Chapter Eighty-Three: Departure

Chapter 83 Departure

Lin Qiuran nodded gently.

This decision wasn't made recently; she had long planned to move elsewhere. Back when Zhao Jinshan came to Yu'an for an investigation, Lin Qiuran had asked about children's education. Magistrate Zhao mentioned that academies in Xuzhou and the capital were excellent. Tangyuan was four this year and would turn five after the New Year, making it the right time to send him to an academy to begin his education with a teacher.

Of course, this was just a remark Zhao Jinshan made two years ago. Zhao Jinshan was no longer serving in Xuzhou, and even Yu'an's magistrate, Lord Li, had been promoted elsewhere. Whether the capital's academies remained as good as before, Lin Qiuran didn't know.

Usually, Lin Qiuran taught Tangyuan to recite poems and do arithmetic, but it was mostly for fun. In her heart, Tangyuan was still a child. Teaching him a couple of poems at home meant he could recite them, but he still couldn't read, write, or understand the meaning behind the poetry.

Plans needed to be made early. Lin Qiuran thought of going to the capital in a few days, settling down first, and then opening a Golden Tripod Restaurant there. She had discussed this with Shopkeeper Shi earlier and had been delegating restaurant matters throughout the month.

She wanted to go to the capital not only for Tangyuan but also because the Golden Tripod Restaurant was doing well and was already the largest restaurant in the county town. The population in the county town was limited; even with more dishes and expanded in size, the number of customers would remain about the same. So, Lin Qiuran wanted to explore elsewhere.

Additionally, last year-end, Xiao Xun sent a letter saying he was doing well, but the war was intensifying, and he had to remain stationed in the northwest and couldn't return.

The handwriting was indeed Xiao Xun's, and in the letter, he mentioned he had been promoted. Since Xiao Xun seldom returned to Yu'an anyway, Lin Qiuran didn't want to wait around idly in Yu'an. If Xiao Xun could return from the northwest with an official position, he likely wouldn't come back to Yu'an often.

Should she spend her life tending to her in-laws and Tangyuan? Their relationship wasn't deep enough for that, and even if it were, how long could a long-distance marriage last?

Xiao Xun went to war out of necessity, to defend the country, and Lin Qiuran had no complaints. But if he stayed in places like the capital or Xuzhou when not on the battlefield, leaving Lin Qiuran to manage the household alone, she wasn't willing.

She wasn't short on money, so she'd rather divorce.

Whenever Shopkeeper Shi brought this up, Lin Qiuran couldn't help but frown.

As Tangyuan grew older, learning to run, jump, laugh, act affectionately, and talk, Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi doted on him even more, which differed from Lin Qiuran's perspective. She believed boys shouldn't be overly spoiled; they should read, learn manners, and be sensible. But Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi thought Tangyuan was still young and it was too early to worry about such things.

Although they eventually agreed to take Tangyuan to the capital, they still fretted about it.

Sun Shi often expressed concerns these days: going to the capital where they knew no one, the times were unstable, what if they encountered bandits on the road, what if something happened during the journey, and she worried Tangyuan might not acclimatize to the capital's environment or fall ill.

Sun Shi wanted Lin Qiuran to wait until Xiao Xun returned. The war couldn't last forever, and it would be better if Xiao Xun came to fetch them.

Lin Qiuran understood their reluctance to leave their hometown, but this time of year was the best for travel—just after the hot summer, the weather was cool and comfortable for journeying.

It wasn't too cold either, so they wouldn't suffer from the chill on the road.

Tangyuan was four and would be five soon, ready to begin his education. They needed to settle in the capital, find a place to live, and arrange for the academy.

If they waited until next year or even until Xiao Xun returned, Lin Qiuran worried it would be too late for his education, and there were many things to do in the capital, like opening a branch of the Golden Tripod Restaurant. To put it bluntly, the letter was sent before the New Year, and half a year had already passed. Lin Qiuran didn't even know if Xiao Xun was still alive—how could she wait?

