Chapter 253
The night's heavy rain finally ceased. As morning broke, a chill permeated the air. Zhan Feiyu looked admiringly at He Nuan, grateful for the ample supply of clothing, otherwise, they would truly be shivering.
"Did they leave so early?" Zhan Feiyu glanced across, noting it was barely the hour of Chen.
"They left as soon as the rain stopped, before dawn," Chong Guang said with a smile, walking into the dilapidated temple and shaking a rabbit in his hand. "We can have rabbit for lunch."
Zhan Feiyu's round, innocent eyes were filled with accusation. "Bunnies are so cute!"
Stumbling, nearly falling, Chong Guang glared speechlessly at the feigning Zhan Feiyu. "Just tell me if you want it braised or roasted, Fatty. You really can't pull off an innocent act."
"Roasted," came the immediate reply. Zhan Feiyu looked at the twitching gray rabbit. "It's so cold today, let's slaughter it and set it aside first. We can marinate it to absorb the flavor, and by noon, it'll be perfect for roasting."
Chong Guang casually tossed the rabbit, and it flew directly towards Zhan Feiyu.
He Nuan quickly stepped forward and precisely caught the rabbit, no longer surprised by Chong Guang's antics. "Miss, I'll go process it by the water first."
Zhan Feiyu, her hair unbound, could only nod. "I'll comb my own hair."
When Yin Wuyan returned, he saw the young girl idly running a comb through her hair a few times before picking up a hair tie and making a ponytail.
Chong Guang, sitting nearby, let out a snicker and mocked without reservation, "Fatty, this way saves so much money! You won't need to buy hair ornaments anymore; just cut a few strips of cloth."
Even the poorest peasant women would style their hair into a bun and adorn it with a wooden hairpin. In spring, they might even pick a wildflower to tuck into their hair. With Zhan Feiyu's ponytail, no hair ornaments were needed.
"This way is neat. I won't bump my head when I sleep in the carriage later," Zhan Feiyu stood up and grinned at Yin Wuyan beside her. "Big Brother, I don't look ugly, do I?"
The young girl was already fair and tender, with large, dark, round eyes. When she smiled, she exuded a lively charm. Even with her hair casually tied, she was still delicate and beautiful.
Yin Wuyan nodded, but the thought of the young girl being married off to some scoundrel in the future caused a cold glint to flash across his deep phoenix eyes.
Upon entering Longyou Circuit, the scenery was entirely different from Jiangnan Circuit. It lacked verdant life and charming bridges, and the common people's clothing was also much plainer. Even young girls wore drab, gray attire.
"Welcome, esteemed guests, please come inside." The waiter at the entrance of the tavern greeted them enthusiastically.
Xiangwu County was the poorest county in Weizhou. The residents struggled to fill their stomachs even after a year of hard work, and merchant caravans rarely passed through. Although the tavern was named Baibao Lou, it was merely an ordinary two-story building. The upper floor housed guest rooms, and the lower floor was the dining hall for guests, with no private rooms.
Chong Guang dismounted first. "Serve us all your best dishes and book six upper rooms."
"Right away." The waiter's eyes lit up, seeing Chong Guang as if he were a bag of money.
After dismounting from the carriage, Yin Wuyan lifted Zhan Feiyu, who had her head sticking out.
When the carriage stopped, many passersby had already stopped to watch. Chong Guang, leading the horses, was enough to attract attention. Upon seeing Zhan Feiyu, the onlookers widened their eyes in shock.
They glanced back at the children beside them. Their clothing was unremarkable, and the children themselves were dark and thin, with rough skin only slightly better than their parents'.
In contrast, the young girl in front of the carriage wore an embroidered silk skirt with a hundred butterflies and flowers, and a sapphire blue cloak over it, making the girl appear almost luminous with her fair skin.
Before departing at noon, He Nuan had re-styled Zhan Feiyu's hair, adorning it with a silver hairpin inlaid with kingfisher feathers and white jade, and a multi-gemstone beaded necklace around her neck, exuding luxury yet retaining a childlike charm.
By late October, Longyou Circuit offered few leafy green vegetables, but plenty of lamb. Lamb soup, roasted lamb ribs, lamb skin jelly…
In the tavern's backyard, Zhang Yiyi, having changed her clothes, looked at Zhan Feiyu, who was washing her hands. With a subtle gesture, her maid immediately stepped aside.
Zhan Feiyu was not surprised to encounter the Zhenbian Marquis's entourage here. Xiangwu County was small, and Baibao Lou was the largest tavern. Zhan Feiyu was curious why the Zhenbian Marquis himself was not present.
"Fate brings us together; consider this bracelet my meeting gift." Her voice was as soft as the Wu Nong dialect, but Zhang Yiyi's eyebrows were raised high, her eyes slanted, and her chin slightly tilted. Coupled with this condescending demeanor, there was no trace of the elegance and courtesy of a noble lady of the inner chambers.
