April was a season of lingering chill and emerging warmth, with flowers in full bloom and a faint sweetness lingering in the air. For the people of the north, this was a particularly joyful time.
The snow had melted, meaning they could once again work and earn money.
Shao Jie finished the offal soup in his bowl, then broke off two pieces of flatbread, wiping the bowl clean with the remaining bits of sheep offal.
People of the Song dynasty had a fondness for offal, not only because mutton was expensive and unaffordable for ordinary households, but also due to their strong health consciousness and belief in “like cures like”—that eating more internal organs contributed to good health. Thus, not only sheep offal but also pork tripe, liver, and the like were highly sought after.
Shao Jie was a middle-aged man with a rough, unshaven face. Having traveled north and south for years, he was not particular about his eating habits, slurping and splattering soup everywhere. The men under him were even more uncouth, making a meal feel like a battle.
Such behavior displeased their tablemates. A middle-aged woman with triangular eyes, thin lips, and a narrow forehead shot them a disgusted look, then picked up some vegetables for her chubby son beside her, sneering, “Eat slowly. Don’t act like you’re starving ghosts reincarnated.”
The men glared at her angrily, but the woman showed no sign of backing down. Instead, she kept muttering curses like “damned scoundrels” and “good-for-nothing layabouts.”
Her children and husband seemed accustomed to her temper, keeping their heads down and eating without getting involved.
As the person in charge, Shao Jie should have stepped in, but due to the woman’s status, he could only remain silent. The tension grew thicker.
Suddenly, a cold snort came from nearby. A tall, imposing young man with an extraordinary presence said calmly, “Waiter, set up another table. Bring thirty flatbreads and ten catties of cooked bones. I’m treating these fine men to a meal.”
Seeing someone intervene, the woman muttered a few sarcastic remarks but fell silent. Shao Jie breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward to express his gratitude. “Thank you, Brother Wu Song. If it weren’t for you, we’d have…”
“Hey, when you’re away from home, it’s just a helping hand. Besides, my sister will be relying on you all for escort along the way. This is nothing.”
As the two spoke, Zhao Chunmei walked in from outside. Though she had only been away from Yanggu County for about a month, her appearance had changed completely. She now wore a lotus-colored cross-collared ruqun with a silk beizi over it, and a white begonia flower adorned her hair. Compared to her reserved demeanor as a maid, she now had a touch of youthful charm.
Wu Song smiled at the sight of her and quickly beckoned her over. “This is Brother Shao, the person in charge of this trip. If you have any difficulties, just speak to him directly.”
Zhao Chunmei didn’t hesitate and stepped forward to greet him.
Having accepted the favor, and feeling quite fond of the siblings, Shao Jie naturally agreed to everything. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they parted ways. Only then did Wu Song speak earnestly, “From what I’ve seen, this Shao fellow doesn’t seem like a tough character. The world outside is chaotic these days, and this journey will take at least six or seven days. Be careful.”
Zhao Chunmei nodded. After leaving Yanggu County with Wu Song and Wu Da, they had no fixed destination, fearing that Ximen Qing might cause trouble later. They traveled southward, passing through several places before finally settling down when they felt it was safe enough.
Afterwards, they began making plans for the future. Wu Song had an acquaintance in Huaizhou and intended to take his elder brother there, inviting Zhao Chunmei to join them along the way. However, upon hearing this, Zhao Chunmei politely declined with some regret, stating frankly that she had other places she wished to go.
Wu Song was puzzled. “Sister, do you wish to return to your hometown? If so, I would gladly accompany you.”
Zhao Chunmei shook her head. “My parents passed away long ago, and my only uncle died in a flood a few years back. With no family or friends left, what would I do returning home?”
“Then where do you intend to go?”
“I want to try my luck in Tokyo.” Zhao Chunmei gazed into the distance. Similar to modern society, major cities during this time were more suitable for women to live in. Places like Tokyo and Lin’an often had examples of women opening shops and running businesses. In contrast, in Yanggu County, married women like Pan Jinlian tried to avoid crowds even when going out on the streets.
It could only be said that, in the midst of misfortune, she was fortunate to have transmigrated into the Northern Song Dynasty, where the strict separation between men and women was not yet severe. Although women’s status was low, it was not difficult for ordinary women to appear in public. Had it been the Ming or Qing Dynasties, even with all her abilities, Zhao Chunmei would have found it impossible to make her way.
Upon hearing this, the Wu brothers not only did not try to stop her but instead greatly admired Zhao Chunmei’s ambition and determination. After discussing it, they took out the gold and silver seized from Ximen Qing’s house and handed it all to the young woman, intending it as her startup funds.
“I can’t accept this! Absolutely not!” Zhao Chunmei repeatedly refused.
Wu Dalang tried to persuade her. “Please take it. After all, it was thanks to your strategies that we obtained this. We brothers are grown men with hands and feet—how could we possibly lack money? Tokyo is a place with high living costs, and it’s always good to have extra funds.”
