Chapter 20 July 15th, the perfect RV...
Three days later, on July 15th, it was drizzling.
South Street Inn.
Qingyu stood in front of the counter and chatted with the old woman who was doing the accounting. They had paid for four days' room at this inn and packed food for three days in a row. Today was the last day, and Qingyu came to return the last food box.
The elderly woman behind the counter looked up and smiled kindly at the young girl in front of her.
"Although you booked four nights' accommodation, you only stayed for one night in total, so I feel bad about taking your money."
At that time, Qingyu and his group checked into the inn in the early morning. It was also during the period when Danzhou City was under martial law. The two elderly people were afraid of danger and did not want them to enter. They deliberately quoted a high room rate, but the elderly people actually paid it. So, Qingyu and his group checked into the inn in the early morning.
Qingyu waved her hand, "Aunt Li, don't say that. Back then, we looked for several inns on South Street, and you were the only one who agreed to our request. As for the room rate, we agreed on whatever it was."
Knocking on a shop in the early morning is indeed a bit difficult. They asked all over the street, and only this couple opened the door for the three of them. The two elderly people were wearing only thin clothes at the time. Aunt Li couldn't bear to see the three of them wandering the streets in the early morning, while Uncle Li stood by, glaring and demanding a high price. After Wen Chuan paid, he just pursed his lips and invited them in.
Qingyu smiled sweetly at the old lady, "These past few days, we've been getting our meals from you. We all say, Grandpa's cooking is absolutely amazing!"
Aunt Li, who was behind the counter, was amused by the lively and pretty young woman. Before she could say anything, the kitchen curtain was suddenly lifted, and Uncle Li, wearing an apron, strolled out with an air of arrogance, stroking his white beard.
"The little girl is right, my cooking skills are the best on the whole street,"
He paused, then patted his chest triumphantly.
"Just three words!"
"Speechless!"
"Pfft," Qingyu thought the little human old man's smug look was too cute. She nodded and replied, "Yes, yes, as long as we are in Danzhou, we must stay at the inn run by Aunt Li and eat the food cooked by Uncle Li!"
Grandpa Li straightened his back happily, his dark face flushed red. Very good, the old man was very pleased to be praised today.
Aunt Li glanced at her husband, who had spent most of his life by the stove, and felt utterly helpless. She waved her hand and sent the old man back to the kitchen. Qingyu looked at the couple with their white hair touching and felt a sense of beauty for a moment.
"Qingyu".
The boy's clear and gentle voice came from behind, like a spring breeze brushing against my heart.
Qingyu turned around with a smile and looked at Wen Chuan who was walking towards her. "I know, I've already given the food box to Auntie. Let's go."
They said goodbye to the two elderly people and then left the inn together.
At the entrance of the inn, a simple, unadorned carriage, which looked only slightly large, was parked peacefully in front of the door. Two fine horses pulled the carriage, and upon seeing them, they happily snored.
Today, Qingyu entered the city first to return the carriage and food box, while Wenchuan first sent Qin Tianshu to the governor's mansion, and then came to pick her up.
Although it had been drizzling this morning, the sun was shining through the sky. Qingyu and Wenchuan exchanged a smile in front of the carriage. The girl gently swayed her crimson skirt and got into the carriage first.
Qingyu reached out and pushed open the car door. Accompanied by the crisp tinkling of the wind chimes at the car's shaft, she smiled at Wen Chuan and said, "Let's go."
Wen Chuan nodded gently to her, watched Qing Yu get into the carriage, and then sat on the carriage shaft and drove the horse to the governor's mansion.
Although she had already marveled at it several times, Qingyu was still immediately struck by the layout and exquisite interior of the carriage after entering it.
On the right side of the carriage, there was an exquisite and spacious couch covered with soft cushions. There was also a carpet that Qingyu had specially bought, and even two futons on the carpet.
Following the carpet, in front of the couch was a wooden table with a vase of fresh flowers on it, and some fresh fruit beside it. Wen Chuan had also added a hidden compartment under the table, where chess sets, teacups, and other items were kept for their convenience.
On the other side of the table were several small wooden stools and chairs. Looking across to the left of the carriage, there was a small couch and a bookcase.
That was a place Qin Tianshu had specially set up—a reading corner. The small couch was spacious and perfect for reading, while a tall bookcase stood against the wall, with three shelves filled with books, and a few fresh flowers were placed in the cubicles.
