By the time they left He Man Lou, the sky had already begun to darken.
The evening glow spread from the end of the long street, tinting the bluestone road a soft orange. The setting sun was warm and radiant, like molten gold.
Jiang Zhiyu followed behind Xia Linchuan, half a step behind him, her eyes lowered as she watched his shadow stretch long beneath the slanting sunlight, occasionally overlapping the gaps between the bricks where she stepped.
Her mind was still occupied with what kind of reward the system would drop this time.
Gold or silver?
They walked along the street toward Jiang Zhiyu’s home. The evening breeze carried a trace of coolness as it brushed against the shop banners by the roadside. The scent of wine drifted through the air, mingling faintly with the fragrance of tea. From the distance came the cheerful sounds of laughter and conversation from Fan Lou. From where Jiang Zhiyu stood, the place seemed almost ablaze with lights, bustling with activity.
Just as she was thinking about it, the person ahead suddenly stopped.
“Keep up.”
Xia Linchuan continued walking slowly, but when he suddenly felt that someone was missing beside him, he turned around and discovered that Jiang Zhiyu had fallen behind.
“The evening market is about to begin. Fan Lou is hosting distinguished guests today, so there will naturally be more people on the streets than usual. Do not get separated from me.”
After saying that, he stood there and waited for her to catch up.
She guessed that some important official who was inconvenient to identify must be dining here. Her way of thinking was different from the people of this era, so if she was not careful, she might be mistaken for an assassin and arrested.
Therefore, she did not hesitate. She took a large step and came to stand beside him. They walked side by side for a while before Xia Linchuan stopped again.
Jiang Zhiyu barely managed to stop herself and almost collided with a passerby behind her. Xia Linchuan gently drew her closer, preventing her from bumping into another pedestrian.
“Hey, why did you stop?”
Jiang Zhiyu looked up at him in confusion. Xia Linchuan smiled gently.
“Go inside and have a look.”
She raised her eyes and saw a jewelry shop in front of them. It had a remarkably large storefront, yet its decorations were elegant and distinctive. Three large characters, Linglong Pavilion, were written in gold on a red plaque above the entrance. Two plants resembling orchids stood by the doorway, releasing a faint fragrance.
Linglong Pavilion was the finest jewelry shop in the capital and the favorite jewelry shop of nobles and high ranking officials.
Jiang Zhiyu froze for a moment. She instinctively wanted to refuse, and the words, “You might as well just give me some silver” were already forming in her heart when she had not even managed to say them.
Xia Linchuan had already taken a large step and entered.
She had no choice but to follow.
Linglong Pavilion was built in a hexagonal structure. The second and third floors seemed to contain private rooms, their doors and windows mostly closed, suggesting that distinguished guests were being entertained inside.
The six walls of the first floor were lined with red sandalwood shelves, each compartment filled with all kinds of exquisite jewelry. There was gilded jewelry, dian cui ornaments, and pieces decorated with cloisonné enamel, all glowing with a gentle luster beneath the candlelight filtering through the windows.
At the center of the hall stood a red sandalwood display stand. Dozens of glass bowls were arranged in a circle across three levels. Some contained jeweled hair ornaments, while others held delicate hairpins, each piece revealing an extraordinary degree of luxury.
When the shopkeeper saw Xia Linchuan enter, he hurried over with a smile. His eyes quickly swept over Jiang Zhiyu beside him before he repeatedly bowed.
“What would the heir like to see? Our shop has just received a new batch of fashionable designs from the south, as well as several exquisitely crafted hairpins. They are all made from the finest materials by the most skilled craftsmen…”
Xia Linchuan listened carefully but did not respond. Instead, he turned half of his body and face toward Jiang Zhiyu, as though waiting for her answer.
【System Message: The God of Wealth’s reward is currently being randomly distributed. User, please carefully choose the jewelry you want. If your choice is rejected, this reward will be forfeited.】
Damn this ridiculous game! It clearly said there would be a reward, so why was there suddenly a chance of rejection?
