Chapter 64: Where Did This Wild Man Come From?
The women came to their senses.
Yun Sheng thought she would have to exchange pleasantries first.
To everyone's surprise, one of them smiled and said loudly, "This husband is really diligent and considerate. He even washed and hung up his wife's underwear early in the morning."
"Exactly, unlike my husband, who always makes excuses when I ask him to carry a bucket of water!"
"Girl, you're so lucky to have married such a caring man."
Yun Sheng felt a little embarrassed, but she composed herself and stepped forward to greet the eager visitors.
"Good morning, ladies. Please come in and have a chat."
The group of people walked in laughing.
One of them enthusiastically grabbed Yun Sheng's hand, smiling as he looked her up and down: "Oh my, this girl is so beautiful, just like a fairy in a painting."
Yun Sheng's face flushed slightly: "Auntie, you flatter me."
"You speak so elegantly, you and your husband are a match made in heaven. Where did you come from, young lady?"
“They came from the north,” Yun Sheng replied vaguely.
"Judging from the demeanor of the young woman and her husband, they don't seem to be from an ordinary farming family. Are they here to do business? Or are they looking for relatives?"
Yun Sheng replied with her prepared statement: "My family used to run a small business, but now we want to find a quiet place to live a peaceful life."
"Then you've come to the right place by coming to our Xitou Village. We're nestled between mountains and water, and life here is peaceful. It's just a bit remote. Girl, are you two coming together?"
The village women were so hospitable that Yun Sheng was overwhelmed with their hospitality. She simply replied, "Um... just the two of us."
"They're doing great, no burdens between them. The young couple is enjoying their own quiet life behind closed doors, living a wonderful life!"
"Hey sis, how many years have you and your husband been married? Do you have any children? Is it a boy or a girl? Are they being taken care of by your grandparents back in your hometown?"
"us……"
Yun Sheng's lips parted slightly, her mind still pondering how to answer, and she remained silent for a moment.
She hadn't expected the village women to ask such detailed questions. If she had known, she should have discussed it with Xiao Xu before going to sleep last night, so she wouldn't be at a loss for words now.
The fact that they have been married for many years but have no children seems to easily lead to speculation.
The claim that they had only been married a short time was inconsistent with their actual situation.
Her fingertips curled slightly, and just as she hesitated, Xiao Xu's voice came from behind her.
"Thank you for asking, ladies."
Xiao Xu had already returned from the backyard and walked leisurely to Yun Sheng's side.
He bowed slightly to the women, his humble yet dignified demeanor instantly calming the somewhat noisy atmosphere in the courtyard.
"My wife and I have been married for less than a year. Previously, due to the many affairs at home, we were unable to settle down properly. Now that we have saved up some money, we have heard that Ningyan Town is a place of beautiful mountains and rivers and simple and honest people. Therefore, we have decided to buy a house here and hope to find lasting peace and tranquility."
He paused, his gaze sweeping gently over the women who were listening attentively, and continued, "My wife and I have discussed holding a wedding ceremony according to local customs. We hope that all of you aunts and sisters-in-law can come and have a drink with us and be our witnesses."
Upon hearing this, the women's eyes lit up immediately.
For the simple and honest villagers, nothing is more joyful and exciting than a newlywed couple holding a proper wedding.
"Oh my, this is wonderful news!"
Aunt Wang was the first to clap her hands and cheer, her face beaming with joy. "Holding a wedding ceremony is a good idea. We should have a proper one to tell heaven and earth, our ancestors, and our fellow villagers."
"That's right!" Aunt Li nodded repeatedly, her gaze towards Xiao Xu and Yun Sheng becoming increasingly affectionate. "When are you planning to hold the wedding? Have you set a date? If you need any help, just let us know. Our village may not have much else, but it certainly has a lot of kind-hearted people!"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Sister Zhao exclaimed excitedly. "How many tables are you planning for the banquet? Are you organizing it yourself or hiring a chef from town? This is the new house, right? We need to decorate it properly, putting up 'double happiness' characters and hanging red silk banners—we can't leave anything out!"
