Side Story 5: Hollowed-out Gold Wine Bottle
Pushing open the wooden door, a familiar, rustic atmosphere wafts out.
It was early morning in Jishui Village, the sun had just risen and was shining warmly.
"Young Master Lu! You're finally back!" Old Zhao, who was weaving baskets under the old locust tree at the village entrance, saw him and stood up happily. "I was just about to ask someone to send you a message!"
Qin Qian strode over: "Uncle Zhao, what's the matter?"
"Great news, great news!" Grandpa Zhao chuckled. "The wild chestnuts on the back hill are bearing an exceptionally good harvest this year. Everyone's been discussing it and we're taking advantage of the good weather these next few days to harvest them. Didn't you say you wanted to collect these mountain produce last year? We've been waiting for you to come back and give us the plan!"
Qin Qian felt relieved and smiled, "This is a good thing. Let's go take a look."
As he walked through the village, villagers kept greeting him.
"Young Master Lu is back!"
"Young Master Lu, please try my family's newly made jujube cake!"
"Young Master Lu, my son says he's mastered the set of boxing you taught him last time, and he insists on waiting for you to come back so he can demonstrate it for you!"
Qin Qian responded to each of them, his smile genuine and relaxed.
Here, he is neither a prince nor a general, but simply Young Master Lu.
This simple relationship made him feel exceptionally at ease.
He followed Grandpa Zhao to the back mountain for a stroll, and sure enough, he saw many chestnut trees covered with thorny berries.
We discussed the harvesting time and labor arrangements with several experienced farmers, and also set a purchase price.
The villagers of Jishui Village are honest and straightforward. Knowing that this is Young Master Lu taking care of everyone, they all patted their chests and promised to pick out the best ones.
By the time I finished all that, the sun was already high in the sky.
Qin Qian didn't rush back, but instead strolled slowly through the village.
As I passed by Xiaoqiu and Sixi's house, I heard a baby crying inside. Their baby was just over a month old and was very active.
After passing through the expanded cannery, I could hear the women chatting and laughing as they walked home. It was lunchtime at the workshop.
Passing by the schoolhouse converted from an ancestral hall, I heard the innocent voices of children reading aloud...
Everything was thriving.
"Brother Lu?" Xiao Ran's voice came from behind.
The boy had grown taller, and his facial features had become more defined. He had just returned from the shop in Ping'an County, carrying some things in his hands.
"Xiao Ran," Qin Qian turned around, smiling as he patted his shoulder, "How's the shop in the county?"
"Everything's fine. Xiao Tao asked me to bring back some new patterns, saying she's making clothes for Sister Xiao Qiu's child." Xiao Ran said, her eyes sparkling. "Brother Lu, Sister Jiang... how is she?"
"She's doing well. The fireworks factory recently got a big order, and she's very busy. By the way, she's also keeping an eye on arranging many of the things you'll need for your wedding," Qin Qian said, his tone unconsciously softening.
Xiao Ran and Xiao Tao's wedding is set for next month; they are both seventeen years old.
After going through many twists and turns, they finally came together again.
Xiao Tao is resourceful and good at business. Apart from scheming against others to escape her predicament, she is open, honest, and aboveboard in everything she does.
She openly admitted that she liked Xiao Ran. Although some gossipy women in the village couldn't help but talk about it in private, she never acted coy or pretentious. She just stood there and listened to them talk, and those gossipy women didn't dare to talk about it anymore.
She used her savings from many years to buy a house in town with Xiaoran. She originally planned to bring Xiaoran's parents to live with her permanently, but Xiaoran's parents couldn't bear to leave their land in the village, so they only went there occasionally.
Her parents and brothers in Baiyang Village were also completely subdued by her. Although they occasionally helped her out, they dared not cause any more trouble.
This personality is exactly what one should be the eldest son's wife for, and Xiao Ran's parents are very satisfied.
Qin Qian ate something simple at the general store and then rode his horse to the Phoenix Restaurant in Ping'an County.
The shopkeeper was waiting at the door. When he arrived, he immediately came out to greet him, saying that a distinguished guest had arrived and that he had been waiting for a long time.
"Oh, a distinguished guest?" Qin Qian thought for a moment and knew who the visitor was.
They immediately went up to the second floor.
He pushed open the door and entered, bowing respectfully to the middle-aged man sitting inside drinking tea: "Uncle."
The visitor was none other than the late emperor's younger brother, Qin Qian's uncle. Lu Yu, whose real name was Qin Yu.