Seriously!
Jiang Zhiyu immediately labeled the game as a complete scam. Traveling into another world had been difficult enough, and now she could only press one hand against her forehead as her heart sank.
It was just like watching an advertisement in a game for a minute because it promised a huge gift package, only to discover that the treasure chest might actually be empty.
Fine. She would just accept her fate and pick whatever she happened to find.
“I will just have a look around.”
Jiang Zhiyu began examining the jewelry around the central red sandalwood display stand, all the while keeping an eye on Xia Linchuan’s reaction.
If his reaction seemed wrong, she could immediately say that she was only looking and had no intention of buying anything.
But based on their recent interactions and everything she had observed, Xia Linchuan did not seem like a stingy person. So what exactly did this chance of rejection mean?
After walking halfway around the display stand, a bracelet caught her attention. Among all the jewelry, she spotted it at a glance.
“Young lady certainly has a good eye.”
A well dressed woman had appeared beside her at some point. She looked rather distinguished and was probably the shopkeeper’s wife. Pointing toward the jade bracelet inside one of the glass bowls, she said, “This was sent here from the south just a few days ago. It is a rare item. There are only three in total. The other two were reserved early this morning, and this one is the last remaining piece.”
“You like this one?”
Xia Linchuan’s voice gradually approached. He walked over and stopped beside her.
“If you like it, wear it.”
When the shopkeeper’s wife heard him say that, she hurriedly put on a pair of fine cotton gloves, took the jade bracelet from the glass bowl, and held it out to Jiang Zhiyu.
“Young lady, shall I have it wrapped up for you?”
Jiang Zhiyu glanced up at Xia Linchuan, then looked calmly at the jade bracelet in the shopkeeper’s wife’s hand.
“How much silver does it cost?”
Xia Linchuan drew a breath, then smiled softly with a hint of indulgence.
“Do not worry about the money. I am here.”
The shopkeeper’s wife maintained her professional smile, though there was something mysterious and knowing in it, as if she were treating a regular customer. She answered coyly, “Young lady, this is not really a matter of money.”
Xia Linchuan crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Jiang Zhiyu with leisurely patience.
The jade bracelet was indeed expensive, but only in the eyes of ordinary people. To him, it was nothing at all. If Jiang Zhiyu genuinely liked it, he could buy her an entire room full of jewelry. She had probably asked about the price because she was worried it was too expensive.
He did not want her to miss something she liked because of money.
Jiang Zhiyu looked up at Xia Linchuan, and he was once again waiting for her decision.
The shopkeeper’s wife was certainly not going to miss such an excellent opportunity to make a sale. She glanced around before deliberately lowering her voice and leaning closer.
“To be honest with you, young lady, of the three bracelets, one was purchased by the Third Madam of the Pingxi Marquis’s Manor, while the other buyer is…”
She paused, her gaze quickly flicking toward the private room on the second floor.
The window of the private room was half open, with a curtain of fragrant bamboo hanging in front of it. Several indistinct figures could be seen behind the curtain, apparently sitting inside drinking tea and chatting merrily.
“She is the newly married young madam of the Minister of Revenue’s residence.”
The shopkeeper’s wife lowered her voice even further.
“I saw you came here with the heir, young lady. Your identity must certainly be extraordinary. You must be someone the heir holds especially dear, so I am telling you the truth.”
When Jiang Zhiyu heard the words “someone the heir holds especially dear,” she awkwardly glanced at Xia Linchuan.
She could not help admiring the salespeople of ancient times. They could turn something black into something white. Apparently, sales tactics had always been the same throughout history.
Because of those words, Xia Linchuan also smiled, his expression becoming noticeably gentler. Jiang Zhiyu simply failed to notice it.
Still, she had a stubborn streak. She did not want something just because someone kept pushing it on her.
