“Okay.” Nan Xuzong smiled. “I’ll do whatever you say. But we must get to the bottom of what happened between Jin Ruirui and Fusang. I’ll send someone to handle it.”
"Hmm. What are your plans regarding the Prince of Jinnan?" Ji Wushang asked, looking at him.
"How about we scare him a little?" Nan Xuzong stopped, turned to look at Ji Wushang, and smiled.
Ji Wushang looked at his smiling face and said, "Okay!"
Nan Xuzong smiled and carried the beauty into the Moxuan Garden.
Before long, the two had dressed up and left the Prince of Jinnan's residence.
Inside the carriage, the two were whispering sweet nothings to each other, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
"I'll take you out for a walk to clear your head," Nan Xuzong said with a smile, picking her up and placing her on his lap.
Ji Wushang rested her head on his chest, "It's so good to have you with me."
He gently stroked her dark hair, watching the phoenix jade hairpin return to her hair. A smile appeared on his lips. He took the phoenix jade hairpin from his own hair and then inserted it into Ji Wushang's hair. Ji Wushang was startled and turned to look at him. "What's wrong?" she asked, touching her own hair. The identical phoenix jade hairpin was now firmly in her hair.
“This is yours, you can wear it.” Nan Xuzong smiled. “How beautiful.” She had been deeply moved when she put this phoenix jade hairpin on her head at the top of the snow mountain.
"Here, wear one!" Ji Wushang said coquettishly, immediately taking one of the phoenix jade hairpins from her hair. She leaned forward to put it on him. "You gave me something, so I should give you something in return. This was given to me by my great-grandmother. It's an exact replica of the phoenix jade hairpin. Isn't this fate? So, if we die years later and walk across the Bridge of Helplessness, we'll recognize each other by the phoenix jade hairpin we're wearing. Then, we'll still be husband and wife." Her cherry lips moved slightly as she carefully placed the hairpin on his head.
Nan Xuzong smiled and said, "Okay. Let's promise to be husband and wife again in the next life and never forget the love we shared in this life."
Ji Wushang nodded and snuggled back into his arms.
“I’ve decided to have a jade bracelet made for you, to keep you by my side forever.” Nan Xuzong touched her wrist and then called out to Gong Shu, who was working as a groom outside, “Gong Shu, go to Jin Yutang.”
"Yes," Gong Shu replied from outside.
Ji Wushang was stunned. Jin Yutang, she had been to Jin Yutang before she was married. At that time, she was choosing a piece of glass jade for the old lady. There was a jade belt that ran across the whole piece of jade. It was very beautiful!
Ji Wushang then struggled to get up and told Nan Xuzong about what happened that day. Finally, he said, "What I'm wondering is why the shopkeeper said he would sell it for five hundred taels, but then said he would sell it to me for fifty taels the next second. I was really lucky back then!"
Nan Xuzong listened, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Really?" She probably didn't know that Jin Yutang was his business, right? Besides, he had happened to see her there and given the manager a wink... But thinking back now, he felt a surge of emotions. At the time, he could only say he had a crush on her and felt that he could help her out; he felt utterly unworthy of her. But now, they had been married for almost half a year.
Many things are unpredictable.
Nan Xuzong hugged her tighter. "Do you know I was there?" he whispered in her ear.
Ji Wushang was taken aback, then immediately asked in surprise, "That day, were you wearing a light yellowish-white robe?"
Nan Xuzong smiled, blinked slightly, and nodded.
"It was you! I was so curious, why did the shopkeeper suddenly lower the price for me back then! So it was you!" Ji Wushang poked his chest. "You were following me!"
“No.” Nan Xuzong smiled. “I happened to be in Jinyutang at the time.” He raised a smile. “Being able to win a beauty’s favor is worth any price.”
Ji Wushang laughed as she listened, hugging his lean waist. "Smooth talker." But she liked it!
Nan Xuzong chuckled and hugged her even tighter.
Upon arriving at Jin Yutang, the two went inside.
The shopkeeper looked at Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong and immediately stepped forward, "Yes, yes... young master!" He changed his words immediately when he saw the meaning in Nan Xuzong's eyes.
"I'll make a jade bracelet for my wife." Nan Xuzong smiled, the tenderness in his eyes meeting Ji Wushang's.
The shopkeeper immediately said, "No problem, please come this way, distinguished guests." He then lifted the curtain and invited Nan Xuzong and Ji Wushang inside.
Ji Wushang looked at Nan Xuzong with considerable surprise. Could it be that he really wanted to go inside and then go to the craftsmanship area to have a jade bracelet made for himself?
"Let's go in." Nan Xuzong smiled and led Ji Wushang inside.
Sure enough, Ji Wushang and Nan Xuzong entered the workshop where the work was being done, but the shopkeeper had clearly dismissed the jade craftsmen beforehand.
