Fulang’s Little Inn C3

Chapter 3

Early the next morning, Nanny Li hurried down the corridor and entered the main house.

Madam Jiang had only just risen. She was seated at the dressing table, a young maid attending her as she washed her face and rinsed her mouth.

She had stayed up rather late the previous night, counting the betrothal gifts sent by the Wu family in the storeroom. On top of that, she had enjoyed a night of fine dreams—dreams of the eldest son securing a post at the county office. As a result, she had woken later than usual.

Nanny Li leaned forward slightly and reported, “Word came from the Wu household. They say they’d like to invite Rui-ge’er over for a casual visit. They’ve bought venison and plan to host a spring banquet.”

Madam Jiang frowned faintly upon hearing this. That old lecher truly wouldn’t let even a moment pass without indulging his schemes.

She spat the mouth-rinsing water into the spittoon and took the towel to dab her lips.

“They only just sent the betrothal gifts, and now they’re already asking him over—as if they’re afraid he’ll run off. How impatient.”

Nanny Li knew something of the Wu merchant’s reputation. Seeing Madam Jiang’s attitude, she echoed, “After all, they’re a merchant household—no real rules, no sense of proper decorum.”

Madam Jiang did not immediately respond. She set the towel aside and changed her tone. “It’s a peaceful age, and customs are more open. Since there are already matchmakers and betrothal gifts involved, going over for a visit isn’t really improper.”

She looked at Nanny Li. “Go give them an answer—and have Rui-ge’er tidy himself up.”

Nanny Li paused in surprise, then acknowledged and left the room.

Some time later, just as Madam Jiang finished washing and had dressed neatly, hurried footsteps sounded outside.

Nanny Li rushed in, panting, one hand braced against her waist.

Madam Jiang shot her a glance. “What—are you being chased by ghosts?”

Nanny Li could not spare the effort to protest. “Rui-ge’er is gone!”

Madam Jiang remained unhurried. “He’s a grown person. How could he just vanish?”

Seeing that Madam Jiang was not taking it seriously, Nanny Li quickly explained, “Rui-ge’er usually gets up early. At this hour, I went to his room and saw the door tightly shut. I knocked—no answer. I pushed it open, and there was no one inside!”

Madam Jiang frowned slightly. “Perhaps he went to the kitchen.”

Nanny Li slapped her thigh in agitation. “My lady—if I hadn’t checked, how could I dare alarm you like this? I searched the entire residence and still couldn’t find Rui-ge’er. I even asked Old Wang at the gate—he said he didn’t see him go out!”

Only then did Madam Jiang’s brow tighten. The two of them hurried back to Shu Rui’s room together.

The room was empty—there truly was no one there!

Madam Jiang immediately summoned all the household servants and questioned them one by one. No one had seen Shu Rui that morning; the last time anyone remembered seeing him was the previous evening.

Now Madam Jiang finally began to panic. She ordered Nanny Li to search Shu Rui’s room thoroughly. In moments, the tidy inner room was turned upside down.

The wardrobe was pulled open, the bedding shaken out—everything was empty. Aside from a few books, not a single valuable item remained. All the things Shu Rui used regularly were gone.

Even the trunk he had brought with him when he first came to the Bai household had disappeared.

No matter how muddled Madam Jiang might be, she could now see clearly—

Ji Shu Rui had run away!

Her chest felt tight, her vision darkened, the room spinning. She could no longer steady herself and collapsed into a chair.

“That wretched ge’er—how dare he run!”

Nanny Li hurried to support her, rubbing her chest. “Rui-ge’er has no relatives to rely on outside, nowhere to go. He’s just a young ge’er—he can’t have gone far. Most likely he’s hiding somewhere in town. My lady, quickly arrange some people to search. It won’t take many hours to find him.”

Madam Jiang slowly caught her breath. What Nanny Li said was exactly what she thought as well. She forced herself up and immediately sent people out—some to search for Shu Rui, others to go decline the Wu family’s invitation.

“What a calculating little thing! In front of me he acted obedient, putting on the appearance of honestly awaiting marriage—who would’ve thought he had two faces!”

“He tricked silver out of me just for this day. Once I catch him, I’ll beat him soundly and lock him in the woodshed without food for three or five days!”

Madam Jiang felt both furious and humiliated, yet beneath it all, she was also panicking—afraid they wouldn’t find him and she’d have nothing to give the Wu family in explanation.

If not for the fact that he was still useful, she would have preferred him to rot outside, saving her three meals a day. Unfortunately, she still needed him to marry into that household.

