Chapter 13: Clear Water Town

  Southern boats and northern horses, the main transportation in the north is naturally dominated by vehicles. In fact, the load capacity of ox carts is greater, but they are too slow, so long-distance transportation rarely uses ox carts. The Song Dynasty had few horse-producing areas, and the military was severely short of horses, and there were not many horses among the people, so long-distance transportation mainly relied on mules and donkeys as the main means of transportation.

  The Ding family managed to gather 200 carts of grain, 200 carts and mules, as well as thousands of strong men to escort them, all in just one night. This feat alone is enough to show the vast connections and influence the Ding family has in Ba Prefecture.

  However, the vehicles hastily gathered together were of all shapes and sizes, and the mules were also of various kinds. Xue Liang was unlucky, driving a cart pulled by a donkey, which had originally been used to transport human waste. Although it had been washed clean, there was still a faint smell, so he sat on the shaft with his face covered with a handkerchief and his face scrunched up like a bun.

  Especially when he saw Ding Hao driving a large cart pulled by two shiny black mules, walking in front of him with the wind, sometimes even Little Sister Ding would get off her horse and sit in his cart for a while. Ah-Chui couldn't help but sigh secretly: "Most people in this world are superficial, and Little Sister Ding is no exception. Actually... my carriage is better than that stupid old man's, why doesn't she come to my cart?"

  Ding Hao is a member of the Ding family, which is an undisputed fact known to many servants in the Ding household, although they keep it under wraps in front of Old Master Ding. Naturally, Ding Yulou also feels that this man with whom she shares a blood relationship is much closer to her than others, especially at times when the fate of the family hangs in the balance, and who is merely united by self-interest becomes crystal clear.

  Just like Liu Shiyi's distant nephew, because of Liu Shiyi's relationship, he also worked as a servant in the Ding family. Whenever there was something big or small happening at his uncle's house, he would go all out to help. During festivals and holidays, he would visit and send gifts more frequently than his own son. Comparing himself with Liu Shiyi, he always felt that his lazy son was useless and not filial enough to him, so he couldn't help but complain loudly.

  His daughter-in-law then pointed at his nose with a rolling pin and scolded him: "You blind old thing, your nephew is being filial to you because he thinks you're useful to him. Do you think people are really treating you like a father just because they're being nice? But it's different with your son - even though he became family through marriage, he's not as quick to visit as your nephew. Now that you're in charge of the outer courtyard, he's still your son; if you weren't in charge, he'd still be your son. As long as you're his father, he can't ignore you. What about your useless nephew who's not even related by blood?" And so Liu Eleven didn't dare fart anymore.

  Ding Yuluo was the same, when she was tired, exhausted and mentally worn out, she didn't want to expose her weakness in front of outsiders, but she couldn't help taking a break either. The only place where she could relax without pretending was Ding Haodi's big truck.

  Ding Yuluo rode on horseback, like a spirited man, riding a fine steed, circling the entire convoy non-stop, boosting morale, handling some problems caused by hasty preparations, arranging scouts to constantly explore the road ahead, and at any time discussing and revising the route with Liu Shiyi, Chen Feng, and Yang Ye, as if his energy was boundless and inexhaustible.

  But when she got off the horse and sat in Ding Hao's carriage, she was so exhausted that she didn't even want to lift her fingers. Only Ding Hao sitting next to her could see the anxiety and urgency deep in her eyes, as well as her extremely tired appearance. When they stopped to rest, Ding Hao moved the grain sacks around, creating a half-person-deep space for someone to lean against, which blocked the wind and made it easy to rest without revealing the exhaustion on the person's face. Although these actions were subtle, Ding Yu knew he was doing them for her, and she felt even closer to him in her heart.

  At this moment, she was sitting next to Ding Hao, leaning against a stack of grain, her legs spread apart, lazily slumping on the carriage board, just like a rough man, not showing any elegance of a noble lady. Now, only in front of Ding Hao could she be so relaxed.

  "Miss, don't be too anxious. I heard Brother Feng say that if we keep this speed, we'll arrive in Guangyuan at most three days late. Fortunately, Young Master left so early and gave us some buffer time."

  Feng Dazhang's whip was a cart-style whip lent to the Ding family when they were in trouble. The Ye family cart was the largest in the northwest, transporting people and goods, delivering letters, and taking on all kinds of tasks. During the New Year's holiday, most of the people at the Ye family cart had taken time off and didn't return until after the Lantern Festival. Feng Dazhang had no family, so he lived at the cart, traveling extensively throughout the south and north, gaining rich experience, and was particularly familiar with the road to Guangyuan, which is why he was invited to come along.

