It was okay to share a horse with Zijin, but when it came to a crowded place and being watched by so many people, Yuxi was still a little panicky inside.

Zijin said with a smile, “Miss, it’s okay. Can’t Miss see quite a few women are riding out on horses? They look at Miss not because Miss is riding a horse, but because Miss looks beautiful.” As soon as her Miss came out, she would be compared to all young ladies and young mistresses of Yu City.

Yuxi chided her, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Zijin was in a good mood as she replied, “I’m telling the truth. If Miss doesn’t believe me, why doesn’t Miss ask the General himself?” Seeing Yuxi’s face redden again, Zijin’s mood became even more cheerful. “Miss, I think it’s actually quite good to be here. In the future, when we have time, we can also come out and stroll around.” It would be suffocating to shut up inside the house all day and not go out.

Yuxi nodded and said, “Let’s talk about that later!” It was indeed better here than in the capital as their movement was free since there were not so many restraints.

Yun Qing took Yuxi to one of the busiest streets in Yu City, Mugu Street. Hearing the name, Yuxi asked Yun Qing curiously, “Why is it called Mugu Street? Is there any origin?” This name was fascinating, and she did not know who chose it.

Yun Qing shook his head. “I don’t know. This street has a history of hundreds of years in Yu City.” Why was it called Mugu Street? He really did not have time to pay attention to its name.

Mugu Street was very bustling, and as soon as Yun Qing’s group walked in, they heard the sound of hawkers peddling their wares and the lively sound of people coming and going. There were also many shops on this street, with a wide range of jewellery shops, rouge and powder shops, as well as silk and other shops.

Yun Qing walked to the front of a jewellery shop and stopped. It was not that he hadn’t thought of adding a few expensive and beautiful pieces of jewellery as betrothal gifts, but he didn’t know what Yuxi liked, so he thought he would bring her here to buy them himself once she married him. This way, she could also buy what suited her heart.

Yuxi tugged at Yun Qing’s sleeve and said, “No need. Let’s go see something else!”

Yun Qing looked at the jade hairpin on Yuxi’s head and said, “No need to save money for me. Just buy whatever you like.” He had heard from his subordinates that no woman did not like gold, silver, jewellery and beautiful clothes. This was why he brought Yuxi here for her to buy something.

Yuxi turned helpless. She really wasn’t trying to save money for Yun Qing. But seeing that he insisted on buying something for her, she also appreciated it. The stuff was secondary. His intention made her in a very cheerful mood.

When Zijin saw this situation, a smile also appeared on her face. She didn’t know what the future would hold for this couple, but Yun Qing’s performance made her very satisfied, at least right now.

The jewellery shopkeeper had first-class eyesight. He knew that a big customer had arrived with just a glance at Yuxi’s dress. The best jewellery pieces in the store were all brought out at once. The material of this jewellery was good, but the workmanship was not. Since Yuxi was already used to delicate and beautiful jewellery, these slightly crude ones were unable to enter her eyes. However, as this was their rare visit here, Yuxi picked a pair of silver bracelets engraved with a pattern she hadn’t seen before and nothing else.

Yun Qing frowned.

Yuxi shook her head and said, “I don’t like anything else.” Even with this pair of silver bracelets, she thought the patterns were intriguing and unique. Even she wouldn’t dare wear them after buying them.

The shopkeeper looked at the white magnolias jade hairpin that Yuxi was wearing on her head. The hairpin was so finely carved that its craftsmanship overwhelmed most of the things in his store. The shopkeeper said, “Madam, I have some jade here. If Madam is interested, we can go to the side room so that Madam can see them.” The woman’s temperament before him matched very well with jade stones.

Yuxi was a little surprised and said with a smile, “Then bring out your best jade stones for me to see.” She was wondering why there were so few jade jewellery in the store, but it turned out that they were not even put for a show!

Yuxi didn’t know that ordinary people in Yu City didn’t like jade jewellery. What they favoured the most was gold and silver jewellery. Because the rich people of Yu City didn’t prefer ordinary jade jewellery, the store only put out a few pieces of them.

