Chapter 15: Preparing for Departure

When they returned to the Guangtong Bank, they saw a carriage parked in front. Shopkeeper Chen had already prepared everything. He first handed Xia Qingfeng a small box with both hands, saying, “Inside are silver notes worth five thousand taels, as per the master’s instructions. They’re all small denominations. There’s also a small box of gold, and a large box of silver has already been loaded onto the carriage.”

He then pointed to four people dressed in plain clothes behind him and said, “The master has ordered that Dao, Gun, Sword, and Halberd accompany the lady and follow her orders.”

Xia Qingfeng looked at the four men, noting their tall, straight posture and the bulging veins on their temples, clearly indicating strong martial skills.

The four of them stepped forward and saluted, “Cang Dao, Cang Gun, Cang Jian, Cang Ji greet the lady.”

Xia Qingfeng stepped aside to avoid the formal salute and said, “I’ll trouble you all to escort me on this journey.” After speaking, she bid farewell to Shopkeeper Chen and boarded the carriage. Dao, Gun, Sword, and Halberd arranged themselves—one driving the carriage and the other three riding horseback behind.

Once inside the carriage, Xia Qingfeng motioned for Xu Xiaoxiao to sit next to her and said, “Rest for a bit. I need to ask Space Spirit something.”

Xu Xiaoxiao yawned, casually lying down, “I’m going to sleep. Remember to be nice to Space Uncle.”

Xia Qingfeng scoffed and leaned back against the carriage wall, starting her conversation with Space Spirit.

“Space Spirit, what exactly is your relationship with Cang Qiyuan? How do you know so much about him? You even know the names of his subordinates.”

“I do have some connections with him, but it’s not convenient to tell you for now. You can trust these four people. Since our trip has been expedited, you still have things to do. I’ll be resting for a while. Just remember to check on Cang Qiyuan in the space every day…”

“Hey, why aren’t you telling me? Why do I have to let you control me? Hurry up and explain—hey, are you even listening…?” Xia Qingfeng, irritated, slapped the nearby box filled with silver.

“Madam? Is something the matter?” came a voice from outside. It was Cang Ji, who was driving the carriage.

“It’s nothing, nothing,” Xia Qingfeng replied, blowing on her hand to cool it.

“Madam, if I may ask, how is our master doing?” The three men outside had their ears pricked up, listening attentively.

“Uh… he’s not in immediate danger, but his injuries are too severe, and he still needs time to heal and recover.” Xia Qingfeng was also puzzled—on the surface, Cang Qiyuan’s wounds had been treated well, and perhaps due to his physical constitution, his recovery was fast. Many of the wounds had already scabbed over. But for some reason, he still hadn’t woken up. However, she couldn’t reveal this to the guards, or else the letter would be hard to explain.

Thinking quickly, she changed the topic. “The house in my village is old and dilapidated, and there aren’t any extra rooms. Also, I’m a widow, so it’s not convenient for me to stay under the same roof with four big men like you. How about this: you all stay in the town for now, and I’ll come to find you when I’m ready to depart.”

“Madam, you needn’t worry. The master has made arrangements in the letter. I will pretend to be your hired carriage driver. You can have me stay next door, and the other three will stay nearby on watch. They won’t show themselves, and you just need to provide us with meals. Hehe, the master says you are excellent at cooking,” Cang Ji said, then awkwardly scratched his head.

Xia Qingfeng… So he’s a foodie.

To satisfy these food-loving guards and ensure they would wholeheartedly escort her, Xia Qingfeng decided to buy plenty of ingredients as they passed through the town. She discussed with Xu Xiaoxiao about what dishes to make for dinner. In her past life, Xu Xiaoxiao was an even better cook than her, and in the end, it was Xia Qingfeng who decided the menu. The guards drooled as they overheard.

Finally, they reached Yong’an Village. Before entering the village, the other three guards had already hidden, and only Cang Ji drove the carriage into the village. This caused quite a stir in the village since, in Yong’an, not even ox carts were common.

The villagers, curious, followed the carriage and soon saw that it was Xia Qingfeng who had alighted.

“Xia family, why are you returning in a carriage?” A villager couldn’t help but ask. Mrs. Li, who lived next door, also came out to take a look.

“The carriage is one I rented, and the driver is someone I hired. It’s too late today, I’ll explain everything tomorrow,” Xia Qingfeng quickly replied. She then took Mrs. Li aside and said, “Aunt Li, the driver will need to stay here for a few days. As a widow, it’s not convenient for me to have a man in my house. Could he stay at your place for a while?”

Mrs. Li chuckled, “It’s no problem at all. He can stay in the same room as my third son. I’ll go get some bedding for him, and you can have him come over soon.”

After Mrs. Li went off with a smile, the villagers dispersed as the carriage entered the yard.

That night, with Xu Xiaoxiao’s help, Xia Qingfeng prepared six dishes: garlic ribs, braised pork, chicken with mushrooms, twice-cooked pork, blanching greens, and a pot of crucian fish tofu soup. The portions were generous, and she also steamed a big pot of buns. Around the chicken with mushrooms, she had placed a full circle of palm-sized corn cakes. Cornmeal was hard to find in this dynasty, but it had been discovered by Xia Yingjun in the space’s doctor dormitory. It seemed a doctor had bought it and forgotten to take it home. Xia Qingfeng treasured it. Even though it was only a 10 kg bag, the space could infinitely replenish items!

She also sliced up some ham and sausage. With six dishes and one soup ready, Xia Qingfeng first filled a large bowl with some of the braised pork and chicken with mushrooms, then asked Cang Ji to take them next door. She also asked him to bring the other three guards to join the meal.

As Cang Ji stepped out with the large bowl, the other three silently snuck into the kitchen. Xia Qingfeng, who was concentrating on serving the dishes, jumped in surprise—looks like they didn’t need to be called; they had come in response to the delicious smell!

Since there was only a small kang table at home, Xia Qingfeng served a little of everything, then brought Xu Xiaoxiao into the room to eat, leaving the four men to help themselves in the kitchen. When Cang Ji returned with the empty bowl, he saw the other three fighting over food. Wow, their chopsticks were moving so fast they nearly left afterimages!

Cang Ji quickly jumped into the fray…

By the time mother and daughter finished their meal and came out with their bowls, only Cang Ji remained in the kitchen, while the other three had vanished without a trace. Cang Ji looked at Xia Qingfeng with a mournful expression and said, “Madam, could you wait for me to return before serving the food next time? I didn’t get a taste of the braised pork today.”

Xia Qingfeng walked over and saw the scene—good heavens, not a drop of sauce remained, and the plates were as clean as if they’d been wiped down. Even the cornmeal pancakes and the steamed buns had all been devoured. Washing the dishes and cleaning up would be so much easier now!

Xia Qingfeng put down her bowl and couldn’t help but ask, “Doesn’t your master feed you well?” They looked like they hadn’t eaten in days, like starving ghosts. She didn’t dare voice the question aloud, but she thought it in her head.

Cang Ji scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed. “We’ve been searching for our master’s whereabouts recently, and we didn’t have much chance to eat properly. Plus, Madam’s cooking is so delicious. We often go to taverns with our master, but we’ve never had such tasty food.”

Of course, compared to the food here, it was divine! The space had all sorts of seasonings, far beyond anything available in this era!

After Xia Qingfeng promised to make more braised pork tomorrow, Cang Ji reluctantly left for next door. Xia Qingfeng and Xu Xiaoxiao also went into the space early to rest.