Qi He strode over as soon as a donkey cart broke through the morning mist, "Good morning, Grandpa Meng, Sister Fu."
"Ah, good morning, Xiao He."
"Good morning, Brother Qi."
Qi He looked at Fu Mei Mei's still groggy little face and really wanted to go to town with them. But then he remembered what Sister Fu had told him yesterday and held back.
Meng Qingping thought again of his silent but stubbornly clinging foster brother and asked Qi He, "Xiao He, where is your father?"
"My father is upstairs. I'll go call him for you." Qi He said and ran back quickly. However, halfway there, he saw his father and Xiao Linzi leading their horses over.
"Father, Grandpa Meng is looking for you."
"Mm, I'll be right there."
Upon hearing that Uncle Meng wanted to see him, Qi Yuanshan strode towards the road where Meng Qingping and the others were standing.
"Uncle Meng, you were looking for me?"
Meng Qingping wanted to sigh, but thinking of that silent man, he could only tell Qi He about Meng Qinghuai clinging to him.
"My foster brother also wants to live near us; he can't be driven away. There's no other way, I feel sorry for those four children, so I've come to ask for your care again."
"Uncle Meng, you don't need to be embarrassed to ask. I'll agree." Actually, Qi Yuanshan had been thinking about this issue since yesterday.
The Meng clan and the original villagers seemed unable to get along at all. If they were forced to integrate, trouble would eventually arise.
Hearing Uncle Meng's words at this moment, he was suddenly inspired. "Uncle Meng, what if we settled the Meng clan separately? On that open ground behind the village."
"Do you mean, Nephew Qi, to have the Meng clan live by themselves, without living with those villagers anymore?"
"Just as Uncle Meng said. Last night I thought about it for a long time, and I'm uneasy, always feeling that there will be conflicts between the Meng clan and the old villagers."
"We've thought of the same thing. I'm also afraid of this." Meng Qingping still understood the Meng clan.
The Meng clan, with no combat power, facing the criminals and villains in the village. Although in a sense, both were villains, this villainy was different from that.
Needless to say, the Meng clan, without any ability to protect themselves, would definitely be wiped out.
Now, the method Qi Yuanshan proposed was simply the best it could be.
Thus, the two reached a consensus.
"Uncle Meng, follow Xiao Linzi. He's going to the Thousand-Household Office, and he can take you to the nearby Xianshui Town."
"Xianshui Town?"
"Yes, Xianshui Town." Qi Yuanshan then told the grandfather and grandson about the origin of Xianshui Town.
In essence, Xianshui Town was named because there was a well with salty water in the town.
"How can there be a well with salty water?" After asking this, Fu Xin Ci suddenly felt foolish. Since this place was close to the sea, it wasn't strange for the well water to be salty.
However, Qi Yuanshan's answer was different from what she thought. "It is said that many years ago, there was a wealthy family in the town. They built a new house and dug a new well in the house. Who knew that after the water came out, it was salty. At that time, the family felt it was unlucky, and the good house was abandoned like this."
"Later, people came here because of this well, and this small town gradually prospered because of the salty well, and Xianshui Town became the name."
"Oh, it sounds alright."
"Mm, if little Ci likes it, you can go and see."
"Mm-hmm." Fu Xin Ci nodded insincerely, but she had no desire to see that salty well.
It was just a well, what was there to see. Thinking about the things she and her grandfather needed to buy, Fu Xin Ci began to worry.
Qi Yuanshan also knew that the grandfather and grandson had many things to buy, and since Xiao Linzi also had to go to the Thousand-Household Office, he suggested they set off early.
After bidding farewell to Qi Yuanshan and his son, Xiao Linzi rode his horse in front, and Meng Qingping drove the donkey cart behind.
Morning mist shrouded the mountains and wilderness, the mountain wind was cool. Meng Qingping asked Xiao Linzi how long it would take to reach Xianshui Town, about an hour and a bit, so he turned back and let his granddaughter sleep a little longer, and he would wake her when they arrived at Xianshui Town.
Fu Xin Ci agreed verbally, but her dark, bright eyes were not idle, taking in all the scenery they passed.
At this time, the mountains were covered with green, and various wild flowers dotted the landscape, competing in beauty. They walked along the foothills.
Xiao Linzi was not only clever but also talkative, constantly explaining the local customs and traditions. With someone talking, time passed quickly, and before they knew it, an hour had passed.
"Uncle Meng, look over there."
Following the direction Xiao Linzi pointed, some roof ridges could be faintly seen.
"Uncle Meng, if you follow this road straight ahead, it's Xianshui Town. Most people in the town are good, but there are a few who like to cause trouble, especially those who prey on newcomers."
After speaking, Xiao Linzi took out a small flag from his embrace and solemnly handed it to Meng Qingping.
"Uncle Meng, if you hoist this small flag on the donkey cart now, those who don't have eyes will not trouble you."
"Thank you, Little Brother Lin."
"Uncle Meng, you thanked the wrong person. this flag was prepared for you by our commander." After Xiao Linzi watched Meng Qingping hoist the small flag onto the cart shaft, he urged his horse forward.
The grandfather and grandson looked at the small flag embroidered with an eagle and guessed that it was the emblem of the Yingzuiziya Guard Post.
Xianshui Town was not as prosperous as Fu Xin Ci had imagined. Only the main street was somewhat presentable; the other streets were dilapidated, not much better than ordinary villages.
Xiao Linzi pointed to a grain shop at the entrance of the town and told the grandfather and grandson, "Uncle Meng, if you want to buy grain, go to Cao Ji. Although their grain is more expensive, it is not mixed with anything."
He then pointed to a shop not far in front of the grain shop and continued, "Uncle Meng, if you want to buy cloth and ready-made clothes, go to Wu's shop. The owner of that shop is capable, and the styles in the shop are always more numerous than elsewhere."
"Thank you for the reminder, Little Brother Lin." Meng Qingping sincerely thanked Xiao Linzi. Otherwise, as newcomers, the grandfather and grandson would have been at a complete loss, and might have run into trouble as soon as they arrived.
"Uncle Meng, no need to thank me." Xiao Linzi was about to gallop away. He had already raised his whip when he suddenly remembered something very important.
"Uncle Meng, if you want to buy knives, axes, or farm tools, go to Wang Ji blacksmith shop on the street behind the grain shop. Go in and report Wang Dabao's name. That blacksmith shop is run by Wang Dabao's father and his two older brothers."
"Oh, that's great. The main things we came for this time are grain and farm tools." Their family was not exiled, so they had to prepare their own farm tools.