"And what about the customs of the wedding ceremony? Do you brothers-in-law understand them? If not, your aunties will teach you, and we guarantee it will be a lively and proper affair!"
The questioning, which had just been focused on Yun Sheng, suddenly shifted to the wedding preparations.
The women chatted enthusiastically, spontaneously starting to plan things out for them, from auspicious dates and shopping lists to ceremony procedures and guest reception details, as if it were their own family's business.
Yun Sheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief and turned her head to look at Xiao Xu beside her.
He was nodding slightly, listening to the women's various suggestions, occasionally responding with a word of agreement, his expression serious and showing no sign of impatience.
Sunlight fell on his profile, softening his usual aloof features. She could feel him gently squeeze her fingers.
The courtyard was filled with noisy and joyful discussions, and pear petals drifted down quietly, as if dancing in anticipation of the upcoming joy.
*
After seeing off the enthusiastic villagers and closing the bamboo fence gate, the courtyard finally returned to tranquility.
The morning light had become bright and was shining warmly on the two of them.
Breakfast was over after a simple meal of millet porridge cooked by Xiao Xu and pickles brought from town.
Yun Sheng helped clear the dishes and wiped the small table as she asked, "What are we doing today? Are you going to town for work?"
Xiao Xu was putting the stool back in its place when he heard this and looked up: "I do need to go to town, but not for official business."
He walked up to her and naturally took the slightly damp cloth from her hand: "Today we're going to buy some things for the wedding."
"Going shopping so soon?"
Xiao Xu nodded: "We need to arrange many things ourselves. Although we are getting married in the village, we still need to have everything we need: red paper, wedding candles, incense, wine, dried fruit and snacks. We also need to go to the fabric store to look at the fabrics and decide on the wedding dress and the new clothes we will wear. If we have time, we can also look at the furniture. Besides your dressing table, we can see if there are any chests or cabinets that we want to add to the new house."
He was articulate and clear-headed, clearly having already made his plans.
Yun Sheng listened, taking notes of each point. Finally, she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling: "Chang Yu, it feels so good to prepare step by step by ourselves."
The two went back inside to change into clothes that were easier to walk in.
Yun Sheng sat on the only low stool in the bedroom, facing a small hand-held bronze mirror that she had taken out of her luggage, and prepared to comb her hair.
The mirror reflected a limited area, and since there was no dressing table, all the hairpins and ornaments had to be placed on the lap or on the cloth next to them, making them rather awkward to use.
Xiao Xu put on his outer robe, turned around and saw that she looked a little uncomfortable, so he said, "We can go to town today to ask about the timber situation."
As he spoke, he naturally walked behind her and reached out to pick up the wooden comb next to the makeup box.
Yun Sheng caught a glimpse of his movements in the mirror and turned around in surprise: "What are you doing?"
"I'll comb your hair," Xiao Xu replied, his fingertips gently brushing aside the cloud-like black hair on her shoulders.
Yun Sheng was even more surprised: "You can do this too?"
Xiao Xu lifted a strand of her long hair with one hand and used a comb in the other, his movements slightly clumsy but gentle enough to slowly comb from the roots to the ends of her hair.
Upon hearing this, he smiled slightly: "I've never tried it myself, but I've often seen the maids comb your hair before."
These words stirred something within Yun Sheng.
She couldn't see his expression behind her, but she could feel the comb teeth brushing against her scalp, bringing a soothing sensation, and the occasional ticklish feeling of his warm fingertips brushing against her earlobes and neck.
At first, his movements were indeed a bit clumsy. When he was pulling up his hair, the force he used was sometimes light and sometimes heavy, and when he tried to fix his hair bun, the coordination of his fingers was also a bit awkward.
Yun Sheng could feel her hair being gathered and coiled up less smoothly.
But she didn't say anything, just sat quietly and let him try.
Xiao Xu seemed to be able to grasp the basics of anything very quickly. However, after failing two or three times, Yun Sheng felt the movements behind her gradually become smoother. The force of the hair-tying became even and stable, and the rhythm of the fingers weaving was clear and orderly.
