Fu Tingyun opened the door and was quite surprised to see Zhao Ling.

Zhao Ling smiled: “This time I did knock.”

Fu Tingyun’s eyes widened.

He spoke to her in such a flippant tone… making her heart flutter with unease.

Zhao Ling ignored her shock, walked past her, and entered the room directly.

Fu Tingyun, heart in disarray, went in to brew tea.

Zhao Ling’s demeanor was casual and relaxed. He took a sip of tea and asked: “What were you doing?” glancing at the needlework tossed on the kang bed.

“Oh!” Fu Tingyun somewhat embarrassedly put the needlework into a small rattan basket beside her, “Just embroidering a few stitches to pass the time.”

Zhao Ling had already seen it was a purple handkerchief embroidered with golden-yellow silk thread, the pattern somehow looking familiar.

After a moment’s thought, he asked gently: “Would you like to go out and look around the streets?”

Fu Tingyun’s eyes brightened, then dimmed again: “I’d better stay at the inn…” Her tone was somewhat downcast.

He guessed right!

Zhao Ling breathed a sigh of relief, his smile becoming increasingly gentle.

“It’s fine,” he said softly. “Different ethnic groups live together here, each with their customs. There aren’t as many strict rules as in Guanzhong.”

Really?

Fu Tingyun thought of the women she had seen on the street the other day… Although their attire was strange, their heads and faces were completely covered, and their demeanor was dignified, obviously all proper women. It seemed what he said was true.

She couldn’t help feeling tempted, but remembering Zheng San’s words, she hesitated again.

Zhao Ling understood her thoughts and encouraged her: “Yongjing is an essential passage from Guanzhong to Jiayuguan. Besides Dashi people and Hui people, there are also Uighur people…”

This was the first time Fu Tingyun had heard of them, and she asked curiously: “Who are the Uighur people? Aren’t they Hui people?”

“They are similar to Hui people,” Zhao Ling smiled. “However, Hui people wear small white round caps, while Uighur people wear small square flowered caps. They also have different living customs. It’s hard to explain all the differences at once. I’ll point them out to you when we see them.”

Fu Tingyun was naturally lively, and how could she resist Zhao Ling’s temptation? She thought that if she covered her head so others couldn’t see her face clearly, it would be fine. She couldn’t help but feel inclined to go.

Zhao Ling was quite perceptive of people’s expressions and immediately added more persuasion: “We can also go out to see if we can buy some good tea leaves. Once we reach Zhangye, tea will be quite expensive.”

So going to the street became a legitimate matter.

Fu Tingyun happily agreed, wrapped her head with a handkerchief, and went to the streets with Zhao Ling.

Yongjing County was not large but very bustling. It was now near noon, and the winter sun felt warm on one’s body. The traveling merchant caravans had already left the city, leaving behind those who were resting here or merchants whose business extended only to Yongjing with no intention of traveling beyond the passes. The whole city was noisy yet had an air of leisure. Vendors selling pancakes, mutton offal, sweet melons… their calls rose and fell, with people occasionally gathering around to buy and sell. Women wearing sarongs or wrapped in headscarves moved hurriedly among the crowd.

Fu Tingyun followed behind Zhao Ling, looking around with undisguised interest, finding everything fascinating.

Zhao Ling glanced at the person behind him from the corner of his eye, seeing her bright, darting eyes full of surprise and curiosity. He couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Fu Tingyun suddenly tugged at Zhao Ling’s sleeve: “Look, look!”

Zhao Ling followed her gaze.

Two golden-haired, green-eyed foreigners were standing at the roadside saying something. They wore moon-white long robes, with exaggerated gestures, occasionally laughing loudly.

“Look at them, look at their hands,” Fu Tingyun said softly, her tone somewhat shy.

Zhao Ling didn’t understand.

Fu Tingyun bit her lip: “Their body hair is, is golden.”

Just for this!

Zhao Ling smiled, feeling she was childlike, and asked her: “Are you afraid?”

Fu Tingyun nodded, thought for a moment, then shook her head: “It just feels very strange.”

“It’s nothing!” Zhao Ling reassured her, “You’ll get used to it.” Inside, he breathed a long sigh of relief.

Han people often looked down on foreign merchants, seeing them as uncivilized, profit-driven, cunning, and deceitful people of low status. They viewed everything about them as unorthodox, and even when making money by trading with them, they still harbored contempt. Yet ironically, both Zhuanglang Guard’s location at Yongdeng and the Gansu Commander-in-Chief’s Office in Zhangye were key areas leading beyond the passes, gathering many foreign merchants. Fu Tingyun came from a distinguished family, and he had always worried that she wouldn’t be able to adapt to this lifestyle.

Seeing that from beginning to end she only found it novel and interesting, without a trace of disdain… she should be able to adapt to life in Zhuanglang Guard!

A gentle affection washed over Zhao Ling’s heart, filling it with joy.

He led her to stop in front of a colorful, golden-shining shop.

“Shopkeeper,” Zhao Ling called loudly to a man wearing a small white round cap in the shop who was enthusiastically recommending carpets to several Han people dressed in fur coats, “Bring out the headscarves you sell for us to look at!”

The people in the shop looked over at the sound.

The leader was a man in his thirties, of medium height, wearing a sapphire-blue lake silk fur coat. He was sturdily built with a composed demeanor, sporting a handsome mustache, with bright, piercing eyes that conveyed both authority and capability. Behind him were several men, the oldest over fifty, the youngest just fifteen or sixteen, wearing either Lu silk or lake silk fur coats, all with an air of shrewdness.