  Ding Yuluo shook off his fatigue, slowly straightened up his legs which were in an awkward position, and let out a soft sigh: "I know this, what I'm worried about is whether those bandits will come back again to cause us trouble. This journey is long and arduous, if something happens that delays our progress for too long, the grain won't arrive on time even if it's transported quickly. Moreover, with the heavy reward motivating everyone to take turns resting and traveling through the night, although we're making good time, it's hard to sustain this pace. Although Feng Da is used to walking long distances and can even sleep while driving a cart, he's getting old after all, but these temporary laborers and cart drivers won't be able to keep up if they have to walk for another two days."

  Ding Hao knew that Ding Yu Luo was telling the truth. Rushing on the road would not only exhaust people, but also the livestock. It wouldn't take long for them to slow down. If they did, it would be difficult to determine when they could arrive at Guangyuan. Maybe they would be late by five days, eight days, or even ten days or half a month. If the border army lost the battle against the Tartars due to food shortages, the fate of the Ding family could be imagined. They would have to take responsibility for the countless soldiers and civilians who died in vain at Guangyuan.

  Ding Hao has no feelings for the Ding family, whether it's the dignified and elegant Ding Tingxun, the never-before-seen Ding Chengzong, or the spoiled and dissolute Ding Chengye. Perhaps only his younger half-sister shares a relatively warm relationship with him. However, his current fate is still closely tied to the Ding family. His mother, Yang Shi, whom he has gradually accepted in his heart, is also part of the Ding family. This is an emotional bond that cannot be severed. If the Ding family were to decline, what would become of Yang Shi, who had signed away her freedom? And as for him, with no foundation in this world and no social connections except for a few words with Xue Liang, where would he go from here?

  Starting from scratch is not something that can be achieved by just talking about it with a silver tongue. In modern society, interpersonal relationships are highly valued, and in ancient times, they were even more so. Without social connections and familiarity with the local customs and people, nothing can be accomplished.

  During the New Year, the Ding family prepared a large number of gift cards, including officials, accountants, and even the town's tax collectors and runners. Ding Hao was moved by this and thought to himself that he was still quite presentable in terms of appearance, although his writing skills were not great, but he could still recognize most characters, and if he had to count, he would only be considered semi-illiterate, but if he were to find a job as a runner in the government office, he might just barely qualify.

  But after listening to a dozen, I realized that it's better not to think about it. Although characters like Tax Ding and Chaoyi appear in plays as minor characters, they are actually ancient civil servants in real life. The treatment of civil servants in the Song Dynasty was quite good, absolutely more difficult to take than civil servants over 1,000 years later. Even if his ancestors were clean for eight generations, he might not have had that opportunity, let alone his current identity.

  Even a shop assistant who is more incompetent than a tax collector can't do it. A shop assistant has to remember the 28 dishes ordered by seven tables of customers in one breath, report the dish names to the kitchen with beautiful and melodious folk songs, carry over ten plates of dishes from the kitchen without spilling a single drop of soup from shoulder to fingertips. Is such a memory expert, folk song singer and acrobat something that anyone can do?

  So for now he still needs a place to settle down, or even use the Ding family as a starting point for his own life. As long as it's possible, he has to do his best for the Ding family.

  After a long silence, Ding Hao said softly: "Don't think too much, big sister. Having too many thoughts and worries won't help anything, but will only make yourself exhausted. Let's do our best. I think those bandits won't be watching the Ding family all the time. Besides, this time we've gathered more militiamen than last time. According to what Feng Da said, in these ten years of peace, there aren't many mountain strongholds with a large number of bandits even in the northwest region. If they really come, it won't be easy for them to get away. Big sister should think about how if we delay too long, and communicate with Guangyuan, as long as Guangyuan's grain is enough to eat, and Guangyuan's army doesn't lose, the Ding family... shouldn't have any big problems."

  "I hope so, but now I think that Father shouldn't have monopolized the grain supply business in Guangyuan. Although the profit is huge, the risk is also too great. Otherwise, our burden wouldn't be so heavy."

  She let out a breath, curled up her legs, and glanced at Ding Hao with a hint of surprise: "Everyone in the mansion says you're stupid, but I think you don't seem that way. You... I remember you've never left the Ding Mansion since childhood, yet you appear to be quite worldly."

  Ding Hao's heart skipped a beat, and he fell silent for a moment before suddenly breaking into a smile: "Hehe, silly, it's just that I didn't want to talk. What can I say, and who would listen? I've never left the Ding family, but there are many things in life that you don't have to travel the world to understand. Look, this is a big world, and the Ding family is just a small one. In the large courtyard of the Ding family, you can still experience all sorts of human emotions and worldly affairs."

