Chapter 134: Qinghe Manor
If Gu Fei knew what Su Chen was thinking, she would have certainly retorted, ’Heh, men only slow down my sword arm!’
The real reason she was avoiding Su Chen was because he was too handsome, and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from developing feelings if she looked at him too much.
Since they weren’t from the same social class, it was better to keep a respectful distance from the very beginning.
As the saying goes, any romance that doesn’t aim for marriage is just messing around.
...
They set out again the next day. There were basically no more refugees on the road, and the inns were all open. The rest of the journey was just about making good time, and it went very smoothly.
After another half a month of travel, the group, with their mule carts, finally arrived at Ping’an City one evening.
There was no fee to enter the city, which immediately gave everyone a favorable impression of Ping’an City.
Once inside the city, they were all stunned. The wide streets were paved with clean bluestone slabs, thronged with a bustling crowd. Both sides of the streets were lined with all sorts of exquisitely decorated shops and countless small stalls. The rising and falling cries of vendors filled the air.
Moreover, there were charming and gentle women from Jiangnan, dressed in colorful jackets, skirts, and vests, gliding gracefully down the street. Their figures were slender and elegant, their charm immeasurable.
Gu Sanlang tugged at his sheepskin jacket, suddenly feeling completely out of place in this bustling, lively, and refined city.
The village head was stammering, "This... this city is so lively! It must cost a fortune to stay a night at an inn here, right?"
That one sentence brought everyone back to reality. The prosperity and excitement belonged to others; they were just paupers who couldn’t even afford an inn.
Just then, Su Chen lifted the carriage curtain. "Second Uncle Gu, where are you all planning to stay?"
Gu Zhang was scratching his head, at a loss. "Well, we’re not sure yet. We’ll look for a cheaper inn first, I suppose."
Su Chen glanced at Gu Fei, who was standing not far away, and suddenly said, "I have a manor outside the city. It’s usually empty. Second Uncle Gu, if you don’t mind, why don’t you all stay there for the time being?"
"This..." Gu Zhang hesitated. Staying at someone else’s manor—that would mean owing them a huge favor.
The key issue was that if they accepted this favor, his family would have no way to repay it.
He looked at Gu Fei, who gave a slight shake of her head.
Su Chen saw Gu Fei’s gesture and said, a little urgently, "Second Uncle Gu, your family has taken such good care of me on this journey, and I was just wondering how I could possibly repay you. My manor is just sitting empty anyway. You wouldn’t be a bother at all."
"It’s just a few empty rooms, a place to get out of the wind and rain. I don’t live there myself; I stay with my maternal uncle."
Gu Zhang was still hesitating, but the village head next to him poked him several times, signaling for him to hurry up and accept.
His own family still had some Silver, but the other families were completely broke. Gu Zhang gave a helpless smile. "In that case, thank you very much, Young Master Su."
Su Chen’s brow smoothed in relief. "Chen Hu, take Second Uncle Gu and the others to Qinghe Manor."
He cupped his hands in a salute to Gu Zhang. "Second Uncle Gu, I’ll take my leave for now. I’ll come visit you at the manor another day."
Su Chen’s gaze lingered on Gu Fei for a moment before he dropped the curtain. The carriage slowly moved away.
At this point, Uncle Ma also cupped his hands in salute. "Mr. Gu, I’ll be taking my leave as well."
Gu Zhang said quickly, "Uncle Ma, please wait. We’re so grateful for your help along the way." He took out a fifty-tael silver note. "This is a small token of our appreciation. Please accept it."
Uncle Ma pushed the silver note back with a smile. "No need. I was coming to Ping’an City anyway; it was on my way. Besides, I’ve been eating your food and using your provisions this whole trip. Let’s just call it even."
With that, he strode away.
Chen Hu then led the group out through the South City Gate. After walking for half an hour, they arrived at Qinghe Manor.
In front of the manor was a large pond filled with withered lotus leaves.
Across the pond was a courtyard with white walls and black tiles—a typical Jiangnan-style residence, with its flying eaves and elegant, exquisite design.
The arrival of the mule cart procession had already attracted attention.
They had just reached the entrance when Liu Zhuangtou came running up, panting. He cupped his hands in a salute to Chen Hu. "Guard Chen, this is—"
Chen Hu said nonchalantly, "These are the Young Master’s friends. This is Mr. Gu. They’ll be borrowing some rooms at the manor to stay for a while. Make sure you take good care of them."