Chapter 395: Encounter

Chapter 395: Encounter
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The middle-aged man in the leather hat looked up and saw the convoy. He got up from the ditch in surprise and stood by the roadside to wait for the convoy to approach. He cupped his hands at Ji Xiang with a smile and shouted, “Little brother, please help me move the carriage out.”
“Okay.” After Ji Xiang agreed readily, he stopped the carriage and jumped out.
He shouted at the people behind, “Can a few of you come over to help?”
A few coachmen in raincoats got out of the carriages and walked towards Ji Xiang. The woman leading the horse took the girl and hid in the carriage in front.
Yangyang saw that there was something lively ahead and clamored to go down and take a look. Zhou Jia put on his bamboo hat and carried him out of the car. Xiao Bai also wanted to follow them down, but Li Yu grabbed it. “Little thing, the ground is covered in mud. Don’t even think about coming up if you go down. Go to the forest and rely on yourself.” Xiao Bai glared at Li Yu and cried out a few times aggrievedly. It lay in the car and didn’t dare to act rashly.
Ji Xiang led a few coachmen to help lift the carriage. After lifting it, the man in the leather hat panted and bowed to everyone in thanks. Everyone helped carry the boxes that had fallen into the ditch onto the cart.
When the man saw that Zhou Jia, who was carrying the child, had an extraordinary bearing, he went forward and cupped his hands. “Thank you, sir.
My surname is Fan, Fan Wenzheng. May I know your name?”
Zhou Jia saw that the man was about 1+0 years old. He had a kind face and a gentle temperament. He did not seem to have ulterior motives. He handed Yangyang to Ji Xiang, who carried the child back to the car. He smiled at him and said, “Mr. Fan, my surname is Zhou, Zhou Jia.”
The man’s eyes lit up when he heard that. He asked in surprise, “Sir, are you the Magistrate of Yunzhou, Lord Zhou?”
Zhou Jia glanced at him and nodded with a smile. The man bowed to Zhou Jia.
“Greetings, Lord Zhou. I’m the County Magistrate of Zheng County in Liangzhou. I’ve long heard of your name. Seeing you today, you’re indeed extraordinary.”
Zhou Jia helped him up and said, “Lord Fan, you’re too polite. Coincidentally, I’m also returning to the capital. I wonder if Lord Fan is willing to travel together?”
Fan Wenzheng bowed and said, “I’m afraid of troubling you.”
“Lord Fan, you’re too polite. The rain is getting heavier. Please.” Zhou Jia smiled.
Everyone got into their carriages separately. Zhou Jia sat in the carriage and took off his muddy boots. Yangyang obediently handed over a bamboo stick.
“Father, I’ll scrape the mud for you.”
Li Yu smiled and glanced at Zhou Jia. “Xiao Xi, did you meet an acquaintance?”
“No…” Zhou Jia smiled and explained what had happened. He returned to the carriage and everyone began to hurry.
After midnight, the group rushed to an inn. Li Yu carried Yangyang and Zhou Jia helped Mr. Wen into the inn.
After staying, Fan Wenzheng brought a girl downstairs to the hall. Li Yu saw the girl. She had bright eyes, white teeth, and a natural demeanor. Her skin was fair, and she was tall. Even though she was dressed in plain clothes, she was as beautiful as a peony.
After Fan Wenzheng bowed to Li Yu, he pointed at the girl and said, “Madam Li, this is my daughter, Mingfang.” Then, he turned to Fan Mingfang and said, “Mingfang, greet Madam.”
Miss Fan walked up to Li Yu gracefully and bowed. “Greetings, Madam.”
Li Yu got Xing Hua to give her a greeting gift. She smiled and said, “Miss Fan, there’s no need to be so polite. Everyone can do whatever they want.”
“Thank you, Madam.” Fan Mingfang stood up and smiled at Li Yu. She stood at the side and waited for Fan Wenzheng to greet Mr. Wen.
Fan Mingfang squatted down with a red face. She looked at Yangyang and smiled gently. “Little brother, you’re also very good-looking.”