This was probably the only relative in the royal family, besides his deceased mother, who still had some genuine affection for him.
Although there may have been some considerations and manipulation involved, Qin Qian did indeed feel a sense of kinship with him.
This is also why he is still willing to stay in touch with him.
Qin Yu set down her teacup, looked up at him, and saw that he had shed his elaborate robes and was now wearing a seemingly simple yet exquisitely crafted navy blue garment, which made him appear remarkably understated. The former ruthlessness and ferocity were no longer visible in his eyes, but his innate nobility remained undiminished.
"You're living a carefree life now."
Qin Qian smiled and sat down next to him, pouring him tea: "Uncle, how have you been? Do you still have the medicine I gave you last time? If not, I'll send you another batch."
Qin Yu has suffered from headaches for more than ten years. Every time it flares up, he experiences a throbbing headache, weakness, rapid heartbeat, and ringing in his ears.
Jiang Ling diagnosed him with symptoms of high blood pressure.
In fact, he had more than just high blood pressure. Qin Qian tried several times to drug him and take him to the modern world for a comprehensive physical examination.
I was worried that using too much medicine would harm his body, and I was also worried that if he woke up in the middle of the night and saw the hospital, it would be difficult to explain.
Qin Yu naturally knew about his relationship with Jiang Ling. If he were still a prince, he would definitely have objected, but now that he was a commoner, there was nothing more to say.
To have the heartfelt companionship of Miss Jiang, a woman of extraordinary background, is a blessing that many people cannot attain.
"Have you ever regretted it?" Qin Yu didn't answer him, but instead asked him a question.
Qin Qian shook his head, his smile calm and content: "Never. Now, working from dawn till dusk, earning a living by my own abilities, and spending time with my loved ones, I feel like I am a truly and authentic person living a real life."
Qin Yu remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed:
"I will be returning to my fiefdom soon, and I don't know when I will be able to come back again. Now that there is no place for me in the court, since he has chosen to spare your life, he will probably not make things difficult for you anymore. Take good care of yourself in the years to come."
Qin Qian paused for a moment, then stood up and respectfully bowed to this relative who had brought him warmth during those dark years.
After seeing Qin Yu off, Qin Qian sat alone for a while, when a soft "cooing" sound came from the windowsill.
He got up and went over, caught the familiar carrier pigeon, and took out a small scroll of secret letter from its leg ring.
Although he was no longer a prince, he remained a subject of the Great Yu Dynasty and had his own intelligence network. He kept a close eye on news from the other two countries.
Since the Daewoo Dynasty and the Daesheng Dynasty exchanged gunpowder and cement, they have enjoyed several years of peace. Although there have been occasional disturbances by border troops, they have all been minor incidents and not worth worrying about.
The carrier pigeon came from the Great Xia Dynasty further west. The spies lurking there sent back a message that they had discovered Fang Shijie's whereabouts.
The letter revealed that the Yanyang caravan of the Great Sheng Dynasty was causing trouble in the Great Xia Dynasty, and the leader of the one-armed group was Fang Shijie.
Qin Qian recalled the day he led his troops to rescue Jiang Ling, when Fang Shijie relentlessly pursued him. He never expected that Fang Shijie, a mere scholar, would also have mastered some martial arts skills.
In addition, their large numbers made it difficult for Qin Qian to break through the encirclement and get close to Jiang Ling's location.
Seeing Jiang Ling fall to the ground after being shot by an arrow, Qin Qian could no longer restrain himself. He pulled out a pistol from his pocket and shot Fang Shijie twice.
That's how they turned defeat into victory.
They thought this attack would kill Fang Shijie, but they didn't expect him to be wearing a bulletproof vest.
The Daewoo army had soft armor that could protect against swords and spears, called bulletproof vests.
Fang Shijie had already investigated this matter thoroughly. He even sacrificed two deputy generals and more than a dozen soldiers to kill one of Qin Qian's trusted confidants and seize a soft armor from him.
Although the bulletproof vest fortunately blocked a fatal shot, another shot hit my arm.
The wound caused by that modern bullet was unheard of by the military doctors of the Great Sheng Dynasty. They only saw a hole in the wound and tried to stop the bleeding, but to no avail.
Although it wasn't in a vital area, the window for treatment was missed, leading to the wound festering.
The excruciating pain and high fever nearly took Fang Shijie's life.
On his deathbed, the Crown Prince of the Great Sheng Dynasty had no choice but to order Fang Shijie's right hand to be cut off.
Although he survived, he was left disabled.
