The middle-aged man with a bluish-gray cloth towel wrapped around his head was unfazed by the biaoshis’ caution and the host family’s wariness. Smiling broadly, he continued, “I’m from a carriage service. Since your family has traveled far to Bianjing, you must have many belongings. Why not rent our carriages and horses?”
“Everyone in Bianjing knows that my Li Family Carriage Service is honest with all, fair in price, and would never cheat outsiders.”
Zheng Biaotou’s family had been in Bianjing for decades. Mention the Zheng Family Biaoju, and it was highly reputable. Even Granny Wang, who had left Bianjing years ago, still remembered it and trusted it greatly. Running a biaoju inevitably involved dealings with carriage services, but judging by Zheng Biaotou’s expression, he clearly knew nothing about the so-called Li Family Carriage Service.
Thus, its trustworthiness had to be weighed carefully.
The middle-aged man was still vigorously boasting when, sensing something amiss, he shifted his tone: “If you agree now, though I am of little influence, I can decide to lower the price.”
Cheaper!
Yuan Niang, listening from behind, brightened at this. The middle-aged man’s extravagant claims were already dizzying, and mentioning a lower price made it hard not to be tempted. But she knew she hadn’t seen much of the world, and there was no such thing as a free bargain, so she refrained from speaking recklessly. Instead, she looked up at Grandma, quietly observing how she would handle it.
She believed Grandma was the smartest person in the world, and every move she made was worth learning from.
Granny Wang remained unmoved. She didn’t show any expression of disdain or disgust but politely said with a stern face, “No need. We already have carriages and horses.”
As the middle-aged man tried to persist, Grandma gave Zheng Biaotou a look. Zheng Biaotou immediately understood and stepped forward, his thick chest muscles barely concealed by his thin clothing, blocking the middle-aged man. He didn’t need to say anything; merely standing there with a dark expression was enough to intimidate.
Realizing this was no weak outsider to be fooled, the middle-aged man had no choice but to bow bitterly, muttering to himself, “I was mistaken. Your family is wealthy; how could you lack carriages and horses to meet you? My apologies, my apologies.”
As he spoke, the middle-aged man retreated step by step. What he had initially thought were dignified clothes now felt like a monkey dressed in finery—he simply lacked the presence.
Granny Wang didn’t kick him while he was down but merely watched quietly. Yet her aged, cloudy eyes, with sagging skin, seemed capable of revealing all manner of demons and monsters. The older she grew, the more her gaze could make one’s heart quiver.
Yuan Niang, standing behind Granny Wang, watched this invisible battle unfold, her admiration and awe impossible to conceal.
If only she could be half as capable as Grandma one day.
Granny Wang then turned to Zheng Biaotou, speaking very politely, “Might I trouble you, Biaotou, to help rent carriages and horses? Just use the vendors your biaoju typically works with. I will cover all the costs.”
This Zheng Biaotou, not yet forty, had become a biaotou and commanded the respect of his subordinates, naturally possessing admirable qualities. His manner was not rash like that of a typical martial man, which was quite pleasing. At this moment, he didn’t put on airs but replied amiably, “It’s only right. Having accepted your payment, such a small matter is part of my duty.”
“But…” Zheng Biaotou hesitated and asked, “Where should it be delivered?”
Yuan Niang also peeked at Granny Wang from behind. She had heard from Madam Wei that the compensation for the broken engagement included the Chen family’s ancestral home in Bianjing.
When she was born, her father had already been demoted to a commoner, and the family had fled to a remote, impoverished area. That ancestral home must have been sold long ago, exchanged for money to appease the officials, so she naturally never had the chance to see it.
Wait a moment, will they go to the ancestral home?
Was her family’s ancestral home grand or not?
Although she had never seen it, being in Bianjing still sparked Yuan Niang’s curiosity.
Just like her curiosity about her father, who had passed away many years ago. Though she only had vague impressions, faintly remembering an extremely gentle and refined, slender face, she couldn’t help wanting to know more about her father, pestering Grandma to ask all sorts of questions.
She learned that her father started his education at a young age, always praised by his teachers for his studies, and had even passed the Jinshi exam, meeting members of the Imperial Family.