He didn't try any complicated hairstyles; he simply divided her smooth, long hair into three sections, braided them into a braid of moderate tightness, and then coiled the braid into a simple and neat bun at the back of her head, temporarily securing it with an ordinary plain silver hairpin.
Xiao Xu stopped what he was doing and seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Yun Sheng instinctively reached out to touch him, but he pressed her wrist down.
"Don't move," he said, his gaze falling on the pieces of jewelry scattered on her lap. "What would you like to wear today?"
Without thinking, Yun Sheng took out the pair of sandalwood hairpins that he had given her the night before.
"Wear this." She handed the wooden hairpin behind her back.
Xiao Xu lowered his eyes, looking at the wooden hairpin lying quietly in her fair palm, a clear hint of pleasure flashing in his eyes.
He removed the plain silver hairpin that was temporarily securing it, and slowly inserted the sandalwood hairpin into the already styled bun, adjusting the angle so that the simple lotus outline could be faintly seen from the side.
"That's fine."
Yun Sheng then turned around impatiently, looked up at him, and asked, "How is it? Is it pretty?"
Xiao Xu took a half step back, his gaze lingering intently on her hair for a moment.
The light shone on her face, which was fresh and beautiful even without makeup. The wooden hairpin in her black hair was not dazzling, but it had a unique gentle charm.
Xiao Xu's lips curved into a clear smile, and he nodded: "Very beautiful."
Yun Sheng felt a little embarrassed by his gaze and said softly, "Whether it's good or bad, it's all up to you anyway, I can't see it."
Xiao Xu's smile deepened, and he reached out to take her hand: "If I say it's good, then it's good."
Enveloped in his warm palm, Yun Sheng stood up, glancing one last time at her blurry profile in the bronze mirror, a faint smile spreading across her lips.
After locking the courtyard gate, the two headed towards Ningyan Town.
The three-mile journey wasn't far; we arrived in no time, chatting and laughing.
The town is much more lively during the day than Xitou Village.
Xiao Xu and Yun Sheng, a pair of outstanding-looking strangers, walked hand in hand down the street, which was already eye-catching. In addition, they had a clear purpose for their trip and went into many shops that were closely related to wedding preparations, such as general stores and candle shops. Before long, familiar shopkeepers or passing townspeople noticed something was amiss.
In the fabric shop, the shopkeeper saw Xiao Xu carefully selecting bright red and dark red silk and cotton fabrics, and then saw Yun Sheng comparing patterns on the side, so he smiled and said, "Are you two having a happy occasion at home? Judging from this fabric, are you preparing wedding clothes?"
Xiao Xu readily admitted, "That's right, I'm preparing to hold a wedding ceremony with my wife."
The shopkeeper immediately cupped his hands in congratulations: "Congratulations! You are a perfect match, a match made in heaven. This dark-patterned soft satin is the most flattering to your skin tone, and it would be the perfect wedding dress for the bride. The thicker satin with the peony pattern that this gentleman is wearing would make a very dashing groom's robe."
Hearing this, two elderly women who were also picking out fabrics came over to watch the fun. Their eyes lingered on Yun Sheng and Xiao Xu for a few moments before they smiled and said, "Oh, are you the young couple who just moved to Xitou Village? I heard from Aunt Wang and the others this morning that the husband dotes on his wife and is going to hold a wedding banquet. That's wonderful."
Xiao Xu remained calm and composed, asking the shopkeeper to take his measurements while politely replying, "I hope you will all grace us with your presence then."
During their shopping trip, almost every place they visited, as long as they mentioned that they were preparing for a wedding, they would receive a series of sincere congratulations. Xiao Xu tirelessly told everyone he met about their upcoming marriage.
When they finally selected several fabrics at the cloth shop, and the shopkeeper was about to have his assistant write down the requirements and send them to the tailor, Yun Sheng looked at the smooth satin and soft cotton fabric in front of her and suddenly had an idea.
