Chapter 23

At Fuxing Girls' High School on Fuxing Road, the carriage first delivered them to the girls' school. Ai Li got off with various pieces of luggage. As the legitimate daughter of a prominent family, she had a certain amount of grandeur, with four or five maids and two strong servants carrying a carriage full of items. The gate of the girls' school was tightly closed, leaving only the school entrance open.

The main gate of the girls' school had a distinct church style, as it was converted from a church. Two priests and four nuns were responsible for the school's education, which was classical and secluded. Only certified servants could enter the school; others needed a temporary pass and had to be accompanied by security personnel, and they had to leave quickly after entering.

Compared to modern China, this girls' school was extremely well-protected. The students were all from wealthy or noble families, and the annual tuition was extremely high, at 1,500 yuan. This amount could support an ordinary family for several years, but for wealthy families, it was just a drop in the bucket.

"Brother, Brother Yuanzhao, I'm leaving. You have to promise me to come and see me!" Yang Qian's small face showed a faint trace of reluctance, then she smiled brightly, turned around, and ran into the school.

"Brother Yuanzhao, it seems my sister has a good impression of you!" Yang Yue said with a pointed meaning.

Yang Yuanzhao felt a headache. Perhaps in this world, 13 years old was already considered an adult and of marriageable age, but in his mind, she was still a child, a junior high school student in modern times. It was hard for a 25-year-old adult to have any thoughts about her, and the idea made him feel a chill and a sense of guilt.

Seeing Yang Yuanzhao's embarrassment, Yang Yue laughed heartily. The carriage started again, and he said, "The train is at 1:30 PM. We have three or four hours. Why don't we tour Taiyuan? This is Brother Yuanzhao's first time in Taiyuan, right!"

Yang Yuanzhao had no interest in the old Chinese city, even the provincial capital, which was probably inferior to a small town in modern times. The market was filled with gray, white, blue, and black colors, quite different from the vibrant colors of modern times. Not being an archaeology enthusiast and feeling slightly tired from the continuous travel, he declined Yang Yue's invitation.

The carriage arrived at the Yang family's headquarters in Taiyuan, a four-story Western-style building. The first floor was a shop, similar to a general market where goods from all over could be bought, and business was thriving.

Commerce thrived, and goods flowed from north to south. In the absence of modern logistics and trade, ordinary merchant groups used this method to connect the north and south. Because of the wide range of goods, the Yang family's department store was very famous in Taiyuan, and customers and merchants could be seen coming and going frequently.

They had afternoon tickets, so they had a simple lunch nearby, eating Shanxi-style sour noodles with thick slices of meat, fresh broth, Shanxi aged vinegar, and white noodles, a unique and delicious combination. After a satisfying meal, Yang Yuanzhao and the others headed to the train station.

Taiyuan Train Station was not far from the Yang family's department store, about 5 li away. When they got off the carriage, Yang Yuanzhao almost couldn't believe that the dilapidated building in front of him was Taiyuan Train Station.

The train station looked even less impressive than a small county station in modern times. It was just a few makeshift buildings, without reinforced concrete or blue bricks. The walls seemed to be made of adobe.

Cement, known as "foreign ash" in this era, was only produced in Tianjin. Without cement, some basic buildings could only be made of adobe, which was of poor quality and took a long time to construct. There were no railings along the long tracks, and the station was not enclosed; people could cross the tracks freely.

There were no trains parked on the long tracks. Trains had appeared in the late Qing Dynasty, but their utilization was far from optimal. Taiyuan was the endpoint of the Shizhengtai Railway, not the most important part. Only passing trains stopped here to refuel and add water before leaving.

Yang Yue had sent a messenger on horseback several days earlier to notify the Yang family's department store, and the manager had already bought the tickets. Yang Yuanzhao followed Yang Yue into the station. Unlike the crowded modern train stations, this one was particularly deserted. In the ticket hall, a middle-aged man in a horse coat was idly standing.

The ticket from Taiyuan to Shijiazhuang cost 15 yuan, an unimaginable amount. A typical farmer might not earn 15 yuan in a year, and even workers in Shanghai earned only 7 or 8 yuan, which was considered a high salary. Since 15 jin of flour cost only 50 cents, 7 yuan was enough for a family to live for a month. This was a first-class ticket, equivalent to 1,500 yuan in modern times. He was slightly puzzled about what kind of carriage could be worth so much.

The first-class waiting room was separate from the others, with dedicated sofas and tea tables, and even some Western-style coffee. Trains and train stations were imported, heavily influenced by foreign designs.

The waiting room seemed to echo the modern train station, with two rows of wooden benches. Their first-class tickets were for a separate, smaller waiting room, which was much quieter than the main one.

"It seems we'll be the only ones in the first-class carriage on this trip," Yang Yue sighed. Trains were a good thing, but Chinese trains were too slow, and awareness was low. Only a few people actually traveled by train; most still used traditional horse caravans. If they weren't in a hurry, they might have joined the Yang family's merchant convoy.

A loud whistle, full of power, came from north to south. Through the window, Yang Yuanzhao saw an extremely simple locomotive, with a bulky and slow transmission, and steam everywhere. No wonder the station wasn't separated from the surroundings; at a speed of just over 20 kilometers per hour, trains could only run on the tracks, and people could easily avoid them. Train crossings hadn't yet become the death traps they would become in modern times.

The train stopped, and it was still over an hour before departure. A few people got off, most of whom looked like merchants, accompanied by their assistants, and left the station. A group of rickshaw drivers quickly surrounded them and separated them.

As the departure time approached, more and more people gathered in the waiting room, about 100 people in total. However, most were in the main waiting room, and only five people were in the first-class waiting room.

Several railway workers began to add coal and water to the train. Due to the backward technology, they had to do it manually, and it took about an hour. The train sounded its whistle 20 minutes before departure.

The loud whistle indicated that the train was ready to depart. Several conductors began to call out in the waiting room, forming three small queues. Train tickets were divided into three classes: Class A, B, and C. Class A tickets, like the 15 yuan they held, were the most expensive. Class B tickets were slightly cheaper, around 5 yuan, and Class C tickets were only 1.5 yuan. The huge price difference meant vastly different treatments. Class C tickets were similar to modern hard seats, with rows of seats in a carriage, not as crowded as in modern times. Even at 1.5 yuan, it was a significant amount for ordinary people. Class B tickets offered slightly more spacious seating, similar to modern business class on airplanes, with small tables and snacks. Class A tickets were the highest class, spanning two carriages. The carriages were like coffee lounges, with large seats, sofas, and velvet curtains. Passengers could relax and drink tea, and in the evening, they could sleep in a separate sleeping compartment.

Yang Yuanzhao had never expected such a luxurious carriage, even in modern times. No wonder the tickets were so expensive. Since it was a first-class carriage, only five people boarded, occupying two tea tables. Service staff provided various free beverages, and since those who could afford this carriage were wealthy, they ordered the most expensive tea and snacks, which were not too expensive, similar to the prices in Western restaurants in Taiyuan.

Sitting comfortably in the carriage, they were the first to board and could relax on the sofas, watching the busy crowds around them. Those who could afford to travel by train were mostly wealthy or officials, and they didn't carry large bags like in modern times, but their hurried steps still gave a sense of urgency.

Most passengers had boarded by the 20-minute mark. At 1:30 PM, the train began to move slowly, marking the start of the Shizhengtai Railway journey.