Upon hearing this, Qin Hongxiu's hand holding the list trembled slightly.
She had spent many years in the Flower-Between Pavilion and was used to men saying sweet words.
Pu Yunshan was even concerned about whether they could leave safely.
Footsteps came from inside the back door.
Pu Yunshan gripped the sword hilt tightly and took a half-step forward with his toes.
The door was pushed open from the inside, hitting the wall with a dull thud.
The madam, wearing a bright red padded jacket and with her hair disheveled, rushed out of the door crying.
My girls!
Pu Yunshan drew his sword halfway out.
What are you doing!
The madam plunged into the group of courtesans, took out a handkerchief, and rubbed each of their hands.
"Kids, go to the Foot Care Hall and learn the trade properly. Anyone who slacks off or tries to cheat will be a disgrace to me."
Pu Yunshan slowly loosened his grip on the sword.
The madam went around giving instructions to each person. If someone was short of clothes, she told the maid to go back to the room and get a quilt. If someone was worried that their child would have nowhere to stay, she slipped them two pieces of silver.
He was yelling fiercely, but his eyes were constantly red.
"You're getting old; there aren't many good options for you to stay in this building."
The madam tightened the straps of a woman's bundle.
"The prince is willing to give you work, and even provides food and lodging. If you can go, then go."
"From now on, learn a skill, earn your own money, and no one will have to live a life of begging men for food."
After she finished speaking, she turned around and walked to Liu Ruyan.
He put away the handkerchief and bowed respectfully to her.
"Lady Liu, I'm handing the person over to you."
Please be understanding of their clumsiness.
Liu Ruyan nodded.
"Since you've signed the contract, you're now part of the Foot Care Hall. You can learn the skills if you don't know them."
She handed over a stack of contracts.
"Monthly salary, room and board, and days off are all written down; those who don't want to sign are not forced."
The madam took the contract and flipped through it.
"I've asked around, and no one is unwilling."
She looked up at the flower girls carrying bundles.
"Did you hear me? Once you're in the Foot Care Hall, don't cause me any trouble."
The flower girls huddled together, some laughing, some wiping away tears, and some clutching their children tightly, afraid that this new job would be gone in the blink of an eye.
Pu Yunshan stood to the side, his brows furrowed the whole time.
He had thought he was going to have a fight at the entrance of the Flower-Between Pavilion.
As a result, the madam cried harder than anyone else, and even personally inspected the straw mats on the donkey cart.
Tuoba Mang drove over in his carriage and saw Pu Yunshan standing there in a daze. He leaned out and asked a question.
" Pu Excellent, I saw you draw your sword and then put it back from afar. What kind of divine skill are you practicing?"
Pu Yunshan's face flushed.
"Practice to get a feel for it."
"You came here to practice your skills?"
"It's none of your business"
Tuoba Mang grinned.
"I don't care, I just want to catch the train."
Pu Yunshan glared at him, and Tuoba Mang immediately raised his hand to cover his mouth.
Okay, okay, I won't say anything more.
Qin Hongxiu arranged for the last flower girl to get into the carriage. When she turned around, she saw Pu Yunshan still guarding the steps.
The sun shone on his shoulders, the edge of his sword sheath was covered in wood dust, and his boots weren't clean.
Last night he measured the partition dimensions for the Foot Care Hall, and today he rushed to the Flower-Between Pavilion early again, without even having time to drink a sip of hot water.
She walked over and handed him the food box.
Are you hungry?
Pu Yunshan caught the food box and paused for a moment.
"Specially for me?"
"I ate the leftovers in the building, and I thought it would be a waste to throw them away."
"Hehe, I'm so happy that you thought of me first when you left your leftovers."
Qin Hongxiu was stunned.
This guy has a really strange way of thinking.
She had prepared it especially for him, but fearing he might overthink it, she deliberately said it was leftovers.
As a result, this guy started thinking even more.
"Alright, hurry up and eat."
Pu Yunshan opened the food box, revealing two layers inside. The top layer contained soup noodles, and the bottom layer held two pieces of osmanthus cake.