Yet while Madam Jiang sent people rushing about town like headless flies, Shu Rui had already passed through the town and reached the county seat.

Traveling at night, Shu Rui had wrapped himself up tightly, leaving only a pair of dark, alert eyes exposed.

Even so, late April nights were still cold—especially along the coastal roads, where the sea wind cut through the body and made one shiver.

By the time he reached the county seat, daylight had fully broken. Shu Rui got down from the donkey cart and ate a steaming bowl of meat broth from a roadside stall. Only then did warmth slowly return to his body.

After eating, he did not dare linger. He went to find the driver introduced through the broker he’d contacted earlier in town, who would take him onward to the prefectural city.

In truth, Shu Rui had wanted the same driver who brought him to the county to take him all the way to the prefectural city. That man had been honest and focused solely on the road, asking nothing and prying into nothing—just the sort Shu Rui liked.

Unfortunately, the man was a goods carrier, not someone who specialized in transporting passengers. Shu Rui had already been lucky to get a cheap ride this far.

The arrangement he’d made in advance only covered the trip to the prefectural city. From there, traveling onward from Jizhou Prefecture to Chaoxi Prefecture would have to be planned after arrival.

Still, as long as he reached the prefectural city, he wouldn’t need to be so anxious. The city was vast and bustling—finding one person would be no easy task.

Even if his aunt enlisted the Wu family to search, no matter how many connections they had, it would take time.

With these thoughts in mind, he found his next driver and set out again.

The cart headed straight toward Jizhou Prefecture. By midday, the sun climbed high.

Shu Rui wore a straw hat for shade, sitting at the back of the donkey cart. He noticed the elderly escort driving the cart glance back at him.

Over the past two hours on the road, this was far from the first time Shu Rui had caught the old escort covertly sizing him up.

“Nearly May already. Even at midday, the sun’s getting strong,” the old man said lightly. “Ge’er, you’re wrapped up so tight—aren’t you hot?”

Shu Rui sensed that the old escort might not be entirely upright. Taking advantage of the conversation, he adjusted the cloth around his head, adopting a shy, awkward manner.

“I’m just a ge’er. No father, no brothers or relatives traveling with me—journeying alone doesn’t put one at ease. I don’t have valuables worth coveting, but I am still of proper age. If I don’t cover myself well and let some ruffian get ideas, what would I do then?”

The old escort’s interest was piqued immediately. He grinned. “What sort of family lets a ge’er travel alone like this? Where are you from?”

“I’m heading to Jizhou Prefecture. My home’s there.”

“It’s because my mother’s younger sister—my aunt—married over to Gan County. Earlier this year she sent word, saying she’d found me a good match. I traveled all this way for it. Who would’ve thought the man was so petty—he wouldn’t even come out to meet me. Completely wasted my trip.”

As he spoke, Shu Rui cursed indignantly. “What sort of man is that? Not even as forthright as a ge’er. If I really followed him, there’d be no good days ahead!”

“…Though, I did catch a glimpse—tall enough, not bad-looking. Alas, he just didn’t have the fortune to gain this match with me.”

The old escort stared at him, then shook his head. “What an ungrateful fellow!”

His eyes narrowed again. “You’re right, ge’er. People like that have no fortune. There’ll be better ones ahead~”

“That’s what I think too,” Shu Rui replied. “I’m a fine, healthy ge’er—how could I fail to find a good one?”

After chatting for a while, Shu Rui nudged his straw hat as if overheated. He instinctively reached to remove it, then glanced at the old escort.

The man chuckled again. “It’s a peaceful age. The official roads are safe—no need to worry.”

Taking the cue, Shu Rui turned the words back on him. “What you say makes sense, old sir. In peaceful times, there are paths everywhere. One doesn’t need to be an official—farming or trading both make a living. With a skill and proper management, life’s even better. Even without skills, honest labor can still support a family.”

“We common folk just want stable lives—we don’t touch anything against the law. If someone were to grow greedy for a moment, they’d better weigh the government’s punishments carefully. In peaceful times, penalties are harsher than in chaotic years. Best case, beatings; worst case, prison.”

The old escort thought to himself that this ge’er had quite a sharp tongue and knew far more than expected.

As he was momentarily distracted, Shu Rui seemed to have convinced himself. He removed the straw hat, then loosened the cloth that had wrapped most of his face.

In an instant, a face the color of bitter-yellow broth mixed with mud was revealed.

Dark, sallow skin aside, there were clusters of pockmarks across his cheeks and nose, and a solid mole planted squarely on his upper lip.

