A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

The coachman responded and gently cracked his whip. The carriage slowly started moving, rolling over the bluestone road with a clattering sound.

Two bodyguards, one in front and one behind, escorted the carriage as it gradually drove out of Baishi Lane.

Chen Wanxing leaned against the car wall, her eyes slightly closed, feeling a little sleepy. It was still too early; it wasn't time for her to wake up yet.

After the carriage left Kaifeng, it picked up speed. The official road was fairly smooth, but it couldn't compare to the cobblestone streets inside the city, and the carriage bounced slightly.

Seeing her daughter being jostled around so much that she almost bumped into the carriage wall several times, Yunzhu carefully sat down next to her, put Chen Wanxing's head on her shoulder, and gently supported her with her hand.

Chen Wanxing sensed her movement, but she was too sleepy to open her eyes.

The carriage traveled for three days in a row. Chen Wanxing mostly just watched silently or closed his eyes to rest, and his emotions did not fluctuate much.

After the initial novelty wore off, Yunzhu gradually calmed down.

The journey was rather monotonous, but thankfully it went smoothly the whole way.

The two bodyguards, Zhou Shan and Zhao Dahe, were silent and reliable, and the coachman, Sun, had arranged the itinerary very well.

That afternoon, Coachman Sun called out from outside, "Miss Chen, we're about to enter the territory of Runing Prefecture."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wanxing's heart stirred slightly. She lifted the carriage curtain and looked ahead. Beside the official road, a boundary marker clearly had three characters engraved on it.

Runing Prefecture.

After entering the territory of Runing Prefecture, the road remained flat. Following Chen Wanxing's prior instructions, Coach Sun did not head towards the prefectural city, but instead chose another, slightly narrower official road at the fork in the road and headed straight for Ruyang County.

After traveling for most of the day, the sun was already setting when the carriage entered Ruyang County.

This place is nothing like Kaifeng Prefecture; the gray city walls are much shorter, and the city gate is much quieter.

It was probably already evening, as the county town was very quiet and there weren't many people on the streets.

Sun, the coachman, drove his carriage for a while on a not-so-bustling street and found an inn that looked the neatest and cleanest.

"Miss Chen, what do you think of this place?" the coachman asked from outside.

Chen Wanxing looked around. Although the inn wasn't luxurious, the entrance was clean and the signboard was eye-catching, so she nodded and said, "This will do."

After getting off the car, Zhou Shan and Zhao Dahe were the first to enter the inn, their eyes quickly scanning the lobby to confirm the safety situation.

When the shopkeeper saw the guests arrive, especially the two men carrying weapons, he immediately became alert and greeted them attentively.

Chen Wanxing requested two superior rooms, one for himself and Yunzhu, and one for Zhou Shan and Zhao Dahe. Coachman Sun stayed in the coachman's dormitory in the backyard.

After settling her luggage, Chen Wanxing stood by the window in her room, pushed open the wooden window, and looked down at the street where lanterns were gradually being lit.

This was Ruyang County, but she felt completely unfamiliar with it, with no impression whatsoever, and no sense of familiarity whatsoever.

"Master Zhou, Master Zhao," she called the two bodyguards over again and instructed them, "we will rest here for the night. Tomorrow morning, I will need to trouble you two to accompany me to Xiahe Village in Ping'an Town."

"Don't worry, young lady, we understand," Zhou Shan replied calmly.

Zhao Dahe said, "I just asked the shopkeeper. Ping'an Town is less than 20 miles from the county seat, and it's a straight road. There's no need to turn. We'll set off early tomorrow morning and arrive before noon."

The next morning, after breakfast, Chen Wanxing and his group left Ruyang County and headed towards Ping'an Town, following the directions they had inquired about.

The carriage traveled on the country dirt road, which was much bumpier than the official road, and its speed was also slower.

After traveling for about an hour, they came to a place that looked like a village. The coachman, Sun, reined in his horse and turned back uncertainly, saying, "Miss Chen, judging by the distance, this is most likely the Ping'an Town we're looking for."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wanxing looked up and saw that Ping'an Town was not large; it could be seen from one end to the other at a glance. There were only three main streets: two parallel north-south streets, which were bisected by an east-west road, forming an "工" shape.

The houses in the town are low, mostly made of adobe, with a few brick and tile houses interspersed among them, giving them a simple and unadorned appearance.

Seeing that the sun was approaching noon, she instructed, "Why don't we go down and ask? It's almost noon, let's go to this town for lunch first, and then ask the shopkeeper."

The carriage passed through the town entrance and continued into the town, finally stopping in front of a restaurant.

Chen Wanxing got out of the car with Yunzhu, while Zhou Shan and Zhao Dahe followed behind, keeping their distance.

There were no restaurants in town, only two small eateries. The one they went into seemed to have more customers, with steam rising from the stoves outside.

The shop wasn't very big, with seven or eight square tables. Although it wasn't full at the moment, there were four or five tables of customers.

Most of them were villagers wearing coarse cloth short jackets, with simple meals laid out on the table, chatting loudly in their local dialect.

As soon as Chen Wanxing and his group stepped in, they immediately attracted everyone's attention.

In this remote town, oxcarts and donkey carts are the most common mode of transport; it's rare to see such a well-organized horse-drawn carriage.

Not to mention the young woman who got off the car; she was beautiful with fair skin and a rosy complexion, just like the peach blossom pastries sold in pastry shops. It was obvious at a glance that she was not a local.

She looked like a noble lady who had stepped out of a painting, and the little maid following behind her was also dressed very neatly, without a single patch on her clothes.

However, the most eye-catching were Zhou Shan and Zhao Dahe, who followed closely behind.

The two men, dressed in neat short-sleeved clothes and carrying knives at their waists, had sharp eyes and steady steps. They looked more imposing than the tax collectors from the county, which was completely out of place in the simple and even somewhat closed-off atmosphere of the town.

The once noisy eatery fell silent for a moment as all eyes turned toward them, some openly, some subtly, with curiosity, scrutiny, and even a hint of barely perceptible awe.

The waiter was a young boy with a dusty rag draped over his shoulder. When he saw them, he was stunned for a moment before realizing what was happening and jogged over somewhat awkwardly.

He didn't dare to shout loudly, but lowered his voice and asked nervously, "Distinguished guests, what would you like to eat? We have mutton soup, minced meat noodles, mixed vegetables..."

Chen Wanxing could feel the gazes falling on her, but her expression remained unchanged. She simply nodded slightly and said, "Two bowls of mutton soup, two sesame cakes, and a mixed vegetable dish to try."

Zhou Shan and Zhao Dahe sat down at another empty table near the door, each ordering a large bowl of noodles and a few sesame seed cakes, which they then gave to Coachman Sun.

Chen Wanxing picked up the rough ceramic spoon and slowly stirred the milky white, fragrant mutton soup in the bowl, seemingly oblivious to the scrutiny around him.

But she knew in her heart that their arrival would probably become the talk of the town before evening.