He took out the osmanthus cake and stuffed it into Qin Hongxiu's hand.
You eat this.
Qin Hongxiu did not answer.
Pu Yunshan looked up at her.
"What's wrong?"
Qin Hongxiu remained silent for a moment, then took out the jade sword tassel from her sleeve.
She straightened the red string and presented it to him with both hands.
" Young Master Pu, I still wish to return it to you."
Pu Yunshan's expression gradually darkened.
"Retreat again?"
Please let me finish.
"You say."
Qin Hongxiu gripped the sword tassel, her fingertips burning from the red rope.
"It's not that I don't want to get married, nor that I think you're not good enough."
Pu Yunshan's hand stopped on the handle of the food box.
Qin Hongxiu's voice was very soft.
"But I've worked at the Flower-Between Pavilion, seen too many ugly things, and done too many things I had no control over."
" Mount Qingcheng is a legitimate sect, and you are its young master."
"If I go back with you, what will people outside say? What will the elders in the mountains think? Will your father think I'm bringing shame to you?"
As she spoke, she gripped the sword tassel in her hand tighter and tighter.
I'm afraid that one day you'll regret it.
The alley was quiet.
The flower girls were already seated on the donkey cart, and no one urged them on.
Pu Yunshan stared at the sword tassel in her hand for a long while, then suddenly put his hands behind his back.
"I won't accept it."
Qin Hongxiu looked up.
" Young Master Pu."
"Don't ask me to accept it. I said I won't."
Pu Yunshan spoke quickly, but his ears grew increasingly red.
"I don't understand."
"I don't understand the rules of the Flower-Between Pavilion, nor do I understand the roundabout ways of city people."
He put the food box aside.
"I only know one thing: once I've set my mind on someone, I won't change my mind."
"As long as you feel unworthy, I'll wait."
Qin Hongxiu's eyes immediately reddened.
Pu Yunshan saw the tears in her eyes and spoke even more urgently.
"If you have to wait a year, I'll spend a year repairing the wall."
"You have to wait five years, and I'll keep the entrance, partitions, hot water room, and backyard roof of the Foot Care Hall perfectly repaired every day."
"Anyway, I signed a five-year contract, so I couldn't run away anyway."
Qin Hongxiu's lips moved slightly.
"But you are the young master of Mount Qingcheng."
"I've also been a handyman at the Prince's mansion for five years."
Pu Yunshan raised his chin.
These two things don't conflict.
Qin Hongxiu looked at him, wanting to laugh, but tears rolled down her cheeks first.
Don't cry.
"I didn't cry."
Your face is all wet.
"It was the wind."
Pu Yunshan looked around.
After struggling for a while, he finally managed to stammer out a reply.
"It's my fault for not shielding you from the wind."
Qin Hongxiu finally burst out laughing.
He lowered his head and put the sword tassel back into his sleeve, without handing it over again.
Seeing that she had put it away, Pu Yunshan felt a great weight lifted from his chest and picked up the food box.
"Come on, I'll go install the signboard for the Foot Care Hall."
" Young Master Pu."
"Um?"
"You still need to fix the partitions for Song Wan and the others this afternoon."
"I know."
"Finish the soup noodles first."
Pu Yunshan looked down at the food box, then at her.
"Will you eat with me?"
Qin Hongxiu nodded.
The two sat on a wooden box at the entrance of the alley, with the food box placed in the middle.
A bowl of soup noodles, two pieces of osmanthus cake, and no one mentioned the sword tassel again.
Liu Ruyan finished checking the last contract not far away, looked up and saw Pu Yunshan put a mung bean cake on Qin Hongxiu, which Qin Hongxiu then put back. She couldn't help but shake her head.
"These two people."
Tuoba Mang drove his donkey cart past, grinning as he asked her.
"Do you think Pu Excellent are being manipulated by this girl?"
Liu Ruyan looked at the couple at the alley entrance.
"He's happy to. Alright, let's go, let them stay here and be lovey-dovey."