The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 194: Get Out of the Way!

Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Get Out of the Way!

Because there were so many students, many of whom brought their families with them, quite a few houses nearby the Academy were long-let to these students and their families.

Gradually, the area around the Academy had become just as bustling and prosperous as the county town itself.

Wang Yongzhu had a good idea of the situation and thought that Wang Yongan’s family must be living in a house they had long-rented or purchased near the Academy.

After inquiring about everything she wanted to know, Wang Yongzhu asked some questions regarding the Tianfeng Escort Agency’s service of escorting mountain goods.

The Dahei Mountain range stretched on for who knows how many miles, sustaining the residents living at the edge of these mountains. Most of them relied on their fields to make a living, but there were also those bold and skilled or desperate from life’s pressures who would venture into the mountains during the spring and autumn to gather mountain products.

They would then sell them to merchants, who, after acquiring the mountain goods, would employ the escort agency to transport them to the county town, take them downstream via waterways, and distribute these mountain products across the country.

The Tianfeng Escort Agency, originally based in the provincial capital, saw this business opportunity and established a branch in Jing County, as well as in several slightly more prosperous small towns below it. By protecting these merchants and mountain goods, they not only made a profit in silver but also built up a considerable reputation.

As for Wang Yongzhu, she knew almost nothing about this time and space apart from Qilidun, so this information was crucial to her.

All along the road, Wang Yongzhu played the part of a country girl, naive and longing for the outside world, showing interest in everything and asking about everything. She greatly satisfied Laoliu’s vanity as a man; one asked, the other answered, leaving Wang Yongping and Song Chongjin out of the conversation.

Wang Yongping had things on his mind and couldn’t sleep on the swaying cart. It bugged him that his little sister and that Laoliu were talking, and he couldn’t get a word in. They had been traveling for half the day, and there wasn’t much to see on the way—just mountains and more mountains, which he found extremely dull.

So he nudged Song Chongjin lightly, "Brother Song, what are you going to do in the county town?"

Song Chongjin opened his eyes and glanced at him, "To find someone!"

"You’re also going to find someone? Who?" Wang Yongping finally perked up a bit.

Wang Yongzhu heard this and turned her head to look at Song Chongjin, meeting his dark, heavy gaze, which took Wang Yongzhu by surprise.

Then Song Chongjin closed his eyes again.

Wang Yongzhu was just about to ask Laoliu some more about the world outside when she saw that the caravan ahead had gradually come to a stop.

Laoliu, who was experienced and often traveled this route, alerted everyone, "We’re coming up to a slope, everyone get off!"

With that, he jumped off the cart.

Wang Yongzhu and the other two also jumped off,

and they saw ahead, indeed, a winding steep slope appeared before them.

The front of the caravan had already begun to slowly ascend. Laoliu managed the carrying pole while slowly moving forward and turned back to call out, "Two big brothers, please push with a little more effort when we go up!"

Song Chongjin didn’t say anything, but Wang Yongping nodded readily.

The slope was long and steep, and it was difficult for the two mules to pull the carrying pole up in one go. That’s why by each cart there were always two men ready to push, and in the end, they had to push the cart in one burst of effort to the top of the slope to finish the job.

No wonder Tianfeng Escort Agency charged only ten coins and even included lunch—this was indeed hard labor.

At the beginning of the uphill climb, the mules could still pull the cart, but as they moved higher, it became increasingly difficult for them, and their pace slowed more and more. Occasionally, if a hoof slipped, the people beside the cart had to steady it to prevent it from sliding backward, for that could lead to nothing less than a ruined cart and injured mules.

Wang Yongzhu naturally felt awkward just standing there, so she stepped forward, about to roll up her sleeves, when Song Chongjin stepped up and blocked her way, "Put your sleeves down!"

"What?" Wang Yongzhu was stunned for a moment, then looked at her own wrist, which hadn’t seen the sun for a long time. Oh, it seemed to have paled, heightened by the effect of her beauty corset, her wrist looked pale, tender, and plump.

"You don’t need to help, just stay on the side and follow!" Song Chongjin glared at Wang Yongzhu, his ear tips unable to help turning red.

What was this woman doing? In front of everyone, she actually exposed her arms like that, what if other people saw it, what then?

Despite his irritation, he couldn’t help his eyes sneak a glance at that patch of snow-white skin.

He used to think Wang Yongzhu was just foolishly fat. Although she usually didn’t work in the fields and was nurtured by Old Granny Zhang at home, somehow her face still got tanned and round.

Now, seeing her wrist, he realized that she was actually fair-skinned, and shockingly so!

At that thought, Song Chongjin hurriedly shook his head, casting out the filthy thoughts that had just crossed his mind.

Wang Yongzhu looked around, then at Song Chongjin’s uncompromising attitude, thought for a moment, put down her sleeve, and obediently stood aside.

Anyway, with Song Chongjin and Wang Yongping present, it seemed she wouldn’t need to lift a finger, so she decided not to show off her strength. She was no masochist, and of course, she wouldn’t work if she didn’t have to.

Seeing Wang Yongzhu so compliant and well-behaved, Song Chongjin couldn’t help but curl his lips slightly, then promptly withdrew the smile.

With Wang Yongping and Song Chongjin, the mule-drawn cart climbed the slope quickly and steadily. Laoliu could not help whipping his whip in pride, fortunate that he encountered two strong men today, making the ascent so smooth.

If it had been the usual old folks, young ladies, young wives, or children, it would have been lucky if they did not add to the chaos.

Pleased, he flicked the whip, intending to push harder. Once they climbed the slope, he could rest and have lunch.

Unexpectedly, before the whip even hit the mule, he heard screams from above and Steward Lu’s loud shout, "Get out of the way quickly!"

Looking up, he saw a carriage in front, the mule for some reason perhaps stuck in a rut on a stone, unable to move, dragged downward, failing to brake its hooves, causing the whole carriage to start sliding down.

The people nearby didn’t manage to stabilize it in time, and that stretch was the steepest. Once the carriage started sliding, it was impossible for anyone to stop it.

The careering carriage quickly hurtled towards Laoliu’s, and if they didn’t avoid it in time, they would be crushed directly, their lives snuffed out.

Laoliu’s face turned pale with fright. He had encountered such an event before, when the Escort Agency’s shop assistants got injured, some mules died, and they lost quite a few mountain goods, resulting in the Escort Agency losing a good deal of money.

Now, to his misfortune, this accident happened to him. Loosening the reins, he was ready to abandon the cart and dive to the side.

Fortunately, he did not forget he had passengers, "Let go quickly, and get out of the way!"

Song Chongjin and Wang Yongping exchanged a look. If it were on flat ground, a maddened mule could be controlled, but given the situation, not dodging would be plain stupid.

Song Chongjin turned to find Wang Yongzhu, wanting to ensure her safety, only to see a blur before his eyes as a figure dashed past him, running forward two steps, right into the path of the sliding carriage.

"No—" Wang Yongping also witnessed the scene, his courage nearly shattered, he screamed heartrendingly.