Will It Sell?

Shen Jingchuan smiled faintly upon hearing this, not explaining the principle behind the steering, but simply raising his hand and lightly tapping the side of the carriage:

"This is the unique carriage-making technique of our Shen Household."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue's eyes widened immediately, and he blurted out, "The Shen Household's unique skill? Aren't you...?"

"Some time ago, people from my clan finally found me and told me about the situation in my hometown, which helped me regain some of my memories. I will tell you more about the details later when I have time."

Lin Weiyuan nodded upon hearing this, a hint of satisfaction on his face.

"Being able to reconnect with my people and regain my memories is a tremendous blessing."

Shen Jingchuan smiled and returned to the main topic:

"Yes, this carriage was specially provided for me by the clan. Also, I wonder if there's a market for this kind of four-wheeled carriage here."

I've come today to ask Chief Escort Lin for his opinion—your escort agency travels all over the country and understands best the difficulties of traveling merchants. Could you tell me if this item will sell well?"

Seeing the three people's curious eyes, Shen Jingchuan raised his hand and pointed towards the carriage door, then smiled and said:

"You can't judge a book by just looking at it from the outside. Why don't you all get on board and ride for a while, and test its speed for yourselves?"

Lin Yue was already itching to get started, and upon hearing this, he immediately clapped his hands:

"Great! I've been wanting to experience what it's like to ride in a four-wheeled carriage!"

Lin Weiyuan stroked his beard and nodded slightly, his eyes filled with interest:

"That's exactly what I was thinking too, then I'll have to trouble you, Young Master Young Master Shen."

Lin Shan nodded in agreement, and the three of them followed Shen Jingchuan as they boarded the carriage one after the other.

Once inside the carriage, Shen Jingchuan led everyone to their seats:

Lin Weiyuan was seated in the spacious, long, soft seats at the back of the car, while Lin Shan and Lin Yue sat next to him; the two brothers Lin Shan and Lin Yue sat in the two single sofa seats at the front of the car, with their backs to the front of the car.

Once everyone was seated, Shen Jingchuan called out to the outside of the car:

"Liu Hu, slow down. Go around to the intersection ahead and come back."

Liu Hu responded loudly from outside the carriage, "Understood." The carriage curtain swayed slightly, the wheels began to turn slowly, and the carriage started moving steadily.

Upon seeing this, the two bodyguards at the entrance of the security company quickly removed the wooden pins, lifted the threshold, and opened the main gate.

I thought that with its wide body and long wheelbase, turning around would take a long time, but to my surprise, Liu Hu lightly pulled on the reins, and the front of the vehicle turned smoothly along the side of the door, making a simple and easy turn and driving onto the main street.

The passengers in the carriage initially held onto the handrails beside them, bracing themselves for the bumps and jolting of the cobblestone road.

But as the carriage drove onto the street and rolled over the seams between the stone slabs, I only felt a slight undulation beneath me, like sitting on a boat drifting with the current, without the clattering and jolting sensation of an ordinary two-wheeled carriage.

The potholes and bumps seemed to have been quietly filtered out by something, and the car was as stable as sitting on a heated brick bed in your own house.

Lin Yue leaned forward, placed his palm on the side panel for a while, and then spoke with a look of surprise:

"That's strange! We travel this street every day, and a regular mule cart ride is incredibly bumpy, but this one is so smooth, we don't feel a thing!"

Lin Shan raised an eyebrow slightly, pressed his fingertip against the soft cushion beside him, and said exaggeratedly:

"It's more than just stable. Ordinary carriages rattle and clang when they run, but this carriage is so quiet that you wouldn't even notice it's moving if you weren't looking at the scenery rushing past the window."

Lin Weiyuan closed his eyes and felt it for a moment. When he opened his eyes again, his eyes were full of admiration. He had been a escort for half his life, and he had never seen any kind of carriage on the North-South Road, but he had never even heard of such a stable carriage, let alone seeing it.

Let alone a two-wheeled mule cart, even the eight-bearer sedan chair of a high-ranking official would sway a bit when walking on this stone-paved road. The fact that this cart can remain this stable is truly miraculous.

Just as he was pondering this, Shen Jingchuan suddenly shouted outside, "Liu Hu, turn around here and go back to the escort agency."

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone felt the carriage stop, and then smoothly turn around on the not-so-wide street.

Turn around and drive back the way you came.

Lin Yue quickly turned his head and looked out the back window, then clicked his tongue after a long while:

"My goodness! Such a long body? I originally thought four-wheeled vehicles were cumbersome and difficult to turn, but I didn't expect them to be so agile!"

Shen Jingchuan smiled and pointed to the two narrow doors beside the aisle in the middle of the carriage:

"Don't just stare outside, get up and open these two doors to take a look."

Lin Yue was always restless, and upon hearing this, he immediately got up and took a few steps over, first reaching out to open the small door on the left.

As soon as the door opened, there was a well-shaped object inside, smooth and delicate all over, neither wood, porcelain, nor bronze, with a tightly closed lid on top. It was spotless inside and out, and had a faint fragrance.

He scratched his head, then turned back, puzzled, and asked, "Young Master Shen, what is this? It looks like an exquisitely crafted jar. Could it be for storing water in the carriage?"

"This is a portable toilet," Shen Jingchuan explained casually. "When traveling long distances, you don't need to get out of the car to find a place; you can just close the door and use it. There's a way to seal in the filth underneath, so no smell will escape."

The carriage fell silent at those words. Lin Weiyuan and Lin Shan exchanged a glance, both seeing astonishment in each other's eyes. The most arduous part of escorting goods was the long journey, and encountering remote wilderness meant that eating, drinking, and relieving oneself were all troublesome. Someone actually dared to put their private quarters directly into the carriage?

Lin Yue swallowed hard, then reached out and pulled open another door beside him. Inside was a neat little cubicle with a small cabinet. On the counter, cups and teapots were neatly and securely fitted into their designated slots.

Several cans of tea were also placed in the cabinet on the side, all securely fixed with booths, making it look like a ready-made tea room.

"This... this is a tea room?" Lin Yue's eyes widened. "There's this in the car? The tea set is all secured with slots, so it won't break or make any noise. This design is amazing."

Shen Jingchuan said, "It's mainly for convenience. If I get thirsty while walking a long way, I can make tea or pour water anytime."