At this point, Liu Miantang inhaled dreamily and said, “Fortunately, the Imperial Consort Dowager has a birthday celebration every year. Although our Jade Fired Porcelain Workshop missed this year’s, there’s always next year. But the prince is so noble, who knows when he’ll come to our Lingquan Town? Perhaps I should find out his itinerary and intercept him on the way, presenting our shop’s prized possession. If we gain the prince’s recognition, next year we could make a special plate for the Imperial Consort Dowager with the prince’s portrait, with tiny ‘longevity’ characters hidden in his eyes. That would surely delight her…”
Cui Xingzhou couldn’t help but laugh out loud at Miantang’s innovative birthday gift idea, though his laughter held a deeper meaning. His laughter, however, made Mama Li and Mo Ru secretly worry for the naive Madam Liu.
As his laughter subsided, Cui Xingzhou said gently, “You’re not a bandit robbing carriages. How could you suddenly stop an official’s carriage? You might end up being beaten before you even present your plate. As for the portrait with ‘longevity’ in the eyes… even if the prince agrees, I doubt the proud Mr. Chen would stoop to such common practices!”
Although her idea was refuted, Miantang respectfully peeled another shrimp and added it to her husband’s bowl. She admired how her husband, though usually uninvolved in worldly affairs, could analyze problems so thoroughly and thoughtfully.
Mama Li had mentioned that her husband was educated, but being from a merchant family had hindered his path to officialdom. Otherwise, with his composure and learning, he could have at least become a county magistrate.
Cui Jiu laughed because he felt this woman must have hit her head, sometimes acting so boldly, unlike a well-bred young lady from an official’s family. She nodded in agreement now… but what if she turned around and tried to stop a sedan chair later?
Moreover, this little Madam Liu, having lived among bandits, sometimes spoke with a hint of bandit air that might be hard to change quickly. If he didn’t thoroughly discourage her notions, she might end up blocking his carriage again as she did in front of the restaurant last time.
With this in mind, Cui Jiu sipped his delicious fish porridge and said leisurely, “In a few days, Shi Yikuan, the Commander-in-Chief of Qingzhou, will hold a tea party for appreciating calligraphy and paintings. He’s a lifelong lover of master painters. If Mr. Chen could attend this tea party and present the plate to Commander Shi, he’d surely gain his appreciation.”
Since Lu Wen intended to seek refuge with Shi Yikuan, he might as well have Miantang visit Qingzhou and see if it could draw Lu Wen out.
But to his surprise, Miantang replied without hesitation, “I’ve already looked into that. Husband, you might not know, but apart from collecting calligraphy and paintings, Shi Yikuan also has a penchant for collecting beautiful women. The man has nine concubines… In my opinion, intercepting Prince Huaiyang’s carriage seems safer! That Prince Huaiyang might be a bit muddleheaded, but I haven’t heard of him bullying men or forcing women…”
Her previous experience of attracting thieves due to her beauty had made her cautious. After all, since her injury, she was no longer the agile Liu Miantang she once was…
As soon as she finished speaking, coughing sounds came from the lower table again, apparently Mo Ru choking on the other half of his braised egg.
Cui Jiu himself wasn’t sure whether to be pleased that Madam Liu approved of his character or to punish her for calling him “muddleheaded.”
His brow remained still as he said gently, “Such renowned calligraphy and painting gatherings aren’t something ordinary people can just attend. You’d need an introduction from someone notable. You’d just be going to see if there’s an opportunity… Even if you can’t attend the formal tea party, there’s a lively garden fair beforehand to warm up the event. You could set up a stall there and might be able to buy some goods. Also, the fabric from Xicun in Qingzhou is quite good. It’s the season for silk reeling and weaving now. If you find suitable fabric, you can make yourself some new clothes.”
Liu Miantang felt touched, thinking how considerate her husband was to remember to take her out for fun. She softly thanked him, “It’s enough that you have this thought, husband. I have plenty of clothes, no need to spend money on fabric.”
Cui Xingzhou glanced at her half-worn sleeve cuffs and said, “It’s no trouble. I’ve won a few more chess games recently. It’s perfect for buying you some good fabric.”
He placed a silver pouch that Mo Ru had prepared earlier on the dining table.
Mo Ru had told him that in ordinary households, this was called “handing over household expenses.” When men earned money outside, they were supposed to give some to the woman managing the household. If they never gave money but the household expenses were numerous, it would make Liu Miantang suspicious.
Such a sharp person as she, having heard that he earned money from chess, had never asked him for household expenses. This showed she was used to being controlled by the bandit leader before and didn’t dare to ask.
Since Mo Ru had reminded him, he naturally gave her some, to make her more comfortable and not live too frugally.
So, Cui Xingzhou had Mo Ru prepare a portion.
However, when he saw Madam Liu holding the money pouch with a look of pleasant surprise, her eyes reddening and tears welling up, he felt she was a bit too excited. Could it be… that she was upset that he had handed over the household expenses too late and felt wronged?
Meanwhile, Miantang, holding the silver her husband had brought home, felt its weight, her weak hand barely able to support it.
She had heard Mo Ru say that her husband earned money from chess gambling but thought it was just some pocket change. She never expected such a heavy pouch!
When Liu Miantang had nothing to do, she would chat with neighbors while cracking melon seeds, and heard about many local merchants’ unsavory habits, like visiting flower boats, drinking at night… and those who earned plenty outside but never gave money to their households, instead supporting mistresses, like Mr. Zhang from the rice shop who was bewitched by a vixen.
