The leader led the group to the side where the carriages waited. From his pocket, he took out a folded pass, similar to the travel permits Tang Seng used on his journey west, and handed it to the city gate soldiers.
The soldier glanced at it, saluted the leader, and signaled his comrades. Soon, the group entered the city smoothly.
The leader seemed very familiar with Yingzhou. He guided them through several twists and turns until they arrived at a street lined with shops—not the main commercial street, but clearly a place for local commerce.
Shen Ruyi noticed that most customers entering the shops were ordinary townsfolk. She guessed the stores were fairly priced.
Despite his cold, unapproachable appearance, the leader was attentive.
“The shops on this street are fairly priced. Look around and buy what you need. Don’t think about escaping. Once you reach Yongzhou, you can change from enslaved status to free citizens. If the men have success, they may even become officials, and you could become a wife of a civil servant.
If you run now, you’ll be fugitives, vulnerable everywhere. Think carefully—don’t risk everything for a little,” he said, unusually giving a short lecture. Then he stationed himself at one end of the street, while the two other soldiers went to the other end.
It seemed this wasn’t the first time such a group had visited this street. Likely, the shopkeepers knew the situation and expected customers to buy reasonably.
“Sir, may I ask something?” Shen Ruyi approached him hesitantly.
“What is it?” the leader asked, expressionless.
“When will we reach Yongzhou? How is the climate there compared to here? What should we prepare?”
“Yongzhou is warmer later in spring and cooler earlier in winter, with a drier climate.
We’ll arrive in about half a month. The weather then will be similar to now.
You only need to prepare what’s needed for the journey; other things can be bought once there.”
Indeed, the leader was as Shen Ruyi had guessed—cold in expression but warm in heart.
“Thank you, sir. I’ll go buy the items now,” she said, bowing before heading to a general store.
The store was well-stocked. Shen Ruyi found bowls like those in the mansion kitchen and asked their price. She bought a simple cotton cloth for Xing Yu and a thin cotton quilt, large enough for three of them to share at night.
Finally, she bought a cheap bundle to pack the quilt and cloth.
Next, she visited a pastry shop, buying long-lasting snacks, wrapping them in oil paper, and storing them in the bundle. She also added three bowls from her storage space.
After buying everything, Shen Ruyi decided not to purchase more.
Buying too much would arouse suspicion about how much money she had. As a low-ranking servant, she couldn’t appear wealthy. Too much attention would be dangerous for the next half-month on the road.
She checked the leader, who didn’t stop her from browsing further, and continued walking along the street with her bundle.
Browsing without buying didn’t seem to offend the shopkeepers. Shen Ruyi noticed other maids bargaining with the owners; some owners agreed.
After roughly an hour, everyone finished shopping.
The two soldiers who had left earlier returned, followed by a cart carrying supplies, probably food.
Shen Ruyi had assumed the soldiers were guarding the street’s end. In fact, they had been procuring supplies all along.
“All done? Then let’s return,” the leader said simply and started leading them back.
Back with the group, Shen Ruyi quickly waved to Xing Yu and Qing Ping.
She handed a bowl and cloth to Xing Yu and returned the leftover coins. She also gave a bowl to Qing Ping.
“This is for me? But I don’t have money,” Qing Ping said, first delighted, then embarrassed, lowering her head.
“Then repay me when you have money. For now, use it—later we can enjoy hot soup with buns together.”
Shen Ruyi didn’t insist on repayment. Though a cheap bowl cost little, she couldn’t appear wealthy as a low-ranking servant.
Qing Ping happily took the bowl. “Thank you, Ruyi! I’ll repay you double when I have money!”
“Soon, when you marry in Yongzhou, your husband better pay Ruyi back,” Xing Yu teased.
Both Ruyi and Qing Ping were stunned. Qing Ping’s face flushed bright red, a literal little red apple.
“I wonder who we’ll marry. It makes me anxious,” Qing Ping said.
Xing Yu, older than the two, had likely already been betrothed if the mansion hadn’t faced misfortune, so she spoke freely.
Qing Ping, still young and naïve, hadn’t fully grasped marriage.
Shen Ruyi, though, struggled to accept blind arranged marriages, especially being chosen last.
Given her small size and stature, she feared she had been picked from the leftovers—and what could leftover women hope for?
No matter how they felt, the journey had to continue. Their moods couldn’t affect the road ahead.
Thus, they traveled mostly by carriage, two meals a day, only stopping at night.
The route started on flat plains, gradually transitioning to small hills, now entering dense, tall mountains, stretching endlessly.
Though it was late April when leaving the capital, by now the Dragon Boat Festival had passed. It should have been getting hotter. Yet they still wore the same clothes from the capital. The thin quilt at night was secretly envied by many.
Shen Ruyi, using her knowledge of maps from her past life, guessed that Yongzhou lay to the north or northwest.
On the third day in the mountains, the carriage stopped before sunset, as usual.
This was one advantage of mountain travel—they rode less each day.
Mountain darkness came quickly; if they failed to find a campsite before dark, so many weak, defenseless women would be in grave danger.