Miao Chu

Chapter 310 Old Customer
Just then, Cheng Erniang came up a few steps behind and said, "Wife, why don't I go with you?"

She looked at Zhang Si Niang and said, "Tell Si Niang to rest first. She has to deliver breakfast tomorrow, and I'm afraid she won't be able to handle it!"

Zhang Si Niang quickly replied, "I'm not sleepy."

He added, "We need to keep someone at the restaurant, and Second Sister needs to be here. Otherwise, if anything happens, I won't be able to make a decision and it might cause problems. It would be better to go to the escort agency together; she can lend a hand!"

Song Miao nodded and said, "Second Madam will have to stay behind. If anything happens, you can make the decision. Our own safety is the most important thing; everything else is secondary."

"Although we've sent them away, we don't know if they have any backup plans. It's the middle of the night, and it's hard to get any information. Only you and Xiaolian are at home, so be careful."

She pointed to the table in the room and said, "I just borrowed a gong from Granny Meng next door and asked all the neighbors for help. If you hear any unusual noises or if someone comes to ask for directions, and you don't know who they are, just knock on the gong. Everyone will come to help when they hear the noise!"

It is said that a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative.

The Song family had lived in Suanzao Lane for many years and had a good reputation. Now they only had one daughter left, and she had encountered one problem after another. Their business had finally started to pick up, and everyone had benefited from the many customers that Song's shop had attracted. As their business gradually became more profitable, they naturally did not want anything to happen to her, and everyone was very willing to help.

"When we pass by the Zhuque Gate patrol post later, we'll say hello to them and ask them to come around the intersection more often when they have time, and keep an eye on things for you—you keep a close eye on Xiaolian, and don't let her get frightened."

Cheng Erniang took the gong, carefully tested its sound, and then solemnly said, "Don't worry, madam, I'll watch the shop here and wait for you to come back!"

So Wang Sanlang drove the two men to the patrol post to report the news, and then headed straight for Xu's Escort Agency.

When they arrived at their destination, it was already past midnight, but the escort agency had people on night duty. Song Miao and her two companions knocked on the door and entered. Someone came to greet them and, upon hearing that the guests were recruiting escorts that night, quickly went to the back to invite the head escort out.

The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) shuffled out in bamboo slippers and a turban. Upon seeing the group, he immediately looked surprised and exclaimed, "Isn't this Miss Song? And there's Sanlang and Zhang Niangzi! What brings you all here?"

But he was an acquaintance who had eaten steamed buns and visited him before looking for roasted pigeon.

Song Miao called out "Chief Escort Qi" and greeted him. She first told him about the trouble she had encountered at the restaurant and how Wang Sanlang had been extorted on the way. Then she said, "Since I don't know what will happen next, I thought I couldn't trust others. Xu's place is full of regular customers and acquaintances, so I thought I'd ask you all for help. You are all experienced in escorting goods, but you don't know how many people I should hire or how much money I should spend?"

Chief镖师 Qi immediately flew into a rage, shouting, "What kind of scoundrels are these! Don't they know how important Song Ji's food is?!"

He lowered his head and considered for a moment, then immediately said, "Don't panic, Miss Song. I'll provide you with enough people—nighttime is the easiest time for trouble to happen, so you need to arrange at least five people in the house. During the day, when you go out to deliver goods, it's easy to be watched, so it's best to have three people with you in each cart. If you really encounter troublemakers, one person can go and report to the authorities in time, and the other two can take care of you..."

The man listed them off, and finally said, "We're all acquaintances, so don't let this upset you stop making steamed buns and dried meat! I'll talk to Xu Mei'er and ask her to take care of it for you!"

Behind the security escort agency is the Xu family residence.

As they were talking, Madam Xu, who had received the news, came out from behind with her nephew and a lantern.

She always loved to look pretty and would always put on powder before meeting people, but this time she hadn't even had time to wash her face. Her eyes were covered, and her hair wasn't styled in a bun. She didn't even have time to use a hairpin; she just tied it up with a hair tie.

