Chapter 43

The next morning, Yueming, wearing the altered clothes, led Yehu to Yunkai's yard. Feng Xiaosai was surprised to see that she dared to come to the young master.

He found the young master's dusty appearance yesterday horrible. As soon as he entered the Tusi Mansion, he didn't even bother to glance at the bicycle the doorman pushed over before heading to Yueming's yard to settle the score with her. But she was smart enough to keep the door closed. He secretly kicked his legs to stretch his muscles, ready to kick the door open at the young master's command.

The young master gnashed his teeth at the gate, then turned and walked away. He chased after him, baffled. Did the young master just let it go after suffering such a huge loss? Even more unbelievable was that Miss Yueming had the audacity to come today?

What are these two playing?

Seeing Yueming wearing his old cotton and linen shirt and trousers, Yunkai couldn't help but smile like a tomboy. He'd been angry at first about what happened yesterday, but then he thought, this girl is quite cunning, much more amusing than Se Manli, who always puts on airs like a lady. Isn't that what good brothers do? Eat together, laugh together, tease each other. It's nice to be able to get along like this with Lan Yueming. Since she started it, she better not cry when he teases her again.

Seeing him smile, Yueming knew that his anger had subsided on its own, and said with a smile: "Second Young Master, please treat me to breakfast.

Yun Kai was still resentful of her for letting him come back to eat by himself last time, so he deliberately ignored her and ate a bowl of hot noodle soup with chopsticks while asking, "Where are you going dressed like this?"

Seeing that he was only concerned with eating, Yueming curled her lips and sat down opposite him and said to Feng Xiaochong: "Yehu hasn't eaten either, give her a bowl." Then she turned around and asked with a smug look: "You really won't give me any food!"

Yun Kai said angrily, "You've already asked for a bowl for Ye Hu, don't you know how to ask for one for yourself?"

Yueming crossed her arms and pouted, answering irrelevantly: "I was planning to treat you to a delicious meal today!"

Yun Kai raised an eyebrow: "What are you treating me to? Am I at a disadvantage?"

Yueming pouted even harder. "Who keeps saying we're good brothers? What did I say when you pushed me into the puddle? You're giving me a cold shoulder just because I rode your bike. How can you be called a good brother?"

Just rode your bike? She was so easygoing. He'd walked for miles in the scorching sun, why didn't she say anything? Yun Kai had already calmed down, but now she was making him laugh. There was still time to learn her lesson.

He said to Feng Xiaochong in a drawling tone: "What are you still standing there for? Go and serve breakfast to the eldest daughter of the Lan family."

I thought there would be a bloody storm, but it just passed by so easily. Feng Xiaosai smiled meaningfully, nodded, and went to bring breakfast to Yueming himself.

Yun Kai continued the conversation and asked her, "You dressed like this just to go out and play?"

After finishing the food in its own bowl, the raccoon started circling around Yunkai's feet, looking unsatisfied. Yueming bent down, picked it up, and held it in his arms, tickling its chin with his fingers. The raccoon purred with pleasure.

After she had served the raccoon slave to her heart's content, she replied to Yun Kai, "Didn't you say the street behind the memorial archway is fun? Take me there today!" The more she touched the raccoon slave, the more she found him interesting. She continued, "The raccoon slave is really well-behaved. Can you lend him to me for a couple of days?"

She is really getting more and more greedy. She even has her eyes on his beloved pet. He offered it to her before, but she said she didn't want it. Now she is so shameless as to borrow it from him.

Yun Kai said coldly, "I remember you said last time that you didn't want the raccoon slave, but wanted the chief's. Good brother! I have to agree to your request. I'll ask the elephant slave to lead you to the yard today. You can find a sturdy pillar to tie it to."

How could this person bring up old grudges? Yueming held Li Nu in her arms, her back to him, and scratched Li Nu's head while saying, "Li Nu! Some people have grown so old for nothing, yet they are so stingy that they won't even give you enough to eat. Come with me, I'll never get you any fish to eat."

She had come here to eat breakfast, and she was trying to steal his cat? He said in a languid voice, "Cat slave! I'll take you to the street to eat braised fish later. Some of you can just stay in your yard and feed bananas to the chief."

Upon hearing this, Yueming quickly put the raccoon slave down and turned to smile at him flatteringly: "I like braised fish too."