The God of Wealth was giving her a reward! Could she not choose something a little more special?
Besides, if he rejected her choice, she would lose nothing anyway.
Jiang Zhiyu lightly pushed her hand through the air toward the hand holding the jade bracelet, indicating that she refused.
The corners of Xia Linchuan’s lips lifted.
“Then shall we look at something else?”
The shopkeeper had clearly noticed what was happening and hurried over to greet them.
“My wife does not know how to properly attend to distinguished guests.
How could the things in this hall possibly be worthy of a young lady like you? Heir, young lady, please follow me to the private room on the third floor. You can take a look there…”
Just then, a clear jingling sound of jade pendants and ornaments came from the staircase leading down from the second floor.
A delicate female voice followed, carrying a carefully crafted note of surprise.
“Is that not the heir, Lord Xia?”
Jiang Zhiyu turned toward the sound and saw four or five elegantly dressed young women walking down the stairs.
The woman at the front wore a lotus colored jacket over a pale green blouse and skirt. She had round eyes and peach colored cheeks. A golden hair ornament set with red gemstones was inserted into her hair, and every step she took caused it to sway gracefully, scattering fragments of brilliant light that made her exceptionally eye-catching.
Two other women followed behind her, though their clothing and accessories were somewhat less luxurious.
It seemed this woman was the cherished daughter of some prominent family.
Her gaze lingered on Xia Linchuan for a moment before a flattering smile appeared on her face. She performed a formal greeting and said, “Lord Xia, I hope you are well. My father mentioned you just a few days ago. He said that you are exceptionally wise and learned in the military camp, as well as humble and courteous. He even told my elder brother to learn from you.”
Only then did Xia Linchuan give a slight nod in return.
He stood before the central red sandalwood display stand, seriously choosing jewelry for Jiang Zhiyu. He did not even turn his head, his expression as calm and still as a quiet pool of water.
“Xiaoyu, how about this?”
He held up a necklace made of clear green pearls and offered it to Jiang Zhiyu.
Jiang Zhiyu was somewhat surprised. She had not expected that beneath his gentle and refined image, he could actually be quite aloof.
This young lady was clearly the daughter of a powerful family, and she had taken the initiative to greet him, yet he had completely ignored her without even turning his head.
Seeing that Xia Linchuan had no intention of acknowledging the young lady, Jiang Zhiyu felt that she had even less reason to do so. She silently followed Xia Linchuan and watched him choose jewelry for her.
“It is all right.”
Jiang Zhiyu answered while enjoying the spectacle unfolding before her.
Because of Xia Linchuan’s deliberate disregard, the young lady was clearly embarrassed. The atmosphere became extremely awkward, but because of social etiquette and the status of the Zhen Nan Prince’s Manor, she could not simply lose her temper.
Instead, her attention shifted toward Jiang Zhiyu.
Jiang Zhiyu wore a simple wooden hairpin in her hair. Although her clothes were neat and dignified, the materials and overall design were clearly inferior to those worn by this young lady. Even the new embroidered shoes on her feet used ordinary materials and stitching.
After looking her over from head to toe, the young lady’s lips curved upward.
It was a smile so perfectly cultivated that no one could find fault with it, yet the malice hidden beneath it was so obvious that Jiang Zhiyu could feel it pressing against her back without even looking.
“Are you Miss Jiang Zhiyu?”
The young lady turned her gaze toward Jiang Zhiyu and looked her up and down several times. Her contempt and faint mockery soon became apparent.
“I heard that you are the new… fiancée the heir has chosen?”
Jiang Zhiyu’s brows drew together slightly. She had no desire to deal with this person.
Never mind that Xia Linchuan himself had not even bothered to acknowledge her. She had still deliberately come over to provoke her. Did she have no self awareness at all?
【System Message: Mission updated, “The Noble Young Lady’s Provocation.” Fight back or ignore her?】