Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Chapter 99: This official road is truly difficult to traverse.

The carriage wheels rolled over the official road, producing a monotonous "rumbling" sound.

This sound became the fading background noise of Qingshi Town.

The carriage did not travel at breakneck speed through the night.

As soon as dusk began to settle, the cart driver, Old Chen, pulled on the reins, steering the carriage to the leeward side of a gentle slope.

Not far away, a small stream gurgled, its sound exceptionally clear in the night.

"Gentlemen, we'll rest here tonight," Old Chen said, jumping down from the driver's seat and deftly unhitching the horses. "Traveling at night wears out the horses and makes people anxious. This area is open, close to water, safe."

Xu Qing emerged from the carriage, surveying the surroundings.

The wilderness was silent, only the rustling of wind through grass.

He nodded. "Uncle Chen is experienced. We'll follow your lead."

Su Ming got down afterwards. He walked to the stream, scooped up a handful of water to wash his face. The icy stream water refreshed him.Soon, a campfire was lit.

Orange-red flames danced, dispelling the chill of the autumn night, casting three swaying shadows on the ground.

Old Chen fished a hard, flatbread from his pocket and took big bites, washing it down with water from his waterskin.

Xu Qing, meanwhile, took out the notebook he never parted with from his blue homespun cloth bundle, along with a piece of charcoal pencil.

By the firelight, he meticulously recorded in his notebook.

"Twenty-third year of the Qiyuan era of Daxing, autumn, the third day of the ninth month. Departed Qingshi Town, traveled approximately forty li, camped below Apricot Blossom Ridge. Cart fare prepaid two hundred wen, provisions..."

His handwriting was neat, meticulous, as if he were transcribing a classical text.

Su Ming watched him, not disturbing.

Lin Yu's lazy voice sounded in Su Ming's mind. "We handle the fighting, he handles the money and accounts. Perfect match!"

Su Ming replied mentally, "Brother Xu is a gentleman, not comparable to a mere accountant."

"Hey, that's what makes it good. A gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it through proper means. Trustworthy."

Old Chen finished half his flatbread, drank some water, and sighed.

"Gentlemen, is this your first time heading to the capital?"

Xu Qing stopped writing and looked up. "Yes, Uncle Chen. You seem very familiar with this route."

"Familiar, too familiar." Old Chen tapped the mud off his shoe sole with his pipe. "Make this trip at least seven or eight times a year. But this year's situation is different from previous years."

He lowered his voice, gesturing southward with his chin.

"Unsettled."

"A few days ago, on my way back from a delivery, just outside Luocheng, I ran into a group fleeing from Yingzhou in the south. Whole families, a miserable sight. Said there's a severe drought there, crops failed completely, the government's relief grain is delayed, so they had to come out seeking a way to survive."

Old Chen's face was full of wrinkles left by wind and hardship, looking even deeper under the firelight.

"When people are hungry, they'll do anything. I've heard that on several southern roads, some have already turned to banditry. We're on the official road, fine during the day, but at night we must keep our eyes sharp."

Xu Qing's expression turned serious. He noted Old Chen's words in his notebook too, drawing a circle at the end as a key mark.

"Thank you for the warning, Uncle Chen. Tonight, we'll take turns keeping watch."

Su Ming spoke up.

Xu Qing took out two pieces of dried meat wrapped in oil paper from his bag, handing one to Old Chen and the other to Su Ming.

"Uncle Chen, you've worked hard. Have something to fill your stomach."

Old Chen looked at the glossy dried meat, chuckled, didn't stand on ceremony, and accepted it.

Su Ming took the dried meat, held it near the fire to warm it. The fat sizzled, aroma wafting.

He noticed Xu Qing himself was still eating the most ordinary flatbread.

He broke off half of his warmed dried meat and offered it to Xu Qing.

"Let's eat together."

Xu Qing was taken aback, about to decline, but met Su Ming's calm gaze.

He said no more, accepted it, and ate it silently in small bites.

The night deepened.

Xu Qing and Old Chen had already wrapped themselves in blankets and fallen asleep by the carriage, emitting soft snores.

Su Ming sat cross-legged by the campfire, adding a dry branch.

He closed his eyes and extended his spiritual sense.

The surrounding world instantly became different.

