Yuan Yunzhong furrowed his brow upon hearing this and said, "I have no recollection of this Wei Jie. It’s possible he’s some relative by marriage, someone I might have dealt with as a child. But rest assured, I’ve already sent someone to look into it."
Why then, would he go to such lengths to make his presence felt before her?
Song Jiyun speculated that Wei Jie probably wasn’t pleased with her marrying Yuan Yunzhong.
She couldn’t help but scoff softly a few times.
Yuan Yunzhong apparently realized this too. He once again apologized to her awkwardly, "I didn’t handle this matter well. Don’t worry; it won’t happen again."
Song Jiyun nodded.
Yuan Yunzhong asked her, "Have you grown accustomed to the Capital City yet?"
His gaze fell on her, enveloping her like the gentle waters of spring.
Although Song Jiyun had lived in the south in her previous life, she often travelled to the north for various events and celebrations. If time had permitted, she would have already visited her favorite streets and alleys from her past life.
"Quite well," she invited Yuan Yunzhong into the house, and they sat down on a large Kang bed beside the window. She pushed a plate of pine nuts towards him and said, "Wang Hua mentioned that the main courtyard here has underfloor heating. I was thinking how nice it would have been if we had come here in winter. Winters in Jiangxi are damp and cold, requiring braziers, but even the best silver charcoal isn’t as comfortably warm as underfloor heating."
Yuan Yunzhong saw that besides the pine nuts, there were hazelnuts and almonds in her box — snacks commonly eaten by northerners. She even knew that underfloor heating was more comfortable than braziers; he understood then that she truly knew the northern way of living.
Feeling enthusiastic, he took her hand and said, "I’ll take you to a place. I’ve been wanting to take you since I heard you were coming to the Capital City, but unfortunately..."
He hadn’t met her earlier because he had been retained in the palace due to his father’s influence.
The summer in the north is not like that in the south; even standing in the shade, it’s hot when it should be hot. But there’s coolness in the shade.
Fortunately, today’s weather was exceptionally clear, trees shaded the outside, cicadas chirped in waves, all imbuing the summer day with an elongated and serene atmosphere.
Song Jiyun, influenced by Yuan Yunzhong’s mood, asked, "Where are we going? I don’t want to be in the sun."
Yuan Yunzhong laughed heartily, his brows revealing a rare joviality and a commanding spirit.
He glanced at her skin, pale and translucent like jade, then loudly called Wang Hua in, instructing him to fetch an oil-paper umbrella, "And get a Fragrance Cloud Silk Beizi vest."
Song Jiyun asked curiously, "Where can you buy Fragrance Cloud Silk in the Capital City?"
Fragrance Cloud Silk, due to its special craftsmanship, is particularly cooling and soft to wear in summer.
She had sent people several times to Suzhou and Hangzhou, and Nanjing to find Fragrance Cloud Silk, all returning in disappointment. She was surprised to hear about it suddenly from Yuan Yunzhong.
Yuan Yunzhong also found it strange, "You know of Fragrance Cloud Silk? It’s a tribute item. Last year the Emperor rewarded me with several bolts, which I gifted to my maternal grandfather, grandfather, and parents. Wasn’t I supposed to go to Jingde Town before? Thinking that you dislike the heat and are particular about comfort, instead of using bamboo mats and orchid grass in summer, I asked my maternal grandfather’s embroideress and found he still had two bolts of Fragrance Cloud Silk left. I asked him for them and had a few summer clothes made for you, never expecting they’d be so useful."
As he spoke, Wang Hua arrived breathlessly, carrying an umbrella and a paper box holding the Beizi vest.
Yuan Yunzhong opened the oil-paper umbrella and said, "I’ll hold the umbrella for you, and you wear the Fragrance Cloud Silk Beizi over your clothes. You definitely won’t get sunburned."
Song Jiyun saw the Fragrance Cloud Silk, dark and gleaming, with a pattern like pleats, gripped soft yet firm in her hand, breathable and cool when worn, and suddenly became somewhat besotted with it, turning it over in her hands.
