Xu Jiang was riding Lou Yunchun's horse alone for the first time and found it quite novel. "A few days ago, a few paintings of beauties circulated from the palace. They all depicted palace maids riding horses for a spring outing. The women in other households were vying to imitate them, and now I can be considered to have followed the trend for once." Then she said longingly, "I wonder what a real beauty riding a horse for a spring outing would look like."
Lou Yunchun changed into a half-sleeved hemp robe, wore a straw hat on his head, rolled up his trouser legs, exposing his arms. If you don't look at his face, he looks no different from a real helper.
Hearing this, he looked up at the woman on the horse, his eyes filled with the green silk skirt, and said softly: "It's better than the scene before us."
Xu Jiang took a deep breath, then bent down and pulled his hat down to cover his eyes, "Don't disturb my mind."
Under the straw hat, Lou Yunchun raised the corners of his mouth.
The two of them walked and enjoyed the scenery, and arrived at Qichun Gate at a leisurely pace.
There were a constant stream of carriages and horses at the Qichun Gate. One could see tall and fine horses with colorful saddles and reins, and talented and elegant men traveling together. There were also exquisite canopies with ribbons hanging on all sides, and beautiful young ladies and maids, singing and laughing. There were also high-ranking officials with dozens of followers, carrying sedan chairs, and there was no dust in their eyes.
Xu Jiang and Lou Yunchun waited on the side, and only when the carriages had traveled halfway did they find a gap to merge into the traffic and head out of the city.
After leaving the city, the area seemed much more spacious, and the carriages and horses sped up, soon leaving them behind.
Xu Jiang glanced at the nobleman who was riding in the same sedan chair as them and asked Lou Yunchun quietly, "What rank is this person?"
Lou Yunchun lifted his hat and took a look. "Four people are carrying the sedan chair. One is a lower fourth rank official and the other is an upper sixth rank official." Then he looked at the man's face and said, "He is from the Ministry of Works."
"It's quite a grand show." The distance was neither far nor near, but he didn't take a carriage but a sedan chair, probably to show off.
"I just got promoted this month."
"Pfft." No wonder.
As the two were talking, three carriages came chasing them from behind. Xu Jiang stepped aside, but suddenly heard someone shouting, "Madam Xu!"
She looked in the direction of the voice and saw Xie Hongxing holding up the curtain of the carriage, looking at her in surprise.
"Thank you, Madam?" Xu Jiang asked, "Are you also going to the Liuyuan elegant gathering?"
"Liu Sizhen invited our Jiaofangsi to perform." Xie Hongxing smiled and said, "I was wondering if you would go, but I ran into you here. What a coincidence."
The person riding with Xie Hongxing was the woman who had protected her that day in Xiaozhuxi. The woman also greeted Xu Jiang, "Hello, Madam Xu."
"Mrs. Yan is also good." The woman's name was Yan Ji.
"Last time at Xiaozhuxi, I wanted to make friends with Madam Xu, but I was afraid of being abrupt. It's fate that we meet again this time. I will go to Liuyuan later and have a chat with you." Ever since Xu Jiang spoke up for Xie Hongxing last time, Yan Ji has admired her very much. Later, when he heard Xie Hongxing say that she was a wonderful person who was not bound by worldly wishes, he liked her even more.
Xu Jiang smiled and replied, "Great, I've been wanting to hear your beautiful voice for a long time, and now's the chance."
Yan Ji and Xie Hongxing covered their mouths and laughed. Then Xie Hongxing said, "Then we will go ahead and see you in Liuyuan."
Xu Jiang waved to them and said, "I'll be there soon."
After the carriage left, Lou Yunchun asked, "Does Lord Jiang have any news?"
Xu Jiang shook his head. "I guess we won't have any news until Mo Ming returns to the capital."
Lou Yunchun was about to speak again when the man and the horse slowed down and moved closer to Xu Jiang.
"Shopkeeper Xu, what a coincidence."
Xu Jiang turned to see Wu Qingye's smiling face, and was slightly startled. Then he bowed to him and said, "Greetings, Doctor Wu."
Wu Qingye saw a helper beside him driving a donkey with a bucket full of books and said with a smile, "I'm almost done with the books I bought from your shop last time. Since we've come across this, I'll pick out a few more later."
"Okay." Xu Jiang responded. Seeing that he had no intention of leaving first, she said to Lou Yunchun, "The elegant party is about to start. Let's hurry up, otherwise the good seats will be taken by others."
"Yeah." Lou Yunchun raised his hand and pulled the horse's bridle, and said to Xu Jiang, "Sit tight." Then he patted the donkey's butt hard and pulled her away.
Wu Qingye fell behind, and together with the official from the Ministry of Works, his head and face were covered with dust raised by the horses' hooves and wheels.
Wu Qingye fanned the dust away.
Ministry of Industry official: "Pooh, pooh, pooh!"
What a bastard, don’t you see there’s a sedan chair behind this!
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