Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Buy, Buy, Buy It was just beginning to get light when Yu Lingchun woke up. “Baizhi—” she called, drawing out the last syllable. Baizhi hurried in from the outer room, her hair still somewhat disheveled. Clearly, she had only just gotten up herself. Rubbing her eyes, she saw that Third Miss had already sat up and was startled. “Third Miss, why are you up so early?” “The early bird catches the worm.” Yu Lingchun threw off the quilt. “Hurry and help me wash and dress. We’re going out today.” As she combed Yu Lingchun’s hair, Baizhi muttered, “But Third Miss, you haven’t fully recovered yet. Why don’t we go another day…” “No,” Yu Lingchun said decisively. “I’m going today.” In her previous life, every day after she opened her eyes brought a class schedule, experiments, surgeries, and papers. On weekends, she still had to work part-time. Shopping, eating delicious food, and watching performances were all part of other people’s lives; they had nothing to do with her. Now that she had finally crossed into another world, she had the identity of an official’s daughter and four hundred and fifty taels of silver in her pocket. Not going shopping? Wouldn’t that be a waste of heaven’s bounty? Baizhi could not argue with her and had no choice but to swiftly wash and dress her. Yu Lingchun looked at herself in the bronze mirror: an oval face, peach-blossom eyes, a high, delicate nose, and petite lips. Although her complexion was still somewhat pale, her natural features were truly excellent. Unable to resist, she touched her face, inwardly delighted. In her previous life, she had been utterly ordinary-looking, but in this life, she had somehow ended up with the shell of a great beauty. What a profit. “Third Miss, which outfit should you wear?” Baizhi asked, opening the clothing chest. Yu Lingchun glanced at the few somewhat worn garments and frowned slightly. “The goose-yellow one. At least it’s presentable.” After helping her put on the clothes, Baizhi arranged her hair in a simple bun and inserted the white jade hairpin. Yu Lingchun examined herself in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction. “Come on. We’ll eat breakfast first, then go find my mother.” Breakfast was chicken congee. Fine shreds of chicken were mixed into the rich, fragrant porridge, which had probably also been cooked with chicken broth. It was sweet, savory, and nourishing. Madam Pei was having breakfast in the main room. When she saw her daughter arrive, she was both surprised and delighted. “Chun Niang, why have you come? You haven’t fully recovered yet!” “Mother, I want to go walk around the streets,” Yu Lingchun said bluntly. Madam Pei froze for a moment, then looked troubled. “But… your father probably won’t be pleased if he finds out…” Yu Changshan was a typical feudal patriarch of ancient times. As far as his daughter was concerned, he expected her to be the sort of well-bred young lady who never stepped beyond the inner gates. “Mother.” Yu Lingchun walked over and slipped her arm through Madam Pei’s, her voice soft and coaxing. “I’m already eighteen, yet I’ve never properly explored Bianjing. In another month, I’ll be married, and after that, we’ll have even less time to spend together. Come with me, Mother. Please?” Seeing her daughter’s coquettish expression, Madam Pei’s heart softened at once. Come to think of it, Chun Niang had been kept at home ever since she was little, never stepping beyond the gates. It truly was pitiful. Now she was about to marry, yet she did not even know what Bianjing looked like. “Then… all right.” Madam Pei gritted her teeth. “But we must come back early. Don’t let your father find out.” “Mother, you’re the best!” Yu Lingchun happily hugged her. That embrace brought tears to Madam Pei’s eyes again. Her daughter had never behaved like this before. She had always been quiet and somewhat distant from everyone. Now that she had learned to act spoiled, Madam Pei found herself a little unused to it. “All right, all right. You’re not a child anymore.” Madam Pei wiped the corner of her eye and smiled as she patted her hand. “Baizhi, go prepare the carriage.” The carriage left Yulin Alley and turned onto the main road. Yu Lingchun immediately lifted the curtain and leaned against the window, watching the bustle outside. The