Early in the morning, quite a few maids and household servants were bustling around in the Qin Mansion. Qin Yuesheng, curious, stopped a maid and asked, "What’s going on?"
"Young master, one of your distant cousins has arrived. The master is currently entertaining him."
"Oh."
He had heard about this distant cousin from his second mother when he had just returned from Pengqiao Village, and didn’t expect him to arrive so soon.
Without giving it much thought, Qin Yuesheng took a few hospital guards and left the Qin Mansion.
Currently, the funds for purchasing pills were still insufficient, and the All-Purpose Essence that Qin Yuesheng could use was truly scarce. Consuming even a bowl of dicinal materials cost him only a few dozen points a day, leaving him completely unenthused about eating those terribly tasteless things.
Thus, finding materials to craft the Soul-Swaying Bell beca one of Qin Yuesheng’s top priorities.
He hadn’t seen the Du Beilun brothers for a while, so today Qin Yuesheng planned to visit the Nanyan Treasure Studio. On the one hand, to browse for treasures, and on the other hand, to see if Du Tankang had any supply of lightning-struck wood.
Under Du Tankang’s managent, the business at Nanyan Treasure Studio was truly flourishing. The small mishap during the grand opening hadn’t impacted its developnt.
As the carriage stopped outside the shop, Qin Yuesheng walked in alone.
Looking around, almost everyone in the shop, both n and won, was fanning themselves.
This wasn’t pretense or showing off, but simply because the weather in Cyan Yang City had been getting hotter and hotter lately. There wasn’t even much sun visible in the sky, yet just walking on the street felt unbearably hot. Without a fan, you’d feel like a roasted piglet.
Fortunately, Qin Yuesheng wore a pendant made of Snow Cold Crystal, keeping him extraordinarily cool; otherwise, he’d be no different from these people.
"Sir, what do you need?" A young girl in a cool attire imdiately approached.
"I’m looking for Du Tankang. Is he here?" Qin Yuesheng asked.
"The Chief Shopkeeper is on the second floor. Let take you up, sir."
"No need, no need. You go about your business; I can go up myself."
Watching Qin Yuesheng stride upstairs, the girl couldn’t help but be slightly srized as she murmured to herself, "Which family’s young master is this, so handso and still so cool."
...
"Du Tankang, Cyan Yang City hasn’t been very peaceful lately. You should accept this Yellow Turban. I worked hard to get it from Daoist Nie. Wearing it can ward off evil, attract fortune, and ensure safety."
"A piece of yellow cloth, really? Does it work? I advise you, wouldn’t it be better to buy an empowered Buddha statue from Shaolin Temple here, keep it at ho, and pray with incense daily? It would definitely ensure safety. How about it? Want one? Since we’ve known each other since childhood, I’ll take a loss and sell it to you for five hundred silver."
Qin Yuesheng stood watching this pair of man and woman.
The man was naturally Du Tankang, while the woman was a rather tall and sowhat inclined lady, looking to be just over twenty. Her brows carried an air of vigor, looking heroic, and she had a distinct aura different from most won.
Qin Yuesheng picked up a blue-and-white porcelain bottle and played with it. Without needing to call attention, Du Tankang quickly noticed his presence.
"Oh! Yuesheng, when did you arrive? It’s been so long, so long. Why haven’t you been out drinking with us lately?" Avoiding the tall woman, Du Tankang walked straight to Qin Yuesheng and playfully punched his shoulder.
"There’s been a little issue at ho recently, not much interest in going out."
At this mont, the woman approached and boldly said, "Little Yuesheng, long ti no see, I didn’t expect you to beco so handso."
After speaking, she didn’t forget to pinch Qin Yuesheng’s cheek.
Qin Yuesheng quickly pushed her hand away, suddenly rembering who this woman was.
The eldest sister from the Su family, Su Qiaoqiao, the boss lady who frequently took him around to play as a child, with a very masculine personality.
"Hey, really, if you hadn’t ntioned it, I wouldn’t have noticed that Yuesheng seems to have grown more handso than before," Du Tankang couldn’t help but show a surprised expression.
The last ti he t Qin Yuesheng, it hadn’t been that long ago.
Watching Su Qiaoqiao holding the Yellow Turban, Qin Yuesheng couldn’t help but ask, "I just heard you say that this Yellow Turban has the effect of warding off evil, attracting fortune, and ensuring safety. Is that true?"
"Of course, it’s true. You don’t know, ever since so people in Cyan Yang City started going out and hacking others in the street, a kind of cold disease appeared among the people. Those who fell ill beca weak all over within a few days, with limp limbs, unable to live on anything but liquid food. The prescriptions prescribed by doctors were completely useless. In the end, in the western district, two to three hundred people were simultaneously bedridden, and half of Cyan Yang City’s doctors were helpless,
Finally, a traveling Daoist ca and used a talisman as a lead, soaking it in yellow wine for the patients to drink, which cured them. This Yellow Turban was made by that Daoist, with only ten being given out each day, making it quite precious."
Qin Yuesheng was surprised, "Sothing like this happened, and I didn’t know?"
Du Tankang nodded, "I agree."
