Chapter 1156, Redemption 7
The Zhang family attached great importance to going to the provincial capital to celebrate Yan Wenjie's birthday. Master Zhang knew that he was not liked by the Yan family and had no intention of showing up, but he was worried about his three children going on the road alone. After thinking about it, he decided to send the three of them to the provincial capital in person.
"After arriving in the provincial capital, I will not go into the city. I will find an inn outside the city to stay. After you finish paying your respects, we will go home together."
On the way, Master Zhang carefully instructed his eldest son.
Uncle Zhang seemed to be hesitant to speak. They and the Yan family were relatives by marriage, but his father didn't even dare to visit the Yan family, which made him feel very uncomfortable.
Master Zhang was silent for a moment before he said, "When you get to the Yan family, ask your fifth sister for her opinion on everything you do. After all, she is a member of the Zhang family."
"This time, she was able to persuade your mother to agree for you and the eldest girl to go to the Yan family together. It can be seen that she still cares about the Zhang family. Brothers and sisters should get along with each other and support each other. If you are well, it will also be helpful to her."
Uncle Zhang nodded and said, "Don't worry, father. I will discuss this with my fifth sister if anything happens."
After that, Master Zhang said nothing more, and soon, the group arrived at the dock.
Huai'an has a well-developed water system and there are many ships going to the provincial capital. Normally, you can take a ship even if you need to go to the provincial capital on a whim. But this time, Master Zhang had clearly chartered a passenger ship in advance, but after arriving at the dock, he was told that the passenger ship had been booked for someone else.
Mr. Zhang was very angry and went straight to the boat owner to argue. Uncle Zhang returned to the carriage and looked at his two sisters.
"Big sister, fifth sister, we may have to wait a while before we can board the ship."
Miss Zhang lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and asked, "Brother, what happened?"
Uncle Zhang was feeling rather frustrated: "The boat we booked was intercepted, and my father went to negotiate with the boat owner."
Miss Zhang immediately frowned: "What's wrong with the boat owner? Is he really doing business like that?"
Zhang Huahan also frowned slightly, but she didn't say anything. She sat in the carriage and waited quietly.
This wait lasted for half an hour.
It was almost noon, and Master Zhang hadn't returned yet. He glanced at the teahouse by the pier and said, "Big Sister, Fifth Sister, there's a teahouse up ahead. How about you get off the bus and sit inside and have something to eat?"
Miss Zhang had long wanted to get out of the car and move around, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she looked at Zhang Huahan.
After sitting in the carriage for half a day, Zhang Huahan naturally wanted to get off and breathe some fresh air, especially since this was her first time traveling far away.
Listening to the various noises on the dock, Zhang Huahan also wanted to see what was going on, so he nodded and said to An Ran who was waiting outside the car, "Aunt An Ran, my elder sister and I want to go to the teahouse and sit down."
An Ran listened, looked around the teahouse, and then replied, "Then please wait a moment, young lady. I will bring people to decorate the teahouse, and then you can get off the car."
As he said that, he took a few maids to the teahouse first, talked to the boss, chose a corner, hung bamboo curtains around it, and soon set up a small private room.
This movement immediately attracted the attention of people around.
"I wonder which wealthy family's women are going out?"
"People from wealthy families are particular about things."
Even Uncle Zhang looked at him with some surprise. His father had taken him and his older sister out for outings before, and his older sister had at most worn a veil, so she wouldn't have paid attention to these things.
After everything was arranged, An Ran returned to the carriage and said, "Miss, I have prepared a veil in the carriage. You can put on the veil and get off."
Zhang Huahan put on her veil, got off the carriage with the help of her maid, and walked quickly into the small private room surrounded by bamboo curtains.
“This bamboo curtain is so special!”
Uncle Zhang and Miss Zhang were amazed. When looking through the bamboo curtain from the outside, one could not see anything, but when looking out from the inside, one could clearly see what was happening outside.
Everything in my mother's hands was extraordinary.
Just when Mr. Zhang was about to ask the waiter to bring some food, he was surprised to find that An Ran was systematically directing the maids to move the tea stove, food boxes, tea sets, dining plates and other items from the carriage.
