Seeing that Granny Lu's complexion was not good, Xu Zhi asked, "Granny, what's wrong?"
Granny Lu sighed and said, "Things have changed, people are no longer the same. It would have been better if you hadn't come."
Bai Kou listened to what Granny Lu said and said, "Granny, but didn't you say you dream of coming back here?"
Granny Lu said, "Before I came, I thought I was looking forward to coming back, but after I came, I realized that I didn't want to come back. Back then, my parents took my younger brother and me away from here. We left our hometown, my parents were gone, my younger brother was lost, and I was left all alone."
Granny Lu's eyes reddened, a rare occurrence for her. Xu Zhi sighed and said, "It's better to cherish the memory than to meet again, and better not to think about it at all than to cherish the memory."
Granny Lu nodded and said, "Some things are better left unsaid."
Xu Zhi said, "In that case, Granny, you should rest well at the inn. We'll take a break and continue our journey."
The journey from Qiantang to Yuezhou would involve traveling by horse-drawn carriage. Xu Zhi had inquired and found that the route was all official roads, with post stations every hundred or so li (approximately 50 kilometers) for rest. The journey was still over a thousand li, and judging by the days, it wouldn't be too fast; they could reach Yuezhou in about ten days.
Who knew that after setting off from Qiantang, the weather was fine, but after traveling more than halfway, it started to rain. It was the first time Xu Zhi had ever seen such rain. It was lingering and drizzling, and as far as the eye could see, the whole world was shrouded in a rainy mist.
It's been raining for two days now. The rain hasn't gotten any heavier or lighter; it's been pouring down from day to night, and people are completely fed up with it.
Xu Zhi grew up in the North. The rain in the North comes quickly, falls rapidly, but also goes quickly. Although the air in the South is warm and humid, on rainy days like this, it really makes you feel like your heart is soaking in rainwater. Even if you take a deep breath, you can exhale some chilly water vapor from your heart.
Although the official road was frequently repaired, many sections were dirt roads. Sometimes, the wheels would get stuck in the damp, soft mud, requiring manpower to push them out. With more than ten carriages, they couldn't go very fast, covering only a few dozen miles each day, which made Xu Zhi somewhat worried.
That day, they stayed at a post station.
Although the post stations were established by the imperial court and their main purpose was to provide food, lodging, and horse changing for officials who delivered military intelligence, they also served ordinary people on a daily basis. As long as they paid money, they could always be well taken care of.
Xu Zhi was not short of money, so she would stay at any post station if there was one, and if there was no post station, she would choose an inn that looked more reputable. Since time was tight on the road, it was always better to avoid trouble.
After arranging her room and settling the carriage and luggage, Xu Zhi stood at the door of her room, looking at the drizzling rain with worry.
Because it was built right next to the official road, there were many travelers passing by, so the post station was quite large, with several two- or three-courtyard buildings behind it, all to accommodate travelers like Xu Zhi.
The rain was lingering and the air was damp and chilly. Bai Shu said, "Miss, you should go inside. The rain is a bit cold, and you'll easily catch a cold if your clothes get wet."
Xu Zhi sighed and went into the room. Outside, Qinglian was holding an oil-paper umbrella. After she came in, she said, "Miss, I just saw someone move into the courtyard next door. She is a beautiful girl."
Honglian said, "You've been wandering around again."
Qinglian said with a grin, "Oh, sister, I just wanted to explore the surrounding terrain properly since I had nothing else to do."
Qinglian and Honglian are sisters, with Honglian being the older sister and Qinglian the younger sister. Honglian is steady and composed, while Qinglian is lively. Perhaps because it was her first time traveling such a long distance, Qinglian enjoyed exploring the surroundings along the way, and she is also very curious.
Since they weren't her servants, Xu Zhi didn't say anything. After Lu Mama subtly reminded her a few times, Honglian took it to heart. She and her sister were there to protect the young lady, not to wander around. She often reminded Qinglian, afraid that Qinglian would cause trouble.
After Qinglian put down the oil-paper umbrella, she said to Xu Zhi, "Miss, just now the nanny who serves that young lady was talking to our Uncle Qing about putting our luggage together with ours. I think they are afraid that if we put our luggage separately, it will be stolen."
Honglian said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Shut up!"
Qinglian stuck her tongue out at Honglian. Xu Zhi heard this and said, "There are always times when things aren't cheap when you're out and about. Go talk to Uncle Qing and see if you can make things easier for him."
Qinglian agreed, picked up her oil-paper umbrella, and stepped lightly into the rain and mist.
Honglian said to Xu Zhi with an embarrassed look, "Miss, I'm really sorry. My sister is just so stubborn. I'll talk to her properly tonight."
Xu Zhi smiled and said, "It's alright. Qinglian is still young and innocent. She'll be fine when she's a little older."
Honglian sighed inwardly, thinking, "You say Qinglian is too young? You were born in the same year as Qinglian, but Qinglian's birthday is actually older."
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