Hearing Wang Jiao’s gloating laughter, she retorted irritably, "Be careful that your Goudan also ends up playing with poop and eating sheep dung. I’d like to see how you, as a mother, feel then."
Wang Jiao replied carelessly, "It’s fine, my mother-in-law will take care of it."
Poop was so dirty and smelly; she certainly did not want to clean it up herself.
Feng Qingxue rolled her eyes at her, gesturing to Chen Xueniang to come into the house, "It’s hot outside, let’s chat inside."
"I won’t be coming in. I am just out for a stroll. I will cook for my mother later and take advantage of a free meal!", Wang Jiao said as she bounced off with Goudan. "Goudan, let’s go see your grandma and get some steamed egg custard!"
Goudan, with his still dark skin, responded with a stupid smile.
Shaking her head, Feng Qingxue went inside to pour a cup of tea for Chen Xueniang.
The hot water was infused with wild mint harvested in the spring, providing a refreshing relief from thirst.
"Sister Xueniang, do you know if it’s calm in the city yet? I’ve been afraid to go out because of the unrest and haven’t seen you guys. Also, sister Xueniang, the birthday gift you gave to Xibao was far too precious, I feel undeserved!" Feng Qingxue remembered the pouch only after she got home and cleaned up.
She stayed in the city for three months, and often strolled through the black market in the evenings, yielding quite a return.
With it being inappropriate to open while residing at the Cheng family, she waited until she got home. To her surprise, the gift Chen Xueniang gave Xibao was a meticulously carved mutton-fat white jade longevity lock and a pair of gold bracelets.
The longevity lock was delicate and smooth, undoubtedly top-grade.
The bracelets were woven from gold thread into the shape of two dragons fighting for a pearl, in a size suitable for a child. The filigree work alone was already very valuable, let alone the fact the dragon’s mouth contained an East Pearl. These bracelets contained two faintly golden round East Pearls.
In Qing Dynasty, the East Pearl was a tribute item.
"What’s the point of having jade in today’s world?" Chen Xueniang held Xibao on her lap dismissively. "In the old days, it might have been worth a bit, representing status for the nobles. The bracelet’s a few grams heavy, but I can’t exchange it at the bank without revealing my secret stash."
She gave a faint smile, whispering, "Apparently the bracelet was worn by an emperor, probably a young one from the Qing Palace. I don’t know how it ended up in the hands of the warlord who looked after me, and it was later given to me amongst other jewelry. Apart from Xibao, no one else is worthy of these bracelets. Keep them safe and pass them on to your grandson, right, Xibao?"
The last sentence was said to Xibao, who was already dozing off after finishing his bottle of milk, his eyes half-closed.
Feng Qingxue quickly took Xibao and put him to bed. She covered his belly with a towel blanket and turned back to continue her conversation with Chen Xueniang. With the child asleep, the adults could relax now.
Chen Xueniang gave her a detailed account of what had been happening in the town.
Feng Qingxue was amazed, it was so complicated! How audacious was Zhao Yide to have affairs with multiple people? And how could he be dealt with so quickly? They said he should be executed, and he was.
"Who cares about them? With Zhao Yide dead, Wang Fengmei and Zhao Mingfang can’t cause much trouble anymore!" said Chen Xueniang.
... I was so busy this morning that I didn’t have time for breakfast, and only had an egg. I need to go to lunch now. As for whether there will be an update today, I don’t know. I really, really hope I won’t make any more mistakes. The afternoon is the time for divination.