubine's cousin. He was a first-class family in Luoyang, with his subordinates paying him respects, and he himself had some way to make money. It's not surprising that he hid a lot of gold, silver, and jewelry after the Li family was ransacked."
Unlike their family, his parents had been running the business for decades. Before being exiled, his mother tried every possible means to secretly hide only one thousand taels of silver. So much time has passed, and no one knows whether the silver is still there.
We will rest at Haichao Inn tonight. After entering the customs, we will go five or six miles south. Gu Youan got off the horse and saw that the plaque was still very new.
Uncle Du came over, rolled up his sleeves and wiped the sweat off his face. He looked up at the plaque and said, "It was newly built this year. It wasn't there when I passed by here last year."
The owner of the Haichao Inn came out smiling and quickly agreed, "What the master said is true. Our inn was newly built last year. It's spacious and convenient for accommodation, dining, and storing goods. The prices are also very reasonable, so the caravans love to come here."
Uncle Du said to Gu Youan, "That's true. We asked several inns in the north when we came here."
The innkeeper was delighted, but he tried to act friendly and friendly, saying insincerely, "The inn that was newly built in the north this year is more convenient than ours, so it's more reasonable for the price to be a little higher."
"Boss, I've been to Songjiang City several times, and I can see that your life has been getting better and better in the past two years."
"Hahaha, the past two years have been pretty good. This place used to be close to the north, and the imperial court and the north were constantly fighting, so the local people who could leave had already left, and those who couldn't could only live in fear. Apart from the occasional brave merchant caravans passing through here, no one else came here."
"Things are different now. Ever since the late emperor took control of the north, and we have soldiers guarding the border, the trade caravans traveling between the borderlands have become more frequent, and things are getting better for us."
The shopkeeper led the way to the inn, saying with a smile, "Don't worry, my dear guests, I've only been here for the past two years. If it were a few years ago, we wouldn't have dared to open an inn here. Thank you, His Highness Prince Qi."
Gu Youan raised his brows slightly. This shopkeeper was quite bold. He even dared to thank His Royal Highness Prince Qi in public inside the pass.
"How many rooms do you want to book?"
Uncle Du came forward to reserve a room with the shopkeeper, and also bought some medium-quality fodder to feed the horses pulling the cart.
"An An, you and Guo Su live in the same room."
Gu Youan nodded: "Sorry to bother you here, uncle. I'll go to the house to put the bag first."
"Go ahead."
After putting away his luggage, Gu Youan first went to the backyard of the inn. The people from Ping An Escort Agency were unloading equipment from the horses and feeding them water and food.
Guo Su took a set of bows and arrows from the horse's back and said to Gu Youan, "Don't worry, the escort agency will arrange for people to sleep in the backyard at night, so the horses and goods will not be lost."
Gu Youan looked around and said, "We are probably the only caravan staying here tonight."
“It seems so.”
It was not dark yet, and Gu Youan remembered that there was a market a little further south, so he wanted to go there.
Guo Su asked hurriedly: "Wait a minute, I'll go with you later."
Gu Youan said no, "Just do your thing, I'll be back soon."
Walking south through a small woods, Gu Youan thought of Li Hongwen's concubine Zhang. At that time, he saw Zhang talking to a man. It seemed that the man had fallen in love with Zhang at that time.
He is also a thoughtful person.
Gu Youan rushed to the market. The market had been expanded a bit, and the shops and houses lined up on both sides of the market made the market look like the size of a town.
I walked to the dry goods store with a water jar outside the door. The shopkeeper was standing on the lower board and the door was half closed.
The shopkeeper saw Gu Youan standing at the door and said with a smile, "What do you want to buy, young man? Don't worry if people say I'm bragging. My store may not be big, but it has everything. I have kelp and all kinds of dried fish and shrimp. Whatever you want, I have it here."
It’s the same rhetoric as three years ago.
Gu Youan smiled and walked in: "Boss, how much is the kelp?"
Dressed as a man, she spoke in a young lady's voice. The shopkeeper slapped his head, blinked, and then seemed unsure. He asked hesitantly, "Have you been to my shop before?"
"I came here in the autumn three years ago and bought some sea fish in front of your store."
The shopkeeper suddenly remembered. He looked her up and down and said, "Oh, my goodness! I didn't realize you were a young lady."
Gu Youan smiled and said, "Your kelp is still selling for twelve cents per pound?"
The shopkeeper quickly waved his hand and said, "That price is no longer the same. Konbu is less than twenty coins a pound nowadays. No need to negotiate."
"The shopkeeper is so dishonest. I'm here to take care of your business, and it's not nice for you to rip off an old customer like this."
The shopkeeper said with a gloomy face, "It's really not possible. In the past two years, there have been more caravans coming and going. Whether they are leaving or entering the customs, they always take some seafood with them. With more people buying, the amount caught in the sea is limited, so the price will naturally go up."
"Now that business is booming, no one else is moving here to make a living?"
"Oh, that little extra hard-earned money is nothing compared to the daily grind at sea. Not everyone can endure such hardship. Go out and ask around in the coastal fishing villages. Is there any family that hasn't had someone drown in the sea?"
Gu Youan tapped the counter with his fingers: "Tell me a real price, I'll buy more this time."
The shopkeeper acted like a shrewd businessman and said with a smile, "If you can buy 500 kilograms of kelp, I'll charge you 15 cents per kilogram."
"Twelve coins."
"Fifteen articles."
The two men haggled for a long time, finally settling on fourteen coins. They had already bought nearly five hundred kilograms of dried shrimp and various dried fish, leaving Gu Youan with little money left.
