The most interested person was still Madam Liu, who asked, "Your Highness, are there many people from the capital going to Kunzhou now? I heard some merchants' wives mention that they used to have houses in Kuncheng, but after Lord Gu and Madam Gu built a new city, they also bought houses there. They said that Kuncheng is a good choice for travel and recuperation!"
Gu Xin nodded: "Of course! And it's not just Kuncheng! Kunzhou is so big that the scenery in the four directions (east, west, south, and north) is different on the same day. There's a snow-capped mountain there where the ice and snow never melt, but there's a place where it's like spring all year round. You should all know that the Empress Dowager and the Empress visited Kunzhou a few years ago. The Empress even gave birth to His Highness the Crown Prince there. The place they stayed was none other than Chunnan City, where it's like spring all year round."
"Chunnan City has now developed into a county. There, you can eat fresh grains, vegetables, fruits, and flowers all year round. The magistrate of Chunnan County is the son of the third branch of the Huo family, who was the third-ranked scholar in the imperial examination in the same year as my father."
"And there's Baiyucheng. That's where our family's furniture manufacturing first developed. My fourth uncle incorporated customs from various surrounding areas to make the tables, chairs, and benches we use every day more convenient."
"Of course, the scenery in Dalang Prefecture is beautiful, and it's quite fun there. If Madam Liu is interested, you can actually set off for a trip soon. It's hot here, but the weather there will be just right."
One of the ladies asked, "Your Highness, can Madam Peng's escort agency take orders from Taizhou? Or does she have any plans to expand her agency to Taizhou?"
Gu Xin stroked her chin and thought for a moment, then said, "I'm not entirely sure about that either. However, when Aunt Peng came to the capital before, she mentioned to my mother that she initially only planned to establish three locations: the capital, Jiangnan, and naturally, Kuncheng. Her original intention in starting this escort agency was for communication between the east and west. It took her about half a year to expand to transporting goods and letters within the Great Zhou. For the next year or two, it should only be these three locations, but it's uncertain what will happen in the future."
Madam Liu immediately made a decision: "Your Highness, when will you leave Taizhou? I'll come over as soon as I've settled things at home after you return. Could you help me find a reliable person from the escort agency to take me sightseeing? Don't laugh at me, Your Highness, but my daughter-in-law hasn't been able to calm down since her grandson's death. She can't stay like this, and my son is quite busy, so I was thinking of taking her out for a trip to see if it can help ease her mind."
Gu Xin was taken aback, then sincerely said, "Madam Liu is truly a good mother-in-law. It's really hard to get over something like this right away. Sometimes going out for a walk and seeing a wider world can change your state of mind."
After a pause, Gu Xin continued, "How about this, you set off in early June, and I might not be back for a few more days. I'll have the escort agency find you a good guide, and you'll definitely be safe. Most of the people at the Dongxi Escort Agency are retired from the Peng Family Army, and now that the Great Zhou is peaceful and prosperous, there are few bandits. Lord Liu and your son can rest assured that you'll be safe going out."
Madam Liu thanked her and said, "Alright, alright, then we'll trouble Your Highness. We'll go to burn incense on the first day of June, set off for the capital on the second, and arrive on the third."
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