She gently tugged at Xiao Xu's sleeve, and when he leaned closer, she said, "Chang Yu, I'd like to make our wedding dresses ourselves, is that alright?"
Xiao Xu was slightly taken aback and looked at her: "Do it yourself? Won't it be very hard work?"
"No, I'd like to make it myself, but I don't know if I'll have enough time."
Xiao Xu turned to the shopkeeper and said, "Shopkeeper, the fabric is the same as before, and the size has been measured, but there's no need to send it to the tailor. My wife wants to sew it herself."
The shopkeeper was taken aback at first, then nodded repeatedly: "I understand, I understand. Madam, you have such a clever idea and such affection. The wedding dress you made yourself feels so different when you wear it. I will cut and wrap the fabric for you two right away, and I will also pick the best needles, thread and thimbles to match it for you."
Xiao Xu turned back and whispered, "Teach me when the time comes, and we'll do it together. We'll definitely make it in time."
Upon hearing this, Yun Sheng couldn't help but imagine Xiao Xu threading the needle.
She smiled slightly, her fingers secretly intertwining with his under her sleeves, and replied, "Okay."
When they left the fabric shop, it was already late. They didn't have time to look at furniture anymore, but they still needed to inquire about the wood for the dressing table.
Xiao Xu led Yun Sheng through the streets and alleys, arriving directly at a building with a small sign for an official post station in the southeast corner of the town.
This place is relatively secluded, and it was also the place where Xiao Xu arranged for Mu Shan and the others to stay and handle some necessary communications.
As I approached, I saw Mu Shan hurrying out from inside, carrying a scroll of documents in his hand.
Upon seeing them, Mu Shan immediately strode forward and bowed respectfully: "Your Highness, Princess Consort."
"How's the timber situation going?" Xiao Xu asked directly.
"Your Highness, we have both high-quality boxwood and camphor wood in stock. However, you will need to inspect and select the quality and size yourself. If you select them today, they can be delivered to Xitou Village first thing tomorrow morning."
Xiao Xu understood and was about to have Mu Shan lead the way to see the timber when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him, accompanied by a fawning voice: "This humble official, Liu Pu, the patrol inspector of Ningyan Town, greets Your Highness. I was unaware of Your Highness's arrival today and have failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me!"
A middle-aged official dressed in a blue robe and wearing a black gauze hat strode over and bowed deeply to Xiao Xu, his attitude extremely respectful.
He had obviously received word of this important person from the capital and had been looking for an opportunity to meet him. Today, he had just "coincidentally" met him.
Xiao Xu's expression remained unchanged; he simply gave a faint "hmm" in response.
Inspector Liu straightened up, his face full of smiles. He was about to say some more flattering words when his gaze inadvertently swept over the corner of the red silk fabric that Xiao Xu was carrying, and then caught a glimpse of the bundles of red paper and conspicuous wedding candles peeking out from the bamboo basket that Yun Sheng was carrying on her arm.
His smile froze for a moment, and a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes.
Although he did not witness the grand wedding of the Prince Zhao's heir in the capital last year, he was naturally aware of the splendor of the occasion as reported in the official gazette.
The two had been married for some time, but what they were holding were clearly things they would have needed to prepare for their wedding.
What is this for?
Inspector Liu racked his brains for a long time, but he just couldn't figure it out.
With a puzzled look, he tentatively asked, "Your Highness, what is this...?"
Xiao Xu didn't even lift his eyelids, but his tone was more obviously boastful than before: "My wife and I are preparing for our wedding."
Inspector Liu: "???"
He thought he had misheard, but looking at Xiao Xu's serious face and the Crown Princess's tacitly lowered eyes, he could only swallow his question about why they needed to hold another ceremony after they were already married.
Who cares why? The thoughts of important people are unpredictable, but that doesn't prevent him from having a chance to shine.