Her husband, having earned money off the books, could have spent it freely, but instead gave it all to her. This showed that although he had a flowery face and an attractive appearance, he was an honest, principled man who lived a proper life.
Liu Miantang felt ashamed of her previous suspicions about her husband. To think badly of such a gentle gentleman even for a moment was to dirty one’s heart and lungs, to spoil one’s intestines. It was truly deserving of a beating!
At that moment, her alluring eyes gazing at Cui Jiu were filled with tears of shame.
Just then, her husband gently spoke again, “I’ve given you too little… I’ll give you more in the future.”
Hearing these words made her feel even more guilty! It turned out her husband was feeling bad about not being able to support the family and giving too little!
Miantang could no longer contain her emotions. She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his broad chest, choking with sobs, “How can you say such things, husband? It’s me who’s incapable, making you worry about the family business instead of focusing on your chess studies!”
Over there, Mo Ru’s throat suddenly tightened for some reason, as if he was choking again.
Cui Jiu silently looked at the woman cuddling against him like a cat. Her hair, with a faint osmanthus fragrance, piled up like clouds under his chin, the fine fuzz tickling his nose slightly.
After a moment’s pause, Cui Jiu, with an expressionless face, slowly extended his arms and gently patted the continuously sobbing Madam Liu. He suddenly understood why those ordinary men handed over household expenses – perhaps in their mundane lives, like ants, they could add a bit of satisfaction by working hard to bring joy and stop the tears of their women.
Liu Miantang, with her dowry jewelry box becoming plentiful again thanks to her capable husband, was full of anticipation for the Qingzhou trip.
To earn a reputation for the shop, she had inquired early about the notable dignitaries within a hundred miles of Zhenzhou, listing them on a paper for careful comparison. That’s why she could point out the shortcomings when her husband mentioned this calligraphy and painting gathering.
Although Shi Yikuan wasn’t as renowned as Prince Huaiyang, he was indeed more approachable. If she could find some way in Qingzhou to sneak into the poetry and painting tea party with the plate, her prospects would be bright!
Since her husband was working so hard for the shop, she naturally had to do her utmost as well!
If their porcelain gained recognition, it would mean breaking into official circles. High prices for their porcelain would soon follow.
What pleased her most was that her husband had finally taken an interest in their business, showing that his previous avoidance was all due to the difficulty of facing failure and bankruptcy. Now that business was improving, her husband had finally roused his spirits, which was truly cause for celebration.
A few days before the Qingzhou calligraphy and painting gathering, Cui Jiu hired a carriage to send Liu Miantang, along with the old servant and shop assistants, to Qingzhou first.
However, Cui Jiu didn’t go with her. According to him, his chess lessons were intense these few days, and he probably wouldn’t be able to come until the poetry gathering started.
Miantang’s wish to travel with her husband couldn’t be fulfilled for now, but this didn’t dampen her joy at wandering the streets of Qingzhou for the first time.
She was only eighteen years old, just the age when young women enjoy outings.
When she was in the capital before, life was tight, and she couldn’t go out and spend money. After arriving in Zhenzhou, with the family business needing revival and everything requiring her attention, she naturally had less inclination for play.
Now, with her husband’s silver pouch hanging at her waist and plenty of free time, Miantang felt confident and naturally wanted to browse each shop thoroughly to fully enjoy herself.
Although she was eager to make grand purchases, it wasn’t just for herself. Mr. Chen’s coat was too old to be seen in public. So she bought two lengths of dark blue fabric from a clothes shop to make long gowns for Mr. Chen.
Of course, her husband needed a new outfit too. After much deliberation, Miantang still felt that a moon-white fabric best suited her husband’s calm and elegant temperament.
As for herself, it was only after Mama Li’s constant persuasion that she reluctantly bought some thin cotton to make summer dresses.
The summer here was much hotter than in the capital. Without some light, thin clothes, she might develop a heat rash in the scorching summer.
Besides this, when Miantang passed by a jade shop, she inadvertently saw a chess set made of jade.
The chessboard was made of mutton-fat white jade, with equally fine white pieces, each translucent, while the black pieces were crafted from precious ink jade.
Looking at this chess set, Miantang couldn’t help but imagine her husband’s elegant manner, his slender fingers lightly picking up and placing the pieces. For a moment, her mind wandered, feeling that this chess set should rightfully belong to her husband.
But when Miantang eagerly asked the price, she fell silent.
The shopkeeper said it had been pre-ordered and not yet collected. Moreover, the price was truly jaw-dropping; she simply couldn’t afford it.
However, Miantang wasn’t discouraged. She rarely lost her heart from childhood to adulthood. Although her father didn’t depend on her, she always managed to achieve what she wanted on her own. Sometimes her boldness even frightened her father, who would scold her for picking up her mother’s roguish air, saying that when she married, she would surely be despised by her in-laws and husband.
Fortunately, her father’s curse didn’t come true. Her husband was gentle and considerate, never constraining her with those tedious rules and etiquette. The wish for growing old together in the gentle flow of days was indeed something to look forward to.
Taking one last reluctant look at the chess set, Miantang decided that once the shop started making money, she would save up to order another jade chess set for her husband.
However, just as Miantang was leaving with lingering reluctance, a tall, handsome young man came out from the inner room, his gaze like fire, fixed straight on her retreating figure.