Chapter 23: Ning Hanmo, as your mother, is quite good

"It seems…… useless." Ning Hanmo thought for a moment, if back then she had hit him, what would he have been like?

After thinking, it really was useless.

"Alright, this is the cloth shop; I asked around, nearby villages basically buy cloth here, the main product is coarse cloth—go in and ask about the price."

Jiang Yun Chu brought them over; on the way she asked a few aunts, everyone pointed out this cloth shop, at that time everyone was present, and each person heard it.

"Good."

Ning Hanmo went in, then came out with a dejected expression.

Jiang Yun Chu sat in the shade, watching the bustling market; most people here barter, and of course if they could sell something for some copper coins, that would be even better.

"How?" Jiang Yun Chu saw the brother and sister who had come out.

She didn't let those five prominent people follow; only the person secretly protecting them followed them inside.

These days, she has been Training her body; now, compared to when she first crossed over, both her physical functions and senses have greatly improved.

At the very least……

She can now sense where An San is hiding……

"Am I really stupid?" Ning Hanmo felt a bit dejected; today, for him, was a day of refreshing his cognition.

Jiang Yun Chu raised her hand, used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his face, and said, "Ning Hanmo, remember, nothing is baseless speculation; if you want to know something, you must go where it is."

"For example, if you want to know the thrill of horse racing, you must enter the racetrack."

"If you want to know the life of commoners, then you must become a commoner."

"Today, everyone you met can survive, but in this capital Jingdu, there is a place where people die every day, where life is worse than death every day, yet they stubbornly cling to life, gaining a sliver of hope."

Jiang Yun Chu's words were quite objective; today's everything, she merely served as a guide, while everything else was determined by Ning Hanmo's subjective consciousness.

He himself chose it, and that is what matters to him.

"You are very fortunate, born in the Wang Fu." Around there was no one; everyone was busy making a living—who would pay attention to the mother and child under this tree?

"But, you are also unfortunate." Jiang Yun Chu's words took a turn.

Yue Yue is still young; she has tried to enlighten her, but given her limited age, she is still a playful child, and she hasn't been strict about it.

In this era, a woman's lack of talent is considered virtue.

But she disagrees; in her view, men and women are the same, and if children don't establish correct notions when young, can they walk the right path when they grow up?

"Unfortunate?" Ning Hanmo lifted his head, leaning against Jiang Yun Chu's body; the small six-year-old boy was unaware of his own movement.

Even Jiang Yun Chu didn't realize that after walking half a day, Yue Yue had already fallen asleep leaning against her leg.

And Ning Hanmo was also tired, yet he didn't call out, didn't cry, didn't complain.

Today he saw too many people; those children, at a tender age, already work in the fields—some sneakily stand outside the schoolhouse, secretly following the teacher inside to read.

Some children, alone, bring several other kids to dig wild vegetables.

Some……

Today, he realized, his life is different from theirs.

But why did Jiang Yun Chu say they are also unfortunate?

"You are overly protected; a slight setback could leave you unable to recover, even……" She didn't continue.

Suicide.

Children overly protected cannot bear even a bit of harsh words, as if living in a castle, forever in a fairy tale.

But who can go through life without worries, never experiencing storms?

"I won't." Ning Hanmo raised his head, eyes firm.

Jiang Yun Chu smiled, "I know, you won't."

After these days, Ning Hanmo's self-understanding is probably not as deep as her understanding of him.

This child, is very good.

He has a soft heart, he has a tenacious nature, and he uses his mind; even those mental efforts are because he's tormenting himself.

Moreover, the more setbacks he faces, the braver he becomes.

These are his strengths, which have always been there; she just hadn't praised them properly before, and whether she will mention them later depends on her mood.

Ning Hanmo smiled; the smile on his little face gradually became genuine.

When they returned to the Wang Fu, it had already grown dark; the mother and son trio, at noon, had found a noodle stall and eaten a bowl of noodles.

Ning Hanmo never knew there could be such delicious noodles.

Before, in restaurants, he had never eaten anything this tasty—so is gourmet food truly found in the human world?

Jiang Yun Chu smiled, but didn't indulge his illusion: "It's not that the noodles are delicious; it's that you're hungry."

When one is hungry, anything eaten becomes a human-world delicacy.

"Shunzi, let the Young Master take a bath, drink a bowl of hot milk, and rest early." Rhyme Courtyard and Ink Brush Pavilion are not far, but not near either; at the fork in the road, Jiang Yun Chu instructed Shunzi.

"Yes, Princess Consort, rest assured, I will certainly take good care of the Young Master." Shunzi replied.

Ning Hanmo had already fallen asleep, honestly lying in Shunzi's arms.

This day, he had experienced too much; both mentally and physically, he had suffered enormous depletion.

Jiang Yun Chu held Yue Yue; at first, she let the five distant ones fall behind, but Ning Hanmo really couldn't hold back, he was utterly exhausted.

She squatted down, "Come up."

Ning Hanmo immediately stepped back a bit; only his sore feet made him frown.

He had walked all day, and his feet were covered in blisters.

"You are just a six-year-old child; while your mother is here, you don't need to act heroic—come up." Jiang Yun Chu looked at him.

Ning Hanmo rubbed his somewhat sore eyes; surely he was too tired, his eyes felt a bit sore.

It must be like this!

"You can't carry me on your back; I'll have Shunzi come." Ning Hanmo suggested.

"Our family only has the three of us—mother and son—so where would there be any Shunzi?" Jiang Yun Chu reminded.

Today, letting five people dress up in disguise is merely to let them get a feel for it.

After staying in a place for a long time, one will forget many things.

And she also needs to gain a completely new understanding of this world—her previous self never had any contact with the outside world.

Today is not only a shock to Ning Hanmo; how could it not also be a shock to her?

"But you'll get tired." Ning Hanmo hesitated for a moment, then replied.

Jiang Yun Chu looked at him, went "pfft," and laughed.

"Although we are only mother and son for today, but..."

"Ning Hanmo, being your mother is quite nice."

Ning Hanmo stepped forward, lay on her back, wiped the corner of his eyes, then said in a low voice, "You're not bad either."

He could feel that Jiang Yun Chu's back was not broad, nor warm, but it could make him feel...

Peace of mind!

Yeah, I don't know since when, but as long as I'm by her side, I myself will feel at ease.