They partitioned off a space on the second shelf of the bookcase to place a green rattan chicken coop, inside which was a small, soft green cotton quilt. Cai Cai nestled comfortably inside, wishing she could lay an egg.
Further in on the left, there is a window embedded in the wooden wall, and another one on the opposite side. It can be said that there are windows in the very center of both sides of the carriage, and they are strangely bright and spacious. However, they cannot be seen from the outside of the carriage; they just look like two ordinary, slightly larger windows.
The window frame is made of fine wood, carved with intricate patterns. Sunlight shines through it, and the wooden walls around the window are covered with mysterious runes. The lines of the runes are smooth and powerful, as if they are dancing slightly with the light.
Further to the left of the window, there is a medicine cabinet with a folded corner standing against the wall.
The medicine cabinet was filled with labeled bottles and jars, with some drawers scattered among them. Although it was impossible to tell what was inside, there was a table in the corner of the cabinet, with some writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones on it. The wind blew through the window, turning the pages of the paper.
Further inside was an ordinary curtained door, like the back wall of an ordinary carriage.
Seeing that the left side had reached the end, on the right side, opposite the medicine table, there was a small storage cabinet. Opening the cabinet door, one could see candles, tea bags, an antique teapot, as well as some small jars of spices, tinder, rain gear, and other miscellaneous items.
Just then, Zhang Xuan squatted in front of the locker, took out a bag of pastries from one of the compartments, and after taking a few steps, he leaned halfway on the daybed next to the locker. The boy rested his elbows on the table in the middle of the bed and casually greeted Qing Yu.
Qingyu found Zhang Xuan's behavior both amusing and frustrating; his face was still pale and bluish, while he was content to eat and drink in the carriage.
She sat on the long couch, half-lying down to conform to the curve of the couch's edge, her eyes closed, feeling that she hadn't slept well again last night.
She asked Zhang Xuan, "How long has Qin Tianshu been gone alone to return the painting?"
Zhang Xuan sighed. These past few days had been particularly surreal. He spent most of his time inside the painting, and when he came out, he was always working. As for meals, he was pale and had purple lips every day. He had been tormented these past few days and had little energy, as if he had lost all strength except for eating.
The boy swallowed the pastry expressionlessly, shook his head, and replied,
"I don't know, I'm just wondering when the medical practitioners from the Demon Suppression Pavilion in Danzhou will be able to return."
The daybed and the long couch were both on the right side, with a window between them. Sunlight streamed through the window onto the wooden floor. Zhang Xuan's voice drifted over from above. Qingyu slowly opened her eyes and smiled.
"What are you worried about? Let's deal with the immediate problem first. Let's go to the governor's mansion."
To prevent any accidents from happening to Qin Tianshu.
The girl opened her eyes and quietly studied the runes on the top of the carriage. Overall, the runes presented a strange star map shape, connected to each other, and the edges of the runes emitted a faint glow.
Between the runes, there were also some exquisite nebula patterns and flying bird pictures, which looked delicate and natural yet ancient and mysterious. These were all space runes that Wen Chuan had been carving all day yesterday. Qing Yu praised them in her heart, and then couldn't help but get up and look into the deepest part of the carriage.
At first glance, the cornered medicine cabinet and the small storage cabinet next to the daybed mark the end of the carriage's space.
However, there were two wind chimes hanging on the medicine cabinet and the storage cabinet, and runes were also engraved on the wooden wall in the middle. When they reached out and gently shook the two wind chimes, the crisp sound of the bells rang out one after another. What seemed to be the end of the road would slowly open, revealing the space inside. Walking in, they would find their own private space.
Wen Chuan, a person you must bring along when you go out, Qing Yu sighed.
...
The governor's residence.
Qin Tianshu stood alone in the main hall, holding a painting box. The scholar in blue robes remained silent with his eyes lowered, neither hurried nor impatient, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.
He arrived early in the morning, but the steward said the governor was handling official business in his study and had made him wait until now. How interesting! What does this painting mean to the governor and his mansion?
From the memories of the woman who painted the painting, Sang Yue, Qin Tianshu could only know that Sang Yue resembled the woman in the painting. Shen Dongsheng, on the other hand, had suddenly approached Sang Yue and was curious about who the painting depicted, who painted it, and how Shen Dongsheng knew that the painting held a special power...
