Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 45 An unexpected encounter with Li Lizhi!
The moment Xiao Ran heard the voice, the image of that adorable and cute child immediately came to mind.

Xiao Ran turned around and saw a tall carriage next to him. The little princess lifted the side curtain and looked at Xiao Ran.

"Sizi!" Xiao Ran shouted.

Hehe~ It's me, it's me~

"Young master!" Princess Chengyang also came over.

“The Sanskrit chants are also present.”

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya looked at each other in surprise, not expecting that Xiao Ran would run into an acquaintance here.

Judging from the specifications of the carriage, this acquaintance is no ordinary person; he must be of noble status.

Princess Yuzhang, inside the carriage, also saw Xiao Ran and whispered, "Sister, is this the young man that Sizi Fanyin has been talking about all the time?"

Li Lizhi nodded slightly. "Mm."

It was quite unexpected; I didn't expect to run into Xiao Ran here.

Although she changed her clothes, she still maintained the same style.

Even from behind, the little princess could recognize her.

The little princess stretched out her tiny hand, "Little Nangjun, give me some goodies~"

Xiao Ran leaned closer and saw that the little princess was holding a very large roasted chestnut.

Seeing the roasted chestnuts, Xiao Ran was both amused and exasperated.

I used to think this was pretty delicious, but these past few days when I've cooked it, it doesn't look appetizing at all.

"Young master, the roasted chestnuts are so delicious when they're hot!" Princess Chengyang added.

"It's a duck, it's a duck~"

"So cute!" Zhang Jinhe murmured to herself.

"The rhinoceros is fine to eat." Xiao Ran refused.

"Woof woof woof!" Little Black seemed to have spotted a familiar face and barked twice.

"It's a big dog!" The little princess turned to Li Lizhi, "Big sister~ I want to play with the big dog~"

Li Lizhi lifted the curtain and looked at Xiao Ran, "Young master, what a coincidence!"

"Fifth Sister!" Xiao Ran still didn't know Li Lizhi's name.

The little princess lifted the curtain and stretched out her tiny hands, "Little Nangjun~ Hug me~"

Xiao Ran stepped forward and lifted the little princess off the carriage.

Princess Chengyang followed closely behind.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang also came out. Xiao Ran had never seen Princess Yuzhang before, but her appearance and temperament were also stunning.

Since it was inappropriate for Xiao Ran to make a move, Yu Shu quickly prepared a horse stool and helped Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang get out of the carriage.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang wore few ornaments, giving them a simple and elegant look.

However, the material of their ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) was different from that of everyone else.

She exudes an air of elegance and grace.

When Zhang Erya saw Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang, even Zhang Jinhe felt a little ashamed, let alone Zhang Erya.

In terms of appearance and temperament, she is impeccable.

After Li Lizhi and the others appeared, Xiao Ran sensed several pairs of eyes watching them from the sidelines, seemingly people protecting them in secret.

"Big dog~" The little princess hugged Xiao Hei's neck immediately.

Little Black excitedly rubbed against the two little princesses.

Zhang Erya and Zhang Jinhe were curious about how Xiao Ran knew Li Lizhi and the others, and they really wanted to know what the relationship was between Xiao Ran and Li Lizhi.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang also saw Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya, and were equally curious about Xiao Ran's relationship with the others.

"Hey friend, do you still want your lamb skewers?" the vendor called out.

"Yes, I'll grill a few more skewers," Xiao Ran said, turning around.

"Fifth Sister, let me introduce you. Second Sister, Jinniang, and Third Sister, we are all from Kaolao Village."

Xiao Ran's words, "We are all from Kaolao Village," made Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya feel very comfortable.

"This is my sixth sister," Li Lizhi introduced Princess Yuzhang, and greeted Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya.

The atmosphere was slightly awkward, making Zhang Erya feel very uncomfortable.

The gap between them is simply too great.

The princesses were dressed exquisitely from head to toe.

"Sizi Fanyin likes to eat roasted chestnuts. I inquired and found out they're only available at this time of day. I never expected to run into a young man like him."

Princess Yuzhang held a plate of roasted chestnuts wrapped in lotus leaves. "Young master, Jinniang, and second sister, you should try some too. They taste best when they're hot."

Xiao Ran waved his hand, "No need, no need."

Neither Zhang Jinhe nor Zhang Erya seemed interested in eating.

"Young master, Jinniang, you're both from Kaolao Village. The roasted chestnuts are also from Kaolao Village. Is that related to you, young master?" Li Lizhi asked Xiao Ran with a smile.

"I suppose so! Sixth Sister is holding this; it must have been delivered by us just now."

Li Lizhi smiled and asked, "Does the young master send roasted chestnuts to Chang'an every day?"

"No, I came today because I had something to do. I don't usually come."

Princess Yuzhang saw portraits of Xiao Ran and Xiao Hei in Li Lizhi's room.

Now I don't feel unfamiliar when I see dogs.

I crouched down and petted it. "How can there be such a beautiful dog? It's so white."

"Sizi, would you like some lamb skewers?" Xiao Ran asked the little princess when he saw that they were almost done grilling.