Upon seeing Song Miao and the others, Madam Xu was quite surprised and hurriedly said, "I just heard someone say that I thought there was a mistake—how could so many villains suddenly appear at our door! Is anyone hurt anywhere? Are the furnishings in the restaurant, the roast pigeon and char siu oven in the back, all alright?"

Song Miaoying said, "It's all fine. Before we could even make a move, the neighbors came out, and there were also some officials present. The people who came didn't dare to smash anything. But we still don't know who's behind this. I was thinking of asking our local bodyguards to come and protect us until we find out. If anything happens, we can settle it; if nothing happens, we can rest assured."

"That's exactly right!" As soon as Madam Xu sat down, she did some accounting, then asked the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) how he planned to arrange things, and finally gave him a number.

Upon hearing this, Song Miao knew that the price had been significantly reduced, and quickly said, "Whatever it is, that's all. If you're like this, I wouldn't dare to come back!"

Madam Xu then said, "There was no underreporting; the price difference applies to two people."

“Count me in! Don’t let my current physical condition fool you, I can still fight! Just add me on the side, three meals a day will do, plus a waiter!” She pointed to herself, then to Xu Erlang beside her, “Erlang will be a bonus too—let him get some experience, meals included, no charge!”

Upon hearing this, Xu Erlang, who had been waiting to speak, quickly said, "Auntie is right—Miss Song, I have never led a convoy before. I will lead this time. Please give me a chance!"

After saying that, he clasped his hands in a fist and bowed repeatedly, glancing at Song Miao with his eyes before looking away.

Such a statement made it difficult for Song Miao to refuse.

She said, "Alright, thank you for your trouble—we'll settle the accounts in detail later."

He added, "Miss Xu, needless to say, I will provide meals here. Not to mention such a large group, even ordinary helpers, according to the rules of the capital, should be provided with good food before they are even invited to come to my door."

As soon as they discussed the good news, someone was immediately sent to fetch people.

Xu Erlang specially found a chair and sat down next to Song Miao, saying, "The bodyguard lives close to the escort agency, so Miss Song doesn't need to worry, he'll be here soon!"

They then asked how many rooms were in the Song family's house and what the layout was.

Song Miaozhu said to him, and then added, "I came in a hurry this time, and there are not enough beds and bedding in the room. I'm afraid that you镖主 (bodyguards) will have to suffer some grievances when you stay overnight."

"It's alright, this is our job, we're good at handling things!"

Xu Erlang offered a few comforting words, then inquired in detail about the restaurant arrangements for tomorrow, and what Song Miao's arrangements were. After all the questions were asked, the bodyguards arrived one after another.

The Xu Family Escort Agency had its own carriage, which carried a group of about ten people. Led by Wang Sanlang, they headed towards Suanzao Lane.

When they arrived at the place, almost as soon as Song Miaogang knocked on the door, there was a sound from inside, and Cheng Erniang's voice asked and answered. After a while, the door opened. When they went in, they found that Cheng Erniang had blocked the doorway with several buckets of water, as well as a long table and chairs.

Seeing everyone return and so many bodyguards, she visibly breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "My wife is finally back! Everything is alright at home!"

After the headcount was taken, she immediately went to the back to serve tea and water, and helped with all sorts of arrangements.

The bodyguards took their positions. Since they were all used to this job, each of them carried a small bundle with them. Inside, there were bedding, changes of clothes, and everything else they needed.

Without any instructions, they had already divided up the shifts themselves, deciding who would guard the front gate and who would guard the back yard. Those guarding the front gate would either rest in the outhouse or sleep on the floor behind the gate, while those guarding the back yard would sleep in the large kitchen. They had also arranged how to take turns and how to stand guard at night.

When it came time to arrange the next day's itinerary, everyone instinctively looked at Chief Escort Qi.

Chief镖师 Qi turned his head and asked, "Second Brother, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

Song Miao didn't interfere with any of the arrangements made by everyone; she simply stood aside and watched.

She soon realized that Xu Erlang's claim that it was his first time being in charge was not an understatement.

