Chapter 896: Chapter 713: Regret Letting My Husband Seek a Marquisate
The happiness came so suddenly that the street vendor was still a bit dazed.
Although he didn’t know many characters, he recognized the large character "Mu" on the waist token he was holding!
Thinking of this, the vendor carefully took out the waist token again to take another look. It was still the "Mu" character, unchanged!
The vendor stood there dazed and dumb, with customers passing by inquiring about his clay dolls. He didn’t respond, and one wave of customers left disappointed, followed by another. Even the vendors next to him couldn’t stand it anymore, wondering why he wasn’t making any sales under the broad daylight.
"Husband? Husband? What’s wrong?" A petite woman with a child strapped to her back ran over, seeing her husband in a daze. Thinking something was wrong, she put the lunch she was carrying to the side and anxiously asked.
This young wife was quite attractive. Although she dressed plainly, her inherent grace was unmistakable. Even in her anxiety, there was a subtle sense of restraint and dignity.
Speaking of this vendor selling clay dolls, he was something of a legend on this street, blessed with a heavenly wife!
While others worried about finding a wife, he picked up a beauty as a bride right off the street. This young wife was skilled in managing the household and within a year or two gave the vendor a chubby son. The vendor’s business flourished, and his manner of speaking and conduct didn’t resemble those of commoners. Even maids from affluent families were willing to buy clay dolls from his stall.
"Husband? Husband? What exactly happened? Why aren’t you doing business and just staring blankly?" Seeing her husband still silent and unresponsive, the little wife took the baby from her back into her arms, tugged at the vendor’s sleeve, and anxiously questioned.
"Wife... wife... the... the Crown Prince..." Shaken by her, the vendor finally snapped out of his daze and woodenly looked at his beautiful wife, speaking slowly.
Hearing this, the wife immediately frowned, and her petite body stiffened, "The... the Crown Prince?"
"Wife! The Crown Prince! The Crown Prince spoke to me! The Southern Emperor came to our stall to buy clay dolls! The Crown Prince even patted me on the shoulder!" The vendor finally returned to his senses, nervously grabbing his wife’s arm, and despite his excitement, lowered his voice remembering Zhou Mu’s advice.
"Husband! Stop joking!" The little wife sighed helplessly, withdrawing her worry.
"It’s true! Wife, it’s true! The Crown Prince even gave me this!" The vendor, seeing his wife’s disbelief, quickly handed her the waist token to have a look.
The family of three began whispering by the street vendor stall.
The little child babbled in the wife’s arms while she looked at the waist token and then directly knelt down at the stall.
"A waist token bordered with dragons, it’s indeed a special item used by the Crown Prince..." the woman muttered in a slight daze.
"Wife, the Crown Prince asked me to go to some Chancellery to get a steward position. In the future, you won’t have to do laundry to make a living. I, Wang Man, promise you won’t suffer even a little!" The vendor hurriedly knelt beside his wife at the stall, speaking softly.
"The Crown Prince’s Chancellery..." The little wife lowered her head, staring at the waist token in her hands, her expression unfathomable. Softly, she looked up at her husband with hope and timidly said, "Husband, can’t we just not go? Can’t we live our ordinary, peaceful lives as we are?"
"Wife, what nonsense are you talking? This is a heaven-sent opportunity!" The vendor, Wang Man, was stunned at first, blinked, and then took his wife’s hand with care, saying, "Look at your hands, doing laundry every day has wrinkled them. Wife, we’ve met someone noble. I promise you and Xiao Quan won’t have to suffer anymore."
"Hehe..." The wife laughed bitterly, holding her son and getting up, "Nothing is more heartless than the Imperial Family. I regret urging my husband to seek nobility..."
Saying this, the little wife pointed at the midday meal in the clay pot on the ground, "I’ve brought your lunch, think about whether to take this job in the afternoon."
"Wife?" The vendor Wang Man frowned, wondering why on encountering such great fortune, his wife still looked so worried? Thinking of his wife’s insightful and knowledgeable nature, Wang Man hurriedly took a step forward, nervously grabbing her sleeve and asked in a low voice, "Wife, do you not want me to take this job? I just don’t want you and Xiao Quan to suffer poverty with me, I..."
"Husband..." The little wife looked troubled, sighed, "Everything is up to you, just promise not to forget your original intent..."
After saying this, she stopped speaking and turned to leave.
This left the vendor Wang Man standing dumbfounded in front of the stall, still holding the waist token his wife had returned to him before leaving.
The little wife walked far before stopping by the wall, murmuring with a sorrowful face, "Can’t escape it? Even the imperial aunt could escape, why can’t I? I obviously fled too, imperial aunt..."