Zhan Feiyu knew nothing about jewelry, but she could tell at a glance that the blue and white porcelain bracelet was of ordinary quality and had not been cherished by its owner. The bracelet had many fine scratches and appeared dull, as if it hadn't been worn for a long time and lacked a lustrous texture.
Zhang Yiyi appraised Zhan Feiyu from above, saying casually, "I suppose you are not lacking in such jewelry. That's right, merchant families are not short of money. Little girl, seeing you reminds me of myself in those years."
Zhan Feiyu took a silk cloth to wipe the moisture from her hands. She figured that the Zhenbian Marquis had not said much to Zhang Yiyi in the dilapidated temple the previous night, otherwise, she would not have approached her today. If the Marquis's personal guards had nearly had their throats pierced by branches, and she had known about it, she would not have dared.
"I accept no reward without merit, Madam. You need not be so polite," Zhan Feiyu smiled. Even she, who considered herself intelligent, could not fathom the reason for the other party's主动 approach.
As for the similarity she mentioned, Zhan Feiyu found it even more disagreeable.
"A gift from an elder should not be refused." Zhang Yiyi placed the blue and white bracelet on the table and adjusted the hairpin in her hair. "You are a clever child. Despite your merchant background, you know how to read and write, so you must have aspirations for a bright future."
Zhang Yiyi suddenly laughed, a hint of regret in her expression. "But it's not that easy to enter official families. Scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants – your background is here. At most, you'll be a concubine in the future. However, your children could contend for it. There's a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, but if the legitimate son dies prematurely, the illegitimate son will naturally inherit the family business."
Looking at the extremely self-satisfied Zhang Yiyi, Zhan Feiyu rolled her eyes and retorted unceremoniously, "I suppose Madam has deep feelings about this, otherwise, you wouldn't be with someone older than your own father."
The crisp sound of laughter from Zhu Yu Luopan rang out. Zhang Yiyi did not care about Zhan Feiyu's mockery and sighed, "You are still young, so you don't understand. Do you know that if I gave an order, you wouldn't be able to leave Xiangwu County alive? Little girl, this is power. The common people do not contend with merchants, and merchants do not contend with officials. Although I don't have a formal title, to a merchant's daughter like you, I am unattainable and noble beyond words!"
So, she came to show off? Zhan Feiyu recalled the events at the Zhenbian Marquis's mansion. Although the county princess had passed away eight years ago, she was still royalty. The Zhenbian Marquis had promised not to take any concubines, and he would not dare to give her a formal title openly now, but she still had all the rights she deserved.
Zhan Feiyu looked Zhang Yiyi up and down. She must have been pretending for so long in the Marquis's mansion that she could only find strangers to show off her power and status. This was exactly like the saying: "Returning to one's hometown in brocade is like walking in the dark."
Perhaps she had been holding it in for too long and developed an illness. Zhan Feiyu decided to stay far away from the mentally unwell.
"Little girl, my identity is inconvenient to reveal, but in Longyou Circuit, if I stomp my foot, this land will tremble!" Zhang Yiyi declared with extreme arrogance. As the mistress of the Zhenbian Marquis's mansion, even without a title, who among the noble ladies of Longyou Circuit did not respectfully call her Madam?
Seeing that Zhan Feiyu did not turn away, Zhang Yiyi was not angry. After all, a girl from a merchant family was not worthy of her anger. "Little girl, aren't you holding a book in your hand just to gain a reputation as a talented woman, so you can find a good husband? I can arrange a marriage for you and help you ascend to heaven!"
Nearly tripping over the threshold, Zhan Feiyu turned around and stared blankly at the wildly smiling Zhang Yiyi. Even a village woman would not be so uncouth as to talk about arranging a marriage in front of a young girl.
"I will send someone to find you again at the appropriate time." With a triumphant smile, Zhang Yiyi then walked out with her lotus-like steps.
"Consider that bracelet a token of our agreement. Take it. Don't think of escaping. Since I've said it, you will agree whether you want to or not. You cannot leave Weizhou without my permission."
Looking at the green jade bracelet on the table, Zhan Feiyu eventually took it. She wanted to see how she would be forced into a sale!
In the backyard, watching Zhan Feiyu leave, Lian'er couldn't help but ask, "Madam, are you planning to marry her to Young Master Xu? A merchant's daughter is hardly worthy!"
The green jade bracelet was of ordinary quality, but that was from Madam's perspective, who had at least twenty or thirty pairs of bracelets. Lian'er had thought Madam wouldn't care for the bracelet and would probably bestow it upon her. Who knew Madam would give it to that fatty?
