The morning sun breaks through the sky, creating layers of light.
The carriage slowly drove to the right on Shangguan Road. After a moment, three tea sheds came into view, followed by the Songshan Inn.
The sun had broken out a little earlier, and the work on the tea shed had started a little earlier. Now the steamer sitting on the fire was steaming.
Mrs. Chen was turning the large spoon in her hand, stirring the mung bean porridge that was cooking loudly on the other stove.
Yuan Hua was kneading the dough.
Ma Liang took a rag and wiped clean the tables and stools that had just been moved out and put on.
And here, Tao Dongcheng is cleaning the carriage shed seriously.
In the corridor of the inn, Tao Dongping was cleaning the doors and windows with a rag.
Everyone is busy with what they are doing and enjoying themselves.
The carriage stopped by the tea shed. Du Chuanfu, the driver, jumped out of the seat, turned around and lifted the curtain to let Song Qiu and Aling get out.
Over there, Ma Liang and others saw her and asked the girl how she was one by one.
Song Qiu walked into the tea shed and said, "Ma Liang is here, and where is Uncle Meng."
Ma Liang heard the sound and replied: "I went shopping with shopkeeper Tao, I guess I'll be back soon."
"We are going on a journey today, and he got up in the middle of the night?"
Song Qiu smiled, sat in the tea shed, greeted Yuan Hua and his wife, and said, "Second cousin, what is there to eat in the tea shed today?"
Mrs. Chen answered from behind the desk, "Today we have steamed buns, mung bean porridge, noodles and hot and sour noodles, cold shrimps and fermented glutinous rice, and jelly, but the steamed buns have just breathed out and haven't been steamed yet.
Okay, the porridge is not ready yet, the noodles are still cooking, and the ice cubes have not been bought yet. Ah Qiu and Aling, do you want hot and sour noodles or jelly?"
Song Qiu heard this and said: "It's still early now, it's not bright yet, so if you're not busy having breakfast, we'll eat it later when we get to Baishui Town."
It's still early here. If you eat so early, you will be hungry before noon.
"That's okay!"
Mrs. Chen said this in her mouth, but her hands were numb. She scraped out a bowl of jelly with a few strokes of the jelly scraper that Song Qiu specially drew and asked the blacksmith to make, and mixed it with seasonings.
Then he brought it to Song Qiu, "Aqiu, please try it. Our tea shed has been selling it for several days. Do you want to see if the taste of my mixture is good?"
The condiments are all prepared by Song Qiu, it just depends on the taste of the mixture.
It’s not much to eat two chopsticks of jelly, you can still eat it later.
Song Qiu took the chopsticks, took a bite, and nodded, "Okay, just mix it like this, but some people may not like sweet and sour flavors, so remember to ask when you mix it."
Mrs. Chen nodded, "Hey! I remember it!"
Ah Ling took the bowl to eat. She had a big appetite, so she couldn't even eat this bowl.
Song Qiu just sat and watched her eat, while doing some household chores with Yuan Hua, who was kneading dough.
"Cousin, how is Erping's marriage going?"
Before talking about asking Aling to learn the art of midwifery that day, her grandma first mentioned what Erping said to Aling.
Later she heard from her mother that it was her second cousin, Chen, who had asked Erping to find a girl in their village.
There are not many girls of the same age in their village, and those who are almost all are engaged or have fallen in love.
So she looked around and realized that A Ling was of the right age.
Of course, she helped A Ling push him, because A Ling and Er Ping were not suitable.
Her mother returned the milk to her second cousin and said there was no suitable one.
On the day of the warm house wine, her uncle and the others came to visit and had a night's rest. She actually heard from her grandma that they seemed to have found a suitable match. She didn't know how it was after so many days.
Yuan Hua didn't know that Old Yuan had mentioned Aling, and Aling himself didn't know. Only Old Yuan and Song Qiu knew about it.
So Yuan Hua didn't think anything about it when he looked at Aling, and said with a smile: "It's from your cousin's natal village. The girl from that family is about the same age as Erping. Erping's aunt gave him a matchmaker. Erping goes to him."
I took a trip to my grandpa’s house and met him once. I just have to wait and see when my daughter’s family comes to visit. After seeing her, I think it will work!”
Yuan Hua is not bragging. The current conditions of the Yuan family are really good. As long as the woman understands and comes to see it, she will definitely be satisfied.
"Aqiu, how long will it take for you to go on this trip? I don't know if Erping's housekeepers will be back for you."
Song Qiu was not sure, "Cousin, you also know that I have never traveled far, and I have never been to Qingping Mansion. I don't know the situation. This time I have to go and see it before I can decide, so when can I come back?"
, I don’t know yet.”
In order to avoid worrying about her baby, she told her last night when she was having some time with her that no matter whether she finds a suitable one or not, she will come home within a month at most.
While saying this, Tao Zheng and Meng Chaoqun, who had gone to town to do some shopping at midnight, also came back.
The inn buys ingredients every day. I used to go to Ping'an Market every day because it was close, and then I only went to the town every five days because everything was complete.
But now if you want to start using ice, you have to go to town to buy it every day.
Therefore, you have to get up earlier.
Otherwise, I won't be able to get back before I'm busy preparing food.
Seeing that Meng Chaoqun was back, Song Qiu quickly asked him and Ma Liang to pick up their luggage.
After loading their luggage into the car, the group set off northward under the watch of everyone in the inn.
The first ray of sunlight in the morning slowly shone down, and the Songshan River falling behind the carriage seemed to be coated with a layer of golden light, shining brightly.
The carriage went further and further away, then turned the corner and embarked on its first journey north.
…
From Songshan Village to Baishui Town, it was only a dozen miles away. The carriage moved very fast, and it didn't take long before we entered Baishui Town.
Baishui Town is not big, with only three markets. When you enter the town, go to the right and go to the center of the town. On the left is the morning market street.
It was time to rush to the morning market, and it was very lively with people coming and going, shouting and shouting.
The carriage could not enter there, so Song Qiu asked Du Chuanfu to leave the carriage at the entrance of the morning market. For three pence, someone would guard it to ensure that the carriage would not be lost.
A few people went to the morning market together.
There are all kinds of hawking sounds, and the stalls are one after another, which makes people dazzled.
When entering the morning market, there are some stalls selling food on both sides, such as steamed buns, steamed buns, wontons, and everything else. There are many people sitting at each stall eating breakfast.
Song Qiu looked around and saw Zhou Shitou and others.
Just keep going inside.
Those selling vegetables, chickens, fish, ducks, and various farm utensils.
At the end of the morning market, there were a lot of food stalls, and everyone was sitting there.
At this moment, Song Qiu caught sight of Zhou Shitou, who was sweating profusely from work.
Then I saw cloth banners hanging with Zhouji snacks fluttering, and underneath was a stall connected to the stove. The pot on the stove was boiling and cooking vermicelli.
On the table decorated with the butt of the car, there is an ice cooker on the lower floor. There are various condiments on the table. Manju is holding a wooden ladle with a handle in one hand and a large spoon in the other, mixing the jelly with quick hands and feet.
There are four tables behind the stall, and they are all full now.
Manju's younger brother Mantun was serving a bowl of cooked hot and sour noodles to the guests.
There were also many women waiting in front of the stall carrying baskets with bowls in them.
Manju poured the mixed jelly into the bowl in front of her, and then gave it to the woman waiting in front of the stall.
"Sister, be careful, come again next time!"
The woman took it, gave the money, put it into the basket, and said with a smile, "It'll be here soon! Your jelly is so delicious!"