Chapter 181 City Streets 81

Chapter 181: Capital City Life 81

Four years later.

It was early spring, with a fickle mix of warmth and lingering cold. The further north they traveled, the colder it became, as if winter had returned.

Qin Rongshi, Liu Guyu, Chen Sanxi, and Qin Banban were currently aboard a large vessel heading north. With the imperial examinations imminent, they were on their way to the capital.

Jiangzhou lay to the south, the capital to the north—a truly vast distance. Though spring had arrived, the journey northward grew progressively colder. Now, on the ship, they faced the daily river winds, making them reluctant to even step outside.

But why were Chen Sanxi and Banban also making the journey? This requires some backstory.

Qin Rongshi was traveling to the capital for the exams, a long and arduous journey that necessitated companionship. Chen Sanxi and Qin Banban had married a few years prior. With no parents of his own, Chen Sanxi treated his master and mistress as his own, effectively making the He and Qin families in-laws.

He Kuan, ever the warm-hearted and well-connected individual, naturally sought a solution. He quickly located a familiar merchant caravan bound for the capital and arranged for Qin Rongshi and Liu Guyu to join them. Chen Sanxi, accompanied by several skilled escorts, went along to guard against potential bandits or river pirates on the isolated route.

The capital, the heart of the nation, naturally inspired longing. Though Qin Banban never explicitly stated her desire to go, her curiosity was palpable. For several days, she constantly pressed Chen Sanxi, asking, "When you return, you must tell me all about the capital! How is it different from our prefectural city? Are the roads wider? How tall are the buildings? Is the food delicious? Look carefully and tell me everything!"

Her eager, sparkling almond-shaped eyes shone with a soft light. How could Chen Sanxi bear for her to only hear about it? So, he simply brought her along.

The journey was long—first by official road, then by boat along the waterways, and finally back to the road. It took nearly a month to reach the capital.

On the large ship, Qin Banban knocked on the door of Qin Rongshi and Liu Guyu’s room.

"Second Brother, Brother Liu—"

Just as she uttered those three words, Qin Rongshi quickly opened the door and raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.

Qin Banban covered her mouth, peered inside, and whispered, "How is he? Is Brother Liu feeling better?"

Liu Guyu suffered from seasickness, a fact they had discovered years ago during their first trip to the prefectural city by water. Since then, Qin Rongshi had avoided taking him on boats, preferring to take a longer land route back to Fushui Town, even if it meant an extra day of travel.

However, traveling to the capital by water was unavoidable. Qin Rongshi initially hesitated to bring Liu Guyu, worried he wouldn’t cope. Yet, the examination trip would last at least three or four months, possibly half a year, and Liu Guyu, unwilling to be left behind, insisted on accompanying him.

Moreover, Jiangning Prefecture was abundant in waterways and boats. They often traveled by small boats, which moved slowly and were open to the elements. Liu Guyu had never gotten seasick on these, leading him to believe he had overcome his motion sickness. Alas, large ships proved to be a different matter entirely.

Fortunately, with a doctor in the family, Qin Banban had prepared in advance, bringing both oral and topical motion sickness medicine. While the medicine prevented him from vomiting uncontrollably, he still felt listless and spent his days curled up in the room, utterly drained.

Qin Rongshi glanced at his sister, then at Chen Sanxi standing beside her. After three years of marriage, Qin Rongshi had finally come to accept his brother-in-law.

Escort Chief He was aging and rarely undertook escort missions anymore. Many of the bureau’s major and long-distance escorts were now led by Chen Sanxi. Over the years, he had accumulated considerable savings but remained frugal, dressing plainly.

In contrast, Qin Banban was dressed vibrantly—a maroon fur coat with a thick, warm fox fur collar, a gray-blue patterned long jacket underneath, and a pair of coral hairpins in her hair. Rumor had it that Chen Sanxi had brought them back from a coastal city during an escort mission the previous year.

Though rough around the edges, the man took excellent care of his wife, who had even gained a little weight.

Qin Banban craned her neck to look inside. The ship’s guest room was small, furnished only with a narrow bed and two stools—everything visible at a glance.

She saw a bulge on the bed, as if someone were lying there.

Qin Rongshi followed her gaze and whispered, "He just fell asleep."

Qin Banban nodded and said softly, "I asked earlier. We should arrive at Ying City around Shenshi (3–5 PM). We can disembark and switch to the official road there. The merchant caravan will rest in Ying City for the night and set out again the next day. Brother Liu can get some proper rest then."

Qin Rongshi nodded and told Banban and Chen Sanxi to return to their room.

As Qin Banban had said, by the end of Shenshi (around 5 PM), the group disembarked. The merchant caravan was large, with many people and goods. Chen Sanxi and the escorts helped unload the cargo, while Qin Rongshi, Liu Guyu, and Banban went ahead to the inn.