Even Zhang Huahan was a little surprised.
Seeing this, An Ran explained, "Most things out there aren't very clean, especially at this dock. It's a mixed bag. When you're out and about, you'd better be careful about what you eat. If you can avoid it, it's best not to eat it."
Uncle Zhang and Miss Zhang smiled awkwardly and didn't ask for anything to eat.
After An Ran had placed the tea and snacks in place, Zhang Huahan felt it was not appropriate to eat alone, so he invited the two of them to eat together.
At this moment, a group of servants came from the opposite side. The noise they made was even louder than that made by An Ran and the others before. They directly used a screen to separate the surroundings.
The bamboo curtain only needs to be hung high, it does not take up much space, and An Ran only gathered around one table, so it did not disturb others.
But the screen takes up a lot of space and is a valuable item. When people around see it, they can't help but avoid it for fear of bumping into it, and then they can't afford the compensation even if they sell it.
For a moment, the teahouse was filled with the sound of dragging stools, and soon, a vacuum was left behind by the three tables next door.
Immediately afterwards, several women in brocade clothes with veils walked into the teahouse.
When Miss Zhang saw this, she muttered to herself, "What a grand spectacle! With their arrival, most of the teahouses are completely empty."
An Ran glanced at them calmly and said, "They must be the daughters of an official family." Then she looked at Zhang Huahan and said, "When you are out in public, you must be careful not to show off. As the saying goes, there are always people better than you. If you are not careful, it may bring disaster to your family. Young lady, don't learn from them."
Zhang Huahan nodded, and Uncle Zhang and Miss Zhang also took it to heart.
After the three siblings finished their cup of tea, Master Zhang came to the teahouse with a grim expression.
Uncle Zhang quickly lifted the bamboo curtain and stood up to greet them: "Father, have we not yet negotiated the boat?"
Master Zhang said coldly, "The boat that my father chartered was directly transferred by Boss Lu to the Dong Zhizhou family from Xuzhou next door."
Uncle Zhang frowned and was silent for a moment before continuing, "Boss Lu has quite a few boats. He should have assigned us a new boat since he used the one we ordered. He can't be completely wiped out, right?"
Just as Master Zhang was about to say something, he saw a few people walking in from outside the teahouse.
Among them is Boss Lu.
Boss Lu, who was smiling apologetically to the middle-aged man in the lead, noticed someone looking at him. He looked up and found that it was the Zhang family father and son. He looked a little embarrassed.
The Zhang family also has a store in the provincial capital, and they go there quite often every year, so they have to rent Boss Lu's boat. With the trips back and forth, there are many opportunities for them to interact with each other.
Boss Lu knew that he had done something unfair by misappropriating the Zhang family's boat this time, so he waited for the middle-aged man to enter the teahouse and hurried to the Zhang family's side.
As soon as you come, apologize directly.
"Brother Zhang, this time it's my fault. I apologize, but please understand me. The prefect asked for a boat, and I dared not refuse."
As he spoke, he glanced at the screen next to him.
In an instant, Master Zhang understood that the people who occupied most of the inn were none other than Xuzhou Dong Zhizhou and his family.
Master Zhang took a deep breath and suppressed the anger in his heart. When a businessman meets an official, he is naturally inferior. At this time, he can only blame himself for his bad luck.
After a moment of silence, Master Zhang said, "Brother Lu, I'm really anxious to get to the provincial capital. Please help me think of a way to free up a boat for me. I'll always remember your kindness."
Hearing what Master Zhang said, Boss Lu looked embarrassed. He sighed and whispered, "Brother Zhang, since we are so close, let me tell you a little gossip."
"The new governor's birthday is in two days, and all the prefects and governors of Huai'an will be attending his birthday banquet. Our dock happens to be the only way to get to the provincial capital, so boats are particularly scarce these days."
"It's not that I'm not busy with you, but I can't do anything about it, brother. All the ships under my control are rented out."
Master Zhang and his two companions were standing outside the bamboo curtain, so Zhang Huahan and others who were sitting inside could also hear their conversation.