Ever since meeting the Sixteenth Master, Fu Tingyun had been wary of such strangers who weren’t ordinary people. She couldn’t help but softly call out “Master Zhao.”

Zhao Ling turned back and asked gently: “What’s wrong?”

Before Fu Tingyun could speak, the man with the white round cap who appeared to be the shopkeeper had already responded in broken Chinese: “Good, good.”

Zhao Ling ignored the shopkeeper and looked at Fu Tingyun quietly, his gaze as soft as spring light, patiently waiting for her to speak.

This Zhao Ling made Fu Tingyun feel as uncomfortable as sitting on pins, and she quickly said in a low voice: “Let’s go!” Her eyes darted quickly at the mustached man.

Zhao Ling understood: “I know. We won’t engage with them, we’ll buy what we need and leave.”

His voice was as low as hers, as if they were whispering in secret, causing her emotions to stir slightly, and she couldn’t help but blush.

The shopkeeper had already brought out a pile of headscarves: “Distinguished customers, which style would you like?”

Zhao Ling’s keen eyes immediately noticed that among them, two black headscarves with gold thread embroidery were very similar to what Fu Tingyun had been embroidering. He pointed to the two headscarves: “I’ll take these two!” without even negotiating the price.

The shopkeeper, seeing that the sale had been completed so smoothly, beamed with joy, took the silver, carefully wrapped the headscarves in cloth, and handed them to Zhao Ling.

Zhao Ling took the headscarves, nodded to Fu Tingyun, and turned to leave.

Fu Tingyun felt relieved and followed closely behind Zhao Ling.

After turning the corner, Zhao Ling handed the headscarves to Fu Tingyun.

Fu Tingyun was stunned.

“Yesterday I saw you staring at others, and today you embroidered this pattern,” he smiled. “Happened to find a shop selling these… I thought you might like them.” He appeared to be looking at Fu Tingyun openly, but his ears had already turned red.

“Ah!” Fu Tingyun stared blankly at Zhao Ling, not knowing what to do.

Accept them? These were personal items, things worn close to the body. Men and women should maintain distance; how could she accept them… Not accept them? He was being straightforward, and he explained clearly that he had simply noticed her interest and happened to find a shop selling headscarves… Whether to accept or decline should be a simple decision upon careful thought, but why did her heart feel so strange?

She dawdled.

In the cold winter, Zhao Ling watched her, his palms almost sweating, feeling as if all the passing people around them were staring at them.

“Please take them!” His smile began to look somewhat forced. Remembering the people buying carpets in the shop earlier, he quickly added, “I also wanted to take you to buy some blankets—but then we ran into those people, so it seems we’ll have to find another shop.” Feeling that his explanation had holes, he added, “In Zhangye, the winters are very cold. People like to put blankets on their kang beds. These blankets are made of wool, both soft and warm…”

She was overthinking things!

Fu Tingyun immediately felt relieved and accepted the headscarves. For some reason, she still felt shy. She softly thanked him, then, remembering that it was because of her objection that Zhao Ling couldn’t buy the blankets, she smiled at him apologetically.

Zhao Ling’s tense heartstrings finally relaxed, but then he suddenly realized his back was covered in sweat.

But he was used to hiding his emotions, especially now as he tried to conceal his nervousness. His expression naturally showed no abnormality as he smiled and talked with Fu Tingyun: “What kind of blanket do you like? Let’s each choose one. What do you think?”

One for each person?

Fu Tingyun suddenly imagined their rooms with two identical blankets…

How awkward that would be!

Her face turned hot.

Looking up, she saw Zhao Ling had already entered a shop and was pointing to a sapphire-blue blanket woven with moon-white lotus flowers and bright red pomegranate flowers, vibrant and bold in color, asking her: “What do you think of this one?”

“Oh!” Fu Tingyun felt somewhat distracted.

Should she tell him they should each choose their own?

Zhao Ling, seeing her hesitant look, thought of the earlier incident when he gave her the headscarves.

If he hadn’t cut through the confusion quickly, they might still be standing on the street, being scrutinized by passersby.

At this thought, he felt as if his back was sweating again.

Zhao Ling immediately decisively asked her: “Is this blanket good-looking? I think having a bright blanket in the room when it’s cold can lift one’s spirits!”

Indeed.

Fu Tingyun nodded.

Zhao Ling then instructed the shopkeeper: “Wrap up this blanket.” Then he pointed to a plain ginger-yellow blanket nearby, “I’ll take this one too!”

Fu Tingyun was speechless for a moment.

So when he said one for each person, he meant each person choosing one!

How had she let her thoughts wander in that direction?

Fu Tingyun’s face was like a red cloth.

Zhao Ling asked with some concern: “Are you tired from walking?” As he spoke, he asked the shopkeeper for a Hu stool, “Sit down and rest a bit. I’ll call a carriage to take you back to the inn.”

Yongjing County was tiny; what carriage would they need? If Ah Sen and the others saw them, they would laugh their heads off.

Fu Tingyun hurriedly said: “No need, no need. I’m just wearing too much. The sun is making me hot.”

Zhao Ling’s eyes flashed with suspicion, clearly not believing her words.

“Didn’t you say we should buy some tea to take back?” Fu Tingyun had to say, “It’s almost noon. Let’s hurry and buy the tea to go back!”

“Alright!” Zhao Ling didn’t insist further and smiled, “You’ve been walking for half a day, you must be hungry.”