Yueyao thought for a long ti, lifted the cart curtain, and asked the coachman, "How far is it still to the Capital City?"
The coachman, flicking the horsewhip, replied, "It’s over a hundred li away!"
Yueyao inquired, "Is there a post station on the way to the Capital City?"
Common people always held a sense of awe towards officials, and seeing how Yueyao ntioned the post station in such a calm tone, he knew imdiately that the person he was carrying was of no ordinary status, and hurriedly said, "Yes, there’s a post station less than twenty li away, but it’s only for officials to rest."
Yueyao felt that her luck was actually not bad. As for whether the people at the post station would let her stay, Yueyao hadn’t thought that far ahead. "Go to the post station."
The coachman hesitated, "Young Master, to the post station, what about the fare?"
Seeing this, Yueyao replied, "Don’t worry, you won’t suffer any loss." Yueyao had originally planned to let soone pay upon reaching the Capital City. However, now all she had were two Kingfisher jade inlaid with coral, turquoise gourd pearl flowers and a Jade Bracelet, along with two pearls; she didn’t have a single piece of silver on her. This was the first ti Yueyao regretted not carrying silver with her.
In fact, regretting was useless after all, as she wouldn’t normally carry silver with her when out painting, and generally, when people like Yueyao traveled, soone else carried the silver.
About a half-hour later, the coachman arrived at a town. It was nearing noon, and the sun could bake a person alive, so there were not many people on the streets.
The carriage sped into town, and before long it stopped.
After Yueyao stepped out, the coachman pointed at a house and told her, "Young Master, that is Yuyang Station. Yuyang is the na of the town nearby, hence it’s called Yuyang Station."
Yueyao looked at the coachman and said, "I ca from Zhangzhou, and t with an accident on the way, so I don’t have any money on ."
The coachman’s face darkened."
Yueyao took out the pearls that she had pried off her earrings, "Though I don’t have any silver, these pearls still hold so value. You can pawn them; they should fetch about twenty to thirty pieces of silver." Each pearl was as large as a little fingernail, round and lustrous. If bought in a jewelry shop, the two pearls would probably cost around sixty to seventy pieces of silver, but pawning them would definitely an half the price.
The coachman was no fool, "What do you want to do?" Although he wasn’t knowledgeable about jewelry, his wife had a hairpin with a pearl only the size of a grain of rice which was worth a piece of silver; these pearls, with their fine luster and larger size, would definitely be worth ten pieces of silver.
Yueyao had a plan in mind, "Although I won’t be using your carriage, I would like you to make a trip to the Capital City. If you agree, these two pearls will be your fare."
The coachman hesitated for a mont and then nodded, "Alright."
Yueyao then handed over the pearls to the coachman.
After receiving the pearls, the coachman drove off. The coachman kept his word and headed straight for the Capital City. However, the coachman was also cunning; seeing how evasive Yueyao was, he sensed that sothing was amiss. To avoid any trouble in case soone asked why he was driving an empty carriage to the Capital City, he took on a passenger along the way to the Capital City. The fare paid by this passenger was small, but for the coachman, it was just to divert attention, so he didn’t mind the lower amount.
The coachman arrived safely at the Capital City, and imdiately went to pawn the two pearls. After pawning the pearls for thirty pieces of silver, the coachman had only one thought: he had truly made a profit this ti.
Yueyao got off the carriage and had not yet reached the entrance of the post station when the soldiers guarding the outside stopped her, "This is the post station; idle folks are not allowed near—leave at once." The soldier also spoke harshly because of Yueyao’s plain clothes.
Knowing that this was not the ti to show timidity, Yueyao coldly said, "I want to see your steward." Showing cowardice now would definitely an not seeing the steward.
The soldier looked doubtful, "Who are you?" Their steward was not soone who could be seen by just anyone.
Having prepared her speech on the road, Yueyao said with haughty airs, "Tell your consul that I am Marquis Jingning’s cousin." Yueyao was certain that after she was captured, Xiang Wei must have sought help from Marquis Jingning’s Residence. And since she could not assu her own identity now, she had to use the identity of a relative from Marquis Jingning’s Residence.
The soldier naturally knew who Marquis Jingning was, but he did not quite believe that the plainly dressed person before him was Marquis Jingning’s cousin.
Yueyao coldly glanced at the soldier, "Why haven’t you gone to notify him yet? I have urgent business with your consul, hurry and announce my arrival."
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