Chai Xiaomi didn't plan to settle down in Qianwu Town. After all, according to the plot, they would follow the main characters to change locations.
So she decided to hold the wedding right here in the Fantasy Sound Pavilion.
From a modern perspective, it was quite normal to rent it for a day as a wedding banquet venue.
Unfortunately, Madam Liu refused.
The revenue from a night of guests having a wild and luxurious time in the pavilion was much more than renting it out for a wedding banquet. For a business - minded person like her, this deal was not worth it at all, and there was no room for negotiation.
"My Fantasy Sound Pavilion is a place for the nobles to squander their money, not a place for wedding banquets," Madam Liu said, twirling her handkerchief and smiling flawlessly. "Think about it, girl. There are so many people in this pavilion who depend on me for a living. If I cancel one night's business, the loss can't be made up by the little silver you're offering."
Chai Xiaomi was glad that she brought Song Yueyao to discuss this matter instead of Wu Li.
Even Sister Yao couldn't help but roll up her sleeves, wanting to use force to coerce Madam Liu. It was Chai Xiaomi who stopped her. If it were Wu Li, God knows what the scene would be like.
However, what happened next was beyond Chai Xiaomi's expectation.
The news that she was going to get married here was overheard by a flower girl passing by and then spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred.
After learning that Madam Liu refused to rent out the venue, the flower girls went on a strike collectively.
They all pretended to be ill and couldn't receive guests.
Madam Liu was extremely annoyed.
If only one or two flower girls were causing trouble, she could use some tough measures on them. But now, it seemed as if they had all agreed in advance to go against her.
Madam Liu had no choice but to compromise.
She then found Chai Xiaomi and promised to lend the venue of the Fantasy Sound Pavilion for the wedding banquet on the wedding day.
Chai Xiaomi and Song Yueyao exchanged a smile. Just as they were about to go out to the bridal shop to look at wedding dresses, they saw Madam Liu walking in a hurry in the other direction.
As she walked, she asked the maid beside her, "When is that little hussy Xiangyun going to finish? She's been packing her luggage for so long. Lord Liu's carriage has been waiting outside for a long time."
She snorted, her voice full of impatience. "She really puts on airs. It's a great honor for her that someone is willing to redeem her and take her back as a concubine. She should be grateful. Instead, she's so reluctant. Who is she showing this to? I don't know what charm that ugly blind man has. One after another, they're all so infatuated with him, as if they've lost their souls."
Chai Xiaomi followed up. Looking up, she saw Xiangyun with tears on her face, clinging to the doorframe. A young servant was pulling her arm hard to drag her out.
"Don't be ungrateful. It's your good fortune to be favored by an honored guest who is willing to spend five thousand taels of gold to redeem you!"
Before Madam Liu even got close, she was already scolding loudly.
Chai Xiaomi stepped forward quickly and stopped her. "Five thousand taels? Didn't you say it was ten thousand taels of gold?"
Madam Liu was slightly startled. She sized Chai Xiaomi up and then laughed. "Girl, do you even want to meddle in this kind of trivial matter? I was just kidding that over - ambitious blind man. Five thousand taels for her redemption is already a high price. Who would believe he could come up with ten thousand taels?"
At this time, Xiaoman should still be working in the backyard and know nothing about what was going on in the front.
Chai Xiaomi didn't hesitate. She met Madam Liu's eyes. "Ten thousand taels it is. Please give me a few more days. I'll raise the money and bring it to you."
Hearing the mention of ten thousand taels of gold, Madam Liu's expression softened a bit, and a flicker of wavering passed through her shrewd eyes. "A grace period? Who knows if the young lady is just talking. Unless you leave a valuable item here that's worth ten thousand taels of gold, it won't show your sincerity. Otherwise, I can't turn down Lord Liu."
Chai Xiaoman lowered her eyes and looked at the Qiankun bag around her waist. The most valuable thing on her seemed to be only the ice bow and mysterious arrow.
But that was won for her by Lili. Even if it was just to be temporarily pawned here, she was reluctant to part with it.
Just as she was hesitating, Song Yueyao's clear and melodious voice came from beside her. "Can I pawn this knife here?"
Chai Xiaoman turned around and saw that she had drawn out the crescent blade from her waist.
The hilt was carved from rare black iron and inlaid with a circle of fine moon-white stones, exuding a cold and clear luster.
Song Yueyao thought to herself: Any person who knows the value of things should know that this crescent blade is extremely valuable.
