Chapter 64 Searching for Brother in Hezhou
"Thank goodness I'm a very low-key person," Qi Chengming said with relief as he watched Xiao Chengzi pack his luggage.
During his months in Liuzhou, apart from the county government officials, a few high-ranking officials, and the people in the Prince's mansion, no one else knew what Prince Rui looked like. Prince Rui's carriage didn't go out casually either; he stayed in the Prince's mansion for months on end. To outsiders, he was a prince who was as "homebody" as could be, but the development of all walks of life in Liuzhou was related to him.
...This is only on the surface.
In reality, Qi Chengming disliked going out with a carriage and entourage. What kind of skill was it to show off in front of the common people? He preferred to travel incognito. This caused the imperial guards of the Prince's Palace to also develop excellent skills in hiding.
"As long as I don't see any government officials, it's fine for me to secretly go out for a while," Qi Chengming concluded calmly. The potato harvest was imminent, and with Prefect Mu having just taken office, he'd be busy for quite some time.
"Your Highness, I'll go with you." Bai Xuan had already packed his bags, intending to return home with his caravan, but upon hearing this, he gritted his teeth and volunteered again.
"Eunuch De and Eunuch Cheng can't go, so if Young Master Wen and the Prince go out with their own people..." Bai Xuan's hesitant gaze swept over Wen Er, who was casually crossing his arms and seemed completely unaffected since he finished speaking.
He always felt that young master Wen was too pampered, his every need for food and clothing was exquisite, even more so than the prince. How could he feel at ease letting him travel? Since Bai Xuan had already been away for several months, he figured it wouldn't hurt to stay a few more days.
"You said the same thing last time." Qi Chengming said tactfully, not wanting to question but genuinely concerned about Bai Xuan's family situation. "Are you really okay?"
In modern times, Bai Xuan would be a complete henpecked husband and doting father. These past few months, his caravans have been frequently traveling between Liuzhou and Wuling, and he brings home a letter every few days. Qi Chengming has asked him to go out three out of five times, only to find the silly boy grinning and engrossed in the letter.
If you're so homesick, why don't you go back home?
"..." Bai Xuan frowned and said decisively, "Actually, I am planning to move here. It's not decided yet, so there's no rush."
Of the entire Bai family, only Bai Xuan himself was eager to return. Wan Niang hoped he would achieve great things and offered him only encouragement. The rest of the Bai family were simply coveting the prince's favor and only regretted that Bai Xuan hadn't stayed long enough; they were far from happy to see him go back.
Bai Xuan himself was reluctant to leave, but he missed his wife and children terribly. Perhaps moving to Liuzhou City was the best way to resolve this dilemma. Since he was determined to curry favor with the prince, he should do it to the fullest extent. The Bai family wouldn't dare to treat him lightly just because he left. It was the rest of the Bai family who should be worried about the relationship becoming strained.
"Okay." Qi Chengming's expression brightened, and seeing how conflicted he was, he didn't insist anymore.
As the owner of the Bai Family Restaurant, it didn't matter whether Bai Xuan came to Liuzhou City to oversee things. But as Qi Chengming's friend and playmate, and since Qi Chengming usually only had Wen Er and Bai Xuan to hang out with, he was naturally very welcome.
A quarter of an hour later, Uncle Huang, along with more than a dozen veterans, was ready to depart at the manor. Bai Xuan casually instructed the Bai family's carriages to be prepared, and the escort team followed. His guards mounted their horses. Qi Chengming and Wen Er quickly got into the carriage and set off. Commander Mao couldn't go with them, so he pushed a steady-looking Imperial Guard along—the middle-aged man who had previously interrogated the two wandering knights.
"I'm entrusting the prefecture to you, and leaving the county government to Mr. Qin." Before leaving, Qi Chengming carefully instructed Steward Song.
"Your Highness, rest assured, leave everything to me." Song Gu calmly bowed his head and solemnly agreed. He would never urgently try to dissuade His Highness from doing anything (except for alchemy), nor would he show his concern for His Highness while he was away.
Song Gu's gaze swept across the face of the seemingly carefree and chivalrous Second Young Master Wen, pausing briefly.
Bai Xuan's distrust of Wen Er was practically written all over his face, but in his memory, General Wen had no bad reputation except for refusing His Highness's departure. He was loyal and cared for his subordinates. He might seem unreliable, but he was actually very meticulous. The time they had spent together had shown that he was someone who could be trusted.
That's enough.
With Wen Er around, he won't let anything happen to His Highness.
...
"Giddy up! Giddy up!" In the dim morning light, a caravan disguised as a merchant caravan—no, a caravan with white paper and goods and luggage was a real merchant caravan—set off from Liuzhou City.
"Since we're going to Hezhou anyway, let's sell some things while we're at it." Bai Xuan was a shrewd strategist, so he brought along Liuzhou's specialties—the unique soap recipes and medicinal herbs from the mountains of Liuzhou—and filled the carriage to the brim.
Two and a half days later, the group arrived in Hezhou without incident. The largest fruit and vegetable shop in Hezhou was the time-honored "Hongsheng Su". Wen Er had met the other party by chance at the entrance of Hongsheng Su in Eshan County last time. This time, the group naturally rented a courtyard to stay in and prepared to look for the person in Eshan County.
"We'd better guess that person wasn't just passing through Hezhou." As soon as Bai Xuan arrived in Hezhou, he directed his men to sell goods everywhere, gather information, and post portraits. This was the umpteenth time he had brought up this topic.
“When I ran into him that day, he wasn’t carrying any luggage. His clothes were old but clean, and he was very wary of being followed.” Wen Er recalled the events of that day, trying to remember some details. He summarized, “I hesitated for a moment and then chased after him, but I couldn’t catch up. He disappeared into the crowd.”
