postscript

postscript

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Yanziping once again hosted the grand Pitch-Pot event.

This year's competition was even larger in scale, with both team and individual events, attracting large groups of Han and Liao people from nearby villages to come and join in the fun.

When Huai Xu learned that the prize for winning the championship was a cow bone flute, he was extremely envious. So he and Feng Qiao dragged Lin Zhong into forming a team.

To increase her chances of advancing in the individual competition, she set her sights on me again, planning to put me in the same group as her so that I could be her scapegoat.

I firmly refused, citing the reason that "it is not advisable to go out to welcome the God of Wealth at home," thus avoiding embarrassment in front of a group of acquaintances.

Around noon, the sunlight was perfect, bathing the entire courtyard in warmth. I grabbed a handful of millet and fed the chickens under the eaves. The two chickens were quite plump, but they hadn't laid eggs for a long time since the weather turned cold.

On New Year's Eve, I originally planned to stew one mushroom in soup and braise the other. Lin Zhong had already sharpened the knife, but Huai Xu came and said she couldn't bear to part with it, so I had to let her have her way and keep the two little ones for the New Year.

A long neighing of a horse came from outside the courtyard. I looked up and saw Xiong Tu, dressed in brand-new clothes, carrying a package. When he saw me, he smiled and took my hand, saying, "Qing Niangzi, Happy New Year."

I scattered all the millet grains in my hand and stepped forward with a smile: "Happy New Year, Your Excellency."

Xiong Tu looked around: "Where are Huai Xu and the others?"

“They’ve all gone to Yanziping to play pitch-pot.” I led him forward and casually said, “If you’re worried about giving her money to ward off evil spirits, I’ll go and bring her to you right now.”

Xiong Tu said cheerfully, "If she's willing to change her address, I'll definitely give her a big red envelope."

I blurted out, "What do you mean by 'change your mouth'?"

Xiong Tu's smile widened: "You're asking a question you already know the answer to, Qing Niangzi."

I snapped out of my daze, lifted the overturned teacup on the table with a "bang," and stopped in front of him. I poured half a bowl of hot tea from the teapot: "Please, Your Excellency!"

Xiong Tu took a sip of tea and said, "Compared to Naxi, the yellow bud tea from Junlian has a richer aftertaste and a sweet, tangy aroma."

I glanced at him and said, "If you think it tastes good, then drink more."

Xiong Tu took out a wooden box from the package and pushed it toward me: "I packed a few kinds of tea snacks from Qingfeng Temple before I left home, and brought them here for you to try."

I reached out and put my arm around him, saying, "Thank you, Daoist Master."

Xiong Tu burst out laughing: "You always enjoy lively gatherings, so why did you stay at the inn alone instead of going to Yanziping to play pitch-pot?"

I opened the food box and picked up a longan pastry: "I have more important things to do."

"Could it be—that it's for my sake?"

The longan pastry had a crisp outer crust and a sweet and smooth filling. I choked a little, poured myself a bowl of tea, took a sip, and replied, "If you came all this way just to give me money, I wouldn't mind treating you like a god of wealth."

"Really?" Xiong Tu smiled and pushed the package beside him over. "Open it and take a look."

I unwrapped the bundle, and with a clang, a package sealed in oil paper rolled out. I picked it up and weighed it in my hand; it was a full fifty taels. Upon closer inspection of the sealing wax, the Tea and Horse Bureau's mark was clearly visible.

I couldn't help but chuckle: "I've been eyeing this commission from the market judge for a long time, but it's inconvenient to settle old scores during the first month of the lunar year, so I've refrained from going to the prefectural government to collect it. How did it end up in your hands after all this time?"

“Mountains don’t move, but water does; I’m destined to meet Qing Niangzi.” Xiong Tu said smugly, “Back then, you refused my offer from the Luzhou market and insisted on staying in Bating Road. Look, man proposes, God disposes; I’ve been transferred to Rongzhou.”

"At the Southwest Tea and Horse Bureau's annual meeting, the clerks from the prefectural government went to settle their allowances. Before they left, I specifically instructed them that I would be moving to another location after the New Year and that they should collect the allowance from Yuezhou as well. Everyone is busy at the end of the year, and the clerks from Rongzhou are happy to save themselves a trip. Therefore, I have come to your door today to deliver the money."

I accepted the silver, picked up the teapot, and poured him half a bowl of tea: "Thank you for your trouble."

"Clink—" Xiong Tu flicked his finger, lightly tapping the teacup: "Now that you've made some money, aren't you going to treat me to a cup of tea?"

"What are you thinking about?" I picked up another glutinous rice ball, chewing as I spoke. "Why should I spend the money I work so hard to earn on you? You didn't say your salary was for me to spend, did you?"

Xiong Tu raised an eyebrow at me: "It's because you don't want to take it, okay? If you want my salary, I, Xiong, will certainly offer it to you without hesitation."

I hurriedly waved my hands, saying, "It's not that bad, it's not that bad. Qingcheng has not fallen to that level yet."

Xiong Tu asked in a low voice, "I remember—someone once sent you a jar of wine, didn't they?"

I nodded and sighed softly, "That's true. I thought we were going to take it to someone's grave to drink, thankfully we didn't have to."

Xiong Tu was silent for a moment, then said, "How about I take it out now and treat you?"

“No way,” I said firmly. “I’ve heard that it’s the best wine in Luzhou—Chixia Chun, and its flavor gets better with age. So, I’ve decided to collect it now and don’t plan to drink it.”

