Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Departure to the Capital
The neighbors in Shuying Lane also learned that Fu Wenxiao would go to Beijing to take the imperial examination this month.
They were not surprised by this. After Fu Wenxiao passed the imperial examination, he had expressed his intention to take part in the next year's imperial examination. With his knowledge, he would have no problem taking part in the examination and did not need to continue polishing his skills.
Many candidates who plan to take part in next year's imperial examination also choose to go to Beijing at this time.
It is a good time to go to Beijing now as the weather is not that cold yet. In November and December, some sections of the river will freeze over and the roads will be difficult to travel on.
After arriving in Beijing, you can rest there for a few months, concentrate on studying, and be able to handle the imperial examination with ease.
When they heard that the Fu family would also go to Beijing with Fu Wenxiao this time, they were all surprised.
Some ladies who were on good terms with Zhou came to visit and asked, "Sister Zhou, why are you going with us? It's getting colder and the journey is long. I'm afraid we'll have a hard time on the way."
The capital city is too far away from the south. For these common people, it is a place they can never reach in their lifetime. The hassle of the journey is painful just to think about.
Zhou smiled and said, "Our hometown is in the north. This time when we go to Beijing, we can visit our hometown by the way."
Hearing this, someone quickly responded, "Sister Zhou, your hometown is in Yuzhou, right?"
"I heard that Yuzhou is very close to the capital."
Zhou always claimed to the outside world that her husband's family was in Yuzhou, and it was only because something happened to her husband's family that she brought her sick young son and two grandchildren to the south to seek refuge with her parents.
Now that Fu Wenxiao has passed the imperial examination, it is a matter of honor for the family, so it is normal for them to want to go back.
Everyone was very understanding about this and didn't say anything else.
Madam Song also came over to say goodbye to them. She held Yu Li's hand and sighed, "Now that you're gone, I don't know when we'll meet again."
It's rare to meet a neighbor who is easy to get along with. Madam Song really likes Yu Li and can't bear to leave them.
Moreover, Yu Li is her loyal customer. He loves the steamed cakes she makes very much and visits her from time to time. Just watching her eat them makes people feel that the steamed cakes are extremely delicious, and her business is boosted to even better results.
I'm afraid you have to accumulate blessings for three lifetimes to meet such a good neighbor.
Not to mention that her husband's success in the imperial examination was also thanks to Fu Wenxiao's guidance. The Song family was very grateful for this and didn't know how to repay them.
Madam Song originally thought that she would have a chance to repay him in the future, but she didn't expect that the Fu family would also come to Beijing this time. If Fu Wenxiao passed the imperial examination and was directly appointed as an official, it would be difficult for her to meet him in the future.
Yu Li said: "Even if we don't come back, you can still go to the capital. Mr. Song will also go to the capital to take the exam in the future, right?"
"It's still a long way to go." Madam Song waved her hand. "He was able to pass the exam this time thanks to Mr. Fu's guidance. But if he wants to take part in the imperial examination, he still needs to continue to polish himself."
Mr. Song and his wife were both down-to-earth people. They knew that Mr. Song's knowledge was not enough, so they naturally would not choose this time to go to Beijing to take the exam, wasting time and money.
The couple both felt that it would be a good idea to polish it for a few more years.
Madam Song talked to Yu Li for a long time, asked about their departure time, and said, "I will make some fresh steamed cakes for you to take on board."
Yu Li readily agreed.
Once we get to the capital, it won't be easy to eat the steamed cakes made by Madam Song. We'll have to bring more with us so we can enjoy them on the way.
A few days before departure, Yu Li heard that Mr. Wang and his wife would also go to Beijing with them.
"Mr. Wang is going to pass this exam." Fu Wenxiao said with a smile, "Mr. Wang has traveled a lot over the years and has accumulated enough experience. He will definitely pass this exam."
Hearing that Mr. Wang and his wife's children were also in the capital, the two took this opportunity to go and see him.
As for Old Madam Wang, in the spring when the weather was fine, Mr. Wang and his wife personally sent her to the place where the second brother of the Wang family took office.
It is right near the south of the Yangtze River, and not only does it have beautiful scenery, it also has a good climate, making it suitable for the elderly to maintain their health.
It was precisely because they no longer had to serve the old lady that the couple decided to go to Beijing.
Yu Li was somewhat happy to hear the news. If Mr. Wang and his wife went to Beijing together, they would have someone to talk to on the boat.
Then she asked how to arrange the boat and whether they should rent a boat to go to Beijing.
"No need, Auntie Lan has already arranged the boat." Fu Wenxiao looked at her with a smile, "Didn't you like that boat very much when you came back from Qingjiang Province last time? This time we will take it to Beijing."
In fact, what Yu Li liked was not the boat, but the service on the boat.
She enjoyed the different delicacies every day and felt that her days on the ship were very fulfilling.
When he heard that he would be taking this ship to Beijing, Yu Li began to look forward to it before they even set off, and he didn't even feel reluctant to leave.
