Chapter 24 Their arms touched in the moonlight

Under the deep moonlight, a middle-aged, hunched man with a cane walked on the still damp bluestone path. Smelling the aroma of meat, he stopped and looked around, and was teased by a passing acquaintance.

"Where are you going to make your fortune again, Manager Xie? Take my underlings with you!"

The hunchbacked man surnamed Xie casually pointed and said, "Let's make our fortune at the Salt Commissioner's residence. Want to come along?"

"No, no, the threshold is too high, I feel ashamed of myself."

Both men were owners of jade and jewelry shops, but the owner surnamed Xie was wealthy and powerful, and was very famous in the area.

He was recently invited by Yan Zhuyi to look for top-quality pearls from the East.

Feeling a bit tired from walking, Manager Xie followed the aroma of meat into a noodle shop on the street. He ordered two baskets of shumai and was shaking his sleeves to reveal his wrists, ready to feast, when he suddenly spotted a figure in dark clothes sitting at a four-person table diagonally opposite him.

"Isn't this Guard Han?"

The sullen Han Jian turned her face, recognized the man's identity, and gave a perfunctory cupped-hand salute, "Thank you, Manager."

"Why did Guard Han come alone?" The man leaned closer, seemingly offering to share a table, a half-smile on his face. "I thought you were inseparable from Consort Liang."

Sensing the teasing tone, Han Jian suddenly turned cold. Regardless of whether the other party was joking or not, it was inappropriate to tease them about their ambiguous master-servant relationship!

In the past, a violent warrior like Han Jian might have slammed his fist on the table in anger, but Yan Zhuyi's undisguised disdain stung his pride, leaving him somewhat powerless.

"Manager Xie, please watch your words."

"Yes, yes, don't misunderstand." Manager Xie shrugged and smiled, his flippant manner hardly befitting a middle-aged man.

"Have you found the Eastern Pearl that Her Majesty desires?"

"Soon."

"Be careful not to get outmaneuvered by your competitors."

To ensure the pearls were of exceptional quality, Yan Zhuyi offered a high price and commissioned several top shopkeepers in Yangzhou to find the finest specimens, with Shopkeeper Xie being one of them.

When the shumai was served, the man shook his long sleeves, picked up his chopsticks, took one, and began to eat it with relish.

From Han Jian's perspective, he could see that Han Jian had an unusual physique, and with the keen intuition of a martial artist, he instinctively felt that a man should not be hunched over.

Were you seriously injured?

Having only met a few times, Han Jian had no interest in probing into other people's pasts. He ate a basket of shumai, left some coins, and departed.

Manager Xie leaned back, facing the door, "Aren't we settling the bill together?"

"There's no need for that."

After the meal, Manager Xie went to a waterside and poked the boy who was opening clams with his cane.

Where is your father?

"He's squatting in the outhouse."

Knowing the other party's intentions, the young man went straight to the point, taking out three large, round pearls from his purse.

Stunning at first glance.

"It's a fixed price, as agreed beforehand."

"Inspect the goods first." Manager Xie took the beads and examined them carefully. He then grabbed the boy's ear and said, "Kid, are you trying to fool an amateur? To an amateur, all three are top-quality. But to me, one of them is a fake."

The boy rubbed his reddened ears, cursing "old fox" in his heart. Even an expert might not be able to tell that one of the ears was of inferior quality, let alone a layman. "Would you like to take the other two?"

"I'll take all three."

"ah?"

**

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Jiang Yinyue and Wei Qin left their residence together and headed to the post station.

Wei Qin had to go to his post, so he saw his wife off at the entrance of the post station, gave her a few words of advice, and then left.

Jiang Yinyue paused for a moment outside the door, then, holding the new cloth doll she had sewn overnight, she walked into the small room on the second floor with a smile, her tone unconsciously gentle, "Qibao is awake, look what this is?"

The hunting dog lying on its side wagged its tail frantically, whimpering as it tried to get up.

After being held down by the veterinarian, it could only hold the plush toy with its two front paws and lick it incessantly.

Wei Xichen, who had stayed up all night by Qi Bao's side, was somewhat dazed.

It feels like a lifetime ago.

This feeling is familiar.

Despite having ordered everyone around to remain silent so as not to disturb Qi Bao, Jiang Yin Yue's appearance was like a breath of fresh air entering the quiet room.

Just like when he was young and looked up at the moon over the Eastern Palace, he felt that the moon was even brighter when she was there.

During those days when he diligently studied and practiced under the guidance of the Junior Tutor and Junior Guardian, she was the only vibrant person in his life.

I haven't felt this for over a thousand days and nights.

