Go to the capital
Inside Tingxue Hall.
Fu Zhiqiao found Yu Roulan: "Mother, I want to go to the capital."
"What?" Yu Roulan asked in surprise, "What are you going to the capital for?"
"Mother, I want to open a restaurant in the capital."
"Ah Qiao, have you thought this through? Opening a restaurant isn't easy, and the wine shops are doing very well right now..." Yu Roulan was lost in thought. Why did she suddenly want to open a restaurant in the capital? Wasn't everything going well in Qingzhou? Would she be bullied if she went to the capital?
Yu Roulan didn't have such big ambitions; the money she earned during her time in Qingzhou was enough for her and her daughter to live on for a lifetime.
Fu Zhiqiao interrupted her: "Mother, I want to sell Taibai wine all over the country, and I definitely have to go to the capital."
Yu Roulan was slightly taken aback. Looking into Fu Zhiqiao's bright eyes, she couldn't help but feel touched. "Have you thought it all through? If you go to the capital, you'll have to start all over again."
"I've made up my mind! I'm going to make the name of Taibai Wine resound throughout the entire Great Wei!" The girl's curved eyebrows and eyes spoke frankly of her ambition, her eyes sparkling with confidence.
The mother and daughter stared at each other for a long time, but in the end, Yu Roulan gave in.
“If you want to go, I have no reason to stop you.” Yu Roulan sighed. Perhaps she had underestimated her daughter’s abilities. Her daughter was always ready to break free from this world and soar to the clouds.
The child will eventually grow up, and now it's time for her to let go.
"Mother, don't worry! I'm going to the capital to do business, it's not like I'm never coming back." Fu Zhi Qiao hugged Yu Rou Lan's arm and acted coquettishly.
"Okay, whatever you say."
After getting past Yu Roulan, Fu Zhiqiao quickly got to work.
As her capable assistant, Defu will definitely go to the capital with her. Once the restaurant opens in the capital, Defu will stay there as the manager.
After Defu left with her, Song Dali took over the management of Taibai Wine Shop. If he performed well, he would undoubtedly become the manager of Taibai Wine Shop in Qingzhou.
Song Dali was flattered and surprised. He hadn't expected his employer to value him so much. He absolutely couldn't miss such a good opportunity, so he immediately swore to be loyal!
Cheng Yexuan's tasks were handed over to Wang Qi, while the duties of the others remained unchanged. They were to regularly write to her to report on the situation, and Yu Roulan was still in charge of the account books.
A series of orders were issued, and those whose names were called handed over their tasks to free up time to accompany Fu Zhi Qiao to the capital.
As the day of leaving the capital drew closer, Yu Roulan felt a pang of sadness and personally packed Fu Zhiqiao's luggage.
The capital was colder than Qingzhou. Yu Roulan opened the closet and stuffed all of Fu Zhiqiao's thick coat and fur cloak inside. The clothes alone filled two large boxes.
"Mother, you don't need to bring so many clothes. It's not like you can't buy them in the capital."
Even so, Yu Roulan was still worried.
My daughter has grown up right under my nose since she was little, and this is the first time she has left my side.
The thought of her leaving for the capital filled Yu Roulan with reluctance, leaving her feeling empty. If she wasn't allowed to pack her things to distract herself, she feared she would hide away and secretly wipe away her tears.
Fu Zhi Qiao thought about it and let her go; it wasn't a big deal to bring one or two extra suitcases on the road.
"If you're cold, wear more clothes. If you're hungry, eat early. Don't let yourself go hungry, understand?" Yu Roulan's eyes were full of worry and reluctance for Fu Zhiqiao. As she spoke, she stuffed a stack of silver notes into Fu Zhiqiao's hand.
"Mother, I don't lack money." Yu Roulan's sudden act of stuffing money into her hands startled Fu Zhiqiao. She was going to the capital to choose a location to open a restaurant, and she had deposited all the money earned from the shop into a money exchange, which she could withdraw when she arrived in the capital.