Inspector Liu immediately adjusted his expression, bowed and said quickly, "Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness! This is a great joy. It is a great honor for the local area that Your Highness and the Crown Princess have such a refined taste to reunite in this blessed land. Your Highness, rest assured, leave everything to me. I will make sure it is done in a grand and respectable manner, and I will not dare to be negligent in the slightest."
He launched into a long-winded explanation: "The wedding ceremony, guest list, and banquet specifications—I will immediately consult the most experienced clerk in the town's ceremony room and the head chef. Yuebinlou Restaurant in town is the best restaurant; I will book it immediately. The banquet must feature the finest delicacies from the mountains and rivers. As for the betrothal gifts and dowry… Ah, Your Highness will certainly not lack these, but Ningyan Town's specialty is the silk and jewelry that are fashionable in the neighboring prefecture. I will immediately send someone on horseback to purchase them, ensuring that the Crown Princess has a magnificent wedding. By the way, should I report to the prefecture and invite the Prefect to come as well…"
He became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, almost treating the wedding as a crucial political achievement.
Yun Sheng listened from the side, initially slightly taken aback, but later couldn't help but blink and secretly look up at Xiao Xu.
But Xiao Xu's face remained calm and indifferent, as if Inspector Liu's enthusiastic and lengthy speech was nothing more than an insignificant breeze passing by his ear.
His gaze fell on Yun Sheng's hair bun. He reached out as if no one else was around, his fingertips brushing against a stray lock of hair by her temple, and said in a low voice, "It seems that the bun is still tied too loosely, and it's come undone a bit."
"I'll comb your hair again when we get back."
Inspector Liu was still giving a passionate speech when Yun Sheng slightly turned her head to avoid his fingers, while giving him a look that suggested he tone it down.
Xiao Xu was dissatisfied. After his fingers hovered in the air for a moment, he still insisted on reaching out and smoothing Yun Sheng's hair before withdrawing his hand.
On the other end, Inspector Liu finally finished outlining his grand plan, took a breath, and looked at Xiao Xu expectantly, awaiting instructions.
Xiao Xu shifted his gaze from Yun Sheng and said coldly to Inspector Liu, "No need for any of that."
"Huh?" Inspector Liu's enthusiasm froze instantly.
Xiao Xu didn't explain further to him, and turned to leave with Yun Sheng in his hand.
Just as he was about to take a step, he suddenly remembered something and stopped.
Inspector Liu was overjoyed, thinking that the important person had changed his mind.
Xiao Xu turned around and calmly instructed, "Send an embroidery frame to the house in Xitou Village. Send someone to do it now. I want to see it when I get back."
Inspector Liu: "...Wh-what?"
He racked his brains to describe all the pomp, circumstance, and grandeur, from booking out entire restaurants to purchasing goods across states, but in the end, this prince only wanted a... embroidery frame?
Mu Shan, who was standing to the side, had already understood and immediately whispered the detailed requirements. Only then did Inspector Liu come out of his daze. Although he was still full of doubts, he dared not ask any more questions and could only bow and reply repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes, I understand. I will do it right away and find the best craftsman in town to make it and send it over immediately."
Afterwards, Xiao Xu and Yun Sheng went inside to select the type and pattern of the wood.
When they were about to leave, a carriage was already waiting in front of the official post station.
Xiao Xu helped Yun Sheng into the carriage, and then sat down himself.
Inside the carriage, Yun Sheng leaned against him and casually asked, "I hadn't even thought of this before. How did you suddenly think of preparing an embroidery frame?"
Xiao Xu said, “I saw those embroiderers in the cloth shop using that kind of frame. I just remembered that we don’t have one at home. Since this person has nothing to do, I’ll let him handle it. Besides, if we don’t let him do anything, I’m afraid he’ll keep asking me questions every time I come here, which would be even more troublesome.”
Yun Sheng recalled the expression on the face of Inspector Liu when he served him diligently but only received a task involving an embroidery frame, and smiled softly.
The horse-drawn carriage rumbled along, carrying them and a full load of purchased goods, steadily making its way towards Xitou Village.