streets of Bianjing a thousand years ago were even more prosperous than she had imagined. Along both sides of the flagstone road stood row upon row of restaurants and teahouses, their banners fluttering in the breeze. There were vendors selling medicine, cloth, and all kinds of sundries, with stalls packed closely together and cries of hawking rising one after another. The road was filled with people: peddlers carrying shoulder poles, scholars riding donkeys, women carrying baskets, and several children chasing a leather ball. They nearly ran into the carriage. “Third Miss, don’t stick your head out! It’s dangerous!” Baizhi anxiously tugged at her from behind. “I’m only looking.” Yu Lingchun drew back a little, but still could not bear to lower the curtain. “Mother, what’s that place over there? It’s so lively.” Madam Pei followed the direction she pointed in and glanced over. “That’s Panlou Street, where they sell gold and silver jewelry.” “What about over there?” “That’s Maxing Street. It’s even livelier at night, when there’s a night market.” “There’s a night market too?!” Yu Lingchun’s eyes lit up. “Then can we go tonight—” “No.” Madam Pei cut off the thought immediately. Yu Lingchun pouted, but her attention was soon drawn to something new outside. After traveling for a little under half an hour, the carriage stopped before a bustling marketplace. Baizhi jumped down first, then helped Yu Lingchun out. Madam Pei was the last to descend. The moment her feet touched the ground, she nervously looked around, as though afraid of running into someone. “Mother, stop looking around. Let’s go.” Yu Lingchun took her hand and pulled her into the crowd. They went to a ready-made clothing shop first. The moment Yu Lingchun entered, her eyes fixed themselves on the colorful garments. “This one, this one, and this one. Bring them all for me to try.” Seeing that although her clothing was not particularly luxurious, her bearing was extraordinary, the shopkeeper realized she must have an impressive background and hurried over to attend to her obsequiously. Yu Lingchun tried on the garments one by one. After each one, she would turn around twice and examine herself from every angle in the bronze mirror. Madam Pei sat to one side, watching her daughter’s enthusiasm, feeling both tender and bittersweet. “Mother, does this look good?” Yu Lingchun asked, wearing a pomegranate-red beizi as she spun in a circle before her. “It looks good, it looks good.” Madam Pei nodded repeatedly. “What about this one?” She changed into a lake-green garment. “That looks good too.” “And this one?” “They all look good.” Yu Lingchun could not help laughing. “Mother, do you think everything looks good on me?” Madam Pei laughed as well. “Everything looks good on you.” In the end, Yu Lingchun bought four garments in one go: two beizi, one ruqun, and one bijia. She also had two new outfits made for Baizhi, which made Baizhi so happy that her eyes reddened. “Third Miss, this… this is too extravagant…” “What’s extravagant about it? You’re following me when I marry into Earl’s Residence. If you dress too shabbily, people will think the Yu household is so poor it can barely afford to eat.” Yu Lingchun waved her hand grandly. “Come on. Next stop—the jewelry shop.” Inside the jewelry shop, Yu Lingchun began another round of buying spree. A red-gold hairpin set with rubies, a pair of white jade earrings, a gilt bracelet, and a complete set of silver hair ornaments. When choosing things, she did not look at the price—only at whether she liked them. Baizhi watched from the side with her heart in her throat, while Madam Pei reminded her in a low voice from behind, “Chun Niang, that’s enough, that’s enough. Don’t spend too much…” “Mother, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing,” Yu Lingchun said without even turning around. She truly did know what she was doing. Four hundred and fifty taels of silver sounded like a lot, but her dowry would be her foundation and confidence in her future husband’s household. It could not be too shabby. Clothing and jewelry were a matter of appearances. Not a single penny that needed to be spent could be spared. Besides, her father had accepted a thousand taels in betrothal gifts. What was wrong with her spending a little over four hundred? She was simply outfitting herself.