Hidden Shadow – CH 074

Chapter Seventy-Four: Tokens of Love

An Jiu did not care about the mild insults at all. She woke up every time she wanted to look out the window, then went back to sleep.

Mo Sigui wanted to chat with An Jiu, but she remained unresponsive despite his hoarseness.

They set off early in the morning, hurrying as fast as they could, and finally entered the city before the gates closed.

The Mei family owned several residences in Bianjing. While none were as spacious and luxurious as those in Meihua Lane, they were all complete with pavilions and terraces, and the scenery was excellent.

The family arranged for them to stay in a small and exquisite residence. The main courtyard had a hall and a courtyard. The front courtyard was not large, but it had pine trees, bamboo groves, strange rocks, fragrant grass, and a small pond, creating a serene environment.

The rear residences did not have the obvious multiple courtyards typical of northern residences, but were divided into four buildings, nestled among artificial hills and groves. Three were living quarters, and one particularly secluded courtyard served as a study.

The snow-covered ground, unlike the lush greenery of summer, made the small, cramped space feel much warmer than the expansive buildings.

After settling in, Mo Sigui came to find An Jiu.

Because it was nearing the end of the year, shops were closing late, and the government had extended the curfew.

“We came out with the steward. We only have three days to buy New Year’s goods; we cannot waste them.” Mo Sigui practically dragged An Jiu into the carriage.

This small courtyard was located in a bustling area. An Jiu had barely settled into the carriage when she heard the lively sounds outside.

Yao-Ye brought out a veil, but An Jiu refused to wear it. She could cover her face when committing murder and arson, but why should she have to cover it up just to go shopping? Yao-Ye earnestly advised, “On the streets, only poor women and maids do not cover their faces. You must wear a veil.” Even the most attractive courtesans in brothels would wear veils and cloaks when they went out.

“Then I will go back and change into a maid’s outfit,” An Jiu frowned.

Yao-Ye thought to herself that she had never thought her young lady was so stubborn before. How come she’d become such a different person since she came back? People usually became more and more menacing when they’d taken lives, but the changes in her young lady went far beyond that!

“With your bearing… even in linen, you do not look like a maid. I beg you, please wear it,” Yao-Ye pleaded, looking at Mo Sigui with a distressed expression.

Mo Sigui, with a look of gleeful anticipation, said, “If you do not want to wear it, then do not! It is not a big deal!”

Yao-Ye’s face darkened. “Watch your words! Do not teach my young lady such bad things!”

Mo Sigui closed her folding fan. “Later, we will go to a tailor shop and buy you a men’s suit that fits your size. Tomorrow, you will not need to wear a veil when you go out. Just bear with it for now.”

“Alright,” An Jiu nodded.

Yao-Ye was overjoyed. All his grudges against Mo Sigui vanished instantly.

The group finally got out of the carriage.

Shops lined both sides of the street, lanterns lit in front, and vendors lined the street, their pots steaming with hot vapor.

An Jiu hesitated for a moment, then moved closer to a nearby stall.

Mo Sigui followed, seeing the stall owner making candy, and said, “Boss, two portions, please.” The stall owner, seeing the group dressed so elegantly… His face lit up instantly, and he eagerly responded, “Oh, what kind of fillings would you like, My Lord and My Young Lady? We have peanuts, sesame seeds, walnuts…”

Mo Sigui said. “One of each, please.”

“Please wait a moment.” The stall owner took out several clean sheets of oil paper, neatly tied five small packets about the size of a fist, and handed them to Yao-Ye beside him. “Fifty coins in total.” Ten coins for a small packet, containing only about four or five pieces.

Mo Sigui tossed in a small piece of silver. “The rest is your reward.”

“Thank you, My Lord!” The stall owner happily pocketed the silver.

An Jiu took a small packet from Yao-Ye, untied it, picked up a piece, and put it in her mouth.

“My Young Lady, you must not,” Yao-Ye whispered, trying to stop her. “Let’s find a private room to eat slowly.”

An Jiu ignored him. She continued stuffing candy into her mouth while moving closer to the stall next to her.

Seeing Mo Sigui’s generous spending, the pastry vendor grinned when An Jiu turned around. “My Young Lady, would you like to try these mung bean pastries? Though they are simple, it is good to try something new.”

“Two portions, please,” Mo Sigui said, leaning forward.

“Alright!”

In the blink of an eye, Yao-Ye had two more small bags in her hands.

Because she needed to attend to An Jiu at all times, she handed the bags to the servant beside her.

An Jiu popped the candies into her mouth one after another, visiting each stall.

After walking about seven or eight zhang, the arms of the servant beside her were already full. Yao-Ye initially thought An Jiu was unfamiliar with these things, but after a while, she realized that her mistress was easily swayed; as long as the stall owner greeted her with a smile, she would rush over. She had the servant carry the things she did not like, and Yao-Ye carry the things she did like.

Mo Sigui felt that An Jiu at this moment was practically like a five or six-year-old girl.

“My Young Lady, there’s still tomorrow,” Yao-Ye gently advised.

The group arrived at a restaurant. Mo Sigui glanced at the sky and said, “I have some business to attend to. You rest here for a while; I will be back in a couple of quarters.”

An Jiu asked Yao-Ye, “Do we have money?”

