A peasant girl travels through time with a hospital, rising to become an empress.

Gu Xiao gently took her hand, his tone tender yet firm: "Once we've settled down in the provincial capital, we'll bring Mother and Uncle over."

Nie Qianqian nodded, took a deep breath, and quietly suppressed the sorrow surging in her heart. It was only a separation of a few months; there was really no need to be too sad.

She lifted the carriage curtain again and looked out. The fields along the roadside, the unfamiliar villages, and the birds chirping in the branches were all new sights she had never seen before, filling her with anticipation.

The provincial capital must be a very interesting place.

The journey from Fulin County to the provincial capital took only two days, and they stopped at an inn along the way that evening.

Although Director Zhang and Jiang Botao had some prior acquaintances, they weren't particularly close. However, because Nie Qianqian was traveling with them, they gradually found themselves getting along quite well.

Jiang Botao had traveled extensively and was knowledgeable, while Director Zhang had also traveled to many places after years of practicing medicine. As they chatted, they talked about the purpose of their trip: "This time, I brought Dr. Qian to treat an important lady in the provincial capital."

As soon as he said it, Director Zhang was stunned. He had mentioned Doctor Qian, but Doctor Qian had not come with him at all!

He quickly coughed twice to cover his embarrassment: "Ahem, Doctor Qian is aloof and doesn't like to travel with others, so he has already gone to the provincial capital ahead of time."

After saying that, he glanced guiltily at Nie Qianqian and Jiang Botao, afraid that he would be exposed.

Jiang Botao, being so insightful, had already seen through the situation, but he tacitly smiled and changed the subject without pointing it out.

After dinner, Director Zhang pulled Nie Qianqian aside and said, "I was so scared just now! I only realized it was inappropriate after the words 'Doctor Qian' just slipped out!"

Nie Qianqian smiled and said, "It's alright, curator. Master Jiang is a very meticulous person. He already knew that I was Doctor Qian during the last epidemic. You don't need to deliberately hide it from him."

Director Zhang immediately bristled and stamped his feet in frustration: "Why didn't you say so earlier? I was just trying to cover it up like that. In his eyes, I must have looked like a clown!"

Nie Qianqian couldn't help but laugh at his embarrassed appearance, and finally laughed so hard that she covered her stomach. The sorrow she had been feeling for days was also relieved.

With such little interludes along the way, it didn't feel boring at all.

Two days later, the group finally arrived in the provincial capital, just in time for the busiest time of day.

The city walls of the provincial capital were tall and majestic, exuding an air of authority between the blue bricks and gray tiles. The guards on duty were all solemn and vigilant. Everyone entering or leaving the city gate had to undergo careful inspection, and just waiting in line took up a lot of time.

Nie Qianqian and the others sat in the warm carriage and did not feel particularly cold. However, many people who had come on foot or by oxcart had been freezing in the biting wind for more than half an hour. They were all shivering from the cold, constantly breathing out their breath, rubbing their hands, and huddling together to keep warm.

While waiting in line, Nie Qianqian caught a glimpse of a group of exquisitely decorated carriages slowly driving away through a small gate on the other side of the city wall.

The coachman simply showed a token, and the people inside the carriage didn't even show their faces. The soldiers on duty immediately let them pass with great respect, bowing repeatedly, which was in stark contrast to the stern and unsmiling city guards on the other side.

Jiang Wenxuan was indignant and muttered, "Hey, how come they can get in without queuing? Did they bribe someone? We should also give them some money. It's freezing cold, and it's really suffering to wait in line here!"

Jiang Botao rolled his eyes at him and said in a deep voice, "Turn off that impetuous temper of yours! This is the provincial capital, not Fulin County. If a sign falls off on the street, it could hit someone important. Do you think money can buy everything here? Everyone has money, but having money doesn't necessarily mean you'll have this kind of respectability!"

Jiang Wenxuan's mouth dropped open, his face full of astonishment. This was the first time he had ever discovered that money could be useless.

In Fulin County, his family was wealthy and influential, and everything they did went smoothly. He had never received such treatment before. He never expected that on his first day in the provincial capital, he would truly witness the difference between status and power.

