Opening an antique shop and getting rich through all the worlds

Chapter 107

The inn only provided well water.

It was only because they had given gifts that the officials allowed them to draw water.

As for hot water, that was absolutely not provided. If you wanted it, you had to pay the inn servants for it yourself.

One pot of hot water cost several taels of silver.

“You can take some things out first, but you must hurry back. After a certain time, the door might disappear.” Shen You warned.

These items couldn’t all be taken at once. Given He Haizhou’s circumstances, he couldn’t let people discover them, and too many would be hard to hide, so it was best to take them in batches.

She could set it up to keep the entrance open for a while.

“I’ll remember.” He Haizhou took some compressed biscuits and chocolate, hiding them in his clothes.

Fortunately, it was cold now and he wore several layers. What’s more these items had tight packaging, so they wouldn’t be too obvious.

With the dark sky and everyone focused on eating and resting after a day of travel, no one noticed He Haizhou had anything hidden on him when he went out. Even his family thought he was going to ask the inn servants about hot water.

Before entering the shop, he had indeed asked, but the servants hadn’t given him a pleasant response.

“How did it go? Is there hot water?” Lady He asked anxiously.

The older aunt nearby looked quite unwell, but still forced herself to appear spirited so her family wouldn’t worry.

He Haizhou looked at his family of old and young, was about to speak, then glimpsed a passing inn servant and restrained his expression, shaking his head and sighing.

A mocking voice came from behind: “No money but still wanting hot water. You think you’re still the official master you used to be when firewood isn’t free.”

The seven to eight people gritted their teeth and kept their heads down without speaking.

Not to mention before, but He Haizhou’s last visit to this inn hadn’t been that long ago. Back then, with his rank, he could have stayed in the finest rooms.

Seeing the He family not saying a word, acting as if they hadn’t heard, the speaker spat and walked away.

“Give me the water pouches first.” He Haizhou lowered his voice. “I found hot water and medicine.”

Lady He’s eyes immediately widened as she quickly handed over the water pouches.

“Hide these things first. This matter absolutely cannot be spread around.”

Lady He nodded and quietly took them, not bothering to see what they were but hiding them in her personal bundle first.

Then she watched He Haizhou walk toward the stable area.

Though puzzled in her heart, she still quietly told the family about He Haizhou finding medicine.

The He family members, who had been lifeless before, suddenly had light in their eyes.

There was medicine! The sick family members had hope of surviving!

He Haizhou glanced at someone who had just returned from drawing water. The person seemed unable to see the door by the stable.

His anxious heart finally settled. To avoid suspicion, he first drew two pots of ice-cold well water in front of the officials before walking to the door and, taking advantage of the darkening sky when vision was unclear, pushed open the wooden door.

Returning to the shop, he handed the two water pouches to Shen You.

Shen You had already boiled old ginger and brown sugar in her health pot. She poured out the well water, and filled the pouches.

The other water pouch was filled with warm water mixed with the granule medicine in proper proportions.

“Take these.” Shen You also gave him a small bottle of water purification tablets and explained how to use them.

“I don’t know if you’ll be able to enter this shop again in the future. If your heart holds a request, perhaps it might be possible.”

So far, only one person had entered the random entrance twice.

The exile road was still long. This time, she could only help this much.

“Miss, your great kindness. If there’s ever a chance in the future, I will certainly repay this debt of gratitude.”

He Haizhou touched the water pouch radiating warmth, moved in his heart. Then he straightened his back, faced Shen You, and looked as if he was about to perform a full kowtow.

“No need for thanks, it’s hardly a great kindness.” Shen You stopped him in time. “Someone has already paid for you.”

He Haizhou’s expression froze, asking in disbelief: “Dare I ask, Miss, who was it?”

Shen You smiled: “In the capital, a young master surnamed Wen.”

Hearing this, He Haizhou stood in place for a long time before reacting.

In the capital, the most prominent person with that surname wouldn’t that be him?

But he had never had any dealings with that person before, although he had heard some things about him and had even once remonstrated, advising the emperor not to be deceived.

Yes, to be able to find such an incredible shop was indeed not something an ordinary person could accomplish. That he had managed to keep his life in the capital also seemed to bear traces of that person’s handiwork.

He Haizhou returned to the inn with the items, still not understanding why.

For now, with people still watching, he didn’t take out the medicine tablets for his family, but first handed over the water pouches.

Those with colds drank the water mixed with medicine, while the ginger-brown sugar water went to the rest to ward off the cold.

Separating them this way would also make contagion less likely.

Those who had been cold in the crude communal sleeping shed suddenly felt their bodies warm after drinking a mouthful of the sweet water with a hint of spice, their eyes full of delight.

To outsiders, they appeared to be drinking the well water just drawn.

“How are you feeling, Aunt?” Lady He patted the woman’s back, asking softly.

“Much more comfortable.” Aunt He breathed a long sigh of relief. “You should drink some too.”

Seeing her speak with strength after drinking two mouthfuls of that medicine, the He couple felt relieved.

Uncle He had followed the military path like his father when the emperor still trusted the He family.

But years earlier, when He Haizhou was still young, Uncle He had died at the frontier, and everyone in the He family held great respect for Aunt He.

No one asked where the hot water and medicine came from, waiting until deep into the night when there were no prying eyes.

He Haizhou carefully took out the warm clothing for family members who didn’t have any to put on in the dark, and distributed the cold medicine.

Only then did someone ask: “These things you brought back, who exactly sent them?”

In such a place, to still have medicine and warming ginger tea, plus those foods they’d never seen before.

Especially the brick-like hard biscuits now distributed, called compressed biscuits. It was delicious and filling.

Even the inn’s manager couldn’t obtain such things, so obviously someone was helping them from behind.

But everyone in the capital knew He Haizhou had angered the emperor and the He family was out of favor.

So many people avoided them like the plague. Who would dare send so many things?

The Crown Prince’s every move was watched, and he could only secretly help when they first left the capital.

He Haizhou sighed: “The person didn’t say clearly, but I have an idea in my heart.”

He didn’t mention the shop, not because he didn’t trust his family, but because that shop was too bizarre.

The second time he went out, he truly couldn’t find the door anymore.

The fewer people who knew about this matter, the better.

He Haizhou looked toward the capital’s direction. His mental state was obviously much better than when he first entered the shop.

At night, cold wind whistled through the inn, seeping through holes.

The criminals in the exile procession, unlike the officials who had hot water, warm food, and even bowls of meat soup provided by the inn, could only pile all their clothes and even straw on themselves, hoping to fall asleep quickly so they wouldn’t feel their bodies’ suffering.

The He family, with hot soup and food, was much better off than before.

With only six heat packs that would warm upon application, He Haizhou thought about the hardships ahead on the road and decided to save them for the most unbearable moments, for the women to use first.

These things could all save lives!