Chapter 34
Three days passed quickly.
[Great Qi] On the day of the temple fair.
Shen You purchased the absolute safety service, then found clothes from her closet that were similar in style to what Miss Zhao wore – ancient costume of similar design.
She simply pinned up her hair, exchanged for scattered silver coins, and prepared to go shopping for goods.
The moment she used the experience card and opened the wooden door, the streets outside had already transformed into a completely different scene.
Brilliant neon lights were replaced by flickering candlelight.
Red silk fluttered under trees, with fortune-telling stalls set up, and the area between vendors and peddlers was bustling with voices.
Shen You looked at everything before her with wonder, walking toward the most lively area, watching the ancient shops as if ancient paintings she had once seen had come to life before her eyes.
Beside her were stalls selling various handmade trinkets – bamboo-carved dragonflies, wooden jewelry boxes, all painted with genuine lacquer.
There were also fabric and ready-made clothing shops, completely hand-embroidered cloth bags with exquisite patterns, made with proper ‘luo’ fabric, costing only one tael of silver.
In ancient times, this shop would have been a luxury store.
If she could bring all these fabrics to modern times, she would make a fortune.
“Miss has excellent taste, this is the newest fabric, and many high officials and nobles like it.”
The shop assistant said with a smile, while glancing at Shen You’s clothing.
This fabric was expensive, and ordinary people couldn’t afford it – one bolt cost 10 taels.
If he said she had no money— her outfit and the crystal hairpin flowers on her head clearly showed that she was from a wealthy family.
If he said she had money— such beautiful clothes had rather crude embroidery, and she had no maid following her.
If Shen You knew his thoughts, she would definitely give him a thumbs up.
Modern mass-produced goods online were all machine-embroidered, while hand-embroidered custom work started at tens of thousands and required long waiting periods.
“Nothing else?” Shen You glanced over the fabrics on the table with little interest.
She didn’t come easily, so if she was going to buy, she wanted the best.
The shop assistant immediately understood – he had encountered a big customer. He invited Shen You to a private room inside and brought out several better bolts.
Ancient dyeing technology was limited, and colors easily obtained in modern times were extremely precious then.
Fabric width was also restricted, but the weaving techniques were exquisitely refined.
Moreover, ancient silkworms were different from modern ones, producing finer silk, creating effects as thin as cicada wings.
While they didn’t have imperial-grade items here, luxurious fabrics were available.
Shen You selected the finest bolt of floral gauze fabric and several adjustable-length cloth bags, spending only thirty taels.
She also bought a set of exquisite silk hand-embroidered clothing with shoes and two round fans, another thirty taels, totaling sixty taels.
Compared to foreign luxury brands, these were the real luxury goods!
Outside the antique shop.
When Li Heng arrived, the shop door was closed. He knocked several times without response, but suddenly a few words appeared on the door: Temporarily closed for business.
He hadn’t mentioned that day that today was also Great Qi’s Autumn Evening Festival, when young men and women could stroll the temple fair together.
He had specifically chosen an outfit, with a jade crown binding his hair, coming to the shop hoping to invite Miss Shen to tour together.
Unexpectedly, his timing was poor, and he still didn’t get to see her.
Perhaps he could meet her at the temple fair. With this thought, Li Heng’s heart filled with more anticipation.
Shen You arrived at a jewelry shop and successfully found suitable pearls – the right size and quality – and also selected a set of jewelry.
In modern times, this could sell for seven to eight hundred thousand.
Without bank notes, it was somewhat troublesome. She had only brought a bag of cash when going out, and after shopping for a while, she was carrying things in her hands.
When shopping for goods, how could she do without burlap sacks? But taking them out here would be too conspicuous.
Shen You stuffed everything that could fit into her vintage canvas bag, carrying the rest.
She was standing in front of a stall selecting handicrafts when a shifty gaze followed her closely.
This person wore gray coarse cloth and was a habitual thief who had been targeting Shen You.
She bought so many things without attendants – clearly an easy target.
He was confident that with his superior technique, he could steal her money pouch just by standing there.
But when he walked to the stall and reached out, he couldn’t touch anything no matter what.
He could clearly see the small pouch hanging at this woman’s waist, but it was too strange.
After trying twice, the man looked at Shen You with shock and panic before fleeing in terror.
The vendor, who had noticed his movements but dared not speak up, watched the departing figure in confusion and scratched his head.
Shen You withdrew her peripheral vision and ignored it – those 20 points weren’t spent for nothing.
She bought an authentic ancient-method rabbit lantern and was about to go to the next place.
When she turned around, she suddenly met a pair of smiling eyes.
The smile was lazy, not reaching the depths, a habitual expression that made the dark eyes seem profound, as if bewitching people into falling deep.
Wen Zhi was now wearing ancient costume.
But due to his overly refined features and aggressive nature, he lacked the restraint of ancient people, instead having a beautiful yet dangerous inhuman quality.
“You can leave the shop?”
Shen You carried her things and walked to his side, saying quietly:
“Let’s make a deal – help me carry some things, and you get free kitchen use once.”
Wen Zhi lowered his head and asked very seriously, “Do I look like someone who lacks that little money?”
He waited for Shen You to say something else, but what he heard was:
“Do I look like a shop owner who would blacklist you?”
Their eyes met, and Wen Zhi immediately extended his hand, “Give them to me.”
Shen You smiled warmly and handed over two cloth bags packed full.
“What’s in your bags? Bricks?” Wen Zhi felt the weight in his hands.
“All carefully selected items.”
Shen You secretly glanced at the time – the experience card had half an hour left.
Just then, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the crowd by the river.
It seemed to be iron flower fireworks.
Seeing Shen You looking in that direction, Wen Zhi extended his slender fingers, grabbed her sleeve, and pulled her back, “Come with me.”
“Where to?”
“You’ll know when we get there.”
The two withdrew from the noisy crowd, crossed a bridge, and approached an elegantly appointed teahouse with the best view.
Just as they crossed that bridge, Li Heng, who had just met Zhao Wanyi below, casually glanced up at the bridge.
The next second, he turned around sharply, eyes wide, urgently searching among the pedestrians on the bridge.
A flash of light green sleeve, slender fingers holding a lantern’s wooden handle – Li Heng hurried onto the bridge.
But when he looked again, he could no longer find anyone.
Had he seen wrong?
Or was it someone similar to Miss Shen?
He had seemed to see a man beside her. Thinking of this, Li Heng’s heart filled with mixed emotions as he stared intently at people walking on the bridge and across the way.
“Your Highness.” Zhao Wanyi inquired, “What are you looking for?”
Li Heng sighed softly, “Nothing.”
Zhao Wanyi looked over in confusion. There was nothing special acro. ss the way, so what had caused His Highness’s expression just now?
At the teahouse upstairs, the floating candles on the river and the lively iron flower fireworks beyond were all visible.
“This place is wonderful.”
Shen You watched below as molten iron was splashed into the air, creating a shower of sparks like trees of fire and silver flowers.
Wen Zhi breathed a long sigh of relief.
Finally peaceful – he didn’t understand what was interesting about such noisy places.