Once they entered the side room, the shopkeeper personally took out pieces of jade jewellery shelved in the bottom of a chest.

At a glance, Yuxi spotted a green jade bracelet that was so green it looked like the colour was about to drip out. Yuxi took it out and asked, “How much is the price for this bracelet?”

The shopkeeper answered, “One thousand two hundred taels.”

Yun Qing heard this and thought it was too expensive. It was not because he couldn’t afford it, but because he didn’t believe such a bracelet was worth that much. He had seen many of this type of stone before. Where would it be worth this price? But seeing that Yuxi liked it, he did not say anything.

It also depended on one’s fate when one wanted to buy something, and Yuxi really liked this bracelet.

Zijin noticed Yuxi’s expression and said, “Boss, eight hundred taels. If it is eight hundred taels, my Madam will buy it.” If such a bracelet was sold in the capital, it would not be impossible for its price to reach several thousand taels. And twelve hundred taels was not that expensive. But who made jade unfashionable here!

The shopkeeper was at a loss. In the past, those officials’ wives always paid at once for the ones they fancied, but this was the first time he came across someone bargaining! The shopkeeper weighed his options and said, “One thousand taels. That’s the lowest price.”

Zijin also spoke directly and to the point. “Eight hundred and eighty taels. Boss, this eighty-eight means ‘make a huge fortune’. What a good omen!” Seeing the shopkeeper’s hesitation, she continued with a smile. “My Madam has just arrived in Yu City and will need to buy much more jewellery in the future. If you don’t give us an inch, there will be no stopping by here next time.”

Just looking at Yun Qing and Yuxi’s clothes, it was clear that they were from a wealthy family. The shopkeeper replied with a smile. “Alright, it’s eight hundred and eighty taels then. I also hope that Madam will patronise our business more in the future.”

Seeing that the two people had agreed on a price, Yuxi immediately slipped the jade bracelet onto her hand. The bracelet looked even more delicate and white when worn on her wrist.

After leaving the shop, Zijin looked at the bracelet on Yuxi’s hand and exclaimed, “Miss, did your bracelet just change colour?” One minute it was lake green, then lake blue, and now it was bluish-green. This bracelet was indeed a rare thing. Her Miss had an excellent vision.

Yuxi smilingly responded, “Such is the case with this jade. It will have different colours under different light intensity.” Yuxi did not have such top quality jade jewellery, but Yuchen had a set of such headdresses.

Yun Qing went out of the store and asked, “Do you like jade?” Seeing Yuxi nod, he put this matter on his mind. When he got the spoils of war in the future, he would not give them all to his subordinates anymore. He would have to pick some good ones to keep for himself.

After the shopkeeper sent Yuxi’s group off, he immediately asked people to inquire about these people’s backgrounds. When he knew that the man just now was Yun Qing, and the woman was his new wife, at once, his eyeballs nearly fell. Yun Qing was very famous, but few people had seen him, let alone a shopkeeper like him. The shopkeeper wondered incredulously, “General Yun was actually accompanying his wife to buy jewellery?” The more he listened to his own question, the more unreal he felt.

The young male servant said smilingly, “It’s true. Boss, isn’t there a saying that even heroes have a weakness for the charms of a beautiful woman?” Therefore, it was not that surprising.

The shopkeeper said fiercely, “What a mess. Hurry up and get on with your work.”

Yuxi didn’t go into the rouge and powder store. She was not used to using rouge and powder bought from outside, and even if she had to use it, she would have made one herself. Instead, she spent more time in the silk store picking out a lot of fabrics.

It was a cloudy day when they left home, and the sun had risen when Yuxi finished buying fabrics. Since it was the beginning of the seventh lunar month, it was too hot to walk a few steps outside.

Yun Qing’s group had their lunch outside. Yun Qing deliberately took Yuxi to eat northwestern dishes such as hand-held mutton, sheep liver mixed with green onions, fish and lamb savoury soup, braised beef brain, and braised hump. The main course was beef noodles.

