My domineering ex-husband is living off his wife in ancient times.

Chapter 72 Sijia Village

Because Dr. Hu took out the silver notes, Cheng Ruoan was able to secretly take out some more money to use.

After midnight, Si Shaoheng and Shao Yang returned to the camp with three burly men.

The three burly men were dressed in tight-fitting clothes made of good materials, and their height was almost the same as that of the Si brothers, so they looked extraordinary.

Li and Lin shared a tent with several younger children. She quietly lifted the curtain to look outside and exclaimed in surprise, "My God, has the third branch of the family sent soldiers? Lin, get up and look! It looks like three officials have come outside!"

Lin remembered her fourth son's words and advised Li: "Second sister-in-law, go to sleep. It's not our place to meddle in the affairs of third brother and sister-in-law."

Li pouted: "Who cares? Can't I even be curious...?"

Inside the tent, all was quiet, but outside, Cheng Ruoan and the three bodyguards were haggling fiercely over the price.

"Yes, Chief Escort Qi, I did say that we only want to get to the North safely. You can choose the route, and the time should not exceed three months. But you can't just choose the longest route and then charge us based on the escort time."

Cheng Ruoan was somewhat angry. This was no different from ordering a package in modern times and the courier company telling you that they charge by the number of days for regular delivery.

The more Cheng Ruoan thought about it, the angrier she became. She simply put on a stern face and said coldly, "Since Chief Escort Qi is not sincere about taking on this escort mission, then please leave."

Qi, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), looks intimidating, but he is actually a soft-hearted man: "To tell you the truth, Madam Cheng, we are just bodyguards. Even if I am the head镖师, the镖局 (bodyguard agency) is not mine. There is still an employer above us."

The pricing rules are all set by the owner, and I dare not go against them.

Furthermore, since the beginning of the year, our employer has prohibited the taking on escort duties. If it weren't for the fact that your group has many women and children, and the journey would be dangerous, I wouldn't have brought my escorts to inspect your business and negotiate a price with you.”

As he spoke, he looked at Si Shaoheng with some reproach, "This young master initially told us that he was selling goods, not giving them away."

Cheng Ruoan: ...

She frowned and looked at Si Shaoheng, her eyes full of questions.

Si Shaoheng covered his lips with his fist and coughed lightly twice. "If we really can't reach an agreement, then we'll wait until dawn and look for another escort agency."

In fact, he and Shaoyang asked many people outside the city gate of Xishan County before finally finding someone from Weiyuan Escort Agency.

Although the city gates are still brightly lit and long queues are still forming, it is already late at night, and the people inside the city have long since gone to bed.

In addition, according to the information they gathered, only Weiyuan Escort Agency is a large escort agency that exists in every prefecture and city of the entire Great Xia Dynasty.

In other words, if you hire Weiyuan Escort Agency for protection, no matter what route you take, they can at least follow you into the prefectural city to rest.

"Sigh." Cheng Ruoan sighed and resigned himself to his fate. "Alright, alright, can Chief Escort Qi at least give me a rough estimate? I'm the steward, I need to know if I have enough money to hire you right now."

Qi, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), patted his chest and assured her, "Don't worry, Madam Cheng, we will not deliberately delay your journey."

He pointed to the four horses the Si family now possessed: "We've inspected your horses; they're strong and healthy, and won't delay our journey. Following the route I've chosen, we should reach the North safely within two months!"

"alright."

Cheng Ruoan immediately took out paper and pen and signed a contract with Chief Escort Qi, agreeing that at dawn, ten escorts and two chief escorts from Weiyuan Escort Agency would come to their camp to meet.

As dawn broke, the bodyguards from Weiyuan Escort Agency arrived as promised.

The Si and Cheng families were finally able to set off on their journey in peace.

One month and twenty-nine days later, Cheng Ruoan and his four horse-drawn carriages, along with two mule carts loaded with goods, finally entered Songshan County of Taiming Prefecture under the escort of Weiyuan Escort Agency.

The procession of carriages and people on its way to Sijia Village appeared particularly grand and imposing.

Qi, the镖头 (bodyguard), rode on his horse, which walked alongside the first carriage.

He knocked on the carriage window frame, his voice rather loud:

"Young Master Si, Madam Cheng, we'll be at our destination in less than half an hour. Would you like us to stop for a bit and wash up by the stream over there?"

"No need, let's go straight into the village," Cheng Ruoan's voice came from inside the carriage.

"okay!"

When they arrived at the intersection of Sijia Village, Cheng Ruoan jumped off the carriage and was somewhat speechless as he paid the remaining balance to Chief Escort Qi.

She took out a silver note worth one thousand taels and handed it over: "Chief Escort Qi, you truly keep your word. You said it would be less than two months, and it really was one month and twenty-nine days."

"Previously, Madam Cheng paid a deposit of three hundred taels. This trip will last for fifty-nine days, and the total cost is one thousand one hundred and eighty taels. Here, please take your change." Chief镖 (bodyguard) Qi took out a one hundred tael silver note and a twenty tael silver ingot and gave them to Cheng Ruo'an as change.

Cheng Ruoan only accepted the 100-tael silver note: "The 20 taels are for Chief Qi and the brothers to have tea. They must be tired from their journey."

Qi, the镖头 (bodyguard), laughed heartily, then clasped his hands in thanks and said, "Madam Cheng is so generous! Your whole family is very obedient to our arrangements, so the journey has not been arduous for you."

"It's all thanks to Chief Escort Qi and your excellent route selection that we had a safe journey. Weiyuan Escort Agency truly lives up to its reputation!" Cheng Ruoan smiled politely and sincerely.

Along the way, Cheng Ruoan has come to understand this as well.

Whether in ancient or modern times, the saying "leave professional matters to professionals" is universally applicable.

"In that case, Madam Cheng and Young Master Si should reconsider and let your Da Hu come with me to the escort agency as an apprentice. I can guarantee that I will teach him everything I know."

Qi, the镖头 (bodyguard), kept glancing towards Da Hu, who was getting off the second carriage. "We'll be staying in Songshan County for at least three to five days."

Cheng Ruoan frowned slightly, then smiled and agreed: "After we settle things down today, the whole family will discuss it together. At the latest, the day after tomorrow, we will definitely have Da Hu come to your Weiyuan Escort Agency in Songshan County to give you a reply."

On the road, Da Hu spent almost every day with the bodyguards.

Qi the镖头 also discovered that Da Hu had a great physique and quick reflexes, making him a promising talent for martial arts training.

So I mentioned a couple of days ago that I wanted to take Da Hu as my apprentice and have him run errands for me.

Da Hu himself was willing, but Zhao Shi wouldn't allow it, and Si Shaoheng didn't express any opinion.

Cheng Ruoan, the matriarch of the household, couldn't say anything.

Chief Escort Qi: "Alright, alright, let's wait until you've discussed it before we talk about it. We'll help you move your things into the village first."

"Thank you."

Sijia Village is a submerged village. The road outside the village has been renovated and is passable by horse-drawn carriages, but it is still higher than the village. You can only get into the village by walking down the earthen embankment.

Of course, it's not that there isn't a single road that allows carriages and horses to enter the village; it's just that the small path seems to have been built by one of the villagers themselves, with a sign and ropes indicating that other carriages and horses are not allowed to pass.

Therefore, Cheng Ruoan and his group had to unload all their carriages and horses.