Chapter 85: Just You and Me
Passing through Academy Street and entering the tea house, Wan Jing obediently stood with her hands clasped behind her back to Shi Gun’s side. Li Xiaonan sized up Gu Yan.
Gu Yan wore only a jade hairpin on his head, a dark green brocade quilted water-patterned long gown, and a jade belt, looking radiant.
It was as if after the New Year, he had become even younger and more energetic!
Meeting Li Xiaonan’s gaze, Gu Yan extended his folding fan, but before it could touch Li Xiaonan, he immediately retracted it, twirling it a few times between his fingers, and snorted, “What are you looking at?”
“You’re wearing so little, aren’t you cold?” Li Xiaonan walked around Gu Yan towards the table where tea cups and pastries had already been set out.
“You’ve changed out of your cotton-padded jacket, so of course you’re not cold. It looks like your preserved egg business has made a lot of money, you’re all wearing fine cloth now.” Gu Yan followed Li Xiaonan, twirling his folding fan.
“These are New Year’s clothes. Our preserved egg business has indeed earned a lot of copper coins. Sister-in-law Yin said it’s all thanks to you.” Li Xiaonan sat down and looked at Gu Yan, “The whole of Pingjiang City knows your household buys preserved eggs and salted eggs from our preserved egg business.”
“Are you thanking me?” Gu Yan raised an eyebrow and smiled.
“Yes.” Li Xiaonan looked solemn.
Gu Yan was momentarily taken aback, then chuckled, “You’re welcome, it was just a small effort.”
“I am very proficient in the investigation of things, but someone like you, among the top ten most noble and powerful people in the world, if you wanted to find someone proficient in the investigation of things, you could find a whole heap of people stronger than me.
“You asked me to teach you, but you never listened attentively. You weren’t actually trying to learn the investigation of things from me.
“You asked me to teach Mr. Qian.” Li Xiaonan paused, glancing sideways at Gu Yan, “I think you weren’t actually trying to get me to teach anything, you were just trying to make use of me.”
Gu Yan was choked by Li Xiaonan’s accusation of “making use of me.” He extended his folding fan towards Li Xiaonan, tapping it incessantly on the table.
Li Xiaonan didn’t look at the folding fan, staring at Gu Yan, and continued before him, “You asked me to teach, to teach Mr. Qian, you just wanted an excuse to give me silver. You’re so good to me, what’s your motive? Can you just say it?”
Gu Yan waved his hand.
Shi Gun quickly signaled for everyone to retreat.
“You’ve laid out your points so clearly, then you go ahead and tell me, what aspects of you are worth my scheming for?” Gu Yan slapped his folding fan on the table.
“If there are none, then why are you so good to me? Is it because you said we have fate? Is it because you know my brother always secretly gives his eggs to me?” Li Xiaonan rested her arms on the table, her expression serious and earnest.
Gu Yan imitated Li Xiaonan, placing his arms on the table, leaning forward, looking at Gu Yan, and nodding seriously and earnestly, “Yes.”
“Then how long do you plan to take care of me? A few months? A few years? Or, until my life is better and I don’t have to worry about anything anymore? Then what kind of life do you think would be considered a good life for me?” Li Xiaonan continued to ask.
“This past twelfth and first lunar month, did you do nothing but think about this?” Gu Yan looked at Li Xiaonan speechlessly.
“Yes, more or less.” Li Xiaonan nodded.
“I told you once, do you want me to say it again?” Gu Yan wanted to sigh.
Li Xiaonan furrowed her brows, thinking back carefully, and hesitantly said, “You haven’t told me, have you? Why don’t I remember?”
Gu Yan slowly took a breath, suppressing the urge to hit Li Xiaonan on the head with his folding fan. He extended his finger towards Li Xiaonan, pointing at her, and then slapped it onto the table, “Someone like you, so dull and foolish, yet surprisingly bold, until when do you say I should take care of you?”
Li Xiaonan cupped her chin with one hand, looking at Gu Yan. After a moment, she sighed, “I know you know that my brother gives me his eggs, and you know what that means. You asked me where my poetic inspiration went. You know more than I do, right? Is it because of this? Is there anyone else?”
