Chapter 14
As Da Yue’s spring grew warmer and warmer, there still was not much greenery to be seen. There were only a few sparse needle-like green shoots here and there, almost impossible to notice.
He Xiu had changed out of her furry winter clothes early and felt much lighter all over.
Early in the morning, He Xiu picked up some small wooden blocks from the back kitchen of the Zhuo residence. Most of them were pinewood, relatively soft and easy to carve, carrying a faint scent of pine. Holding the wooden box in both hands, she passed through the courtyard corridor.
From far away, Feng Sanniang spotted He Xiu’s figure. Seeing her holding a wooden box, she quickly stepped forward and said sternly, “What are you sneaking around with?”
Seeing that Feng Sanniang had come with ill intentions, He Xiu explained, “These are wooden blocks. Miss Zhuo allowed me to pick through them in the kitchen, so I’m not stealing.”
Hearing this, Feng Sanniang raised a hand and opened the wooden box. Seeing that it really was full of small wooden blocks, she withdrew her hand in disgust. This was clearly just picking up trash.
“Don’t think you can win people over with these broken little things. In a while, Madam Zhuo will return to the residence. When that time comes, she absolutely won’t allow you to keep pestering Miss Zhuo. She will definitely drive you away.”
“Auntie, when have I pestered Miss Zhuo? Also, why would Madam Zhuo drive me away?”
Seeing that He Xiu had no sense of shame at all, Feng Sanniang said bluntly, “What, do you plan to stay in the Zhuo residence your whole life, eating and drinking for free?”
So Feng Sanniang felt that if He Xiu left the Zhuo residence now, perhaps she could still keep her little life.
Miss Zhuo was Madam Zhuo’s only daughter and the future head of the Zhuo clan. Her marriage absolutely could not tolerate the slightest mistake.
Holding the wooden box, He Xiu thought for a moment and replied, “I’m working and supporting myself too.”
“Hah. With that delicate skin and tender flesh of yours, do you plan to make a living carving broken wood in the future?” Feng Sanniang felt that He Xiu had probably never suffered hardship and did not know how difficult the world was.
Of course, Feng Sanniang was absolutely not worried about He Xiu suffering. She simply did not want Miss Zhuo to suffer grievances along with her.
“Actually, that might not be impossible. I have a lot of stock. If I take them out and sell them, maybe I can earn some silver.” After saying this, He Xiu felt she might actually have hope of earning some living expenses, so she left the corridor on her own.
Hearing this, Feng Sanniang fell silent. Only then did she realize that He Xiu had not understood her sarcasm at all, nearly angering her to death!
On the other side, inside the study, Zhuo Mingke raised a hand and closed Da Yue’s water-region map. Her movement paused slightly, and she raised her eyes to look at the young girl before her. “Ask for leave?”
He Xiu nodded with full confidence. “I’ve made too many little things. Maybe I can sell some for money.”
“Are you very short of money?” Zhuo Mingke had once considered giving the young girl some monthly allowance, but He Xiu had said she did not need it, so the matter had been dropped.
After all, the young girl’s food, clothing, lodging, and daily needs were all arranged in the Zhuo residence. She truly had nowhere she needed to spend money.
“No. I just want to try what it feels like to earn money.” He Xiu did not mention what Feng Sanniang had said about her eating and living in the Zhuo residence for free. She raised her hands and held up all sorts of little wooden dolls, sorting them by category.
Zhuo Mingke fell silent and said no more. Her gaze swept over the young girl’s wooden dolls. It was not that they could not be sold, but clearly, they would not fetch a good price. It would only be wasted effort.
After a while, He Xiu’s gaze swept over the little wooden dolls on the desk. These few were the cutest and most likable.
“Are you planning to sell these few too?” Zhuo Mingke saw the young girl’s hesitation and said leisurely.
“Mm.” He Xiu hardened her heart and placed the little cat, little dog, and little turtle into her carrying box as well.
Seeing this, Zhuo Mingke did not try to dissuade the enthusiastic young girl any further. She instructed, “Fine. Then your leave is approved. Don’t come back too late.”
Carrying the full box on her back, He Xiu answered confidently, “Okay. I’ll come back early!”
After she spoke, the light footsteps gradually faded into the distance. The enormous study returned to silence, feeling somewhat unfamiliar.
A red cord wound around Zhuo Mingke’s pale fingers. A little wooden doll hung from it. Her gaze fell on its crescent brows and foolishly charming appearance, slowly drifting away. Its hair bun had a ring clasp, allowing it to be hung as a pendant. As the red cord leisurely swayed the little wooden doll, it was as if she were controlling a puppet. She thought for a moment, then said, “Qian Yu, send some hidden guards to watch her every movement.”
