novelaction Chapter 139 Heading to Yu Niang's Home
Chapter 139 Heading to Yu Niang's Home
Xue Tong waited in the lobby on the first floor of Qianxiu Pavilion for a short while before Yu Niang appeared. The young girl quickly ran to the woman's side.
[Sister Yu Niang, it's been a long time!]
Looking at the lovely little girl in front of her, Yu Niang smiled, her originally sorrowful eyes now showing a hint of joy.
"Long time no see? It's only been a few days."
What are you and your older sister doing right now?
Xue Tong told Yu Niang about how she and Xue Lan opened the Ji Lan Xiao Zhu, deliberately omitting the part about the Princess breaking down the door.
Yu Niang was quite amazed by this. Two young girls running a shop in the capital must be very difficult to manage.
Before Xue Tong could reveal her purpose, another embroiderer asked, "Xiao Tong and your older sister, were you from the Southern Region before?"
Xue Tong nodded and recited the same words Xue Lan had given Li Jun: "My sister and I are from Luoxia City."
"Luoxia City!" The surrounding embroiderers exclaimed in shock, their eyes filled with disbelief as they looked at Xue Tong.
Yu Niang felt her voice was hoarse, a sentence stuck in her chest, unable to be uttered. In the end, she only managed to say one sentence:
"Your older sister has taken good care of you."
The little girl, born in Luoxia Mountain, is an orphan, yet she is so bright and lovely. Her older sister must have put in a lot of effort.
Xue Tong wasn't stupid. She guessed something from the expressions of the embroiderers and, thinking about the identities she and Xue Lan had made up, felt a little embarrassed.
The little girl quickly spoke up to explain: "Sisters, please don't misunderstand. My father took us to Fuyang City when we were young, and later died of illness. We didn't grow up in Luoxia City."
Yu Niang sighed, "Fuyang City is not far from Luoxia City, and there are pitiful people on both sides."
Xue Tong shook her head: "It's different. Fuyang City is, after all, a magnificent fortress built by the Emperor to resist and shelter the surrounding people; its fortifications are incomparable to Luoxia City."
If Luoxia City is captured, its people will have to flee to Fuyang City like stray dogs every year.
It should be the hometown where generations have lived, but every year we have to abandon it, and when we go back, all that's left are broken walls and ruins.
One of the embroiderers couldn't help but ask, "Luoxia City is so dangerous, and Fuyang City has enough space. Why not relocate all the people of Luoxia City to Fuyang City so they can live there for generations to come?"
Xue Tong shook her head, her voice somewhat childish, yet unwavering: "It definitely won't work. Who knows if Fuyang City will be the next one to be abandoned?"
Will Fuyang City be the next to be abandoned?
The soldiers on the frontier cannot retreat an inch, and the people on the frontier are unwilling to give up their years of perseverance.
Everyone around fell silent.
Suddenly, a bold and gruff voice came from the second floor: "Well said!"
Everyone looked up and saw a middle-aged man leaning on a cane.
"For a young lady of such age to have such insight, one has to admit she is a child from one of the seven cities of the Southern Region."
The compliments were lavish, and Xue Tong's face flushed slightly as she realized she was experiencing social anxiety again.
The young girl bowed to the middle-aged man on the second floor, then looked at Yu Niang to the side.
[Sister Yu Niang, I got a little carried away talking to you earlier. My elder sister sent me to see you to inquire if there are any single rooms available for rent around here. My sister and I would like to rent one for the New Year.]
Yu Niang looked at Xue Tong, sizing up the lively and pretty girl who resembled a forsythia in spring: "I'm a little worried about you two sisters living alone. Why don't you come to my house instead? It just so happens that there's only my mother and I here, and we have a single room available for rent. Go and talk to your sister, and you can move in this afternoon."
Xue Tong thought that was a good idea and readily agreed. She then took her leave of Qianxiu Pavilion, pondering how to persuade Xue Lan to paint a picture of a white wolf for her to send to Aunt He the next day.
After Xue Tong left, General Cao, who was standing on the second floor, turned around and looked at the embroiderers behind him, who were busy with their needlework. A rare smile appeared on his face.
Seeing the newborn child made me feel that all the pain brought by the war had disappeared.
"Auntie probably doesn't know that in this battle at Luoxia Mountain, there were disciples of the immortal sects who took up arms as generals and led the Shengyu Army. They were brave and skilled in battle, and after this battle, not a single civilian was injured or killed."
The two people who had been standing in the corner of the embroidery workshop exchanged a glance, and then hurriedly went downstairs.
In less than half a day, the news spread throughout the capital like a spring breeze.
When the news reached Xue Lan's ears, the man was packing up his belongings to take with him when he closed the shop.
Shopkeeper Tong helped her stack several stools together: "That General Ji is truly an unparalleled heroine, a woman who is just as capable as any man!"
Xue Lan was packing her belongings. The young girl asked softly, "Uncle Tong, do you know where these rumors in the streets started?"
Upon hearing Xue Lan's words, Manager Tong became very interested. He waved his sleeve and pointed to the end of the street: "Over there is Qianxiu Pavilion. It is said that they recently received an imperial decree to embroider the 'Hundred Battles of Luoxia Mountain'."
“There’s a General Cao who came from the frontier, that’s what he said.”
"Lanlan, you're from Fuyang City. Could this general be mistaken?" Manager Tong said in a low voice.
Xue Lan slowly shook her head: "What this general said is correct. General Ji is indeed brave and skilled in battle, but Xue Lan is blind and has never seen her heroic figure."
Xue Tong, who was tidying up Xue Lan's tools, watched her skillfully ramble on and decided to remain silent.
As dusk fell, Xue Lan and her companion had packed up all their belongings at Jilan Cottage. Manager Tong saw them off at the shop entrance.
Following the sound, Xue Lan bowed to Manager Tong.
"Xue Lan has a favor to ask Uncle Tong."
"Why are you being so polite with me? Just say it," Manager Tong said, waving his hand.
“A young lady previously ordered a small crown from Jilan Xiaozhu, agreeing to pick it up in half a month. Now that Xue Lan is moving elsewhere, if that young lady comes looking for me, please ask Uncle Tong to inform her for me.”
Manager Tong readily agreed. Xue Lan was finally relieved. He then led Xue Lan towards Qianxiu Pavilion.
Yu Niang was already waiting outside the Thousand Embroidery Pavilion. She went to greet the two of them as they approached.
"Is that all?" Yu Niang tried to take the small bundle from Xue Lan's shoulder, but the girl pressed her hand down.
"Sister Yu Niang, Xue Lan's bundle is really heavy. I can carry it myself."
Yu Niang didn't believe that a little girl's bundle could be so heavy, but her expression changed the moment she held the bundle in her hand.
"Sister, let me do it." A gentle voice came from beside her ear, and Yu Niang nodded somewhat awkwardly. She wondered if this was the girl who had been working as a silversmith since childhood.
That strength... it's definitely beyond my reach.
From an angle unseen by Yu Niang, Xue Lan's lips curled into a faint smile. Yu Niang's movement just now was actually supported by her magic at the bottom of the bundle.
Her tools were so heavy that even Zhu He couldn't lift them.
The two followed Yu Niang towards her home. Just as they were about to leave the long street, Xue Lan suddenly turned around and stopped, facing directly towards Qianxiu Pavilion.
"What's wrong?" The other two also stopped, and Yu Niang was a little puzzled.
"It's nothing!" Xue Lan said. "I'm just a little suspicious."