Un corazón puro en una vasija de jade

Capítulo 130

"How could I not come back? Wait for me. After I pawn this painting, I won't go out anymore. I'll stay home and teach you how to paint fake paintings for fun! Oh, and how about we raise a pig? Like that little pig, it'll be fun. By the time the piglet grows into a big pig, the city gates will probably be open, and then we'll leave."

"Okay." Yuepo never seemed to refuse her requests.

Yongye carefully mounted the painting and then spent a hefty five taels of silver on a finely carved sandalwood box before excitedly carrying it to Dachanghao. She proudly placed the sandalwood box on the counter: "I'll pawn it for a thousand taels! I desperately need the money!"

The clerk had long forgotten that he had spent twenty taels of silver to pick up a top-grade Tianhuang stone worth a hundred taels last time. He was startled when the man came to his door and asked to pawn it for a thousand taels. He reached out to open the sandalwood box, but Yongye put his hand on the box, raised his chin and asked, "Have you washed your hands?"

Chao Feng was taken aback and was about to make a sarcastic remark when Yong Ye raised an eyebrow and said, "This is Master Chen's calligraphy. You only accept tattered and worn-out things. What if you get it dirty?"

The clerk's neck turned red from her choking. Upon hearing that it was a painting by Master Chen, he glanced at Yongye suspiciously, but actually wiped his hands with a snow-white towel before carefully opening the box and unfolding the painting.

Inside was another large-scale blue-green ink landscape painting. He examined it closely, his eyes nearly popping out of his head as he stared at the signature and seal. After a long pause, he exhaled and respectfully asked, "Young master, where did you obtain this painting?"

"You don't need to know where I got it from. Anyway, it wasn't stolen or robbed. Just check if the painting is real and give it to me as money!" Yongye said impatiently.

“Young master, please don’t be anxious. It’s just that Master Chen’s paintings are rarely seen in the world. I’m not good at judging them. Please wait a moment, young master. I will go and invite the chief appraiser!” The appraiser said as he stepped down from the high counter and went to the inner courtyard.

A moment later, a sprightly old man with gleaming eyes entered. He picked up the painting and examined it closely, finally saying after a long while, "Young master, are you sure you want to die?"

"I'm short of money, so I have no choice but to pawn it!" Yongye sighed, looked at the painting with reluctance, hesitated for a moment, and then seemed to have made up his mind.

“Excellent! My master also greatly admires Master Chen’s paintings. He’ll offer a thousand taels of silver, no questions asked! Young master, have you thought it through?” The Grand Master asked again, his face beaming with delight.

"Damn it! Out of sight, out of mind!" Yongye muttered impatiently, glancing at the painting again, seemingly very reluctant to part with it.

The Grand Master immediately wrote a pawn ticket, signed a thousand taels of silver, handed it to Yongye, and happily took the painting away.

Yongye shrugged. It seemed that making a living was easy in ancient times.

She remembered that she wanted to buy women's clothing, so she asked the largest silk shop in Shengjing and went there.

Three or four girls were whispering in the shop. Judging from their clothes, they must be from a wealthy family in Shengjing.

"I heard that Princess Yong'an of Anguo has not been found yet!"

"...I heard it was the people from the Wandering Valley who kidnapped them..."

"What does she look like? I heard she didn't wear a wedding dress and even came to Qi in men's clothing. What kind of behavior is this? How can she be worthy of the Crown Prince!"

Yongye shrugged, neither confirming nor denying. She had excellent hearing and overheard the women's conversation clearly. She couldn't help but chuckle. Prince Yan was handsome, gentle, of noble birth, and single—naturally, he was the ideal son-in-law sought after by high-ranking noble families. She didn't dislike Prince Yan, nor did she have any intention of marrying him; having already left, it was no longer her concern.

She took a fancy to a light purple silk and a moon-white fabric with a subtle floral pattern. Purple was a color she was used to, but Yongye chose the moon-white fabric. She thought that moon-white would suit Yuepo perfectly.

When the silk shop owner heard that Yongye wanted to have a garment made from the fabric, he smiled and asked, "May I ask what the young lady's measurements are?"