  Ding Yuluo fell silent, and after a while, she spoke softly: "Actually, many people in the Ding family know about your situation, but Father... is still deceiving himself. I don't manage the affairs of the Ding estate, but if I change my mind, I can still make arrangements to improve your circumstances. If... the Ding family can escape this disaster, after returning to Baizhou, I will think of a way to help you find a better job, one that is much better than your current situation."

  Ding Hao turned his head and glanced at her, a strand of black hair escaped from under the brim of her hat, lightly flying in the wind, revealing her fair and smooth forehead, her eyes were clear and extremely pure.

  Ding Hao felt a surge of emotion: "Big sister, there's something I've been wondering about. Is the profit from grain really that high? The Ding family has relied on farming for thirty years and became the most prominent family in Ba Zhou. But selling military rations is too risky, why not switch to other businesses, like opening a few more rice oil shops or silk fabric stores, or even a wine tavern?"

  Ding Yuluo said, "That's natural. In the northwest region, large families with a strong family foundation all rely on land as their mainstay. In the Central Plains, perhaps business and financial resources are more extensive, but in the northwest, farming is absolutely the most profitable business. The northern Tartars invade our borders year after year, and the nomadic tribes of the northwest often raid our borders whenever there are natural disasters or human calamities. The imperial court has stationed large numbers of troops in the border areas, and the largest expenditure for these troops stationed here is grain..."

  Ding Yuluo probably also wanted to relieve her tense mood by chatting, so she patiently explained to Ding Hao.

  Ding Hao, as a person living in modern transportation conditions, indeed does not quite understand the difficulties of long-distance transportation in ancient times. Grain may not have been too expensive when it was in the Central Plains, but transporting it from the Central Plains to the border would be an astronomical cost.

  To give an example, if you mobilize 100,000 troops, one-third of them will be used for logistics, leaving only 70,000 soldiers who can actually fight. To transport food for these soldiers, you need to mobilize 300,000 civilians. How much is the value of the food transported to the front line? If you use livestock to transport it, you can indeed transport more, but once the livestock dies, you have to abandon the grain they carried as well. Moreover, many places are not suitable for livestock and vehicles to enter.

  However, it is different if the land is reclaimed and grains are supplied to the military locally. The cost of the imperial court will be greatly reduced. Therefore, the imperial court strongly encourages reclamation and grain cultivation in the northwest region. For these large households that reclaim and cultivate land, they offer low taxes, high prices for grain collection, and other incentives to encourage them to plant. Cultivating land in the northwest is absolutely a lucrative business for large landowners with tens of thousands of hectares of land.

  Ding Yuluo was explaining to Ding Hao, when Liu Shiyi rode up on a mule: "Young mistress, we've been rushing for two days in a row. Up ahead is Qing Shui Town. We have to let the men rest for a night or they'll all collapse."

  Ding Yuluo nodded, although she had excellent riding skills, her body was almost exhausted, let alone many civilians riding inferior horses or carters driving large carts. Although she wished to fly to Guangyuan, she knew that no matter what, everyone needed a rest.

  She nodded and ordered: "Liu Guan Shi, go ahead and book all the restaurants and vacant rooms in Qing Shui Town. With so many people and cars, I'm afraid it's not enough to just stay in an inn. It's too cold outside, we can't let everyone sleep out in the open. Take some people to visit and ask around, whoever is willing to lend us their house will be paid double the price of the inn, try to make sure everyone has a comfortable place to stay."

  Liu Shi-yi listened and happily said: "The young lady is really considerate of everyone, I'll go take care of it now. I will definitely make sure that everyone eats well and lives comfortably." After finishing speaking, he hurriedly rode the mule and quickly ran off.

  Qingshui Town is not very big, but because of its location in the northwest transportation hub, it is quite prosperous. Just after the Lunar New Year, as soon as I entered the town, there were still many red fragments on the ground, which were the remnants of firecrackers that had been set off. Since it was just after the New Year's festival, there were very few travelers outside, so most of the inns and restaurants in the town were empty. In addition, some families had lent out their vacant rooms, and after a busy period, the grain transporters had all settled down.

  Feng Da was about fifty years old, with a face full of knife-cut and axe-chopped wrinkles, his eyes were spirited, and his long beard that reached his cheeks had already turned slightly white, but his body remained straight as a pen, and his bones were very hard. He was used to running long distances, and this Qing Shui Town was also a frequent destination. After entering the town, he busied himself helping Miss Ding Xiao and Mr. Liu Zhi and others who had never commanded so many people to settle everyone down, before finally going to the Chang Feng Wine House where he was arranged to stay to eat.