Li Yu looked at Fan Mingfang, who was squatting there gracefully and talking to Yangyang, and pondered.
After Li Yu watched them exchange pleasantries, the shopkeeper came out and shouted, “Dear guests, the food is ready.”
After everyone ate in the hall, they politely said their greetings and returned to their rooms to rest. After returning to their rooms, Zhou Jia told Li Yu that the
Fan family was from the capital. Fan Wenzheng’s father was a scholar from the Hanlin Academy. Before the new year, he had a stroke and was paralyzed at home. Madam Fan Wenzheng brought her child home to attend to his illness before the new year. Because her daughter caught a cold, they returned to the capital with Fan Wenzheng after the new year.
Li Yu had interacted with Fan Wenfang a few times and felt that this girl was knowledgeable and her appearance and character were top-notch. Li Yu felt that this girl was the best candidate for a sister-in-law. She didn’t know if this girl was betrothed or not. She also didn’t know if this girl and Li Qing would like each other.
On the way, Li Yu discussed with Zhou Jia, “Xiao Xi, what do you think of Fan Wenzheng?”
“He seems not bad.” Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu and smiled. “Why? Do you want to get his daughter engaged to Ah Qing?”
Li Yu nodded and said with a smile, “I’ve interacted with that girl a few times and feel that she’s not bad in all aspects. I have this thought, but most of them are already engaged. It’s so awkward to ask her rashly! Besides, I don’t know if she and Ah Qing will like each other!”
When Zhou Jia heard this, he looked at Li Yu confidently. “How can Miss Fan look down on our Ah Qing? Our Ah Qing’s character and appearance are all top-notch. He’s worthy of Miss Fan no matter what. I shall go and find out if Miss Fan is engaged, if she’s not, I’ll mention Ah Qing’s situation to him. If he’s willing to wait until we return to the capital, I’ll let the two of them take a look.”
Li Yu looked at Zhou Jia’s protective expression and pursed her lips into a
smile. She instructed, “Don’t be in a hurry. If there’s a suitable opportunity, you can find out more. There’s still a month’s journey ahead. There’s always a chance to find out.”
Zhou Jia nodded in agreement and said to Li Yu with a smile, “Rest first. I’ll go to Sir’s place to take a look. Yang’er, Little Loach, and the others are there!”
Li Yu leaned lazily on the bed. “Xiao Xi, I don’t think Sir ate much tonight. Go and ask Sir what he wants to eat. Get Grandma Liu to find the innkeeper so she can borrow the inn’s kitchen to make some more food for Sir.”
“Okay.” Zhou Jia agreed and went down to Mr. Wen’s room next door. He saw him leaning against the head of the bed and telling stories to the children. Yangyang and Little Stutterer were massaging his back. Little Loach and Maizi were massaging his legs. Mao Dou sat there obediently with Xiao Bai in his arms.
Zhou Jia looked at everyone and smiled. “Aiya! Where did so many good children come from?”
Little Loach and the others shouted shyly, “Master, you’re here!”
Yangyang went forward and tugged at Zhou Jia. “Father, Grandmaster is not feeling well.”
Zhou Jia looked at Mr. Wen worriedly. “Sir, Xiaoyu said that you didn’t eat much tonight. Is the food not to your liking?”
“Don’t worry, I’m just a little tired and don’t have an appetite.” Mr. Wen looked at Zhou Jia lovingly and patted the children’s bags with a smile. “Good children, go to sleep! We still have to travel tomorrow morning!”
Little Loach nodded and replied, “Yes, Old Master should rest early too.”
Yangyang waved at the children. Zhou Jia walked out and saw them go downstairs to their rooms before turning to Mr. Wen and saying, “Sir, I’ll go make you a bowl of tea noodles. What do you think?”
Mr. Wen looked at Zhou Jia’s worried gaze and felt warmth in his heart. “Go! I’ll eat less. It’s less harsh on the stomach.”
After Zhou Jia served Mr. Wen tea noodles, Zhou Jia brought Yangyang back to the room to rest. The next morning, everyone began to travel again at dawn..