"Seven ducks~ I want seven more~"

Seeing that there were many people, Xiao Ran simply let the group sit down at the tables and benches next to the stall.

These tables and chairs aren't exactly dirty!
It's not very clean either.

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya didn't care, nor did the two little princesses and the third mother.

The three children quickly became friends because of the dog.

In comparison, Princess Yuzhang, Li Lizhi, and Zhang Jinhe (Zhang Erya) seem somewhat distant.

A plate of lamb skewers was served; it looked alright, with the flavor of pepper and Sichuan peppercorns.

Xiao Ran picked up the lamb skewers and handed them to the three little girls.

Without thinking twice, the two little princesses picked it up and took a bite.

This was the first time that San Niang had ever eaten lamb skewers.

"Is it delicious?" Xiao Ran asked, looking at the three little girls.

"So cute, Qi Ya~"

"Delicious!" Third Sister exclaimed.

Watching the three little girls eat seems quite nice.

"Fifth Sister, Jinniang, you should try some too, it looks good." Xiao Ran looked at the group.

Zhang Jinhe picked up two strings and gave one to Zhang Erya.

Given Li Lizhi's and Princess Yuzhang's status, it wasn't appropriate for her to eat here, but she didn't refuse Xiao Ran's request and picked up a lamb skewer to eat.

Xiao Ran sniffed it; the smell of mutton was quite strong.

Xiao Ran couldn't get used to the lamb skewers of later generations, finding the roasted lamb too gamey.

The gamey smell of this Tang Dynasty dish is even more outrageous; the pepper powder alone doesn't even have the same noticeable gamey smell when you get close.

After taking a bite, Xiao Ran would have wanted to vomit and curse if there hadn't been several people around.

Not tasty at all!
Xiao Ran put down his food silently without eating any more, while the three little girls ate with great relish.

"Young master, is there a problem?" Princess Yuzhang thought it was alright.

"I don't eat mutton!" Xiao Ran gave his skewer to Third Sister.

Li Lizhi, Zhang Jinhe, and Zhang Erya had all eaten Xiao Ran's cooking, so it was normal that they felt Xiao Ran didn't like the lamb skewers.

“There are plenty of places to eat nearby, young man, you can try some of the others,” Li Lizhi said with a smile.

There were also vendors selling flatbreads nearby, which Xiao Ran found more appealing.

The others didn't look appetizing at all.

Aside from the three little girls playing together, they were only semi-acquainted with each other, which was actually quite awkward.

Li Lizhi and Xiao Ran weren't awkward, nor were Zhang Jinhe, Zhang Erya, and Xiao Ran. But it was awkward when they were all together.

"Will I be able to find a young man at Zhang's Grain Shop in the future?" Li Li asked.

"Yes, it should be possible. The grain shop is owned by Jinniang's father, and we keep in touch quite often."

Li Lizhi glanced at Yu Shu, who then went to pay the bill.

Xiao Ran saw this and quickly said, "No, I can do it!"

"Young master, it's alright. You've already treated me twice; it wouldn't be appropriate to make you pay again."

Xiao Ran didn't insist any further, saying, "Fifth Sister, come visit Kaolao Village sometime."

"Alright!" Li Lizhi stood up. "I have other things to do today, so I won't disturb you two any longer, young master and Jinniang."

"it is good!"

"Sizi, Fanyin, we're leaving!" Princess Yuzhang called out.

The two little princesses were a little reluctant to part with the dog, but they still obediently followed Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang into the carriage.

"See you again, Little Nang-jun~" The little princess waved her little hand.

"Goodbye, young master!"

"See you!"

After Li Lizhi and the others' carriage drove away, Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya felt a sudden sense of relief.

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya initially thought shopping would be relaxing, but the appearance of Li Lizhi and her group made them very reserved.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang also noticed this, so they did not stay any longer.

"Young master, whose wife is this?" Zhang Jinhe asked curiously.

“I encountered it when I was fishing before, I didn’t know it either, it must be something special.” Xiao Ran was telling the truth. “This flatbread is quite delicious, I’ll buy some to take back later.”

“Okay!” Zhang Erya agreed.

Third Sister's face was covered in oil from eating.

Xiao Ran took out tissues from his pocket and wiped San Niang's face, then gave a few to Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya.

"Young master, is it because you don't like the food? Would you like to eat something else?" Zhang Erya felt that Xiao Ran hadn't eaten anything at all.

"I've never liked lamb, I'm not used to the taste. I'll just eat flatbread. What do you guys think of the taste?" Xiao Ran looked at the two of them.

“It’s delicious. I like the taste of pepper,” Zhang Jinhe said.

"It's quite delicious." Zhang Erya liked it too.

"How much is a string of them?" Xiao Ran asked, glancing at the string.

"One coin, and a sesame cake is also one coin."

"So expensive?" Xiao Ran muttered to himself.

On second thought, it makes sense. In this era, pork is even less palatable, beef is off-limits, and mutton is the most common meat.

The villagers probably don't eat mutton even once a year.

