Chapter 1039 Running Away
Zhang Qing'er's face flushed red, and she remained silent. Without explaining the reason, Prince Luo turned and strode away.
The atmosphere was a little awkward, so Lin Yuesha had to step in to mediate, saying, "How long has it been since you've tasted my cooking? Now that there's a canteen in the fishing village, I rarely cook anymore."
Zhang Qing'er nodded, and after a while her expression softened, she began to talk about the differences between the food in the North and the South.
She thought people in the south preferred milder flavors, but little did she know that the place where her father worked was damp and rainy, and the people there loved spicy food so much that they would spread chili sauce in the middle of even a steamed bun.
Before leaving home, Zhang Qing'er brought a lot of local specialties with her. However, the journey was too bumpy, and most of them were ruined. The chili sauce was opened in the Northwest and was snapped up immediately.
Looks like I'm out of luck with this.
Lin Yuesha observed that Zhang Qing'er's complexion had improved, so she decided not to mention Prince Luo for now, and to ask him privately when it was more convenient.
"I don't like the food in the south, but there are many kinds of fruits, and you can eat fresh vegetables all year round."
In the prefectural city, the people in the south mostly have dishes on their tables, and sometimes fruit as well.
Lychees that used to fetch exorbitant prices when transported to the north are now plentiful in the south, where a small basket can be bought for ten coins.
"I'm so envious. I haven't even had a few lychees yet."
The Great Qi Dynasty was unlike modern times; its means of transportation were primitive, and the road conditions were poor.
From north to south, horseback riders often had to cross mountains and valleys. Caravans transported fruits and vegetables, which were difficult to preserve and suffered great losses.
Things are valued for their scarcity; lychees can't be grown in the north, so the price is ridiculously high.
Some people are willing to pay a high price for lychees, but no one is willing to specialize in selling lychees.
Traveling from south to north would cost countless sums of money in travel expenses, but lychees are prone to spoilage, and traveling to the north could result in a complete loss.
Savvy merchants won't touch deals with too many variables.
"Perhaps one day, lychees will no longer be so precious, and people in the north will be able to enjoy fruits from the south."
Lin Yuesha envisioned that blasting mountains to build roads was a very feasible idea. Once the roads were unobstructed, the travel time from north to south would be greatly shortened, and one day, transportation would no longer be a problem.
Lin Yuesha is willing to be the first to seize any business opportunity.
"I prefer the North."
Although the south was nice, Zhang Qing'er was used to life in the north and found joy in watching the snow fall in winter.
"Affordable fruit and beautiful scenery, isn't that enough to attract you?"
Lin Yuesha brought out the grilled lamb skewers, and Zhang Qing'er's eyes lit up.
"Sister Yue Sha, the fur I brought from the North has gone moldy!"
It rained every day, and there could be no sun for a whole month. There was nowhere to dry the fur, and when the box was opened, her fine fox fur cloak had already become moldy.
Zhang Qing'er felt very sorry for her. Every day it rained, and the bedding in the house was damp, so she couldn't sleep well every night.
Moreover, perhaps because of the frequent rain, the women in the south are delicate and fair-skinned, and seem frail. Zhang Qing'er pinched her cheek and sadly realized that she was an oddity.
Because she didn't fit men's aesthetic standards, finding a husband was extremely difficult.
“The young ladies from those aristocratic families have to learn manners from the age of three.”
They had never read travelogues or miscellaneous books. Every time there was a poetry gathering, the young ladies would recite poems and compose verses, while Zhang Qing'er would eat cakes and pretend to sleep, thus escaping until the gathering ended before going home.
It's just right that we can coexist peacefully.
Do people wear fur in the south during winter?
Lin Yuesha had never been to the south, and she longed to go there.
The Great Qi is a vast and resource-rich land with many wonderful places. When she has free time, she will definitely travel to various places to experience the local customs and traditions.
"They don't wear them, but they will adorn their clothes and skirts with fur."
Women in the south are more fond of dressing up, and they are clever and ingenious, embroidering their clothes and skirts with exquisite embellishments.
Women from poor families often needed patches on their clothes. Zhang Qing'er wasn't exaggerating at all. They sewed the patches into special shapes, making them extremely beautiful.
"Sister Yue Sha, please take me in for a while. Please don't kick me out because I eat too much."
Zhang Qing'er secretly ran away from home with the caravan transporting grain; she didn't want to go back.
Yingcheng is located by the sea, so the seafood is fresh and there's no shortage of food and drink. This is the life of a god!
As for marriage, she had long since put it out of her mind.
She had her reasons for running away. Her parents felt sorry for her, but that didn't mean they approved of her actions. They also hoped that she would get married soon and find a good home.
"Sister Qing'er, please feel free to stay here as long as you like."
Lin Yuesha decided to settle Zhang Qing'er in first, and then write a letter to her godparents to put their minds at ease.
As for marriage, one should not rush into it; one must carefully inquire about the man's character.
Having traveled extensively, Lin Yuesha came to understand the principle that one can know a person's face but not their heart, and that one should never let fate dictate one's marriage.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Lin Yuesha arranged accommodations for Yan Yan and Zhang Qing'er in a newly renovated wooden cabin with a heated floor.
Originally intended for her, it has now been taken over by the two of them.
Zhang Qing'er was extremely satisfied with the two-story wooden house. She lit an oil lamp and sat in the study upstairs reading the novels she had just bought.
After making the arrangements, Lin Yuesha headed straight for Luo Wang's courtyard with a tray of meat skewers, grilled fish, and grilled shrimp.
The Prince of Luo was packing his bags; a stack of clothes lay on the table, indicating that he was about to embark on a long journey.
When he saw Lin Yuesha enter, he thought to himself, "This is bad. She's already here to interrogate me so soon."
"Uncle, are you leaving Yingcheng again?"
The situation in the north has eased, and Qi Heng's attention is focused on road construction. Once the surrounding hills are blasted, they will have to set off back to the capital.
Lin Yuesha was eager to return home. When she saw Prince Luo carrying his belongings and about to leave, she assumed that he had received the news and was returning to the capital ahead of her.
Luo Wang looked embarrassed. He didn't want to leave, but he had a premonition that if he didn't leave, he would be in big trouble.
"Lin girl, are you here to interrogate me?"
Luo Wang pulled up a chair, gesturing for Lin Yuesha to sit down.
"What do you mean by 'coming to interrogate'?"
Lin Yuesha was puzzled. She suddenly thought of Zhang Qing'er's attitude towards Prince Luo, and it seemed that there was something she didn't know.
"About that matter..."
Luo Wang hesitated for a moment, and was mistaken for a lecherous man with unusual fetishes. Luo Wang felt wronged, but by sheer coincidence, he was unable to explain his behavior.
Lin Yuesha lowered her eyes. She had just escorted Zhang Qing'er into the courtyard and wanted to ask her about it, but Zhang Qing'er seemed to be avoiding the matter and quickly took out a storybook to read. Lin Yuesha immediately understood.
If Zhang Qing'er is willing to tell her, she will definitely find an opportunity to do so.
Lin Yuesha didn't pry into other people's privacy; instead, she wisely withdrew.
Seeing that Lin Yuesha remained silent, Luo Wang assumed that Zhang Qing'er had already smeared him. Under these circumstances, he had to say a few words to defend his reputation.
He didn't tell Xu Da, otherwise, given Xu Da's gloating nature, he would have laughed at him for a long time.
He still remembers the embarrassing incident on the day Xu Da got married. He made fun of Xu Da a lot and didn't want to become his sworn brother.
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