The sound of wind, insect chirps, the crackling of burning flames all became crystal clear, as if right by his ear.

His perception spread out silently in all directions like water.

He "heard" a night owl landing on a dead branch a li away, preening its feathers.

He "heard" several small fish chasing and playing among rocks downstream.

He could even vaguely "sense" that about two li southeast, there was another campfire, along with over a dozen chaotic, noisy auras. Those auras carried hunger, exhaustion, and a trace of barely noticeable restlessness.

Refugees.

was telling

Yu's voice held a note of satisfaction. "The scanning radius of this human radar can already cover

"Master, I sensed them."

pitiful, hungry people. Far from us. As long as they're not stupid, they won't provoke a carriage with official

his eyes, looking up at

Milky Way was brilliant, eternal

in their studies, some toiled for their livelihood,

said the

wasn't just the capital's wind

third day of travel, the outline of a majestic

Luocheng had arrived.

still

the

carts, carrying loads on shoulder poles, driving donkeys,

turn, a soldier who looked like a squad leader walked over, an impatient

from? Where

driver, Old Chen, offered a smile and handed over the

glance, was about to wave them through when

besides Old Chen's information, two lines clearly written: "Daxing Bingchen Examination Cycle New Provincial Graduates

leader's expression

vanished without a trace, replaced by

at the waist, respectfully returning the passes to Old Chen with

two Provincial Graduate gentlemen! This lowly one failed to recognize your

turned and shouted at several soldiers still

fools! If you delay the gentlemen

congested gate

personally ran to the carriage

"Gentlemen, please!"

saw all this clearly. His face showed no expression, but his

remained calm

carriage smoothly

at least ten times more prosperous than

in rows: wine houses, tea houses, silk

inn first, then go check

"Good, as you arrange."

Chen took them to

seeing their status as Provincial Graduates, was even more attentive, immediately

Xu Qing pulled

houses, but headed straight into several bustling,

rice and cloth

seemed to have a natural nose for

grabbed a handful of rice, weighed it in his hand,

how much for this

Top-quality official field rice,

dou," Xu Qing put down the rice and

re-examining this plainly dressed

seeing you're a scholar, I'll give it to you

said nothing more, and pulled Su Ming

walked, rapidly recording in his small notebook.

Ming, watching his focused

honed

Qing took Su

several times larger than Xu Qing's bookstall in Qingshi Town. Rows of bookshelves were filled with

like a fish in

at the classics or histories, but headed straight to a corner where stacks of newly printed contemporary essay collections were

up,

capital this year," the shopkeeper, a thin middle-aged man,

you know who the chief examiners for this year's Metropolitan Examination might

esteemed in the capital are still the Grand Secretary Zhang, and the Hanlin Academy Chancellor, Lord Wang. Their literary styles, one majestic and vigorous, the other steep and sharp, both masterful

more questions about the capital's major scholarly schools

picked two of the latest contemporary essay compilations and

are..." Su Ming was

Qing put the books into his travel pack. "The examination hall is like a battlefield. While the essay's quality is paramount, if one can somewhat gauge the chief examiners' preferences, it

Su Ming nodded.

made him

leave, Su Ming's

Yu's voice sounded in his mind, carrying a

landed on the entrance of

pharmacy was named "Hundred Herbs Hall," its

the most prominent counter, laid with red cloth, sat an old mountain ginseng under a glass

ginseng was plump in form, with numerous fibrous roots. A wooden

faintly emitted a weak vitality, completely

of

"Master, this ginseng..."

years of age, yet dares claim fifty. But for mortals, this thing truly is a good life-saving

in obscure corners, or

in Luocheng,

they went, the heavier the

appearing by the roadside in twos and

were sallow and thin, eyes dull and numb, sitting by the road in

would follow behind carriages, extending grimy little hands, silently

provisions from his bundle and distributed

The provisions he carried were

to the carriage, saying nothing, only the

the important town

and deep moats, a military stronghold for north-south

the city gate was several times stricter

stretched

the city, several idlers in worn short jackets, looking shiftless,

gazes, with ill intent, swept over the

man with

the carriage side, lightly tapping the carriage with a short stick

yellow teeth. "This road isn't easy. My brothers and I happen

cart driver Old Chen's face changed.

carriage, Xu Qing also tensely gripped the self-defense short cudgel