Volume One, Chapter 18: Settling in Jian'an City.

“Grandma, everything’s packed! Let’s set off!” Shen Yuan tossed the last bundle into the carriage and called out to Nurse Liu, who stood at the courtyard gate.

Nurse Liu lingered just outside the picket fence, gazing at the home where she had lived for fifteen years, a twinge of reluctance in her heart.

She had sold the chickens, ducks, the earthen house, and the fields to convert them into silver coins that could be taken on the road. Everything else that couldn’t be carried was left behind without regret.

Once she had composed herself, Nurse Liu was helped into the carriage by Shen Yuan.

No sooner had they settled than Mr. and Mrs. Zhu, accompanied by villagers, hurried over, each holding various items they insisted on stuffing into Shen Yuan’s carriage.

Shen Yuan quickly protested, “Auntie, the carriage I rented is small; there’s simply no room for all this. We appreciate your kindness, but please take these things back home!”

“You’ve both done so much good for the village these years. Now that you’re leaving, we simply must give you some provisions. How can you refuse the goodwill of your elders? Please accept them!”

Faced with the villagers’ insistence, Shen Yuan had no choice but to accept each gift.

“Auntie Tian made this new dress for you. It’s getting cold; remember to wear it thickly!” Tian stood at the back of the crowd, stretching her arm to hand over the clothes she had sewn herself.

With Zhao Dayong imprisoned, Shen Yuan owed her great gratitude, and this was all she could do now.

Shen Yuan unwrapped the parcel to find a neatly tailored blue jacket and skirt. Though made from coarse cotton, the fabric was dyed a rare blue, much more valuable than ordinary cloth.

She felt Tian’s sincere gratitude and smiled warmly. “This dress is beautiful; I love it. Aunt Tian, now that autumn has come, the weeds in the yard should be cleared before they take root again next year.”

Tian agreed with a nod.

Shen Yuan waved farewell once more to the villagers, then slipped into the carriage and drew the curtain, shutting out the sadness and reluctance of parting.

The carriage reached the village entrance when the driver suddenly sighed deeply and pulled the reins, bringing the horses to a halt.

Shen Yuan was jolted by the abrupt stop. She grabbed the window frame to steady herself, then turned to help Nurse Liu and called out, “What’s happened?”

Before the driver could answer, the carriage curtain was flung open from outside.

Standing beside the carriage was Chu Yuning, his eyes dark and fixated on Shen Yuan.

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He had heard Shen Yuan was leaving and had waited under the old locust tree at the village entrance since early morning. He didn’t know why he came, but he did—even blocking Shen Yuan’s carriage.

Once he stopped the carriage, Chu Yuning found himself at a loss for words. After a brief silence, he finally spoke, “Before you go, don’t you have anything to say to me?”

If only Shen Yuan would say sorry, he would forgive the hurt she had caused him and his family over this time.

But Shen Yuan’s face instantly turned cold. “A good dog doesn’t block the way. Move aside!”

Chu Yuning’s hand gripping the curtain tightened so fiercely that veins bulged across the back of it. He clenched it as if suppressing a violent rage that he refused to unleash.

Yet Shen Yuan simply reached out, tore the curtain from his grasp, and ordered the driver, “Go on!”

The driver cracked his whip, and the horses surged forward, knocking Chu Yuning to the ground beside the carriage.

Nurse Liu leaned out the window and spat toward Chu Yuning.

“Scholar Chu, don’t be like those lovesick fools who pester our Yuan endlessly. When Yuan says she doesn’t want you, she means it. Don’t shamelessly come near us again, or next time this old woman will slap that pale face of yours until it’s red and swollen!”

Chu Yuning’s expression darkened with humiliation.

Dust whipped up by the horses covered his freshly washed hair in grime.

Nurse Liu chuckled as she closed the window. “That boy’s turned into a mud face—hilarious!”

Shen Yuan smiled softly, lowered her gaze to the notebook in her hands, and carefully traced each word with charcoal.

When Chu Yuning asked if she had anything to say, everything she wanted to express was written in this notebook.

Once they reached the city, he would know exactly what she meant.

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The carriage moved swiftly, and by midday Shen Yuan and Nurse Liu arrived in the city. The driver stopped in front of a shop and helped unload their belongings.

A few days earlier, Shen Yuan had already chosen this shop and paid the rent.

Located on a bustling street corner in the city’s busiest district, the shop was not the prime location but was spacious. It had two doors, two floors, a small courtyard out back, a kitchen, an outhouse, and a well—everything needed to run a business and house a family.

When the owner asked for twenty taels of silver per year, Shen Yuan did not haggle and immediately paid the full year's rent to secure it.

Having money was the greatest assurance a person could have in this world.

Nurse Liu was pleased with the shop as well. She busied herself arranging the pots and pans brought from Chu’s village into the kitchen. “This kitchen is huge! Two stoves—one for frying, one for simmering soup! I just love it!”

Seeing Nurse Liu settle comfortably made Shen Yuan happy.

After tidying the room, Shen Yuan took her household registration documents to the city government office. Under the laws of the Great Yan, commoners could not arbitrarily change their household registration; crossing city or provincial boundaries required official permits.

However, villagers from the same province could change their registration once settled in the city. She bribed the clerk with some wine, meat, and silver, and the paperwork was swiftly completed.

With the documents secured, Shen Yuan took advantage of the remaining daylight to explore the city.

Settling here would require many new items.

Moreover, she intended to open a pharmacy, so cabinets and tables needed to be custom-made. She found a carpenter, drew up plans for the furniture, and arranged a time for him to measure the shop. After paying a deposit, she left the workshop.

Carrying her bundles purchased from the street, she paused outside a teahouse.

“Young lady, care to come inside for some tea and a story?” the waiter cheerfully invited.

“One seat for tea, please,” Shen Yuan said, stepping inside.

The teahouse was full of guests. The storyteller sat atop a raised platform, vividly recounting a love story between a wealthy heiress and a poor scholar.

The tale was somewhat clichéd, and the patrons showed little interest, quietly shelling sunflower seeds and playing chess.

After hearing the story to its end, Shen Yuan called the waiter. “That gentleman’s storytelling was truly excellent. Could you introduce me to him?”

Seeing the silver coins on the table, the waiter smiled and bowed. “Right this way, young lady.”