Xie Mulin, Xie Xianzhi and Xie Yinghui all showed sluggish expressions, looked at the shopkeeper Mao in a daze, and didn't react for a while.

Seeing this, the shopkeeper Mao couldn't help but feel a little furious in his heart, and whispered: "This is the news handed over by the ship...... The owner's wife has already booked a ship, and she will set off for the north the day after tomorrow, but not to Beiping, but to Cangzhou, transporting a batch of urgent goods. The employer demanded that the ship be delivered by mid-March, so the boat operator planned to travel day and night...... The ship they want to send out is also the kind that goes fast, there are many goods, but it is not heavy, and this way is also familiar, it is estimated that it is not difficult to deliver the goods to the place on time, as long as there is no storm on the way, or the official is intercepted or something, and the trip is slowed down.

"Although it is not a direct ship to Beiping, Cangzhou is 400 miles away from Beiping, and the water and land transportation is also convenient. When the owner's wife arrived in Cangzhou, she hired a car and a boat to go to Beiping, but it was only a few days' work, which was very convenient. Looking at this departure day, it seems that there is no more suitable than this fleet. If it weren't for the fact that the wife of the owner played the banner of the political envoy Si Zuo to participate in politics in Beiping, and asked the two masters of the Xie family's sect to help pull the strings, and find the people of the boat company to intercede, I am afraid that people may not be willing to agree to take her. However, if you bring your official dependents, if you really encounter an interception by the government, it is easy to speak. I think the people of the boat company are willing to piggyback on the owner's wife, also considering this layer, right? ”

But also because the boat to be taken to the north this time was a special one, in order not to delay the trip, the boat traveler did not agree to let Wen charter another boat and sail behind their boat, but invited her to live directly on their boat. Cargo ships designed for fast delivery are certainly not as comfortable to live in as large passenger ships, and it can only be said that the cabins are still habitable after cleaning.

But Wen didn't care, she seemed to have decided that as long as she could rush to Peking in the shortest possible time and reunite with her husband Xie Pu, nothing would be tolerated. Besides, she is also a high-ranking official's daughter, and the people in the ship line don't dare to wronged her too much, and the environment of the cabin is still passable.

It is not easy for Wen to find such a fleet, to go north in the near future, and the conditions are still so suitable. For this reason, she could not take care of anything, and it can be said that before she had negotiated the terms with the owner of the ship, she had already begun to pack her luggage and arrange everything at home. The proprietor of the ship had nodded her head the night before, and she had set off in a carriage the next morning, making sure to catch the convoy from the capital. If she misses this opportunity, she doesn't know where to find a faster boat!

After the shopkeeper finished speaking, he told the three brothers and sisters of the Xie family: "Count the days, the wife of the owner is afraid that it will be there today and tomorrow." The people who delivered the letter to Beijing on the boat company arrived at the pier only last evening, and I happened to be near the dock to see the boat of the ship company, and they immediately gave me a message. It's a pity that the gates were already closed, otherwise I would have come last night to deliver the letter! "But as soon as the city gate opened this morning, he immediately ran to the Xie family's mansion in Pearl Bridge, and he didn't even return home.

After Shopkeeper Mao said this, Xie Mulin finally came back to his senses. She looked at her brother and sister, "If that's the case...... Big brother is not in good health, I'm afraid it's not suitable to walk with us, right? And the eldest sister doesn't plan to go to Beiping, she already said that she wants to go back to her hometown in Huyin, why don't you accompany the eldest sister and the third sister back? Mother has me there, I'll accompany her to Beiping! ”

She originally planned to send her sisters back to her hometown in Huyin first, hand them over to the Xie clan to take care of, and then accompany her mother Wen to Beiping with her eldest brother Xie Xian. But now that the Wen clan is so anxious and is almost in the capital, it is too impractical to carry out the original plan at this time. It is impossible for her to let her mother go north alone, and then catch up with her eldest brother Xie Xianzhi and her eldest brother Xie Xianzhi together, so it is better to change the route directly in the capital.

Although she only has a few winter and spring clothes, some jewelry, books and so on, there are still some old things in the Xie family's mansion that have not yet had time to be transported back to Huyin after being sealed. If the clothes don't fit, it's a big deal to do it after you arrive in Beiping.

It's a pity that she said that she wanted to borrow a few more books about Beiping from her grandmother Song, and then ask for teaching, looms and other tools are still in Huyin's hometown, she didn't have the opportunity to bring these things too, so she could only wait for her family to send them to her in the future.

Xie Mulin quickly accepted the new changes, but Xie Xianzhi frowned. He asked the shopkeeper Mao: "Mrs. went north alone?" None of the younger siblings in the family went with them? What about the tribe? Isn't there a junior male to accompany you? ”

This kind of thing, the shopkeeper Mao can't say clearly. All he knew was what the ship's guys told him. The information of the other party is not detailed to the point of who the accompanying people are, only that the distinguished guest who is about to board the ship is a high-ranking official wife in Beiping, and he does not have children, but there are several entourage.

"How many?" Xie Xianzhi's brows furrowed even tighter. He guessed that there should not be many people in Wen's entourage, otherwise the people on the boat would not say that there were "several", but "more than a dozen" or "dozens". With such a small entourage, and no children at home......

He hesitated, glanced at his sister Xie Yinghui again, and said to Xie Mulin: "I'll accompany you and your wife to Beiping." Your mother and daughter are still on someone else's boat, and you have few retinues, so how can people rest assured? ”

Xie Mulin was stunned: "You come with us, what about the eldest sister?" There are also three sisters. Are you going to let the eldest sister take the third sister back to Huyin? "No kidding, these two girls have never been to Huyin, and they don't even know the way! Even if you send someone to be your guide, two frail half-grown children may not be able to cope with this unfamiliar journey of 400 miles!

Xie Yinghui also felt that it was inappropriate, but if she refused her brother, she was a little hesitant. The second sister Xie Mulin can't accompany her back to Huyin, forget it, there is still a brother here, but if even the brother is not there...... She didn't dare to go on the road! Let her only be accompanied by Xie Yingrong all the way, which is even more unbearable!

Xie Mulin thought for a while and persuaded the eldest brother: "It's better for the eldest brother to accompany the eldest sister and the third sister back to Huyin." You don't have to worry about any danger on the way north for my mother and me. I plan to take away most of the guards and male and female servants brought from Huyin, and the owner of the boat company also knows the roots, as long as the road does not stop in the strange and remote wilderness, there should be no problem. Big brother's side, there are still a few old people in our family who want to go back to Huyin in the same boat, at most you are a few people to call, but there are so many people who go with you, and then find a familiar boat company to hire a boat, and the safety on the road can still be guaranteed. ”

It sounds like the second sister's arrangement seems to be more thoughtful. Xie Xianzhi was silent again.

Xie Yinghui looked left and right, simply turned her heart sideways, and made a decision for her brother first: "Just say it!" When I go to find Yurong to say goodbye tomorrow, I will ask the eldest princess to borrow one or two reliable guards or domestic servants to accompany her, and help us with some official affairs on the way, which will be even more foolproof! ”