On the journey from Qingzhou Prefecture to the capital, Qiao Qingran looked out the carriage window more than once, partly because she was worried that Jin Shanyao wouldn't be able to keep up, and partly because she and her child would get cold.
Throughout the journey, regardless of the speed of the horse-drawn carriage, the oxcart kept a steady distance, and the two children did not appear to be suffering from the cold, Qiao Qingran felt relieved.
She took out a map and calculated the time to reach the next post station. If she didn't stop to rest, she could arrive before dark, but she would have to eat lunch in the carriage.
Qiao Qingran wanted to tell Jin Shanyao to be patient and that things would be fine once they reached the post station, but she froze the moment she lifted the carriage curtain.
Jin Shanyao was seen sitting around a small clay stove with two children. A wire mesh was placed on the stove, and thinly sliced meat was sizzling, with steam rising into the air.
She was turning the meat slices with bamboo tongs. The two children's faces were flushed from the heat. They held steaming teacups in their hands, sipping their tea while staring longingly at the roasting meat on the stove.
It was a scene of rustic charm in the snow. Qiao Qingran turned her gaze away and looked at Nanny Qi, who was holding onto the edge of the carriage with one hand, bending down to find something to eat.
Then I looked at Jin Shanyao... wait, how do they manage to move so fast without wobbling? And that ox, doesn't it need someone to herd it?
Qiao Qingran found it unbelievable. She felt sorry for Jin Shanyao's arduous journey, but she should pity herself instead.
The carriage curtain fell, Nanny Qi's voice rang out, "Madam, have some pastries to tide you over."
Qiao Qingran stared at the frozen pastries, thinking of Jin Shanyao's roasted meat, and for some reason felt that her life was a bit bitter.
The carriage traveled slowly, stopping frequently, and finally arrived at the post station at nightfall. The postman glanced at the nails in the ruts and knew that the woman was a member of an official's family.
"Madam, please slow down," he steadied the carriage, then caught sight of an oxcart slowly entering, calling out, "Hey... ox driver, this is the official post station."
The cowherd, Jin Shanyao, glanced back. Oh, she was talking about her... Before Jin Shanyao could speak, Qiao Qingran said first, "She's mine."
The courier looked surprised, then understood. Everyone has a couple of poor relatives. He unloaded the carriage and led Qiao Qingran inside. The room was noisy, but suddenly a woman entered, and it immediately quieted down.
The men in the room brazenly scrutinized her, asking, "Young lady, which official's wife are you?"
Qiao Qingran felt somewhat intimidated by their gazes, and to avoid trouble, she directly introduced herself, "I am the daughter-in-law of the Ministry of Rites, Ji Household."
The family of a third-rank official was immediately silenced. At this moment, Jin Shanyao entered with two children. The group of men who were drinking were immediately intrigued, but they dared not look around and sat up straight.
He thought to himself, "That woman just now was already a third-rank official's wife. This woman before me, in both temperament and attire, is far superior to the young lady who just entered. Perhaps she's an even higher-ranking official?"
The courier turned around following everyone's gaze, and froze on the spot, thinking to himself, "You have money to buy a fur cloak, but can't you get a carriage instead?"
Those spendthrift women really don't know how to manage money; money should be spent wisely.
Then it occurred to them that perhaps the clothes weren't bought by them, but were a gift from the lady in front of them.
The courier withdrew his gaze and said gently to Qiao Qingran, "Madam, the superior rooms at the post station are reserved for officials. You and your companions would probably need to stay in the middle-class rooms to be proper."
Qiao Qingran understood. If she were accompanied by an official, it would be perfectly legitimate for her to stay in a superior room. However, she was traveling alone this time and had no official status to back her up.
With so many eyes watching, how could she possibly cause trouble for her father-in-law? "It's alright, go and make the arrangements."
The courier respectfully agreed, completely ignoring the Jin Shanyao and not even glancing at it.
Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci stood quietly beside their aunt, observing everything. Although the courier had a smile on his face, his eyes held obvious contempt as he looked at them.
They also knew that only officials could freely enter and exit this post station, and they were only able to get in because of Qiao Qingran.
Indeed, people are divided into different classes when it comes to power.
The courier led the group to a medium-sized room, then bowed and withdrew.
The room was simple, and the bedding wasn't very clean; it was barely a place to stay. Jin Shanyao used a small clay stove to cook some noodles for the two children.
Meng Anzhi and Meng Anci have been unusually quiet since they entered the room.
"What's wrong? Are you not used to living here?"
"No, I'm just a little tired from traveling."
Meng Anci glanced at Meng Anzhi without speaking, but secretly resolved to work even harder and seize control of the emperor to command the other lords as soon as possible.
This will inevitably allow his aunt and sister to chop off whose head they want and gouge out whose eyes they want.
"Oh dear..." Meng Anci looked at Meng Anzhi in a daze, "Sister, what's it about this time?"
Your eyesight is off.
Jin Shanyao suppressed a laugh and added some noodles to their bowls. "The post station servants have seen too many powerful and wealthy people coming and going at the post station, and they have forgotten that they are servants who serve others. In the end, they have not understood their place."
Truly capable people are those who don't show their emotions, and are ruthless yet taciturn.
Meng Anci suddenly realized why his sister had hit him... he was simply too naive. "Auntie, don't worry... one day I'll make sure you can walk all over me."
Uh... actually, I wanted to go the right way, but never mind, trees will never understand human minds... For example, in all the cases in " The Record of Admonishing Evil—Prefectural City Section ", not a single one is comprehensible to a tree.
After dinner, the three of them lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) and fell asleep without realizing it. As midnight approached... a small team was loading carts in the yard, making a racket and disturbing the peace.
Jin Shanyao covered her ears and rolled over. Fifteen minutes later, the sound not only didn't disappear, but grew louder and louder.
She was so angry that she sat up abruptly, only to find the two children sleeping soundly, undisturbed by the outside noise.
Xiaoli Dahuang were peering out the window, while Jin Shanyao, barefoot, stepped out, shoved the cats and dogs aside, and slammed open the door, shouting, "Can't you be quiet for a bit this late at night?"
The air fell silent instantly.
The twenty-eight soldiers paused in their loading of the truck, all turning to look at Jin Shanyao.
The young soldier said shyly, "I'm sorry to have disturbed the young lady. The people repairing the road are waiting for rice to cook, and we need to deliver it before dawn..."
Jin Shanyao stared at the dark mark between their brows, her eyes filled with an inscrutable expression.
"Hello... Do you have any people from Li Household Village Sui'an Prefecture, Pingqiu County, Sui'an Prefecture?"
The man binding the grain paused, straightened up, and looked over. His eyes were filled with joy as he strode forward, and then, after seeing Jin Shanyao's face clearly...
He asked in confusion, "Which family in Li Household Village are you related to? I've never seen you before."
He and his wife grew up eating food from many different families; he knew everyone in the village, so there was no one he didn't recognize.
The man looked about eight-tenths like the little child, both having bright, piercing eyes. Jin Shanyao and chuckled, "Your name is Shi Dun?"
The man grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, his smile radiant. "Yes... young lady, do you know me?"
I've met your wife and son.
Shi Dun's eyes suddenly lit up. "Girl, do you know my wife? How are they doing at home? The young general said we'll get one or two taels of silver after we deliver this grain, and I'll send it all back."
Let her buy a few chickens to raise. Once the chickens grow up, she and her son can eat eggs every day. Have you seen my son? How old is he now?
When I left, he had just learned to walk... Shi Dun kept babbling on and on, which showed how much he loved his family.