By the time he struggled back from the brink of death, the battle was nearing its end.
In the imperial court, he became a complete laughingstock and a sinner.
If he hadn't also found the cement formula, he might already be dead.
The Crown Prince of the Great Sheng Dynasty felt that he was no longer of any use, and with a casual transfer order, sent him back to his original place, the Yan Yang Merchant Caravan.
A crippled former Sima, a failed strategist, deserves only to eke out a living amidst the stench of merchants and money.
After he had rested and recuperated, he was sent to the Great Xia Dynasty to continue as an undercover agent and to collect intelligence for the Great Sheng Dynasty.
To let such a proud person live in a state of disfigurement is perhaps more painful than death.
A voice rang in his ear: "What are you looking at so intently?"
Qin Qian turned around, and Jiang Ling's smiling face was right in front of him.
He casually handed over the note.
Jiang Ling scanned it all at a glance.
He only sighed and said nothing else.
Qin Qian pulled her to sit down beside him: "Why did you come over at this time? Are you done with things over there?"
"I have an hour to come and keep you company."
Qin Qian calculated the time; it was noon over there. "You haven't eaten yet, have you? What would you like to eat? I'll have them make it."
Jiang Ling thought for a moment and shook her head: "I don't want to eat these anymore. I want to eat osmanthus rice cake from the east of the city. Will you come with me to buy it?"
"good."
The old street in the east of the city is lively but not noisy, and the bluestone pavement has been worn smooth by the years.
The legendary osmanthus rice cake shop was easy to find; even before you got close, the fragrance of osmanthus wafted out with the rising steam.
Jiang Ling held the oil paper package with satisfaction, took a small bite, and found the rice cake soft and slightly hot, with the sweet osmanthus honey seeping into the rice aroma, which was very comforting.
Qin Qian walked beside her, holding two pieces in his hand, but he didn't eat them right away. He just looked at her with a smile.
"They taste best when they're fresh out of the oven," Jiang Ling sighed, a few tiny osmanthus blossoms still clinging to the corner of her lips.
Qin Qian naturally raised his hand and gently wiped it away with his fingertips: "If you like it, come again tomorrow."
As the two were talking, they passed a pawnshop next door, and a sharp golden light suddenly reflected from an object on the counter, piercing Jiang Ling's eyes.
Jiang Ling subconsciously turned her head and saw a hollowed-out gold wine vessel inlaid with gemstones standing prominently on the counter!
A hollowed-out gold wine vessel!
She had been searching for so long, even paying attention to the Great Sheng Dynasty, but she never expected that this thing would be right next to her!
Remembering her connection with the Mo family, Jiang Ling forgot about eating and went straight into the pawnshop.
"What's wrong?" Qin Qian noticed her strange expression and sudden movements, and immediately followed.
His brows furrowed as his gaze fell upon the golden wine vessel.
Because he recognized it as something from the palace at a glance.
The old clerk behind the counter was busy working on his abacus. Seeing someone enter, he raised his eyelids. "Sir, would you like to redeem your pawned item or..."
Jiang Ling stopped directly in front of the golden wine vessel, confirming that it was a pair with the one she had sold to the Mo family.
Pointing directly to the golden wine vessel: "Shopkeeper, may I ask about this item..."
The old appraiser followed her finger and glanced at it: "Oh, this guest has a good eye. This was just acquired this morning, a genuine antique from the former dynasty's palace, the craftsmanship is impeccable. If the guest is interested..."
"Where is the person who pawned it?" Jiang Ling interrupted him, her tone somewhat urgent.
The old clerk was taken aback by her question. He glanced at her and Qin Qian, who had followed him in, and saw that the two had extraordinary bearing, especially the man, who, despite his simple clothes, possessed an undeniable air of authority. He then dropped his perfunctory tone and replied:
"The pawnbroker was a young man surnamed Mo. He seemed to be from a poor family and was in urgent need of money. He pawned fifty taels of silver, a sure thing."
Mo? It really is the Mo family!
"Did he leave his address? Or... what did he say?" Jiang Ling asked anxiously.
Old Master Chao shook his head: "The rules of pawnbroking are not to ask about the origin. That young master only said it was a family heirloom and he had no choice but to do it. He took the money and left in a hurry, as if he was in a rush to get medicine."
Jiang Ling's doubts deepened.
She turned to leave, intending to find the young master surnamed Mo.
Qin Qian gently took her wrist, shook his head slightly, and then turned to the old clerk, "We'll redeem this item. According to your shop's rules, what should the redemption price be?"