This man had clearly participated in several escort missions and was familiar with the procedures, but not very well. He carried the lantern in and out many times, initially wanting to make arrangements, but seeing that the other escorts were used to cooperating with each other, he had no room to speak and had to swallow his words.

When it came time to make arrangements for the next day, everyone had their own opinions.

Some people say that during the day, restaurants don't need to keep many people around; it's better to send more people out to escort breakfast and deliver goods, so as to avoid encountering problems on the way.

Some people said that they came specifically to the restaurants, and it would be best to have more people guarding the area, otherwise if someone suddenly came and vandalized the place, they wouldn't be able to stop them.

Some argued that, ultimately, the issue was still about the restaurant owner, so the most important thing was to keep an eye on Song Miao, and that's why more people should be guarding her. Because the镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) held conflicting opinions, Xu Erlang was somewhat at a loss and could only look to Head镖齐 (Biao Tou) for help.

Qi, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), then stepped forward, quickly came up with a plan, and still arranged for the main men to go out and escort the food.

He said, "Besides us bodyguards, there are other long and short-term employees in the restaurant during the day. There are patrol points just across the street outside, so no one will cause trouble in broad daylight. However, the delivery team may encounter a lot of trouble along the way."

He then asked Song Miao, "Young Lady Song, I'll take one of my brothers with me. Two people will be enough!"

Before Song Miao could speak, Xu Erlang chimed in, "Uncle Qi, let me accompany you to guard Miss Song tomorrow!"

As soon as he finished speaking, one of the bodyguards said, "Second Brother, you're in charge this time. Instead of staying at the restaurant, you're running around outside. If we run into trouble later, where will we find you?"

That makes a lot of sense.

Xu Erlang wanted to suggest that Chief Qi stay behind and ask him anything, but he also felt that this was the time for him to fight for a woman. If he suddenly insisted on taking her away, it would be too obvious. If it worked out, that would be fine, but if it didn't, he would lose face big time!
After thinking it over and over, he finally fell silent.

Once everything was arranged and everyone had returned to their places, Xu Erlang was the last to arrive. Taking advantage of the moment when Song Miao locked the door, he wanted to go forward and help.

There was a horizontal bolt and a door bar. Behind the door were two copper basins, one filled with water and the other empty.

Song Miao and Cheng Erniang were both extremely quick; one handed things over, and the other arranged them. Xu Erlang tried to take over several times, but failed each time.

Cheng Erniang turned her head and said, "Young Master Xu, just sit down. There's nothing to do. I'm here—besides, these things are quite complicated and tedious. How can we let the bodyguards who help with the escort do it!"

Xu Erlang had no choice but to step aside.

He waited for a while, and when he saw Song Miao about to go to the back, he quickly followed her and sighed, "I don't know why, I'm usually quite skilled at doing things, but today I just made a mess of things and gave Miss Song a laugh."

"Nothing in this world is accomplished overnight. Who is born with all these skills?" Song Miao smiled. "Young Master Xu is so young, yet he has taken on so many things. It's already quite remarkable. Right now, there might be a few things that need to be filled in. Please be careful tomorrow. As long as it doesn't cause any problems, it's fine!"

Xu Erlang hurriedly said, "Thank you for not minding that this is my first time leading an escort mission—but don't worry, I will consult with Chief Escort Qi before making any decisions. He has been a chief escort for decades and is familiar with everything, so he won't make any mistakes."

He then asked Song Miaoming what time she got up and what help she could offer.

Song Miao thanked him and said, "No need for help, Young Master Xu is too kind! There are many ways to cook in the restaurant, both in the kitchen and outside. We are used to it. Adding someone would only make things more inconvenient."

He urged him to go and rest, saying that they could talk about it tomorrow.

Just then, Cheng Erniang came over with a tray and presented it to the two of them.

The familiar tray, and the familiar goat milk on it, only this time there are two bowls.

Song Miao looked up at Cheng Erniang, somewhat puzzled.

Cheng Erniang laughed and said, "Xiaolian and I left a bit too much for you, so we just divided it into two bowls."

As she spoke, she winked at Song Miao.