“Yes, plenty,” Yao-Ye replied.

Hearing that they had money, An Jiu led Yao-Ye into the restaurant. A group of guards followed them in, leaving only the two men sent by Elder Qi with Mo Sigui.

“Ungrateful wretch!” Mo Sigui patted his empty purse, heartbroken. He had just thought she was like a little girl; he was truly blind.

Upstairs, in a private room by the window, several elegantly dressed young men watched An Jiu’s sweeping shopping spree unfold before their eyes.

A young man in a long robe clicked his tongue. “Whose young lady is this? She’s a veritable female bandit!”

“What nonsense! She paid!” a slightly older man chuckled.

“Can you not see?” Another handsome young man in a blue brocade robe leaned against the window frame, his long, slender fingers holding a celadon wine cup, his eyes lowered as he looked down.

The crowd followed his gaze and saw a slender plum blossom on the carriage emblem.

“So it is the Mei family, no wonder,” one of them suddenly said, intrigued. “I’ve heard their daughters are all stunning beauties; why do we not go take a look?”

He looked at the young man in the blue robe and said with a grin, “Brother Rongjian, do you still dare?”

His words were met with a burst of laughter.

Last time, during their outing, they made a bet that the loser would have to go to a mass grave. Hua Rongjian, true to his word, went into the graveyard, but the group waited and waited outside without seeing him emerge.

Hua Rongjian was a direct descendant of the Hua family; if anything happened to him, they could not bear the responsibility! It was almost midnight, a time when, according to legend, the yin energy was at its strongest, so after discussing it, they hurriedly went inside to search. When they found Hua Rongjian, they saw him disheveled and laughed, accusing him of having an affair with a female ghost in the graveyard.

“This time it really is a young lady! If Brother Rongjian can do it like last time, we will truly be convinced,” someone teased.

Hua Rongjian put down his cup, stood up with a bright smile, and said, “You will see.”

“Are you really going?” The older man pulled him back. “They are just teasing you. Why are you acting so recklessly?”

“You’ve known me for a long time.” Hua Rongjian straightened his clothes, opened the door, and went out.

The man followed him out, whispering, “Rongjian, is your family not currently negotiating a marriage with the Mei family? If this causes trouble, Prime Minister Hua might not forgive you!”

Hua Rongjian was unconcerned. He grabbed a waiter, asked where the Mei family’s women were, and strode over.

Over there, An Jiu had just entered the private room, and Yao-Ye was about to close the door when a hand pressed down on her.

The two guards at the door did not even have time to stop him! “My name is Hua Rongjian, and I request an audience with Lady Mei,” he said.

Hua Rongjian was a full head taller than Yao-Ye. Yao-Ye looked up, and a handsome face with an unrestrained smile was almost within reach. His teeth were white and even, his lips clean, his face fair yet possessing a heroic air, and his eyes, though somewhat frivolous, were not wicked, making it difficult to feel any ill will towards him.

“Please, My Lord, show some respect,” Yao-Ye said. She did not need to ask An Jiu’s permission; what young man would come alone to visit a young woman of marriageable age?

“I have something I wish to ask Lady Mei. If it is inconvenient to go inside, you can ask outside, but…” Hua Rongjian smiled. “The content might be detrimental to your lady’s reputation.”

Yao-Ye’s mind raced slightly. “Whatever you wish to say, I can convey it to her. Please consider the reputation of both our families.”

“I will go back and write a letter, then have a servant deliver it,” Hua Rongjian said.

The room was not large, and An Jiu heard their conversation clearly. “Let him in!”

“Young lady!” Yao-Ye stood guard at the doorway.

“That’s an order,” An Jiu said calmly.

Yao-Ye bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside. The Mei family’s children often died young, so they did not value chastity and reputation as much as ordinary families; even if some bad rumors spread, it would not matter much.

Hua Rongjian entered the room and, through the crystal curtain, saw a slender woman drinking tea under the lamplight, with the Suzhou embroidery of bamboo rustling on the screen behind her.

Seeing Hua Rongjian raise his hand to lift the curtain, Yao-Ye quickly stepped in front of him, gesturing for a chair in the outer room. “Please sit, Master Hua.”

Hua Rongjian lowered his hand, turned, and sat down. “My Young Lady left me her jade pendant and handkerchief. Does she have feelings for me?”

Yao-Ye was pouring tea when she heard this; her hand trembled, and scalding tea spilled onto the table. “My Lord, you cannot talk nonsense!”

Jade pendants, handkerchiefs, and hairpins could all be considered tokens of love. If a man and woman exchanged these items without a betrothal ceremony, it was considered a secret transaction.

An Jiu remembered that she had indeed robbed Hua Rongjian at the mass grave, taking his jade pendant, handkerchief, and dagger…

However, Hua Rongjian’s purpose in appearing at the graveyard was suspicious, so she did not intend to admit it. “Do you recognize me?”

“Yes, do not get it wrong,” Yao-Ye said urgently.

“Fourteenth Young Lady,” Hua Rongjian immediately identified her.

An Jiu was somewhat surprised. She had never revealed her birth order within the Mei family, yet this person had said it so readily, indicating a deep understanding of the Mei family and likely knowledge of their clandestine dealings.

How should she respond in a meaningful way?