As the outline of her small house with white walls and gray tiles gradually became clear, Yun Sheng leaned out of the window, suddenly let out a soft "Eh," and tugged at Xiao Xu's sleeve.
"Changyu, look, isn't there someone standing in front of our house? Have some villagers come to visit again?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xu also leaned out of the car window, squinting his eyes as he looked toward the courtyard gate.
A young man was standing outside the bamboo fence.
The man was tall and strong, wearing a slightly worn sleeveless thong that revealed his muscular, tanned arms. He wore wide-legged linen trousers with the cuffs casually rolled up to his calves.
Her hair was hastily tied back with a cloth strip, she had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and slightly thick lips, and was craning her neck to look towards the path.
Xiao Xu's eyes darkened, and his expression immediately revealed a hint of displeasure.
Where did this random man come from?
Yun Sheng also saw clearly, and was surprised, muttering to herself, "Who is this again?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt the aura around the man beside her seemed to become more subdued.
Yun Sheng glanced at him sideways and found it amusing; this person's heart was probably smaller than a pinhead.
The carriage stopped in front of the courtyard gate.
The young, burly man also saw them, and immediately grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth. He then warmly greeted them, carrying a rough earthenware bowl covered with a clean cloth.
Xiao Xu got off the carriage first, stood tall and straight in front of it, looking at the newcomer expressionlessly with no warmth in his eyes.
The man had a loud, warm voice: "Brother and sister-in-law, you're finally back! My mother heard that new neighbors had moved in, so she specially asked me to bring over some homemade cured pork stir-fried with bamboo shoots and multigrain pancakes. When I got here, I didn't see any movement in the yard, so I thought they must have gone out. I waited here for a while, and then I saw you coming back in a horse-drawn carriage. It's really impressive."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the two of them with curiosity and frankness. His eyes lit up and his smile widened when he saw Yun Sheng being helped out of the car by Xiao Xu.
Xiao Xu remained silent, only his eyes grew colder.
Yun Sheng stepped forward half a step from Xiao Xu's side and said gently, "Thank you for your trouble, Auntie. You even brought this over. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
The man pushed the ceramic bowl in his arms forward: "No trouble at all. My mother's cooking is excellent. This cured meat was smoked by us last winter, and the bamboo shoots are tender shoots dug from the back mountain this spring. They're very fresh."
The man was both enthusiastic and outgoing. Before Yun Sheng could respond, Xiao Xu reached out and took the rough pottery bowl.
"Thank you." He said calmly, turning slightly to pull Yun Sheng behind him.
"Thank you for your concern. My husband and I are new here and we are tired from shopping today, so we need to settle down as soon as possible."
These words were polite, but they clearly implied that the guest was being asked to leave.
Unfortunately, this man was thick-skinned and only understood the polite words on the surface, failing to grasp the underlying meaning of sending him off. He was still cheerfully trying to continue the casual conversation: "If you need any help in the future, such as carrying water, chopping wood, or repairing the roof, just call me. I'm strong and efficient."
Xiao Xu glanced at him indifferently and said bluntly, "It's getting late, so please take care."
These words finally made the man belatedly realize that it was time to leave.
He scratched his head, a little embarrassed, and laughed, "Oh, look at me, I was so busy talking. Okay, you guys eat and rest, I'll be right there..."
He was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly slapped his forehead and exclaimed, "Oh dear, look at my memory! I've been talking for so long and I still haven't told you my name. I live under the old locust tree at the east end of the village. Everyone in the village calls me Ah Niu. You can call me that from now on."
Upon hearing this, Yun Sheng was stunned, and Xiao Xu's indifference turned into surprise.
The two turned their heads at the same time and looked at each other.
Is Ah Niu the Ah Niu who was overheard by them having a secret rendezvous with a woman under the ancient tree last night?
Take another look at Xiao Xu, who was just moments ago getting jealous.
Yun Sheng chuckled and replied, "Alright, we appreciate your kindness. Thank you, Brother A Niu."
————————
Before falling asleep, Yun Sheng heard a soft whisper in her ear: Thank you, Brother A Niu~
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