The aroma of food wafted from the kitchen; a simple congee with dried scallops and abalone was served with a few side dishes.

Wei Xichen's breakfast is always light, not as lavish as Qi Bao's. If Qi Bao weren't injured and shouldn't eat foods that might trigger allergies, the floor would be covered with pots and pans.

Having learned from yesterday's "lesson," Wei Xichen did not urge Jiang Yinyue to eat, even though the imperial chef had prepared two breakfasts.

From the moment she entered, Jiang Yinyue kept her eyes fixed straight ahead and sat down in front of Qi Bao, her mind and eyes completely focused on Qi Bao.

"The fact that the wound doesn't bulge is a good sign, isn't it?"

The veterinarian, who had been carrying a heavy burden on his mind, nodded with a sigh of relief. The fact that the fourteen-year-old dog had such a strong recovery ability was beyond his expectations. Perhaps it was related to its daily diet and lifestyle, and its physique was far superior to that of other dogs of the same age.

It's clear that it's been carefully cared for by its owner.

Jiang Yinyue smiled with satisfaction and grabbed Qi Bao's wagging tail.

"Alright, let's take a break."

Wei Xichen watched quietly.

The food prepared by the imperial chef for Jiang Yinyue gradually cooled down. He did not urge her to eat it, but ordered people to change it again and again, from breakfast to lunch and then to dinner.

When Wei Qin arrived, the scene repeated itself. He did not receive permission from the Crown Prince, nor did he wait outside for long. When he left with Jiang Yinyue, the man inside was still standing silently by the window.

To draw a circle on the ground and imprison oneself in the sunset.

It happened repeatedly for several days in a row...

Summer Solstice brings beautiful scenery: lush vegetation, swallows carrying mud back to their nests, and orioles singing to dispel the summer heat.

A slight breeze carried the heat of summer, ruffling the hem of Wei Qin's official robe.

Wei Qin, who was having a detailed conversation with his colleagues at the salt field, suddenly heard laughter coming from the gate.

"At 7 PM today, Consort Liang will be hosting a banquet at her residence. All of you gentlemen, after you finish your duties, please come and show your support!"

Yan Hongchang's adjutant came in person and warmly invited the officials from the saltworks to come and join in the fun. Before this, none of these lower-ranking officials had received an invitation from the Yan family.

"Ha, it's probably because the number of guests who showed up as scheduled was far less than the number of invitations sent out, so they asked us to make up the numbers at the last minute."

"Who can argue with that? Which of those noble ladies and young women would want to play second fiddle to a concubine who suddenly rises to prominence? It would be a disgrace if word got out."

"That's not the case. The wives of the three commanders arrived in Yangzhou together last night, which is quite impressive."

The crowd whispered amongst themselves, while Wei Qin remained silent.

When carriages brought people to the Yan residence, Yan Zhuyi did not send anyone to greet them. However, she personally welcomed the three distinguished guests from Jiangning ten miles outside the city and brought them back to the residence.

When Wei Qin entered the mansion, he encountered Princess Cui Shihan of Huaijin County once again.

Unlike some women from prominent families who declined the invitation, the young woman not only accepted it but also arrived early.

At this moment, Yan Zhuyi, dressed in a light green silk dress, was watching a play with the three commanders' wives. The expensive and dazzling jewels she wore made the three wives look rather plain.

However, the experience and knowledge revealed by the three people in their gentle and soft-spoken conversation were not just icing on the cake, but rather the very essence of the subject, leaving Yan Zhuyi unable to get a word in edgewise.

At the end of the opera, Yan Zhuyi had three miniature blackwood boxes presented to the three distinguished guests as a greeting gift.

"Open it."

When the wooden box was opened by the servant, the round, full pearls with their five-colored hues drew gasps of amazement from the guests.

I was even more amazed by Yan Liangdi's work.

Yan Zhuyi smiled and said, "Only the Eastern Pearl is worthy of the three ladies. It's just a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it. I had someone find these three pearls for me. They may not be the best in the world, but they are rare and precious. After all, no other pearl can compare to the Eastern Pearl."

Among the guests, some nodded in agreement, praising the preciousness of the pearls and how rare they were.

The three ladies each smiled, but their smiles were intriguing.

Yan Zhuyi gestured to the three servants to close the wooden box and put it into the carriages of the three ladies. She smiled and remained delighted until the end of the event when she saw the three ladies off in their carriages.

Suddenly, a sneer came from behind.

She turned around and saw Cui Shihan leaning against the doorpost with her arms crossed.

"What instructions does the county princess have?"

