Jingrong and his group rode at full speed through the night and into the morning.

Finally, they arrived at Changgu County, where they could rest.

Though Changgu County wasn’t as large as Yiwu, nor did it have many traveling merchants passing through, it was extremely prosperous. The people of Changgu lived at a very slow and comfortable pace. While it didn’t have the bustling prosperity of Gaoding or Yiwu, for most people, this was an excellent place for retirement. Many wealthy people were willing to buy estates here for their old age, so much so that Changgu County had earned the title of “wealthy district.”

It was rare to see outsiders here. Whenever a carriage passed by, it would become the center of attention.

So when Jingrong’s carriage procession entered the city one after another, it immediately drew countless probing gazes.

Everyone pointed at the carriages!

Discussing among themselves.

Probably because the people here were all too wealthy, they had the leisure to gossip about such trivial matters.

Jingrong heard the various sounds coming from the street outside. He had been resting with his eyes closed, but suddenly curious, he lifted the curtain to look outside.

Changgu County was indeed very lively.

Long streets and roads, each with its own distinctive character.

The people here were all dressed quite well too.

Of course, Jingrong also noticed those strange gazes directed at his carriage.

He also heard some of those people’s idle gossip.

Someone said, “Look, they seem to be from Dalin.”

“Judging by the style of their clothes, they definitely are. What are they doing here?”

“Not sure.”

Then people began speculating about who was in the carriage.

Why had they come to Changgu?

So gossipy!

Jingrong turned to Ji Yunshu and said, “After we find an inn to stay at, we’ll probably need to change into Huyi clothing. This place is different from Yiwu—there aren’t many traveling merchants. If we dress like this, I’m afraid it will be somewhat inappropriate.”

Dalin clothing was more or less inconvenient.

Ji Yunshu understood. “You’re right. We shouldn’t continue dressing like this. On this journey to Gaoding, we’ll have to pass through many places. It will inevitably attract attention. If we say we’re traveling merchants, but we don’t have any goods with us, that won’t make sense.”

“After we change into Huyi attire, if anyone asks, we’ll just say we’re going to Gaoding to visit relatives.”

“Yes.” Ji Yunshu nodded.

Jingrong then said to the guard driving the carriage, “Quickly find a safe inn.”

“Yes.”

The guard acknowledged.

Behind their carriage followed Song Zhi’s carriage.

Bai Yin sat outside driving the carriage.

Song Zhi, being too tired, had slept all morning. He only woke when he heard the noisy sounds from the market outside.

He rubbed his eyes, drowsily pulled open the front curtain, and looked outside.

Slightly startled!

He hadn’t expected they’d already arrived at Changgu so quickly.

Actually, years ago, he’d come here once.

At that time, he had gained great fame for his poetry, and those wealthy young masters had insisted on inviting him to Changgu to eat Long Tongue Noodles.

Long Tongue Noodles were what Changgu was most famous for.

It was said that one bowl cost fifty taels and eating it would prolong one’s life year after year and benefit the brain.

As for why it had this name… probably because the people of Changgu were all a bit like “long-tongued gossips.”

At the time, Song Zhi had declined for a long time. After all, taking people’s favors meant owing them, eating their food made one beholden to them—especially when it was noodles costing fifty taels per bowl.

But in the end, he simply couldn’t withstand those people’s dragging and pulling. He ultimately came and ate a bowl of Changgu’s most famous Long Tongue Noodles.

Fifty taels of pure silver!

However, the taste… how to put it?

It felt even more unpalatable than unpalatable.

To put it bluntly, Long Tongue Noodles were just something rich people used to show off their wealth.

Just like how some people liked to use “Star Buckets” coffee to flaunt their money—same principle.

But fortunately, someone else had treated him to that bowl of noodles.

Though they said it was a treat, in the end he’d given those wealthy young masters several poems.

Reportedly, those poems were later sold for several hundred taels of silver.

After that, whenever he heard someone wanted to invite him to eat Changgu’s Long Tongue Noodles, his heart would sink.

It was nothing more than exchanging one bowl of noodles for several of his poems!

A disguised way of doing business with him.

This time, he’d arrived at Changgu again!

He couldn’t help feeling somewhat traumatized.

He let out a breath, then moved his entire body out of the carriage and sat beside Bai Yin.

“You’re awake? Not sleeping more?” Bai Yin asked him.

Song Zhi felt slightly apologetic. “The hero drove the carriage for me in the rain, yet I slept so comfortably inside. It really wasn’t right.”

His voice was low and somewhat hoarse.

Probably from catching a chill last night.

“Don’t say such things. Given your condition last night, you simply weren’t fit to drive a carriage. If something had happened along the way, we would have had to rescue you. If the carriage had overturned and you’d died, we would have had to collect your body and bury you. Too much trouble.” Bai Yin spoke coldly and seriously.

“…”

“You should go back inside and sit properly. I’m not used to having someone sitting beside me.”

Song Zhi said, “Let me keep you company.”

“Company?” Bai Yin found this word too laughable. With a face full of disdain, he glanced at him. “Young Master Song, I’m not a three-year-old child.”

Hearing this, Song Zhi hastily explained, “Hero, you’ve misunderstood. I… didn’t mean it that way.”

He lowered his head.

Bai Yin’s lips curved. “Why are you so nervous? I’m not going to scold or hit you! I don’t mean to blame you either. Also, I’m not called ‘hero.’ My name is Bai Yin. Don’t keep calling me ‘young master this, young master that.’ I don’t like it.”

“Then what should I call you?”

“Just call me by my name.”

“All right, her… Bai Yin.” Song Zhi felt somewhat awkward, feeling it was somewhat impolite to address him directly by name. But he was somewhat afraid of Bai Yin deep down, so whatever Bai Yin said went. He wouldn’t say more. He suddenly noticed that Bai Yin’s clothes were still wet and said nervously, “Your clothes are still wet. You’ll catch a chill like this.”

Bai Yin didn’t care at all!

Over these years, in his quest to discover his origins, he’d traveled to countless places. What storms and waves hadn’t he encountered? What hadn’t he done? He could even sleep in the rain. Merely wearing a set of soaked clothes wasn’t enough to freeze or kill him.

Bai Yin looked him up and down and said, “Not everyone is like you.”

So weak and frail.

“Like me?” Song Zhi didn’t understand.

He couldn’t comprehend the meaning in his words.

After all, his mind couldn’t turn corners.

Bai Yin was too lazy to continue dealing with him, and didn’t even like talking to this kind of bookworm.

So he drove the carriage while paying attention to the inn situation around them.

The carriage slowly threaded through the crowd.

Many people around them looked over.

Some were even pointing and gesturing.

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of a relatively secluded inn.

Before it had even fully stopped, a waiter from inside enthusiastically rushed out.

With a fawning, accommodating smile, he bowed and said, “Are you guests staying at the inn? Your timing is perfect—our establishment just happens to have many vacant rooms. Please come in, please come in.”