Chapter 5 005 Please Let Me Go
After breakfast, Yun Sheng informed Mrs. Qian and took Ah Xi out to the West Market.
The Dingbei Marquis' Mansion is located in Yongxingfang, closer to the East Market. However, the business there is only for the rich and powerful, and ordinary people are deterred from entering.
There are many mosquitoes in the summer. Yun Sheng thought about it and decided to embroider a mosquito repellent purse for Xie Qingyuan. She said she was going to buy some spices and herbs. Only then did Mrs. Qian agree. She glared at her and took out a few copper coins.
Yun Sheng bought several taels of angelica, mint, cloves, etc., and walked out of the drugstore. Along the path, he saw all kinds of shops lined up, bustling with activity.
Passing by several flower shops and porcelain shops, I saw that the people who were calling out to customers to solicit business were all young ladies, dressed neatly and with happy faces.
The female worker at the door of the rouge shop probably saw her looking around and said with a smile, "We have new styles in the shop today. Would you like to come in and take a look?"
Yun Sheng clenched the few remaining copper coins in his hand and shook his head subconsciously. Unexpectedly, the female shopkeeper inside waved to him: "I happened to be passing by. Why don't you come in and take a look? It's okay if you don't buy anything."
She was embraced by the female workers and reluctantly stepped into the store, where the fragrance filled her nose.
The shopkeeper was showing her the new cosmetics on the wooden cabinet. Yun Sheng breathed a sigh of relief and suddenly asked, "Shopkeeper, are you still hiring female workers in your shop?"
After wandering around for half the morning, she only found this one way to make money.
The shopkeeper was stunned. She looked carefully at the young lady with rosy cheeks in front of her. Although her dress was not as good as the noble ladies in Chang'an, she looked like she came from a respectable family and did not seem to be someone who was short of money. So she invited her in.
She said, "To be honest, my business in this shop is not very good. Usually, one female worker can handle it. Why don't you go ask other shops?"
Yun Sheng felt lost for a moment, then nodded to the shopkeeper: "Thank you."
She lowered her eyes, her gaze landing on the handkerchief on the table in front of her, and asked casually, "Shopkeeper, are you selling this handkerchief like your cosmetics? What's the price?"
The shopkeeper sighed. "Alas, these are all handkerchiefs of poor quality. The plain ones are five cents, and the embroidered ones are seven. If there are ladies buying cosmetics and handkerchiefs, I'll give them a discount. After I get rid of this batch of goods, I won't buy any more. They are really hard to sell."
Yun Sheng took another closer look. Most of these handkerchiefs were made of linen or coarse silk. What was more important was that the embroidery and the patterns on them were not delicate. No wonder no one was interested in them.
She thought for a moment, then pulled out a handkerchief from her bosom and handed it over, saying, "This is embroidered by me. What do you think of it, shopkeeper?"
The shopkeeper glared at the female worker. The material was not very good, but the green lotus embroidered on it was lifelike, which made the material look a little better.
She clapped her hands in approval, a flicker of admiration in her eyes: "Madam, your craftsmanship is truly excellent. This is truly no worse than the work of those embroiderers."
Yun Sheng curled his lips and said, "May I ask, shopkeeper, how much would you give me for this handkerchief?"
"Madam's craftsmanship can be sold for ten cents." The shopkeeper said without hesitation.
If it is woven with fine silk and put in the perfume shops in the East Market, it can be sold at a high price of three to five hundred coins. Noble ladies are not short of this little money.
Yun Sheng's eyes lit up. "Since the shopkeeper's handkerchief business is not doing well, why not try mine? I'll embroider them and leave them with you. If you sell one, the shop will take half of it. If you really can't sell it, I'll take it back and give you a little extra. What do you think?"
The shopkeeper said doubtfully, "That idea sounds good and won't do me any harm. But I'm a straightforward person. To be honest, my lady, if you sell your craftsmanship in the East Market, you'll get a lot more than this."
How could Yun Sheng not know this?
