Edited by Larkspur

Chapter 32: Mysterious Guest (Part 3)

When this group of people were far away, Madam Zhao, Madam Yan and the rest the breathed a sigh of relief, “They are finally gone!. One’s life is fortunate. Fifth Young Lady was very rude to that GongGong, but he did not care.”

Even Madam Zhao recited Buddhist chants, “Amitabha. It is really the blessing of Bodhisattva. Jin Yao, you are just too reckless. It is fortunate that GongGong was magnanimous and did not pursue it with you. Upon returning to the residence, you must sincerely offer two incense sticks to Bodhisattva.”

Chu Jin Yao complied reluctantly. She could not help but look back at the direction Tang Xin Yi left. This group of people were so fierce that they did not hold back their arrogance in the city at all. Chu Jin Yao asked Chu Jin Xian quietly, “Older Sister, was that person really a GongGong?”

“Yes.” Chu Jin Yao had grown up among the commoners and would not have had any opportunity to come into contact with eunuchs. Even though it was Chu Jin Xian’s first time seeing a eunuch, she grew up in the Marquis residence, thus under such influence, she knew a lot about the Palace taboos. Chu Jin Xian remembered that Chu Jin Yao had no idea about these things and told her, “That person who was leading just now had bright eyes, pale face, no beard and a shrill voice. He is most likely from the Palace. People like them are not simple and we cannot afford to provoke such people. It would be better to avoid them.”

“Turns out to be a eunuch…” Chu Jin Yao muttered to herself. She habitually asked Qin Yi, “Eunuch should wait upon the Emperor and Empress in the Palace, what are they doing here in Tai Yuan?”

“What did you say?” Chu Jin Xian vaguely heard Chu Jin Yao specking and asked her.

Chu Jin Yao suddenly realised she was still outside and shook her head with a smile at Chu Jin Xian, “Nothing, I am just talking nonsense to myself.”

Chu Jin Xian asked no further and warned in a soft voice after a while, “In the future, you must not be this reckless.”

“… Yes.” Chu Jin Yao knew that Eldest Sister was doing it for her own good. The world was as such, powerful eunuchs were rampant, the secret guards were in power, and each layer would oppress the next. Even if she was dissatisfied, what could she do? She had indeed been reckless today. She had no qualifications to question the GongGong of the Heaven’s family.

Qi De Sheng had never expected to see a GongGong! He was dripping of cold sweat. Today, his son had run into these high-ranked people’s horses and almost got into an accident. The more he thought about it, the more he was afraid. Fortunately, they had left like this, without anything happening. He was only a small lowly Imperial merchant, how could he provoke such personages?

Qi De Sheng’s legs trembled, and he only managed to clam down with great difficulty. After leading everyone form the residence of Marquis Chang Xing into his store, he instructed loudly, “Quickly serve tea to the nobles.”

He wiped the sweat off his forehead and spoke to Chu Jin Yao, “May benefactor quickly sit down. It is my sin to have delayed you for so long. Quickly bring the hot water over to wash benefactor’s wounds.”

It was only then that Chu Jin Yao remembered that her injuries were not bandaged yet. After the shock and experience, she had almost forgotten that she was injured. Fortunately, after such a delay, the physician had arrived, so she entered the inner room to let him diagnose and treat her. The maids cleaned her wounds and after much fuss, her hands were finally treated.

When Chu Jin Yao walked out, she discovered that Manager Qi had brought out a lot of brightly coloured silks and satins. Upon seeing Chu Jin Yao, he greeted her warmly, “Thanking Young Lady for reaching out to help, this lowly one is very grateful. This lowly one only has a single sprout and if it was not for Young Lady’s help, one fears that this lowly one would be in a situation where the white-haired would be sending the blacked-haired, and there would be no one to send me off in the future.”

Chu Jin Yao quickly avoided it and Qi De Sheng felt the fear afterwards, “This lowly one and wife are very grateful for Young Lady’s actions. This lowly one has the surname Qi and named De Sheng. One’s ancestors have been in the cloth business and fortunately, gained the title of Imperial merchant a few years back. Thus, one has been guarding the foundations laid by one’s ancestors and did some silk business. Today, Young Lady has saved this lowly one’s only sprout and this lowly one has nothing to show one’s gratitude. Even though these things are not one of a thousand of Young Lady’s kindness, these are from the hearts of this lowly one and wife. May Young Lady not refuse.”

