Traveling back to ancient times to get rich

Chapter 336 Going to Liaocheng, a Foreign Land

When Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen finally woke up, the sun was already shining brightly outside the window. Sunlight streamed through the windowpanes, casting dappled shadows on the floor. Gu Mochen lazily stretched, rubbed his sleepy eyes, and turned to look at Ye Qingchen, who had also just woken up. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, they both caught a hint of awkwardness in each other's eyes.

They had vowed before bed last night to get up early this morning and enjoy the unique scenery of their journey while the morning air was crisp and cool. But who could have predicted that when they groggily woke up and glanced out the window, they would see that it was still early, the gray sky still carrying a hint of night's darkness. Relieved, they figured they had plenty of time and could go back to sleep. This relaxation led them into a deep, peaceful sleep. When they finally woke up and opened their eyes, the bright sunlight seemed to mock their oversleeping; it was already so late.

Gu Mochen patted his forehead with a hint of annoyance, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips. "Qingchen," he said, "we slept in for ages this time. We were planning to get up early, but now we're almost at lunchtime." Ye Qingchen shook her head helplessly, her hair swaying gently with the movement. She softly echoed, "Yeah, who would have thought we'd overslept like that? But since it is, we can only let it be." With that, the two quickly got up and began to dress and wash. They hadn't showered before going to bed yesterday, and they didn't want to go out looking so disheveled. Since it was already this late, they decided to take a proper shower and drink a cup of spatial water before getting dressed and heading out.

As they stepped out of the room, a lively scene in the courtyard immediately came into view. The four people who had accompanied them were busily preparing lunch. Bai Yufei squatted in front of the stove, carefully adding firewood to the firebox, his eyes fixed on the leaping flames. Every now and then, he would blow on the flames with a blowpipe, causing them to leap up with a crackling sound, illuminating half his face. Bai Zhi stood at the chopping board, her cleaver flying up and down, chopping vegetables with practiced ease. Soon, the chopping board was piled high with neatly chopped vegetables of uniform size. Fuling was at the water basin nearby, vigorously washing green vegetables, turning the clear water slightly green. Song Ming was processing a fish he had just bought from the nearby market, skillfully scaling it. The fish thrashed a few times in his hands before becoming still.

Seeing this, Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen felt even more embarrassed. They exchanged a glance, their eyes full of apology. They had hoped to be of some help, but now that everything seemed to be on track, their intervention might only cause trouble. After hesitating for a moment, Gu Mochen stepped forward and said to Bai Zhi, who was chopping vegetables, "We're so sorry, we overslept and couldn't help." Bai Zhi looked up, laughed heartily, and said, "Your Majesty, what are you saying? You must be tired from your journey; you should sleep a little longer. Cooking is a small matter; a few of us can handle it." Ye Qingchen also stepped forward and said softly, "Thank you all for your understanding. Next time, we'll definitely get up earlier and make you something special." Hearing this, everyone smiled and waved their hands, continuing with their work.

With everyone's concerted effort, lunch was quickly prepared. The aroma of the food filled the courtyard, making everyone's stomachs rumble. Everyone sat around the stone table in the courtyard, which was laden with steaming dishes: fragrant braised fish, tempting stir-fried vegetables, and steaming hot buns—all looking incredibly appetizing. Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen sat at the table, their hearts filled with gratitude. They raised their bowls and chopsticks and said to everyone, "Come, everyone, let's eat together. Thanks to everyone today, we feel truly satisfied with this meal." Everyone responded enthusiastically, and the courtyard was filled with laughter and chatter as they ate, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

After the meal, Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen returned to their room and began packing. They carefully placed a few simple clothes, some essentials, and provisions for the journey into their pack, storing the rest in their spatial storage. As Gu Mochen packed, he said to Ye Qingchen, "Qingchen, after this meal, we need to hurry north. I've heard that the real grasslands are in Liaocheng, a vassal state of the Great Xia. I've long wanted to see it for myself." Ye Qingchen nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and said, "Yes, I'm very curious too. I've heard that the people there are skilled in riding and archery, and their customs are extremely fierce. No emperor throughout history has dared to go there easily. Although it's now a vassal state of the Great Xia, its army is still strong and well-equipped, so no one dares to take the risk. We must be very careful on our journey."

After packing their bags, everyone set off together in carriages and on horseback towards Liaocheng. This Liaocheng is the same Liaocheng as the one in Northeast China, but they are very different in terms of culture and geography. Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen were fine, but Bai Zhi, Fu Ling, Bai Yufei, and Song Ming were genuinely nervous.

Along the way, the scenery gradually changed. At first, the roadside was lined with lush, verdant forests, their branches and leaves so dense they blocked out the sun. As they continued forward, the forests thinned out, replaced by vast expanses of grassland. The grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see, seemingly merging with the horizon; a gentle breeze rippled through the grass, creating waves of green like a sea. In the distance, several mountain ranges rose and fell, appearing particularly majestic and awe-inspiring under the sunlight.

Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen rode swiftly, feeling the wind rushing towards them, their excitement growing stronger. They admired the scenery along the way while discussing their upcoming arrival in Liaocheng. Gu Mochen said, "Qingchen, what do you think Liaocheng is like? Are the people there really as fierce as the rumors say?" Ye Qingchen pondered for a moment and said, "Rumors are just rumors. We'll see for ourselves when we get there. However, since past rulers have been wary of it, the local customs must indeed be different from our Great Xia. But I believe that as long as we treat them with courtesy, they won't make things difficult for us."

Before they knew it, dusk had fallen, and the afterglow of the setting sun painted the sky a beautiful orange-red. Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen found a sheltered spot and stopped. They pitched their tent, lit a campfire, and prepared to spend the night there. Gu Mochen took out some dry rations from his pack and gave each of them a portion. The group ate a simple meal by the campfire. After finishing their meal, they sat around the fire, watching the flickering flames, lost in thought.