And how he was upright and incorruptible, often demoted, yet still used his salary to help the poor…
Those scattered descriptions Grandma occasionally mentioned pieced together an image of her father for Yuan Niang: kind-hearted, benevolent, handsome, always speaking gently and eloquently, carrying the scholarly elegance of a learned man, yet also possessing the chivalrous spirit of a warrior.
Unfortunately, being a good person doesn’t necessarily bring good rewards. Of course, this thought was something Yuan Niang herself realized.
So she wouldn’t aspire to be a good person like her father, but rather to be someone as capable as Grandma, a Yuan Niang who could protect her family.
Her thin hands clenched into fists, making a small, bold declaration in her heart. When she snapped back to attention, Grandma had already given her answer.
“Could it be entrusted to you temporarily and delivered to Zheng’s escort agency? This old woman still needs to find a place to settle.”
Zheng Biaotou pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement.
After all, they had already brought her to Bianjing; it wouldn’t hurt to wait a little longer.
Granny Wang continued, “I must trouble you with another matter. Are there any reliable brokers in Bianjing? I haven’t returned to Bianjing for years, and many familiar old acquaintances may be hard to find now; things have changed.”
Since he had already agreed earlier, this wasn’t much extra, and Zheng Biaotou had no reason to refuse.
He even kindly suggested, “Should my brothers continue to accompany you? Those brokers, seeing many people, likely wouldn’t dare to quote unreasonable prices.”
Granny Wang glanced at the seven or eight strong men behind her and immediately smiled, shaking her head. “No need, no need. The brothers have finally returned to Bianjing and surely want to go home and relax. Asking you, Biaotou, to help with two unreasonable requests is already imposing.”
“But if you could help hire two small blue-canopied sedan chairs to look at houses, that would be best.” Granny Wang suddenly added.
Thanks to Zheng Biaotou, Chen Yuanniang experienced riding a two-person sedan chair for the first time in her life.
The sedan chair swayed and rocked, occasionally jostling the window curtain enough to lift its edges. If she were a noblewoman from a prominent family, she might need to be careful to avoid her face being easily seen by outsiders, but Yuanniang had no such worry. She occasionally lifted the curtain, openly sneaking glances at the street scenes, secretly memorizing the route.
Because she noticed that although the along the way
Some areas were livelier, with entire streets packed with Fupu stalls, while others were lined with medical shops where the scent of herbs wafted through even without lifting the curtains. Rows of medicine-brewing stoves stood at the corners of the alleys, with young apprentices tirelessly fanning the flames and lifting lids with cattail-leaf fans—a laborious sight indeed.
Granny Wang, sitting beside Yuan Niang, detested the smell of medicine and wrinkled her nose in distaste. Unable to hold back, she muttered, “Even when I was young, I never liked passing through here. Everyone goes on about the fragrance of herbs, but how heavy the odor is!”
Yuan Niang, peeking through the occasional gap in the lifted curtain, sniffed the drifting scents with delight, swaying her head happily. “I think it smells wonderful!”
Granny Wang gave her forehead a firm poke. “What a dog’s nose you have, unable to tell good from bad!”
Chen Yuanniang squinted her eyes, smiling like a blooming flower, not the least bit annoyed by her grandma’s words.
Seeing her carefree and gleeful demeanor ever since entering Bianjing, Granny Wang couldn’t help but feel exasperated. She grumbled, “Silly girl, all you know is how to be happy.”
Though Bianjing was a fine place, living here was no easy feat.
But Granny Wang kept these troubles to herself. Her own hardships were enough; as for the child, let her be happy while she could.
Who knew what kind of person—or devil—one might encounter after leaving home? Even if one were as fortunate as she had been to find a good match, life was unpredictable, always fraught with ups and downs. As a daughter at home, it was best to enjoy each day to the fullest.
Granny Wang seemed to recall someone, and the furrows between her brows, already deep as river valleys, grew even more pronounced.
The sedan chair swayed and then came to a halt.
They must have arrived.
Yuan Niang faintly heard the tolling of temple bells. Looking up, she saw not far away a tall pavilion with a bronze bell larger than a person, where it seemed a young monk was striking it.
