Transmigrating with a Five Million Dollar Retirement Life

Chapter 166 Departure from Nanning County

"Mom, are we about to leave?" Mu Xue skipped over to Song Jiaojiao, her joy barely concealed.

Xu An followed respectfully behind Mu Xue, his little face also showing anticipation for the trip.

Although Xu Fang was worried that her daughter might not eat or sleep well while away from home, she still chose to respect her daughter's decision.

“Yes, once we’ve packed all this stuff, we can set off. Also, you have to call me Dad when we’re out here, okay?” Song Jiaojiao, dressed in men’s clothing, said with a smile.

Although the Jin Dynasty did not treat women as harshly, it was still more convenient to pretend to be a man when traveling long distances.

At only 64 meters tall, Song Jiaojiao does appear quite short in men's clothing. However, men in Nanning County are generally not very tall, so it's not unusual for Song Jiaojiao to dress as a man.

"Yay, we're finally going to set off!" Mu Xue said with a beaming smile.

Song Jiaojiao went all out for this trip, bringing two vehicles with her. One of them was a larger carriage that Song Jiaojiao had prepared in advance, pulled by two horses.

The carriage has low couches so you can rest when you're tired on the journey. There are also detachable low tables in the carriage, and a small stove next to the window where you can boil tea or warm porridge.

Song Jiaojiao also bought a lot of the usual medicinal herbs from Huichuntang, just in case she suddenly fell ill in the middle of nowhere. It's always better to be prepared than to be helpless.

"Sister Jiaojiao, we're all set up here. Once you're done here, we can set off," Wang Ziyi said as he walked over.

"Uncle Wang, we're all done too!" Mu Xue said with a grin, peeking out from behind Song Jiaojiao.

"Little Muxue, you can go now." Wang Ziyi didn't know why he felt a strange sense of familiarity with this little girl, as if he had seen her somewhere before.

"Alright, let's set off then. Ziyi, it's better to call me Brother Song from now on, it'll save you a lot of trouble." Song Jiaojiao said with a gentle smile.

Looking at Song Jiaojiao dressed as a man in front of him, especially her smile, Wang Ziyi felt a sense of déjà vu. He thought about how his servants had investigated Song Jiaojiao's identity before. He knew that Song Jiaojiao was not a local. She was rescued by Wang Chi, and Song Jiaojiao herself had injured her head and forgotten her previous memories. He really didn't know where Song Jiaojiao was from before she lost her memory.

“Okay, Brother Song.” Wang Ziyi said with a smile, putting aside his inner thoughts.

The carriage slowly set off, and as Yunshui Town receded into the distance behind them, the journey officially began.

Just after passing Tongan County, a light drizzle began to fall, and the rain only stopped when Song Jiaojiao and her group arrived in Nanning County.

Spring rain is very important for farmers who rely on the weather for their livelihood, but it's not good news for people traveling on the road.

"How boring!" After sitting in the carriage for three days, Mu Xue finally couldn't stand it anymore. This was the third time she had sighed today.

I thought going on a long trip would allow me to see different scenery, but it rained the whole time I went out.

The continuous drizzle completely obscured the distant scenery, significantly reducing visibility.

"Alright, we'll be in Nanning County in two more days. We'll have a good time there for a few days," Song Jiaojiao said, patting Mu Xue's head.

Zhang Li was driving the carriage for Song Jiaojiao. Shang Xiaoxiao was also in the carriage. The carriage behind was driven by Shang Xiaoxiao's brother, Shang Yu. Before setting off, Song Jiaojiao picked up Xu Sen from the escort agency. Although the contract hadn't arrived, it wasn't a problem with Wang Ziyi there. Xu Sen and Shang Yu were the last to arrive.

Five days passed, and it didn't rain on the last day, though the sky was overcast.

Finally, after noon, the city walls of Nanning County appeared before Song Jiaojiao.

"We're here! We're finally here!" Mu Xue exclaimed excitedly, sticking her head out of the window.

Song Jiaojiao looked at the tall and majestic city wall in front of her. The wall was about ten meters high, and the city gate was about five meters high. The deep red gate was half a meter thick and adorned with golden door studs. It stood there solemnly, like a general protecting the people in the city.

Song Jiaojiao and her group paid the city entry fee and slowly entered the city.

Following Wang Ziyi to the Sifang Inn, Wang Ziyi got out of the car and stood in front of Song Jiaojiao.

"Jiao... cough, Brother Song, we've arrived. I've already made arrangements for the inn. You just need to settle in comfortably. If you have any questions, just ask the innkeeper."

Wang Ziyi had written in advance, asking the inn to reserve a room.

“Yes, I am the innkeeper, surnamed Wang. Please follow me, young master,” said a man in his forties behind Wang Ziyi.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Ziyi." Song Jiaojiao said with a smile, accepting Wang Ziyi's kindness. Now that they were in a cooperative relationship, there was no need to worry about such details.

"Brother Song must be tired from your journey. You should take your niece and rest early. I won't bother you any longer," Wang Ziyi said with a smile.

Wang Ziyi has his own courtyard in the county town. People like him who need to travel all over the country usually have courtyards in most important county towns.

Song Jiaojiao nodded and followed the innkeeper to the room.

Wang Ziyi arranged a suite in the backyard for Song Jiaojiao and her group. There were three rooms in total, which was just enough for them. The small courtyard-like rooms could isolate the risks brought by people coming and going, and greatly protect the privacy of the guests. Naturally, the price was not low. Song Jiaojiao only glanced at the price list and saw that such a small courtyard cost 68 taels a day.

A single day's stay there is equivalent to several years' income for a farmer.

"Mother, there's a pavilion here too!" Mu Xue said, pointing to the pavilion in the courtyard.

The courtyard not only has a pavilion, but also a small pond where koi carp swim around, and many brightly blooming flowers are also nearby.

After arranging accommodations for everyone, Song Jiaojiao told them to rest and to eat at the inn on their own.

After riding in a carriage for five days straight, Song Jiaojiao felt like her whole body was about to fall apart. The roads here were not like the roads of her previous life; potholes were unavoidable.

"Mother, Mother, let's go out for a walk." Mu Xue said coquettishly, clinging to Song Jiaojiao's arm. After being locked in the carriage for five days, she was finally released and didn't want to stay in the room at all.

"Alright, alright, stop shaking, or it'll fall apart." Song Jiaojiao had no choice but to stay with Mu Xue. They were unfamiliar with the area, and Song Jiaojiao didn't dare let her go on her own.

"But you have to call me Dad when you're out, okay? Don't forget." Song Jiaojiao said, lightly tapping Mu Xue's forehead with her finger.

"Okay, Mom... Dad," Mu Xue said, sticking out her tongue.

Song Jiaojiao took Mu Xue and Shang Xiaoxiao out, leaving Xu An to rest in the room first. Xu An's health had improved a lot in the past two years, but this long trip still exhausted her.

The prosperity of the prefecture was incomparable to that of the county town. Small sedan chairs were waiting everywhere on the streets. Many streets in the prefecture did not allow horse-drawn carriages to pass through, let alone ride horses in the city.

Most of the shops on the street are two or three stories high, and each one is decorated in a luxurious way to make their business better, making them a feast for the eyes.