Yu Roulan didn't care about any of that. She insisted on giving the money to Fu Zhiqiao. This thousand taels of silver was her private savings. "I really can't rest easy knowing you're going to the capital alone. The capital is not like home. You need money for many things there. You can't do without some money on hand."
Yu Roulan had already imagined Fu Zhi Qiao's miserable state of being homeless on the streets.
She knew that Fu Zhi Qiao was smart and quick-witted, but no matter how smart and capable she was, she was still just a young girl. What if something happened to her?
As a mother, she couldn't help but worry. "You must be more careful when you're out and about. Be more tolerant when things happen, and don't act on your own whims. Even beggars on the street aren't necessarily genuine. Just take care of yourself and don't be fooled!"
"good!"
Fu Zhiqiao sniffed, her voice a little muffled. She understood Yu Roulan's thoughts; a mother always wants to give her child the best of everything.
Yu Roulan had suggested that she bring a few more maids to serve her on the road, but Fu Zhiqiao refused, saying that the journey was long and the more people there were, the more cumbersome it would be.
She will be taken care of by Yinxing and Granny Cui, and Defu will run errands for her. Cheng Yexuan and Wenshan will accompany her to the capital as guards.
That night, Fu Zhi Qiao slept with Yu Rou Lan.
Yu Roulan kept talking, wanting to teach her daughter all her experience in dealing with people and situations. Fu Zhiqiao buried her face in the quilt and listened quietly.
*
Having settled everything in Qingzhou, Fu Zhiqiao is about to embark on her journey to the capital.
Yu Roulan was so worried about her daughter leaving that she didn't sleep a wink all night. When she woke up the next day, her eyes were swollen. Without a doubt, she must have cried secretly in the middle of the night.
Wen Jiang was already waiting at the entrance of the Fu residence in his carriage, and the servants carried Fu Zhi Qiao's luggage onto the carriage.
Yu Roulan reluctantly said goodbye to her daughter: "A Qiao, you must take good care of yourself and write to your mother anytime!"
The carriage set off. Fu Zhiqiao lifted the curtain and peeked out. She saw Yu Roulan standing at the door of her house, waving at the carriage. As the distance grew farther and farther away, Yu Roulan gradually became a small black dot in her eyes and disappeared into the crowd. Only then did Fu Zhiqiao turn her head back, feeling a surge of reluctance to leave home.
Her emotions only gradually subsided after the carriage left the city.
The further north you go, the colder and drier the weather becomes.
The carriage was spacious inside, with a thick carpet on the floor and a couch for her to rest on. A drawer on the side contained tea, snacks, and other food. Aside from the bumpy ride making her feel like her bones were about to break, she didn't find the journey boring at all, enjoying the scenery along the way.
As they approached the capital, the terrain became flatter, and many pedestrians and carriages could be seen on the official road.
Fu Zhi Qiao felt inexplicably stifled inside the carriage. "How much longer?" she couldn't help but raise her hand and tap on the carriage wall, her tone slightly anxious.
Wenjiang: "Replying to your question, young lady, this place is less than a hundred li from the capital. I estimate we should arrive by the time of You (5-7 PM) tomorrow."
Fu Zhiqiao nodded.
Not long after, dark clouds descended, and several thunderclaps sounded as if the sky was about to explode.
Cheng Yexuan sensed something was wrong and urged everyone to speed up their journey. They weren't too far from the capital yet, and they had to reach the next town before nightfall, or they might have to spend the night in the wilderness.
Cheng Yexuan and Wen Jiang each drove a carriage and finally found an inn before the downpour began. As soon as they entered the inn, large drops of rain began to pour down.
The inns in the small town were already quite basic, and when they arrived, there weren't many good rooms left. The room only had a bed and a set of tables and chairs. Fortunately, they were only staying for one night, so they couldn't be too picky.
After a quick bath to wash away the dust, Ginkgo took out a quilt she had prepared earlier from the carriage, made the bed, and helped Fu Zhi Qiao to sleep.
The rain came and went quickly, stopping in the middle of the night. The downpour finally made the weather less dry.
The next day, as dawn broke, they had to get up early and set off in order to reach the capital before the city gates closed.