But if she wanted to sell it at a high price, she had to buy fine silk and satin. She couldn't afford even a piece of material. Even if she wanted coarse silk and linen, she had to go home and discuss it with Mrs. Qian.
Seeing her expression, the shopkeeper came to his senses and said, "I'm not in a hurry. Madam, why don't you go to the East Market and ask around first? If you're determined to do business with me, come back and visit me."
Yun Sheng hurriedly said, "I've taken note of the shopkeeper's kindness. How should I call you?"
"My last name is Liu, and I look quite young. If you don't mind, you can just call me Sister Liu."
"Thank you, Sister Liu. Whether I do business with you or not, I'll let you know later."
After saying goodbye, Yun Sheng finally got the chance to go out, but he did not return home immediately. Instead, he went to the East Market.
The ladies and gentlemen on the street were all dressed in silk and satin, and music and dancing could be heard during the day. She pursed her lips awkwardly, feeling that she was out of place.
Yun Sheng took Ah Xi into several shops in a row. Either they were kicked out by the assistants because they thought they were shabby without even seeing the shopkeeper, or the shopkeepers shook their heads when they heard her purpose and said that their goods were all sold to the embroidery workshop.
The sun was high in the sky, and after running back and forth for a whole morning, Yun Sheng and Ah Xi, both master and servant, were feeling extremely hot. She looked listless, and it turned out that business in the East Market was not that easy to do.
She sighed softly and forced herself to cheer up. She didn't have much hope.
Yun Sheng lowered his head and didn't notice that a carriage had stopped beside him at some point.
"Come up." The curtain of the car was half lifted up, and she subconsciously raised her eyes. Under the half-hidden curtain, a sharp and angular profile was revealed, with a sharp jaw and a solemn look.
"Uncle...cousin?" Yun Sheng opened her mouth slightly and was stunned for a moment.
She glanced at her sweaty clothes and said hesitantly, "I don't want to trouble my uncle. I can walk back by myself."
"Don't ask me to say it a second time." Xie Zhan tilted his head, his brows slightly frowned, and Yun Sheng was frightened by the pressure from him and trembled.
"Then... then thank you very much, uncle."
The driver hurriedly took off the silver pedal pads. Yun Sheng was supported by Ah Xi. She lifted the curtain and leaned into the carriage.
The carriage was very spacious. The walls were decorated with mahogany carvings, topped with pink and white pearls, and green tassels dangled on both sides. Even the bottom of the carriage was covered with a gilded blanket.
Yun Sheng took a step forward and then took a step back. Xie Zhan glanced at her and said, "It's okay. Just come and sit here."
He was leaning on a seven-treasure couch with a small table in the middle. Yun Sheng moved lightly and sat down on the other side of him.
There was a basin of ice under the table, giving off a slight coolness. Yun Sheng slowly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the heat had dissipated a lot.
The young lady looked disheveled, but her beauty could not be concealed. A drop of sweat oozed out of her slender and white neck, rolled down her snow-white skin and into her bulging clothes, she was sweating profusely.
She took out a square handkerchief and wiped it gently, with a look of embarrassment on her face: "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, uncle."
Xie Zhan remained silent, his deep phoenix eyes darkening slightly. He then glanced at the object in her hand and asked, "What are you holding?"
Yun Sheng whispered back, "Some small things, spices and herbs for making mosquito repellent purses."
"Who did it for? Xie Qingyuan?"
Xie Zhan looked calm, his eyes inadvertently falling on Yun Sheng.
She nodded and said yes.
Yun Sheng didn't know what he had done or said wrong. He only saw Xie Hou closing his eyes with a cold expression on his face.
She pursed her dry lips, stood up and asked, "Uncle, can I have a cup of tea?"
I was so thirsty that I couldn't bear to go back home.
"Um."
Xie Hou still had his eyes closed, and it was unclear whether he was resting or falling asleep from exhaustion.
With his permission, Yun Sheng picked up the teacup on the table, poured himself a full cup, covered his face and drank it all in one gulp.
