Chapter Sixty-Eight: The Bright Moon Reflects the Setting Sun, Filling My Heart
"Even if Zhongli An sends troops to attack, you'd still be willing?"
"Of course," the shopkeeper replied without hesitation, then waved his hand with a nonchalant smile. "A short pain is worse than a long one. Even if the magistrate sends troops to attack, it will only be a matter of ten days or half a month. It's better than suffering under Jie Liang's command for the rest of your life, isn't it?"
Yang Xiao frowned thoughtfully, sighed, shook her head, and chuckled, "Forget it, we're just a small family, let's not talk about state affairs." She looked up at the shopkeeper with a smile, "I've come here to pick out some materials for a friend."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper smiled and lifted the cloth covering the tray. "This tray contains the best jade materials from my collection. I heard that you are from Jizhou, so I brought out my best materials from the bottom of my chest to give you good luck for our newly reopened shop."
The Dushan jade pieces on the table looked exceptionally clear and beautiful under the candlelight and sunlight. Yang Xiaoqing couldn't help but lean over to look at them, and her gaze involuntarily fell on a piece of hibiscus jade. She saw several crystal-clear ripples floating on the pink jade body, like a bright peach blossom waiting to bloom, or a clear and elegant camellia.
Seeing Yang Xiao staring intently at the jade, the shopkeeper chuckled softly, picked it up with both hands, and held it up to the sunlight. "Miss, you have a good eye! This hibiscus jade is not just the surface jade, but chalcedony. Many noble ladies would kill for it."
"I see, no wonder it's so clear." Yang Xiao stared intently at the jade and nodded gently.
Seeing this, the shopkeeper smiled slightly and carefully placed the piece of jade on the table. "This jade is fine, but in my humble opinion, it may not be the best choice for you, Miss."
"Oh?" Yang Xiao looked at the shopkeeper with interest. "What do you mean?"
“Miss, you have a lively and outgoing personality. This piece of jade is too plain and clean, and I’m afraid it won’t suit your temperament.” The shopkeeper, seemingly unafraid of upsetting Yang Xiao, explained to her in a gentle and persuasive manner, “In my opinion, jade with a bold pattern and a touch of resolute and passionate spirit might be more suitable for you.”
Yang Xiao smiled and nodded, then gently stroked the hibiscus jade. The warm, cool touch spread from her fingertips to her heart. She smiled and nodded to the shopkeeper, "What you said makes sense, but I didn't come here to choose jade for myself. According to you, who would this jade suit better?"
"This piece..." The shopkeeper stroked his chin, nodding thoughtfully for a while, "Although this jade has the color of peach blossoms, its pure white patterns still exude a grand air. As for a suitable candidate... I can't say for sure right now." The shopkeeper pondered for a while, then looked up at Yang Xiao as if he had suddenly thought of something, "You come from Jizhou, so you should know that young lady who came from Jiangnan to inspect the alliance, right? I think her surname is Cen."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. She exchanged a glance with Mu Fei, then turned back to the shopkeeper with a smile, "Of course I know Miss Cen, but..." She looked up at the shopkeeper, "Is her fame so great that she's a household name even in Nanyang?"
“It’s not that exaggerated,” the shopkeeper said with a smile and a wave of his hand. “It’s just that I went to Jizhou before and talked about her with the locals.”
Yang Xiao smiled and nodded, "Since you've said so, please keep this jade for me. I guarantee it will find the most suitable owner."
“Alright,” the shopkeeper nodded with a smile. “What kind of jewelry would you like to make from it?” He wiped the jade with a cotton cloth and looked up at Yang Xiao. “This size should be enough to make a bracelet, and the remaining material can be used to make a pair of earrings.”
"I can't say for sure. What will happen depends on my friend's decision. He'll be here in five days." Yang Xiao raised her hand to Mu Fei, who then discreetly placed the money bag in her palm.
Yang Xiao weighed the money bag in her hand. "I'll pay you half the deposit first, and the rest when my friend arrives, how about that?"
"No need, no need," the shopkeeper quickly waved his hand and said with a smile, "You've come all this way to buy jade, how could I not trust you? We've never had a deposit system here. If you like it, I'll just hold it for you."
Seeing this, Yang Xiao couldn't help but smile and nod. "I was going to pay half for him, but since you're saying this, I won't cover it for him." As she spoke, she looked around the room. "But if I come to Nanyang, what a waste it would be not to buy a piece of Dushan jade myself?" She smiled at the shopkeeper and asked, "Besides raw jade, do you have any unfinished pieces here?"
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper couldn't help but smile and shake his head, "Of course we have them, miss. What kind would you like?"
Yang Xiao nodded and smiled, "Do you have any jade pendants here?"
"Yes, of course we have them!" Upon seeing this, the shopkeeper quickly smiled and turned back to the counter. "Could it be that you're buying this as a gift for your sweetheart, Miss?"
Yang Xiao smiled without saying a word as she watched the shopkeeper's back. A moment later, she saw a dazzling array of jade pendants placed on the table. Mu Fei quickly stepped forward and moved the plate of jade materials to the side.
"Oh, thank you so much, young man." The shopkeeper smiled and nodded at Mu Fei, then looked up at Yang Xiao, "Miss, do you see anything you like?"
Yang Xiao glanced over the plate full of jade pendants, their colors ranging from emerald green to blue, and immediately spotted the white jade with a golden edge at the very edge. The pendant was entirely milky white, yet its edges were tinged with golden light, like the warm winter sun, filling her heart with a sense of warmth.
