The three of them rented three carriages from the nearest carriage shop and then returned to the inn.
When they checked in just now, they asked for three adjacent guest rooms in the inn, one for Zhang Hehua and her fifth and sixth sisters, one for An Jing and his three younger brothers, and another for Su Wanti and Shang Xingjian.
Zhang Hehua and An Jing both have opinions on this.
After Su Wanti returned to the inn, she went to the room to see her mother and sister, and told them that they could take a carriage to travel tomorrow and would not have to walk so hard.
The two sisters were very happy, stuffing snacks in their mouths and cheering incoherently.
Zhang Hehua's brows were tightly knitted together, and her face was filled with sorrow.
"Ah Wan, you and that Zhang family eldest son haven't gotten married yet, but I've noticed that you two have been calling each other husband and wife all along the way."
Su Wanti used her fingers to smooth her frown and said:
"Mother, we call each other husband and wife for the convenience of traveling. After all, I am a young woman, and it is inevitable that I will be noticed when I go out. I will be safer with my husband by my side."
Zhang Hehua hesitated and said, "Then you don't have to live together... Could it be that you are already husband and wife?"
Her lips trembled and her heart beat like a drum.
Su Wanti suggested living in the same room with Shang Xingjian to make it easier to treat his illness.
She would not tell her mother the real reason. There was no way to explain this kind of thing to her mother clearly.
She was ready to make up an excuse to get away with it.
Su Wanti held her mother's hand, which had grown slightly cold from nervousness, and said with a smile, "Mother, please stop imagining things. Brother Zhang and I strictly abide by the rules of etiquette and have never crossed the line."
"We live in the same room. First, because we call each other husband and wife outside, it would be weird if we didn't live together. Second, because I need Brother Zhang's help with something."
She then took out a notebook from her bosom and said in a deliberately low voice and mysterious tone:
"When I left the clinic, my master gave me several prescriptions, some for treating colds and some for treating injuries. These medicines can be made into pills, and their effects are much better than the ordinary decoctions on the market. When I left home, I took a lot of medicinal materials and medicine-making equipment with me. I want to work with Brother Zhang to study the preparation and manufacturing processes of these prescriptions. The sooner we figure it out, the sooner we can make money."
Zhang Hehua's eyes were filled with heartache. "It's my fault that I made you work so hard... But, Wan, I don't think you can ignore your reputation for the sake of making money... Although you and him are in love, you haven't gotten married yet. I'm afraid that if his family finds out, they'll look down on you..."
Her worries are not unfounded. There are many parents-in-law in this world who deliberately find fault with their daughters-in-law in order to oppress them.
What's more, it is against etiquette for a man and a woman to live together before marriage and will be criticized.
Su Wanti's expression moved slightly, and her eyes were particularly bright, like the bright stars in the night sky.
She said calmly, "Mother, in our current situation, the most important thing is safety, and the second most important thing is making money."
"My father is missing, and the villagers are all greedy. The village head can protect us temporarily, but not forever. We can't go back to Shanyan Village."
"Our family has no choice but to settle elsewhere, so the most important thing now is that we can arrive in Luzhou safely."
"After arriving safely in Luzhou, we need to buy a house and support our family, so making money is the most important thing."
"So right now, safety is most important, making money is most important, and both of these require Brother Zhang's help. As for reputation and fame, you can put them aside for now."
"Besides, we're on the road now, and no one knows us. No one knows that Brother Zhang and I are not married. How can this affect my reputation?"
Zhang Hehua shed tears. It was difficult to change the ideas that had been formed over the years, but she also knew that reality did not allow her to pay attention to those etiquette rules.
"Then... then you have to be careful and keep a distance from him when you sleep at night..." She was embarrassed to continue and lowered her head.
"Mother, just take a good rest. The most important thing for you now is to take care of your health. Don't worry about other things. Just remember, everything I do has a reason. I will take care of you and your brothers and sisters to live a good life."
"Yeah." Zhang Hehua nodded helplessly.
Now that the eldest daughter has taken her husband's place, she will listen to whatever the eldest daughter says.
In Shang Xingjian's room, An Jing frowned, rubbing his big hands together, feeling uneasy and fidgeting.
"Hey, sir, do you really want to live in the same room with Miss Su?"
Shang Xingjian sat on a simple bamboo chair, his back straight, holding a book in his hands, without raising his eyes, and said nonchalantly: "Yes."
An Jing grunted for a long time and said, "Well, sir, please protect yourself and tie your clothes tightly when you sleep at night..."
After saying that, he lowered his head and walked away quickly.
The door closed, Shang Xingjian put down the book, lowered his eyes slightly, and an unnatural look appeared on his face.
He pretended to be calm just now, but in fact, he was also feeling uneasy at this moment.
It wasn't that he was uneasy about sharing a room with a young woman.
Instead, he was worried about the treatment that would come later.
He discovered his hidden illness by accident when he was fourteen years old.
At that time, he went to visit his uncle's house and found a picture book in the room of his cousin, the prince, who was three years older than him.
The content of the picture book is about men and women making love in various postures.
The brushwork is exquisite and delicate, the details are perfect, and the painting is lifelike.
This was the first time Shang Xingjian had seen a picture book with this kind of content. The young boy's excitement made him quickly finish the whole book with a blushing face.
It was this unexpected experience that made him suspect that there was something wrong with his body.
The men in the paintings all have certain parts that are large and erect, but his part is different...
He never stood upright...
With doubts in his mind, Shang Xingjian began to look for relevant books.
The books in the palace were all classics, history, and collections of literature. Unable to find the answers in them, he asked his eunuchs to secretly bring back some folk books when they went out of the palace on business.
After reading a lot of folk books, Shang Xingjian finally found the answer.
It turns out that there is something wrong with his body...
Medical books say that this condition is called natural eunuch, and it cannot be cured.
He didn't want anyone to know about this shameful thing. Not only his father, but also his mother, the imperial physician, and even his personal eunuchs, no one knew about it.
Therefore, he never thought about curing this "disease".
Su Wanti's words rekindled the small flame in his heart that had been extinguished for a long time.
She said this disease is not congenital, but caused by some acquired factors, and she has a way to cure it...
Shang Xingjian's eyes flickered slightly, and he rubbed his fingers nervously.
At this moment, he felt both anticipation and fear, fearing that it would all be a false joy...
There was a knock on the door.
"Brother Zhang, I'm coming in." Su Wanti's voice was pleasant and came through the wooden door.
Shang Xingjian suppressed his anxiety and panic, cleared his throat, and said in a deep voice, "Come in."
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