Seeing this, Fu Wenxiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He was very worried that she would be reluctant to leave her relatives and friends here and would be unhappy when she left.
**
The day before departure, Yu Li took her husband back to her parents' home.
According to the local custom, when a married woman and her husband are about to go on a long journey, her family will call them back for a meal to see them off.
This time, the house we returned to was not the one in the village, but the house that the second wife bought in the county town.
Because the sisters all did business in the county town, at the beginning of the year, Yu Jin bought a big house in the county town and brought Yu Laoer who lived in the countryside over.
Yu Laoer didn't want to come at first. He was used to farming in the countryside and couldn't bear to leave the fields and crops there.
He was a typical farmer who knew nothing about business. He also felt that business was too risky and it was more practical to farm. If something went wrong with his daughters' business one day, they would not starve to death with the fields and crops at home.
It was just that in May, Yu Laoer broke his leg while working in the fields and was unable to do anything. His three daughters took him to the county town to recuperate, and he settled down there.
As for the family's fields, Yu Jin hired people to take care of them.
Now the second branch of the Yu family is considered a wealthy family in the village, and it is normal for them to hire someone to take care of the fields. There are many people in the village who have no fields or who have many people in their families but little land, and they are all willing to work as long-term laborers for the wealthy families in the village to take care of the crops.
Because of this, after Yu Laoer's leg healed, he did not return to the village, but went to help Liu sell rice balls at the dock.
When Yu Li and Fu Wenxiao came over, they found that there were many people in the house, not only people from the second branch of the Yu family, but also the families of Aunt Yu and Aunt Yu.
The elders are cooking and we are going to give them a farewell party today.
After a lively meal, everyone sat down to chat. As they chatted, the room was filled with a strong feeling of sadness of parting. Liu, elder aunt Yu and younger aunt Yu could not help but shed tears.
They were already feeling sad before they even left.
The younger Yu Zhu hugged Yu Li and started crying.
She pouted and said, "Big sister, I can't bear to leave you! When will you come back?"
Yu Li touched her head and said, "I should be back after I finish what's going on over there."
Everyone thought that the "things over there" she was talking about was next year's imperial examination, and they would come back after Fu Wenxiao finished the exam.
Of course, they also thought that if Fu Wenxiao was appointed as an official, he would take up the post very quickly, and he might not be able to stay for long after returning.
Those who understand this feel a little gloomy.
Yu Jin and Yu Yin were also feeling very upset. They had always been relying on their sister. Although they were all busy and might not meet very often, they felt extremely at ease as long as they thought that she was staying in the same place with them, in the county town.
The capital city and Shanping County are located in the north and south respectively, respectively. They are so far apart that it seems impossible to reach them in this lifetime.
Yu Jin quickly cheered up and said, "It's okay. I'll go there to do business in the future, and then I'll be able to see my elder sister." No matter where her elder sister is, at worst she can do business over there. Wouldn't that mean she can see her elder sister often?
Hearing this, Yu Yin and Yu Zhu pricked up their ears and thought it was a good idea.
Yu Dagu and others thought that what they said were childish and a little funny.
They did not discourage them, nor did they think it was undesirable for girls to do business. The girls in their family were all very outstanding, and they saw that.
Unlike the elders, Sun Fangniang and others thought this was a good idea. If they wanted to see Li Niang in the future, they would work hard to do business and do business wherever she was.
Of course, Shanping County is still their main business location.
It was getting late, and Yu Li and Fu Wenxiao finally got up and left.
Everyone saw them off, asked about the departure time the next morning, and said they would also go to see them off.
-
The next morning, after breakfast, the Fu family set off.
They didn't take much luggage, as the luggage had been sent to the ship over the past two days.
A few days ago, the Fu family's ship arrived at the dock in Shanping County and anchored there.
As early as when the ship came, it had been specially decorated according to Fu Wenxiao and Yu Li's preferences. Moreover, the ship was very large, so even the Wang family could accommodate it.
When the Fu family left, many people from Shuying Lane came to see them off and gave them gifts.
The food they sent was homemade, so they could take it on board and eat it.
No matter what conflicts they had in normal times, seeing that Fu Wenxiao had a bright future, they were eager to curry favor with him and naturally wanted to leave a good impression on them at this time.
Because there were too many things, Yu Li and his friends couldn't carry them, so Mr. Song and his wife helped to send them to the dock and also saw them off at the same time.
The group arrived at the pier in a mighty procession.
Seeing the big ship moored at the dock, everyone felt envious when they learned that they had chartered a boat to go to Beijing this time. Chartering a boat was certainly better than taking a passenger ship.
It was just getting light in the sky, but there were quite a few people at the dock, all coming to see the Fu family off.
After saying goodbye to relatives and friends one by one, the Fu family finally boarded the passenger ship.
On the passenger ship, Mr. Wang and his wife had already arrived.
There were many people who came to see them off, but none as many as those who came to see off Yu Li and Fu Wenxiao.
