Traveling Through Farmhouses: Taking the Baby on a Famine Escape

As night deepened, Zhang Xixi and the others had already set up their tents in the yard and were preparing to rest!

Granny Yun and the others had also prepared the medicine and ginseng soup. After serving the lady the soup, they found Zhang Xixi to thank her again and gave her two 100-tael silver notes.

Everyone in Zhoujia Village slept soundly through the night, but in the room to the east, Granny Yun and the others, who had been keeping watch over the lady, didn't get a good night's sleep.

Fortunately, when the lady woke up in the morning, her complexion was much better and her stomach pain had subsided, which put Granny Yun's mind at ease.

Arriving at Zhang Xixi's stove in the courtyard, he said, "Madam Zhang, could you please lend us the stove again?"

"Please wait a moment, we'll get it done right away!"

Zhang Xixi then inquired about the wealthy woman, "How is your wife?"

"I'm much better now! Thanks to my wife's ginseng, it's been a huge help."

Zhang Xixi waved her hand, "Granny Yun, you also paid me money, so it's not like you're helping me!"

Granny Yun smiled and thought to herself, "This country girl is quite insightful. Not bad."

As the two chatted, Zhang Xixi learned that these people came from Dafang County and were in a hurry to return to Lingzhou for a funeral, which is why they traveled overnight. Unexpectedly, the carriage broke down halfway, and the master was frightened and suffered a miscarriage.

Zhang Xixi also recounted the details of their situation that she could.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhang Xixi's sweet potatoes were cooked. She quickly lifted the iron pot down, signaled to Granny Yun that it was ready to use, handed a few sweet potatoes to Granny Yun, and then returned to her family.

After bidding farewell to Granny Yun and the others, Zhang Xixi and her companions continued westward. According to information Zhang Wenhong had gleaned from chatting with the guards, they would reach Puan County before noon, and Dafang County would be just two more hours away.

Xiao Jin and the others haven't returned yet, and Zhang Xixi isn't waiting for them either, because Xiao Jin can sense her location and believes he will bring his wife to find her.

Today, Zhang Xixi and Zhou Yujie didn't have to work hard on their shoulders. The food and children were all loaded into the carriage. Because they had drunk spiritual spring water again this morning, Lingyun happily pulled the carriage forward.

Sure enough, when they were almost in Puan County and needed to rest and eat, Xiao Jin and his wife returned. Fearing they might encounter someone on the way, the carriage was given to Xiao Jin and his wife again.

Because of the travel permit issued by the prefecture government, Zhang Xixi and her group entered Puan County smoothly. After entering the county town, Zhang Xixi and Zhang Dacheng carried baskets to the carriage shop, while the others went straight to the west gate.

Zhang Xixi and Zhang Dacheng had already visited the carriage and horse shop twice.

"Dad, have you decided which one to buy?"

Zhang Dacheng sized up the mediocre livestock in front of him. "These horses and mules aren't very good, yet they're priced so high."

"Dad, we're in a hurry, so let's just pick one at random and come back next time to choose carefully."

"Alright, then we'll take this mule!"

The mule's owner exclaimed, "This gentleman has a good eye; my mule is the best here."

Zhang Dacheng smiled and asked, "How much?"

"Twenty taels!"

"Fifteen taels a day. If you sell, I'll take it. If not, forget it." Zhang Wencheng said with a straight face, then made a gesture as if to leave.

In the end, the old man agreed to sell the mule to Zhang Xixi and her family for fifteen taels of silver.

After Zhang Xixi paid, she bought another carriage cover.

Zhang Dacheng drove the car, taking Zhang Xixi with him, to catch up with the main group. Since the car was empty, they caught up in no time.

The group stopped again. Zhang Wenhong and the others loaded the grain they were carrying on their backs and from the horse-drawn carts onto the newly purchased mule cart, and the three children got back onto the cart.

At Shenshi (3-5 PM), Zhang Xixi and her group arrived at the gate of Dafang County. After entering, they found a roadside to rest. Zhou Dashan took Zhang Wenbo to the county government office to request an audience with the county magistrate, but the yamen runners said that the county magistrate was not there and had gone out.

"Clan Chief Zhou, go back and tell the villagers to find an inn to stay in. I'll wait here for the magistrate."

Zhou Dashan nodded, his joy dampened.

When Zhang Xixi saw Zhou Dashan return looking dejected, she immediately asked, "Brother-in-law, what's wrong?"

"The county magistrate isn't here, but your brother is waiting over there. Let's find a place to stay for the night."

"It would be good to stay for one night. We are going to settle down here, and the villagers can take this opportunity to buy some things they need."

Zhou Dashan called everyone to follow him forward. When he came over, he saw a Fulai Inn, which should be able to accommodate all of them.

Seeing that her husband was still frowning and looking worried, Madam Wang asked in a low voice, "What's wrong? You were all smiles before you left."

"It's alright!" Zhou Dashan was just a little worried that if the county magistrate didn't come back for several days, they couldn't just stay in the county town forever, that would be too expensive!

The Fulai Inn was indeed quite nice. The innkeeper was kind, the room rates were reasonable, and most importantly, the back courtyard was spacious enough to accommodate livestock, and Zhang Xixi and her companions could squeeze in just enough room.

After everything was settled, Zhang Xixi asked Zhang Wenhong to go to the county government office to pick up Zhang Wenbo.

Zhou Dashan told the villagers to go out shopping, but to go in groups of four or five, and never to go out alone!

In the inn's lobby, Zhang Xixi's family and the Chen family were waiting for Zhang Wenbo to return, while Zhou Dashan chatted with the innkeeper, inquiring about the situation in Dafang County.

"Speaking of Dafang County, the name Dafang has a lot of meaning..."

Dafang County is the largest county in Lingzhou. It is named Dafang County because legend has it that the terrain of Dafang County is like a square. Because of its large area, the towns and villages under its jurisdiction are far apart and the population is sparse.

The current county magistrate is surnamed Liu, and he is a good official. However, the land in Dafang County is more barren than that in other counties, and the lives of the farmers are very difficult.

A short while later, Zhang Wenbo returned, carrying with him a document issued by the county magistrate.

"Wenbo, how is it?"

Zhang Wenbo said with a smile, "The magistrate has arranged for us to stay in Yun'an Town. We can go there tomorrow."

Zhou Dashan asked in confusion, "Didn't they send any yamen runners to follow us?"

"The county was short-handed, and the magistrate, seeing that I had an official title, reassured us that we could go on our own!"

"I see!" Zhou Dashan exclaimed. "Studying is indeed useful. Once things are settled, I must urge my grandsons to study hard."

Hearing this news, Zhang Xixi felt relieved and said to Chen Shi with a smile, "Mother, let's go shopping and buy some things!"

The children in the family also said they wanted to go, so Zhang Dacheng stayed at the inn to look after Fubao while Zhang Xixi's family and Chen Shi and the others happily left the inn.

They needed to buy quite a few things for the house, so they decided to do it separately.

Chen touched the 500-tael silver note in her sleeve and generously handed ten taels of silver to Zhang Wenbo. Zhang Xixi also handed five taels of silver to Zhou Yujie, telling him to buy whatever he wanted.

Zhang Wenbo and Zhang Wenhong quickly left with a group of children; it was so good that they didn't have to accompany the woman shopping!

The Chen family went to the money exchange immediately and exchanged the five hundred taels of silver notes for some loose silver and one hundred taels of silver notes.

What makes a woman happiest?

Of course, it's shopping!