Chapter 133 Qin Family Old Servant
Murong Di and Old Man Qin stayed in there for three or four days.
While Murong Di was groping in the dark tunnel, Su Zhizhi followed Wu Yingniang through the bustling market town of Baiyun County.
After Liangmin Village established a special commercial area in Bufang Mountain, some shop owners in Baiyun County also asked people to ask Liangmin Village if they could open another store in the mountain.
Wu Yingniang came to the county town to see their shop before making a decision.
Su Zhizhi came along to join in the fun and also to visit her former classmates.
Xue Che did not come with them. He was busy working as a manager in a cloth workshop on the mountain.
The mother and daughter got hungry while walking on the street, so they went to the Black Mountain Restaurant to sit down and drink two bowls of tea.
The Black Mountain Restaurant is getting better and better, but the dishes at Black Mountain Restaurant are still popular among ordinary people because of their good quality and low price.
Su Zhizhi drank some tea and ate a piece of sweet red bean cake, and she felt refreshed:
"Mom, that's Zhang's soy sauce shop up ahead. I'm going to go see Zhang Shengcai."
Zhang Shengcai is the classmate who was mentioned earlier about learning to make soy sauce.
Su Zhizhi was curious about how his soy sauce brewing was going.
Wu Yingniang glanced at the sign of Zhang's Soy Sauce Shop a few steps away and nodded:
"Go ahead and bring two red bean cakes to your classmate."
Wu Yingniang wrapped two cakes in paper and asked Su Zhizhi to hold them.
Su Zhizhi went out with the red bean cake in her hand, and when she was about to reach the soy sauce shop, she bumped into a figure.
"Ouch." Su Zhizhi stepped back and almost dropped the pancake in her hand.
After Su Zhizhi stood firm and looked carefully, she saw that the person she bumped into was an old man dressed as a servant.
The old man's clothes were old and short, and they didn't fit him well. The paper bags he was holding had just been knocked off his body.
The old man asked Su Zhizhi, "Are you okay, little girl? I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention just now."
"It's okay, neither I nor the cake fell." Su Zhizhi helped the old man pick up the things on the ground.
While picking up things, the old man's stomach growled twice.
Su Zhizhi could tell that the old man had an accent from another place.
It's not easy for people of such an old age to work.
"Grandpa, if you're hungry, you can go to the Black Mountain Restaurant up ahead. They offer discounts for seniors."
The old man glanced at the Black Mountain Restaurant and replied with a smile, "Okay, thank you, little girl."
Su Zhizhi took the red bean cakes to find Zhang Shengcai.
The old man I bumped into just now was walking towards the Black Mountain Restaurant with a paper bag in his hand.
A man in his thirties in brocade clothes came up from behind and shouted:
"Old Xiao, where are you going?"
The old man turned around and saw someone coming, bowed and said:
"This old servant is helping you find food."
Qin Yuan leaned close to the old man and lowered his voice:
"Grandfather, stop wandering around and get in the carriage."
Qin Xiao narrowed his eyes and said:
"But I think you must be hungry, so I need to buy you some food."
Qin Yuan compromised: "...Okay."
The grandfather and grandson bought some food and got on a carriage on the roadside.
Before getting on the carriage, Qin Xiao respectfully carried the dishes and let Qin Yuan get on first.
Once the two got on the carriage, they immediately switched positions.
Qin Xiao lay comfortably on the couch. Qin Yuan unpacked the food and placed it on the small table in the carriage, then took out a water bag filled with tea and handed it to his grandfather.
Qin Yuan looked at his grandfather and felt really troubled.
When my grandfather heard that he was coming to Lingnan to inspect cotton clothes, he insisted on coming along.
My grandfather said that the capital was too boring and he had never been to Lingnan in his life. He wanted to go and take a look, and he could also help Qin Yuan check the military uniforms.
Qin Yuan disagreed at first, but he couldn't persuade his grandfather at all.
My grandfather found a set of old servant's clothes, dressed up as an old servant and followed him.
During the day, outside, his grandfather was the servant and he was the master.
When we arrived at the post station at night, we turned around as soon as we entered the house.
"Cough cough cough..." Qin Xiao choked while eating while lying down.
Qin Yuan went over to pat his grandfather's back, his voice as low as a mosquito:
"Grandfather, why do you have to come out and suffer this?"
Qin Xiao took a few sips of water and said, "Who said I was suffering? I'm not feeling well at all."
He took a few peanuts and put them in his mouth: "Mm, fried deliciously."
Qin Yuan stopped talking.
He knew why his grandfather had to come.
Although my grandfather had retired from officialdom, he still couldn't let go of the soldiers in the Northwest. When he learned that there was a problem with the military supplies sent to the Northwest last year, he wanted to see it with his own eyes this year.
A row of soldiers followed behind Qin Yuan's carriage, one to protect his safety, and the other to escort supplies.