Nan Xuzong walked ahead of Ji Wushang, carefully examining the jade artifacts on both sides. Some were still just pieces of jade, some were still being cut, some were being polished, and some were already finished products placed aside. Ji Wushang was somewhat surprised; he had never seen jade artifacts made in this way before!
"Which one do you like? Choose one." Nan Xuzong smiled and turned to look at Ji Wushang.
Ji Wushang quickly stepped forward and grabbed his arm, "My eyes are dazzled by all of this, it's all so beautiful!"
"Gong Shu, afterwards have the shopkeeper pack up this entire batch of jade artifacts and send them to the Prince Zong's residence," Nan Xuzong ordered.
Ji Wushang was startled. "No, really? So many, not so many." Was he going to wear them all every day? They'd just be a waste; it's better not to buy them at all!
"I'm glad you like it." Nan Xuzong smiled indulgently.
Gong Shu stood to one side and then said, "Yes."
Ji Wushang said, "We can't wear them all, so let's not waste them."
“You can keep it for display,” Nan Xuzong smiled. “Pick one first, and I’ll make you a jade bracelet.”
Ji Wushang nodded, looking at the jade stones, but his gaze finally fell on a white jade stone with a crack in the middle. It looked unsightly, and the surface of the jade stone was very rough.
Ji Wushang picked up the jade and looked at it. "I like this." She looked at Nan Xuzong.
Nan Xuzong's lips curled up. With just one glance, he thought to himself, "Good eye!" He smiled and said, "Okay."
Ji Wushang watched him take the jade and said somewhat embarrassedly, "I actually don't know what type of jade this is..." She wished that when he was crafting the jade, the jade would be destroyed when he made a cut, so that she could ask him not to make this kind of jade bracelet for her. She felt that the process of making the jade bracelet was too complicated and that he would be very tired.
Nan Xuzong had already reached the first step of the process. He placed the jade on the table, took a plate, put the jade in it, and then took out a dagger.
Ji Wushang stepped forward. "Can a dagger cut this jade?"
Nan Xuzong shook his head, smiled, and slashed the dagger into his left palm.
Ji Wushang was shocked. "Cong, no!" She stepped forward, her face full of tension. If he did that, she would agree to let him make a jade bracelet even if it meant death!
"Don't worry." He slightly parted his thin lips, letting the blood flowing from his palm drip onto the jade, instantly staining Nan Xuzong's hand. "This jade is called Blood Jade. If it consumes human blood, it will surely retain that person's essence within the jade. Even when I'm not by your side, as long as you wear this jade bracelet, you will be able to feel my presence." He smiled at Ji Wushang, "Blood Jade can calm your mind and is very beneficial to your health."
Ji Wushang didn't care what he was saying; his words and actions had already deeply moved her. She quickly took out wound medicine and a silk handkerchief from her bosom. "No need, I'll stop the bleeding for you." As she spoke, she tried to take his hand, but he gently shook his head. "The Blood Jade needs blood. A little bleeding is alright." As long as he could protect her, what wouldn't he give? It was rare to encounter a genuine piece of Blood Jade!
Ji Wushang was heartbroken, while Nan Xuzong quickly turned around and placed the blood jade into the cutting area to begin making a jade hairpin.
His movements were incredibly fast. His bleeding left hand frequently touched the blood jade as he cut, carved, ground, and polished it. After quite some time, Nan Xuzong finally finished a jade bracelet. He gently kissed it, saying, "This is for my beloved woman, Ji Wushang." He smiled at Ji Wushang, then looked at her, still holding the jade bracelet in his hand.
Ji Wushang's eyelashes trembled slightly. "Thank you..." She looked at his hand, which he had already stopped bleeding from. He smiled and slowly slipped the jade bracelet onto her left wrist. "In this life, and in the next life, and the life after that, you can only be my woman, Nan Xuzong's woman." His lips moved slightly.
Ji Wushang covered her mouth, suppressing the urge to cry, and looked at the jade bracelet on her arm.
This jade bracelet was entirely white, but inside there was a streak of blood, floating like flowing blood. Her heart trembled; it was his blood… the warmth he had given her!
Nan Xuzong held her in his arms, "Wu Shang..."
If we cannot stay together in this life, if our fate is shallow in this life, then let us continue our love in the next life!
"How about we give the jade bracelet a name?" he whispered in her ear.
"What's the name? Tell me."
“Let’s call it, Changsheng.” His thin lips moved. Changsheng, wishing her eternal life.
"The Jade Bracelet of Immortality." She looked up at him and said, "If you do not abandon me, I will not leave you. If you die, I will follow you. I promise you immortality, and I will never leave you. Good, good."
Nan Xuzong looked down at her, "I promise you eternal life, that we shall never be apart." "Alright."
As darkness fell, Nan Xuzong led Ji Wushang out of the workshop.