Miss Lan has changed her personality? She's so adaptable and adaptable. Yun Kai said with a look of embarrassment, "I have an appointment with someone to go to the back street to watch a cockfight today. I can take you with me, but I can't go shopping with you!"

Yueming quickly assured: "You fight your chickens, and I'll go shopping. We won't delay anyone."

Yun Kai glanced at her and said, "It's agreed that you'll treat me to lunch!"

Yueming patted his chest and said proudly, "I'll take care of breakfast and dinner."

After breakfast, Yueming said she had to go back to get something and asked him to meet her in the alley full of hydrangeas in a quarter of an hour.

Yun Kai said to her seriously, "Bring more money with you. I was exhausted yesterday and need to eat something expensive to replenish my energy."

Yueming chuckled and touched Li Nu one last time reluctantly before returning to the yard.

Yueming had previously thought Yunxiang City was just so-so. When she first entered the city, she assumed the street she was walking on was the busiest. Unexpectedly, behind the memorial archway lay a different world: shops, restaurants, casinos, and brothels lined up side by side.

If Main Gate Street is filled with the daily life of ordinary people, then Paifang Street is a paradise for the rich and nobles.

Yunkai didn't call for a carriage, but led Yueming all the way here from the Tusi Mansion. This was exactly what Yueming wanted. What's the point of taking a carriage to go shopping? It's more fun to walk on foot!

When they arrived at the cockfighting shed, Yunkai said to Yueming, "I'm going to the cockfight. If you want to come, come. If you don't want to, just go by yourself."

Cockfighting? Eating chicken was something she could consider. Having finally made it out, she couldn't resist shopping. Who wanted to watch two chickens pecking at each other? Yueming twisted her body and said, "I still want to go shopping."

Little girls, after all! They all like fabric shops, jewelry stores, and the like. Yun Kai pulled her to the side of the street and pointed at a group of girls across the street who were dressed revealingly but flirting with men and said, "There's nowhere you can't go in."

A quick glance at them made Yueming realize she had wronged Yuman. Her dressing was purely a matter of personal preference and taste. The girls before her, wearing nothing but tube tops, their hair adorned with flowers, their faces painted white and their lips bright red, were truly dressed professionally.

She shook her head and promised, "I won't go in, absolutely not." After thinking for a moment, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "Shouldn't they only do business at night? Isn't it a little early now?"

Yun Kai glared at her and said, "Why do you care what time people come out to make a living?" There are several gambling houses and opium dens nearby. When people are excited about gambling or smoking Feixian, they like to ask girls to accompany them, no matter whether it is day or night.

He pointed to the shops next to him and said, "You can't go in anywhere." Yueming followed his finger and saw several pale-faced men squatting in front of a shop, yawning. She knew what was going on with them. The teahouses run by Hui Muslims on Zhuji Street often had these people squatting in front of them, sometimes even worse, drooling, twitching and rolling around in front of the door, whining for the owner to give them a slap.

She nodded again and assured: "Don't worry, I will avoid places like this."

Aside from her prank yesterday, she was usually quite well-behaved. Seeing her promise, Yun Kai felt relieved. He then reminded her, "Half of the shops on this street belong to me, so you can have fun. There's a foreign goods shop up ahead that I own. If you want some candy or biscuits, just tell the shopkeeper. If anyone gives you trouble, just tell him my name."

She loved candy and cookies. She wanted to ask if they had any soda, but then she remembered the rebuke she'd gotten the last time she asked, so she didn't dare open her mouth. It didn't matter if they didn't have any, the owner of Yuman, Madam Yuman, had delicious papaya vinegar too.

After the two parted ways, Yun Kai led Feng Xiaosai into the cockfighting shed. A group of people surrounded a circular cockfighting arena, waving their betting tickets and cheering for the fighting cocks they had bet on.

An ancient poem goes like this: "On Cold Food Festival and Qingming Festival, beside the small temple, a cockfighting arena is flanked by two colorful pavilions. The wife and the emperor are watching each other intently, and they bet on ten red silk quilts." Cockfighting has been a passion of both Han and Dai peoples since ancient times. During the Tang Dynasty, some even rose to high rank through cockfighting, a veritable ascension to heaven. Even the young poet Li Bai, after losing control of his temper during a cockfight, stabbed his opponent to death and then fled the land. This demonstrates the prevalence of this activity.