If Tangyuan were ordinary, Lin Qiuran would be content with him having a stable life, studying at any local school, learning to manage the shop from Shopkeeper Shi, eventually taking over the Golden Tripod Restaurant, and never worrying about food or drink.

But Tangyuan was very clever. At such a young age, he had his own ideas, memorized poems after hearing them once, and learned arithmetic quickly. Given this, he deserved a broader world to explore, not just a stable life in Yu'an.

Xiao Dashi wasn't very attentive to Tangyuan but spoiled him, while Sun Shi was both attentive and indulgent.

At this age, children inevitably have mischievous and unruly moments, and Lin Qiuran often had to play the disciplinarian in those situations.

Thinking about this made her thoughts drift far away. Lin Qiuran said, "Although I'm leaving, the shop remains. If anything happens, write to me."

Wan Niang would stay at the shop, along with two new apprentices Lin Qiuran had taken on. Lin Dong would also remain there for now.

As for Xiao Dashi, although he agreed to let Lin Qiuran take Tangyuan to the capital, he didn't want to go himself.

Lin Qiuran thought the farmland needed managing, and the Golden Tripod Restaurant was still here. If the whole family left without knowing when they'd return, she wouldn't feel at ease leaving the restaurant unattended.

So, Xiao Dashi would stay behind for now. Once things were settled on the other end, she would write to him and have him come over.

The Golden Tripod Restaurant would be entrusted to Shopkeeper Shi. Lin Qiuran was glad she had given him a share of the profits earlier; otherwise, if Shopkeeper Shi resigned, it would be hard to find another manager who cared so much about the shop.

The staff remained the same old hands. Lu Fan was steady and dependable, while Zhao Xing was quick-witted and skilled at making tea.

Lin Ming would accompany Lin Qiuran, so the shop would be short-handed. Lin Qiuran had recently bought two more servants to stay and help with odd jobs.

Wan Niang could now cook and had always been dutiful. Lin Qiuran initially wanted to give her a share of the profits like Shopkeeper Shi, but Wan Niang declined.

One should have a conscience and know contentment. Lin Qiuran was willing to pass on her culinary skills, which was already generous. As an apprentice, how could she ask for a share of the profits from her master?

She was content with her wages. If she truly contributed to the shop like Shopkeeper Shi, she would accept the money with a clear conscience.

Lin Qiuran arranged the Golden Tripod Restaurant as follows: Lin Dong and Wan Niang would be the head chefs, with her two apprentices assisting. Shopkeeper Shi would manage the front of house, and Zhao Xing and the others were trustworthy.

Writing letters for matters would be slow; they had to rely on themselves. But Lin Qiuran didn't think any major issues would arise because the Golden Tripod Restaurant offered affordable prices and excellent food, and it had a very good reputation in Yu'an County.

Since the refugees entered the city the year before last, the restaurant had been distributing charity meals in the eastern and western parts of the city every month, and the locals remembered the restaurant's kindness.

Moreover, the current magistrate of Yu'an was Magistrate Wang, whom Lin Qiuran was familiar with. Last year, he was the county registrar but had since been promoted. If anything happened, Shopkeeper Shi could go to the county yamen.

Lin Qiuran felt very assured about the Golden Tripod Restaurant. It was just that after working with these people for so many years, they had formed bonds. Now that she was about to leave, she felt reluctant.

Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "All good things must come to an end. I will return someday. If anything happens, write to me. Discuss shop matters with Shopkeeper Shi, and when I reach the capital, I'll send you local specialties."

Shopkeeper Shi smiled and said, "Then we must have a farewell banquet before you leave! I'll host—you must not refuse, Madam Lin! Don't worry, with us here at the Golden Tripod Restaurant, everything will be fine."

Shopkeeper Shi would manage well. He earned eleven or twelve taels a month, which was as high as it gets in this line of work.

