Jiang Yuqing slept for a full hour and a half.
When she woke up, she found herself sleeping in Jing Yan's bed, while Jing Yan himself was sitting at the desk across from her reading a book.
The lamp she had gifted him was placed next to him, currently emitting its warm and cozy glow.
Seeing that she had awoken, Jing Yan put down his book and walked over to put her shoes on for her.
As Jiang Yuqing rubbed the sleep out of her eyes in an attempt to make herself more alert, she asked, "Where is everyone else?"
"They've all left!"
After her shoes were on, a eunuch brought in hot water and Jing Yan personally washed her face for her.
Watching this, the eunuch's heart pounded rapidly. He secretly thought, this little county magistrate is so fortunate to receive such personal attendance from the Crown Prince.
After washing her face, Jiang Yuqing finally felt more awake. Glancing at the hourglass on the desk, she saw that it was nearly the hour of Shen, so it was time for her to return home.
Although reluctant, Jing Yan knew it would be inappropriate to ask her to stay any later, as it would be unsafe for her to travel home too late at night. So he personally escorted her to the palace gates.
Once she was outside the palace, Jiang Yuqing noticed there was still plenty of daylight left. Remembering that she had been in the Capital City for some time now but had never gone out shopping, she instructed her carriage driver to stop at the entrance to a bustling street district.
She, Er Yu and Nanny Yan disembarked from the carriage, intending to browse around before heading back.
This area was West Market, belonging to the wealthy district. Thus, the shops here sold relatively expensive wares. Lacking nothing herself, she simply wanted to wander around.
So she entered several stores, but did not end up purchasing anything.
As they passed by a shop selling fried chicken, she noticed a long line of people queuing up. An intense, rich aroma of fried chicken drifted through half the street.
As a foodie, Jiang Yuqing could not deny that the smell was making her salivate. She immediately suggested, "Let's go line up too!"
This idea was met with unanimous approval from the others.
Yu Qing licked her lips and said, "Li's Fried Chicken here is a time-honored establishment of the Capital City. Its cooking techniques have been passed down for several generations. There are always lots of people lining up every day. I was fortunate enough to have tried it once, and I still can't forget that taste even now."
Nanny Yan laughed scoldingly, "Look at you, so shameless, as if your mistress starves you. Hurry up and get in line!"
"How many should we buy?"
Jiang Yuqing thought for a moment then asked, "How many people do we currently have in the household right now?"
Nanny Yan answered, "Around fifty or sixty!"
"That many?!" Jiang Yuqing exclaimed in surprise. Relying on the capable housekeeper Zhao to handle things, she seldom bothered asking about such matters, assuming thirty-odd people was already a lot.
Nanny Yan said, "That's nothing yet. In other households, the masters alone have more than that number. Our residence is quite deserted in comparison. In the future when Master returns to the capital with Madam and Elder Master and Mistress, only then will it become lively."
Jiang Yuqing pictured their sprawling estate-like mansion back home. Just keeping it clean was already a major undertaking every day, not to mention security and such. Without so many people they really would be hard pressed to manage.
Moreover, ever since entering the capital, she felt like she had neglected to show any appreciation to the household servants. She wondered if they secretly complained about her stinginess behind her back.
Thinking of this, her face grew slightly hot and she declared, "Then let's get sixty! One each for everyone, consider it a welfare treat."
"Sixty?! I'm afraid that won't work!"
"Why not?"
"They have a rule limiting each person to only five chickens per day, unless you order ahead in advance."
"Ah?" There's even purchase limits?
Jiang Yuqing bit her lip, pondering for a moment before suggesting, "How about this - the four of us will line up together, so we can buy twenty in total. When we take them back, that should at least ensure everyone gets to taste it. What do you think?" She was finding a loophole, admittedly.
"Whatever you decide, Young Miss, we servants have no objections!"
Having made up their minds, the four promptly rushed to join the queue.
The line slowly crawled forward. After a quarter hour, it was finally Jiang Yuqing's turn.
The harried server inside, with sweat dripping down his face, kept chopping chicken while asking customers, "How many do you want?"
"Five, I want five!" The server looked up. Hmm, where's the person?
Something wasn't right, it sounded like a little girl's voice.