"To correct Your Majesty, although freshwater pearls are precious, they are not as valuable as saltwater pearls. His Majesty once bestowed one upon my elder brother, which can be passed down as a treasure."

Cui Shihan walked past Yan Zhuyi, whose smile had frozen, expressionless.

Wei Qin, who then walked out of the mansion, did not bother to look at Yan Zhuyi's interesting expression. Showing off requires a certain level of skill; to do so in front of the three commanders' wives would be tantamount to attempting to teach a fish to swim, only revealing one's ignorance.

After leaving the Yan residence, Wei Qin went straight to the post station.

The Crown Prince had gone out on business, and there were very few guards left with him. Jiang Yinyue was playing with Qibao in the courtyard.

After these few days, Qi Bao's wound has not worsened. The veterinarian advised Jiang Yinyue to take it out for a walk every day to prevent bedsores.

The dog that bit her was nowhere to be found, and Qi Bao marked her territory everywhere, which amused Jiang Yin Yue.

"Look how capable you are."

Qi Bao, her tongue lolling out, wandered around. When she saw Wei Qin approaching, she immediately became alert and stared at the man intently.

Wei Qin walked to Jiang Yinyue's side, slowly bent down to look into Qi Bao's eyes, gently blinked his dark eyes, and after a moment, offered his sleeve, tentatively letting Qi Bao smell it.

Qi Bao tilted her head, staring curiously at the stranger, and wrinkled her nose to sniff.

Wei Qin knelt down and slowly stroked its head.

Jiang Yinyue then squatted down and stroked Qi Bao's back, saying, "He is Wei Qin, he is our family, Qi Bao, don't be afraid of him."

As Qi Bao sniffed, it suddenly stuck out its bottom and stretched forward as if to show friendliness. At that moment, Jiang Yinyue breathed a sigh of relief and unconsciously leaned against Wei Qin's side.

A man and a woman lay arm in arm under the moonlight, caressing Qi Bao together.

"I'm late today."

Wei Qin recounted his experience of being "forced" to go to the Yan residence, and casually mentioned the three Eastern pearls.

Jiang Yinyue smiled indifferently, "However, Dongzhu is already rare. The three ladies have received generous gifts and will not hold Yan Zhuyi's ignorance against them, nor will they have frequent contact with her."

"Having one does not necessarily mean it is an Eastern pearl."

Jiang Yinyue raised an eyebrow slightly; otherwise, she would have offended someone instead of currying favor. Anyone who received a substandard bead would be suspicious.

Why were the other two top-grade while I only got a second-grade one? Was the host being biased?

Jiang Yinyue couldn't help but ask, "You know how to appraise pearls?"

I know a little about it.

Jiang Yinyue bumped into Wei Qin with her shoulder, her almond-shaped eyes curving into crescents, "Lord Wei is all-powerful, no wonder you are the second-place scholar, so knowledgeable and experienced."

This scene was witnessed by the man who had just returned.

Wei Xichen stood at the entrance of the passageway, his moon-white robes fluttering. He raised his hand to stop Fu Zhongcai from speaking up, and calmly looked at the couple under the moonlight.

In his other hand, he was carrying Jiang Yinyue's favorite Lion Chestnut Cake.

With his back to the passageway, Wei Qin glanced at Qi Bao as she wagged her tail rapidly, but did not rush to get up. He remained close to Jiang Yinyue.

Like two snow lotuses nestled together on a cliff, they felt each other's importance in the face of danger.

Jiang Yinyue also did not get up. For some reason, she wanted Wei Xichen to see this scene, so as to force him to give up his inexplicable concern and "good intentions" towards her.

His supposed concern and good intentions made her uncomfortable.

Feeling completely comfortable from being stroked by the two men, Qi Bao grinned at the man directly opposite her, even more delighted.

Everyone gathered around it.

"Qibao".

A cool male voice rang out under the cold moonlight. As Qi Bao responded and moved closer, Wei Qin and Jiang Yin Yue also stood up at the same time.

Wei Xichen didn't habitually pat Qi Bao's head. He looked at the two of them indifferently, unable to describe his feelings. He didn't even bother to say "be careful on the road" before turning around and going upstairs.

Two rows of guards followed closely behind, their footsteps echoing.

Qi Bao turned to look at Jiang Yin Yue, then at Wei Xi Chen, and hesitated in place. Just as she was about to approach Jiang Yin Yue, Fu Zhong picked her up and carried her up to the second floor with great effort.

In the small room's wastebasket, there was an extra bag of Lion's Chestnut Cake.

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Author's Note: Update at 8 PM sharp, see you tomorrow! [Let me see...]