Jiang Botao sighed softly, his gaze sweeping over the carriage as it drove away into the distance. He said slowly, "That family must be quite extraordinary. They are either a prominent family with generations of officials, many of whom hold official positions, and they have deep roots and a prestigious status in the provincial capital; or they are wealthy gentry or merchants who have been based in the provincial capital for many years. Although they may not hold official positions, they have already established a complex network of relationships and wield considerable power. How could a small family like ours, coming from a county town, possibly have such privileges?"

Taking this opportunity, he earnestly instructed Jiang Wenxuan: "This is why I always urge you to study and take the imperial examinations. No matter how big our family business is, it can't compare to the large and powerful merchant families that have been rooted in the provincial capital for generations, let alone those families that have been officials for generations and have immense power. It's like heaven and earth. Only by studying and taking the imperial examinations can you find the right path and earn real respect and power."

Jiang Wenxuan lowered his head and muttered softly, "But I really don't like reading."

Jiang Botao frowned and glared at him, saying, "Like it? In this world, can liking something put food on the table? Just because you say you don't like it, the city guards will let you enter the city first? If you can pass the imperial examinations and earn an official position, this glory and protection can last for your descendants. This is the real matter concerning the rise and fall of your family! What do personal preferences matter in the face of these important matters?"

Nie Qianqian sat to the side without saying a word.

She knew very well that many modern ways of thinking and ideas were out of step with the times, and that it was impractical to talk about principles without considering the context of the times.

In those days, for a family to prosper and gain power and status, the imperial examination was indeed the safest and most recognized option.

She couldn't help but turn to look at Gu Xiao beside her—he was intelligent and talented, and could have risen to prominence through the imperial examinations, but he had previously been extremely averse to fame and power. She knew there must be some unspeakable reasons for this, but it was enough to show his state of mind.

No matter how high Gu Xiao rises in the future, he will always be a person who is indifferent to fame and fortune and does not covet glory.

After waiting for a long time, they finally entered the city, and Nie Qianqian was completely attracted by the bustling scene of the provincial capital.

Fulin County only has a few streets, such as Shizijie and the East and West Markets, but the provincial capital is surprisingly large. There are seven or eight wide and flat main roads, with shops lining both sides, red doors and white walls, and gilded plaques hanging under the upturned eaves. It is more prosperous and bustling than the county town.

Nie Qianqian came from the modern era. In terms of dazzling sound and light, and magnificent skyscrapers, this ancient provincial capital is naturally far inferior.

Yet the prosperity here carries an exceptionally vibrant vitality.

The cries of street vendors rose and fell, while the laughter and conversation from restaurants and teahouses, the sound of storytellers' gavels, and the playful shouts of children mingled together, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

The bustling scene of carriages and horses, the rustling of clothes, and the clatter of horses' hooves on the bluestone slabs all exude a rich and vibrant atmosphere of everyday life.

She peeked through the car window curtain, her eyes filled with wonder.

There were vendors selling rouge and face powder by the roadside, with delicate lotus scroll patterns painted on the porcelain boxes.

There are shops with signs that read "Bookstore," and piles of storybooks and poetry collections at the entrance, with lifelike illustrations on the covers.

There were also vendors pushing carts selling sugar paintings. With each stroke of their spoons, the melted sugar syrup meandered across the bluestone slabs, instantly creating a lifelike rabbit that drew applause and cheers from the surrounding children.

The streets were bustling with people and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, creating a lively atmosphere that was almost overwhelming.

The pedestrians' clothing and appearance were also completely different from those in Fulin County.

In Fulin County, most people wore coarse cloth short jackets in shades of blue, gray, and cyan, while only the local gentry and wealthy merchants could afford silk gowns. In the provincial capital, however, even ordinary people mostly wore clothes made of fine cotton cloth, with much brighter colors, such as light pink, light green, and moon white.

Even more distinguished individuals were dressed in fine silks and satins, with jade belts around their waists and jade-inlaid crowns on their heads. Even the clothes of their attendants were embroidered with exquisite hidden patterns, showing great attention to detail.

Jiang Wenxuan silently touched his gold hairpin, feeling that compared to the attire of the people here, his gold hairpin looked particularly vulgar.

Gu Xiao sat to the side, watching her excited appearance with a smile in his eyes, like watching a little bird that had finally flown out of its cage, full of curiosity about everything around it.

He thought to himself that with Nie Qianqian's love for lively places, she would probably be even happier if she went to the capital in the future.