The flavours were all authentic and delicious, but Yuxi tried to refrain and ate until she was eighty per cent full. After eating, she smiled and said, “Husband, the food here tastes delicious. Do you come here often?” The foods were tasty, but one could only have them once in a while, not often. Eating light and more vegetarian foods were the right way to nourish one’s body.

Yun Qing shook his head and said, “If you like it, I’ll bring you here again next time.”

Yuxi smiled as she responded, “Then I’ll wait!”

Instant-boiled mutton served in Donglaishun, Wangfujing main branch, Beijing

Image Credit | Deadkid dk, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Yun Qing thought for a moment, and then he said, “Wait until the tenth lunar month, and I will take you to instant-boiled mutton. Yang Ji’s instant-boiled mutton is very good. I believe you will like it.” It was too hot to eat instant-boiled mutton in this season.

Yuxi felt that Yun Qing was a little stiff in saying these words. She was afraid that he was not used to speaking this way either, but it was very rare for him to be able to go this far for her. She immediately responded with a big smile.

Originally, Yun Qing still wanted to take Yuxi strolled around again, but the sun was too hot for Yuxi to bear. She urged, “Husband, let’s go back! It’s not too late to look around when you’re free next time.”

The first thing Yuxi did when she returned to the residence was bathing. Her body was so sticky that she couldn’t sleep without bathing.

Yun Qing knew that Yuxi had the habit of taking a nap and said, “Then you go to sleep! I’ll discuss something with Uncle Huo.” He didn’t have the habit of taking a nap.

Huo Changqing knew that Yun Qing took Yuxi out and said, “I won’t say anything now since you’re newly married, but you mustn’t indulge in tenderness.” If Yun Qing indulged in tenderness, he would lose his fighting spirit. Without the fighting spirit, how would he be able to take revenge for Old Master Yun in the future?

Yun Qing said, “Yuxi came by herself to Yu City to be married. She was a stranger in a strange land. While I have a few days off, I want to spend more time with her.” There would be no time to accompany her in the future, even if he wanted to.

Huo Changqing also did not say anything more. “It’s good that you have a sense of propriety.” For Huo Changqing, revenge had to be avenged, but one could not disregard anything for revenge.

Yun Qing nodded his head.

Huo Changqing said, “What did Qin Zhao say about the army provisions and pay for the fall and winter seasons?” It was still tolerable to be half a month behind for their pay. But without food and straw, there was no way they could get through this winter peacefully. Previously, when Marshal Qin was around, it was not Yun Qing’s turn to worry about this matter, but now it wouldn’t do. And they also had to be wary that Qin Zhao would use this issue to cause trouble.

Yun Qing’s face was a bit heavy. “Qin Zhao said he would go to the capital personally.” He told him that he was going to the capital to ask for military pay and provisions. Still, only he, himself, knew what exactly he was going to do in the capital.

Huo Changqing’s face was also somewhat grave as he asked, “What are you going to do?” Qin Zhao went to the capital to definitely meet with the Song family. This was very unfavourable for them.

Yun Qing answered, “I am going to write a letter to Duke Han so that we can also know what Qin Zhao is doing in the capital. With preparation, we won’t be caught off guard.” Marshal Qin’s kindness towards him was as weighty as a mountain. Therefore, Yun Qing could only tolerate all the suppression given by Qin Zhao for the time being.

After a moment of silence, Huo Changqing said, “That’s not the proper way. Tell your wife about this matter. She will know how to do it.” Yun Qing had just gotten married to Han Shi, and he already wanted to ask something from her family. This would put him in a disadvantageous position in the future. If the letter was written by Han Shi, the situation would be different.

Yun Qing was hesitant. “I don’t want her to get involved in these things.”

Huo Changqing thought differently. “Your wife is a capable person. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have asked you to do this. Moreover, a couple should share the sweet and the bitter and always support each other. And with your wife’s nature, if you don’t tell her anything and hide it from her, it will make her more worried.” It must be said that having an elder around to advise would make Yun Qing take a lot fewer detours.