After much persuasion, Zhao Chunmei reluctantly accepted half of the money, firmly refusing to take the rest. Even this amount alone was enough for her to live comfortably in Bianjing for ten years.
Later, they found a group in the area that happened to be escorting goods to Tokyo. They had already taken on a job for another family and were unwilling to add more people. Wu Song appealed to their emotions and paid extra silver, and only then did they reluctantly agree.
The meal was finished, and the time for parting had arrived. However, Wu Da was nowhere to be seen. Shao Jie was already urging them to leave, and with no other choice, Zhao Chunmei reluctantly bid farewell to Wu Song.
“Wait!” Just as she turned to leave, Wu Da’s voice called out from afar. He ran over, panting heavily, and handed a large bundle to Zhao Chunmei.
“I don’t have anything valuable to give, but I do have some skill in making baked cakes. Last night, I found a noodle shop and made a few cakes so you won’t have to worry about going hungry.”
“Brother Shao is experienced and has already prepared rations. Why did you go to such trouble, brother?” Wu Song said, both amused and exasperated.
But Wu Dalang insisted that no one else’s baked cakes tasted as good as his.
Seeing the redness in his eyes and thinking about how inconvenient ancient transportation was—how this parting might mean they would never meet again in this lifetime—Zhao Chunmei couldn’t help but feel a lump in her throat.
She stepped forward and grasped both their hands, wanting to say something, but all the words she had in mind condensed into a simple phrase. “Take care, both of you, elder brothers!”
Wu Song and Wu Da were taken aback for a moment before clasping their hands and smiling. “Take care!” They then watched as Zhao Chunmei walked away into the distance.
…
In previous lives watching historical dramas, one would often see scenes of escorts delivering goods over great distances. But in reality, it wasn’t until the Song dynasty that the escort profession became slightly more standardized. This was partly due to the rapid development of the commodity economy during the Song dynasty, where many merchants transported and sold goods nationwide, gradually increasing the demand for logistics. Another reason was that the Song dynasty was the era with the most frequent peasant uprisings; even on official roads, bandits were often encountered, making it very dangerous for ordinary people to travel alone.
Teams like Shao Jie’s were not only registered with the government but also required to keep detailed records of every person or item they escorted. Overall, they were quite trustworthy.
The escort team consisted of eight people and two oxcarts. The rear cart carried financial documents, while the front cart seated Zhao Chunmei and the family of four.
Throughout the journey, the male head of the family held a scroll in his hands, mumbling something with his eyes closed. The shrewish middle-aged woman wore a sour expression, while the younger son’s eyes darted around, his gaze lingering intentionally or unintentionally on Zhao Chunmei. The only relatively normal one was the eldest daughter, who appeared to be around Zhao Chunmei’s age. After exchanging glances, she offered a timid smile.
Zhao Chunmei nodded in response, feeling somewhat helpless inwardly. She sighed quietly, thinking what a troublesome family they were, clearly not easy to get along with. Thus, she spent the journey turned sideways, watching the scenery and avoiding conversation with them.
Thanks to official travel documents, the group was able to stay at a courier station that night. Although the conditions were rudimentary, it was still better than sleeping rough. This was only the first day; the following days wouldn’t be as comfortable, so everyone tried to rest as much as possible.
Due to Wu Song’s request, Shao Jie did show Zhao Chunmei some extra consideration, arranging a relatively large room for her at the courier station. The room even had a bathtub for bathing. For just one copper coin, the stationmaster would provide steaming hot water for a bath.
During dinner that evening, Zhao Chunmei took the initiative to inquire about the origins of that family. To be honest, since her transmigration, this was the first time she had encountered such arrogant people. It felt as though their eyes were raised to the heavens, as if they would rather speak through their nostrils.
“Hah, how could they not be arrogant? They’re imperial relatives,” Shao Jie remarked sarcastically.
Zhao Chunmei initially thought he was joking, but she soon learned that they were indeed descendants of the Zhao family.
According to Shao Jie, the male head of the family belonged to the lineage of Prince Wei Zhao Tingmei. The name Zhao Tingmei might be little known to later generations, but he was actually the younger brother of Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, and Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi. Originally, the “Golden Casket Alliance” stipulated that Taizu would pass the throne to Taizong, Taizong to Zhao Tingmei, and Zhao Tingmei back to Taizu’s son Zhao Dezhao. However, as everyone knows, the final outcome was that Taizong directly passed the throne to his own son. Zhao Tingmei went from being the designated heir to a “cyber emperor.” Although he had campaigned alongside his brothers and was quite capable, his status became increasingly awkward.
Soon, court officials began accusing Zhao Tingmei of arrogance, extravagance, and harboring rebellious intentions. In the end, Zhao Tingmei was demoted repeatedly from his princely rank and died depressed in Fangzhou at the age of thirty-eight.
Even their ancestors lived in such misery, so naturally their descendants fared no better. Although this branch occasionally gained imperial favor and secured honorary titles, overall their lives remained quite difficult. And that wasn’t all—over time, as the imperial clan’s population gradually swelled, the court not only reduced their subsidies but also relocated them away from Dongjing City, forbidding them from returning at will.