However, Madam Liu had only seen ordinary gold and silver jewelry and was exactly the kind of person who didn't know the value of things. She just casually glanced at the knife, but her eyes suddenly fixed on Song Yueyao's waist, where a corner of warm jade color was exposed.
She reached out sharply without asking and directly took out the jade pendant, holding it in her hand and examining it carefully. There was no attempt to hide the joy in her eyes. "This jade pendant is a rare thing. It has no impurities at all. It's much better than that knife."
"This... this jade..."
Suddenly, a small and choked voice sounded.
Xiangyun stared fixedly at the jade, her lips trembling slightly. "It seems to be my father's..."
When her father was still alive, he often stared blankly at this jade. After looking for a while, he would look up at her and sigh. There was helplessness, guilt, and many things she couldn't understand in that look.
As soon as these words were spoken, Chai Xiaoman and Song Yueyao were both stunned.
The two exchanged a look with each other.
Xiangyun... was actually the daughter that Ouyang Huai had lost for many years!
It's a case of searching high and low without success, but finding what you're looking for without even trying.
Song Yueyao had been searching for many days, but unexpectedly, the person was right here in the Magic Sound Pavilion.
Chai Xiaoman couldn't help shivering, and the scenes from Hongxiao's memory emerged in her mind.
If Hongxiao hadn't appeared that night and hadn't blocked that disaster for Xiangyun, then wouldn't Xiangyun have been... by her own biological father?
"Xiaoman, what's wrong with you?"
Song Yueyao supported her and asked with concern when she saw her pale face.
"Nothing." Chai Xiaoman lowered her eyes. She just felt sick.
So sick that she couldn't tell Xiangyun her true identity.
Her stomach started to ache again in waves.
Just as Song Yueyao was about to put her arm around Xiaoman's shoulder, she suddenly felt the weight in her hand lighten. She saw Xiaoman sway and was easily picked up horizontally by someone.
"Lili..." Chai Xiaoman leaned on his shoulder. "Didn't you go hunting deer?"
She didn't know where he had heard about the ancient marriage customs in the Central Plains. He said that only by presenting a pair of deer skins as a gift could the marriage be considered settled. So he went to the outskirts to look for deer before dawn.
"I've caught one." He replied softly.
His eyes fell on her hand pressing on her upper abdomen, and his eyes were filled with a complex look.
Sure enough, the crushed red blood silkworm had very little effect. It was better to swallow the whole one.
He slowly raised his eyes and glanced at Madam Liu. His eyes were extremely cold. "Since this jade pendant originally belonged to that musician, and you've already got it in your hand, let her go free. What a trivial matter. You even made my wife pledge something to show her sincerity. Do you deserve it?"
Madam Liu suddenly felt a tightness in her throat, as if someone had firmly grabbed her neck. Immediately, she had difficulty breathing, and an illusion of impending death enveloped her.
She could only slightly open her mouth and shake her head desperately.
"This jade pendant is worth tens of thousands of taels of gold. Follow the rules. After taking the thing, return the indenture."
After saying that, Wu Li didn't even look back and left with the girl in his arms.
Madam Liu stood there, gasping for breath, like a fish thrown onto the shore.
She looked at the young man's back in horror, with cold sweat pouring down her back. It took her a long time to come to her senses, and then she immediately told the maid to get the indenture.
Song Yueyao glanced at her terrified expression, quickly caught up with Wu Li, and looked at the pale - faced girl in his arms, asking worriedly, "What's wrong with Xiaomi?"
"Humph."
Wu Li gave her a sidelong glance and sneered, "How dare you ask? Mimi can't drink at all. You didn't stop her and just let her drink herself to death? I entrusted her to you to take care of, and this is how you take care of her? Her stomach is messed up, and it has been hurting from time to time these two days."
"Lili, can you be reasonable?" Chai Xiaomi struggled to raise her head, reached out and turned his stinky face towards her, pinched his lower lip with her fingertips, and tugged at it, wishing she could sew it up.
"I wanted to drink myself. What does it have to do with Sister Yao? We're all adults. She's not my nanny and has no obligation to watch over me."
"You're not an adult. You're a child." He let her pinch his mouth and mumbled in a slurred voice to refute.
"You're the little brat. Can't you do basic math? Please figure out who's older and who's younger." She endured the colic in her stomach, and a strange obsession popped up again: "Call me sister."
"Can't hear you."
"Are you deaf?"
"You've found out."
"You—"
"Shh." He lowered his head and leaned close to her forehead. His voice suddenly softened. "Don't talk. Save your energy for the pain."
Song Yueyao silently took two steps back. "......"
She regretted chasing after them.
