Qian Bochou glanced at Xu Xiaogang and saw how relaxed he looked. He chuckled. "A big shot like Lord Xu isn't even worried about offending Prince Su's Mansion."
"What have the two of us got to worry about?"
Xu Xiaogang said calmly, "I'm here on official business. Once it's done, I'll dust off my hands and head straight back to the capital. What's there to worry about?"
"If he's got the nerve, he can come to the capital and pick a fight with the Imperial Guards."
Qian Bochou's expression stiffened a little. Then he suggested, "How about we go to Prince Su's Mansion and pay our respects once we're back in Nanzhou Prefecture? I know one of their stewards..."
Jiang Yun shook his head. "Wouldn't that make it obvious that we know Prince Su's Mansion is conspiring with evil people? We'd probably end up in even worse trouble."
"This..." Qian Bochou shifted uneasily. Then he slapped his forehead, his eyes lighting up. "Maybe Tang Wanxin doesn't know who we are."
Jiang Yun shot him a look and couldn't help saying, "You shout at the top of your lungs everywhere you go that you're the head constable of Nanzhou Prefecture. How could she not know who you are?"
Qian Bochou scratched his head awkwardly. "Do I?"
Jiang Yun drew a deep breath. For now, all they could do was return to Nanzhou Prefecture and see what happened.
Maybe he was being too cautious. As Qian Bochou had said, Prince Su's Mansion was a powerful household with vast assets. Why would they bother picking a fight with a nobody like him?
But Jiang Yun knew he had to think through the worst-case scenario. That way, if danger came, he wouldn't be thrown into a panic.
He thought to himself, I hope I'm just worrying over nothing.
The three of them reached Beihu County late that night. After resting for the night, they set out for Nanzhou Prefecture early the next morning.
Early morning, on the official road.
"Brother Jiang, relax when you ride. Don't tense up."
"Squeeze your legs tight and keep your feet steady in the stirrups."
"To pull up and stop, tug both reins hard at the same time. Be quick and put your back into it."
Jiang Yun was riding a white horse, learning how to ride. This skill was just like learning to drive in his previous life.
He didn't want to get caught in an emergency and end up clinging to Qian Bochou's thick waist, bouncing around all over again.
Fortunately, these horses had been specially trained, so it wasn't all that difficult.
As long as you were bold enough and got the hang of the basics, you could follow along well enough.
The only problem was that the pace was painfully slow.
"Ha! Giddyup!"
The quiet official road stretched between lush green grass. Two swift horses and one slow one headed for the Prefecture City of Nanzhou Prefecture.
The Prefecture City covered a vast area, with the prefectural office at its center. It was one of the rare large cities in the south of Great Zhou.
Merchants flocked there, and business was thriving.
Xu Suwen wore a long, ink-wash-colored dress, its lotus embroidery so lifelike it seemed ready to bloom.
Jiang Qiaoqiao wore a thick cotton-padded jacket. She held a skewer of candied hawthorns, and a pellet drum was tucked at her waist.
She was sixteen, well past the age when girls usually played with pellet drums.
But she had worked hard since she was little and had never dared hope she could buy toys like these.
When she was young and washing clothes by the river, she would often see other children her age playing with them. She would envy them for a moment, then lower her head and keep washing.
"Xuanyun Textile is just ahead. They have lots of fabrics shipped from the capital. Let's pick one out and have you a new outfit made," Xu Suwen said to Jiang Qiaoqiao with a smile.
At that, Jiang Qiaoqiao hurriedly swallowed her candied hawthorn and said, "Sister Xu, you've already bought me so many things. Besides, fabric from Xuanyun Textile is too expensive."
Xu Suwen sighed inwardly. A younger sister really was a blessing.
Jiang Qiaoqiao might not be perfect, but compared with her stupid younger brother...
She was so sensible it was almost outrageous.
"It's fine. I have plenty of money."
At the same time, on the second floor of a tavern in Nanzhou Prefecture, Liu Xudong and several scholars were listening to the songstress below, swaying their heads along to the tune.
Their circumstances weren't much different from Jiang Yun's before.
