章 37: Would You Marry Me?
編集者: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Back with Su Jiu, she had found Xieyang Street according to Nangong Shu's directions. When she entered, there were still many diners in the lobby. Hu Dapao and Ah Shu were bragging at a table, Chang Huan was helping to serve dishes and Qiao An was reading at the table by the door.
Qiao An always carried a book with him, as long as he had free time, he would take it out and read a page or two.
On the way back, Su Jiu had counted the money she had stolen from the man: two gold ingots and some silver coins — one hundred and twenty taels in total.
Not to mention a piece of jade!
Carved with complex hollowed-out patterns, the jade was thin and translucent. Su Jiu didn't know if that was a piece of good jade. The man was dressed extraordinarily, and had been chasing her for the purse, could it have all been for this piece of jade?
Taking a closer look, the bottom of the jade was engraved with a small word.
Su Jiu could not read, and casually put the jade in her clothes, thinking that she could pawn it off one day when they needed money.
After returning to the store, Su Jiu gave Li Tai ten silver taels and asked him to buy tables and chairs, and put the rest as funds for the shop.
Seeing that it was getting dark, Su Jiu went home with the gang.
There was nothing to do at night. Su Jiu and Chang Huan played dice for a while until 2am in the morning, before they went back to their rooms to sleep.
Pushing the door in, she saw Nanny making the bed for her. She put a warmer in the bedding, and smiled. "The weather is cold, keep your feet warm, women are the most afraid of the cold!"
Under the warm yellow light, Su Jiu also felt warmth in her heart, and asked with laughter, "Nanny, did the Su family treat you well in the past?"
"Not bad!" Nanny's back was turned to Su Jiu, and Siu Jiu couldn't help but think that over.
Not bad?
Then why did she watch Miss Su die and do nothing? Even if the woman was highly logical and knew that her attempts at saving Su Yuejiu were in vain, how she could remain unmoving and see the young lady she served die...it was not something ordinary people could do.
However, after more than ten days of getting along with each other, Nanny was not like those who seemed selfish and only cared about their own survival.
Su Jiu shook her head, puzzled.
"Alright!" Nanny got up and pointed to the screen door. "There is hot water there: wash up before going to bed!"
"Got it!" Su Jiu walked behind the screen, now used to washing before and after going to bed. It was already becoming second nature to her.
-----
Over the next few days, Su Jiu went to the tavern if she had nothing to do. Occasionally, she met the Nangong siblings. With time, they gradually became acquainted with each other, and the three people became friends.
In a flash of more than ten days, winter came as the weather became colder and colder.
As the day of the wedding drew near, Su Jiu received a letter from the Su family, saying that her parents and two brothers had begun to leave for Shengjing as soon as they received the letter from Ji Manor.
It took nearly ten days for a letter to reach Shengjing, so calculating the distance, Miss Su's parents would be arriving soon.
As the day of the Su Family's arrival grew closer, Qiao An thought hard every day about how to let Su Jiu keep up her pretense when she met her parents.
There was a light snow on October 15th, and the temperature plummeted. The snow seemed to drown the whole Shengjing in white.
In the snow, a carriage stopped in front of Yiyue Teahouse. A servant girl came out first, holding an umbrella in front of the carriage. A lady slowly walked out of the carriage, wearing a white fur cloak, her hair dark. Her face was as delicate as a lotus, her aura gentle and elegant.
The waiter of the teahouse had already spread a carpet in the snow, and greeted her respectfully. "You're here, young lady. The Eldest Young Master is waiting for you in the Yalan Room!"
The woman nodded slightly, her face cool but relaxed. "Thank you!"
The waiter was flattered. "You're welcome, young lady!"
The lady's white fur cloak brushed the ground but did not get dirtied with dust. Her temperament was noble, as if the daughter of a noble family. She entered the teahouse, walking to the second floor.
There were diners in the lobby on the first floor. They couldn't help but look up at the beautiful lady.
"Is that Miss Zhihui?"
"Yes, I haven't seen the young lady leave her home for a long time, but she actually traveled in the snow today!"
"The Eldest Young Master must be here then?" the first man guessed.
Others nodded one after another: otherwise, why else would the delicate Miss Zhihui have come here in the snow?
"Miss Zhihui was born in a reputable family. She could read at the age of one, write poetry at the age of three, and read The Four Books and Five Classics at the age of seven," someone exclaimed. "She could be described as the most talented woman in Shengjing. Who knows who she will marry in the future?"
Most of the people who sat drinking tea in the teahouse were scholars, and they always liked talented and beautiful women. Although the Lan family had fallen into decline, it added a touch of sympathy to Lan Zhihui.
"Who else is worthy of marrying Miss Lan other than the Eldest Young Master?" Others laughed.
"I hear there's someone else in Miss Lan's heart?"
As a matter of fact, everyone has heard that Lan Zhihui was in love with Prince Rui, but…
If the Lan family were still powerful in the imperial courts, it would have been possible for Lan Zhihui to marry Prince Rui. Now their status was very different. Even if Prince Rui wanted to marry her, she would be a concubine at best.
Lan Zhihui was such a proud woman, how can she be a concubine?
The crowd couldn't help but sigh.
Lan Zhihui reached the second floor as an attendant stood around. He respectfully led her to the Yalan room.
The Yalan room was at the end of the walkway. It had a golden silk wooden door, carved with exquisite orchid patterns. She pushed the door open, as a light fragrance wafted together with a comfortable warmth.
The floor was covered with a carpet, isolating them from the cold outside, the room as warm as spring.
A servant girl, Qin Xiang, went up to remove the fox fur cloak on Lan Zhihui, and carefully retreated to one side.
Around the translucent jade screen, there was a higher wooden platform behind. It just two wooden steps, covered with snow-white carpets. A man lay there, dressed in red robes, like brocade clouds. He laid on the velvet blanket lazily, his inky black hair tied loosely with a red brocade belt, exuding an enchanting aura.
Next to him, there was a cup of tea, and it's fragrance wafted from a pot. The smell of smoke curled, blurring the man's beautiful eyes. He looked like a deity.
The window was half open, as the man's long legs curled up. His arms on his knees held a cup of tea, his gaze far away as if he were looking at the snow. He seemed to be thinking about something.
Lan Zhihui stopped at the screen and was stunned as she observed the man. She knew this man for ten years and had been around him for as long, but she always felt so far away from him. She could not see through him, nor get close to him.
The man looked back and smiled at her, and it was like the room bloomed with peach blossoms.
"I asked you out in this weather, thinking you wouldn't come," Ji Yuxian said, as he poured the tea into the light and almost transparent white porcelain cup, and put it on the opposite side.
Lan Zhihui sat opposite him, and gently smiled, "Since you asked, how could I not come?"
She picked up the teacup, sniffed it and then put it back.
The man's tone was gentle. "I forgot, you do not like to drink Buxus tea, I will give you another kind of tea!"
"It's fine! It doesn't hurt to drink it once in a while!"
The man looked up at the woman's beautiful face and said softly, "I'm going to get married!"
Lan Zhihui paused, and then smiled. "I heard about it. Do you need my workshop to help sew the bride's wedding dress? Or I can do it personally-"
"Zhihui, in ten days, would you like to enter Ji Manor together?" the man interrupted.
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