Lin Wu sighed softly at the man's words. "Ah, if I weren't truly backed into a corner with no way out, what mother would be willing to drag such a young child along to endure the hardships of sleeping out in the open? Now all I can hope for is to come across a kind-hearted merchant caravan. If... if there happened to be women or children traveling with them, that would be even better."
Seeing her pitiful state, the innkeeper finally relented. "Very well, I'll keep an eye out for you. Fortunately, Ling Prefecture isn't far, and merchant caravans pass through often. There may be some charitable families among them."
"Thank you, innkeeper!" Lin Wu said, her gratitude pouring out in repeated thanks.
Back in the room, a waiter soon arrived with hot water. Lin Wu wet a cloth and gave both of them a simple wipe-down.
Before long, the sky outside the window was thoroughly dark. The clamor of the inn, however, had not yet ceased—snores, low murmurs, and the creaking of floorboards were amplified in the stillness of the night, clearly audible.
It wasn't until a waiter walked along the corridor, calling out at the top of his lungs, "It's getting late, honored guests, please retire for the night!" that the surroundings gradually quieted down.
Lin Wu had Lin Jing lie down on the inner side of the bed, then took out three feet of coarse cloth from her bundle and placed it beneath the inn's quilt before lying down beside him and pulling the covers over them.
This was their first night after leaving the cave. The straw mat beneath them prickled, the unfamiliar smells in the air, and the various noises coming through the walls made it hard for both of them to fall asleep.
In the darkness, Lin Jing quietly turned around to face Lin Wu's direction, his small body curling up.
The next day, before the sky had even begun to lighten, Lin Wu woke up.
She had slept very lightly the night before—in a place where all sorts of people mingled, her heart remained on edge the entire time. The thin walls barely blocked any sound, and the snoring from the next room had lasted the whole night.
The moment she stirred, Lin Jing opened his eyes as well. Faint shadows hung beneath the child's eyes, and his round eyes were tinged with red—clearly, the unfamiliar surroundings and noises had kept him from sleeping soundly too.
"It's still early. I'll go get us something to eat. You can sleep a bit more," Lin Wu said softly.
But Lin Jing shook his head and silently clung to the hem of her clothes, following her out of bed. After the previous day's exhaustion and this restless night, he was especially clingy.
Lin Wu re-tied all their belongings and slung the bundle over her back. The room had no separate lock—a lock and key cost at least a hundred coppers, and a roadside inn would never provide one. If they left, the door latch alone wouldn't be safe, so carrying all their valuables along when going out was a common practice here.
The inn was still fairly quiet in the early morning; most guests hadn't yet risen. A young waiter was already on duty at the front counter, and the main door stood wide open.
"Guest, you're up awfully early!" the waiter greeted her enthusiastically as she came downstairs.
"Yes," Lin Wu replied with a slight nod, her tone gentle. "I'm worried the kitchen will get crowded later, so I wanted to get up early and cook something warm for the child."
"Ah, you might not know this, guest, but the large stove here can only reheat ready-made meals—we don't provide firewood separately. If you want to cook yourself, there's an extra charge for firewood and water. The waiter said, sizing up the mother and child. "Judging by the two of you, you won't use much. Five coppers a day for firewood, plus one copper for a bucket of clean water, should be plenty."
"Would you kindly prepare the firewood and water for us, young man? I'll head to the market to buy some ingredients and come back to fetch them," Lin Wu replied courteously.
She led Lin Jing out of the inn.
The streets were already lively with pedestrians, and food stalls on both sides were lighting their stoves, their aromas wafting through the air.
The two of them walked all the way to the market. Since it was still early, the morning market wasn't yet bustling. Stalls were set up along the ground, and villagers were gradually arriving with fresh vegetables.
Lin Wu stopped at a vegetable stall that looked clean and tidy. The vendor was a brisk, capable older woman who had not only some fresh cabbages and wild greens but also a basket of evenly sized eggs.
"Ma'am, how much for these eggs?" Lin Wu asked.
"You have a good eye," the woman replied enthusiastically. "Two coppers for three eggs—all from my own chickens, and they're nice and big! Buy more, and I can give you a better price."
"I wouldn't dare buy too many," Lin Wu said with a hint of an embarrassed smile. "I just want to get one or two for my child now and then to help build up his strength. If I buy six, could you throw in some wild greens and a small piece of ginger?"
"Oh dear! You drive a hard bargain, little miss—six eggs and you still want extras? My little business can't survive that!" the woman waved her hands in protest.
After some back-and-forth, Lin Wu ended up paying five coppers for five eggs and a head of cabbage, and the woman threw in a small piece of ginger and a pinch of scallions as a bonus.
Lin Wu tucked the cabbage into the small bundle bag that Lin Jing was carrying and had him hold it.
"We'll use this to make congee later," she explained as she took his hand and kept walking toward a stall selling earthenware.
The vendor there was a deeply wrinkled old man, who was drawling in a loud voice to attract customers: "Take a look—take a look! Fine pottery from my own kiln—doesn't leak when you stew soup or cook porridge, and it lasts!"
Lin Wu crouched down at the stall and picked up a medium-sized lidded clay pot with a handle. "Grandpa, how much for this pot?"
The old man, seeing her young and fresh-faced, smiled widely and raised both hands—two fingers on one, all five on the other. "Young miss has good taste! This pot has a thick body, a handle, and a lid—most convenient. Just twenty-five coppers."
At that, Lin Wu set the pot back down and shook her head. "Grandpa, that's too expensive. Over at the porcelain stall to the west, a ribbed porcelain lidded jar is only thirty coppers." She made as if to get up and leave. The dynasty's ceramics industry was well developed, so such everyday utensils were hardly pricey.
The old man quickly called out, "Wait, young miss, hold on! Oh, take another look—my pot is a few sizes bigger than that porcelain jar! Seeing as you're genuinely interested, twenty-two coppers—that's my lowest! And I'll throw in a sturdy hemp net bag so you can carry it without burning your hands!"
Seeing that Lin Wu's expression remained unchanged, he quickly pointed to the bowls and chopsticks nearby. "And look at these plain clay bowls—thick and sturdy, only three coppers each. What a deal!"
Lin Wu still shook her head and eventually bought the clay pot for twenty coppers, with the old man keeping his word and giving her the net bag for free.
Next, they stopped at a woodenware stall. Lin Wu had already planned it out: the road ahead was long, and though clay bowls were cheap, they were heavy and fragile—if one got chipped, the money would be wasted. Wooden bowls cost a bit more, but they were light and sturdy, which made them the better investment in the long run.
She chose carefully and ended up buying two pairs of wooden chopsticks, three wooden spoons (one large, two small), two wooden bowls (one large, one small), and two smooth, sturdy yellow gourds for carrying water.
With that, their cooking and eating utensils were all set.
Lin Wu then circled around to a stall selling live aquatic goods and spent three coppers on a small handful of frisky little shrimp, intending to add a bit of meat flavor to the porridge.