Zhang Huahan frowned. They came to the provincial government on time. If they couldn't rent a boat, they might miss the time to celebrate their uncle's birthday.
Master Zhang also knew that time was running out, so he immediately said, "It's fine to ride on the same boat with the others. Brother Lu, I really have something important to ask, and I'd be grateful if you could help me with it. I'll definitely reward you handsomely later."
Seeing Master Zhang like this, Boss Lu realized that he was truly in a hurry. He hesitated for a moment and looked at the person behind the screen next to him. "Then I'll give it a try. Magistrate Dong is quite easy to talk to. I'll go ask them if they're willing to take you along."
Master Zhang quickly clasped his fists and expressed his gratitude.
Boss Lu went to the other side of the screen, and soon, a slightly arrogant male voice came from there.
"Boss Lu, you're so bold! You dare to bring anyone here? My uncle is the governor of a state, and you let merchants ride on the same boat with him. Do you look down on my uncle?"
What followed was Boss Lu’s constant apologies.
When the Zhang family members behind the bamboo curtain heard this, they couldn't help but show anger on their faces.
Miss Zhang snorted, "They stole our boat and insulted us. How could they..."
"Shut up!"
Master Zhang scolded in a low voice, then quickly glanced over at the screen. Seeing that there was no movement over there, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhang Huahan, who was standing aside, looked at the forbearance on Master Zhang's face, his eyes flickering a little, and he had a deep understanding of why the Zhang family was desperately trying to cling to the Yan family.
Zhang Huahan was silent for a moment, then looked at Master Zhang. "Father, if we can't get on the boat, why not go by land? Let's hurry up, we should still be in time."
Master Zhang frowned. "It only takes one day to get to the provincial capital by boat, but three days by land. You sisters can't handle the hassle of traveling so fast. You're going to see your uncle and aunt looking so haggard. Isn't that going to make them worry?"
"Let me think of another way. I don't believe that we can't find a boat at such a big dock."
Before he could finish his words, he heard a noise coming from next door.
The Zhang family looked over and saw Dong Zhizhou trotting out of the teahouse eagerly, greeting a middle-aged man in a blue robe who was passing by with an apologetic smile.
An Ran, who was standing behind Zhang Huahan, saw the man, her eyes flashed, and she quickly looked at Master Zhang: "Master, do you know that man?"
Master Zhang nodded and said, "He is the prefect of Pingyun Prefecture. What's wrong?"
An Ran didn't reply but asked, "But your last name is Su?"
Master Zhang didn't care about An Ran's attitude and nodded again: "The prefect's surname is indeed Su, from the Su family of Zhongzhou. The two-story passenger ship docked at the pier belongs to Master Su's family."
Anran smiled and bowed: "I have a way to find a boat. Wait a moment, I will be back soon." After saying that, she walked out of the teahouse.
Under the gaze of the Zhang family and the surrounding people, An Ran came to the middle-aged man in the blue robe and said, "This servant pays respects to Master Su. Master Su is well."
Magistrate Su looked at An Ran in surprise, but before he could say anything, Magistrate Dong spoke first.
"Go, go, go! Whose servant are you? How dare you intercept Magistrate Su? Are you trying to save your life?"
An Ran ignored him and bowed to Magistrate Su again, "My master is the fourth daughter of the Yan family, and the fourth lady of the Yan family is my master's fourth sister-in-law. When the fourth lady married into the Yan family, I even met Master Su in the Su family's wedding procession."
Upon hearing this, Magistrate Su's expression paused and he looked at An Ran.
The fourth daughter of the Yan family. Could it be the one who got divorced and then married into a merchant family?
He was not a direct descendant of the Su family. As for the Yan family, into which his cousin Shiyu married, he only knew more about the first and third branches of the Yan family. He did not know so much about the second branch of the Yan family.
Magistrate Su glanced at the bamboo curtains in the teahouse and immediately recognized them as tribute. He realized that the man in front of him was not trying to trick him, so he smiled and said, "Is there something wrong?"
