Chapter 44: Sharing This Moment
Half an hour later, Li Xiaonan, holding a tael of silver nuggets, ran out of the tea house.
Gu Yan stood up, slowly walked to the tea house entrance, and watched Li Xiaonan dash into Cai Lian Lane. He turned around, pointed his folding fan at the shopkeeper who was bowing his head, “Work hard and do good business.” After speaking, he left the tea house and rode away on his horse.
Li Xiaonan ran all the way home, slammed the courtyard gate shut, and met Li Yin Zhu, who rushed forward. She opened her hands and presented the exquisite silver nugget to Li Yin Zhu.
“Is this silver? Why is it so pretty?” Li Yin Zhu stretched her neck, looking at the silver nugget for half a circle.
“This is called a silver nugget, and they say it’s called ‘Together at this moment’.” Li Xiaonan stuffed the silver nugget into Li Yin Zhu’s hand.
Li Yin Zhu hurriedly opened her palm, carefully held up the silver nugget, and examined it closely.
“It looks like two little dogs. Why is it called ‘Together at this moment’? What does ‘Together at this moment’ mean?” Li Yin Zhu looked around but didn’t understand.
“I don’t know either. I don’t know if it’s heavy enough.” Li Xiaonan reached out, picked up the silver nugget, and weighed it.
“That person is so good-looking, it must be enough,” Li Yin Zhu said with certainty.
Li Xiaonan pouted, weighed it again, pulled out the sachet tied to her half-skirt, and put the silver in it.
This sachet was secretly sewn for Li Xiaonan by Li Yin Zhu using a few pieces of old cloth. It wasn’t pretty but was very sturdy. This sachet had always been empty, and now it was finally being used.
“Are you really not telling Eldest Sister?” Li Yin Zhu watched Li Xiaonan tie the sachet tightly and put it into her half-skirt.
“How can I tell Eldest Sister? Will Eldest Sister be at ease?” Li Xiaonan glanced at her Third Sister.
“One tael of silver!” Li Yin Zhu pointed to the location of the sachet.
“If he can come again tomorrow, then we’ll have two taels. Third Sister, if we get another tael of silver tomorrow, let’s go eat Crab Shell Yellow pastries, two each!” Li Xiaonan said with a smile.
“You’re just thinking of good things. One tael today, another tael tomorrow. One tael a day, where can anyone get so much silver?
“We’re not eating Crab Shell Yellow pastries. They’re so tiny, ten large coins! That’s a rip-off!” Li Yin Zhu shook her head firmly.
Li Xiaonan patted her Third Sister, “Third Sister, when you marry into the Hong Family, ask Hong Er to buy you a pile of Crab Shell Yellow pastries. Eat as much as you want, you can even eat one and throw one away!”
“Look at what you’re saying! This isn’t getting married, this is madness!” Li Yin Zhu gave Li Xiaonan a glare.
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Wan Jing followed in Gu Yan’s entourage. They dismounted at the second gate of the villa, walked through a long corridor, and entered the corner gate of the East Garden.
The East Garden is centered around the East Garden Lake. Although the East Garden Lake is where the villa is used for growing lotus roots and raising fish, the scenery is exceptionally beautiful. One side of the lake is full of hydrangeas. The hydrangeas are now old in color, but they have a different charm.
Wan Jing walked along the East Garden Lake, looking around. The beautiful scenery before her made Wan Jing feel much better.
In a warm pavilion extending into the lake by the lakeside, the doors and windows facing the East Garden Lake were wide open. Miss Shi sat by the window, holding a fishing rod, concentrating on fishing.
Pan Shihui sat next to Miss Shi, her fishing rod propped on a stand. She twisted her head and spoke to Sixth Mistress Wei, Wei Shuqing.
Beside them, Fourth Mistress Wei, Wei Shulin, was reading a poetry collection to her youngest sister, Wei Shumei.
“Huh, is that Wan Jing?” Miss Shi suddenly exclaimed.
“Let me see!” Pan Shihui immediately stood up and craned her neck to look outside.
“It’s Wan Jing. It’s close to Cousin’s courtyard here. She’s probably free and came out to stroll in the garden. Cousin isn’t home today,” Wei Shuqing said, standing up with Pan Shihui.
“This morning, Second Aunt said the window screens weren’t bright enough, so I asked someone to inquire if Wan Jing had any other screens. They said she went out with the Young Lord,” Miss Shi said with a smile.
“Huh! I asked him to accompany us to watch the opera yesterday, and he said he had official business today. He’s taking Wan Jing to do official business? What kind of official business is that?” Pan Shihui became curious.
“Taking Wan Jing, it must be to look at fabric, right?” Wei Shuqing guessed.
“Call her over and ask what new fabrics there are!” Pan Shihui turned and ordered a maid, “Go and ask Miss Wan Jing to come over for a moment.”
Wan Jing followed the little girl into the warm pavilion and curtsied to each of them.
“You went out with the Young Lord? What did you do? Were you looking at fabric? Are there any new fabrics?”
As Wan Jing was curtsying, Pan Shihui impatiently asked.
“Replying to Ninth Mistress,” Wan Jing lowered her eyes, “Our household rules do not permit speaking of the masters’ words or whereabouts. Our Young Lord has the strictest rules, so please forgive me, Ninth Mistress.”
“Oh! Then you really did go out with Cousin!” Wei Shuqing said with a smile.
Fourth Mistress Wei Shulin frowned and lightly hit Wei Shuqing with a book, “You’re so clever!”
“Sixth Mistress, please forgive me.” Wan Jing lowered her eyes and curtsied to Wei Shuqing.
“You’re back, so has the Young Lord returned too?” Pan Shihui asked with a smile again.
“If you want to know if the Young Lord has returned, you can just send someone to check. Why trouble her,” Miss Shi gently patted Pan Shihui and said to Wan Jing with a smile, “You can go back and rest.”
“Yes, thank you, Eldest Miss. This servant takes her leave.” Wan Jing lowered her eyes and hands, withdrew from the warm pavilion, took a few more steps back, and turned to leave.
“I’m going to check! If the Young Lord has returned, then he can accompany us to the tea house to watch the opera!” Pan Shihui instructed, then, holding up her skirt, she ran off to find Gu Yan.
“Let’s go take a look too.” Miss Shi stood up, pointed at Pan Shihui, and said with a helpless expression.
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Glossary:
Together at this moment: A traditional auspicious pattern, two little lions playing together. The pattern is widely used.
After dark, waiting for ingredients, it’s raining…
Sigh.
Don’t rush me recently, I won’t stop, it will just be a little late.
