After Fushun rode back from the outskirts of the city to report to Song Jinzhao that the farmstead had been completed according to her plans, Song Jinzhao took Fushun and Lanxi to the livestock market the next day.
Song Anhao wrinkled his sparse, pale crescent-shaped eyebrows. Crossing his hands over his slightly upturned little nose and mouth, he mumbled, "It stinks. There's so much poop."
Song Jinzhao covered her younger brother's nose with a scented handkerchief. "I told you it was dirty and told you not to come, but you insisted on following. Regret it now, don't you?"
Song Anhao plopped his head onto Song Jinzhao's shoulder, pouting with a voice full of deep grievance.
"Eldest Sister is home today, so I want to be with Eldest Sister."
Ever since Lanxi's hands and feet had mostly healed, coupled with the increasing number of patients at the clinic, Song Jinzhao had stopped bringing Song Anhao to the clinic every day.
As a result, Song Anhao could only see Song Jinzhao and the others in the mornings and after dusk. Over time, he naturally started to feel a bit unhappy about it.
Song Jinzhao rested her hand on her younger brother's back. "Don't you like playing with Lanxi? Are you upset?"
Walking behind them, Lanxi looked up at Song Anhao.
Song Anhao shook his head, his smooth, tender cheek gently rubbing against Song Jinzhao's shoulder, his hot breath hitting her neck.
"I like him, but I like being with my older brother and sister even more."
As Lanxi stared at Song Anhao's face full of dependence and his spoiled manner, the bloody scenes deeply suppressed in his mind were dug back up, causing his hands hanging by his sides to tremble uncontrollably as they clenched into fists.
He hurriedly lowered his head so no one would notice the fear, hatred, and the faint trace of sorrow in his eyes.
Song Jinzhao patted the back of Song Anhao's head, gently bouncing him in her arms. "In the future, if you don't want to stay at home, just have Lanxi take you to the clinic."
Song Anhao wrapped his arms around Song Jinzhao's neck, revealing two small dimples on his face. "I'll go tomorrow."
The livestock market was bustling every day with many livestock vendors and poultry sellers setting up stalls. Cages lining both sides of the street were filled with all sorts of live animals, while cows, sheep, donkeys, and horses were tied to ropes, occasionally letting out sorrowful cries.
Song Jinzhao had asked around beforehand. She led her group into a small shop with a banner reading All Creatures Poultry. Inside, Yang Qing was sound asleep on a chair.
Hearing footsteps, he lazily opened his eyes, his pupils hazy as if he hadn't fully woken up.
Once he clearly saw Song Jinzhao's face and the two servants standing behind her, he quickly stood up, smiled enthusiastically, and bowed. "Honored guest, you grace my humble shop. Forgive my negligence."
"Please have a seat, miss. Are you looking to buy poultry or livestock?"
Song Jinzhao said, "I heard that Master Yang in the livestock market has the most goods and can procure any amount requested. I wonder if that's true?"
Yang Qing burst into hearty laughter and picked up a teapot to pour water for Song Jinzhao. "I may not be much, but I do alright in Anyang Prefecture. However much you want, miss, I can definitely have it delivered within three days."
"Two hundred piglets, fifty young sheep, and ten plowing oxen in their prime. Half male, half female for all."
"Five hundred adult hens, five hundred adult ducks, five thousand chicken eggs, and five thousand duck eggs. The eggs must have been laid within the last seven days, as I intend to hatch chicks and ducklings. Add two hundred goslings to that as well."
Yang Qing stared blankly with his mouth agape. The tea overflowed the rim of the cup and burned his hand, causing him to grimace, shake his hand, and blow on it.
"Miss, what do you need so many for? The quantity is too large; I can't gather it all in three days. I'll need at least seven."
Song Jinzhao leaned back in her chair, tilting her head with a light chuckle. "Just a moment ago, Master Yang was boasting about his great abilities, claiming you could deliver any amount within three days. Giving up already?"
The spilled tea on the table was much like Yang Qing's busted bragging, too full, it spilled over, burning his own hand.
He poured a fresh cup of tea and pushed it in front of Song Jinzhao.
"I have poor eyesight and failed to see that you are doing big business, miss. How about six days? I'll give you a one percent discount."