Her lips, bleached by the sun, now had a rosy red hue. Xie Zhan's eyes, which had been closed until now, opened slightly. She stuck out half of her pink tongue, licked the corner of her lips, and then wiped away the remaining water stains with a handkerchief.
He looked over at her intently, his eyes fixed on her like a hawk. Yun Sheng's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she asked anxiously, "Isn't my cousin asleep?"
Xie Zhan was silent for a while, then he retracted his gaze: "Come and pour me a cup of tea."
Ever since he served cakes to Lord Xie last time and he sent someone to give him medicine, Yun Sheng's fear of him disappeared a little, and he regarded him as an elder from the bottom of his heart.
She dared not disobey the elders' orders.
Yun Sheng moved forward a little and did as he was told.
She held the teacup in both hands and said respectfully, "Uncle, please have some tea."
"Come closer." Xie Zhan said in a deep voice.
If she moved any further, she would be right next to him.
Yun Sheng's face was full of embarrassment, he lowered his eyes and said nothing.
A broad and powerful hand suddenly grasped her delicate wrist. His palm was as hot as fire. Yun Sheng's eyes widened in shock. Her hands trembled, and the cup slid down her wrist into Xie Zhan's arms. The brown tea quickly soaked his robe.
Yun Sheng was so frightened that she almost lost her soul. She frantically wiped it with her handkerchief, her voice trembling: "I am rude, please forgive me, uncle."
She didn't dare to blame Xie Hou for his hasty extension of the hand, thinking that she was reckless and secretly thankful that the tea was warm.
The young lady's two bare hands were messing around on his clothes, and Xie Zhan's breathing became disordered for a moment. He really didn't expect that she was so afraid of him. She was even timid than the Persian cat in the palace.
Yun Sheng held the handkerchief in her hand and worked nervously all the way. She didn't know what she was pressing, but she felt something as hard as iron under Xie Hou's robe. She dipped the tea there and guessed that it didn't look like a sword, so she couldn't guess what was hidden there.
"What are you doing?" Xie Zhan's calm voice was slightly hoarse, and he grabbed Yun Sheng's wrist.
Desire was swirling in his dark eyes, and a strong sense of aggression was revealed between his sharp brows. Yun Sheng subconsciously leaned back, and she felt like she was back to the night when she first met Xie Hou.
It was this deep look that seemed to be able to swallow her into his stomach.
She stammered, panicking, "No...nothing. I was just helping my uncle wipe the tea."
"You really don't know?" Yun Sheng's wrist was grabbed by Xie Zhan and pressed tightly against the car wall.
She lay on her back, her slender neck, which was tinged with pale pink, held high. Her fair skin made the blue veins under her neck look even more fragile.
Xie Zhan leaned closer and asked again, "You really don't know?"
The two of them were too close, and Xie Hou's lips brushed her temples. As he spoke, the warm breath he exuded enveloped Yun Sheng densely, causing her earlobes and neck to feel numb.
Yun Sheng was still retreating. She held her breath, her eyes red with anxiety: "I don't understand what my uncle is saying. Please let me go."
Xie Zhan was dazed, as if he didn't hear anything.
His gaze swept across Yun Sheng's clear almond-shaped eyes, which were misty. Apart from her fear of him, there was only panic. They were so clean and pure that they had not been tainted at all. She really didn't know what she was doing just now.
Thinking of a certain idea, Xie Zhan's brows relaxed a little.
He will color this blank piece of paper with his own hands.
The carriage stopped at the Dingbei Marquis Mansion, and the coachman's voice came through the curtain.
As soon as Xie Zhan let go of her, the young lady hurriedly lifted the curtain by her skirt, leaving only one sentence: "Thank you, uncle, for giving me a ride."
After a while, Yun Sheng heard the person sitting inside say, "Embroider a mosquito repellent purse for me, too."
Yun Sheng paused and his body stiffened.
The author has something to say:
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The next chapter is really on August 1st, I have to save the word count to collect it and make it to the list [poor]
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