103, Wishful Thinking (5 more updates)
Aunt Chen was busily tidying up in the kitchen, while Grandma Chen was sweeping the floor. Hearing the noise, she walked to the door and saw the man, “Who are you looking for?”
Gai Ke smiled, “Excuse me, is this Miss Xie Zhinuan’s home?”
Grandma Chen nodded, looking at Gai Ke with some wariness.
“It’s like this, I met Yuan Liuwang in the prefectural city, and he sold the chili sauce to our Crown Prince. However, he had other tasks to attend to, so the Crown Prince asked me to come and pick up the chili sauce first!” Gai Ke quickly spoke up.
Grandma Chen looked at Gai Ke, then glanced behind him.
Across the road, several horse-drawn carriages were still in place.
“You wait here, I’ll go to the back door and call my young lady!” Grandma Chen said, turning towards the back door.
Xie Zhinuan happened to come over to fetch water, followed by a mule and a dog.
In the glow of the setting sun, she looked dazzling, as if she was covered in a layer of golden light.
Gai Ke watched Xie Zhinuan, swallowing slightly.
Having accompanied the Crown Prince, he had seen many beautiful women, but none as pristine and pure as her.
His heart was beating a bit faster.
Grandma Chen whispered a few words to Xie Zhinuan, who then looked at Gai Ke and walked to the door, “Are you the one Brother Liuwang referred to buy the chili sauce?”
“Yes, yes!” Gai Ke quickly responded.
His voice trembled slightly.
“Then how much silver per jar did you agree on? And is the silver for him or for me?” Xie Zhinuan asked crisply.
She was not bashful or shy in front of a strange man, maintaining a generous and proper demeanor.
However, Gai Ke’s heartbeat was indeed quickening.
“We agreed on one hundred taels of silver per jar, and Yuan Liuwang said, when I come to get the chili sauce, to give the silver directly to Miss Xie!”
Xie Zhinuan nodded.
“Alright then, take a seat over there. Signal for your horse-drawn carriages to come over, and I’ll have the jars carried out so you can load them directly onto the carriages!” Xie Zhinuan pointed to the shelter outside the gate.
“…” Gai Ke was surprised.
He hadn’t expected Xie Zhinuan wouldn’t invite him into the courtyard.
Moreover, hearing the price of one hundred taels of silver per jar of chili sauce, she seemed not to be excited.
She remained very calm.
“Please, have a seat!”
Xie Zhinuan invited Gai Ke to sit down, went in to ask Aunt Chen to make tea, and told Silly Girl to carry out the chili sauce.
Silly Girl was indeed strong, carrying a jar of chili sauce weighing over thirty pounds without any strain, easily bringing it out.
“Silly Girl, just bring out thirty jars!”
“Alright!”
Thirty jars, three thousand taels.
Gai Ke took out the silver notes, one hundred taels each.
Xie Zhinuan, holding the silver notes, felt no excitement over the amount.
Each horse-drawn carriage could fit six jars, and Gai Ke had brought six carriages in total. Once all the jars were loaded onto the carriages, Gai Ke said, “Miss Xie, I take my leave!”
“Safe travels!”
Xie Zhinuan smiled slightly.
Polite, but without flattery, she carried herself with equal parts dignity and respect.
Her features were picturesque, her eyes clear and bright.
Gai Ke thought to himself, such a beautiful young lady was beyond his reach, yet his master, the Crown Prince, was fond of beauty. Although already married, he had several concubines. If he could present Miss Xie to the Crown Prince, his standing in front of the Crown Prince would surely improve.
But there was no need to rush; he had to inquire carefully about Miss Xie’s background first.
If she had no powerful connections, he could make arrangements. Certainly, he could make it possible for the Crown Prince to win this beauty.
After selling the chili sauce, Xie Zhinuan was in high spirits. She had Silly Girl take out the grapes that were hanging in the well, ready to enjoy the moon!
“Miss, how do you plan to use all this silver?”
Xie Zhinuan thought for a moment, “I’ll keep what belongs to me, and give what I promised to Yuan Liuwang to him.”
Thirty jars, nine hundred taels.
The rest, for Yuan Liuwang.
Chapter 105