Although there aren't many seasonings, spices like pepper and Sichuan peppercorns are considered luxuries, so writing an article about them seems reasonable.

Compared to the daily income of 6 coins for day laborers, and the price of 3 coins per bushel for millet, it was really expensive!

The main problem is that there aren't many in a string.

The little princess in the carriage frowned, "Big sister, I want to play with the big dog!"

"Let's talk about it another day. Right now, the young master is clearly busy."

"I want fish~" The little princess didn't like eating fish before, and she doesn't like the ones made by the Imperial Kitchen now. She only likes the ones made by Xiao Ran.

"If we have the chance to go find the young master, we can eat fish," Li Lizhi comforted her sister.

“It seems that the young master can’t get used to lamb skewers at all. I’ve bought them a few times before, and they were actually quite good,” Princess Yuzhang said.

"Sixth Sister, you'll understand once you've tasted the young master's cooking." Li Lizhi didn't say anything more.

“Sister, then please invite the young master to cook in Chang’an!” Princess Yuzhang said, “Don’t you have a house in Chongren Ward? Let’s go there, and Mother can have a taste too.”

"Let's talk about it later! There's plenty of time and opportunities."

When Qin returned to the grain shop, Zhang Huaicai had already sold all the chestnuts.

"Ah Lang, should we find a servant to send him back?"

"No need, Jinniang and her husband are already in Chang'an."

Qin was overjoyed, "Where is Jinniang?"

"I was busy just now and you weren't here, so Jinniang went for a stroll with the young master, second wife, and third wife."

Madam Qin nodded, noticed something wrapped up not far away, walked over and opened it, "What is this?"

"I didn't notice. Jinniang brought it in just now, saying to leave it here for now." Zhang Huaicai continued working on the abacus without looking up.

Qin was startled when she saw what was inside. "This is Shu brocade? Where did it come from?"

Zhang Jinhe knew about Shu brocade, and Qin Shi was naturally familiar with it as well.

"Wow, it's even a double-layered auspicious beast brocade!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huaicai also put down what he was doing. "It shouldn't be Jinniang's. Don't touch it!"

If it's not Zhang Jinhe's, then it can only be Xiao Ran's.

Zhang Huaicai glanced at it, then wrapped it up again, understanding that it was to be sent to the Duke of Ji's residence.

Xiao Ran and his companions had strolled around for a while, buying quilts and flatbreads. As for wheat, they didn't need to buy it anywhere else; Zhang's Grain Store had it.

"Jinniang!" Madam Qin greeted her with a smile, "Young master, second and third mistresses."

“Mother!” Zhang Jinhe gave Qin a hug.

"Hello, aunt!"

"Young master, please come inside and have a seat, Second Mistress and Third Mistress."

Feeling that it was about time, Xiao Ran looked at Zhang Huaicai and asked, "Uncle Zhang, when are you free?"

“We can go now. Jinniang and the others are here. We can go now,” Zhang Huaicai said.

"Alright, then I'll trouble Uncle Zhang to accompany me on this trip."

"Hey, we're all family here, it's too formal to say that."

Xiao Ran picked up the Shu brocade and said, "Second Mistress and Third Mistress, you stay here. I'll be back in a bit."

"Okay!" Zhang Erya nodded.

Xiao Hei nuzzled against Zhang Er Ya and San Niang, then followed Xiao Ran away.

I'm not really familiar with the Qin family, but I've been getting quite close to Zhang Jinhe these past few days.

Madam Qin took out some pastries for the group to eat.

Zhang Erya envied Zhang Jinhe, whose whole family was together, harmonious and with a great family atmosphere.

I also bought the wheat I needed at the store.

The Duke of Ji's mansion is located in Pingkang Ward, which is next to the East Market. You can just walk straight east, and you will have to cross Zhuque Street in the middle.

The biggest impression Xiao Ran got from Zhuque Avenue was that it was spacious and grand!
"Young master, did you know Lord Qin before?" Zhang Huaicai asked casually as they walked.

"Uncle Zhang, I've never even been to Chang'an, how could I possibly know anyone? I haven't been back long, and I haven't seen many people yet."

"That's true too."

The two arrived at the Duke of Ji's mansion quickly and were truly impressed.

It felt like living in a wealthy family.

Zhang Huaicai led Xiao Ran to the side gate.

Only those in the imperial court, such as those reading imperial edicts, or other people of similar status, could use the main gate for official business.

After speaking with the servants, Xiao Ran announced his visit.

Soon, the gates of the Duke of Ji's mansion slowly opened, and Qin Tai came out with a smile, "Young Master Xiao Ran, Manager Zhang, this way please!"

Zhang Huaicai looked completely bewildered, never imagining he would receive such treatment.

Xiao Ran, carrying Xiao Hei and Shu Jin, entered the Duke of Ji's mansion.

Xiao Ran was alright, but Zhang Huaicai was still in a daze.

These wealthy families are very particular; I can't understand the layout inside, but it seems very impressive.

Qin Tai led Xiao Ran and Zhang Huaicai to the hall.

Qin Qiong smiled and walked out of the hall. "Young master, we meet again!"

(End of this chapter)