Waiting for a reply

In early autumn, the weather changes from sultry to increasingly cool, and the wind in the mornings and evenings carries a slight chill.

Fu Zhi Qiao got up early, washed up, and sat at the table drinking chicken porridge, while Yin Xing packed her luggage for her.

Fu Zhi Qiao had been staying at the manor for two months to brew the Drunken Poet Immortal wine. Yu Rou Lan, worried about the accounts at the shop, had already returned home before her. She left the rest of the business to Old Man Gao and Wen Jiang, and then went back to the city to arrange other matters.

Yinxing packed all the summer clothes that Fu Zhiqiao had brought into the box, and then went to the desk to organize the booklets and letters for her. Fu Zhiqiao's desk had a lot of confidential documents that she had never let outsiders touch, and Yinxing was basically the one who organized them.

Suddenly, Ginkgo took out a brocade box from the drawer next to her desk.

"Young lady, when did this brocade box appear here?"

"What brocade box?"

Fu Zhiqiao looked at the exquisite brocade box in Yinxing's hand. It seemed somewhat familiar, but she hadn't brought anything valuable with her when she came.

The black lacquered box with gold trim and inlaid jade, with a piece of jade inlaid in the center of the lid, is so exquisite that the contents inside must be extraordinary as well.

"Open it and take a look."

Ginkgo lifted the brocade box, and Fu Zhiqiao reached out to unfasten the clasp. With a crisp "click," the brocade box opened, revealing its contents.

The box was lined with snow-white satin, on which lay a letter and a hairpin.

"Girl, this hairpin is so beautiful!" Ginkgo exclaimed.

The jadeite lotus hairpin was carefully examined by Fu Zhiqiao. The petals were clearly carved from icy jadeite, with exquisite and delicate patterns. The jadeite was clear and bright like water, and each petal was crystal clear under the refraction of light.

The core is a pink gemstone, dazzling and obviously very valuable!

Without professional grinding and polishing equipment, it was all hand-polished by the sculptor. In this era, such exquisite craftsmanship makes this hairpin a precious and delicate treasure, even from a modern aesthetic point of view.

At the same time, she was certain that the hairpin was not hers, and asked Ginkgo, "Where did this box come from?"

Ginkgo pointed to the cabinet: "It's in that drawer cabinet."

Fu Zhi Qiao seemed to have a vague recollection of it. Last month, De Fu came to the winery to report on the situation at the shop and told her that it was Young Master Xie who had someone send it over from the capital.

The hairpin was a gift from Xie Zhuo.

Using objects to express feelings, when a man gives a woman a hairpin, it usually means that the hairpin is a token of love.

Xie Zhuo had a messenger deliver the items to Taibai Wine Shop. Defu accepted them on her behalf and then handed them to her. Defu placed the box on the table, and she casually stuffed it into a drawer.

Fu Zhiqiao slapped her forehead. She knew it! She had been feeling restless these days, as if she had forgotten something important.

She was busy discussing the details of brewing "Drunken Poet Immortal" with Old Man Gao, her mind completely focused on the brewing process, and didn't have time to read the letter. She thought it wouldn't matter if she read it later, but then she was busy harvesting sorghum and brewing, and completely forgot about it until Ginkgo found it just now and she remembered it.

Oh, and there's a letter!

The envelope was addressed to Fu Zhiqiao. In the letter, Xie Zhuo briefly described his recent situation, saying that he had bought the hairpin by chance because he thought it suited her well. He also inquired about her situation and asked if the people from Black Tiger Village were behaving themselves. Finally, he subtly expressed his expectation for her reply.

The letter was dated nearly two months ago.

After reading the letter, Fu Zhiqiao rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache.

I am so ashamed! I am truly ashamed!

It has been two months since Xie Zhuo sent the letter. The two had just exchanged feelings when she lost contact with him for two whole months. She hadn't received a reply for two whole months, and Fu Zhi Qiao couldn't imagine how Xie Zhuo would react.

