Xuanyun Textile

Qian Bochou glanced at Xu Xiaogang, seeing the relaxed expression on his face, and said with a chuckle, "A big shot like Lord Xu isn't worried about offending the Prince of Su's manor."

"Why should we worry?"

Xu Xiaogang said indifferently, "I'm here on official business. Once it's done, I'll pack up and return to the Capital City. What's there to worry about?"

"If he has the ability, let him come to the Capital City and cause trouble for the Imperial Guards."

Qian Bochou's expression stiffened slightly, then he suggested, "How about after we return to Nanzhou Prefecture, we go to the Prince of Su's manor to deliver some gifts? I know a steward there..."

Jiang Yun shook his head, "Wouldn't that make it obvious that we know the Prince of Su's manor is colluding with evil people? We'd probably have an even worse outcome."

"This..." Qian Bochou felt a bit restless, then he slapped his forehead, his eyes lighting up, "Perhaps Tang Wanxin doesn't know our identities."

Jiang Yun gave him a look and couldn't help but say, "You shout at everyone, announcing 'I am the constable of Nanzhou Prefecture.' How could she not know who you are?"

Qian Bochou scratched his head awkwardly, "Did I?"

Jiang Yun took a deep breath. For now, all they could do was return to Nanzhou Prefecture.

Perhaps he was being too cautious. Just as Qian Bochou said, the Prince of Su's manor was powerful and influential. Was it worth their while to contend with insignificant figures like them?

But Jiang Yun understood that he had to consider the worst-case scenario for everything, so that he wouldn't be caught off guard when danger struck.

He thought to himself, hoping he was just overthinking things.

The three of them arrived at Beihu County late that night. After resting for a night, they set off for Nanzhou Prefecture early the next morning.

Dawn, the official road.

"Brother Jiang, you need to relax your body when riding a horse, don't be tense."

"Grip with your legs, and keep your feet steady on the stirrups."

"To stop, pull both reins back sharply at the same time. Be quick and forceful."

Jiang Yun was currently riding a white horse, learning to ride. This skill was like learning to drive in his previous life.

He didn't want to encounter any emergencies and end up hugging Qian Bochou's thick waist, getting bounced around.

Fortunately, these horses were specially trained, and the difficulty wasn't high.

As long as one was brave enough and grasped the basic techniques, they could learn by imitation.

It was just that the speed was truly unsatisfactory.

"Haha, Giddy up!"

Along the quiet official road, with lush green grass on both sides, two fast horses and one slow horse galloped towards Nanzhou Prefecture City.

Nanzhou Prefecture City was vast, with the Prefectural Yamen at its center. The entire city was a rare large city in the southern part of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Many merchants traveled here, and commerce was flourishing.

Xu Suwen was dressed in an ink-colored long skirt, with lifelike lotus embroidery on it.

Jiang Qiaoqiao, on the other hand, wore a thick padded jacket and held a string of candied hawthorns, with a rattle tucked into her waist.

Logically speaking, she was sixteen years old and long past the age of playing with rattles.

However, she had been working hard since she was young and dared not even dream of buying such toys.

When she was young and washing clothes by the river, she often saw other children her age playing with them. She could only cast an envious glance before continuing to wash clothes.

"Xuanyun Textile is up ahead. They have a lot of fabrics shipped from the Capital City. Let's go pick out a piece to make a new dress later," Xu Suwen said to Jiang Qiaoqiao with a smile.

Jiang Qiaoqiao heard this and quickly swallowed the candied hawthorn in her mouth, saying, "Sister Xu, you've already bought me so many things. Besides, the fabrics at Xuanyun Textile are too expensive."

Hearing this, Xu Suwen couldn't help but sigh, My sister is truly good.

Perhaps Jiang Qiaoqiao wasn't perfect, but compared to her own foolish brother...

She was sensible to an outrageous degree.

"It's fine, I have plenty of money."

Meanwhile, on the second floor of a tavern in Nanzhou Prefecture, Liu Xudong and several scholars were listening to the singer above, nodding their heads.

Their situation was not much different from Jiang Yun's earlier.

They were basically all supported by their families, and their every other word was about pursuing an Official Career.