“No one else, just you and me.” Gu Yan was silent for a moment, then said softly.
“Mm.” Li Xiaonan cupped her chin with both hands, looking at Gu Yan, and sighed leisurely, “No wonder the first time I met you, I wasn’t afraid of you at all. I just felt I could trust you.”
“Which time counts as the first time? The Hangzhou Imperial Examination Hall? Or when you were eagerly eyeing the Crab Shell Yellow pastries?” Gu Yan said with a smile.
“The time you bumped into us! That time at the Imperial Examination Hall doesn’t count, I didn’t even see you.”
“Oh~” Gu Yan drew out the sound, “Didn’t you call me a scoundrel that time?”
“I said you were a scoundrel, not that you were a liar!”
“Wu Nong Soft Language is really pleasant to hear, you should speak the Official Language.”
“Our preserved egg business is quite profitable. In the future, you don’t need to find ways to give me silver. If you want me to teach that Mr. Qian, I’ll teach him as much as he can learn, for free, as thanks for helping our business.” Li Xiaonan switched back to the Official Language.
“His surname isn’t Qian, it’s Niu, Niu Cheqian. You can’t not accept tuition for teaching him. If I need to ask you for advice on anything, I won’t give you silver.” Gu Yan said with a smile.
“Okay!” Li Xiaonan quickly agreed.
The tuition for teaching Mr. Qian—Niu Cheqian—was the main expense!
Gu Yan glanced at Li Xiaonan, who was smiling brightly after saying “Okay,” and let out a faint hum.
This little girl is truly blinded by money!
“Have you found a business to get rich with?” Gu Yan tapped the table and asked.
“My brother is engaged to Miss Zhi from Mr. Gao’s family, you know that, right?” Li Xiaonan looked at Gu Yan.
“Mm.” Gu Yan unfolded his folding fan, waiting leisurely for Li Xiaonan to continue.
“During the New Year, I went with Eldest Sister to Mr. Gao’s house for a New Year’s visit and saw Miss Zhi’s newly bought six-heddle loom. Do you know what a heddle is?”
Gu Yan glanced sideways at Li Xiaonan and snorted. He couldn’t be bothered to answer her foolish question.
“The jacquard fabric woven by that six-heddle loom is very fine and soft, and very beautiful. A few days ago, my Third Sister and I went to the fabric market, and there was a sister there using an eight-heddle loom to weave fabric, which was even finer, softer, and more beautiful than what Miss Zhi weaves.
“Miss Zhi and the sister at the fabric market both said they weave jacquard fabric themselves because ready-made jacquard fabric is too expensive.
“In our Kunshan County’s fabric markets, there is coarse cloth and fine cloth, but no jacquard fabric. In Pingjiang City’s fabric markets, more than half are silk, and there is also wool fabric, and there is jacquard fabric, but no coarse or fine cloth woven by rural people.
“What business do you want to do? Jacquard fabric?” Gu Yan asked.
“We haven’t reached the stage of doing business yet. I just find it strange, why is jacquard fabric so expensive? Miss Zhi said that if you buy the yarn and weave it yourself, it’s only forty percent of the selling price.” Li Xiaonan furrowed her brows and looked at Gu Yan.
According to economic principles, unless it’s a monopoly, such a large profit margin would have long ago been squeezed by incoming merchants, driving the profit down to a normal level.
Gu Yan frowned, then after a moment, shook his head, “I haven’t paid attention to these things. I’ll have someone inquire.”
“No need!” Li Xiaonan quickly waved her hand, “I’m just telling you, I’ll find the reason myself.”
Hearing “I’m just telling you,” Gu Yan’s lips curled up, his smile deepening. After thinking for a moment, he said with a smile, “Shall I take you to see a weaving workshop?”
“Okay!” Li Xiaonan’s eyes lit up, and she nodded quickly.
………………………………
Explanation: “I said you were a scoundrel, not that you were a liar.”
Please allow me to owe another chapter, I will definitely repay it. It will be repaid this week.
