“Sister, this street has many rouge shops and jade stores. Women often come here in their leisure time.” Ming Cunfu lifted the curtain, allowing Jiuzhu to see the scenery outside more clearly.
Jiuzhu leaned forward, noticing many young women walking together, occasionally whispering and laughing. The pearl flowers in their hair swayed gently with their movements.
Scholarly men, dressed in traditional robes, bowed gracefully from a distance toward the women.
As carriages and sedan chairs passed by, the accompanying servants lowered their heads quietly, showing no signs of arrogance.
Cleanly dressed constables patrolled the streets, their swords hanging at their waists. When they encountered acquaintances, they exchanged a few words and casually picked up a child who had fallen. The child, about to cry, noticed the sword at the constable’s waist and swallowed his tears. He reached out a dirty little hand and timidly touched the hilt of the sword.
The constable pretended not to notice the child’s curiosity and handed him back to his grateful parents before disappearing into the crowd.
“We’ve arrived at the rouge shop.”
Jiuzhu snapped out of her reverie. “We’re here?”
“Yes.” Ming Cunfu stepped down from the carriage and extended his hand to Jiuzhu. “Come, let’s get down.”
As Jiuzhu bent to step out of the carriage, she heard the sound of hoofbeats.
She turned her head and saw a handsome young man in a purple robe riding a majestic white horse. The purple robes fluttered in the breeze, a striking contrast against the quiet street.
The horse moved slowly, and the young man’s posture was relaxed, as if nothing in the world could catch his attention.
“Sister, what are you looking at?” Ming Cunfu followed Jiuzhu’s gaze and saw a clothing shop. “Do you see something you like?”
The young man on the white horse had already turned into a nearby alley. Jiuzhu looked away. “Brother, I was just admiring the scenery.”
Scenery?
Ming Cunfu was momentarily puzzled, then felt a pang of pity. His cousin had spent years living in the countryside, so even an ordinary street in the capital seemed like a sight to her.
He touched the money pouch at his waist and made up his mind. “Come, let’s pick out some clothes. Buy whatever you like.”
His family was strict, and his monthly allowance was never generous. Saving up this money had taken considerable effort. But Jiuzhu was his only cousin, and as her elder brother, he decided to be a little more generous.
“Alright.” Jiuzhu nodded and jumped down from the carriage.
Ming Cunfu glanced at his empty hand and then at his cousin, who was already walking briskly toward the rouge shop. He discreetly looked around and sighed to himself.
As long as no one saw, it didn’t count as being improper.
As soon as the siblings entered the rouge shop, someone approached Ming Cunfu.
“Brother Ming.” Zhou Shucheng, seeing Ming Cunfu accompanied by a young woman for the first time, bowed slightly. “Brother Lin is hosting a banquet at his villa today. Why didn’t you attend?”
“Brother Zhou.” Ming Cunfu returned the greeting. “I’ve been busy with family matters recently and haven’t had much free time. Please convey my apologies to Brother Lin.”
Zhou Shucheng thought for a moment and understood. Ming Cunfu’s father had recently been sent on an imperial mission to the south, and the family, worried about his studies, had entrusted him to Ming Jingzhou’s care.
The news of Ming Jingzhou’s daughter being betrothed to Prince Chen had spread far and wide. No wonder Ming Cunfu had been keeping a low profile these days.
“And this young lady…”
“This is my cousin.” Ming Cunfu smiled. “She just returned to the capital, so as her elder brother, I naturally have to spend more time with her.”
Zhou Shucheng nodded politely and bowed to Jiuzhu. “Miss Ming, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The three Ming brothers were known for their close bond. When the eldest brother was framed by villains, the other two chose to stand by him, even at the risk of imprisonment.
In the face of life and death, they had remained steadfast in their brotherly loyalty, a quality that set them apart from many other families.
It was just unfortunate that their only daughter in the next generation was to marry Prince Chen.
Jiuzhu felt that the way Zhou Shucheng looked at her was a bit strange—as if she were a rabbit shot by an arrow, about to be skinned and roasted.
“Take care, honored guests.”
Hearing the commotion, Jiuzhu looked up and locked eyes with a woman descending the stairs.
The woman paused, then, seeing Jiuzhu smile at her, returned the smile with a slight curve of her lips.
“Brother, I’ve finished picking out my things.” The woman walked over to Zhou Shucheng and curtsied slightly to the Ming siblings. “Master Ming, Miss Ming.”
Here it was again—that look, as if she were a rabbit on a roasting spit.
After the Zhou siblings left, Jiuzhu whispered to Ming Cunfu, “Brother, does everyone in the capital know that I used to be poor?”
Otherwise, why did everyone look at her like that?
Ming Cunfu: “…”
No, they’re just pitying you for marrying someone… unusual.
“Ah.” Jiuzhu sighed. If she had met these kind-hearted people of the capital a few years earlier, they surely would have been willing to donate to the temple.
After selecting a few boxes of the latest rouge, Jiuzhu followed Ming Cunfu to a clothing shop.
The capital was a place of great prosperity, and the fabrics used for clothing were exquisite. Seeing that the shop was mostly filled with female customers, Ming Cunfu retreated to the back to have tea, leaving his maid, Chunfen, to accompany Jiuzhu as she tried on clothes.
The clothing shops frequented by the nobility often had areas for male guests to rest, likely to allow them to wait patiently while the women shopped undisturbed.
“Miss, your figure is so lovely. Everything looks good on you.” The shop assistant was full of praise, finding something new to compliment with each outfit Jiuzhu tried on.
