The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 313

After Zhou Chu and the others entered Datong, they all took off their masks. In fact, when riding horses on the grassland in winter, most people would wear something on their faces, otherwise the cold wind would be unbearable for most people.

Of course, many people simply cover their faces with a cloth and wear goggles.

Goggles are in high demand here; they are essential for caravans traveling in winter and for other purposes.

Zhou Chu and his companions had been enduring wind and rain for the past few days. Even though they were dressed warmly when they left the capital, the cold weather was still unbearable. In addition, the wind was blowing through every crack when they were riding horses, and most people would find it unbearable.

If Zhou Chu hadn't been wearing cashmere earmuffs, he would have wondered if his ears would have frozen off.

When they arrived in Datong, everyone was cold and hungry. They found a restaurant nearby, tied up their horses, left two people to watch the horses, and the rest of them lifted the heavy curtain that looked like a blanket and went inside.

This is Datong, a place where Zhou Chu is unfamiliar with the people and the land. He has little trust in the locals, especially since a famous horse like Wuzhui is likely to be coveted by many. It is necessary to leave two people to guard it.

The restaurant wasn't big, but it warmed up instantly once you stepped inside, thanks to the thick, blanket-like curtain that completely kept out the cold air. The restaurant was exceptionally warm because of the stove fire.

A dozen or so people walked in at once, immediately attracting the attention of all the diners in the restaurant. When they saw that Zhou Chu and his group were all tall and strong, they realized that they were not to be trifled with and turned their heads away, seemingly afraid of causing trouble.

Zhou Chu felt as if he had instantly returned from hell to the human world, feeling completely comfortable. When he was outside, he didn't dare to make any big movements, for fear that a draft would get into his clothes.

This is a noodle shop, specifically a knife-cut noodle shop. An apprentice is carrying a large piece of dough and constantly cutting noodles by the pot, while the older man next to him seems to be the head chef.

Zhou Chu and the others pushed the three tables together and sat down.

"Gentlemen, what would you like to eat?"

The waiter brought a pot of hot tea to Zhou Chu and the others, speaking cautiously.

"Two bowls of noodles for each person, and ten catties of mutton."

Zhou Chu did not order any wine; in such an unfamiliar place, drinking would lead to trouble.

Upon hearing this, the waiter immediately perked up.

"okay."

Shen Lian picked up the teapot on the table, poured a bowl of hot tea, and pushed it in front of one of the centurions.

This man, named Fan Ji, is the most knowledgeable about poison among the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Zhou Chu brought him here specifically to prevent him from being poisoned.

Fan Ji picked up the teacup, first smelled it, then took a sip, and finally nodded.

Shen Lian was relieved and poured Zhou Chu a bowl of tea.

All poisons, more or less, have some kind of smell. This is not the modern era, where there are many chemical toxins. Modern poisons are basically extracted. So-called completely colorless and odorless poisons do not exist.

Effective poisons usually have some kind of smell, like arsenic.

After drinking a bowl of hot tea, Zhou Chu instantly felt his body warm up.

With so many bowls of noodles, the apprentice who was cutting the noodles was so tired that his arms were smoking. However, the pot for cooking the noodles was very large, and as long as the noodles were produced in a timely manner, many bowls could be cooked at once, so Zhou Chu and the others did not have to wait too long.

Soon, bowls of knife-cut noodles were served.

Fan Ji was the first to pick up his chopsticks, and only after Fan Ji confirmed that everything was alright did everyone else start eating.

Zhou Chu, Shen Lian, and the others were starving. They devoured even the simplest knife-cut noodles with gusto, like whales sucking up their food. They finished their first bowl in just a few bites and quickly moved on to their second.

With the first bowl as a base, the second bowl of noodles didn't take as long to finish, and with the ten pounds of mutton in front of them, everyone ate with great relish.