"Want a preserved plum?"

Qin Rongshi had his arm around Liu Guyu's waist. Liu Guyu had just woken up and was languid, clinging to Qin Rongshi’s shoulder like a boneless snake. Instead of answering, he simply opened his mouth and let out a long "ah."

Qin Rongshi smiled and fed him two plums, then offered the rest to Qin Banban.

Banban waved her hand dismissively. "Too sour. I won’t eat them."

The sour plums were meant to stimulate the appetite. Liu Guyu had lost his appetite since boarding the ship and could only eat sour foods to stimulate it. Seeing him like this, Qin Banban had initially worried he might be pregnant. The thought of him being pregnant during the journey, with all its inconveniences, made her anxious.

Fortunately, after taking his pulse, she determined it was just motion sickness causing his lack of appetite.

At the inn, they asked the kitchen to prepare a bowl of appetite-stimulating sour noodle soup. After a warm meal, they asked the waiter for hot water to wash off the dust, rested for the night, and continued their journey the next day.

The exam was in early March. They had set out just after the Lantern Festival and finally arrived in the capital in early February.

It was dusk, and they entered the city as the sun set.

The prefectural city’s gates were already imposing, but the capital’s gates were like giant monsters, yawning wide, inviting people in.

A row of dark red flags fluttered vigorously on the battlements. Alert guards stood at the four corners, and armored soldiers inspected the travel documents of those entering and leaving.

With the imperial exams approaching, many scholars, young and old, had journeyed to the capital.

After having their travel documents and identity tokens checked, the group shouldered their bags and entered the city.

"This is the capital… It’s so big, and there are so many people!"

Though night hadn’t fully fallen, lanterns were already lit along the streets, illuminating the city.

Shops lined both sides of the street, with wine flags slanting out from under the eaves. The aroma of wine wafted through the air, and servers could be seen calling out to sell their goods.

There were spacious tea houses, from which the scent of freshly steeped tea drifted. Elderly musicians played the erhu on either side, while in the center, a storyteller with a long beard told tales of spirits and monsters. With a clap of his wooden block, the audience erupted in applause.

Street performers, Hu dancers, lantern riddle stalls, pitch-pot, and archery—the variety was far greater than in the prefectural city.

The streets were wide, easily twice as broad as those in the prefectural city, paved with bluestone. Occasionally, tall, luxurious carriages drawn by two or three white horses passed by, like small moving rooms.

There were also foreign merchants from distant lands, leading camel caravans. Bells hung from the camels’ necks, jingling as they walked, and exotic spice scents drifted from the caravans.

"Wow! Is that a camel?! I’ve only seen them in books!"

"It’s even taller than a horse! So big!"

Once inside the city, Banban couldn’t stop talking, amazed by everything.

The prefectural city was already bustling, but the capital made them realize there were greater heights to reach.

And this was just the outer city. They had heard that reaching the inner city would take another hour or two—still a long way off.

But they could explore later. For now, it was getting late, and the priority was to find an inn to settle down. They could look for accommodation tomorrow.

The exam was on the fourth day of the third month, still a month away. They couldn’t stay at an inn the entire time—their money would disappear quickly, and it wouldn’t be enough.

After the journey by boat and carriage, all four of them were exhausted. They found a decent inn and, regardless of the price, decided to rest properly for the night first.

They also asked the inn attendant for some food, had a simple meal in the evening, washed up, and went to bed.

The next day, Qin Rongshi and Chen Sanxi, the two men, went out to find a housing agent to look for a rental property.

"Oh, you must be exam candidates, sir! Judging by your appearance—handsome and distinguished-looking—you look like someone destined for high office!"

All housing agents are known for their smooth talk, and this one was no exception. He immediately recognized Qin Rongshi as an exam candidate come to the capital. After assessing their clothing and accessories, he already had an idea of their budget and the type of courtyard they could afford.

Qin Rongshi nodded and said, "We’d like to rent a two-room courtyard with a kitchen for cooking. Preferably close to the inner city."

The examination hall was located in the inner city. Even after entering the inner city, it would take about half an hour's walk to get there. Just getting from the outer city to the inner city was time-consuming, and finding the examination hall inside would take even more time—quite the hassle.

The housing agent smiled cheerfully, bowing slightly as he replied, "Understood, understood! I have a few good courtyards here. Would you like to take a look?"

With that, he led Qin Rongshi and Chen Sanxi inside, brought them to a yellow wall, and chuckled as he unfurled a large oil-paper map that had been rolled up.

The map was enormous, nearly two zhang long and one zhang wide. With a swift motion, it spread across the entire wall, displaying streets, alleys, houses, and city gates in clear detail.