Back then, the Da Liang attendants who had accompanied the young girl into Da Yue had recently begun hiding their traces one after another. They were clearly restless. Hopefully, it was only a coincidence.
Once she spoke, a figure appeared deep among the bookshelves on the upper floor and replied in a low voice, “Yes.”
The wind blew. Outside the window, the eave bells rang softly and faintly. The shadow by the bookshelves vanished as if it had only been an illusion.
Outside the window, the warm sun hung high. The sky was clear, and the air was bright. There was no trace left of winter’s cold and dampness. It was clearly only the second month, yet there were already signs of summer arriving.
Zhuo Mingke drew her mind back. Her gaze landed on the water-region map before her. Her calm, lacquer-dark eyes were like an abyss, enough to swallow all light.
In the hall, the incense burner released curling mist, giving off an eerie violet haze that blurred the depths of the study.
On the long streets and alleys of Da Yue’s imperial capital, crowds bustled, carriages and horses passed through, and teams of camels moved along, kicking up sand and dust.
In an unremarkable corner, He Xiu laid out a thin blanket and arranged the wooden dolls. She used her carrying box as a seat, her eyes bright as she waited for customers to arrive.
However, not many people paid attention to He Xiu’s little things. Even passing children did not take more than one glance.
He Xiu raised a hand to prop up her chin and sat motionless. Her clear eyes gradually dimmed as if she had turned into a wooden doll herself. Her gaze swept over the pedestrians coming and going, and she had a somewhat ominous premonition.
Could it be that she really would not sell a single wooden doll?
After a long while, finally, a little girl stopped in front of the stall. He Xiu said warmly, “Little sister, do you like little rabbits or little dogs?”
As soon as she spoke, the little girl pulled out the small knife at her side and said in a childish voice, “I want a little tiger as a pendant.”
“…”
Only then did He Xiu realize that Da Yue’s fierce local customs were not just talk.
Fortunately, He Xiu had made all twelve zodiac animals in her free time, so she obtained three copper coins. It could be called the first pot of gold in the meaning of her life!
Just as He Xiu was preparing to keep working hard, the people around her began gathering one after another and moving toward another place. The market became much quieter.
“Something terrible has happened. They say the river outside the imperial capital has stopped flowing. This is an ill omen!”
“For hundreds of years, Da Yue’s imperial capital has been the center of the oasis. If there are no rivers or water sources, neither people nor livestock can survive.”
“It must be those foreign people in strange clothes who offended the heavenly gods. They must be severely sacrificed and punished!”
Listening to the words stirred up by those bearded men, He Xiu noticed that the emotions of the Da Yue commoners around her had clearly changed. She sighed inwardly. This situation felt rather bad.
As the sun set in the west, the great desert and gobi were dyed a deep red. By the time He Xiu carried her box back to the Zhuo residence in a hurry, she was already starving.
In the front hall of the east courtyard, candlelight flickered. The mural enshrined within was solemn and dignified, silent and still.
Zhuo Mingke sat upright before the main seat. Her cool jade-like face was illuminated by the soft candlelight. Her slender fingertips toyed with the bodhi flowing beads. Her gaze swept over the three copper coins before her, then slowly turned to the young girl as she said, “So this is the money you earned after going out for half a day?”
He Xiu bit into a chicken leg while shoveling rice into her mouth. Rather embarrassed, she answered indistinctly, “Mm. In the future, I’ll earn even more money for Sister Zhuo. Also, I heard a very important piece of news.”
“Why don’t you tell me?”
“They say the river outside the imperial capital has stopped flowing and caused panic. Someone was stirring people up, saying foreign people should be sacrificed to the heavenly gods. I keep feeling like something very scary is going to happen next.”
Last time, He Xiu had only been imagining Da Yue’s collapse as a hypothetical situation. Who knew it seemed about to come true? It couldn’t be that effective, right?
Hearing this, Zhuo Mingke looked at the timid young girl and said unhurriedly, “If it is that frightening, wouldn’t it be dangerous for you to go out and sell wooden dolls?”
Seeing the beautiful older sister show concern, He Xiu was deeply moved and answered, “Don’t worry, Sister Zhuo. I’ve already thought of a way to deal with it.”
“…”
Zhuo Mingke felt that the young girl most likely did not understand the meaning behind her words.
Zhuo Mingke lowered her eyes and looked at the three copper coins. Her fingertips rubbed the bodhi flowing beads. She truly could not understand the young girl’s habit of looking for hardship on her own.
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