The shopkeeper stared at the jade bracelet on Ji Wushang's wrist, speechless with astonishment. He had never made a jade bracelet before, but now, he had made this blood jade bracelet for her!
"How much silver?" Nan Xuzong asked, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"It's rare that you like it, young master, and it just so happens that your wife likes it too. So, young master, just pay whatever you think is appropriate! This jade bracelet wasn't made by us, so there's no need to pay for the craftsmanship." The shopkeeper tried to make it sound reasonable, but he didn't dare to let Nan Xuzong pay.
"Gong Shu, give me nine hundred and ninety-nine taels." Nan Xuzong smiled, then embraced Ji Wushang and walked out. The shopkeeper was so astonished that he couldn't speak.
Ji Wushang was immediately surprised, "So expensive?"
“Longevity isn’t expensive,” Nan Xuzong said, walking with her onto the street. “It’s rare that you like it.”
"Mm." Ji Wushang took his right hand and Nan Xuzong smiled as he led her out.
"Shall we go back immediately or wander around some more?" Nan Xuzong asked indulgently.
"Let's walk a little further." Ji Wushang smiled. It was a rare opportunity for him to come out for a walk with her, and it would be a bit of a pity to go back to the manor so soon.
Nan Xuzong nodded in agreement and took her hand as they walked forward.
They hadn't walked far when they saw some arguing ahead. Ji Wushang frowned slightly. "What's going on up ahead?"
"I don't know, let's go and see." With Nan Xuzong by her side, he could ensure her safety and satisfy all her curiosity.
Ji Wushang stepped forward and saw a man lying on the ground, being beaten by several thugs. People around him stood by, not daring to approach. The man was lying on the ground, covering his head, simply protecting himself.
The man was dressed entirely in coarse cloth, and was rather tall, but his hair was messy, making him look like a beggar. Since he couldn't see his face, Ji Wushang couldn't immediately tell who he was.
Ji Wushang watched as he curled up, tightly hugging something he didn't know in his arms.
"Cong, save him." Ji Wushang felt a pang of pity seeing this. Those thugs were beating him so badly he was almost vomiting blood, and they still wouldn't stop.
Nan Xuzong nodded. "Wait for me here. Don't go anywhere."
"Yes." Ji Wushang nodded, his gaze falling on Nan Xuzong. At this moment, Nan Xuzong moved into the crowd with lightning speed. Before anyone could see how he made his move, all the thugs surrounding the people were lying on the ground crying for their parents.
Nan Xuzong gave those people a cold look, and the thugs were so frightened by his gaze that they all ran away quickly.
Ji Wushang stepped forward. "Are you alright?" Her cool voice reached the man's ears. Nan Xuzong stood beside Ji Wushang, looking down at the person in front of him.
The man's distinct figure froze for a moment. He looked up slightly at the boots and embroidered shoes of the two people on the ground. The next second, the man struggled to his feet as if he were going crazy and ran towards the other side of the street!
Ji Wushang was startled and almost got bumped by the person, but fortunately Nan Xuzong immediately grabbed her waist.
Ji Wushang was startled and said, "You scared me to death! Who is this person? What's going on?"
"It's alright, they're probably just beggars, it's nothing. Are you hurt anywhere? Let me see?" Nan Xuzong sighed. She was too kind-hearted, otherwise she wouldn't have been so startled.
"I'm fine. Never mind, let's go!" Ji Wushang said.
Nan Xuzong looked at her, gently smoothed her hair, and then put his arm around her waist to leave. "Alright, let's go back to the manor! It's getting dark."
"I'll listen to you." Ji Wushang rested her head on his shoulder, and he smiled as they returned to the mansion together.
The person in the distance cowered in the shadows of the corner, silently putting their hand in their mouth, biting their teeth, tears streaming down their face. They watched Nan Xuzong and Ji Wushang's departing figures until they disappeared from sight, then took out the silk handkerchief they had been clutching tightly in their hand.
Does she still remember such a person? The man was lost in thought. How happy they were; she leaned on Nan Xuzong's shoulder, her smile so sweet.
As night fell and the pressure eased, the person gradually disappeared into the darkness.
"Cong, I still feel that person was very strange. When I got close to him, he felt so familiar." Ji Wushang was nestled in his arms as the two of them slowly returned to the mansion in the carriage.
"Do you feel there's anything else strange about this? I'll have my guards investigate this person immediately," Nan Xuzong said.
“I do know him, but I don’t know who he is. I don’t actually know many people in the capital, and I feel like I know even fewer. Maybe it’s just my imagination!” Ji Wushang looked up at him. “It’s better not to disturb the guards.”
“Fool, if there are any doubts about these things, we must investigate them thoroughly.” Nan Xuzong laughed. “Actually, I also feel a bit strange. Judging from the way he ran away, this person should have been a wealthy young master, but perhaps it was because his family fell on hard times that he ended up like this.”