Xiong Tu lowered his head and drank his tea: "It's alright. It's a pleasure to sit here and chat with you over tea." As he spoke, he put down his teacup, his long eyelashes trembling slightly. He glanced at me seemingly casually, and then said, "Years ago, when we were fighting against the Shimen Fan, I accompanied Pacification Commissioner Fu to the border to negotiate the ownership of Dongchuan. There I met two princes surnamed Duan from the Dali Kingdom. One of them, the Prince of Zhennan, looked... about the same age as you and me. Beside him were two young maids who seemed to be twin sisters. Their features even bore a faint resemblance to you, Qingcheng."

"Xiong Botong, that's enough!" I frowned. "Can't we have a proper conversation? You're beating around the bush again, saying I'm old, aren't you?"

Xiong Tu repeatedly cupped his hands in greeting: "Please don't misunderstand, that's absolutely not what I meant!"

I scooped up another sesame seed cake: "So what do you mean?"

"Not long ago, I heard some rumors from your fellow townsman, General Zhou Hong..." Xiong Tu glanced at me carefully before speaking, "I wonder... may I ask if that Prince of Zhennan has a relationship with Lady Qing—"

I crunched on the pastry, then asked impatiently, "What's there?"

Xiong Tu picked up the kettle and refilled my water: "There's... an old one."

I picked up my teacup, glanced at him, and said, "Guess?"

"You, Qing Niangzi, are so chivalrous and righteous. That Prince of Dali must be your... sworn brother?"

"Tch. You guessed wrong, it's my ex-husband."

Xiong Tu suddenly burst into laughter: "It's good that he's my ex!"

I put down my teacup: "What's so good about it?"

"Luckily you didn't fall for his tricks." Xiong Tu waved his hand and said casually, "Can you trust a prince like that? No, you can't."

After twelve years of hard work, he has achieved fame and fortune. One day, looking back on his past, he suddenly realizes that you are the only regret in his life. At this time, he comes to you and begs you to come with him.

Was he really asking you for something? No. He was asking for his own fulfillment.

"If you are truly moved and go with him, you will find that when you get to his territory, the palace has countless beauties. He says you are going to be a princess, but in reality, he is just using you as free labor."

“You’re so capable, you’re perfect for managing his bunch of concubines and taking care of his children. If he still has any feelings for you, he shouldn’t have let you go to Dali with him. He should have stayed here and helped you manage the inn.”

I said, "Hey, what you said makes a lot of sense."

“Of course,” Xiong Tu said smugly. “I can see through such tricks at a glance.”

"Tap tap—" I tapped the table lightly, "You see things so clearly, so this is actually a common trait among you men, right?"

"How could that be?" Xiong Tu composed himself and said seriously, "I will resolutely sever ties with this kind of man. For example, if your Qingcheng is willing to cooperate with me, I, Xiong, will immediately resign from my official post and join your team."

"Resign?" I scoffed. "Lord Xiong's career is at its peak, and he's expected to be drafting imperial edicts. The Luo clan hasn't even been recovered yet. Are you kidding me?"

Xiong Tu looked at me intently and said, "Qingcheng, the number of honest and capable officials in this world is neither more nor less; but the opportunity to partner with you is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Wait, wait, let me think. What new trick are you playing now?" I pressed my temples, trying to sort out my thoughts. "You're cooperating with me and joining my inn. To put it bluntly, isn't it me working hard to earn money to support you? If we don't get along in the future and we break up, won't I have to give you half of my inn? You've got a pretty good plan!"

Xiong Tu shrugged and said, "We need to sign an agreement before we go into partnership. You decide the content of the agreement. I'll sign whatever you draft, isn't that enough?"

I remained unmoved: "Everyone in Batingdao knows that I, Qing Niangzi, am a woman of honor and loyalty. If my statement is too biased and gets out, will I still be able to live in the underworld?"

Xiong Tu didn't take it seriously: "Then let's take another route. Now that the Shimen tribe has entered Song territory, everything is in need of rebuilding. Your adopted son, A Dao, has taken over as the chief of the Wumeng tribe. He's just a young boy, and he's probably hoping you can go and help him."

Thinking of A-Dao, whom I hadn't seen in a long time, I also felt a pang of longing and couldn't help but feel a little tempted. So I said, "Your idea is not bad. Huai Xu and Feng Qiao are getting married this year, and I plan to leave this inn to them as part of their dowry. I can go to Shimen Fan to choose a place to open another one, or find some other business to do."

Xiong Tu clapped his hands: "That's great! With our combined strength, the world of Bo Dao will belong to us from now on."

I chuckled, propping my head up with my hand: "However, I need to think about the choice of partner again."

Xiong Tu said expectantly, "Please choose me, so that I can have a chance to repay Qing Niangzi for saving my life."

I waved my hand dismissively: "Xiong Botong, you don't need to keep talking about how you saved my life. I would have saved anyone in your shoes."

“Yes,” Xiong Tu said earnestly. “Qingcheng, you treat everyone the same way; but in my eyes, no one else treats me like this except you.”

"Are you really that unpopular?"

"It's not enough to have good interpersonal relationships... you have to find the right person to start a family."

I frowned and said, "Xiong Botong, let me tell you, I have a family to support, and you're a bachelor. Don't waste your time in front of me. If you want to settle down, go find someone else."

"Bringing your family is fine, I can join you."

I slammed my hand on the table and said, "Xiong Botong, can you please stop being so shameless?"

Continue read on readnovelmtl.com