Being an emperor is not something he can do, so he can only rely on his connections.

Chapter 336 Car Sickness

Liang Dahai also saw this scene, frowned slightly, and asked in a low voice: "It's urgent, day and night?"

Zhang Jingwei looked at the departing figure of the postman and shook his head. "Expedite? How can this be expedited?"

Zhang Liu stood aside, his hands tucked into his sleeves, his eyes penetrating. "That's how it is with important documents! Postmen and postmen have a very hard life, traveling in the wind and rain, day and night."

Zhang Jingwei suddenly remembered something when he heard this and turned to look at Zhang Liu: "I remember that Uncle Liu was a postman, right?"

Zhang Liu smiled, the wrinkles on his face appearing particularly deep in the light of the oil lamp. "Indeed, before I followed the master, I worked as a postman in the government post station! The job was pretty much the same."

The official post station is an inn in the city. Apart from better working conditions, the treatment is the same as that of the inn in the countryside, and the work is also similar.

Zhang Jingwei nodded, thoughtfully: "No wonder, Sixth Uncle is like a living map, he knows every road well."

Zhang Liu waved his hand, his tone filled with nostalgia, "Young Master, you're going to Gaoyang. I was there when I was young. The pancakes, scallion noodles, and mutton soup there are all excellent. There are also many temples, hot springs, Wangkou Fort, Yunzhong Mountain and other scenic spots. And..." He paused, smiled and shook his head, "The beauties in Gaoyang... Haha, I won't say anymore."

Zhang Jingwei was so itchy by what he said that he couldn't help but laugh, "Sixth Uncle, after hearing what you said, I'm a little tempted to rush to Gaoyang overnight! If I had known earlier, I would have gone there earlier with Wang Ergou!"

Mu Tou interrupted and said, "Brother Qian and his family have probably arrived in Jia Village as well."

Zhang Jingwei turned around and asked Zhang Liu, "How far are we from Gaoyang?"

Zhang Liu narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment: "I estimate it's still about sixty miles away."

Zhang Jingwei calculated the time and said, "Regarding the journey of a day and a night, we should arrive by noon tomorrow, right?"

Zhang Liu shook his head and advised, "Young Master, don't worry. We have baggage, so we're a little slow. Besides, along the way, take a look at the villages and mountainous areas under Gaoyang's jurisdiction. Those places are also inhabited by your people. It's always good to know more."

Zhang Jingwei listened and nodded in agreement: "Sixth Uncle is right. It's better to go slower."

Seeing that his expression had eased, Zhang Liu continued, "After dinner, go back to your room and rest. We can't go upstairs, so you and the young lady should take care of her."

Zhang Jingwei responded with a hint of concern in his tone: "Well, she's been in the car all day and feels a little nauseous, so she didn't come down to eat. I'll go to the kitchen and make some porridge and send it up later."

Zhang Liu nodded and turned to arrange for the postman to prepare hot water. Zhang Jingwei went into the kitchen alone. The stove still lingered slightly warm. He scooped a spoonful of rice into the pot, added more water, and simmered it slowly. The aroma of the porridge gradually spread. Zhang Jingwei stared at the dancing flames, feeling a vague unease.

Zhang Jingwei carried the porridge and tiptoed upstairs. Although the stairs were new, they still creaked slightly, a sound that was particularly clear in the quiet of the inn. He pushed open the wooden door of the upper room and saw Huangfu Ling leaning against the bed, his eyes open, his brow slightly furrowed, and his face pale.

"Why don't you rest?" Zhang Jingwei put the bowl of porridge on the table, his tone full of concern, "You've been sitting in the car all day and you're not feeling well. You should rest early."

Huangfu Ling raised his head and forced a smile. "I feel dizzy lying down, so I might as well sit for a while. The night in this inn is so quiet that it makes me uneasy."

Zhang Jingwei walked over to her and touched her forehead. It was slightly cold, but she was sweating. He frowned and whispered, "You look so strong on weekdays, how come you can't stand the ride?"

Huangfu Ling shook his head and said softly, "It's just motion sickness, nothing serious. But you, you've been worrying about this and that all the way. You should take a good rest."

Zhang Jingwei sighed, picked up the porridge bowl, scooped a spoonful and handed it to her mouth: "Drink some porridge first, I made it thinner on purpose to warm your stomach."

