Chapter 494 A Dream of Youth 26
Not long after the Qingming Festival, during the busy farming season, Xie Wangzhi chose an auspicious day for travel and took his family on a passenger ship bound for Quanzhou.
The Xie couple didn't go with them. They still run a small business in town, and their child was going to take an exam, so they didn't want to cause any trouble.
The main concern is that I'm worried about Xie Yun being alone here.
Grandfather Xie and Xie Wangzhi went to move things onto the boat. Xie Qi was eager to help, but Grandmother Xie stopped him.
Then Grandma Xie began to give Chen some advice: being away from home is not like living in the place you've lived in for decades; you must be careful in everything you do and not try to stand out...
Xie Ning was led by Chen Shi to stand and wait to board the ship, but his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the nails on the ship's hull.
The boats used multi-layered planks, which meant that each layer of planks was tied together separately and then nailed together. This method was much stronger than planks that were simply tied together with leather straps and ropes.
Five chicken feathers hung from a wooden pole not far away, swaying in the wind and indicating the wind direction to the boatmen.
The boat owner's face was full of smiles, clearly indicating that today was going to be a smooth sailing day.
The passenger ship they were on had two decks and wasn't very big, but it was fully equipped.
Unlike cargo ships, passenger ships have individual cabins furnished with tables, chairs, beds, tea, and food to ensure passenger comfort. Passengers can also enjoy the river scenery by opening the windows while having tea and fruit.
Xie Wangzhi and Xie Qi shared a room, while Chen Shi and Xie Ning shared another room, so it didn't feel cramped.
There wasn't much food on the boat, just plenty of fish, but the steaming and cooking conditions weren't very good, so the taste was just average. Perhaps Xie Ning's palate had become too picky.
However, the snacks provided on board were quite good, although you had to pay for them.
Xie Ning particularly loved the buttered snails. They were round at the bottom and pointed at the top, with spirals that melted in her mouth. She knew they were pastries made of cream, but she didn't know what was added to them. They tasted sweet and sour, without the cloying sweetness of ordinary cream.
In addition to the snacks provided on the ship, Ms. Chen also prepared other fruits and packed them into boxes to take on board, including honey cakes, sugar dumplings, sugar fritters, and glutinous rice balls.
Perhaps feeling stifled inside the ship's cabin, the group went up to the deck to chat. Xie Qi leaned on the railing, watching the surging river, but before his interest had waned, he was assigned a task.
That is to write a poem with the river as its theme.
Seeing Xie Qi's gloomy face, Xie Ning chuckled to himself.
A gentle river breeze, carrying a damp scent, brings a sense of tranquility.
Xie Wangzhi was also moved, so he picked up the bamboo flute at his waist and put it to his lips to play.
Listening to the distant, melodious sounds, Xie Qi slowly closed his eyes. After the song ended, he said, "The sound of the purple flute echoes through the distant clouds, a lone boat floats on the golden waves. Herons fly north, skimming the waves, wanting to chase the floating clouds to the horizon."
"Good!" A man's voice cheered from the side. He was young, probably around twenty-four or twenty-five years old. He had a somewhat square face and looked a bit serious, but his smile was very kind.
"Your son is so young yet already possesses such talent; his future is limitless!"
Xie Wangzhi returned the greeting, first offering a few words of humility, and then asked, "My surname is Xie, and my given name is Wangzhi. May I ask your name, sir?"
"My surname is Fang, and my given name is You. Brother Xie, are you also going to Quanzhou to take the imperial examination?" Fang You was initially attracted by the sound of the flute, and then he heard Xie Qi composing a poem. He admired him even more and wanted to befriend him.
Xie Wangzhi shook his head. It was a big no-no to talk too much with someone you didn't know well, so he changed the subject to something else, like discussing poetry and songs.
During their conversation, Fang You could tell that the other person's knowledge was no less than his own, and they chatted even more enthusiastically.
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