Although the man bore the surname Zhao, he was actually already beyond the fifth degree of mourning kinship, living a tight-fisted existence. Fortunately, the Song dynasty hadn’t completely blocked the path for the imperial clan; after Emperor Shenzong, they were permitted to take the Imperial Examination. No matter how wretched their circumstances, Zhao family descendants always had more access to education than ordinary folk. The man was fortunate—this time, he was traveling to the capital to sit for the exams.
Upon hearing this, Chunmei couldn’t help but click her tongue in amazement. No wonder Shao Jie tolerated them to such an extent. Though they were as poor as could be, if one truly crossed paths with them, they were still not people ordinary commoners like herself could afford to provoke.
Just then, the innkeeper’s voice came from upstairs, “Madam Pang, the water is ready for you.”
“Coming!” Chunmei responded cheerfully before heading upstairs, humming a tune as she undressed.
Originally thinking she’d have to eat, drink, and relieve herself on the road, she hadn’t expected to have a room to stay in along the way. Chunmei was easily satisfied, so her mood was excellent.
However, just as she removed her outer garment and bent over to test the water temperature, she suddenly saw a dark shadow flash past outside the room.
Chunmei’s nerves instantly tightened. Traveling alone as a woman in ancient times, even if someone were to break in and harm her secretly, it likely wouldn’t cause much of a stir. So, she could only rely on herself to be extra cautious.
She ladled a large basin of hot water and continued undressing calmly, as if nothing were amiss. Sure enough, the person outside was mesmerized by the sight, completely absorbed and entirely unaware that the young woman was slowly moving toward them.
When the distance seemed about right, Chunmei swiftly darted forward and forcefully splashed the hot water outside. Accompanied by a piercing wail of agony, she retrieved a dagger from her bundle for self-defense and simultaneously shouted downstairs, “Pervert! There’s a villain trying to harm me!!”
With such a commotion upstairs, the others had long since heard it and rushed up in a crowd. However, upon seeing the scene before them, they all froze in place.
“My son!! Oh, my son!! What happened to you?!” The woman, seeing her son rolling on the ground in pain, immediately wailed and threw herself forward.
The boy had been splashed with hot water, but fortunately, the window screen had provided some barrier. Though a large area of his skin was reddened, at least his face wasn’t scarred. Perhaps aware he had caused trouble, he covered his face and sobbed, hiding in his mother’s embrace, too afraid to come out.
Seeing this, the woman pointed at Chunmei and cursed vehemently, “You damned little harlot! Who gave you the nerve to hurt my son?!”
Chunmei, now wearing only her undergarments, sneered coldly in response to the woman’s accusation. “Your son was peeping at me while I bathed, and I caught him. What’s wrong with me giving him a slight punishment?”
“Nonsense! My son is only ten years old this year! What does he understand?! I think it’s you, you seductress, trying to latch onto the imperial clan by deliberately tempting him!” The woman paid no heed to reason, twisting the facts despite the evidence and witnesses.
Her daughter, seeing more and more people gathering around, couldn’t help but step forward and tug at her mother’s sleeve, pleading, “Mother, maybe we should discuss this privately.”
The woman slapped her across the face in retaliation, scolding angrily, “You ungrateful wretch! Your brother has been beaten, and now you’re siding with outsiders, is that it?!”
The daughter covered her face and sobbed softly, not daring to speak again. Not only that, but the woman also flailed her arms and threatened to report to the authorities, demanding that Zhao Chunmei be arrested for the crime of plotting against the imperial family.
“Fine! Let’s go to the authorities right now. I heard that not long ago, a case of an imperial clan member from Yingtian Prefecture oppressing commoners resulted in him being demoted to a commoner. I’d like to see who ends up worse off if this blows up!” Zhao Chunmei refused to back down, still holding the sharp knife in her hand, glaring fiercely at the crowd.
At this moment, the male head of the household, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally stepped forward. He cleared his throat twice and put on an act, saying, “Let it go, let it go. There must be some misunderstanding here. My son is usually the most well-behaved and would never do what you said. Since you’re just a woman, we won’t bother arguing with you. Just apologize to us, and we’ll consider the matter closed.”
Shao Jie also stepped in at the right moment, saying to Zhao Chunmei, “Yes, come on, apologize to Master Zhao. Since we’re all traveling together, it’s fate. We’ll have to get along for the next few days, so we should take care of each other.”
Everyone around them began to mediate as well, making it seem as though the young woman had truly done something wrong.
No matter how eloquent Zhao Chunmei was, she couldn’t contend with so many voices. She glanced around and finally decided it was better to avoid immediate trouble. Lowering her head, she said to the cowering boy, word by word, “I’m. Sorry!”
Faced with her gaze that seemed as if she wanted to devour him, the boy trembled even more. The woman still wanted to cause trouble, but Zhao Chunmei had already taken the lead and returned to her room, slamming the door shut with a loud “bang.”
Leaving the people outside staring at each other in bewilderment.