But they couldn't concentrate on their studies at all. What could be more enjoyable than drinking and making merry?

Anyway, dressed as scholars, people outside would politely call them Tong Sheng.

Although these people were all supported by others, there was still a hierarchy of contempt within the group.

Those supported by their parents felt it was only natural.

They looked down on scholars whose wives earned money to support them.

And scholars supported by their wives looked down on Jiang Yun.

How could one let their sister earn money to support the family?

In short, Jiang Yun was at the very bottom of their hierarchy of contempt.

At this moment, the sound of footsteps echoed on the tavern stairs, and a scholar walked up quickly.

Liu Xudong's eyes lit up, and he said with a chuckle, "Brother Shen Xu, why are you only arriving now?"

"Brother Liu, I just saw Jiang Qiaoqiao."

Liu Xudong's eyebrows furrowed slightly and he said, "Jiang Qiaoqiao? Jiang Yun's sister?"

"I will eventually become an official. Originally, I felt sorry for Miss Jiang and planned to take her as a concubine, letting Jiang Yun rise to prominence with me."

"But that scoundrel Jiang Yun, disregarding our friendship, attacked me fiercely. I have already severed ties with him."

"From now on, no one is allowed to mention him!"

The scholar whispered, "I saw a beautiful woman holding Jiang Qiaoqiao's hand and entering Xuanyun Textile to pick out fabrics."

"That woman was extremely generous, rarely seen in my life."

Hearing this, Liu Xudong gritted his teeth and said, "It seems Jiang Yun has become a live-in son-in-law. He has no shame. For money, he can even do such a thing."

"Isn't that right? If we wanted to find a rich family to marry into, it would be an easy matter."

"I don't know how many rich young ladies like us scholars, but we scholars still have our pride."

The people at the table gritted their teeth in envy, but still put on a brave front.

After the scholar sat down, he sighed, "Brother Liu is truly broad-minded. When that woman bought fabrics, she even gave the shopkeeper of Xuanyun Textile ten taels of silver..."

"How much!" Liu Xudong slammed the table and stood up, dumbfounded. His eyes turned red as he said, "You guys drink first, I'm going to Xuanyun Textile."

The scholar asked doubtfully, "Brother Liu, what is it?"

Liu Xudong's eyes were red with envy, and he said in a deep voice, "Jiang Yun promised to marry Jiang Qiaoqiao to me as a concubine. Now Jiang Qiaoqiao dares to spend ten taels of silver outside to buy fabrics. How can this be tolerated? She's gone too far!"

Outside Xuanyun Textile, pedestrians bustled, making for a lively scene.

But inside the textile shop, it was quite quiet, as the fabrics were expensive, and ordinary people dared not enter.

In a private room within Xuanyun Textile, the shopkeeper was introducing fabrics to Xu Suwen and Jiang Qiaoqiao.

"These two sets of fabrics are Cloud Brocade and Shu Brocade, most suitable for making clothes. Miss truly has a discerning eye..."

Xu Suwen touched the fabric and nodded, asking, "How much silver?"

"Three taels per piece."

"Do you have anything better?"

The shopkeeper of Xuanyun Textile smiled broadly and respectfully said, "Yes, yes, yes! Someone, go and bring down the Xuan Brocade from the attic."

"This Xuan Brocade is our shop's treasure. We would never easily bring it out unless a distinguished guest arrived."

The environment inside Xuanyun Textile was excellent, with sandalwood burning, and a serene atmosphere pervading the air.

Jiang Qiaoqiao sat inside, somewhat nervously, looking out of place.

Just then, a commotion suddenly arose from outside the door. The shopkeeper frowned and asked loudly, "What is it?"

A waiter ran in, frowning and saying, "There's a scholar outside who insists on coming in."

The shopkeeper frowned, "A scholar?"

The waiter whispered, "A Tong Sheng."

"Then let him make a scene outside the shop. Drive him away."

The waiter glanced at Xu Suwen and Jiang Qiaoqiao and whispered, "That scholar claims that the distinguished guest surnamed Jiang is his concubine and ran to our Xuanyun Textile to buy fabrics without his permission..."

"He also said that the money these two young ladies spent on fabrics should be refunded to him."

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