Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 224 - 158 Provincial Capital_2

Chapter 224: Chapter 158 Provincial Capital_2

Before today, Wong Liang had never seen Cheng Yue, and upon catching a glimpse of her, he too was astounded by her beauty. He had heard that the daughter-in-law from the Qian’s third wife was as beautiful as a celestial being but had thought it an exaggeration. He assumed that country folks, not having seen the world, thought any fair-skinned and good-looking woman was a heavenly beauty. Today, though he dared not look closely, even a fleeting glance was enough for him to admit that not even one of the ladies in the Song Mansion could match Lady Cheng’s appearance.

Qian Sangui was seated in the carriage with his grandchildren and Tiaotiao, while Wong Liang and Qian Hua sat outside.

The carriage was often used to haul goods from the countryside, so it was quite large. Even after it was loaded with belongings from both Butler Wong’s family and the Qian family, there was still ample space left. Wong Liang, considerate as ever, knew of Qian Sangui’s poor health and had made his seating area more comfortable, so he could lean back and rest.

Qian Sangui expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Elder Wong."

Wong Liang smiled and replied, "Third Uncle Qian, you are my elder, there’s no need for such formalities."

The carriage stopped at the entrance to Darong Village, where Wan Dazhong was waiting. Wan Dazhong boarded but did not enter the carriage and instead squeezed in to sit with Wong Liang and Qian Hua on the outside.

Riding in a carriage was both boring and uncomfortable. Despite opening the small curtains on either side and the front drapes, the interior was still stuffy and constantly jostling. The siblings initially enjoyed the ride, but after passing Xishan County Town, they began to feel drowsy and soon fell asleep. Qian Sangui, leaning back in his chair, had already drifted off, and even the lively Tiaotiao had started to nod off.

The men outside were having a lively and joyful conversation.

By noon, they had arrived in Wenhua County in the neighboring district. Before entering the city gate, Wong Liang suggested they let the horse rest a bit and feed it some fine fodder. When traveling, horses are more valuable than people.

They found a small restaurant where the server, familiar with Wong Liang, greeted them warmly before taking the horse to the back yard to feed it.

The restaurant was called Guangxing Wine Shop, a modest establishment frequented by traveling merchants.

Qian Hua helped Qian Sangui down from the carriage, while Wan Dazhong kept a tight grip on Qian Yijin’s hand, urging him to keep his sister close as well, as there were many pickpockets around. Upon hearing this, Qian Yijin nervously clutched his sister’s hand even tighter.

The group, along with their dog, entered the wine shop and settled around a table. Wong Liang ordered a few dishes and a jug of wine.

Qian Yijin also asked the server to bring a bowl for Tiaotiao.

The siblings relished the simple home-cooked dishes. Perhaps to give the horses a longer rest, the men leisurely sipped their wine, and the meal stretched over an hour. In between, Wan Dazhong ordered a few more dishes. Once finished, Wong Liang and Qian Hua tried to pay the bill but were beaten by Wan Dazhong.

In the afternoon, the carriage journey continued. To save time, they didn’t stop for dinner, eating snacks brought from the Qian family instead.

The Great Qian Kingdom adhered to Xu Hour as the closing time for the city, which in the past would have been 8:08 pm.

At the beginning of the Xu Hour, the carriage finally crossed the Guarding City River and entered Xizhou Mansion, the provincial town. With the lights just beginning to sparkle, shops on both sides of the streets were still open, lanterns hung high outside the buildings, and candlelight shined through from inside, creating a bustling and prosperous scene.

The Daqian only enforced curfews at significant moments, so the nights were usually bustling and prosperous, especially in the provincial towns.

Yixiu reflected deeply, feeling that everything had changed – a year ago, she’d arrived here as a ghost, but now she was human.

Qian Sangui’s eyes reddened. He had dreamt of this place on countless nights, thinking he would never return in his lifetime, yet here he was. Although he was now missing a leg, his current wealth was something he wouldn’t have dared dream of during his years as a convoy escort.

Back then, his greatest wish was to save up five hundred silver taels to ensure a life free of financial worries for his parents, wife, and children. A wish he, even with a desperate effort, couldn’t fulfill himself was realized thanks to his granddaughter’s fortune.

Wong Liang had been to Qian Sigui’s house before and directly led them to a small street by the city’s edge. The narrow road and low houses immediately indicated it was a poor area.

Qian Sigui’s residence consisted of a small courtyard with four rooms facing the front and four on the left. The main rooms housed people, one of the left wing rooms was a pastry-baking room, another a storage room, one was a kitchen, and the smallest one a latrine.

On the right side was a shared wall with the adjacent courtyard. Beneath it was a chicken coop with a few chickens.

In the center of the courtyard stood a towering tree, taller than the house itself.

Even this modest courtyard was rented by the Qian Sigui family for one silver tael a month.