"Ah..." Yongye froze. Yuepo had disguised her as a dark-faced boy; surely she wouldn't say she was taking his measurements? He opened his mouth, staring blankly at the fabric, then sighed and said, "I wanted to surprise my sweetheart, but I can't take her measurements. Does the shopkeeper have any ready-made ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress)? I'll buy another one..."

"The measurements taken according to this young master's dimensions are certainly accurate."

Yongye's hand trembled, and he forced a smile, saying, "Young master, you must be joking. Boss, I won't buy it. I'll come back another day after I get the size." He lowered his head and was about to leave.

A long sword blocked her way. Feng Yangxi looked at her coldly, his gaze both cold and angry, filled with hatred. Although he had a full beard, Yongye could still clearly see his mouth move, as if he was grinding his teeth.

"Young master... what do you mean?" Yongye was sweating profusely, and his words were trembling and he could hardly speak.

Feng Yangxi smiled and said, "It's nothing. I have a cousin who is about the same size as you, and she asked me to help her choose a piece of fabric to make a dress. This fabric will do. Please take her measurements. Surely you won't refuse to help me?"

"Hehe..." Yongye chuckled dryly. Feng Yangxi was clearly pointing at a piece of light purple silk; he recognized him. Yongye felt incredibly unlucky.

She quickly glanced outside.

"Young Master Yan is not here, so I am alone. If you cooperate, I will reward you handsomely. If not..."

"Measure! Boss, hurry up and take my measurements, make a nice outfit for this young master Feng's cousin!" Yongye interrupted Feng Yangxi, implying that there was still room for compromise, and that he could only be pragmatic.

After taking her measurements, the shopkeeper shook his head, saying, "Your cousin is tall but as thin as paper..." His gaze swept over Yongye's chest. Yongye's face flushed red. She had simply disguised herself as a boy and bound her chest despite the sweltering heat; what did he mean by "as thin as paper"? Then she heard Feng Yangxi's muffled laughter. Furious, she said coldly, "I have other matters to attend to. I won't disturb you any longer as you buy clothes for your cousin. Farewell!"

"Wait, thank you for your help, young master. After I finish explaining to the shopkeeper, I'll invite you for tea." Feng Yangxi grabbed Yongye with one hand, took out some silver to pay the shopkeeper, and arranged a day to pick up the clothes. However, he glanced at Yongye, as if to tell her to behave herself.

Yongye was on the verge of tears, her greatest fear being that Feng Yangxi would recognize her as Xinghun. She had fought Feng Yangxi before, and her lightness skill and hidden weapons were no match for him. Therefore, she could only follow Feng Yangxi dejectedly.

Walking into a dead-end alley, Feng Yangxi finally let go of her hand and said coldly, "The search outside is in complete chaos, but the princess is painting, shopping, and buying clothes. She's living a carefree life!"

"What business is it of yours what I do with Prince Yan!"

“Originally, it was none of my business. But once you entered Jiguzhai, it became my business.” Feng Yangxi said with a complicated look in her eyes and a hint of sarcasm, “I didn’t just happen to run into you at the silk shop; I followed you all the way from Jiguzhai.”

"You won't hand me over to Prince Yan?"

"That depends on how the princess cooperates with me."

Yongye raised an eyebrow, unsure of his meaning. He snorted and said, "Why should I cooperate with you?"

"Does the princess not care about Princess Rose at all?"

Yongye was stunned.

She wanted to selfishly ignore Rose and Wandering Valley, leave the capital with Moon Soul, and live like that for the rest of her life. But Rose was a thorn in her heart.

If she hadn't fallen for her, Qiangwei wouldn't have infiltrated Chen's ranks. If she hadn't tricked Qiangwei and Yuepo into going to retrieve Mo Xuyou's antidote for the Gu poison, Qiangwei wouldn't have fallen into Youli Valley's hands.

She remembered what the princess had said: the Lady of Jing'an Marquis had fallen ill with longing. Would Rose fare well in Youli Valley's hands? Yongye's suppressed kindness resurfaced.

She looked at Feng Yangxi and asked, "Do you know where Rose is?"

Feng Yangxi nodded.

"Why didn't you rescue Qiangwei when you knew her whereabouts, Master Feng?"