The old escort took one look and immediately turned his head away, cracking the whip hard against the donkey’s rump.

What an ugly person—making such a fuss for nothing!

He’d thought, judging by the voice, that this was a young ge’er worth looking at. He’d even wondered whether there might be a match to be made with his unmarried son.

Clearly the matchmaker in heaven had been busy elsewhere.

Shu Rui secretly watched the old escort stiffen and couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

Most men were shallow creatures. An unattractive face alone was enough to spare a ge’er a great deal of trouble.

With the wind cooling him now, he fanned himself with the straw hat and mischievously decided to tease further.

Usually it was men who toyed with ge’er—today, he would enjoy it himself.

Shu Rui shifted forward on the cart. “You said my match lies ahead, old sir. I think your eyes are proper, your brows straight—you must’ve been a handsome young man yourself. Are you from Gan County? How many people are in your household?”

The old escort instantly understood his meaning. His face darkened, and he forced out, “I’m just an old bachelor—no wife, no children.”

Shu Rui sighed in disappointment. “What a pity.”

By the time they reached Jizhou Prefecture, three days had passed. The old escort, repelled by Shu Rui’s looks and his lack of demure restraint, behaved himself the rest of the way.

Shu Rui arrived safely at the prefectural city and finally let out a small breath of relief. He found an inn, settled in, and slept soundly for the night.

For the road ahead, he planned to buy a donkey and drive himself to Chaoxi Prefecture.

These years were peaceful, and common folk were better off. Livestock was more plentiful than in the past, no longer priceless—though still far from cheap. A donkey would cost several guan, and adding a cart would bring the expense to over ten guan.

It wasn’t a small sum, but after careful calculation, Shu Rui decided it was worth it. Once he reached Chaoxi Prefecture, if he wanted to run a small business, having an animal to transport goods would be far more convenient.

Even if he didn’t need it later, he could resell the donkey and recover most of the money. It wasn’t a losing deal.

The only worry was this: though he often fed donkeys while living with the Bai family and could judge their condition, his driving skills were average at best. He’d practiced a few times—enough to muster courage and keep the animal moving—but he’d never traveled long distances.

If he didn’t drive himself, he would have to hire another driver.

From Jizhou Prefecture to Chaoxi Prefecture would take at least ten days. If he were lucky and found an honest, reliable one, fine—but if he encountered someone with bad intentions, he might not be able to handle it every time.

During the three days to Jizhou, he’d played the part of shameless flirt just to deal with the old escort, but even then his nerves had been stretched tight the entire time.

Comparing the two, he’d much rather deal with livestock than with the unpredictable hearts of men.

Having decided, the next day Shu Rui followed an inn attendant’s recommendation and went to a cart-and-horse market, purchasing a donkey and a flatbed cart.

After a fierce round of bargaining, the total came to nine guan and eight hundred cash—still within his budget.

Once the cart was ready, Shu Rui bought additional dried provisions. He didn’t dare linger in Jizhou Prefecture—not because he feared the Bai family’s people catching up, but because his silver was limited. Staying here meant spending without earning, which made him anxious.

The following day, he rose early while the city was still quiet and carefully drove the cart out of the prefectural city.

The morning air was cool. He drove slowly, the breeze blowing gently toward him—pleasant enough.

But Shu Rui scarcely enjoyed the comfort before trouble struck.

Just as he began to get the hang of driving and his taut nerves started to ease, the sturdy donkey suddenly refused to move forward, planting all four hooves firmly in place.

Green grass grew thick along the roadside. The donkey twisted its neck, intent on grazing.

Shu Rui tugged the reins several times to no effect. The donkey dug in stubbornly, refusing to go on, leaving Shu Rui sweating in frustration.

Anger flared. He grabbed the whip and snapped it against the donkey’s rump.

“Eeh-aw!”
The donkey cried out in pain and bolted forward at full speed.

“Slow down—whoa! Whoa, slow down!”

The wind lashed against Shu Rui’s cheeks. His heart leapt into his throat as he yanked desperately at the reins. The stubborn beast, as if deliberately opposing him, only ran faster.

Ahead lay a sharp bend. One wheel of the cart lifted three or four inches off the ground, and Shu Rui’s whole body tilted dangerously to one side.

His heart pounded so violently it felt as if it might burst from his chest. In a daze, he glimpsed a dark figure at the bend in the road. Before he could make it out clearly—

Bang!

A dull crash rang out. Shu Rui felt a massive jolt, and at last the donkey came to a halt.

On the smooth official road lay a man—sprawled out in full view.

Shu Rui’s ears rang. His vision went black.