At first glance, the area was bustling with temples yet still lively, with people coming and going—far better than the vicinity of Xincao Gate they had visited earlier.
Though the courtyard near Xincao Gate had two inner sections and two storefronts, seeing it in person revealed sparse foot traffic, mostly hurried passersby, and the surroundings were predominantly common folk. Many had set up makeshift shelters, content with just a roof over their heads. Granny Wang had waved her hand dismissively the moment they arrived, turning away without hesitation, unwilling even to step inside the courtyard.
This time, Granny Wang nodded in approval. Yuan Niang listened as the skinny broker mentioned something about “Zhouxi Wazi” nearby, bustling from the fifth watch of the night until the third, with customers streaming in like clouds, promising ample profits.
But all this satisfaction came to an abrupt halt when they spotted the coffin shop next door.
Everyone had their taboos, yet the skinny broker prattled on, saying they could bargain the price down. In such a location, it would normally cost at least five hundred guan, but now they could get it for four hundred—a real steal.
Granny Wang’s expression had already soured, but she managed not to lose her temper, coldly stating they should look elsewhere.
Learning from his mistake, the skinny broker now showed them a place that was both lively and free of unsavory shops, with Xiangguo Temple nearby. On its five monthly open days, crowds would swarm in, creating an incredibly vibrant scene.
Moreover, as soon as the sedan chair entered the area, the aroma of food wafted over, making Yuan Niang’s stomach growl.
She thought it smelled wonderful!
Her appetite was thoroughly whetted—there were sweet and sour fragrances, as well as the mingled scents of various spices simmering together.
Chen Yuanniang’s limited experience left her unable to articulate the specifics with her meager vocabulary, but Granny Wang was an expert. As soon as she stepped out of the sedan chair, she took a slight sniff and confirmed, “Indeed, many Southern Food Shops have opened here.”
Yuan Niang seized the moment to approach and act coquettishly, “Grandma, I’m hungry.”
The location was quite good, and with the prospect of securing lodging in sight, Granny Wang was in high spirits. She smiled and said, “It’s about time for the midday meal anyway. We’ll pick a good one to try later. You’ve never had southern cuisine before, have you?”
Yuan Niang nodded vigorously, overjoyed.
Then, Granny Wang casually asked, “What is this street called?”
“Little Sweet Water Lane,” the skinny broker replied, sensing a potential sale and beaming with delight as he eagerly answered.
To his surprise, Granny Wang’s expression immediately darkened, her face turning ashen. She turned on her heel and strode away without a moment’s hesitation, dragging Yuan Niang along with her.
Just before stepping into the sedan chair, Granny Wang paused, as if unable to contain her anger, and cursed, “Damn fool, trying to cheat me like I’m some out-of-towner! As if I don’t know what kind of people live in Little Sweet Water Lane. Pah!”
No sooner had Granny Wang finished speaking than a courtesan accompanying her patron passed by.
She wasn’t acting seductively or dressed provocatively; in fact, she looked no different from any respectable woman, covered up modestly and wearing her hair in the style of an unmarried maiden, save for the brighter flowers adorning her hair. At a glance, one couldn’t tell the difference.
It was the patron who behaved indecently in public, acting without restraint, while the woman merely endured it, occasionally feigning resistance with a coy laugh, instantly revealing her identity.
Granny Wang could bear it no longer. She pulled her granddaughter into the sedan chair and abandoned the skinny broker without a second thought.
Inside the sedan chair, Yuan Niang wisely avoided provoking Granny Wang by asking what had happened. She had seen the courtesan up close herself and could guess the reason.
But Granny Wang didn’t let the matter drop. With a cold expression, she said, “The food here is good, but it’s not suitable to eat here. When you have free time in the future, you can have the shop deliver it to your home. Today is out of the question, and you must never come here on your own again. This lane is filled with hidden brothels—it’s no place for an unmarried young lady like you. The same goes for Lushi Lane south of Xiangguo Temple.”
Yuan Niang obediently agreed, not daring to offer the slightest objection.
Seeing her granddaughter’s compliance, Granny Wang’s anger subsided somewhat.
But with the skinny broker driven away, how were they to proceed with viewing houses? Granny Wang fell into thought, sifting through her memories of Bianjing.