The scholar's thoughts wandered, still holding the painting box in his hand. Of course, on the surface, he still maintained the proud spirit of a scholar and the mature demeanor of a young gentleman.
He waited a while longer, until the sky, which should have been bright, seemed to darken again. He looked up at the sky and saw that it was almost noon, but the sky was extremely dark.
It drizzled in the early morning, and after it stopped, the sun gradually came out. Looking at it now, it looks like it's going to rain heavily again.
He was thinking quietly when suddenly a servant entered the living room.
The servant was ordinary-looking; he bowed his head and greeted Qin Tianshu.
"Greetings, young master. I am busy today. The governor is still handling official business and cannot come to see you in person, so he sent me to pick up the painting."
Qin Tianshu looked at him for a while without saying a word, and the servant bowed even deeper.
The scholar suddenly smiled and handed him the painting box.
The servant immediately bowed, quietly took the painting, and withdrew.
The scholar stood alone in the living room watching him go downstairs. He glanced at the sky and noticed that the air was now filled with a dampness, and there were faint claps of thunder in the sky.
It was really about to rain, so he needed to go back to his car and rest.
Qin Tianshu curled the corners of his mouth and was about to leave the governor's mansion when, coincidentally, he ran into Wen Chuan in the corridor.
Wen Chuan has been doing carpentry work these past few days and has gradually stopped wearing white clothes. As a result, Qing Yu has learned that Wen Chuan rarely favors any particular color. Perhaps because of this, the clothes Qing Yu bought for him these past two days have all leaned towards colors that young girls like. Today, he is wearing a dark blue robe, and a servant is leading the way for him.
They met face to face. The boy stepped through the damp, grassy air, still holding an umbrella, and said gently to him,
"Why are you only coming out now?"
Qin Tianshu shrugged. "Who knows? The governor is too busy to see me."
Wen Chuan seemed to be deep in thought. He turned his head and glanced at the servant who was leading the way. The servant understood and quickly withdrew.
The two walked side by side toward the main entrance.
Wen Chuan: "The people from the Demon Suppression Pavilion have also come to the governor's mansion."
When Wen Chuan entered the mansion, he saw a group of people from the Demon Suppression Pavilion, led by Bai Lang, about ten people in total. Judging from their manner, Bai Lang had probably gone directly to see the governor.
Qin Tianshu: "Perhaps it's about Shen Dongsheng. After all, the son of the governor is colluding with evil spirits and causing trouble in Danzhou. This matter can't just be left unresolved."
Wen Chuan didn't respond immediately. He glanced at the dim sky outside the corridor. A cold wind blew by, and the branches of the grass and trees in the courtyard trembled slightly. The desolation of autumn was evident at this moment.
"No matter what, he won't live much longer."
That night, Qingyu did not kill him, but she did not show mercy either. Mortal doctors could not diagnose the demonic energy in Shen Dongsheng's body. At most, they could only see that Shen Dongsheng's internal organs were damaged, which would affect his lifespan. They thought that if he rested well, he should still have a few more years to live.
The boy's gentle yet ruthless voice faded away with the autumn wind. Qin Tianshu smiled, and the two walked side by side.
Ultimately, Shen Dongsheng caught a cold and died from the wind and cold, so they can't be blamed.
It should be something in the next few days, he thought.
A note from the author:
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Right side of the carriage: door, long couch (a small sofa with a carpet underneath, a tea table, and two or three cushions), window, daybed (a large sofa with a small table on top), storage cabinet. —Deep within the space
On the left side of the carriage: the door, a bookcase (with a small couch on the left), a window, and a medicine cabinet (corner-shaped), which perfectly surrounds a medicine table. —Deep within the space
The interior of the space is like individual rooms, while the interior of the carriage is like a large living room.
The OK RV is finally here! If you like it, please add it to your favorites! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
Because the link is a bit difficult to access, you can go directly to the character design images below the text. However, that is the second version of the carriage map, which was slightly modified after the main characters arrived in Jizhou City (a reclining chair and a swing chair were added).
Part Two:
I quickly arranged for a graphic designer to draw a floor plan of the carriage interior and a map of the Kyushu route (the map was drawn by Xiaohe, it's very rough haha [glasses]).
They're all in the supporting character design illustrations; you can find them directly below the text. Thank you! [kissing emojis]
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