Feng Yuheng sat in the carriage and lifted the curtain slightly. Immediately, snowflakes were blown in by the wind. Even she was so cold that she immediately shrank her neck. oM.-.79s.-
Judge Lu glared at her, and Feng Yuheng quickly lowered the curtain; Madam Lu was eating snacks. She had spent most of the past two months in the carriage. Even when she stopped, she would go directly to the inn to rest. She spent the whole day eating and sleeping. After two months, she had gained a lot of weight.
Feng Yuheng asked her, "Madam, how long will it take to get to Guanzhou?" She hugged herself as she spoke, "It's so cold."
Mrs. Lu also felt cold, but she was fat, so she didn't feel it was too much. Finally, she finished the last bite of snacks, drank a sip of water, and then said, "Two more days will be enough. This is your first time in the Northland, so you have to be careful with your words. This place is different from the original place. The people are fierce. Sometimes they will fight over buying a bun."
Feng Yuheng acted surprised and asked, "Really?"
As it turns out, it is indeed true.
Two days later, the Lu family's carriage stopped outside Guanzhou City. Feng Yuheng got off the carriage first, and the driver helped Lu Tongpan down, and she went to help Madam Lu.
But when Madam Lu got off the car, a roasted sweet potato vendor outside the city gate was putting raw sweet potatoes into the iron stove. One of the potatoes fell out and landed right under Madam Lu's feet. She didn't see it and stepped on it. She almost fell down. Fortunately, Feng Yuheng and Lu Tongpan supported her together and she managed to stabilize herself. Madam Lu looked down at the sweet potato, kicked it away, and said casually, "A bunch of unruly people."
She actually spoke in a very low voice, and even the driver in front of her didn't pay attention to her, but it happened to fall into the ears of the man who came to pick up the sweet potatoes. In addition, Mrs. Lu kicked his sweet potatoes with her foot, and the man immediately got angry and asked in a northern accent, "Who are you talking about? Who are you calling a troublemaker? Do you think I am happy that the sweet potatoes rolled over by themselves? And you kicked them with your feet? This is food for people to eat. Are your feet made of gold?"
"You——" Mrs. Lu was a wife of an official, after all, and she couldn't do such a thing as cursing in the street. But just because she couldn't curse didn't mean she didn't have other tricks. She pushed Judge Lu to the front and whispered, "As a grown man, you should stand up at this time. Why hide behind me?"
Judge Lu also felt that he should step forward, so he pointed at the sweet potato seller and said sternly, "How dare you! How dare a commoner like you stop the government vehicle? Even if I beat you to death today, no one will stand up for you!"
Feng Yuheng secretly laughed, a mere Tongpan, he really thinks he is a high official. However, the folks in the north are indeed fierce, the Lu family's carriage is not good, but it is definitely not the kind that cannot be picked out in a pile of carriages; the small vendors who can sell things outside the city gate are naturally used to seeing people coming and going, and should have the most basic ability to judge the big and small families, but he still dared to talk to Madam Lu like this, in addition to the temperament of the northerners, there must be some other reasons.
When the sweet potato seller saw that Lu Tongpan had shown up, his anger was instantly diverted. He was not frightened by the word "this official" at all. Instead, he pointed at him with contempt and said, "You are just a shabby official, and you are trying to show off. Look at your clothes and your carriage. In my opinion, you are at most a sixth-rank official with no real power. Why are you showing off?"
Feng Yuheng almost got internal injuries from holding it in. His eyesight was really accurate!
Judge Lu was also scolded so much that his face turned red. Then he heard the sweet potato seller say, "Don't you see where Guanzhou City is? This is the southern gate of the northern border! After Guanzhou, go north to Songzhou, which is the residence of Grand Commander Duanmu. At this time of year, there are countless officials coming to celebrate the Grand Commander's birthday. I have seen officials of all ranks, and which one is not better than you? I tell you, you kicked my sweet potatoes, five taels of silver! Give me the money! If not, stay here. Counting the days, it will be a few days before the Grand Commander's birthday. I want to see, in your hearts, which is more important, celebrating the Grand Commander's birthday or these five taels of silver."
Judge Lu was completely convinced. The people in the northern border were indeed all fierce. Could they still be reasonable? Was there still any law?
But he was angry. As the man said, Duanmu Anguo's birthday was only a few days away. If he didn't hurry up, he would be late. Moreover, the man said so much, and everyone coming and going at the city gate was listening. If he continued to tangle with him, it would mean that he didn't take the Grand Commander seriously, which meant that in his heart, the Grand Commander was not worth five taels of silver.
This was a good accusation. Even though Lu Tongpan was reluctant, he still had to take out the silver obediently, and only then was he allowed to enter the city smoothly.
There is a rule in Guanzhou that people must dismount from their horses and carriages when entering or leaving the city, and then be inspected by the gatekeepers before entering. Especially during this period, the aboriginals of the three northern provinces must carry their government-issued ID cards when going out, and those who come to celebrate birthdays must hand in a visiting card before entering. In addition, the number of maids and attendants that people who come to celebrate birthdays can bring is also limited, and each master is limited to two.