Song Jinzhao pursed her lips and stared into his eyes. A one percent discount. He really had the nerve to offer that.
Standing on either side, Fushun and Lanxi speechlessly curled their lips and rolled their eyes. Buying so much for a mere one percent discount, this merchant was truly stingy.
Song Jinzhao held up her fingers. "A twenty percent discount. I'll pay a thirty percent deposit first. Deliver the goods to my farmstead outside the city in five days. If everything is in order, I'll pay the balance."
Yang Qing suddenly felt his tea had lost its flavor.
She was a major client. If he took this deal, he could kiss a good night's sleep goodbye for the next five days.
"Five days it is. Tell me the location of the farmstead, and I will deliver every single one to you in five days without a single one missing."
Being able to make a big profit before winter set in, he would be a fool not to do it.
Yang Qing brought out his abacus and clacked away to calculate the cost. Song Jinzhao casually jotted down a few equations on a piece of paper, calculated the price, and put down her brush.
A quarter of an hour later, a freshly drafted contract was placed before them. Song Jinzhao looked it over, found no issues, and signed it.
Yang Qing asked in astonishment, "Aren't you going to calculate it, miss?"
Song Jinzhao pressed her thumbprint onto the paper. "I already calculated it. There are no problems."
Yang Qing furrowed his brows. When had she calculated it?
She had eaten half a plate of walnut pastries; could she do mental math while eating?
After paying the deposit, Song Jinzhao left with her servants. Yang Qing picked up the paper she had left under her teacup. Some characters were already blurred beyond recognition by spilled tea.
But the circled amount at the very end matched the figure written on the contract down to the last copper coin.
"What kind of arithmetic method is this? How could she be so fast?"
Ever since Ye Liangyu appeared at the Meng family's birthday banquet leaning on a crutch, more and more people had come to visit him. Some even blocked the academy entrance until Mu Hongyue chased them away.
"You shouldn't have gone with a crutch. Now everyone knows your leg will recover. What if those people in the capital refuse to let you off?"
"You only have one life. Haven't you learned your lesson yet?"
Ye Liangyu set down his wolf-hair brush and picked up the letter filled with writing, setting it aside to dry.
"I will never regret what I have done. The assassins haven't been caught, and the true mastermind behind the scenes hasn't been brought to justice. I have to go back. I will avenge this myself."
Mu Hongyue gritted his teeth, furious enough to die. "What if you die before you even get back? They dared to brazenly kill you once; what makes you think they'd fear doing it a second time?"
His fist slammed heavily onto the desk, splashing ink from the inkstone everywhere.
Ye Liangyu gritted his teeth and said, "I'm only afraid they won't try a second time."
Mu Hongyue's eyes grew tense and red. He was always this stubborn, unrepentant to the death.
Using himself as bait. If he really died, having never married or had children in his life, he wouldn't even have anyone to wear mourning clothes, smash the clay basin, or hold the spirit banner for his funeral.
All alone. In a few years, who would even remember Ye Liangyu? He would just be a wandering ghost, a handful of yellow earth offered to heaven and earth.
Seeing Mu Hongyue silent and so upset he looked ready to cry, Ye Liangyu smiled and said, "Don't worry. Qiming hasn't passed the imperial examination to become an official yet. I won't die that easily."
Mu Hongyue gave a cold snort, a bitter mock on his lips. "That's the only right thing you've done in your entire life."
Ye Liangyu picked up the dried letter, folded it in half, slipped it into an envelope, sealed it with wax, and handed it to Yunhe. "Arrange for someone to send this out immediately."
Yunhe took the envelope with both hands and quickly left the manor.
After school, Song Qiming, who was packing his things, suddenly sneezed. The rush of air out of his nose made his throat feel dry and achy.
Su Luobai asked with concern, "Did you catch a cold?"
Song Qiming shook his head, rubbing the tip of his nose with his index finger. "No, it just suddenly felt a bit itchy."
Su Luobai said meaningfully, "Someone is probably thinking of you. Ever since Mr. Ye came to teach at the Inner House, the students of the Upper House have been pining for him every day, desperately hoping you'll pass the exam into the Inner House and bring Mr. Ye along with you."
Song Qiming shouldered his book box and headed outside. "There's still over a month before the academy's annual examination. I'll do my best."
