Returning to the Xie household, it was just dinnertime.
After the meal, Old Lady Wu summoned Shen Qi. Since tomorrow was the day for the return visit to her parents’ home, she had specially prepared some gifts and offered a few words of advice. Shen Qi agreed to everything, then carried the pile of gifts back to her room.
As soon as she entered, Xie Yuduo helped her take them and placed them on the table.
“I originally wanted to wait for you outside, but Father called me away again. He also gave me some things for tomorrow’s visit.”
Only then did Shen Qi notice the table covered with boxes of various sizes. She asked in surprise, “Did Father prepare all of these for us?”
“Not entirely. Some were prepared by me.”
As he spoke, he took them out one by one to show her.
A whole box of donkey-hide gelatin, a whole box of borneol, a whole box of high-quality bird’s nest, two large ginseng roots… and even a box of ten large, white pearls, each as big as a piece of rock sugar.
Shen Qi picked up one of the pearls and examined its quality under the lamplight.
“Is this also medicinal? But wouldn’t it be inappropriate to give items from the medicine shop as gifts?”
Xie Yuduo said, “These aren’t from the shop. They’re my own.”
“Huh?”
Shen Qi didn’t understand.
“In my travels over the years, whenever I came across something good, I kept it aside for when it might be needed.”
Shen Qi said, “Such fine things—you should keep them for a truly important occasion. Let’s just buy some fruits and pastries like other families do. My parents will be happy with that.”
“This is an important occasion,” Xie Yuduo insisted firmly.
Shen Qi gave him a suspicious glance.
“These gifts are far too extravagant. What are you trying to achieve by being so generous to my family?”
Xie Yuduo glanced outside to make sure their door was securely closed, then reached out, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her into his embrace.
“Of course, to thank your parents for raising such an excellent daughter.”
Mentioning this reminded Shen Qi of Aunt Zhao’s words earlier that day. She asked, “Better than the Zhao family’s third daughter?”
Xie Yuduo tilted his head, studying his wife’s expression.
“Better than all the girls in the world. Why bring her up for no reason?”
“Hmph, I could tell earlier today. That aunt claimed to be praising my looks, but she was really boasting about how beautiful and virtuous her third daughter is, saying it would have been a great blessing if you had married her!”
Xie Yuduo laughed. “Don’t listen to her nonsense! I’ve been away from home for years and barely remember what her daughter looks like.”
“Childhood sweethearts, and she’s so beautiful—it would have been a fine match.”
“Nonsense! You and I are the fine match.”
With that, he lowered his head and kissed her.
Shen Qi couldn’t break free and had to let him have his way. Only when he was satisfied did she speak, breathless.
“These gifts of yours… if Second Aunt finds out tomorrow, she’ll have plenty to gossip about.”
“Don’t worry, she doesn’t know about these.”
“How could you possibly hide them from her?”
Xie Yuduo smiled. “No one in the family knows.”
“Then where do you usually hide them?”
Xie Yuduo blinked, wrapped his arms around her slender waist again, and whispered a few words into her ear.
Shen Qi’s face flushed red, and she tossed the pearl aside.
“Hmph, if you won’t say, then don’t. But why must you tease me like this? I don’t even want to know!”
Seeing his bride’s mix of shyness and indignation, Xie Yuduo couldn’t help but burst into laughter, earning himself a few light punches from Shen Qi.
When the laughter subsided and the teasing ended, Xie Yuduo looked into Shen Qi’s smiling eyes with utmost seriousness.
"Truly, I am sincerely grateful to my father-in-law and mother-in-law for raising such a wonderful daughter and for their willingness to marry you to me. Even if I were to give them all my treasures, it would not match the worth of you, my precious."
Shen Qi looked at his earnest expression, gently returned his embrace, and softly kissed the corner of his eye, whispering in response.
"I believe you."
The next day, Shen Qi woke up early.
Xie Yuduo, disheveled and thoroughly satisfied, watched his wife bustling back and forth and laughed.
"Returning to your parents' home really makes a difference—you're up so early today."
Shen Qi was folding the clothes they were taking with them and shot him a reproachful glance.
"If it weren't for you, I could have gotten up even earlier."
Xie Yuduo accepted this accusation with complete composure.
Before setting off, Shen Qi carefully checked everything once more, making sure they hadn't forgotten their clothes, shoes, or the various gifts, before finally setting out at ease.
Xie Yuduo drove an Emerald-curtained Blue-silk Carriage, both inside and out brand new. Shen Qi sat inside, feeling and examining it for a long while.
Once they left the city and reached a less populated area, she leaned out from the carriage, helping him watch the road while asking.
"Where did you rent this carriage from? It's different from yesterday's. It's rare to find one so new—it probably hasn't been used many times."
"It truly hasn't been used many times. Today is the first time it's carried passengers."
"Hmm?"
"I had someone buy it recently. It only arrived last night, so of course it's brand new."
Shen Qi exclaimed in amazement, "Good brother, this carriage must cost dozens of taels of silver! Where did you get so much private savings?"
Xie Yuduo chuckled, turning back to look at Shen Qi's surprised little face. He simply pulled his wife out of the carriage, holding her in one arm while gripping the reins with the other.
"Ah, be careful!"
Shen Qi cried out in alarm as she watched the horse galloping ahead.
"What's there to fear? When I was in Yunnan, the mountain paths were only wide enough for one person, and I still rode horses through with the merchant caravans."
Xie Yuduo wrapped his wife in his arms, making sure she was seated securely before speaking softly.
"All my private savings were earned on those mountain roads."
"How did you earn it?" Shen Qi asked curiously.
"For example, there are several mountains in Yunnan rich in fine tea leaves, and wealthy merchants from Sichuan and Hanzhong love drinking this kind of tea. While purchasing medicinal herbs, I would also help them transport some tea leaves, earning a bit of silver in between."
Shen Qi suddenly understood and asked, "Just by transporting tea leaves?"
"Not just that, there were many things. As long as the government didn't forbid it, whatever earned the most silver, I would transport."
Shen Qi stroked the brand-new doorframe of the carriage.
"Could you earn enough for such a large carriage in just one trip?"
A smile played at the corners of Xie Yuduo's lips as he lowered his voice by her ear.
"My most profitable trip earned me six thousand taels of silver."
"What, six! Mmm…"
Xie Yuduo promptly covered Shen Qi's exclaiming mouth, though he couldn't cover her widened eyes.
Seeing his wife's look of disbelief, he felt an indescribable satisfaction in his chest.
"Wealth should not be flaunted."
Shen Qi nodded vigorously.
Once she had calmed down a little, Xie Yuduo released his hand, but she immediately turned back, staring straight at him, trying hard to lower her voice.
"Six thousand taels! You must be fooling me!"
Xie Yuduo laughed. "I only fool others, never you. Everything I tell you is true."
After saying that, he added in a low voice by her ear.
"Six thousand taels—that was just the payment for that one trip."
Shen Qi's eyes widened again.