Most were supported by their families. They talked endlessly about passing the examinations and earning official titles.
But they could barely bring themselves to study. Drinking and merrymaking were far more entertaining.
As long as they dressed like scholars, people out and about would politely call them Tong Sheng.
Although these men were all supported by someone else, there was still a hierarchy of scorn among them.
Those whose parents supported them thought it was only right and proper.
They looked down on scholars whose wives earned money to support them.
And the scholars supported by their wives looked down on Jiang Yun.
What kind of man let his younger sister earn money to support the household?
In short, Jiang Yun was at the very bottom of their pecking order.
Just then, footsteps thudded up the tavern stairs, and a scholar hurried over.
Liu Xudong's eyes lit up. He said with a grin, "Brother Shen, what took you so long?"
"Brother Liu, I just saw Jiang Qiaoqiao."
Liu Xudong's brows creased. "Jiang Qiaoqiao? Jiang Yun's younger sister?"
"I'm destined to pass the examinations and become an official. I took pity on the Jiang girl and planned to take her as a concubine, so Jiang Yun could ride my coattails to riches and glory."
"But that ingrate Jiang Yun ignored our friendship and beat me up. I've cut ties with him for good."
"From now on, no one is to mention him!"
The scholar lowered his voice. "I saw a beautiful woman holding Jiang Qiaoqiao's hand as they went into Xuanyun Textile to look at fabric."
"That woman spent money like water. I've never seen the like."
At that, Liu Xudong gritted his teeth. "Looks like Jiang Yun married into her family. He has no shame at all—he'd even become a live-in son-in-law for money."
"Exactly. If we wanted to marry into a rich family, it would be a piece of cake."
"How many rich young ladies adore bookish men like us? But we scholars have our dignity."
The men around the table ground their teeth with envy, yet still refused to back down.
After sitting down, the scholar sighed. "Brother Liu, you really are magnanimous. That woman bought fabric and tossed the shopkeeper at Xuanyun Textile ten taels of silver..."
"How much?" Liu Xudong shot to his feet with a bang, his eyes wide. His eyes reddened as he said, "Keep drinking. I'm going to Xuanyun Textile."
The scholar stared at him in confusion. "Brother Liu, what are you doing?"
His eyes red with envy, Liu Xudong said in a low voice, "Jiang Yun promised to give Jiang Qiaoqiao to me as a concubine. Now she dares to spend ten taels on fabric out in the open? What's gotten into her? Has she gone mad?"
Outside Xuanyun Textile, the streets were bustling with people.
Inside, however, it was quiet. The fabric was so expensive that ordinary people didn't dare set foot in the shop.
In a private room at Xuanyun Textile, the shopkeeper was showing Xu Suwen and Jiang Qiaoqiao some fabrics.
"These two bolts are Cloud Brocade and Shu Brocade. They're perfect for making clothes. Miss, you have an excellent eye..."
Xu Suwen ran her hand over the fabric, nodded, and asked, "How much?"
"Three taels of silver per bolt."
"Do you have anything better?"
The shopkeeper's face lit up with a broad, obsequious smile. "Of course, of course. Someone, bring down the Xuan Brocade from the upper floor."
"Xuan Brocade is the jewel of our shop. We'd never take it out lightly unless a distinguished guest came to visit."
The shop was beautifully appointed, with sandalwood incense burning and a tranquil fragrance drifting through the air.
Jiang Qiaoqiao sat inside, tense and ill at ease.
Just then, a commotion broke out outside the door. The shopkeeper frowned and called out, "What's going on?"
A shop assistant hurried in, frowning. "There's a scholar outside who insists on coming in."
The shopkeeper frowned. "A scholar?"
The assistant lowered his voice. "A Tong Sheng."
"Then why are you letting him make a scene outside? Get rid of him."
The assistant glanced at Xu Suwen and Jiang Qiaoqiao, then lowered his voice. "That scholar says this guest, Miss Jiang, is his concubine. He says she came to Xuanyun Textile to buy fabric without his permission..."
"He also says the silver those two young ladies spent on the fabric has to be returned to him."
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