“This dress, paired with the latest hairpin, would make you look like a fairy descending from the moon.” The assistant adjusted Jiuzhu’s skirt. “We have jewelry and jade pieces on the third floor. Would you like to take a look?”
“Miss, since Sixth Brother is paying today, you should buy as much as you can.” Chunfen whispered in Jiuzhu’s ear with a smile. “When Third Brother was in the capital, Sixth Brother always made him pay. You should help Third Brother get his money’s worth.”
In Ming Cunfu’s generation, the siblings were ranked according to their birth order. Ming Cunfu was the sixth, while Jiuzhu’s own brother, Ming Jiyuan, was the third. Though Jiuzhu had never met her brother, she had heard many stories about him from her parents.
“Isn’t that a bit too much?” Jiuzhu said, though her feet were already moving toward the stairs.
Few younger sisters ever felt truly guilty about spending their brothers’ money.
The shop assistant’s smile grew even brighter. What shop assistant would ever complain about customers buying more?
Golden branch hairpins, vermillion-dyed hairpins, jade pearl crowns—if no one bought them, wouldn’t they be lonely?
“Why are these hairpins and ornaments so gaudy lately? Golden branches, red beads, and tortoiseshell—utterly tasteless!”
Jiuzhu, who had been admiring a golden branch hairpin, turned her head to look at the young man who had spoken.
“Only this jade bracelet is somewhat acceptable.”
Jiuzhu, who hadn’t been interested in the jade bracelet to begin with: “…”
“Sir, these are the latest styles,” the shop assistant explained with a polite smile. “If you don’t like them, we can show you some other designs.”
“What’s popular is just whatever some noble in the palace happens to like these days, and everyone else follows suit.” The young man scoffed, his tone dismissive, as he pointed to a few items. “Just these. The rest are unnecessary.”
“Miss,” the shop assistant pretended not to hear the man’s comments and quietly asked Jiuzhu, “Would you like to try this on?”
“Sure.” Jiuzhu handed the golden branch hairpin to the assistant and picked up a bronze mirror to look at herself.
Her hair was thick and dark, and the golden branch hairpin nestled within it, far from looking gaudy, resembled a star that had accidentally fallen into her hair.
The young man, who had just taken a jewelry box from the assistant, turned to leave but caught sight of Jiuzhu admiring herself in the mirror. “Such a vulgar…”
Hmm?
Hmm…
Perhaps it wasn’t so vulgar after all.
“It’s pretty,” Jiuzhu said, touching the hairpin. “I like it.”
Seeing the young man who had called the hairpin vulgar now staring at her, Jiuzhu widened her eyes.
What, just because he thought it was vulgar, he didn’t want others to buy it?
“Miss, you have excellent taste. That hairpin in your hair looks like a branch from the moon palace or a flower from the heavenly pond.” The young man cleared his throat and bowed slightly to Jiuzhu.
Jiuzhu: “…”
As if she hadn’t heard what he’d said earlier.
No wonder her masters had warned her before she came to the capital that some people here were cunning and that one should be cautious about speaking too freely.
“I am Zheng Wangnan, heir to the Pingyuan Marquisate. May I ask which family you belong to, Miss?” The young man took a step closer when Jiuzhu didn’t respond.
Pingyuan Marquisate, Zheng…
Isn’t that the family of the brat who called the Imperial Consort a demoness in the palace?
Jiuzhu stood up: "My tastes are rather vulgar, and I have no intention of disturbing you. Farewell."
People who can't even raise their children properly must have something wrong with their heads. She decided to keep her distance—who knows if their idiocy might be contagious?
Watching the girl hurriedly leave, Zheng Wangnan couldn’t help but feel she was fleeing in panic.
He turned to his attendant: "Am I that ugly?"
"Young Master, you are dignified and handsome, with a face as fair as jade."
Zheng Wangnan turned back to the shopkeeper: "I’ll take one of those hairpins the young lady was wearing earlier."
"Young Master," the attendant whispered, "didn’t you say it was vulgar?"
"Have you ever heard this saying?" Zheng Wangnan raised an eyebrow, his expression enigmatic.
"What?"
"Men are fickle creatures."
"Oh, really?" A lazy voice chimed in. "Show me how fickle you are."
Zheng Wangnan turned toward the voice, his grip on the jewelry box almost faltering. He couldn’t help but glance at the private room nearby. Why hadn’t anyone told him *he* was here?
"Earlier, I overheard you criticizing the tastes of the palace’s esteemed figures," the purple-robed man said, idly playing with a horsewhip as he lounged in his chair. "Which noble’s preferences have so displeased you, Young Master Zheng?"
"Your Highness, I didn’t know you were here. My apologies for the disrespect." Zheng Wangnan bowed deeply.
"Hmm." The purple-robed man nodded slightly. "It’s not your fault. It’s mine for being here. Unfortunately, I’m in a bad mood today and can’t stand to hear anyone call things ‘vulgar.’"
He tossed the horsewhip onto the table. "What was your full name again?"
Zheng Wangnan clenched his teeth. He was the cousin of Prince Qi, the eldest son of the Pingyuan Marquisate. How could Prince Chen not know his name? This was nothing but humiliation.
"Never mind," the purple-robed man stood up. "Even if you told me, I wouldn’t remember it."
With that, he looked at Zheng Wangnan, whose shoulders were trembling slightly, and suddenly laughed. "Don’t be afraid. I’m always lenient with mediocrities."
Zheng Wangnan trembled even more.
The last person you were "lenient" with is still hauling rocks in the outskirts of the city.
Do you think I’d believe your nonsense?
Not a chance!