Chu Jin Yao saw four or five attendants behind Manager Qi and each of them was holding a stack of silk bolts. Chu Jin Yao quickly said, “How could one stand it? Anyone would have stepped forward when a child meets such a situation, you must not say such things.”

Chu Jin Yao did not have any reaction when she heard the name Qi De Sheng, but Madam Yan was speechless. The Qi family’s cloth business was quite reputable. They had branches inside and outside of ShanXi. Unexpectedly, this was the First Manager of the Qi family.

Madam Yan secretly peeked at Chu Jin Yao. This girl was sure lucky to accidentally rescue the only sprout of the First Manager of Qi family. This kind of favour was valuable. Madam Yan had been annoyed with Chu Jin Yao until now as she had provoked Jin Yuan GongGong for nothing, but now she was jealous of the girl’s luck. It was indeed good to be able to confer a favour on the Little Young Master of the Qi family’s cloth business.

Madam Yan’s mentality was such that she wanted the horse to run but also did not want the it to eat. It was fortunate that Chu Jin Yao ignored these small-minded ShenShens and sisters . It would be a lie if Chu Jin Yao said that her heart was not moved when Manager Qi brought out so many bolts of silk and satin, but she was really embarrassed to accept such a heavy gift from others. However, Manager Qi could not stand for it and insisted till he loaded them into Chu Jin Yao’s carriage uncaringly. He then bowed towards the female members of the Chu family and said, “Fifth Young Lady is this lowly one’s benefactor and everyone is important in my shop. To tell you all the truth, I have not seen such important and reputable personages ever since I was born, who look like fairies. Just you few nobles standing here would be enough to make this lowly shop flourish. This lowly shop does not have much to entertain, so how about this? Whatever Furens and young ladies like, just pick from the store. Just take whichever bolt of cloth that you like. This is what I, Qi De Sheng, gift to every noble!”

Madam Yan and the rest were overjoyed at the words. They had just obtained jewelry from Old Furen and now even gained a bolt of silk. It was not that Madam Yan and the rest had not seen good things before nor were their eyes that shallow, but they were unable to withstand Manager Qi’s eloquence. Thus, in the end, everyone happily chose their fabrics. When they were attracted to other fabrics, the residence of Marquis Chang Xing was not that shabby and naturally bought them too. In the end, both parties were overjoyed.

Chu Jin Yao faintly realised that these things that Qi De Sheng gave was not only to thank her for saving his life but also to win over the residence of Marquis Chang Xing as a big customer. After figuring this out, she no longer refused and let Manager Qi stuff things into her maids’ arms.

Chu Jin Yao had come out empty-handed but finally returned with a full load.

Chu Jin Xian bought a number of headgears for her, Madam Zhao could only bleed heavily when buying her a headgear due to Chu Jin Xian’s deliberate comparison and before leaving, Manager Qi had stuffed half a carriage of fabrics for her. Jie Geng and the rest had received instructions to move the items at the second gate and they almost thought they had misheard.

Manager Qi had gifted in front of everyone, so no one in the residence of the Marquis of Chang Xing would push to have a cut of it, thus, Chu Jin Yao openly brought everything back to her little courtyard. She watched as the maids counted the fabrics and noted them down in the booklet before filling up two mahogany boxes until they could not even squeeze their two fingers in when they locked it. Even though she was frightened today, there was no danger and it was really satisfying to be able to see all these upon her return.

Chu Jin Yao went back to the room happily. She chased all the maids out before carefully closing her doors and whispered to Qin Yi, “Qi Ze, did you see? I saved a child today and received a lot of compensations. Sure enough, good deeds would be rewarded.”

Qin Yi did not respond even after a while. She thought that Qin Yi was still angry that she hurt her hand again and smiled as she continued, “Are you angry? In such a situation, I did not have any other choice. I couldn’t just watch as a child got hurt. Fortunately, simple people receive simple fortune. It was just a false alarm. Oh yes, did you see that GongGong today? He turned out to be a eunuch from the Palace!”

Chu Jin Yao chattered incessantly, but Qin Yi still did not answer. Her heart sank as she quickly untied the jade pendant to take it out.

The jade pendant was still warm, but the red flakes inside had all disappeared. Chu Jin Yao’s blood was on the strings, but there wasn’t a speck on the pendant at all.

Chu Jin Yao’s hands were trembling, and she did not care about the wound as she took a close look at the pendant. The sun shone quietly on the jade and there was no movements at all.

It was as if it was an ever more ordinary jade.

“Qi Zi.”