Chapter 58: Xu Yaozu Rushes to His Post – Listening to Opera at Zhike Teahouse

Madam Wang, with tears welling in her eyes, held Xiao Liuzi’s hand tightly, giving him instructions one after another.

“When you arrive, listen to your grandparents, don’t be naughty or cause trouble. In a few months, I will come to find you.”

Xiao Liuzi nodded solemnly and, in turn, earnestly reminded his mother to take good care of his little sister. Madam Wang sighed and agreed.

“Don’t worry, sister-in-law, I will take good care of Xiao Liuzi. You just focus on your health and the baby.”

“That’s right, sister-in-law, and you still have me! Just take it easy, and in a few months, I’m sure you’ll have a chubby little boy.”

Madam Wang was amused by Zheng’s teasing tone and nodded.

“I trust both of my sisters-in-law.”

Knowing that the journey would take time, Xu Youliang and his wife refrained from saying too much. After giving their final instructions, they watched the convoy depart into the distance.

Xu Nian sat in the back of the carriage with Madam Wang, watching the scenery recede. She felt a surge of emotions and couldn’t help but regret that she had never visited the famous Ling Mountain Temple, which lay far in the distance.

One thing was for sure—ancient carriages were terribly bumpy. After a whole day on the road, Xu Nian felt as though her body had been shaken to pieces. It was even harder on the elderly Madam Wang.

That evening, the group stopped to rest at a postal station. Although the station had strict accommodation rules based on officials’ ranks, there was still some flexibility. When the station attendants learned that Xu Yaozu was on his way to take office in Wansheng County, they arranged two small courtyards for them.

The station had a small kitchen, and Xu Nian used some silver to borrow it. She cooked a pot of vegetable porridge for her family, using rice and vegetables from her space.

Once it was ready, she had Aunt Zhang and Zhao Lan deliver portions to the others while she carried two bowls of porridge to her grandparents’ room.

“Grandfather, Grandmother, are you still awake?”

Old Master Xu opened the door with a smile. “Ah, my dear girl, come in quickly! Your grandmother was just talking about you.”

Xu Nian placed the bowls on the table and checked the temperature of the untouched food on the table with her hand.

“Grandfather, Grandmother, I made some vegetable porridge. Come and have a little; the vegetables are still warm and can serve as a side dish.”

Madam Wang, holding her waist, groaned, “I’ve really gotten used to a pampered life. Just sitting in a carriage for one day, and I feel like my soul is about to leave my body! Thinking back to when we were fleeing from disaster, my legs were much more agile.”

Xu Nian helped her sit down and massaged her waist, smiling. “It’s actually more tiring to just sit still all day. We were in a rush today and didn’t get much rest. Tomorrow, we’ll take it slow.”

“That won’t do,” Old Master Xu quickly shook his head. “Your father’s appointment is an important matter. Your grandmother and I can endure this little hardship.”

Xu Nian had already asked the station attendants. From here to Wansheng County, the journey would take another four days at their current pace. However, this estimate was based on a strenuous travel schedule. Given her grandparents’ age, she feared they wouldn’t be able to keep up.

After leaving their room, Xu Nian went to her parents’ quarters. Luckily, they hadn’t gone to sleep yet.

“We just finished the porridge you made, and I must say, girl, your cooking is still as good as ever.”

Xu Nian lowered her head and chuckled. It wasn’t really her cooking skills—it was simply that the ingredients from her space were of much better quality.

“Father, Mother, I came to discuss something with you. The way we traveled today has already taken a toll on Grandfather and Grandmother. There are still four more days ahead, and I’m worried about them. So, I was thinking, why don’t you go ahead to Wansheng County first? I’ll stay behind and travel more slowly with them.”

Xu Yaozu also realized that the elderly couple had suffered from the day’s journey. After some thought, he said, “Then I’ll leave a few people behind to accompany you.”

Tian was a bit worried. “How about I go with you? Otherwise, I won’t feel at ease.”

Xu Nian reassured her, “Don’t worry, Mother. Besides, you need to go with Father to the county office. You’ll have to manage the household, arrange for servants, and take care of everything there.”

“Father, let Uncle Zhang, Aunt Zhang, and Xiu’er come with us. We don’t know how many days it will take us to arrive, and the others can stay with you to help run errands.”

After discussing it, the three of them agreed on the plan. The next day, Xu Nian took her grandparents on a leisurely journey.

Since they weren’t in a hurry, they traveled at a relaxed pace, stopping frequently and even strolling around the nearby county towns.

“Grandfather, Grandmother, I heard from travelers that the Zhike Teahouse here is very famous, and they have live opera performances inside.”

Old Master Xu laughed heartily. “Then let’s go in for some tea and take a break.”

Madam Wang, seeing through his intentions but not pointing them out, smiled to herself. This old man clearly wanted to listen to the opera. He had often talked about the plays he had heard in the past, but later, they never had the chance, and the family couldn’t afford such luxuries.

Uncle Zhang drove the carriage to Zhike Teahouse, and before they even stepped inside, a young attendant greeted them.

Xu Nian initially wanted a private room, but the teahouse was too popular, and private rooms needed to be reserved in advance. Since they had no other choice, they found a table in the main hall and sat down.

Neither Old Master Xu nor Madam Wang knew much about tea, and Xu Nian herself was only half-knowledgeable. In the end, they ordered a pot of the house’s specialty tea, Autumn Dew Fairy Bud, along with a few plates of simple pastries.

The young attendant did not look down on them for their lack of tea expertise. Having served a wide variety of customers, he could tell just from their clothing that they weren’t ordinary people—especially the young lady, whose outfit and accessories were of fine quality.

Before long, the tea and pastries were served, and with the sound of gongs, the opera began.

Old Master Xu’s spirits lifted instantly. He put down his teacup and listened attentively. When a scene excited him, he would even call out in appreciation, making both Madam Wang and Xu Nian chuckle.

The play on stage was a tragic love story between a wealthy young lady and her brother’s personal guard. The two fell in love, but due to their difference in status, they could not be together.

In the end, the young lady was arranged to marry the son of a family friend, while the guard, determined to prove himself worthy, joined the military—only to die heroically in battle.

The story captivated the audience. Madam Wang was so moved that she shed tears, and even Aunt Zhang and Xiu’er were sniffling beside her.

Xu Nian took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and gently wiped Madam Wang’s tears. “Grandmother, dry your tears. Don’t cry anymore, or the wind outside will sting your face when we leave.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Madam Wang quickly wiped her face and sighed. “That poor young lady and her guard—such a heartbreaking fate. And that father, why did he have to separate them?”

Xu Nian looked at Madam Wang’s sorrowful expression and said, “I think the father’s actions were understandable. Think about it—if that young lady were me, wouldn’t Father do the same? A parent’s love always considers the long-term, and this is likely why he made such a decision.”

Madam Wang nodded and smiled at Xu Nian. “I don’t know what great virtue your parents cultivated in their past life to have such a thoughtful daughter like you.”

Xu Nian watched as one of the actresses on stage collected reward money and handed a piece of silver to Xiu’er.

Xiu’er must have mentioned the reward, as the actress gave a distant bow in Xu Nian’s direction.

Xu Nian returned a polite smile, and with that, the group left the teahouse. However, for the rest of the journey, Madam Wang and Aunt Zhang continued discussing the tragic play.

Xu Nian, on the other hand, didn’t truly see it as a tragedy. A story that starts beautifully but ends in separation—that was the real tragedy.