Although Bao Town was already close, by the time they arrived, the sky was completely dark. The carriage stopped before a Carriage and Horse Service. The guard jumped down first, and while Zhang Xiaohua and his brother were still wondering what was happening, everyone else in the carriage got down as well. Seeing the two of them sitting there blankly without getting off, the young scholar smiled and said, "Aren't you getting down to eat and find lodging? Don't tell me you plan to spend the night in the carriage?"
Zhang Xiaohua froze and asked, "Aren't we supposed to travel straight to Pingyang City? Why do we need to stop for food and lodging?"
The scholar smiled. "Even if we do not need rest, the horses pulling us do. Otherwise, before we reach Pingyang City, the horses will have been worked to death. Besides, traveling at night is dangerous. Unless there is some urgent matter, no one travels through the night. This 'Galloping' Carriage and Horse Service has branches in every town. Its routes and schedules are fixed. We are staying here tonight, so hurry and get down."
Only then did Zhang Xiaohua and his brother understand. Inwardly, they blamed Mr. Liu and Liu Kai for not explaining things clearly and making them a laughingstock for nothing. When they got down and entered the establishment, the others had already found seats and called for the waiter to prepare food. Just as the brothers were about to find somewhere to sit, they saw the scholar beckoning to them from a corner. They exchanged a glance and walked over. Once they were seated, the scholar poured each of them a cup of water and said, "Thank you, little brothers, for giving up your seats to me this afternoon. Let me treat you