Su Qiaoqiao couldn’t help but roll her eyes, "You two young masters, either lounging around at ho by day or imrsing yourselves in decadence at night, how could you possibly know about these things?"
"Let see." Qin Yuesheng reached out and took the Yellow Turban from Su Qiaoqiao.
Touching it, it was really just an ordinary strip of yellow cloth, looking like it was cut from so low-quality yellow fabric. Even the fabric that the Qin family’s maids and servants wore was of better quality than this Yellow Turban.
"Just this? It can ward off evil, attract fortune, and ensure safety?" Qin Yuesheng couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of doubt.
"If you like it, you can take it, little Yuesheng. It was originally ant for this fool, but thinking about it now, forget it." Su Qiaoqiao said calmly, but anyone with eyes could see her displeasure.
Clearly, Du Tankang’s failure to promptly accept her gift made her angry.
Ah, won, always so troubleso.
Su Qiaoqiao had feelings for Du Tankang, sothing Qin Yuesheng knew as early as a year or two ago. At that ti, Du Tankang only regarded Su Qiaoqiao as a childhood friend with no romantic interest, and even now, a year or two later, the situation didn’t seem to have changed much.
"Alright, I’ll take it then, thank you, Sister Qiaoqiao." Qin Yuesheng said with a smile.
"Did you co to find for sothing today? Need to buy sothing?" Du Tankang asked.
"Yeah, I need so lightning-struck wood, can you get it?"
"Lightning-struck wood..." Du Tankang hesitated, scratching his head.
As a shopkeeper at a treasure studio, it is quite embarrassing when a custor asks if you can get a certain treasure, and you say you can’t.
But only if the treasure doesn’t touch any forbidden lines.
"I don’t have it here, but I can ask a few of my supplier buddies. You can also check at your family’s own treasure studio."
"I’ve asked, they don’t have it."
"Alright then, I’ll ask around as soon as I can, but if I really can’t find it, there’s nothing I can do."
"Alright."
Suddenly, Su Qiaoqiao threw an arm around Qin Yuesheng’s shoulder like a good bro, leading him toward the stairs.
"Little Yuesheng, you don’t have any more business, right? Your sister is a bit busy, so I’ll just escort you this far. Be careful on your way back, don’t slip and fall. Otherwise, if Lanyin finds out you stumbled, she’ll be worried sick."
Seeing Su Qiaoqiao’s threatening smile and strong hand, Qin Yuesheng imdiately understood and cooperatively reacted like a proper wingman.
"Alright then, I’ll head off."
Watching the two put on their act, Du Tankang shook his head helplessly, smiling wordlessly.
Even though he lacked feelings for Su Qiaoqiao, it didn’t stop him from marrying her when the ti ca. For the sons and daughters of prominent families, sotis family alliances are the priority, and emotions are secondary.
The phrase "mutual respect" is the best description. If both spouses truly love each other deeply, they’re too busy being intimate and couldn’t possibly maintain mutual respect.
Leaving Nanyan Treasure Studio, he glanced at the Yellow Turban gifted by Su Qiaoqiao in his hand.
"Yellow Turban, Daoist, talismanic wine for healing, could it be an outsider? I’ll need Xu Chang to investigate this to avoid any issues." Tucking the Yellow Turban into his chest, Qin Yuesheng then returned to Qin Mansion.
He originally intended to write a letter in the study for Xu Chang at Li Lai Pawnshop.
But unexpectedly, he bumped into Duan Hongjin as soon as he walked in.
"Yuesheng, you’re back! Co, accompany to the Guest Hall." Duan Hongjin waved her hand, signaling for Qin Yuesheng to follow.
"Aunt, what are we going to the Guest Hall for?"
"Your cousin from afar just arrived from the south; he’ll be living at our mansion for a few days. I’m taking you to et him; you both are young, get to know each other."
Following Duan Hongjin to the Guest Hall, Qin Yuesheng saw Qin Feng conversing with a youth presumably a few years older than himself.
Curiously, the youth looked rather tired, with heavy dark circles under his eyes like he hadn’t slept for days, giving off a lost-in-thought impression.
"Yuesheng is here, this is your cousin Qin Hai, get acquainted." Qin Feng introduced.
"Hello, cousin, I’m Qin Yuesheng." Qin Yuesheng greeted him proactively.
Qin Hai smiled politely and stood up: "You are indeed handso and charming, cousin."
"Cousin, what’s up with your eyes?"
"Haha, it’s from staying up all night reading along the way."
Qin Yuesheng admired him, cupping his fist: "Impressive, cousin, your diligence is truly exemplary for us. But do try not to overwork yourself; health is important."
"You’re absolutely right, cousin. I understand." Qin Hai nodded.
Yet, his deanor remained sowhat lost-in-thought and very spiritless.
Qin Feng said, "Yuesheng, Qin Hai will stay in Cyan Yang City for three days. If you have free ti, take him out to unwind; just look at how exhausted the journey has made him."
"Okay, Dad, leave this to ."
In a daze, Qin Hai briefly lost himself, as a captivating figure that haunted his dreams resurfaced in his mind.
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