When the casino clerk saw Yun Kai coming in, he quickly informed the boss. The boss hurried over to greet him, clasping his hands and bowing, saying, "No wonder the magpies were chirping in the trees this morning. It turns out the Second Young Master has arrived." After the greeting, he scolded the clerk, saying, "You're such a tactless fellow! You didn't even find a seat and tea for the Young Master after he'd been here for so long."

Yun Kai put his hands behind his back and asked, "Are there any good goods today?"

The casino owner greeted him to a bamboo table and said, "The young master of the Palau Langye family brought a Vietnamese devil chicken a few days ago and won five games in a row. He is a big favorite."

The Vietnamese fighting cock is incredibly ugly, with thin feathers, thick red skin, a small head and a thick neck. However, it is a skilled fighter with well-developed muscles and strong bones, and it has a variety of fighting styles and strong striking ability.

Yun Kai uttered a "huh" and said, "Laoben is quite capable. This chicken is not easy to handle or raise, yet he managed to win five games after traveling such a long distance."

At this time, the waiter brought tea and snacks over, and the casino owner personally poured him some tea and said, "How about buying a few bets, Second Young Master?"

Yunkai wasn't in a rush to place a bet. Having already won five games, everyone would bet on him to win the next one. This casino owner was cunning as hell. How could he be content with just a quick buck? He was probably already thinking about pocketing the profits. He took a sip of his tea and asked casually, "Anything else?"

The boss knew that the second young master always liked to play tricks, and he probably guessed that he wanted to eat this Vietnamese ghost today. In Yunxiang's territory, you can offend anyone but the chieftain's mansion! He rolled his eyes and smiled, "Young Master Qiangba just sent a Burmese fighting cock today. It's a red chicken with bamboo feathers. It hasn't been in the ring yet, so I don't know if its legs can kick."

The most poisonous thing about the Burmese fighting cock is its feet. When it kicks its opponent, it is like raining water, fast and accurate.

Yun Kai looked torn. He bent his fingers and tapped his knuckles slowly on the table. Finally, he lowered his hand and nodded. "That's it. You can arrange a fight with Lao Ben next."

Yueming pestered Yunkai to take her out today, but it wasn't entirely because of herself. Yunkai had promised to take her to Li Shengmeng's wedding, but she couldn't go empty-handed! She asked Aiye and Yehu about the Tao family's preferences. But Aiye and Yehu were preparing for Boman's wedding, so they didn't know much about the affairs of the mansion, and no one else had mentioned these matters to them.

Based on the information he gathered from casual conversations with people in the mansion, he concluded, "The master loves land, and the mistress loves money."

Moonlight...

In the end, I had to buy a piece of fabric for each person in the mansion. Thinking my cousins ​​were still young and would surely enjoy candy and other treats, I decided to go to Yunkai's foreign goods shop to see if they had a wide selection. After paying, I told the shop owner to send the fabric directly to the chieftain's mansion.

Yueming was a generous and attentive boss, and when he heard the satin was going to the Tusi Mansion, he immediately guessed her identity. The news of the second young master riding a bicycle around town with the eldest daughter of the Lan Caishen family had spread throughout Yunxiang. He said respectfully, "Don't worry. I'll have my men wrap it in fine cotton and send it to you. I guarantee there won't be a speck of dust."

Yueming may be generous with her money, but she still needs to ask for clarification: "Isn't wrapping usually made of kraft paper or cotton and linen paper? This fine cotton..."

Before he finished speaking, the boss quickly said, "This is a gift from our store. It's not worth much. As long as you come to our store often, that will be enough."

The shop owner had invested heavily in order to attract repeat customers. To wrap so much cloth, fine cotton wasn't cheap! However, he didn't stop her from giving it to her, and instructed her, "These satins are for gifts. We Han people have a taboo, so please don't use white cloth."

The boss promised to use festive colors so as not to offend the recipient, and then respectfully escorted Yueming and his servant out the door.

Yueming, leading Ai Ye and Ye Hu, were about to look for Yun Kai's foreign goods shop when suddenly a frivolous male voice came from across the street: "Pu Shao."