"If it really is my second cousin, then he may have really lost his memory," Qi Chengming said with some worry.
He now felt that the Second Young Master Wen's guess was likely correct. Otherwise, why didn't his second cousin go home? Why was he staying quietly in Hezhou, and why was he said to be physically disabled? He... was he probably almost thirty years old now? Having been away for so long, he wondered if he had settled down and started a family?
Qi Chengming was somewhat lost in thought as he pondered the idea of 'clean old clothes'.
To be honest, out of consideration for his maternal grandparents' grief, he never inquired about the specifics in detail. His aunt was gone; did his eldest cousin have a widow? Had his second cousin remarried?
This was a very important issue, and Qi Chengming couldn't sit still any longer. He quickly wrote a letter to his younger cousin, Wang Shuo, but he didn't send it. Instead, after the ink dried, he quietly put the letter back in his pocket and placed it together with the family letter that Wang Shuo had written.
...Now is not the time to ask that.
"It's a pity we don't know anyone here." Bai Xuan said with some regret, as they couldn't use the government's channels to find anyone.
Wen Zhongnan's expression shifted, and he had an idea: "Find out what the background of the magistrate of Eshan County is."
The Wen family had many connections in the court, and the academy he attended was full of talented students. He hoped to get a convenient title like "son of a classmate" or "nephew of a mentor" so he could get into the government office and have people help with the investigation.
"Let's go." Qi Chengming also thought this was a good idea. He had already tasted success with Mr. Huang.
The three of them set off immediately.
Eshan County is also a remote and poor place.
Hezhou is surrounded by mountains, but those mountains evoke a different feeling than those around Liuzhou. Here, the sky is blue and high, embraced by mountains, giving one a sense of expansive grandeur. The lake water is crystal clear, so clean it seems to wash away even one's soul.
It doesn't seem like a county town built near the wilderness; rather, it's like a small human town or village surrounded by wilderness.
As Qi Chengming walked down the street, he could see the blue sky in the distance at any time, which made him feel much better and less anxious about not being able to find anyone.
"Selling... Jiangxue Dan, the shop's newest sweet and sour Jiangxue Dan!" came the nervous shouts of an old woman from the roadside, her voice trembling and somewhat restrained.
"What is Crimson Snow Pill?" Wen Zhongnan, who was most curious, was immediately drawn to the question.
A small shop stood by the roadside, not far from the red millet shop, just across the street. Its signboard bore the bold, powerful characters: "Yang Family Fruits." Inside, only an old woman stood soliciting customers. Before her were rows of charming, delicate little urns, all carefully sealed. Next to her, one urn was open, revealing bright red bayberries inside.
Wen Zhongnan raised an eyebrow thoughtfully.
The shop's fancy-sounding names, the cramped space that seemed incongruous with bayberries, and the elderly man hawking his wares with an air of unfamiliarity.
……interesting.
Qi Chengming stared at the small urn for a long time: "Uncle Huang, pay up, I want to buy twenty urns to take home."
Uncle Huang served as both a bodyguard and the money carrier on this journey. He had been following far behind, but now he came over without a word to count the money. Strings of copper coins were strung together with rope, their heavy clanging producing a pleasant sound.
With its rounded, wide mouth and delicate ceramic color, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes this little urn beautiful, but its curves are perfectly proportioned, instantly pleasing to the eye. Perhaps the bayberries inside aren't very tasty, but Qi Chengming came specifically for the urn; he was eager to try it.
Glass hasn't been invented yet, and in his lab, there are many places where ceramic containers can be used as substitutes. This small and beautiful urn is just right.
"Okay...okay!" The old woman was both surprised and delighted. She hurriedly went into the store to check the goods. She never expected such a big order to come her way.
"Grandma Yang, you've got a big order!" The waiter at the beverage shop next door congratulated her enviously. "Where are Brother Yang and his wife today?" he asked, peeking out with some concern.
"My good-for-nothing child is sick again, so I, the old woman, will watch the shop for a day." The old woman worked nimbly, her smile fading slightly, and worry showing in her wrinkles. She replied, "Shou'er went to buy her medicine, and he hasn't come back for so long... I don't know how he got delayed."
Bai Xuan: "?"
He couldn't help but ask to confirm, "Grandma, did that man say where he was going to buy the medicinal herbs?"
The nearest and largest medical clinic in Eshan County is located on the street where Hongshengsu lives. They had just come from that street. This is quite a short distance.
"It's right on the main street... Dr. Liu's clinic." The old woman said the name worriedly, and sure enough, it was the clinic near Hong Shengsu. There was no way they could delay this long.
Qi Chengming and Wen Er exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of foreboding.
Especially when the waiter next to them heard this, he concealed his hesitant expression, turned back, and remained silent, which made people even more suspicious that there was something going on.
Qi Chengming couldn't ask directly, but he secretly glanced behind him and gave him a look.
Uncle Huang was somewhat taken aback. He was good at killing enemies and handling trivial matters, and he was also good at farming, but when it came to platitudes... platitudes were a bit...
The old man steeled himself, but His Highness's order was a military command. He took a deep breath and prepared to go.
"—I'll do it." A low voice rang out, rescuing Uncle Huang. It was the old Imperial Guard who had gone in with Commander Mao to interrogate the wandering knight last time. He seemed confident, stepping quietly into the shop next door, buying a bowl of drink for everyone present. Soon, the waiter whispered among himself next door:
"That Yang Shou married into the Yang family. He's capable, resourceful, and his pickled bayberry business is booming. But his wife has been sick lately, and money is being spent like a bottomless pit. Grandma Yang is also getting old and needs to see a doctor frequently. Who can stand this?"
"No one was surprised that he ran away—that's what everyone thought."
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Author's Note: First update of the day
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