Turning around, I saw it was Granny Zhang from the Qiu family.
Granny Zhang gave a quick bow and said respectfully, "I apologize for disturbing you. May I ask what your plans are, sir and friend?"
Gu Jingheng did not answer immediately, and Xu Meng continued, "Young Master and we are planning to go to Yongning City."
“So this is Yongning City. What a coincidence! Our master is from Yongning City. Young master, do you plan to continue by water or land?” Zhang Mama readily agreed and immediately changed her form of address.
"It happened so suddenly, I haven't thought it through yet," Gu Jingheng said.
"In that case, our matriarch and madam would like to invite you and your companions to stay at an inn near the dock for the time being, and then make further plans. All expenses will be covered by our matriarch and madam. We hope you will not refuse this small token of our appreciation."
Zhang Mama's words were polite and sincere, which perfectly matched Gu Jingheng's thoughts, so he did not refuse.
The Qiu family had also prepared a carriage for Gu Jingheng. The three of them boarded the carriage, passed through the bustling dock, and headed towards the inn where they would stay.
Inside the car, Lian Yingtong lifted the curtain and looked around at the surroundings. This city was an unknown small town with very simple buildings along the streets. After leaving the dock, the streets gradually quieted down.
Lian Yingtong glanced at the coachman, who was focused on driving the carriage, before lowering the curtain and sitting back inside. He then asked in a low voice, "Just now, you said you had an idea. What did you mean by that?"
“I will present myself as a student on a study tour, and you two will be my study companions and bodyguards,” Gu Jingheng said.
Upon hearing this, Lian Yingtong suddenly understood.
Many students today are sons of prominent families who do not simply sit in the classroom and study by rote. They also choose to travel to various places, going wherever they please and staying for as long as they like.
Therefore, compared to other identities such as merchant, the identity of a student studying abroad is indeed much more flexible.
Not long after the carriage left the dock, it stopped in front of an inn.
Compared to other buildings in the city, this inn was much more exquisite. Gu Jingheng and his two companions were arranged to stay on the second floor of the inn, while the ladies and young women stayed on the third floor.
It was already afternoon, past lunchtime, and the inn brought some tea and snacks.
When Lian Yingtong opened the door to let the waiter bring tea and snacks into the room, she saw several people carrying medicine boxes being led upstairs by the Qiu family's servants. It seemed they were there to take the pulses of the ladies and young women.
"Xu Meng," Gu Jingheng called softly, "Go out and keep an eye out for whether the Qiu family's servants will contact a carriage or a boat. Since we plan to travel with them, we need to make plans early."
The following evening, Gu Jingheng and his group saw Granny Zhang again and were invited to the lobby on the first floor of the inn.
There were no other guests in the inn, nor were there any customers eating. The lobby had been rearranged, and now only the ladies and young women who had been seen on the boat and Gu Jingheng were present.
Granny Zhang introduced everyone present to Gu Jingheng one by one.
Madam Qiu sat at the head of the table, with Madam Huo to her left, followed by her granddaughter Sun Wanqing, and Madam Xing and Qiu Pingshuang to her right.
Madam Qiu and Madam Huo looked a little better, but they still had dark circles under their eyes. They were old and hadn't had a chance to rest properly yet.
Madam Qiu and Madam Huo expressed their gratitude, and then everyone chatted casually.
As the meal drew to a close, Madam Qiu inquired, "I heard that Young Master Gu is also going to Yongning City. I wonder if he plans to travel by water or land?"
Gu Jingheng said, "I've heard that the scenery along the river in Qingshui County is extremely beautiful. I would like to find another boat so that we can enjoy the scenery along the way to Yongning City."
“What a coincidence! We’ve also decided to continue by water. If you don’t mind, young master, why don’t you come with us?” said Madam Xing.
"Great! Young Master Gu is incredibly skilled. Having him with us makes us feel very safe!"
It was Qiu Pingshuang who said this.
The smile on her pretty face was sincere and joyful, and her bright eyes seemed to be sparkling.
Seeing her like this, Sun Wanqing smiled and, taking advantage of the act of drinking water, made a shy face at her.
Qiu Pingshuang blushed and quickly lowered her head, pursing her lips to hide her smile.
Gu Jingheng naturally wouldn't refuse the Qiu family's invitation.
The fact that the Qiu family knew how to travel by water was news that Xu Meng had gathered today. According to the dockworkers, the Qiu family had bought a new boat and arranged to set sail in two days. They had started loading all the necessary supplies onto the boat today.
This news was roughly in line with Gu Jingheng's prediction.
Madam Qiu and Madam Huo were both quite old, and the long journey was already taking its toll. After the ordeal on the ship, their physical and mental health suffered even more.
Although traveling by land would be faster, the physical strain of spending a whole day in a bumpy carriage would be difficult for them. Therefore, although traveling by water was slower, it was relatively stable and allowed them to lie down and walk, making it their first choice.
After the meal, both Madam Qiu and Madam Huo returned to their rooms. Sun Wanqing escorted Madam Huo back, while Qiu Pingshuang lagged behind, trying several times to find an opportunity to speak with Gu Jingheng.
However, Madam Xing saw through her plan and dragged her back.
Two days later, the Qiu family's newly purchased boat was ready again, and everyone followed the Qiu family onto the boat, heading back towards Yongning City.
***
Daliushu Village.
After more than two months of recuperation, and with the nourishment of the space spring water, Su Yun'er's legs and feet have fully recovered.
For the past two months, she has spent most of her time at home teaching the children, and occasionally she will visit Su Ji Food Shop.
Every time she went to Su's Food Shop, Song Muqiang would pick her up and drop her off in an oxcart, just so that she could walk less and rest her legs more.
These days, Su Yun'er is considering launching new products for the store.
Now that it's June and the dog days of summer are just around the corner, the weather will get hotter and hotter, and hot tofu pudding and braised chicken will no longer be the favorites of diners.
The beans I collected before the New Year are almost used up, and tofu pudding is prone to spoilage and is not easy to preserve in hot weather.
It's time to change the in-store menu according to the climate.
When it gets hot, everyone wants to eat something cooler.
Cold noodles are the first choice, and you can also add some cold dishes.
Two months ago, Su Yun'er brought the preserved eggs to the store to test the waters. The customers generally thought the taste was good, and the sales were also good.
At this moment, Su Yun'er is in the space, working hard to complete the upgrade task, just to obtain a common but absolutely popular seasonal fruit.
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