Chapter 16 The Ancient Scholar Used as Cannon Fodder (Sixteen) Who knew...
Who would have thought that Chu Nanfeng, who was always so shrewd, would miscalculate one day? Less than a quarter of an hour after he finished speaking, someone knocked on the door to buy the painting.
"You said you want to buy my paintings? And you want to buy them all?" Chu Nanfeng looked at the man in the close-fitting clothes in front of him, and for once, he couldn't control his expression and showed a look of surprise.
"When my young master was browsing the study, he saw your landscape paintings of the four seasons and was very fond of them. However, after searching all over the prefecture, we could only find those four of your works."
Fortunately, we found out the gentleman's place of origin. The young master originally intended to visit him personally, but an urgent matter arose, so he had to send me instead. I must buy all of the gentleman's calligraphy.
The man was dressed as a guard, but his attire was quite exquisite. Judging from his accessories and the patterns on his clothes, they were not something an ordinary person could wear.
He clasped his hands in a respectful bow to Chu Nanfeng, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant.
"You flatter me, sir. Please come inside." Chu Nanfeng returned the greeting with a cupped hand and invited the man into the main hall. He was about to offer him tea when the guards refused.
"Sir, I still need to catch up with my young master, so I can't take up too much time. I wonder if you have a few pieces of your calligraphy that you would be willing to part with?"
Chu Nanfeng took out seventeen paintings, opened them only once, and then bought them all, storing them in the wooden box on his back.
Lin You glanced at the box and noticed that the other paintings inside looked familiar; they were the ones Chu Nanfeng had sold to the study a few days ago.
The man arrived suddenly and left in a hurry, leaving Chu Nanfeng and Lin You alone, staring blankly at the three hundred taels of silver on the table.
This just doesn't feel real!
"Chu Nanfeng, I don't even need to sleep, so I can't be dreaming, right?" Lin You's tone was light and airy, with a hint of uncertainty.
"But this... brave man, why are you carrying so much silver? Don't rich people usually use banknotes?"
"Of course it's not a dream. The guard's waist tag has a family crest pattern, and the embroidery on his clothes is embroidered with the mark of a certain rank. He must be a guard of some prince."
As for the silver, look at the inscription on this silver ingot; it's from a money exchange in our county. He probably had too many banknotes with him, so he exchanged them for silver.
Chu Nanfeng took out Lin You's piggy bank and put 150 taels of silver into it. Lin You immediately objected, "Chu boy, I also want to pay for the carriage!"
"I'll save the money for now, and borrow it from you when I'm short of cash."
Chu Nanfeng coaxed him like a child, grabbing another handful of copper coins from the money box. "If you want to go shopping, you can buy some snacks for me and my little sister."
Lin You glanced at the dozen or so copper coins he was holding and couldn't help but purse her lips. This was the one tael of silver she had exchanged for snacks last time.
One tael of silver can be exchanged for a thousand copper coins. She only spent a little over two hundred coins last time. "Then take all the copper coins in the box with you. I want to buy more things for my little sister!"
Chu Nanfeng had no choice but to carry the seven-pound copper coins to the horse market to choose a horse. He was already panting after walking only half the distance.
In the end, it cost two copper coins to hire a mule cart to take him there; these two copper coins were taken from Lin You's money bag.
Lin You didn't feel guilty at all, and even complained, "Chu Nanfeng, your stamina is too poor. You obviously lack exercise. Next year's exam will be even colder than this one. How can your body withstand it? I'll teach you how to exercise another day!"
It took Chu Nanfeng a while to catch his breath. He smiled helplessly and agreed.
Their county town wasn't big, and the horse market mostly sold donkeys, mules, or large yellow cattle; there were only three horses, and they didn't look like any special steeds.
"Chu Nanfeng, do you know how to choose horses?" Lin You circled the three horses several times, but still couldn't tell which one was better.
"No," Chu Nanfeng answered frankly. He had never even ridden a horse, let alone chosen one.
Upon hearing their purpose, the horse seller hurriedly stepped forward to introduce the horses:
"Prime Minister Chu, the short one is a three-year-old mare, priced at forty-six taels. The darker one is an adult stallion, priced at sixty taels. The other mare is pregnant and cannot be sold for the time being."
The boss chuckled awkwardly, "Our place is small and we don't have many good horses. If you don't like them, you can go to Los Angeles."