Huangfu Ling took the spoon, blew on it gently, took a sip, and his brows relaxed slightly: "It tastes good, but it's hard for you to cook it yourself."

Zhang Jingwei smiled and said gently, "What's that? As long as you're not so sad, I can cook porridge every day."

Huangfu Ling looked up at him with a hint of smile in her eyes: "You are a dignified county magistrate. If people knew that you were busy in the kitchen every day, I'm afraid you would be laughed at."

Zhang Jingwei didn't take it seriously. He sat down next to her and said softly, "Just laugh it off. As long as you're healthy, I'm willing to do anything."

Huangfu Ling lowered his head and drank a few mouthfuls of porridge. Suddenly, he asked, "There seemed to be some movement downstairs just now. What happened?"

Zhang Jingwei shook his head and said in a relaxed tone, "It's nothing serious. It's just a courier delivering an urgent document. Uncle Six chatted with us for a while. You can rest assured and don't worry about it."

Huangfu Ling nodded, put down the bowl of porridge, and said softly: "Don't be too tired. You still have to travel tomorrow. Rest early."

Zhang Jingwei took the bowl, put it aside, and tucked the corner of the quilt for her: "You should rest first. I'll wash your feet later. Maybe you will feel better."

Huangfu Ling looked at him, a hint of tenderness flashing in her eyes: "I'm sorry to have made you worry."

Zhang Jingwei smiled, his tone filled with a hint of doting: "You are my wife. If I don't worry about you, who else can I worry about?"

Huangfu Ling sighed softly, closed her eyes, and whispered, "I feel much more at ease with you by my side."

……

The next day, the postmaster woke Zhang Jingwei up early. There was no charge for staying in the post house, just signing and stamping. If he wanted to stay after the hour of Mao, he had to sign a new form.

At the end of each month, the post station would take the signed bill to the local household registration office to report the settlement. Some larger post stations would quote a high price of one or two thousand taels a month, but officials would not be asked to pay for it themselves. This could be considered a benefit given by the court to officials on business trips.

Soon, everyone was ready. Huangfu Ling pointed at the docile Ellevi in ​​the stable, his eyes filled with anticipation: "I want to ride a donkey today, not a car."

Zhang Jingwei followed her gaze and saw the gray-brown donkey, its head lowered, chewing wheat, its ears twitching slightly, appearing remarkably docile. He smiled, his tone tinged with concern, "Sure, riding a donkey in the breeze might be more comfortable. But this wind is biting, can you handle it?"

Huangfu Ling gathered his cloak and said firmly, "I can bear it. At least it's better than being suffocated in the car. The car is shaking violently. If I sit any longer, I'm afraid I'll be so dizzy that I won't be able to walk."

Zhang Jingwei nodded, reached out to straighten the collar of her cloak, and said softly, "That's right. You don't usually travel far, right? You'll get used to this carriage after sitting for a while. But at the beginning, I wasn't used to it either. I was carsick and felt like vomiting."

Huangfu Ling was full of resistance. "I'll get used to it slowly later. I really can't ride in a car now."

Zhang Jingwei shrugged helplessly. "Everyone needs an adjustment period. Riding a donkey is fine, though. It's a little slower, but it's more stable. If you feel uncomfortable, we can stop and rest. We're not in a hurry anyway."

Huangfu Ling nodded, with a hint of gratitude in his eyes: "Although riding a donkey is slower, it is better than suffering in a car."

Zhang Jingwei turned and walked to the stable, personally leading the donkey out. He checked the saddle, making sure it was secure, before handing the reins to Huangfu Ling. "Here, give it a try. This donkey is docile and steady, so it shouldn't be too tiring for you to ride."

Huangfu Ling took the reins and gently patted Elvie's neck. The donkey seemed to sense her kindness and lowered its head to rub her palm. She stepped on the stirrups and climbed onto the donkey neatly, her movements skillful and clean.

Zhang Jingwei stood aside, his eyes full of smiles: "It seems that your riding skills are not bad, but I was worried too much."

Huangfu Ling sat on the donkey's back, raised her chin slightly, and said with a hint of pride: "Of course, a daughter of a general must be good at riding."

Zhang Jingwei smiled, climbed onto the carriage, and walked side by side with Huangfu Ling. The cold wind blew in their faces, bringing a bit of chill, but Huangfu Ling felt much more comfortable than the stuffy air in the carriage.