They rode at breakneck speed and finally arrived at the gates of the capital just as the sun was about to set.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the eaves of the pavilions, and a wisp of cloud drifted in with the wind, adding a touch of haziness to the prosperous scene before them.
Fu Zhiqiao lifted the carriage curtain, and what came into view was the majestic city wall. The city wall was as high as four or five stories. Moss had grown in the cracks between the blue bricks on the wall. Even after hundreds of years of wind and rain erosion, the city wall still stood tall.
Horse-drawn carriages, oxcarts, mule carts... there were many people rushing into the city, crowding in front of the city gate in a slightly chaotic manner. Although the guards at the city gate sped up, a long line of people still waited to enter the city.
As the procession slowly advanced, people consciously fell silent and stopped whispering to each other.
Fu Zhiqiao's two carriages were inconspicuous in the middle of the procession. After the soldiers guarding the city checked their travel permits, they also checked the carriages. Once they made sure there were no problems, they allowed them to enter the city.
Upon entering the city, Fu Zhiqiao couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder it's under the emperor's nose."
The capital city is two or three times the size of Qingzhou. She thought the streets of Qingzhou were already wide enough, but they were still far inferior to those of the capital city.
The capital city was the most prosperous place in the Great Wei Dynasty. The gray-blue floor tiles, the neat and uniform buildings, the bustling streets with people and carriages, and the shops lining both sides of the street were dazzling.
We found the Yuelai Inn, which was said to be the most luxurious in the capital, and asked for three excellent rooms to rest.
Granny Cui brought over the food and served it to Fu Zhi Qiao. After that, she instructed the waiter to prepare a private room and bath water. Fu Zhi Qiao took a hot bath, and Yin Xing dried her hair. After a long journey, she finally got a good rest.
She slept soundly through the night, and the next morning, Granny Cui quietly brought in breakfast.
Yinxing gently lifted a corner of the bed curtain and answered Cui Mama with her eyes: The young lady is still asleep!
“Miss?” Granny Cui walked to the bedside.
"..."
"Miss, it's time to get up and have breakfast!" Even though she didn't hear a response, Granny Cui still called out patiently.
Fu Zhi Qiao was sleeping soundly when she vaguely heard Granny Cui calling her to get up. With her eyes still closed, she mumbled sleepily, "Granny, I want to sleep more."
She turned over in her sleep, pulled the quilt up to cover half her face, and continued to sleep.
Granny Cui looked rather helpless, her tone troubled: "Has the young lady forgotten what Madam said?"
"Granny Cui~" Her tone was a mix of annoyance and coquetry.
"Miss, get up and have breakfast first, then take a nap on the couch." Granny Cui smiled. Ever since they moved to Qingzhou, the young lady had always been calm and composed in the mansion, so it was rare to see her so childlike.
Unable to resist Cui Mama's repeated urging, Fu Zhi Qiao sat up straight despite her drowsiness.
He got up, but his eyes were still closed.
Yinxing covered her mouth and chuckled, then stepped forward to help her wash up and get dressed.
In October, people in Beijing were already wearing slightly thicker padded jackets and skirts. Just getting out of her warm bed, the sudden exposure of her skin to the cold air gave her goosebumps.
Yinxing wrung out a handkerchief to wipe her face, but Fu Zhiqiao took the handkerchief from Yinxing and slowly wiped her face.
After washing up, Ginkgo carefully applied a layer of moisturizer to Fu Zhi Qiao's face. Looking at Fu Zhi Qiao's fair and delicate face, she sighed inwardly. As a woman herself, she had taken care of the girl for so long, but every time she saw the girl's face, she couldn't help but be captivated. The girl's beauty was truly a gift from heaven.
Fu Zhiqiao changed into men's clothing and asked, "Where is Defu?" They were going to stay in the capital for a while and couldn't stay in the inn forever; they needed their own residence.
Defu's task today is to rent a house from a brokerage firm.
Ginkgo: "Defu is already waiting outside the door."
"Let him in."
Defu was already very experienced in renting houses, so Fu Zhiqiao trusted him completely. She only reminded him, "Since we're new here, we need to keep a low profile!"
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