An Ran smiled and replied, "My daughter was about to go to the provincial capital to celebrate her uncle's birthday. Unfortunately, the boat that the Zhang family had booked was intercepted. In a hurry, I learned that Lord Su was also going to the provincial capital, so I shamelessly came here to ask for help."
Magistrate Su smiled and said, "I see. My boat is bigger. Go and ask your daughter to move. We are about to leave as well."
An Ran bowed again and said, "Thank you, Lord Su, for your help. I would like to thank you in advance on behalf of my daughter."
Magistrate Su nodded, and after An Ran turned back to the teahouse, he looked at the servant behind him and said, "Go and tell the Madam to prepare a good guest room."
Mr. Su beside him was a little puzzled: "Father, is it necessary to do this?"
Magistrate Su smiled and said, "Of course she's needed. She's the niece of Governor Yan. Once you're on board, go tell your two sisters to get along well with Miss Zhang."
In the teahouse, the Zhang family members were delighted when they heard that the Su family agreed to let them take the boat. At the same time, they were shocked by the power of the Yan family.
An Ran was just the maidservant beside Yan Yile, and Yan Yile could be said to be the worst-performing offspring in the Yan family. Even so, the maidservant beside her could talk to a prefect and get his help.
At this moment, the three siblings of the Zhang family clearly realized how big the gap between the Zhang family and the Yan family was.
While An Ran ordered the maid to pack up, she talked to Zhang Huahan about the Su family.
"The Fourth Lady of the Yan family is from the direct line of the Su family, and Magistrate Su is from the side branch of the Su family. When the Fourth Lady married into the Yan family, he also came to see her off. Later, he studied abroad in the capital for a period of time and often came in and out of the Yan family. That's why I remember him."
Zhang Huahan listened carefully, looking a little nervous.
The highest-ranking official she had ever met was the county magistrate. Now that she was going to meet the prefect, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous.
An Ran noticed Zhang Huahan's nervousness and said with a smile, "Miss, there's really no need to be nervous. The Su family has a good family background, but compared to the Yan family, it's still a long way behind."
"Miss, just remember that you have a whole group of royal relatives standing behind you. Even if you go to the Governor's Mansion, your status is definitely second to none compared to other girls. You don't have to look down on anyone."
This is the truth, but Zhang Huahan has never experienced this before, especially since the Zhang family is a merchant family, so he still can't calm down.
However, thanks to the training some time ago, Zhang Huahan can now remain calm even if he is nervous.
When An Ran said this, she did not avoid Master Zhang and the other two, but of course she had no choice.
Zhang Huahan was confident that he could borrow money from the Yan family, but they couldn't. Except for Master Zhang who was often away from home, the other two looked a little uneasy.
After the maid had packed up, under An Ran's leadership, the Zhang family went to meet Magistrate Su. After getting to know each other, they all boarded the Su family's passenger ship together.
Outside the teahouse, Dong Zhizhou and Boss Lu couldn't help swallowing their saliva when they saw the Zhang family leaving with Su Zhifu. There was even cold sweat on Dong Zhizhou's forehead.
"You hurt me!"
Dong Zhizhou looked at Boss Lu angrily.
Boss Lu's face turned pale with fear: "Sir, where did you get that from?"
Dong Zhizhou shouted angrily: "Why didn't you tell me that the Zhang family and the Yan family are related?" If he knew this, how could he possibly rob the Zhang family's boat?
Boss Lu's face was full of bitterness: "I don't know this either."
No, it's not like he didn't know. He had heard the rumor that the Zhang family was related by marriage to the nobles in the capital, but he never took it seriously.
The Zhang family did have some money, but he absolutely did not believe that the Zhang family could catch the eyes of the nobles in the capital in this way.
In addition, the Zhang family has never responded to this directly. Every time they mentioned it, they just glossed over it vaguely. No one who saw it would have thought it was true.
If he knew that the girl from the Zhang family was the niece of the governor, he would not have appropriated the Zhang family's boat even if it meant offending the prefect.
That Master Zhang is no good either. He has such powerful connections, why don't you tell him? If you don't tell him, when Dong Zhizhou comes, he will definitely follow Dong Zhizhou first. You can't blame him for this.
(End of this chapter)
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