Song Miao immediately understood and said, "Young Master Xu, you've worked hard. Have a bowl too!"

Xu Erlang declined a couple of times, but in the end he took the bowl and gulped it down in no time.

After finishing his drink, Xu Erlang saw Cheng Erniang holding up a tray to take it. Without thinking much, he casually put it on the tray and then turned to talk to Song Miao.

"Why does the goat milk here taste better than elsewhere? It seems to have a stronger milky aroma and very little goaty smell. I couldn't even taste it!"

Song Miao smiled and casually mentioned a few recipes for removing the muttony smell when boiling goat milk. Without delay, she checked the ingredients again and said that it was too late and asked Xu Erlang to rest early.

After saying goodbye to both sides, she returned to her room, locked the door, tidied up, and fell asleep as soon as she lay down on the bed because she was so tired.

Xu Erlang, standing at the door, dared not linger and obediently retreated into the courtyard.
Not far from Song Miao's room was a large water vat.

Xu Erlang, carrying a lantern, subconsciously walked to the water vat. He raised the lantern and saw many fish lazily swimming inside.

Fish don't normally have eyelids, but when the light shines on them, for some reason, they don't seem to mind the brightness at all. They're too lazy to even move, with only one or two occasionally wagging their tails, which is enough to fit the scene.

Although it wasn't daytime, with the help of lamplight and moonlight, we could still make out the size and color of the fish fairly well.

Just then, Cheng Erniang noticed the commotion and came over, carrying a lantern in one hand and a tray hanging upside down in the other. She asked with a smile, "It's so late, Young Master Xu, aren't you asleep yet? Is there anything you need to tell us?"

Xu Erlang shook his head, pointed to the water vat, and said, "Did Miss Song raise these on her own? Does she like fish? Why are they all black and gray? They're quite unsightly."

Cheng Erniang said, "It was given to me by an old customer. He saw a broken water vat here and heard my wife say that she always killed the fish she raised, so he specially found these. He said that although they are ugly, they are very hardy, not easy to die, and will not grow big. I heard that each one has a name, but I really can't recognize them. They are all equally ugly, so it's really hard to tell them apart!"

Xu Erlang had just thought the fish were ugly and was planning to buy some nicer ones, but after hearing this, he immediately changed his mind.

He thought for a moment and then asked, "Does Miss Song usually drink goat's milk before going to sleep at night? Why don't we just not buy any tomorrow? I'll go out and bring some back for everyone to share as a late-night snack!"

Cheng Erniang said, "Madam didn't have this habit before. It's just that recently an old customer came to deliver it because he got along well with everyone at the restaurant... Young master, you still have to arrange for many镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) and various other matters. We at the restaurant can handle these trivial matters of food and drink!"

One "old customer" on the left, another "old customer" on the right.

Xu Erlang couldn't help but ask, "Is this old customer the same one who bought the fish?"

Cheng Erniang shook her head and said, "I don't know that much!"

She said "goodbye" and apologized, put her things away, and went back to her room to sleep.

Xu Erlang stood there with the lantern for a while, then looked up at the things in Song Ji's backyard, and then at the fish tank. He felt a sense of emptiness in his heart. After waiting a while, he went to sleep in the front hall's storage room.

That night, perhaps because she had been thinking about it all day, Song Miao fell asleep quickly, but she couldn't sleep peacefully and kept having bad dreams. One dream was that someone came to cause trouble, and another dreamed that Song's carriage went out of control and overturned on the road.

When she was awakened by a dream, she looked at the water clock and found that it was a quarter of an hour earlier than usual. However, she couldn't fall back asleep, so she simply closed her eyes to rest for a while before getting up.

Everyone arrived at the restaurant in the morning, and the journey was smooth without any unexpected incidents.

Once everything was ready, they split into several teams, each with a bodyguard accompanying them to deliver breakfast. Song Miao herself had called a car early and went to the Nanxun Gate patrol station with Chief Bodyguard Qi and another bodyguard.

As a result, when she inquired about the old man who had extorted money from her the day before, she received some news.

The old man ran away with his two children.

(End of this chapter)