Gu Youan asked the shopkeeper to deliver the goods to the woods outside the market. The shopkeeper didn't ask any questions and called his assistant to help deliver the goods.
"Would you like me to take you to the Haichao Inn?"
"No, I won't stay at the Haichao Inn."
"Oh, you live in the north? There are two new inns near the northern post station. I heard they were run by the families of officers in the Yanzhou army, but I don't know if it's true or not."
Gu Youan: "As a local, you don't even know whether it's true or not, so I, a passerby, definitely don't know either."
The shopkeeper smiled and said nothing more. After unloading the goods neatly, he said, "Young man, please come and take care of our business next time you pass by. Our small business values honesty."
"Thank you, shopkeeper."
It was already dark, and the shopkeeper and the waiter were busy going back. After they left, Gu Youan selected a few fat dried fish and carried them, put away the other seafood, and walked back to the inn.
Uncle Du and the others have settled in. Except for those who are washing up in their rooms, everyone else is waiting in the lobby of the inn for the kitchen to cook.
Gu Wenqing came over, took the fish from her hand and said, "Second Uncle Jiangcai ordered steamed sea fish."
"Fresh ones taste different from dried ones. Send them to the kitchen and ask the chef to cook them for you to try."
"Alright."
As the brother and sister were talking, they saw a couple coming over with a baby boy. The man was carrying a bamboo basket on his back and standing on the steps looking down. He saw that the basket was full of bought cloth, jars of salt and other things.
The woman was holding a one-year-old boy in her arms. The boy was wearing fine cotton clothes and had bare feet. He was hugging his mother and whining for food.
The woman coaxed the child gently: "Don't make a fuss, we will eat something delicious later."
"Eat meat."
"Okay, let's eat meat. What kind of meat does our Shanbao want to eat?"
The child was young and couldn't speak clearly. When asked what kind of meat he wanted to eat, he tilted his head, looked at his mother, then at his father, and pulled his mother's earlobe with his little hand, saying loudly: "Mom, mom."
The tall man had a serious expression and was unsmiling. He hugged his son to his arms and said, "Don't bother your mother."
The woman clung to the man's muscular arms, raised her feet slightly, tugged at the hem of the child's clothes, and said with a smile, "Shanbao, do you want to eat the meat I cook?"
"Yeah, meat."
"Okay, I'll make it for you tomorrow when I get home. Let's eat what others make today, okay?"
Shanbao wanted to make more noise, but the man frowned and patted his butt: "Be good."
The child didn't dare to make a fuss in his father's arms, and whined and reached out to his mother to hold him.
The woman seemed to have endless patience with her child. She smiled and took her son and asked the man to book a room.
A warm family of three. When the couple looked up and saw Gu Wenqing and his sister, the woman was stunned at first, then smiled and nodded to Gu Youan.
The man frowned slightly, glanced at Gu Wenqing, and pulled the woman away.
The man quickly booked a room, and the shopkeeper asked the waiter to take them to the room. After the people left, Gu Wenqing and Gu Youan, brother and sister, looked at each other.
It was right to encourage Zhang to leave. If she had not left the Li family overnight, she would have died of illness on the road or in the mountain village.
Even if he managed to survive and reach Songjiang City, he would probably be unrecognizable by now.
It seems that Zhang and her husband are living a good life now.
Tian Erlang also recognized Zhang. He came over and said, "Some of the Li family members died, some reclaimed land, and now the one who is doing the best is Zhang, the one who was bullied the most. God has been kind to her."
Gu Youan twitched his lips. Was this God's kindness to her? No, it was because she had the courage to fight for it and seize the opportunity to change her destiny.
Seeing Zhang's current appearance, he couldn't help but sigh that things in the world are unpredictable. Gu Wenqing had already let it go in his heart.
Tian Erlang has not let it go yet. He will only be able to let the matter go if he gets the 1,000 taels of silver that his mother has hidden.
That night, Tian Erlang and Gu Wenqing shared a room. Tian Erlang counted on his fingers and muttered to Gu Wenqing, "Building a decent two-story house in the neighboring mountain village doesn't cost more than a hundred taels. Even if my brother and I get married and have children, it will be enough for our family to live in."
"We don't have many relatives and friends in Songjiang City, so there's no need to waste money on appearances. If my brother and I get married, the betrothal gifts, the banquet, and other miscellaneous items will cost us two brothers a maximum of two hundred taels."
"There are still 700 taels of silver left. My family will go to Songjiang City to buy a house and one or two shops to rent out. Even if my brother and I are not successful in the future, our family will still be able to live a good life."
Gu Wenqing was annoyed by him and asked, "Can you wait until you get the money before making any arrangements?"
In the darkness, Tian Jilang kicked him and said, "What do you know? Make a good plan first, and you will always have money."
After going through so many things, Tian Erlang has grown up. Now he is no longer the official's son who used to spend his days in Luoyang Imperial College and act pretentiously.
No matter what situation you are in, people still have to have some aspirations.
Whether learning martial arts, becoming an official or farming, his goal is to make his family live a good life.
Caring about the things in front of him and three meals a day makes him feel at ease.
It’s good to be down-to-earth. People who are down-to-earth live a comfortable life.
midnight.
Tian Erlang suddenly woke Gu Wenqing up and asked nervously, "Tell me, is my money still there?"
"Yes, yes, yes! If anyone steals your money, can I help you get it back?" Gu Wenqing was woken up and felt very annoyed.
Tian Erlang was satisfied because no one could take away the silver from his family.
sleep!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
