On the merchant caravan’s side, once they reached the official road, the journey became smoother, though the rain showed no signs of letting up.
Rain at the start of a trip was hardly convenient, but none of the men voiced complaint. After all, harsher trials awaited on the road ahead, and getting used to foul weather early might not be a bad thing.
They pulled out their straw raincoats and bamboo hats, pressing onward.
Their goal for the day was to pass through Tongzhou City and reach a county town at its border, where they would rest.
Inside the carriage, Ji Taoyu wasn’t cold. His longing and reluctance to leave home gradually faded as dawn broke.
Rain delayed the sunrise, and by the time the sky fully brightened, the caravan had already left Tongzhou City behind.
Ji Taoyu lifted the curtain slightly and saw the big black horse, Da Hei, swishing its tail in the rain, its mane already soaked.
Raising his eyes, he saw Huo Shu clad in a raincoat and bamboo hat, gazing steadily ahead as he advanced calmly through the rain. He looked like a chivalrous hero from the stories.
Ji Taoyu watched the unfamiliar scenery in silence, careful not to disturb the "hero" leading the caravan.
This was his first time venturing beyond Tongzhou City. Though the landscape was no different from home, his heart still stirred with excitement.
The carriage rocked gently. After a while of watching the scenery, he secured the curtain tightly, afraid the wind might make him catch a chill.
If he fell ill before even leaving Tongzhou, he’d surely be sent back, and that would be disastrous.
He took better care of himself now than ever before.
Ji Taoyu didn’t know when he had fallen asleep. His eyes grew heavy without him realizing it, and his head nodded weakly a couple of times from exhaustion.
Having risen in the middle of the night and stayed awake late from excitement and nervousness about the journey, it was no surprise he was tired now.
To avoid trouble, he simply lay down to sleep.
The carriage had been specially modified. Though the space was smaller, the seating area was twice as wide as usual, designed for lying down.
Since the men outside were busy guarding the goods and wouldn’t ride inside, this carriage was tailored just for him.
Huang Manjing had padded the seats with layers of palm-fiber mats and old quilts for comfort.
In the early spring chill, two layers were enough. By the third or fourth month when it grew warmer, the quilts could be removed.
In short, every effort had been made to make the carriage as comfortable as possible.
Apart from having to bend his legs slightly when lying down, there were no complaints.
As Ji Taoyu drifted off, the sound of wheels turning filled his ears. At some point, the noise faded, and he slept as peacefully as if he were in his own bed.
When Huo Shu lifted the carriage curtain, he saw the young ger curled up in a small ball, fast asleep.
His brows were slightly furrowed, and his eyelashes trembled now and then.
Seeing that his sleep wasn’t entirely restful, Huo Shu quietly tucked the blanket around him and withdrew without disturbing him.
Ji Wenliang, munching on a large flatbread and holding a water flask, glanced at Huo Shu. "Isn’t Brother Taoyu eating?"
"He’s asleep," Huo Shu replied. "He’ll eat when he wakes up."
Ji Wenliang peeked at the carriage, noting how tightly the curtains were drawn, not letting in a single draft.
His brother-in-law checked on the carriage every quarter-hour, far more attentively than he did the goods. Clearly, the person inside mattered more than the cargo.
No wonder Ji Taoyu was willing to leave the comforts of home and endure hardship with his husband.
With a man like this, one could truly feel at ease.
Back when Ji Taoyu’s engagement with the You family fell apart, many people in the village said he’d never find a good match again. Yet here he was, with someone even better.
Truly, when one door closes, another opens.
Ji Wenliang had initially been wary of Huo Shu, but seeing how well he treated Ji Taoyu made him realize the man was just stern-looking, actually he was quite easygoing and pleasant to be around.
He sidled up to Huo Shu and Ge Liang. "Brother-in-law, if Brother Taoyu and a whole crate of tea fell into the river, would you save Brother Taoyu first or the cargo?"
Ge Liang, mid-bite, nearly choked on his flatbread and hastily gulped water to clear his throat.
"Brother Huo, your brother-in-law here is quite the character," he said, coughing.
Huo Shu eyed Ji Wenliang’s earnest expression. "How many times does your brother need to fall into the river? Was once not enough?"
Ji Wenliang’s eyes widened. "When did Brother Taoyu ever fall into the water?"
Huo Shu ignored the question. "Finish eating. We need to keep moving."
Unnoticed, it was already noon. The rain had finally stopped, though the sky remained overcast, showing no signs of clearing.
Water had pooled on the leaves and branches, forcing the men to avoid sitting under trees.
They crouched by the roadside, eating dry rations and lightening the load for the livestock.
"Everyone, water and feed the animals. Once you’ve eaten, we move out. It’ll likely rain again by evening, we must reach Shuixi County as soon as possible."
When Ji Taoyu woke, his head felt heavy.
Seeing the carriage still moving, he pushed himself up and lifted the curtain. The outside was just as gloomy, the rain unchanged, making it hard to tell the time.
"Awake?"
Ji Taoyu rubbed his eyes and saw Huo Shu slowing his horse to stop by the carriage window. "What time is it? Where are we?"
"Afternoon. Have something to eat. We’re about two hours from Shuixi County."
Ji Taoyu was surprised he’d slept so long.
He murmured an acknowledgment and reached for the dry rations in the carriage.
He hadn’t expected to sleep over an hour, yet his rest had been shallow, filled with fragmented dreams—of his parents, of the journey, all jumbled together.
The longer he sat in the cramped carriage, the stuffier it became. The farther they traveled, the more he felt the discomfort of the journey.
Still, he knew his conditions were far better than those of the men outside, braving the rain under hats, guarding the cargo and driving the carts.
Uncomfortable as he was, he stayed quiet in the carriage, not uttering a single complaint.
The convoy entered Shuixi County as dusk was falling.
Though it was only the hour of you (5-7 PM), not particularly late, rainy days always darkened earlier.
Whether due to the rain or the small county’s sparse population, the streets were already quite empty by this hour. As the convoy entered the city, the few people coming in or out of town watched curiously.
Not only were the streets desolate, but only the shops along the main road still had lanterns lit and doors open. The side streets' shops had already closed one after another.
The group were all common folk from around Tongzhou. While in the prefecture, they had heard outsiders speak of Tongzhou’s prosperity and liveliness, but they hadn’t felt it themselves. Now, arriving in this small county town, they finally had a stark comparison.
Thank you for the update!!!
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