"Mother, I plan to go to Yuyang County at the end of the month."
Madam Gu looked puzzled and quickly asked, "Yuyang County? That place is very far from here. How long will it take you to get there?"
"If it goes quickly, it will take about ten days; if it goes slowly, it may take about half a month."
Gu was surprised, "It's been so long, and you've gone so far. Aren't you in any danger?"
"No, Mother. My second uncle and Gu Yun will go with me. They just came back from Yuyang County, and there's no danger on the way."
Originally, Meng Zhao didn't want to take Gu Changwu with her because her second aunt was about to give birth. However, when her second aunt heard about her plan, she asked her second uncle to come along, saying that he couldn't take the pain away from her at home, so he might as well go out with Meng Zhao and do more work. Meng Zhao agreed, thinking that she would bring back some things for her second aunt to make up for it when she returned.
"How can that be? You're a woman, not like those two rough men. Can't you arrange for them to handle things?"
Meng Zhao shook her head. "Mother, I have no choice but to go. Don't worry, I will take good care of myself."
Seeing that she couldn't persuade her, Madam Gu had no choice but to ask, "What will happen to the business in this shop if you leave?"
Meng Zhao had already come up with a plan: "Before I leave, I will prepare all the braising ingredients for the next two weeks. Mother, you can just add the different spice packets according to my instructions."
"As for the cooking time and temperature of the braised pork, Mother can learn from me these next few days, so it shouldn't be a big problem. Before I leave, I will also find a temporary helper from the village to help out at the shop."
Seeing that Meng Zhao had arranged everything perfectly, Madam Gu stopped trying to dissuade her, but repeatedly reminded her to be careful.
The next day, Shen Qinghe found Meng Zhao and asked, "Sister-in-law, I heard from Mother that you are going to Yuyang County?"
Meng Zhao looked at him with a hint of curiosity. "What? Are you here to persuade me not to go too?"
Shen Qinghe shook his head. "No, sister-in-law has great ambitions, and I know I can't stop her. But sister-in-law, you must remember to take the official road. Although the journey may be longer, there are sentries along the way, so it will be safer."
Upon hearing this, Meng Zhao nodded. In fact, that was her original plan. Then, Shen Qinghe went on to give her all sorts of instructions he could think of, such as never camping in the wild, being careful to hide your valuables, and not flaunting your wealth.
Although Meng Zhao had done a lot of research herself, she still felt quite heartwarming to hear her family members giving her such earnest advice.
Shen Qinghe continued, "Sister-in-law, don't worry, I'll help out at the shop a lot. By the way, why don't you take Shen Yun with you this time?"
Meng Zhao frowned. "We've been traveling by mule cart all the way, and the journey is bumpy. Shen Yun is still young, and I'm worried that her body won't be able to handle it."
“Sister-in-law, I’m also worried that your health won’t be able to handle it. If you get a headache or fever on the way, your uncle and cousin are both men, and there will inevitably be things they can’t take care of. Besides, I think Shen Yun is willing to go with you.”
After listening to what he said, Meng Zhao felt that it made sense. Having a girl accompany her along the way would make her more comfortable.
So Meng Zhao went to find Shen Yun again and told her about the difficulties they might encounter along the way. Shen Yun did not back down; on the contrary, she was very happy and willing to go with her.
Before leaving, Meng Zhao made a special trip to the butcher shop to say goodbye to her parents. Xu Yunrong held her hand tightly and refused to let go, her eyes full of reluctance and worry.
"My dear child, didn't I tell you that wherever you go, your parents will follow?"
Meng Zhao gently patted his mother's hand and comforted her tenderly, "Father and Mother, Yuyang County is not far away. Besides, I'm all grown up now. I can't stay under your protection like a child forever. I have to go out and explore the world."
Meng Dashan's eyes reddened. "Zhaozhao, you must be careful. If anything happens to you, your parents won't be able to go on living."
Meng Zhao smiled and said, "Father and Mother, don't worry. Xu Ping has been with me the whole time. With him here, nothing will happen."
Xu Ping nodded vigorously and quickly said, "Auntie, Uncle, don't worry. Even if I'm in danger, I will never let my cousin get hurt."
Xu Yunrong reached out and affectionately ruffled Xu Ping's hair. "You silly child, what are you saying? You two must both be well and come back safe and sound."
Once all preparations were complete, Meng Zhao assembled the caravan, loaded the goods, and embarked on the journey to Yuyang County.
For this trip, a total of seven mule carts were rented, and five experienced porters were hired. Six of the carts were used to carry goods, while the remaining one was used to carry people and store their food, clothing, and other necessities for the journey.
Gu Yun and Xu Ping shared a mule cart. Meng Zhao originally wanted to drive a mule cart herself, but after getting behind the wheel, she found that the mule was different from the donkey. It was strong and stubborn, so she didn't try to be brave. Instead, she sat on the mule cart with Xiao Yun, but she still wanted to drive.
"Second Uncle, are you tired? Why don't you take a break and let me finish for a while?"
Seeing that Meng Zhao really wanted to get involved, Gu Changwu said, "Alright, but you'd better be careful." With that, he gently pulled on the bit, bringing the mule to a slow stop.
Meng Zhao happily switched to the driver's seat, took the accelerator (mule whip), and shouted with all his might, "Giddy up!"
Upon hearing the command, the mule immediately began to run forward. If it weren't for prior preparation, Meng Zhao would have almost been thrown off; the mule was incredibly fast.
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