Last year, his family even moved to a new house. Although he managed such a large restaurant and handled so much money, the restaurant belonged to Lin Qiuran, and the recipes were hers too. He knew his place, and getting five percent of the profits was thanks to Lin Qiuran's generosity.

As for Lu Fan and the others, their wages as servers were also considerable, since anyone could do this job.

Zhao Xing was also content. When he left the teahouse, other employees didn't want to wait and left early, but the business shut down, leaving them jobless. They switched jobs frequently without earning much, while he had worked here for so long.

During the month the refugees came, many people lost their jobs. He knew he should work hard and earn his keep.

Shopkeeper Shi assured Lin Qiuran, and Zhao Xing and Lu Fan also promised to work diligently. If the Golden Tripod Restaurant lasted, their good days would last too.

Lin Qiuran took a deep breath. "Thank you."

Lin Qiuran planned to leave in three days. After the meal, she left the shop for Shopkeeper Shi and the others to clean up and headed home with Lin Dong and the rest.

Lin Ming drove the carriage. Nowadays, the donkey cart was mostly used by Xiao Dashi. With a carriage, it was all about convenience and efficiency.

As soon as she arrived home, Lin Qiuran saw Tangyuan waiting at the front gate. When he saw her return, he immediately stood up. "Mother, you're finally back!"

It was almost past the hour of Xu, and usually, Tangyuan would already be asleep by this hour. Lin Qiuran glanced at his belly—still round and full.

Lin Qiuran asked, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Tangyuan said, "Mother, I'm not sleepy. I was just playing with the nine-linked ring puzzle and Luban lock that Xu Yuanhang gave me."

Xu Yuanhang returned once every month or two, and each time he brought Tangyuan clever little gadgets. Ordinary children his age were still playing with mud outside, but Tangyuan had these ingenious toys and had even learned to use an abacus from Shopkeeper Shi.

Shopkeeper Shi had a large one, and Lin Qiuran bought him a small one.

Lin Qiuran patted Tangyuan's head. "You play with these usually too. Why are you up so late tonight?"

Tangyuan looked at Lin Qiuran twice, "And also because I was waiting for you, Mom."

Lin Qiuran: "And what else?"

Tangyuan said honestly, "I’m a bit stuffed today, I really can't sleep, but I've already brushed my teeth."

Lin Qiuran looked at his belly again, as round as a watermelon, "Next time when you say the first part, tuck in your belly."

Tangyuan looked down at his belly, wondering how his mom always noticed when he ate too much, "Mom, you’ve got such a sharp eye. I couldn't resist eating another beef dumpling tonight. Your cooking is so good, it makes me want to eat a fourth after having three."

Sun Shi spoils the child and can't bear to see her grandson wanting to eat but unable to.

Lin Qiuran said, "If you feel full, move around a bit more and go to bed later."

Tangyuan grinned, revealing two small dimples.

Lin Qiuran smiled helplessly, "It's not that I won't let you eat, but if you eat too much, you'll be the one feeling uncomfortable."

With a restaurant at home, every dish is delicious. Tangyuan has been picky since he was young, and Lin Qiuran knows that everyone likes good food, but she worries he might overindulge and be unable to endure other hardships later.

What if the food at the academy isn't good? Would he just not eat? Tangyuan doesn't have many bad habits, but being picky is one of them.

Tangyuan nodded, remembering how his grandmother said to go ahead and eat when he hesitated, since beef isn't eaten often and he didn't know when he'd get another chance. He couldn't resist, but he didn't blame Sun Shi for it, "Mom, it was me who couldn't resist."

Lin Qiuran smiled, "Well then, it's a good time to pack for the move to the capital. Think of it as helping your digestion."

Tangyuan cheered, "Mom, we're going to the capital! Is the capital nice?"

Lin Qiuran took Tangyuan's hand and led him inside, "Mom doesn't know either. There are sure to be good and bad things. The good things I know are that the capital has good academies, good teachers, and they can teach you more. There's also plenty of food in the capital. You can eat the delicious lamb that Aunt Yang mentioned. It's convenient to go anywhere in the capital, and there are lots of people."