Jiang Yuqing helplessly called out, "Eyes down here!"
The server poked his head out and looked down. Well now! It was a pint-sized little lass, not even half as tall as his service window.
He couldn't help but chuckle, "Little one, where are the adults in your family? Five chickens is pretty heavy, can you carry it?"
Jiang Yuqing smiled back, "No problem, just sell them to me."
"Alright! Please wait a moment, I'll chop them for you now!"
After chopping up the chickens, the server wrapped them in banana leaves and oil paper, tying them neatly in a bundle. Concerned that she would have difficulty carrying them, he specially found a lightweight basket to put them in, leaning out to pass it to Jiang Yuqing.
As Jiang Yuqing tiptoed and stretched out her hands to receive it, the basket was suddenly snatched away in midair by someone.
That person tossed over a piece of silver, took the goods, and left without even glancing their way. The flustered server yelled out, "Hey mister! That chicken belongs to this young lady, you can't just take it like that!"
The man turned back, eyes glinting fiercely, "Taking it? After paying with silver, you call that taking it?! Blind fool!"
"Hey sir! What kind of way is that to talk?" Incensed, the server stopped what he was doing to argue with the man.
Jiang Yuqing scrutinized the chicken-snatcher.
He had an extraordinarily large build, face covered in slabs of meat, powerful muscles discernible even under his clothes - like a hairy brown bear.
His buzzing, rumbling voice carried a peculiar accent, sounding almost like...a foreigner speaking Chinese, inexplicably awkward.
A curved blade encrusted with flashy gems hung from his waistband on the left.
The oversized brute rolled up both sleeves, pounding his basin-sized fists on his chest arrogantly as provocation, "That's how I talk! Got a problem with it? Come on then! Weakling whelp!"
Jiang Yuqing keenly noticed that half a wolf's head tattoo was revealed on his bared arm, along with pierced ears.
Her beautiful wide eyes instantly narrowed. Damn, this was clearly a Xiongnu in disguise, appearing in the Capital City of Da Xia - what was he planning?
She retreated several steps, whispering to Yu Qing for a few sentences. Yu Qing nodded and rapidly dashed off.
Terms like "bear" could be considered extremely insulting. It not only angered the server, but also the others lining up.
Everyone condemned the bear:
"What nerve snatching stuff then acting like you've done no wrong!"
"Right, how can he brazenly rob people?"
"So overboard, bullying the weak when you're that huge yourself, utterly shameless."
The angry bear's expression darkened. He whipped out the sparkling blade from his waist and fiercely hacked it into the fried chicken store's half-open door panel. With a sharp ripping sound, half the panel was sliced off.
The crowd was stunned speechless, not expecting this unreasonable hulk to actually take violent action under public eyes.
The bear scanned the frightened people with contempt. A bunch of weak and cowardly Da Xia sheep. He let out a satisfied snort then swaggered off, pleased with himself.
Without warning, his foot abruptly snagged on something and his ungainly ursine body crashed heavily to the ground, face landing first with a splat.
His stubbly chin slammed brutally on the stone pavement - the crisp sound made listeners wince.
The basket in his hand also flew out quite a distance away. Two oil paper bundles tumbled out but luckily did not spill.
Jiang Yuqing trotted over, cheerfully gathering up the packages back into the basket. While the crowd felt torn between amusement and worry that the daring child was too bold.
Yet, even more staggering developments followed which caused their jaws to drop further.
This little maiden, holding the basket, went right up to the bear and yanked a money pouch from his waistband. She then skipped back into the fried chicken store, tiptoeing to hand the pouch over to the attendant inside, saying very seriously - "He damaged your door so he ought to pay for it, take this!"
The stunned attendant stammered out, "L-Little miss, hurry and run! It, it looks like he's getting up!"
So saying, he rushed out gripping the shiny cleaver he used to chop chicken, trembling as he shielded Jiang Yuqing protectively.
While moved, Jiang Yuqing also felt somewhat tickled by this. Just then, Yu Qing and Nanny Yan regained their wits, hastily charging forward wanting to guard her.
Jiang Yuqing raised her hand signaling them to halt, a trace of icy light glinted in her eyes as she smirked sardonically, "No need to worry, he won't be getting up now."
Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, the brute toppled down unconscious right after swaying his head.
Jiang Yuqing, for the first time, felt that the yamen's people being too diligent was not a good thing either. She still wanted to watch an interesting lively scene, but now it was ruined.
Nanny Yan's eyes lit up and she immediately went forward to tell on them.
When the patrolling soldiers heard that someone had openly robbed the Magistrate of Linghui County, they wondered if this audacious fellow had eaten a bear’s heart and leopard guts.
Who didn’t know that the Magistrate of Linghui County was one of the top five “most unwise to provoke” people on the Capital City’s list?
And looking at the burnt chicken shop with half its door chopped off. Damn, he even dared to pull out his blade. Was he asking to die faster?
Indeed, it goes without saying. No matter if he was really knocked unconscious or pretending. The prison of the Five City Military Office provides food!
The soldiers quickly tied up the man and escorted him away, bowing to Jiang Yuqing before they left.
Jiang Yuqing stuffed the chicken basket into the leader’s hands, winking at him: “Thanks for your hard work, everyone. Here’s some burnt chicken to go with your wine.”
The leader understood instantly.
After walking some distance, he lowered his head to check the basket. Indeed, he found a snow-white handkerchief inside, with the characters for “Xiongnu” scribbled crookedly in thick black ink.
The leader was shocked. He tore open the big fellow’s sleeve, and saw a wolf tattoo on it. His expression changed drastically. He quickly ordered his brothers to hurry back and lock this man up under close guard, while rushing to report it at the same time.
The Xiongnu were the arch-enemies of Da Xia.
For these bandits to show up disguising themselves in the Capital City, it meant the enemy had crept right under their noses without their knowing! If something were to happen... the entire Five City Military Office would have to eat melon seeds while watching the show.
If this guy really was a Xiongnu person, the Magistrate of Linghui County had done them a huge favor today.
After the Five City Military Office’s people left, everyone finally realized this young lady was not simple at all.
A man who had been to the AND Hospital recognized Jiang Yuqing and was about to call out joyfully, but was immediately stopped by her gaze.
He excitedly nodded, and went back into the crowd.
After that scene just now, everyone knew Yu Qing and Nanny Yan were on the same side as her. So she didn’t ask them to line up again, and simply ordered another sixty chickens from the shopkeeper to collect tomorrow.
Out of apology and gratitude, the shopkeeper exceptionally gave her a highest privilege 9 fold discount. Everyone was delighted.
On the road, Yu Zhu asked Jiang Yuqing: “My lady, who exactly was that man just now? I feel he’s different from us somehow.”
Jiang Yuqing coldly laughed. “How can the Xiongnu bandits be the same?”
Hearing this, the three women in the carriage were shocked speechless.
Yu Qing stuttered: “Xiong...Xiongnu barbarians? Heavens! How did they get into the Capital City?”
Jiang Yuqing shook her head. “I don’t know, but it’s surely no good thing.”
Yu Zhu swallowed and asked: “Then my lady, how did you recognize him?”
Jiang Yuqing said: “When he rolled up his sleeve, it revealed a wolf tattoo. And judging by his looks and weapon - the Xiongnu tribe worshipped wolves, and they are also fond of sabers.”
Yu Zhu admired: “No wonder you asked me to hurriedly find the Five City Military Office. I see now! But my lady, how do you happen to know so much?”
Jiang Yuqing reached out and flicked her forehead. “It’s simple. Gossip less in your spare time, and read more books!”
“My lady...” Yu Zhu felt rather embarrassed. She was clearly being scolded for laziness by the lady.
Yu Qing gleefully said: “Didn’t they say the Xiongnu people are extremely fierce? How was this one so useless? We didn’t even hit him yet he knocked himself out. And on flat ground too!”
“What? Are you saying that Xiongnu bandit just now fell and knocked himself out?” To Yu Zhu this sounded like a hilarious joke.
“That’s right, you didn’t see it just now. Let me tell you what happened...”
As the two chatted enthusiastically, Jiang Yuqing simply lowered her head and gently stroked the “green jade bracelet” on her wrist.
As if sensing its master’s good mood, the small thorns lightly brushed against her palm, keeping silent about its contributions.