Thinking of the aunt she saw in her youth who decisively left, a deep worry passed across the wife’s face.
Gu Changsheng had already gone far. If not, she would surely be astonished by the little wife’s appearance.
At that moment, Gu Changsheng was happily weaving through the streets and alleys of the Capital City. Honestly, since her journey began, she had rarely relaxed and enjoyed herself. Now that her tasks were completed and her mind was at ease, and with the company of Zhou Mu and Borjigin Nian of Yue Xilou, being able to stroll the streets like an ordinary citizen felt wonderful. It made Gu Changsheng feel she truly existed in this world.
The bustling street, a diverse flow of people, the myriad aspects of life, this is what life really is.
This is the kind of life an ordinary person should lead, not like hers!
"Desire the crown, bear its weight, I realize, unknowingly, I’ve drifted so far from ordinary people." Standing in a bustling street, Gu Changsheng couldn’t help but sigh softly.
Since meeting Zhou Mu, her life seemed ever more distant from that of the common folk; coupled with her background, everything has evolved to the point that, wherever she goes, there are always visible and hidden protectors, and she is followed by cautious officials wherever she goes...
She had transformed from an ordinary medicine lady in Liuzhou City to Zhou Mu’s fiancée, and then became the Emperor of the Southern Country...
Thinking back now, it all feels dreamlike and surreal. Standing among the crowd, she realizes that she has become increasingly distant from others, a distance she once never wanted!
"Clad in fine clothes, riding spirited horses, wandering through ordinary alleys, debating the Imperial Court; no matter where you want to go, I am always by your side..."
A warm large hand enveloped her hand unexpectedly, the calluses on the palm slightly coarse, carrying the speaker’s warmth, tracing over Gu Changsheng’s small hand and heart.
"Yes! At least I still have you!" Gu Changsheng turned around, beaming brilliantly at Zhou Mu through her felt hat.
Thankfully, though the path of a ruler is lonely, she still has him, and he is with her!
"Corny!"
"I ate too many fermented rice balls earlier, my teeth feel a bit sour!"
Behind them, Borjigin Nian and Yue Xilou mercilessly criticized the two for flirting regardless of time or place!
"I can understand your mindset of saying grapes are sour when you can’t eat them!" Gu Changsheng turned back, baring her teeth, speaking with pity, and defiantly stretched out the clay doll in her arms towards them.
The meaning was clear, a solitary couple, not qualified to comment on them who are about to marry!
Borjigin Nian and Yue Xilou’s faces immediately darkened, unable to bear looking directly, they decided not to watch the two who turned corniness into romance.
"Hmph!" Seeing this, Gu Changsheng felt very satisfied, holding her neck high, cradling a clay doll with one hand and tugging Zhou Mu with the other as they continued shopping.
Not far behind them, several people hidden among the crowd carried large bags, their faces filled with a mix of crying and laughter.
Just when will their own emperor and imperial husband finish their shopping? Are they planning to loot all the stalls on this street?
They’re almost unable to carry anymore; should they call for reinforcements? Or send a batch of the emperor’s shopping loot to the traveling palace first?
Moreover, could their emperor and imperial husband hand over the two clay dolls to them?
What kind of people are their emperor and imperial husband? They are major figures who control the fate of heavens and earth, yet here they are in disguise on the streets, clinging onto two clay dolls worth four wen coins without letting go! This is too mismatched with their identity and aura! Far too incongruous!
"By the way, evildoer, why did you recruit that toy seller into your Chancellery?" During a break in shopping, Gu Changsheng asked with some boredom.
Zhou Mu is a person who is very discerning in employing people. Don’t be fooled by the less conventional Yuan Bao and Si Xi the little eunuchs beside him, nor the not-so-proper Great Generals like Jiang One and others; when it comes to real strength, well, even the rather foolish Yuan Bao is an excellent manager of the Royal Mansion, not to be underestimated.
"Articulate and insightful, with some training, he could be of great use." Zhou Mu’s answer was quite serious.
"Really?" Gu Changsheng picked up a velvet flower from a small stall while turning around to give Zhou Mu a skeptical look, "I don’t think you are someone who patiently cultivates people."
Sculpting raw jade is a skillful work, clearly, Zhou Mu in Gu Changsheng’s mind is not a patient sculptor. Just imagine his imposing stance when chopping vegetables and you’d know he’s someone who values efficiency and results greatly.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Mu raised his hand to tap her forehead, smiling as he spoke, "Let’s make a bet, shall we? Bet on whether he’ll accept the task I offer him."
"What’s there to bet on?" Borjigin Nian, who heard their conversation, chimed in, "Why wouldn’t he take such an opportunity that falls from the skies? Did he get his head trapped in a door?"