"But it definitely won't be as comfortable as in Yu'an. Your grandfather isn't coming with us this time. Didn't you go to the stream in the old village last month? The capital might not have things like that."

There might be some in the countryside, but Lin Qiuran needs to buy a house and a shop first, so buying a farmstead will have to come last.

In Yu'an, Tangyuan could be considered a wealthy young master, but in the capital, there are many powerful people and officials. Their family's wealth isn't much there.

Tangyuan didn't quite understand, "No matter if it's good or not, I'll go wherever you go."

If Lin Qiuran hadn't sternly warned him not to go into the kitchen, he would have followed her there too. The kitchen is great, full of delicious food.

Lin Qiuran smiled and said, "Then pack your things. See what clothes and toys to bring, and take only what you need."

The journey is long, and bringing too much will be inconvenient.

Tangyuan is still young and sleeps with Lin Qiuran, so his things are all in this room.

Lin Qiuran found him a wooden box to put his things in.

The first thing Tangyuan picked was the wind-up toy dog that Xiao Xun brought back for him, which can move. The second was a small wooden bird. Both were worn smooth and shiny from play.

Actually, he doesn't like these toys much, but they were given by his father.

Lin Qiuran didn't hide from Sun Shi and the others that Xiao Xun went off to war; it was impossible to keep secret. When Tangyuan was old enough to understand, Lin Qiuran didn't try to hide it from him either.

Tangyuan asked where his father was and why other children had their fathers around but he didn't.

Ying Jie's father, Zhao Shi, often came to pick up Wan Niang and her daughter in the evening. Tangyuan saw this a few times and then asked.

Sun Shi wanted to deceive him, coaxing, "Your father has gone on a long business trip. He'll be back in a while."

But Lin Qiuran said, "Your grandmother is old and misremembered. Your father went to the northwest to fight in the war. Look at the street vendors and pedestrians, and these rows of buildings. We live well here because your father and other uncles are defending our borders. Otherwise, if foreigners invaded, without them, we wouldn't have such peaceful lives."

Children are young but not ignorant. It's hard to keep secrets from them. Explaining properly works better than lying.

Lin Qiuran told the truth. Another time Tangyuan asked her was after Xiao Xun sent a letter.

Tangyuan widened his eyes doubtfully, "Mom, are you lying to me? Is Dad actually dead?"

Tangyuan went out to play that day, and someone told him his father was most likely dead, as it's easy to die from wounds in war. Tangyuan thought Lin Qiuran wasn't telling him to avoid making him sad. But since he had never met his father, he didn't know how good he was. He wanted to tell Lin Qiuran that with him around, it didn't matter if his father was there or not, so she didn't need to be sad.

Lin Qiuran was stunned for a moment, then pinched Tangyuan's cheek, "Don't curse your father. He's alive and well."

They received a letter before the New Year. No news is good news.

Tangyuan, with his round belly, packed his things. He put the toy dog in the box, thought about it, then took it out and put it on the bed. He wanted to sleep with it tonight. After placing the dog, Tangyuan turned to ask Lin Qiuran, "Mom, will I see Dad in the capital?"

Lin Qiuran said, "I'm not sure, but there's a fifty or sixty percent chance. What would you want to say to your dad if you saw him?"

Lin Qiuran sometimes couldn't help complaining, blaming Xiao Xun.

She felt he couldn't come back, and he was missing too much of Tangyuan's growth. But such is life; you can't have it all. There are many children like Tangyuan. National duty always comes first.

Lin Qiuran worried Tangyuan might resent his father.

Tangyuan said, "If I see him... I'll hug him. After hugging, I'll play horsey!"

Tangyuan looked down as he spoke, then took down the shell wind chime that Xu Yuanhang gave him from above the bed and carefully placed it in the box. He arranged the strings neatly, but still felt it wasn't right. He decided to wrap it in paper to keep it from getting tangled if the box shook.