Fu Zhi Qiao's feelings were somewhat complicated at this moment. Since she came into this world, she had never had the idea of ​​getting married and having children. She was happy when she broke off her engagement with Zhao Jun Hui.

She voluntarily left her family and came to Qingzhou to rebuild her own career, all so that she and Yu Roulan could have a better life.

When Fu Zhiqiao first met Xie Zhuo, she was only attracted to his good looks.

He stood up for her when she was being bullied on the street, supported her at the market, gave her an unexpected hug at the lantern festival, and wholeheartedly protected her at Black Tiger Village... After several encounters, she could sense that Xie Zhuo had special feelings for her, so she took the initiative to break through that barrier.

Even though they already knew each other's feelings, Fu Zhi Qiao still hesitated because getting to know and be with Xie Zhuo was completely beyond her life plan.

"Before marriage, women obey their fathers; after marriage, they obey their husbands; after their husbands die, they obey their sons." In the Great Wei Dynasty, this idea was ingrained in everyone's mind. Due to the limitations of the era, women here almost lost their independent human rights.

Her mother, Yu Roulan, was just like that.

Once a woman marries, she becomes her husband's appendage, and she doesn't want to end up in that situation.

Fu Zhi Qiao's thoughts drifted away. Her upbringing made it impossible for her to accept her husband having multiple wives and concubines, and Xie Zhuo's demeanor clearly indicated he was no ordinary person; in the future…

"Miss? Miss?" Yinxing looked at Fu Zhiqiao with a strange expression. What's wrong with the young lady? Why is she suddenly not talking?

Yinxing's words brought her back to reality.

"It's nothing!" Fu Zhi Qiao couldn't help but find herself a little amused. All he had given her was a hairpin, yet she was already thinking about marriage and having children.

She shook her head, banishing the unnecessary thoughts from her mind.

Let's talk about the future later. Now that Taibai wine and Zui Shixian wine have been successfully brewed, she can be considered to have achieved some success in her career. It's not a bad thing for her to enjoy life to the fullest.

At this moment, the servant announced from outside the door: "Miss, the carriage is ready."

Fu Zhiqiao put away the letter and told Yinxing to put the hairpin away: "Put it away!"

Yinxing immediately stepped forward, put the hairpin into the brocade box, and carried it onto the carriage.

After everything was settled, Fu Zhi Qiao and Yin Xing walked out of the courtyard gate. Wen Shan personally escorted her back to the city with several guards. Before leaving, Fu Zhi Qiao thought for a moment, then turned back to Wen Jiang and instructed him to carefully supervise the production line and report any problems to her immediately.

Upon entering the city, when they passed a calligraphy shop, Fu Zhiqiao specifically asked Wenshan to stop the carriage on the side so she could go in and buy some paper and pens, intending to reply to Xie Zhuo as soon as she returned home.

After a long carriage ride home, Fu Zhi Qiao was too tired to move, but she still mustered her energy to write a reply to Xie Zhuo.

He instructed Ginkgo to find a messenger and send the letter out as quickly as possible.

Ginkgo: "Where to deliver it?"

"..." Fu Zhi Qiao was speechless. She didn't know where Xie Zhuo's home was. Apart from knowing that he was the deputy general of the Xiaoji Army, she knew nothing else.

"To Xie Zhuo, the valiant cavalry commander of the capital."

I don't know where Xie Zhuo lives, so sending it to his workplace shouldn't be a problem!

*

On the other hand, Xie Zhuo couldn't suppress his frustration.

"Any letters from Qingzhou?"

Wang Qianxin looked dazed and didn't react for a moment.

"She hasn't replied yet?"

Seeing Xie Zhuo's displeased expression, Wang Qianxin suddenly realized what was going on and cautiously replied, "...No." After saying that, he dared not look at the prince's face anymore.

Ever since the young master sent a letter to Miss Fu, he has been waiting for a reply, but two months have passed and Miss Fu has not responded at all.

During this period, the young master's expression grew uglier day by day.

Wang Qianxin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked at Xie Zhuo, who was radiating an icy aura. He cautiously suggested, "Didn't the young master say that Miss Fu was developing a new wine? Perhaps she was delayed by something."

