Upon arriving in town, Jin Hua and Ye Xuan got off the bus one after the other and headed straight for the county seat.

Ye Caiping found the best cloth shop in the county.

This time I chose silk clothes, which are considered a precious fabric, costing one hundred coins per foot. I don't have time to make them now, so I just bought ready-made clothes.

The three Jin'er sisters each picked out two sets and bought eight feet of silk fabric each to take home and make at their own pace.

Ye Caiping looked at Xiaoyan: "Xiaoyan, pick one too."

Yang Xiaoyan was startled: "No need, Auntie. You gave me a few feet of cloth last time, some cotton and some coarse cloth, and I've already made two new outfits. How can I take this silk cloth? It's too expensive. Besides, it's inconvenient for me to work."

"Then wear it when you're not working. You can wear it all the time, it's a perk."

Yang Xiaoyan was diligent and efficient, always attentive to her work, and kept the house tidy and organized. Old Mrs. Ye only did some light chores such as picking vegetables and feeding the chickens.

Grandma Ye has praised Xiao Yan countless times.

Ye Caiping tried to persuade Yang Xiaoyan for a while, but Yang Xiaoyan still refused to choose. Ye Caiping had no choice but to say:

"Okay, if you're not picky, I'll just buy it."

"Hey!" Yang Xiaoyan exclaimed anxiously, her face flushed. "I...I'll choose."

Ye Caiping nodded.

Finally, Yang Xiaoyan chose a bright and elegant autumn-yellow jacket and skirt.

Ye Caiping then picked out a set for each of the old man and old woman.

Thinking that the girls already had their own, and that it wouldn't hurt to buy one for Jin Hua and Hu Xiu Xiu, he bought them a set as well.

Then she thought, "I've already bought things for so many people, what's a little more for my eldest and second eldest brothers and their spouses? As for Ye Xuan and his friends, well, I'm too lazy to pick things out for them, too tiring. Let them go naked!"

Although the silk fabric chosen was very ordinary, the price was still not low, and all of them were ready-made garments. A set of clothes was not sold for 10 taels, nor for 1 tael, but only for 998 wen!

The total cost of all the fabric for the clothes was 15 taels and 3 mace.

After buying clothes, he then bought embroidered shoes for the three maids.

As for headdresses, girls who haven't reached the age of marriage rarely wear gold or silver, so Ye Caiping bought them a few hairbands and a few velvet tassel hairpins.

After buying the goods, they took an oxcart out of the city, but the crowds made it difficult to move.

"Why are there more people than before?" Ye Huan'er asked.

Ye Jin'er said, "Is today the twenty-third? The day after tomorrow is the Flower Festival, so there will naturally be many girls going out to buy things."

Upon hearing the words "Flower Festival," Ye Caiping perked up.

She remembered it clearly: the book said that on the day of the Flower Festival, Li Jiaojiao and Gu Han went out to play and on their way back, they saved the Duchess of the State.

However, given Li Jiaojiao's current poverty and Gu Han's limp, it's uncertain whether they will still be able to travel on the Flower Festival.

They'd better not go out!

Ye Caiping was eager to try her luck; as long as she saved the Duchess, she would have a powerful backer!

The book describes the Duchess as a grateful and protective woman who constantly pestered Li Jiaojiao to become her goddaughter.

After Li Jiaojiao arrived in the capital, she was framed several times, but the Duchess of the State always managed to resolve the situation.

Gu Han was able to return to the capital and reclaim his position as heir apparent thanks to the influence of the Duchess.

It can be said that the Duke and his tutor were the benefactors in Li Jiaojiao and Gu Han's lives!

Without the Duchess, Gu Han would be a useless person, and would be assassinated several times even if he left Yue'an County.

Thinking about it, Ye Caiping couldn't help but recall the time Gu Han made his appearance.

The reason she didn't save Gu Han in the first place was twofold: first, she didn't want to get involved; second, Gu Han wasn't a normal person, he had a serious mental illness, and she didn't have time to take care of this kind of mentally unstable young man.

Besides, she didn't have the chance back then.

The book does not specify the exact time of his appearance, but simply describes that the weather was nice that day and Li Jiaojiao and Zhang Shuiniang went out shopping together.

The book vaguely states: "Li Jiaojiao's family was tired from shopping and was about to find a restaurant to eat at when they suddenly heard a series of shouts and curses coming from not far away."

There was no time or place specified.

Otherwise, she would have intercepted him long ago and killed Gu Han with a single blow.

Now that Gu Han has become a cripple, he has become Li Jiaojiao's biggest liability.

...

Back in the village, we passed by Ye Daquan's house.

When Ye Caiping saw Zhao Langzhong mixing mud there, she was surprised: "Langzhong, what are you doing here?"

Dr. Zhao looked up and smiled: "Oh, my son's at work, so someone has to be home. I've come myself. If anyone gets sick or hurt, they can come here to find me."

Ye Caiping raised her eyebrows: "That's true."

I thought to myself, aside from a few bad ones, the people in their village are really honest and kind.

After arriving home, Ye Caiping asked Yinhua to take her and Erquan Wei's clothes home.

Ye Caiping divided the clothes in the house according to the number of people, and the whole family excitedly tried on the clothes.

Ye Daquan was overjoyed: "So I got a share too! I should have gone into the clothing store and picked some out myself."

Du put on her clothes with great joy, but her mouth was full of disgust:

“What’s the point of letting you in? In the end, it’ll just be ‘Little sister, pick one out for me, and if you say it looks good, then it looks good!’ The result will be the same anyway. Caiping doesn’t want to waste time with you. She’ll just pick one out and buy it directly, saving time and effort.”

Ye Caiping smiled and replied, "Yes."

"This is all made of silk..." Old Mrs. Ye touched the dark-colored clothes in her hands with heartache, "Only wealthy men and women could afford to wear it."

"Aren't you just a rich old lady now? Hahaha!" Madam Du laughed heartily.

Ye Caiping continued, "Yes."

Grandma Ye's face was full of wrinkles from smiling: "I often think, what have I done to deserve such a rich and luxurious life? It's like a dream."

Ye Caiping laughed: "Who told you to have such a good daughter?"

Grandma Ye and everyone else laughed.

The family was having a lively time, but Ye Yong stood blankly in the corner. Where was his?

When he learned that neither Ye Xuan nor Ye Peng had any, he finally felt at peace.

...

The next morning, Ye Caiping had already finished packing.

After a while, Ye Jin'er and Ye Huan'er came out of the room.

The two changed into the clothes they had bought yesterday.

Ye Jin'er wore a waist-length ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a light red upper garment and a moon-white lower skirt. Red ribbons hung down her chest, making her look bright and lively. Her hair was styled in two flat buns, each adorned with a velvet flower and red tassels.

Ye Huan'er also had the same hairstyle, but her clothes were a light green jacket and skirt set, with the skirt being a darker color.

The two sisters, one bright and beautiful, the other elegant and refined, each possessed a unique and captivating beauty.

Looking at her two daughters, Ye Caiping felt a surge of happiness, finally realizing that being a painless mother was totally worth it.

"Hiss, she's acting like a noble lady." Madam Du gasped.

"They're still far from it," Ye Caiping said with a smile. "They have a lot to learn."

Ye Daquan said, "It looks nice, but riding in an oxcart doesn't seem quite right."

Ye Caiping thought for a moment: "Let's buy a horse-drawn carriage!"

The Great Zhou Dynasty had been free from war for the past ten years or so, so the management of horses was relaxed, and ordinary people could buy them if they had the money.