However, the prices over there are higher. If you just want to buy a horse for transportation, these two are still very suitable. The larger one is stronger, but the smaller one is easier to get along with. Don't worry, these horses are both in good health.
"This little pony does look more docile, but it's still so small, can it pull a cart?"
Lin You was clearly interested in the gentle little horse; in the short time they had been there, the big black horse had already kicked up twice.
Although the novel describes such horses as intelligent and fast, Chu Nanfeng's weak and scholarly appearance would definitely not be able to handle such a unique horse.
Chu Nanfeng shared the same idea as her. After confirming that the boss, Xiao Ma, had already learned to pull the cart and was doing it quite well, he made the decision.
After some haggling, I finally bought it for 43 taels of silver, and the shopkeeper even provided a complete set of saddle and reins.
Chu Nanfeng led the horse very slowly. Lin You stared at him for a while before realizing that he was just too nervous.
"Chu Nanfeng, you can't ride a horse?" Lin You suppressed a laugh. "Then why didn't you hire someone when you bought the horse?"
“Sister, I thought leading a horse would be a simple matter.” Chu Nanfeng took a few steps, then stopped in place.
The brown pony wasn't in a hurry. It wagged its tail and followed obediently behind, even gently nudging Chu Nanfeng's arm with its nose.
Chu Zaizai visibly became more nervous.
"Hahahaha..." Lin You lay on the pony, showing no intention of helping Chu Nanfeng solve his problem, and laughed very loudly.
It was the horse seller who saw it and helped lead the horse to the carriage shop on the next street. Chu Nanfeng chose a carriage made of ordinary materials, but it was sturdy and spacious, and spent another 22 taels of silver.
The little horse didn't resist being harnessed to the carriage; it trotted forward on its four hooves. Chu Nanfeng quickly grabbed it and asked the carriage shop's assistant to help drive the carriage home.
"What do we do now? We can't exactly find someone to take us all the way to the capital, can we?" Lin You finished laughing, then started to worry again.
“We can hire a farmhand to drive the carriage. If we pass the imperial examination next spring, we will return to our hometown to pay respects to our ancestors. If we don’t pass, we can’t stay in the capital for three years. We will still have to come back.”
Chu Nanfeng unloaded the pony from the cart, led it into the yard, stroked its head, and fed it a handful of roasted soybeans.
The soybeans were a gift from the horse trading company owner; they were the little horse's favorite food. The owner specifically instructed Chu Nanfeng to feed them personally to help build a bond.
Hearing the commotion, Chu Qing and her mother came over to see what was happening. They couldn't help but smile as they watched the little horse finish eating the beans and then beg for more from Chu Nanfeng.
Then, the new member was named Lin Doudou by Chu's mother. Chu's mother said that everyone in the family had the surname Chu, and the eldest daughter would inevitably be lonely, so Doudou would take Lin You's surname.
With their own carriage, things were much easier to pack. The carriage was not decorated, but it was very spacious, with enough room for a person to lie down. If thick bedding was laid out, it would be enough for Chu's mother and Chu Qing to sleep at night.
Because there was enough space, Chu's mother also packed a lot of household items, as well as a lot of dry food and several jars of pickled vegetables.
Outside the carriage, there was a place to put the charcoal stove, and they also brought their own pots, pans, rice, flour, and cooking oil.
The things looked messy, but once they were put away, they only took up a small portion of the carriage. There was still plenty of room for two adults and a child.
Chu Nanfeng hired a coachman at a brokerage firm for a year, paying him five taels of silver as commission, and including room and board. The man's surname was Wang, and he lived not far from the Chu family home; they were old neighbors who knew each other well.
The Wang family was quite relieved to learn that he had been hired by Chu Nanfeng. Although Chu was not old, he was always steady and reliable, and as a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, there was no doubt that nothing would go wrong if they went out with him.
Chu's mother distributed the food she couldn't take with her to the neighbors, and entrusted the house to a familiar neighbor next door.
Chu Qing spent her free time braiding ropes these past few days, filling an entire basket, which she gave to her close female friends. The girls said goodbye with tears in their eyes and gave her many small gifts.
On the appointed day, Boss Qian came to pick them up. The carriage carried the three of them toward the city gate. Chu Qing couldn't help but lift the curtain and watch the scenery outside the carriage rush past, going from familiar to unfamiliar.
"Alright, Xiao Qing, it's windy now, don't catch a cold." Chu's mother rubbed Chu Qing's head and lowered the curtain.