Xie Zhuo, as if sulking, gritted his teeth and said, "Is she so busy that she doesn't even have time to reply to a letter?"

Wang Qianxin dared not answer now. Under Xie Zhuo's murderous gaze, he cried out in his heart: Miss Fu, please reply! The young master's resentment grows stronger every day. If you don't reply soon, I won't be able to hold on much longer!

On the tenth day after he sent his letters and gifts, Fu Zhiqiao did not reply, and Xie Zhuo began to feel anxious.

At that time, he was worried that his letter might not have been delivered. The distance between Qingzhou and the capital was only a hundred miles. Even if he traveled at a normal speed, he should have received a reply long ago.

On the twentieth day, Xie Zhuo felt uneasy. The letter should have arrived by now, so why hadn't Fu Zhi Qiao replied? Had it been sent to the wrong address? Had she not received it?

But the more he thought about it, the more upset he became.

Xie Zhuo frowned and sent a messenger to inquire what was going on. The messenger reported that the letter had been delivered to Taibai Wine Shop in Qingzhou City and had been received by the shopkeeper himself.

The shopkeeper the messenger mentioned was indeed Defu, and Xie Zhuo waved for him to leave.

Another ten days or so passed, and there was still no news from Fu Zhiqiao. Xie Zhuo couldn't sit still any longer, and resentment grew in his heart.

He refused to admit that he was being ignored by Fu Zhi Qiao, and comforted himself that perhaps she was entangled in some trouble, or perhaps the letter was already on its way, so he should wait a little longer!

Two months passed, and Fu Zhi Qiao still hadn't replied.

Xie Zhuo's mood changed from initial anxiety to numbness.

Has she forgotten about herself?

The thought of this filled Xie Zhuo with indescribable sorrow. The more he thought about it, the more anxious he became, and his longing for her grew deeper. He wished he could go to her side immediately.

It's only been two months, why does he miss her so much?

Xie Zhuo even wondered if he had gone mad. If Sun Lixuan found out about this, he would definitely laugh at him.

The next day, Xie Zhuo came to the training ground as usual, putting all his strength into every move, venting his resentment against the wooden stakes.

Just then, a military officer walked by and said he wanted to have a spar with him.

"Please thank the deputy general for his guidance!" The military officer clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Captain Tian, ​​let's begin!" Practicing martial arts alone can be a bit boring; it would be much better to have someone to spar with.

Both men assumed fighting stances. Captain Tian launched the first attack, and in no time his fist was upon them. Xie Zhuo lightly tapped the ground with his left foot, using his body's strength to dodge the attack.

Captain Tian's punches were fast and powerful, but Xie Zhuo was no pushover either. He attacked and dodged, his movements as swift as the wind.

In the blink of an eye, Xie Zhuo and Captain Tian had already exchanged more than a dozen moves. Luo Zhenhai walked out of the military tent, watched the two sparring, and nodded with a smile. He himself had been just as young and vigorous back then, training with his comrades and exchanging martial arts skills with each other. Thinking of this, Luo Zhenhai couldn't help but sigh, "It's so good to be young!"

Unable to gain the upper hand with his hands, Captain Tian switched his target to attack Xie Zhuo's lower body. He lowered his center of gravity by bracing himself with his hands on the ground and swept his legs down towards Xie Zhuo.

In the blink of an eye, Xie Zhuo slapped the ground and leaped into the air. He paused for two seconds in mid-air, then turned around and came behind Captain Tian. He grabbed Captain Tian's shoulders and slammed him to the ground with an over-the-shoulder throw.

Lieutenant Tian got up from the ground, dusted himself off, and said, "Vice General Xie is indeed highly skilled in martial arts. I admire you!"

After finishing the fight, Xie Zhuo felt a bit better: "Thank you for your kindness, Captain Tian!"

After the two exchanged pleasantries, a soldier came to invite them: "Deputy General Xie, Colonel Tian, ​​General Luo invites you."