Zhang Yiyi put on a veil to shield herself from the wind and dust. "Although Xu'er is my child, he is, after all, the son of a criminal. And he grew up in the countryside. We can't possibly marry him to a crude village girl. That girl's status is a bit low, but her dowry will surely be substantial. Besides, she enjoys reading. When marrying a wife, one should choose the virtuous. Xu'er's life will be like this."
As Lian'er tidied Zhang Yiyi's cloak and helped her towards the carriage, she said, "With you looking after Young Master Xu, he can at least marry a woman from a scholarly family."
"The legitimate daughters of the main branch might not be suitable, but the legitimate daughters of collateral branches, or the illegitimate daughters of the main branch, are still possible. With Madam's status, I believe many families will eagerly seek to marry into your family."
Getting into the carriage, Zhang Yiyi smiled, enjoying the flattery from her maid, and said with a good mood, "With me looking after him, it's possible. But you don't know that Xu'er's grandfather and father are stubborn old men. They will not agree."
Thinking of the Yang family father and son, and her life in the Yang family back then, Zhang Yiyi's disdain was unconcealed. She had truly been blind back then to have schemed to get Yang Shoucheng and finally married him.
She had thought the title of General's wife was just a facade. While the Yang family was not destitute, she couldn't expect to add new clothes or jewelry each season. The court salary and rewards, apart from daily expenses, were all used by that stubborn old man to support disabled soldiers.
If the money was used for socializing with colleagues or sending gifts to superiors during festivals, Zhang Yiyi wouldn't have objected. But aiding those lowest-ranking soldiers was a waste of money and served no purpose. The Yang family was accused of colluding with the enemy and treason. Those soldiers could only visit them in prison and send cheap clothes and food; they were of no use.
Thinking of the past, Zhang Yiyi's expression grew increasingly unpleasant, especially as they were about to go to Shitou Village, which made Zhang Yiyi even more agitated.
...
At the same time, in the tavern's main hall.
"Oh, you've got good luck. You've found a treasure," Chong Guang said, looking at the green jade bracelet Zhan Feiyu placed on the table. This was clearly not something belonging to Fatty.
The jewelry prepared by Scholar Gu and Yin Wuyan for Zhan Feiyu was all suitable for her age. This green jade bracelet, however, had a large opening and a dark, inky hue within the green, making it too old-fashioned. It was clearly something worn by women of advanced age.
Thinking of the inexplicably appearing Zhang Yiyi, Zhan Feiyu said to He Nuan, "Put this away. I'll return it to her next time I see her."
Chong Guang was stunned for a moment. Recalling the Zhenbian Marquis's entourage who had dined at the tavern before, he asked in surprise, "Did that woman give it to you? This apology is too stingy."
Last night in the dilapidated temple, it was likely Yin Wuyan's intervention that had intimidated the Zhenbian Marquis, so there was no trouble throughout the night. The Marquis's entourage had left before dawn.
Although Chong Guang disdained the Zhenbian Marquis's behavior as that of a wolf, the wife of a dignified Marquis giving such an inappropriate apology was either bullying Fatty for her ignorance or the apology lacked sincerity and was merely a perfunctory gesture.
Zhan Feiyu shook her head and said mysteriously, "Uncle Chong Guang, if you can guess who it is, I'll lose you a hundred taels of silver."
Chong Guang also became interested. He took the table from He Nuan and examined it closely. "This is definitely not something that woman usually wears. You can tell it hasn't been well-maintained."
...
At the same time, in the tavern's main hall.
"Oh, you've got good luck. You've found a treasure," Chong Guang said, looking at the green jade bracelet Zhan Feiyu placed on the table. This was clearly not something belonging to Fatty.
The jewelry prepared by Scholar Gu and Yin Wuyan for Zhan Feiyu was all suitable for her age. This green jade bracelet, however, had a large opening and a dark, inky hue within the green, making it too old-fashioned. It was clearly something worn by women of advanced age.
Thinking of the inexplicably appearing Zhang Yiyi, Zhan Feiyu said to He Nuan, "Put this away. I'll return it to her next time I see her."
Chong Guang was stunned for a moment. Recalling the Zhenbian Marquis's entourage who had dined at the tavern before, he asked in surprise, "Did that woman give it to you? This apology is too stingy."
Last night in the dilapidated temple, it was likely Yin Wuyan's intervention that had intimidated the Zhenbian Marquis, so there was no trouble throughout the night. The Marquis's entourage had left before dawn.
Although Chong Guang disdained the Zhenbian Marquis's behavior as that of a wolf, the wife of a dignified Marquis giving such an inappropriate apology was either bullying Fatty for her ignorance or the apology lacked sincerity and was merely a perfunctory gesture.
Zhan Feiyu shook her head and said mysteriously, "Uncle Chong Guang, if you can guess who it is, I'll lose you a hundred taels of silver."
Chong Guang also became interested. He took the table from He Nuan and examined it closely. "This is definitely not something that woman usually wears. You can tell it hasn't been well-maintained."