The curtains inside the carriage were all remade by Chu's mother. They were made of stiff, plain linen with a simple embroidered cluster of orchids on them, and the lining was made of cotton from old quilts, making them very windproof and warm.
Chu's mother popped a candied fruit into Chu Qing's mouth, and not forgetting to treat everyone equally, she also popped one into Lin You's mouth.
It was placed in the box containing Lin You's memorial tablet, but unfortunately, Lin You protested many times, to no avail.
The Qian family's caravan was parked outside the city, consisting of more than twenty carriages, all piled high with goods. Traveling with such a group was indeed much safer than traveling alone.
Besides the fifty-odd strong men who were driving the delivery truck, Boss Qian also had a little girl with him, his daughter who had almost been kidnapped.
As soon as the little girl saw her father return, she rushed to him, pouting and tugging at his clothes, refusing to let go. The maids and servants who were taking care of her couldn't pull her away.
Seeing her pleading look, Mr. Qian's expression softened considerably. He picked up his daughter and put her in the car, then waved for everyone to set off. The convoy traveled along the official road, heading towards the capital in a grand procession.
The imperial court offered many preferential treatments to candidates taking the imperial examinations. If there were candidates in the caravans heading to the capital, they could travel on the official roads, stay at post stations, and have a certain percentage of the entry fees waived.
For the caravans, not only were the roads easier and the money saved, but their safety was also greatly improved.
After all, this isn't modern times. Walking along remote mountain paths, you could really encounter wild animals and bandits.
The biggest difference between horse-drawn carriages and modern cars is that horse-drawn carriages need to rest. Every five or six miles, they have to stop so that the horses can eat some grass, drink some water, and rest for a while. The people in the carriage can also take the opportunity to stretch their muscles.
Along the way, Boss Qian took good care of Chu Nanfeng. The Chu family's carriage was in the middle of the procession, right next to the one he was riding in. He even brought him a brand new set of three soft cushions and a backrest, suitable for long-term carriage rides.
The materials used are very good; it's clear that they were specially prepared.
Worried that Chu Nanfeng might not know anyone, Boss Qian brought his daughter over to chat and laugh with him when they stopped to rest.
This man was not only a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, but also the benefactor of his daughter.
The two chatted casually, and in less than half a day, Chu Nanfeng learned quite a bit about him.
Mr. Qian's real name is Qian Youcai. He is thirty-two years old and has been in charge of the family business for four or five years. His wife is his childhood sweetheart and cousin. She passed away from illness two years ago, leaving behind only one daughter named Qian Duoduo.
Qian Duoduo and Chu Qing were the same age, and the two little girls quickly got together to play. They hit it off, and in less than half a day, little Qian was clinging to Chu Qing, insisting on riding in the same carriage with her.
Looking at his daughter's rare smile and pleading expression, Qian Youcai couldn't bring himself to refuse. He could only give Chu Nanfeng an awkward smile.
Chu Nanfeng said kindly, "Brother Qian and I had a very pleasant chat just now. Why don't you sit in your car for a while, and then tell me about the customs of Liuzhou?"
The Qian family's little girl is six or seven years old, an age where she should avoid suspicion. It's somewhat inappropriate for Chu Nanfeng, an adult man, to ride in the same car with her.
Upon hearing this, Qian Youcai immediately beamed with joy. He instructed the old woman to take good care of Chu Nanfeng while inviting him into the carriage.
"If you like hearing this, then let me tell you more. I also brought some fine tea with me on this trip. Let's drink and chat."
Lin You watched the two chat about all sorts of things, with Boss Qian doing most of the talking and Chu Nanfeng occasionally chiming in to keep him interested in continuing.
Qian Youcai was a very eloquent person with a wealth of knowledge. He could talk about all sorts of things in a very interesting and engaging way, even better than the storytellers on the street.
Chu Nanfeng would occasionally open his cheat system to check Qian Youcai's favorability rating. By the time he stopped to rest at night, the favorability rating, which was originally 36, had risen to 39.
"Why are we trying to increase his favorability?" Lin You was completely confused by his actions.
"Since we're just killing time anyway, let's test out how to use this cheat code. It'll help us gain some experience, and I'll write a trial report for you while I'm at it."
Chu Nanfeng instructed Lin You to write this down in the report, as his words were tailored to Lin You's preferences and could slightly increase his favorability.
A note from the author:
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