The next day, when Manbao left the palace, Mingda had already found a statue of Laozi from the storeroom and, imitating Manbao, had offered up a crystal bracelet.
Old Zhou knew that they were asking for leave to go to Shangzhou this ti, and he felt quite anxious. After hesitating for a mont, he decided to bring along his eldest and fifth sons, thinking that having more of his sons with him might give him so more confidence.
Old Madam Liu was also preparing to return to Longzhou. The old master of Ms. Zhang’s family in Longzhou was having a birthday celebration. This ti, it was an important milestone, and she wanted their branch of the family to re-establish themselves in Longzhou, so she decided to return.
She didn’t require Bai Shan to accompany her, saying, "We haven’t been in Longzhou for many years. Although we still have so interactions with relatives, many years have passed, and a lot of emotions have faded. We don’t really know the current situation, so you don’t need to co back with us."
She continued, "This ti, it’s beneficial for you to accompany Manbao to Shangzhou, to see the situation with the Xia family, since in the future, one of your children should carry the Xia surna."
This was indeed a significant matter and could not be taken lightly.
Bai Shan respectfully agreed. On the sa day, he first sent his grandmother and mother out of the city. They only set off the next day after packing everything.
The three of them didn’t take a carriage but rode horses ahead.
Shangzhou is not very far from the capital. Even if they traveled a bit slowly, they would arrive by lunchti the next day.
At night, the group stopped at a roadside inn. Although Manbao wasn’t on official business, she was still an official, so she could get so discounts.
It was Old Zhou’s first ti experiencing the benefits of having a daughter who was an official, enjoying the flattery of the inn’s clerks while quietly saying to Ms. Qian, "Being an official is really good. If Lixue and Ligu also beco officials in the future, won’t we be able to travel without spending money?"
Ms. Qian: "...Didn’t you hear Manbao say that they need to accompany you for that to be valid? They’re all busy; where would they find the ti to travel with you and stay at an inn?"
Not many people accompanied them, only Zhou Dalang and Zhou Wulang, with Daji and other guards making up the rest.
Since Junior Ms. Qian didn’t co along, they didn’t cook als along the way and instead took out the dry food she prepared for them to munch on, taking a sip of water from bamboo tubes before continuing their journey.
They finally reached Shangzhou by lunchti on the second day.
Shangzhou was not far from the capital, and most rchants traveling from the south and southwest to the capital passed through here, making Shangzhou much more lively than Mianzhou.
Manbao led her horse into the city and saw vendors coming and going, shouting loudly. Her gaze swept around and fell on a noodle stall by the road.
The stall owner was holding a lump of dough and a knife, skillfully slicing noodle strips into a pot. Soon, a bowl of noodles was ready. He cooked it and threw in a handful of green vegetables. In no ti, he fished out the noodles and vegetables, and a woman added toppings to the bowl before serving it.
Seeing the minced at on top of the noodles, Manbao couldn’t move any further.
Bai Shan tugged her, and when she didn’t move, he asked, "Hungry?"
Manbao nodded.
Bai Shan then turned back to Daji, who was escorting the carriage in, and said, "It’s lunchti. Let’s eat here first and then find a place to stay."
Daji had actually sent one of the guards ahead into the city to make arrangents, but the person might not be familiar with Shangzhou, as they hadn’t seen him yet.
So, after a mont of thought, he nodded and gestured for everyone to park the carriage at the side, letting Old Zhou and the others get off the carriage for a al.
Manbao imdiately ran over to help her mother, while Bai Shan assisted Mr. Zhuang, and Bai Erlang had already rushed to the stall to reserve several seats.
Once everyone sat down at two tables and ordered noodles, Old Zhou began to look around and said, "Shangzhou seems much busier than our Mianzhou."
Old Zhou had only been to Mianzhou three or four tis in his life; the most recent was when they passed through Mianzhou to go to the capital.
But the number of people and the liveliness were apparent at a glance.
The stall owner, slicing noodles while talking with pride, said, "Our Shangzhou is the gateway to the capital, naturally more prosperous. Where is your Mianzhou?"
He genuinely didn’t know where Mianzhou was. In fact, apart from the nearby prefectures and the capital, they knew very few places.
Old Zhou, equally proud, said, "Our Mianzhou is also the gateway to Yizhou City."
"Is Yizhou City large? I have heard of a Prince of Yizhou who rebelled the year before last. It scared ; I thought there would be another war."
Old Zhou: ...
Why did the Prince of Yizhou overshadow their Yizhou?
Old Zhou didn’t want to discuss Yizhou further and instead said, "Our Mianzhou also has its rits; our Mianzhou’s pot helts are delicious."
The stall owner said, "Our Shangzhou’s knife-cut noodles are also excellent, especially mine. It’s a specialty of Shangzhou. You should try a bowl..."
Old Zhou intuitively thought he was lying; if he were indeed a specialty, he wouldn’t be selling at the city gate, would he?
Just as he was about to refute, Bai Shan spoke up, "Old man, it sounds like you know Shangzhou well?"
The stall owner looked at Bai Shan and couldn’t help but laugh, "Naturally, I know. My family has been in Shangzhou for generations. Starting with my father, we’ve been selling noodles at this city gate, but young man, you flatter ; I’m probably in the sa generation as your grandfather."
While speaking, he gestured to Old Zhou.
Bai Shan fell silent.
Manbao raised her head and said, "This is my father, your future father-in-law."
The stall owner was stunned for a mont, then awkwardly laughed, "Oh, I see..."
But he quickly caught on and began to praise Old Zhou vehently, "Brother, you’re really blessed. Your daughter looks very lucky, with that round face and fair complexion. Your son-in-law also looks quite the gentleman."
Old Zhou was pleased, boastfully replying, "Of course, my daughter is the luckiest."
Bai Shan cleared his throat and steered the conversation back to what he wanted to ask, "So, do you know the people of Shangzhou well?"
The stall owner, slicing noodles while talking to Bai Shan, asked, "Are you here to visit relatives?"
Bai Shan smiled and answered affirmatively, "Yes, a relative lives in Shangzhou, but I’m not sure of their address. However, they have the surna Xia."
Bai Shan glanced at Manbao and continued, "They go by the single na Yan and are a cultivated talent."
The stall owner thought for a mont but couldn’t recall anyone, so he laughed, "Our Shangzhou is quite big too..."
Manbao asked, "Do you know where Songhua Alley is then?"
"I know that, just follow this street down, turn west at the third intersection, then head south, and after two more intersections, you’ll find Songhua Alley on the west side. Does your relative live there?" The stall owner thought for a mont and frowned, "A Cultivated Talent Xia from Songhua Alley?"
"There’s no cultivated talent in Songhua Alley now, but there was one over ten years ago."
Everyone was intrigued, and Bai Shan said, "It’s that Cultivated Talent Xia."
The stall owner looked at Bai Shan, then at Zhou Man, and laughed, "It might be a misunderstanding. That Cultivated Talent Xia has been gone for over ten years, and there’s no one left at the house."
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