Hearing her say that, Qin San Niang couldn't help but exclaim in amazement!
"Indeed, a scholar can know everything without leaving home. But Brother He, how did you know the city magistrate was in trouble when you've never been to Lin'an before?" Qin San Niang wondered and asked the question. But after asking, she felt a little embarrassed. Who doesn't have secrets? She really shouldn't have pried into it.
Sure enough, He Yingyuan paused for a moment, but quickly regained his usual composure and said, "Many people just happened to pass by and overheard this."
"I see!" Qin San Niang was a little annoyed. She and the other women had been talking about the Laba Festival, and the soundproofing in the carriage was so good that they hadn't heard such important news.
Speaking of this, to keep warm, she, Wu Chunhua, and Liu sewed several cotton quilts and nailed them all around the inside of the car walls, which also improved the sound insulation.
Not far away, Huang Dali saw the scene and, after a brief inquiry, understood why they were hesitating. Considering the family's distinguished nature, he wanted to do them a favor, so he dismounted and quickly went forward.
“Madam Qin, things are not peaceful in Lin’an right now. It is said that the city guard has committed a crime, and the higher-ups have sent people to investigate and take over. Not to mention refugees, even our escort agency cannot enter to replenish supplies! This matter may never end. Why don’t you come with us to Jiangzhou?”
Qin San Niang was grateful for his timely help, "Brother Huang, thank you so much. But I need to discuss it with my family again. If it goes ahead, I'll have to trouble you again."
“I know this is a big deal, and we’ll have to consider it carefully. But Madam Qin, you don’t need to worry. Refugees can still enter Jiangzhou. I’ve thought it over carefully. My brother-in-law’s village is located not far outside the city. In recent years, quite a few refugees have settled there; it’s a village with various surnames. If you want to go, I can introduce you. You just need to pay some money to settle down.”
Huang Dali was still very concerned about Qin Sanniang and the others settling down in the village. The more he thought about it, the more he felt this family had a bright future. His brother-in-law was a blacksmith, honest and reliable. As for their Huang Family Village, he decided against it; it was a deeply rooted clan, and outsiders couldn't easily infiltrate. If Qin Sanniang and the others really went there, and conflicts arose later, he would be caught in the middle!
Upon hearing this, Liu and the others were very excited.
"Third Sister, what do you think?" Liu was an old woman and knew how difficult it was to integrate into a village. If she hadn't been a widow with nowhere else to go, she wouldn't have shamelessly agreed to her daughter's request to come along. Otherwise, the three of them would have been separated forever!
In this era, clans were very close-knit, and people from other clans were often ostracized in the village. Whether it was the allocation of land or homesteads, they would only be able to choose after everyone else had made their selections. However, if someone could introduce them and get things approved by the village head, things would be much better.
Wu Chunhua and Liao Hongying shared the same thought. Their eyes were shining, a stark contrast to before. When Wu Chunhua first heard that Lin'an City wouldn't allow entry, she almost burst into tears.
Liao Hongying knew that her husband preferred to settle in Jiangzhou, and since she got along well with Liu and the others, she hoped to settle there as well. Privately, she naturally felt that Qin Sanniang was very capable, and that following her would be no harm. For some reason, Liao Hongying felt very safe wherever Qin Sanniang was.
Now that everyone had gathered and understood the whole story, there was no need for further explanation. Qin San Niang cut to the chase and asked, "Brother He and Qingshan, what are your thoughts? Are we continuing on to Jiangzhou?"
Gu Qingshan was somewhat lost. He remembered that when he first escaped from the army camp, he only wanted to flee with his wife, daughter, and mother. But when his wife and mother died, he had no choice but to leave with his daughter as quickly as possible. He only knew to head south, without considering where he was going. Later, his daughter fell ill and was on the verge of death when they met Madam Qin. Not only did his daughter recover, but they also got a carriage and their journey was surprisingly pleasant.
"Madam Qin, you saved our lives, so of course we'll listen to you." Gu Qingshan cupped his hands in respect, showing utmost trust in Madam Qin throughout the journey.
Seeing that Qin San Niang was looking at him, He Yingyuan said confidently,
"Go to Jiangzhou. We can't stay in Lin'an for long; it's dangerous!" These few words were concise yet resolute.
In fact, if they were not allowed to enter Lin'an City, they could simply find a village nearby to settle down and wait for the situation to stabilize before making any decisions.
However, as Liu and the others said, this was an unfamiliar place, and if things didn't go well, it could be quite distressing. It would be better to head south; Jiangzhou wasn't any worse than Lin'an. And even if things didn't go well in Jiangzhou, they could always turn back to Lin'an; moving was a perfectly normal thing in her time.
Of course, if she could settle down in a quiet corner, Qin San Niang would be more than happy!
Another crucial reason was that the cunning old fox, He Xiucai, insisted on going to Jiangzhou. For some reason, Qin Sanniang felt there was something mysterious about him, as if he could always foresee the future. However, he didn't even recognize a flashlight, so he couldn't possibly be from the same time and space as her. But if this person was reborn, why was he in such a miserable state before? Not only did he almost starve to death, but he also foolishly squandered his entire fortune?
Liu and the others looked at her expectantly; now, Qin San Niang had become their support. She had no doubt that if she wanted to stay here, Liu would agree, even if what they really wanted to go to was Jiangzhou.
Suddenly, Qin San Niang felt as if a string in her heart had been plucked. Yes, at worst, she could start over. She was an outsider who had taken over someone else's body and had the good fortune to travel to another time and space. Why was she being so indecisive? She had to be bold and decisive!
With a grin, he said, "Let's go to Jiangzhou! The world is so big, surely there's a place for us! No matter where we go, we'll be fine! Alright, Da Wa, you guys hurry up and gather firewood. Let's make some food, eat our fill, and then continue our journey!"
Hearing her say that, Wu Chunhua felt much relieved. "Yes, it will take five or six days to get to Jiangzhou. We need to prepare our own food. Auntie, you make lunch, and Hongying and I will make some pancakes together."
"Alright!" Liao Hongying handed the baby to her husband, rolled up her sleeves, and started working. The escort agency was about to depart, and they had already been delayed for quite some time.
"Qingshan, could you please tell Chief Huang that we're going to Jiangzhou with them? Oh, and there's a jar of pickled cabbage here too, take it over there as an extra dish for them."
This pickled cabbage was made by Liu Shi under the guidance of Qin San Niang. The radishes and cabbages were taken from the space and placed in the wild as if they had been left behind by others. Naturally, no one suspected anything. These two vegetables are very common in this era. It's just that no one expected that they could have such a flavor after being pickled. Add some chili and stir-fry, and it's very appetizing.
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