Old Master Chao's eyes lit up and he hurriedly said, "Sir, you're so generous! According to the rules, redeeming items that have been pawned requires an additional 30% interest. Including principal and interest, it's sixty-five taels."
Qin Qian nodded and took out a pure silver ingot from his pocket, placing it on the counter. "We'll take it."
The old magistrate hadn't expected to close the deal so quickly. He carefully wrapped the gold wine vessel in a soft cloth and handed it to them.
Jiang Ling took the heavy cloth bag, her heart filled with turbulent emotions.
After leaving the pawnshop, she looked at Qin Qian eagerly: "You recognize this wine vessel too?"
She did tell Qin Qian how she met the Mo family, but she didn't describe the wine vessel in much detail.
He shouldn't have met him before, but judging from his eyes, he clearly recognized him.
Qin Qian said in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping across the bustling street, "These are tributes from foreign lands back then. I saw them once. They were originally a pair, one in my father's possession, and the other was given to the Prince of Linzi at the time, who is my uncle. The Prince of Linzi's principal wife was from the Mo family of Luyang."
It turned out that Qin Qian had guessed the origin of this thing with just one glance.
The late emperor's throne was not inherited naturally, but rather after a bloody purge.
The most competitive princes of that time, including this Prince of Linzi, were almost all demoted or imprisoned on some pretext after the late emperor ascended the throne, and their cronies and relatives were purged and scattered.
As the family of Wang Yue of Linzi, the Mo family of Luyang could not escape being implicated.
Jiang Ling knew that it was because of this golden wine vessel that she was able to connect with the Mo family in the future, so this golden wine vessel was very important. She had to find the Mo family and return the golden wine vessel to them.
The two lost interest in exploring further and returned along the same route they had taken.
Jiang Ling kept this in mind, her eyes constantly searching the streets and alleys.
Suddenly, after walking two streets, in front of a pharmacy, she saw a young man wearing a blue robe. This young man looked exactly like Mo Chen!
Jiang Ling got off the carriage without even thinking.
Qin Qian understood and quickly stepped forward.
"Young master, please wait."
The young man stopped at the sound, looked up and saw a distinguished-looking man and woman. A hint of wariness and bewilderment flashed in his eyes, and he subconsciously pulled the medicine bag closer to his chest: "And you two are...?"
Jiang Ling stared at him blankly, her heart pounding wildly: "May I ask, young master, is your surname Mo?"
The young master's face turned even paler. He didn't answer, but just looked at them warily, shrinking back slightly as if he were ready to run away at any moment.
Qin Qian stepped forward half a step, blocking his escape route to the side.
"Who...who are you? What do you want? My family has fallen on hard times, there's nothing left for you to take!" His voice trembled as he clutched the medicine tightly to his chest.
Jiang Ling hurriedly said, "Young master, don't be afraid. We are not bad people, and we have no ill intentions. To be honest, you look very similar to someone I know... This person is very important to me, and I just want to confirm my suspicions."
Young Master Mo looked at the two men with suspicion. They were dressed in fine clothes, had an extraordinary air about them, and showed no malice in their eyes. He glanced at the carriage behind them and figured they wouldn't commit robbery in the street.
He straightened his clothes: "Ask me quickly if you have anything to say, I still need to go home and brew some medicine."
Jiang Ling stopped beating around the bush and looked at him directly: "Young Master Mo, did you just visit Hengchang Pawnshop?"
He didn't answer, but just gave me a look.
Those surprised looks answered their questions.
Jiang Ling's eyes were already brimming with tears.
After searching for so long, I finally found it!
Jiang Ling didn't immediately return the golden wine vessel to him. Instead, she gave him all the money she had on her and left the address of a shop on West Street:
"If you need anything in the future, just go to this shop and find the manager, Zhao Ran. Just say that I sent you, and he will help you."
Young Master Mo left, completely bewildered, with the silver and the note in his hand.
Although he didn't understand why the girl wanted to help him, he had a vague feeling that something was preordained.
Watching his figure disappear into the alley, Qin Qian asked, "What about this wine vessel?"
Jiang Ling thought for a moment: "We can't take it back to the general store. Let's send it to Xiao Ran first and have him keep it safe. Once the Mo family no longer needs to rely on pawning their ancestral property to make a living, we'll find an opportunity to return it to him."
It turns out that fate had already arranged everything in the dark. If she hadn't met Mo Chen in the modern world, there would be no reunion and redemption today.
Those bonds that transcend time and space have ultimately been written into a complete chapter in the annals of history.
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