On the carriage, Emperor Cheng held a book, reading and gnawing on a salted mustard stalk...
The white salt particles had been knocked off by Eunuch Zhao, leaving only the dark mustard flesh, with several bite marks remaining.
This salted mustard stalk was specially prepared by the Imperial Kitchen at Emperor Cheng's request. He had grown up in the countryside when he was very young and loved to gnaw on such things.
Especially while reading and gnawing, it was simply unparalleled...
Jin Xiaolou looked at Emperor Cheng, then at the not-too-large bookshelf behind him, and after a moment of hesitation, he spoke, "You're not a merchant, are you!~"
Emperor Cheng was slightly taken aback, glanced at Jin Xiaolou, and then withdrew his gaze, "Why do you ask?"
Did he look so unlike someone who did business?
Jin Xiaolou organized his thoughts and said with unclear pronunciation, "What merchant is as down-and-out as this old uncle?"
In his impression, weren't all merchants fat, stout, old, and greasy?
But the person before him was as thin as a reed, dressed in rags, and had a smell about him; he didn't look like a merchant at all.
But strangely, why did so many people rush out to protect this little old man just now?
Moreover, the carriage was decorated luxuriously, which didn't match the old man's attire. What was going on...
Emperor Cheng put down the book, picked up his pipe, and smiled, "Can't an old man want to be low-key? Also, looking at your appearance, you're not from our Daliang Kingdom at all. Where exactly did you come from?"
This kid's identity was too suspicious. He was either an illegitimate son of a prominent family or had fled from overseas...
Jin Xiaolou lowered his head, "I don't remember!~"
"Don't remember?" Emperor Cheng exhaled a smoke ring and narrowed his eyes, "I think you just don't want to say it!"
As long as this kid didn't do anything to harm the people or bring disaster to the populace, there was no harm in giving him a ride...
He was only afraid that he was a spy from some country, specifically here to gather intelligence.
Emperor Cheng had seen countless people and was very astute. He knew that some countries would resort to any means to steal intelligence, let alone send a child to block his carriage.
Jin Xiaolou remained silent.
For his own safety, he really couldn't say anything, otherwise, his life would be in danger...
"Fine, fine!~" Emperor Cheng picked up the book again, "If you don't want to say it, then don't. When we find a farming household, I'll send you away!"
"Old uncle, I want to go with you. Please don't send me away, okay?" Jin Xiaolou panicked instantly.
Emperor Cheng turned a page of the book and said nothing.
At the same time, in another carriage.
Xiao Jinheng looked at the milk in front of him and frowned, "Little village boy, where did this milk come from?"
If she said she picked it up, he would smash his head against the carriage wall...
As expected of a little monster, she could conjure anything.
Little Xi Tian blinked her big eyes, "This is mare's milk! I just squeezed it from the big horse that Uncle Huang is pulling the carriage!"
"Really?" Xiao Jinheng looked skeptical.
What he didn't know was that the horse Emperor Cheng was pulling was a stallion, so where would the milk come from?
"Oh, hurry up and drink it..." Little Xi Tian pushed the bowl towards him again.
The stinky boy had just recovered from his cold, but his throat was still hoarse. Drinking some milk would be good for him.
More importantly, there was excess milk in the space, and it would spoil if not drunk soon.
Xiao Jinheng held the large bowl and took a small sip, "Hmm? Something's not right!~"
He had drunk milk often before and knew what it tasted like...
This in the bowl was clearly not mare's milk.
"What's wrong?" Little Xi Tian asked him.
Xiao Jinheng hooked the corner of his lips, drank the milk in one gulp, and said nothing.
Alas, forget it. He wouldn't be surprised if the little monster plucked the stars and the moon from the sky someday.
He was used to it...
After leaving this barren land, a few scattered households began to appear on both sides of the official road.
Emperor Cheng asked Eunuch Zhao to inquire if there were any families willing to take in a child.
Upon asking, he learned that these farming households were so poor they couldn't even afford to eat, and they were barely getting enough food. They would be happy to send their own children away, so how could they dare to take in another child...
After visiting more than ten households, no one wanted the child.
Emperor Cheng sighed, "Since that's the case, let's take him to Dashui Village for now!~"
He heard that Prefect Chen's family only had a daughter and no sons. If this child were sent there, he probably wouldn't refuse...
Dashui Village, Old Yun's Family.
"Erman, hang that red silk higher and tie it securely, don't let the wind blow it down!" Old Man Yun shouted from the main entrance.
In a few days, Yun Erman and Du Tieshan would be getting married, and the Yun family was preparing for the wedding!
Yun Erman climbed the ladder and pulled the red silk higher, "Dad, does this look okay?"
"Not okay, not okay, it's too low!" Old Man Yun was still not satisfied.
Yun Erman: "..."
Dad, you might as well hang this thing in the sky.
Yun Daman and Zhao Guihua sat in the courtyard shelling corn kernels. This task was very laborious. Without machines, it would take one or two days to shell a sack...
Once ground into cornmeal, it could be used to make flatbread, steamed buns, or sour soup. Even without grinding it into flour, it could be cooked into coarse grain porridge.
"Guihua, my heart is pounding. Is it safe for Jinhe to go to school so far away? He's never traveled far from home since he was born..." Yun Daman said worriedly.
Zhao Guihua heard this, casually tossed aside the husked corn cob, and smiled, "Children grow up and have to leave their parents. What's the use of you worrying? Just you wait, our Jinhe will surely have a bright future. He'll become a high official in the capital and get married. Even if we don't benefit from it, we'll be happy!~"
"How can we not benefit?" Yun Sanman glared at her, reached out, and patted the dust off Zhao Guihua's sleeve, "Jinhe is our son. When we're old and can't move, if he doesn't take care of us, I'll beat him up..."
Zhao Guihua heard this and chuckled, then sighed, "Alas, Jinhe is going to study out of town, and we need money for everything at home and outside. It seems our little restaurant can't be opened anymore!~"
She had the skill to cook, so opening a small restaurant wouldn't be a problem, but the main issue was the lack of money!
She had even asked Daman to look for a place in the county town before. The rent on less desirable streets would be cheaper, but on main streets, the rent was already expensive...
And those places were more suitable for opening large restaurants, not small ones.
"You're still thinking about this?" Yun Sanman wiped the sweat from his brow, "If Mom and Dad don't agree, nothing will work. You wait a bit longer. Third brother said he'll deal with furs and dried goods in winter. By then, I'll work with third brother on a few trips, save some money, and then you can open your restaurant!~"
Zhao Guihua was quite touched...
No matter what, Daman always cared about her the most.
Just then, a scream suddenly came from the guest room.