  Ding Hao didn't realize until he came to this era that he had learned a bit more formulas and theorems than the ancients, and knew a bit more about social politics and economic trends. However, when he was in such a humble position, it was all useless. If he wanted to stand out, he had to suffer more. He consciously followed Feng Dapeng's whip, learning some real skills for survival. So he actively followed Feng Dapeng's whip to help with the busy work, and Feng Dapeng liked this diligent young man. At this time, Ding Hao and Xue Liang were also hungry, so the three of them entered the tavern like old friends, chatting and laughing.

  When the three men entered the tavern, most of the people in their caravan had already finished eating and were resting in their rooms. As soon as they entered the tavern, Ding Hao noticed that there were still a few people dining inside who were not from their own caravan. Since it was still early in the first month of the year, there weren't many travelers on the road, so Ding Hao took a deliberate glance at them. These few people were divided into three groups: one was a young man wearing a blue cotton-padded jacket that was neither shabby nor luxurious, with a dusty complexion, who had just sat down in the left corner of the wall. Another was a young man with clear eyebrows and eyes, half-wearing a sheepskin coat, revealing the brocade clothes underneath, sitting in the right corner of the wall, drinking by himself. The dishes on his table were all ordinary rural dishes, but for such a small place, they could be considered sumptuous.

  Two others, one middle-aged and the other a young man, sat at a table in the center of the hotel. The middle-aged man had a broad face, eyebrows like painted ink, and bright, piercing eyes that seemed to gleam with spirit. When Feng Dapeng, Ding Hao, and Xue Liang walked into the wine shop, he looked up and scanned them from head to toe, his gaze carrying an air of scrutiny, with a hint of unspoken authority. Only after the three had taken their seats did he withdraw his gaze. The young man sitting next to him, however, simply continued eating and drinking, not looking up to see who came or went.

  Feng Da and the three others found a table to sit down, right next to the young man in the cotton robe who had just entered the shop. The young man was complaining to the waiter with his hands on the table: "You have dozens of dishes listed here, but I haven't been able to order one thing, is this how you do business?"

  That little second-generation owner, because of the booming business today, smiled and said: "I'm really sorry, sir. During the New Year's festival, there are not many guests coming and going, and the dishes prepared in the wine shop are limited. You also saw that today, a team of cars passed by, and the ingredients were not enough."

  "Alright, alright, I won't order any more dishes. Bring me a bowl of hot soup, four steamed buns, and half a catty of mutton."

  "Hehe, we have hot soup and buns, but mutton is gone. There's still half a pig knuckle in the kitchen, what do you think..."

  That man smiled wryly and shook his head: "It's all about filling one's belly, no matter what. By the way, you said there weren't many guests coming and going during the New Year's festival, I suppose someone must have passed by, do you still remember?"

  "Heh heh, there's more to this town than just our Changfeng Wine House. If someone doesn't come to our wine house, they might not remember it. What is it that you want to ask about, sir?"

  Young man: "If they came to the town, even if they didn't stay at your inn, you should have seen them. They...should have had three or four big cars, all quite luxurious. There were twenty or thirty guards following them, and the masters were a man and a woman, the man was around forty years old, surname Li, and the woman was only fifteen or sixteen years old, surname Tang, have you seen them?"

  Feng Da Zhang and Ding Hao, Xue Liang sat down after, didn't go to listen to what others said, just smiled: "Look at this scene, all the edible ones have been eaten almost, we don't need to order any dishes, waiter, bring us whatever you have."

  Feng Da Zhang Bian said, pulling out a purple-red gourd from under his robe: "Fill another gourd with wine for me. It must be good stuff; if it's sour or watered down, you're in trouble."

  At this time, the slender man wearing brocade clothes and a sheepskin coat stood up, tightened his coat, pulled out a string of copper coins from his sleeve, and clinked them onto the table. He seemed to have just casually scattered them, but the glittering copper coins were stacked into a neat column, looking quite elegant: "Shopkeeper, thirty-five cents for food and drink, all paid here. I'm full and drunk, I need to rest too. In a moment, ask the waiter to bring me a basin of hot water to my room."

  "Alright, sir, please go back to your room and rest. The water is being boiled in the kitchen, and we'll send it over as soon as it's ready."

  That man smiled and left his seat, walking past them with a swaying gait. Ding Hao looked up at him and thought to himself: "This guy looks quite handsome, but those eyes of his are naturally flirtatious, shining brightly on a man's face, making people feel uncomfortable..."