The housing agent, holding a wooden stick he’d produced from somewhere, pointed at the map and explained:

"These few courtyards with two rooms and a kitchen are quite good. Let me tell you about them."

"This one is in Chayou Alley. It’s the closest to the inner city—just turn a corner, and you’re there. Less than fifteen minutes' walk. It’s fully furnished, and there’s even a well in the yard! Very convenient for cooking and laundry!"

The housing agent was straightforward and honest. He paused before adding:

"But there’s one thing I must make clear to you, sir. The family next door just had a baby. With only a wall separating you, it’s very close. Newborn babies tend to cry and fuss, especially at night. For others, it might not matter, but you’re here for the exams. You need good rest and quiet for studying."

"The location is good, really convenient, but that’s the only downside."

Chen Sanxi frowned upon hearing this, thinking that studying indeed required quiet. He immediately asked, "Are there any other courtyards?"

The housing agent quickly replied, "Yes, yes!"

"Here and here—both are located in Zhuangyuan Alley. Well, these are a bit farther, but they’re right by the main street. You can take a carriage directly, and it’ll only take about a quarter-hour to reach the inner city!"

"Zhuangyuan Alley is a favorite among scholars like you. This alley once produced a zhuangyuan! The properties here are highly sought-after. You two came early—there’s still a month until the exams. If you wait any longer, there might not be a single courtyard left!"

The housing agent spoke cheerfully, mixing in light jokes while ensuring he covered all the necessary details.

"However, the courtyards in Zhuangyuan Alley don’t have wells. There are two communal wells at either end of the alley, so you’ll have to fetch your own water. It’s inconvenient for long-term stays, but since you’re only here for the exams, a short rental of one or two months shouldn’t be a problem."

"Of these two courtyards, one is larger and one smaller. The specifics would require an on-site visit. If you’re interested, I can take you to see both."

"Oh, right! There are also two women in the alley who do laundry—eight wen for a basin of winter clothes, five wen for summer clothes. If you didn’t bring family or servants, you can hire them! Many candidates staying in the alley use their services!"

Although Qin Rongshi and Chen Sanxi had brought their families along, they hadn’t brought them to do laundry. They found the presence of laundry women in the alley quite convenient.

The two men went with the housing agent to see the properties, taking the agency’s ox-cart to Zhuangyuan Alley to inspect both courtyards.

Both were clean, but rental prices in the capital were high. One cost fifteen taels per month, the other twelve taels. Naturally, they chose the cheaper one.

Even twelve taels seemed expensive, and Qin Rongshi tried to negotiate.

But the housing agent was frank: "This is your first time in the capital, so you might not know how it works here. Under normal circumstances, rental prices usually range from eight taels to ten taels."

He gestured with his hands, showing "eight" and "ten."

"But with the exams approaching, rental prices all over the city have increased! There’s nothing to be done about it. I’m just an employee, and my boss is keeping close watch! I dare not lower the price for you! Besides, you came early. If you wait another half-month, the prices will be even higher!"

It was clear that candidates from out of town had to find lodging, and even if the prices were painful, they had to pay.

It wasn’t just housing prices that had gone up—even inns had raised prices.

The previous day, the group had rented two rooms, each costing 350 coppers—enough to rent a shop in Fushui Town for a month.

Since they had to spend the money anyway, Qin Rongshi chose the smaller courtyard, signed the lease with the housing agent on the spot, and promptly paid up and got the keys.

The deal was settled quickly, and the housing agent was pleased. He took the two men around the neighborhood to familiarize them with the nearby streets and shops.

"That way is the vegetable and meat market, very close to Zhuangyuan Alley—just a few steps away. You can go there for your daily shopping!"

"To the left is Guanglin Street, where there are many restaurants and food stalls. Lin Family Eatery, Yang’s Soup Pancakes, and Eight Immortals Residence all have great food! Eight Immortals Residence is a bit pricier, but the first two are quite affordable. If you don’t feel like cooking, you can get takeaway from there."

"Further down Guanglin Street, take the first alley on the right, and you’ll find Lu Family Herbal Clinic. Old Doctor Lu there is highly skilled! If you have any minor health issues, you can visit him. But make sure to see Old Doctor Lu—the one in his sixties with white hair and a beard! His son’s skills are mediocre; he hasn’t mastered his father’s expertise."

...

The housing agent went on for a while before finally leaving them with a blessing.

"Now, esteemed guests, please settle in. I wish you, sir, success in the exams and a brilliant future!"

With that, the housing agent departed.

Qin Rongshi and Chen Sanxi tidied up the courtyard briefly, then went to Guanglin Street to buy some food. Afterward, they returned to the inn to pick up their families, and the two couples moved into the newly rented courtyard that very day.