Yuan Yunzhong’s eyes also carried a smile as he watched her.
He took her hand and led her into the carriage.
The carriage was draped with a muslin curtain, and the breeze that flowed in was exceptionally cool.
Yuan Yunzhong lifted the carriage curtain to show her the scenery outside, "That place is Baimi Diagonal Street. You might think from the name that this place sells white rice. Actually, it doesn’t. There is a temple called Baimi Temple here, and its street is slanted, which is why everyone calls it Baimi Diagonal Street... Next to it is Shichahai, where many ice cellar businesses hide their ice, and ironically, it’s where ice vendors are most numerous. In winter and summer, there are particularly many people here. Look over there, that vast expanse of lake is Shichahai. Many ’seas’ in the Capital City are actually lakes... In winter when the lake freezes, many people come here to ice skate. Sometimes, the palace also holds grand ice-playing events here. The Imperial Guard and the Five City Armed Forces Office personnel all participate..."
The carriage traveled westward and eventually stopped by a lake filled with blooming lotuses.
Yuan Yunzhong helped Song Jiyun out of the carriage, holding an umbrella, and they meandered into an alley, stopping in front of a black-lacquered Ruyi Gate.
The gate was half-open, revealing a bamboo grove inside.
Yuan Yunzhong led her inside.
Inside were pavilions and towers, surprisingly forming a restaurant.
"It serves Sichuan cuisine," Yuan Yunzhong said as they sat down in a private room.
In the private room, just the two of them, there was a small round table, with red silk gauze papering the windows. Outside the window, a small bridge over flowing water provided a secluded path, and at a glance, one could mistake it for Jiangnan.
On their way here, apart from the guide servant, they had not encountered another soul.
Yuan Yunzhong handed her a menu written on flower paper, "Take a look, is there anything you’d like to eat?"
Song Jiyun noticed both boiled cabbage and spicy tofu on the menu, realizing they had encountered a top-tier Sichuan chef.
She asked the servant which dishes were the chef’s specialties and about the portions, ordered several dishes, and then handed the menu back to Yuan Yunzhong, saying, "You can order a few more dishes you like; that should be enough."
Yuan Yunzhong also followed the servant’s recommendations and chose several dishes he liked.
The servant served them tea, then tiptoed out quietly.
Yuan Yunzhong placed a piece of sugar-coated pastry on her plate, saying, "Next time, let’s go to the area around Qianfo Temple. There’s a place that serves Anhui Cuisine; you’ll definitely like it too."
Anhui Cuisine also features both spicy and light flavors.
A date where neither side compromises or settles is the most comfortable way to enjoy each other’s company.
Song Jiyun cheerfully agreed with a "Yes."
After their meal, Yuan Yunzhong took her to an alley famous for selling ink and paper, "This is where I often came when I was a child. I once even found a She inkstone here with caviar patterns, and it only cost me a dozen or so copper coins."
Song Jiyun thought he wanted to show her a place he liked.
Unexpectedly, he suddenly turned and led her into a Wenxuan store that sold calligraphy and paintings, and whispered to her, "The owner here is a failed Juren, but his family is in the tea business and very wealthy. In the past, to aid scholars who failed the imperial examinations, he would buy their calligraphy and paintings at high prices. Hence, he is quite renowned among the literati of the Capital City.
"My maternal grandfather’s several classmates had once quietly sold their artwork here.
"Here, you can often find good calligraphy and paintings.
"Isn’t Jingde Town short of painters? Let’s take our time to find some, then buy a batch to bring back, compile them into a collection, and maybe even create a Porcelain Manual to pass down to future generations!"
The ownership of calligraphy and paintings at that time was determined by signatures, and once bought, they were exclusive to the purchaser’s household and could not be used by others.
Was Yuan Yunzhong setting off fireworks of plans for their life to move to Jingde Town?
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