Seeing so many people coming to see them off, the couple couldn't help but sigh that Fu Wenxiao and Yu Li were indeed very popular. Look at these people, from peddlers to scholars.
When the passenger ship left the dock, Yu Li couldn't help but look back. Seeing his three sisters with tearful faces at the dock, he waved to them again.
Although she left, she was not too worried about her three sisters. They had been practicing physical skills and had gained some combat experience over the past year. Most people could not beat them.
Moreover, in Shanping County, she has Tu Lao Da, Zhang Fu and others to take care of her, so she feels relieved.
As for them doing business outside, there are people from the Fu family taking care of them secretly, and nothing will happen to them.
Fu Wenxiao stood beside her and held her hand. "Li Niang, don't be sad. I will come back later."
Yu Li hummed, his voice sounding a little lost.
In fact, she was not used to this kind of separation scene. Seeing her sisters crying and saying goodbye to her, she felt a little uncomfortable.
Fu Wenxiao took her to the cabin and to the guest room where they stayed.
This guest room was exactly the one I stayed in when I came back from Qingjiang Province last time. The furnishings in the room remained the same, but the items inside had been replaced with new ones and were fumigated. The air was filled with a light and elegant fragrance that was not greasy, but had a refreshing effect and could also prevent seasickness.
Yu Li asked, "Will mother, Yan Hui, and Yan Sheng get seasick?"
"Mother probably wouldn't." Fu Wenxiao said, "Yan Hui and Yan Sheng don't know."
The two children are still young and have never been on a boat before. This is their first time on a boat, so they need to observe.
Yu Li was a little worried and decided to go over and take a look.
Zhou and her two children lived next door to them. When they went over, Zhou was packing her luggage. The two children were lying by the window, pointing outside and chattering, looking very excited.
Seeing how energetic they are, it is obvious that they are not seasick.
When Zhou saw them coming, she smiled and asked, "Why are you here?"
"Look at you." Yu Li said, "Mom, if you get seasick, tell me."
Zhou agreed with a smile, her brows relaxed, and it was obvious that she was looking forward to going to Beijing.
As they were talking, Mr. Wang and his wife also arrived.
The Wang family originally wanted to rent a ship to go to Beijing, and then travel with the fleets heading north for business. In this way, they would have someone to take care of them along the way and would not have to worry about being robbed by bandits.
Later, they heard that Fu Wenxiao had already rented a boat and invited them, so the couple gladly accepted and decided to take their boat to Beijing.
The couple originally thought that the boat was rented by Fu Wenxiao, but after they boarded the boat, they noticed something different.
This boat doesn't look like one that's specially rented out by a shipping company, but more like a privately customized boat. The furnishings on the boat are very exquisite, not to mention the crew, all of them are full of energy, and are followed by armed guards.
With so many people, we will be able to fight even if we encounter bandits.
Although the couple was a little surprised, they didn't try to find out.
With Fu Wenxiao's connections, it wouldn't be surprising even if someone gave him a custom-made boat.
Everyone went to a hall on the ship to talk.
The servants prepared a lot of food for them and brewed fragrant tea. Mr. Wang took Fu Wenxiao to discuss academic matters, while Mrs. Wang talked with Zhou and Yu Li. The two children ran around on the boat and were curious about everything.
Yu Li ate something and waved to the two children, "Yan Hui, Yan Sheng, I'll take you fishing."
"Fishing?" The two children looked at her in confusion. "Aunt, aren't you fishing?"
They knew they could fish on the boat, but they didn't know how to catch fish.
Yu Li asked people to prepare fishing rods and took the two children to fish.
Mrs. Wang was a little curious and decided to go over to take a look. Zhou also went there with a smile on her face.
It was really boring on the boat, so I had to find something to do, and fishing was one way to pass the time.
The crew quickly brought the fishing rod over. Yu Li took the fishing rod and threw the fishing line into the river. With a few releases and reels, he caught a river fish weighing several kilograms.
Seeing the fish jumping on the deck, both children screamed.
"Wow! What a big fish!"
They shouted and laughed, clapped their hands vigorously, and looked at Yu Li with admiration on their faces.
Sure enough, the little aunt is the most powerful!
Mrs. Wang and Mrs. Zhou were also shocked, and they followed the children in praising, "Mother Li is really amazing."
"Oh, this fish is really fat. We can eat fresh fish today."
The two children admired Yu Lilu's skill so much. Mrs. Wang and Zhou also stayed there to watch with great interest. They thought it was magical to see Yu Lilu catch the fish so easily.
It's really fishing, and it's done with a fishing rod.
Yu Li also asked them, "Do you want to learn? I will teach you."
At first, Mrs. Wang was somewhat interested, but when she heard how to catch fish, she knew she would never be able to learn it, so she smiled and waved her hand to refuse.
There were only two innocent children who didn't know the skills and difficulty involved and they all followed suit to learn how to catch fish.
The children spent the whole morning learning how to catch fish.
Although the brother and sister didn't catch any fish, they were still happy and enjoyed learning.
In the evening, they had a fish feast.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