And in front of the carriage was another carriage.
Governor Gu was sitting in the front.
When they met today, Governor Gu had already briefly described the situation of the workshop, and now he took Qin Yuan to Liangmin Village to inspect the situation on the spot.
When Qin Yuan first arrived in Lingnan, he should have gone to pay a visit to the King of Yue first.
But Governor Gu said, "The prince cares deeply about the people. Even if we search among the people, we will find no trace of him."
Qin Yuan was somewhat skeptical about this statement. He had met the King of Yue in the capital, and he looked very silent and timid, not like someone who would dare to investigate around Lingnan.
However, Qin Yuan did not come here specifically to see the King of Yue. Since Governor Gu said so, he would go straight to the business.
The carriage drove all the way into the mountains.
The mountain road is half-repaired. The first half is rugged and narrow, while the second half is flat and open.
Qin Xiao and his grandson lifted a corner of the curtain.
At first, they were surprised that the workshop was in such a remote place. After they left the city, they saw fewer and fewer people. There were only endless grass and trees in the surrounding area, and no trace of human beings.
What was even more surprising was that after turning into the mountain road, shops on both sides of the road appeared in sight.
There are shops selling groceries, snacks, laundry... and even restaurants and inns.
Qin Yuan sighed: "When you are surrounded by mountains and rivers and think there is no way out, you will find another village when you turn around."
Qin Xiao looked at the sign of Heishan Restaurant and thought of the Heishan restaurant he had just seen in the county.
Thinking about the Black Mountain cloth and Black Mountain ink, I suddenly realized that these restaurants and food stalls are also industries in the village.
"Liangmin Village." Qin Xiao chewed on these three words.
It’s not easy.
The carriage stopped.
Governor Gu said, "Doctor Qin, we're here."
Qin Yuan got out of the car, and Qin Xiao turned into an old servant and followed behind.
Governor Gu glanced at Qin Xiao and then looked at Qin Yuan strangely.
You came all the way here from the capital, why did you bring an old servant instead of a young and strong follower?
An old servant of this age may not even be able to carry the luggage.
However, this old servant looked straight and impressive, and it was likely that he had served the old master in the family for a generation.
Governor Gu felt that the old servant seemed somewhat familiar.
He secretly laughed at himself for being so confused.
I haven't worked in the capital for many years. Let alone recognizing people, I would probably think a dog from the capital looks familiar.
"Governor Gu, is this Black Mountain Cloth Workshop built on the mountain?" Qin Yuan stood at the foot of the mountain and looked up.
It wasn't a big mountain, but a small hill with a gentle slope and what seemed to be a large flat area on top.
Governor Gu said: "Lingnan has many mountains and few plains. Not only are workshops located in the mountains, but even many farmlands are located in the mountains."
Lu Chunniang stood at the foot of the mountain to greet them: "I, Lu Chunniang, greet you two gentlemen."
"Governor Gu, who is this?" Qin Yuan looked at Governor Gu.
Governor Gu introduced: "This is the chief steward of the cloth workshop. Madam Lu arranges the manpower and schedule for the entire cloth workshop."
Qin Yuan was surprised. He didn't expect that the person in charge of such a large cloth shop was a woman.
"Please follow me, my lords." Lu Chunniang knew what Qin Yuan was thinking.
She smiled slightly and didn't mind.
Many merchants who came to buy cloth had expressed surprise or contempt when they learned that she was the one managing the cloth workshop.
Even Governor Gu and County Magistrate Song showed surprise at first.
But later, when they saw that Lu Chunniang had managed the cloth shop in an orderly manner, the surprise on their faces turned into appreciation and admiration.
The soldiers were resting at the foot of the mountain, and Qin Xiao and his grandson followed Gu Shishi up the mountain to check.
Bufang Mountain is a newly opened hill this year. Everyone used local materials and cut down trees to build houses.
Although there are fewer trees, the flowers and plants on the ground are still lush.
The wind blew, bringing with it the scent of flowers and plants, as well as the sounds of spinning wheels and people talking.
Qin Xiao and Qin Yuan followed Lu Chunniang and Gu Cishi upwards, passing by some houses and workers on the way.
There are men and women, old and young.
Lu Chunniang greeted everyone and continued to lead people to the top of the hill.
When they reached an open area on the hill, they stopped.
Lu Chunniang cleared her throat and stretched out her hand to guide Qin Yuan's gaze around.
"Please look, sir. This is the whole picture of our cloth workshop."
Qin Yuan and Qin Xiao stood on the mountain, taking in the scenery of the hillsides on all sides.
Blue sky, green grass.
There are hundreds of houses.
There are more than a few thousand people.
The shuttle back and forth is spectacular.
Large sheets of warm white cloth were hung out to dry on the mountain, like clouds falling from the sky.
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