Her fingertips gently traced the lion-shaped pattern on the jade pendant, and she couldn't help but chuckle. She looked up at the shopkeeper and asked, "Could you please tell me a little about this jade pendant?"
“This one,” the shopkeeper walked up to Yang Xiao, smiling as he looked at the jade pendant, “don’t let its less-than-perfect color fool you, it is indeed genuine Dushan jade. Unlike other jades that have a cold, amber-like feel, this jade has a warm, amber-like glow. So I carved the auspicious beast Suanni on it, hoping for good fortune and peace.”
After saying that, the shopkeeper sighed softly, "Unfortunately, the customers who come and go all prefer clear and green jade, so this jade pendant has been here for quite a while."
Yang Xiao held the jade pendant with great affection, gently lifting it up to let the sunlight shine through. A touch of gold, hidden within the jade, suddenly emerged, appearing like gilded gold along the fur of the lion. The warm, lustrous gold within it pulsed like blood, making the jade pendant appear extremely vibrant.
Wearing jade for protection and safety is the most suitable gift for people like them who have risked their lives.
"Then please help me choose a presentable box." Yang Xiao held the jade pendant in her hands, turned around and smiled at the shopkeeper.
"Do you want to take it with you?" The shopkeeper seemed surprised that Yang Xiao would buy the jade pendant so readily, a pendant that had been asked about a thousand times but no one had made a purchase. He smiled and nodded with satisfaction. "Although this jade pendant is a bit unique, its value is in no way inferior to any of the others. Please wait a moment, and I will find you the best-looking box."
Yang Xiao nodded, took the money pouch again, and asked Mu Fei with a soft smile, "What do you think of this jade pendant?"
Mu Fei quickly nodded approvingly and chuckled softly, "It's very beautiful. I can't even imagine how General Bai will react when he receives it."
"You," Yang Xiao said with a smile, tapping Mu Fei's forehead, "how did you learn to be so talkative from Zhang Ping?"
As they were talking, the shopkeeper presented a box to Yang Xiao. "Miss, are you satisfied?"
Yang Xiao chuckled and nodded. "What is the price of this jade?"
"You are the first customer of this shop since it reopened, and you've already purchased two pieces of fine jade. Plus, Lord Zhongli is about to recapture Nanyang. Considering our connection, I'll give you a discount." The shopkeeper gestured two numbers to Yang Xiao, then looked up and inquired, "Is that alright?"
Yang Xiao smiled gently and placed the money bag in the shopkeeper's palm. "Then thank you very much. There is more money in this bag than you think. Please count it. Consider the extra as my deposit for this Hibiscus Jade."
The shopkeeper weighed the money bag in his hand, then frowned and objected, "Miss, this won't do. You've clearly given too much..."
“As you said, since we are destined to meet, we don’t need to worry about these gains and losses,” Yang Xiao took two steps toward the door, then turned back and smiled at the shopkeeper. “You just need to protect that piece of hibiscus jade. In five days, when we open here again, I will bring my friends to see the jade.”
"This..." Seeing that he couldn't persuade her otherwise, the shopkeeper could only clasp his hands in thanks. "I thank you for your generosity, Miss. I will do as you instruct."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao chuckled and waved her hand, "These are nothing to worry about." Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly seemed to remember something and turned back to the shopkeeper.
Seeing Yang Xiao return, the shopkeeper looked up, his eyes full of doubt, and asked, "Is there anything else you need, Miss?"
"It's not really an order, but... I have a suggestion, though I'm not sure if I should say it."
"Please speak freely, Miss."
Yang Xiao frowned slightly and pointed at the shopkeeper, "On the day the magistrate arrives in Nanyang, you'd better not set up your stall, for your own sake and for the sake of these jade pieces."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement, "Understood, but..."
"Don't ask why, and don't spread it around," Yang Xiao smiled and waved at him. "You'll find out the reason in time." She glanced back at the shopkeeper who was nodding incessantly, chuckled softly, and stepped out the door. "Alright, I'll take my leave now. See you another day!"
The shopkeeper hurried out of the shop and watched Yang Xiao's figure disappear into the crowd. A question arose in his mind, but it was completely dispelled by Yang Xiao's gentle yet dashing demeanor.
After buying the jade, Yang Xiao excitedly led Mu Fei back to the inn. After exchanging words with Zhang Ping, they quickly finished drawing the ambush map.
She looked at the map, frowned and sighed, then asked for some more red ink and marked the road leading to the barracks. She then sent someone out of the city that very night to deliver it to Bai Ming, who was already lying in ambush.
After a few busy days in Nanyang, the Spring Equinox arrived quickly, the very day set on the invitation to Jie Liang.
Before the rooster crowed, banners were already fluttering and horns were blaring at the gates of Nanyang. If it weren't for the fact that even the lanterns that were hung during the New Year were on display, the people would have really thought that some kind of army had come to their doorstep.
The Prefect of Nanyang, Xie Liang, and Chen Rang's group were already waiting at the door, displaying an air of urgency that if Zhongli An didn't come, they would rush to Jizhou and capture him.
Jie Liang, riding a tall horse with a large flower hanging around its neck, frowned as he looked at the misty dirt road ahead. He turned to Chen Rang beside him and asked, "Are all the courtesans ready?"
“We’ve been prepared for a long time,” Chen Rang said, bowing to Jie Liang with his head outstretched. “Now everything is ready, except for Zhong Li’an’s attendance. As long as he goes to the banquet alone, without any weapons, as we have said, we will be completely safe.”
A glint of shrewdness flashed in Jie Liang's eyes, and a proud and smug smile spread across his face.
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