He wasn't good at wrapping, so he asked Lin Qiuran for help.

Lin Qiuran wrapped it while saying, "Sure."

Tangyuan rested his chin on his hands, wondering if his father's hug would feel different from Xu Yuanhang's. No, no, he shouldn't compare—it wouldn't be fair to either his father or Xu Yuanhang.

Lin Qiuran looked at his adorable face and couldn't help smiling. The mother and son packed for a while, but Tangyuan still hadn't digested his food. Lin Qiuran lay on the bed and rubbed his belly for him.

At night, Tangyuan was still uncomfortable from eating too much and tossed and turned in his sleep. Lin Qiuran woke up several times, her hand continuously rubbing his belly. Even when she fell asleep, it was restless.

For her, this was common. Tangyuan had been sick when he was over three years old. At the beginning of spring, he caught a cold and had a high fever at night. Lin Qiuran fed him medicine, wiped him down, and stayed up with him for several nights.

The moon rose over the willow trees, and the sun rose again.

The next day, the weather was clear. Lin Qiuran didn't go to Golden Tripod Restaurant and asked Lin Ming to pass a message to her two apprentices: starting today, they would take over the cooking.

Lin Qiuran and Tangyuan continued packing. She also said to Sun Shi, "Mom, you should pack too. Don't bring too much. We'll be staying at an inn in the capital, and too many things will be inconvenient."

Sun Shi nodded. She was uneasy about staying behind but also worried about various things if she went.

Sun Shi went back to her room to pack but soon came out to ask, "What is Tangyuan bringing? I'll pack for him."

Lin Qiuran: "No rush for his things. There are still a few days. Let him pack himself. After he's done, we can see what's left at home and bring what's important."

Lin Qiuran dug up some soil from the backyard to take along to prevent homesickness. Nothing else was urgent. With money, they could buy anything in the capital.

Sun Shi nodded and said, "Qiu Ran, Tangyuan is so young. Can he pack properly?"

Lin Qiuran smiled, "He has nothing else to do. He can pack and play at the same time. Mom, we can't do everything for him. He's a boy."

Lin Qiuran called out to Tangyuan, "Tangyuan, do you need Grandma's help?"

Tangyuan had just found the small stones he wanted to bring along—they were called Yuhua stones, also brought to him by Uncle Xu. He waved his hand and said, "Grandma, not just yet. You don't know where I keep the things I like."

Sun Shi told Tangyuan to find her if he couldn't manage, then went to pack her own belongings. Over the past two years, Lin Qiuran had bought her quite a few clothes and accessories, and both she and Xiao Dashi had managed to put aside some money from their earnings each month. All of these had to be taken along. There would be many expenses in the capital, so it was better to bring them just in case.

Ah, there's no place like home. Going to the capital—such a long journey.

Sun Shi sighed. Qiu Ran had indeed suggested they stay behind, but she was uneasy, so she had no choice but to follow.

Lin Qiuran also sent Lin Ming to the county government office to apply for travel permits to the capital and rented two carriages. The family only had one carriage, and with so many people and luggage, it wouldn’t be enough.

Lin Ming and Lin Xia quickly took care of these matters.

Lin Qiuran also hired armed escorts for protection in case anything unexpected happened along the way. Before leaving, she took Tangyuan back to Lin Family Village to leave fabric, food, and silver for Liu Shi.

She also instructed the family servants to check on Lin Family Village every few months.

Liu Shi was reluctant to see them go. She held Tangyuan tightly, unwilling to let go. "If things don’t work out, just come back. Tangyuan, you must study hard when you get to the capital!"

Tangyuan nodded vigorously. "Grandma, when I've made something of myself, I’ll bring you to the capital too."

Liu Shi was so delighted she broke into a wide grin. Early on the morning of the 29th of August, the group set off with three carriages under escort.