Chapter 2164 Join
The group entered the inn and went back to their own rooms. They hadn't slept in a bed for a while, so as soon as they lay down, Manbao couldn't help but sigh with satisfaction, rolled around in his arms with the quilt, and then slept outside, letting Zhou Liru sleep inside.
Zhou Liru was also sleepy. He crawled in yawning and asked, "Aunt, what herbs should we buy?"
Man Bao said: "We need to make up for what is missing and prepare some medicinal materials for treating smallpox. We will check the situation along the way."
Zhou Liru took it to heart, then yawned and fell asleep.
Most of the people in the post station were asleep, but other families in Liangzhou did not go to bed so early.
In the governor's mansion, Governor Duan had just returned from outside.
An aide followed him into the study and reported on some matters he hadn't had time to deal with that afternoon. Finally, he remembered something and mentioned, "The post station sent a letter today saying that a nobleman from the capital is going to the Western Regions and will stop in Liangzhou. He may stay for a few days."
Governor Duan said, "Are you relying on public funds for food and drink again? Are you bringing too many people? The extra people aren't that many, so I'll report it to him. But please tell the postmaster to prepare more staple food for them. Vegetables and meat are expensive, and although I'm willing to pay for them, I can't let them spend lavishly."
"Your Excellency has misunderstood. The postmaster said that apart from the number of people within the regulations, they have paid for the extra people." It's just that since the officials' families came, there is a 20% discount on all the places, which is cheaper than staying in an inn outside.
Governor Duan only raised his eyebrows, not paying much attention to the matter. "Anything else?"
"Sir, don't you ask who is on official business?"
Hearing this question from his staff, Governor Duan asked, "Which general is this? Is he related to me?"
"It's not the general, it's Dr. Zhou from the Imperial Hospital."
Governor Duan didn't realize who this was, so his staff member lowered his voice and said, "You forgot, she is still the editor of Chongwenguan, the only female official in the court."
Governor Duan immediately reacted, "It's her? Why is she going to the Western Regions?"
Shouldn't we send a rough guy to the Western Regions?
Otherwise, shouldn't the people from the Honglu Temple go? Why send an imperial physician to the Western Regions?
The staff nodded. "I inquired a little bit, and the post station said they seem to be going to the Western Regions to find a way to prevent and treat smallpox."
Governor Duan immediately sat up straight and asked solemnly, "Is there any way to prevent and treat smallpox in the Western Regions?"
"I don't know, but they sound so serious, so it must be true. Besides, they're sent by His Majesty." He said, "Besides this Imperial Physician Zhou, they're also traveling with Master Zhuang, who was once the Crown Prince's tutor. The four young masters accompanying them are all students at the Chongwen Academy."
Governor Duan finally understood what his staff was hinting at and was startled. "Are they all His Highness's men?"
The staff nodded and lowered his voice, "More than that, sir, there's also someone named Bai Cheng here."
"What is his identity?"
"Princess Mingda's future consort."
The legitimate son-in-law.
Governor Duan's eyes flickered as he said, "Write a letter and send it tomorrow, inviting them to come to my house for a banquet the day after tomorrow. I'll give them a welcome banquet. No, they won't stay here long, but as the host, I must at least show some hospitality."
"Yes, I'll write it right away."
Governor Duan stroked his beard and fell into deep thought. It seemed that there really was a prescription in the Western Regions, otherwise why would His Majesty and His Highness let them out?
The governor's office attached great importance to this, so the next morning the staff personally went to the door with a letter to invite the person.
No one woke up.
The postmaster said to his staff with an embarrassed look on his face, "The adults are exhausted from the journey, so they may wake up late. Do you want me to go and wake them up?"
The staff stopped him and said, "Don't worry, I'll just wait slowly."
The postmaster didn't dare to let him wait, so he personally went to make a pot of tea.
But Manbao and others seemed to be very sleepy today. The staff drank two cups of tea and there was no movement in their rooms, but Mr. Zhuang got up.
After washing up, he went downstairs. As soon as he reached the second step, he was met with a brilliant smile from the person downstairs. Mr. Zhuang couldn't help but pause and smiled at the other person as well.
So, when Manbao had a good sleep and stretched himself to get up from the bed, Mr. Zhuang downstairs had not only finished his breakfast accompanied by his staff, but the two of them also sat in a chair and chatted about all sorts of things for half an hour.
The young people all had similar sleeping habits. As soon as Manbao woke up, he heard noises coming from other rooms.
The postmaster breathed a sigh of relief. His post station had seen many officials coming and going, but this was the first time he had seen an official like Zhou Man who did not get up until noon.
Manbao went downstairs to meet the staff member. After taking the invitation from him, he said embarrassedly, "But we have an appointment with friends to visit the Great Wall tomorrow. If you don't mind, we will come to visit you the day after tomorrow?"
The staff member was a little dazed from the moment he saw Zhou Man. He knew that Zhou Man was young, after all, she was very famous. Everyone knew that she was not very old, but he didn't expect her to be so young.
The same words will have different effects when said by different people. If Mr. Zhuang or a middle-aged official of his age said this, his staff would definitely think that he looked down on Governor Duan and Liangzhou, so he was deliberately making excuses.
But what a boy of Zhou Man's age said... seemed very sincere.
The staff member thought for a moment and nodded, "Of course we cannot let you break your promise. I will wait for you at the Governor's residence the day after tomorrow."
After saying this, he laughed again and said, "So you have friends in Liangzhou too. I wonder who they are. There aren't many people in Liangzhou, so maybe I know them."
Manbao didn't mention that they just met their friends yesterday. He smiled and said, "I don't know if you recognize them. One is Guo Tian, one is Yue Zheng, and the other is Quan Rui."
The staff member was startled, then laughed and said, "What a coincidence! These three are all students of the prefectural academy and are friends with our young master."
Manbao also smiled, "What a coincidence?"
As soon as the staff left, Manbao touched his chin and asked, "Is it really such a coincidence?"
Bai Shan took the note and glanced at it before saying, "What's the big deal? Liangzhou isn't big, and neither is the prefectural academy. Isn't it normal for us to know each other?"
Wasn’t it the same when they were studying at Yizhou Prefecture School?
Manbao nodded and put the matter behind him, but his staff ran home and said something, so the next day, Guo Tian and his three companions came to the post station to pick them up.
Guo Tian smiled and introduced the new young man to them, "This is a classmate from our prefectural school, his name is Duan Cheng..."
Bai Shan looked up at him and asked with a smile, "Could it be that Mr. Duan's father is Governor Duan?"
Duan Cheng nodded, "Yes."
Duan Cheng felt a little embarrassed being pressured by his father. After all, they didn't know each other, and he didn't know what his father was thinking. If he wanted to build friendship, there was plenty of time tomorrow.
Bai Shan showed no other expression, but nodded happily and said, "Fate, fate, we were just about to visit your house tomorrow, but we didn't expect to meet Master Duan today."
Duan Cheng heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that he didn't seem sarcastic.
See you tomorrow
Guo, Tian and the other two: ...uninvited guests?
Duan Cheng: I am here to join you, not to destroy you.
(End of this chapter)
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