Such rules are much stricter than entering the capital, but people are still willing to abide by them because Duanmu Anguo, the local emperor of the Northern Territory, can indeed benefit them; and now, Qian Zhou is in chaos, and the three provinces of the Northern Territory are the northern gate of Dashun. In the eyes of others, Duanmu Anguo's status has instantly risen to several levels. Even though the third prince has been deposed, people still believe that Emperor Tianwu will not touch the Duanmu family. After all, touching them means touching the foundation of the Northern Territory.
But people didn't know that the Duanmu family had already surrendered to the emperor, and the imperial court had known about it for a long time, but had not announced it to the world in order not to cause panic among the people. Duanmu Anguo must have known that his affairs had been exposed, but he still let these officials who came to celebrate his birthday into the city. I'm afraid there must be something else going on.
Feng Yuheng followed the Lu family and entered Guanzhou smoothly. This was his first time in the Northern Territory. There was still snow in the sky, and the snow on the ground was not even above the shoes, so it squeaked when he stepped on it.
But she didn't show how fresh it was, and she didn't even smile, which made Mrs. Lu suspicious. When the three of them got on the carriage and continued on their way to Songzhou, she asked, "Qianxi, you look like you've been to the Northern Territory before?"
Feng Yuheng shook his head, "Never been here."
"Oh, that's not like it." Madam Lu showed a cautious look on her face, and then said, "People who come to the Northland for the first time are usually curious about this icy world. Why do you seem ordinary to me? I don't feel any novelty at all?"
Feng Yuheng sighed softly, "It should be novel, but this kind of heavy snow reminds me of the winter disaster in the capital last winter. So many people died. It was terrible."
Her expression was sad when she spoke, and it immediately brought the thoughts of the Lu family couple back to last winter. That winter disaster affected almost the entire northern region, and Xiaozhou was not immune. Feng Yuheng's words dispelled Mrs. Lu's doubts. She nodded and said, "Yes! That winter disaster was really terrible. The snow in Xiaozhou City was waist-deep. I have never seen such heavy snow, even in the northern border."
As the topic became more serious, people lost interest in talking, which was exactly what Feng Yuheng wanted. She simply leaned against the carriage and stared blankly. Although she seemed to be in a daze, her mind was constantly working, thinking about everything she might encounter after arriving in Songzhou.
The carriage traveled for another five days and finally arrived in Songzhou.
Compared with Guanzhou, the travel expenses of this city's 'gate' are more stringent, and even outsiders have to register in writing, and even if they encounter suspicious people, they will be required to provide proof of household registration.
Mrs. Lu patted her forehead and said to Feng Yuheng, "When I bought you, I really forgot to ask them for your household registration;"
Feng Yuheng also said with a bitter look on his face, "Even if he wanted it, he probably wouldn't have it. The young master couldn't possibly take those things with him when he went out. After all, within the Hetian Mansion, no one has the ability to cause trouble for him."
Mrs. Lu felt that what she said made sense, so she nodded and said, "It doesn't matter. We are relatives of the Duanmu family after all. We have never been questioned too much when we came here in the past."
Facts have proved that what Mrs. Lu said is right. As soon as the gatekeepers saw the name cards handed over by the Lu family, they immediately assigned someone to take them to the designated inn to rest.
When Mrs. Lu entered the city, she held her head high, looking very proud and proud, as if she was superior to everyone else here.
Finally, the guide stopped in front of a three-story inn and pointed inside and said to Madam Lu, "This is the resting place that the governor specially prepared for his colleagues who came to celebrate his birthday. Madam, please move over. There is an upper room reserved for you and the judge."
At this point, Mrs. Lu's status was naturally much higher than that of Lu Tongpan, so much so that the servants all looked up to her when speaking, and Lu Tongpan became a complete subordinate. He was not unwilling, and honestly followed the lady into the inn, and then was led to the upper room by the waiter.
The upper room has two rooms, the master sleeps inside, and the servants who keep watch outside naturally sleep. Feng Yuheng quickly put the luggage outside, and then helped Madam Lu sit down. While pouring tea for her, he said happily, "Everyone says that in the Northern Territory, even the third-rank officials in the capital are inferior to others. When I was in Feng Mansion before, the master said that even if he came to the Northern Territory, he would have to wait for Duanmu Da Dutong to summon him before he could meet him. But I just saw that the servants here are so polite to Madam. I think Madam is also a person who has a say here. It is really an honor for me to follow Madam."
Mrs. Lu was praised on point and immediately smiled, "That's right. Although I am a branch of the Duanmu family, I have been to the Northern Border a lot in recent years, so I am naturally closer to my family." As she spoke, she glanced at Lu Tongpan and said, "What's more, there is a concubine's daughter who married here. Although she has no blood relationship with me, I am still a member of the Lu family, so I have to give her some face. Master," she turned to Lu Tongpan and said, "I will ask someone to find out about the girl's current situation later. We have to meet her this time."
Judge Lu nodded, "Of course, otherwise sending her here would be meaningless." He stood up and walked to the window to look outside. It would be fine if he didn't look, but when he did, he exclaimed, "Ah!" and turned around to say to Mrs. Lu, "Madam, something is wrong outside!"
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