Chapter 51: Running Errands and Delivering Letters

After Wu Wei and Gao Ningxue left, the Embroider Maiden clearly grew restless. She first cradled the gold leaves in her hands and gazed at them for a moment, then lifted them to her nose for a sniff. She even considered biting one to test it, but the exquisite craftsmanship made her hesitate—she didn’t want to ruin it with her teeth. And even if she did bite it, what then? This was only the second time the Embroider Maiden had ever seen gold.

The first time had been when Old Lady Liu took her to the market to pick up some embroidery work for ready-made clothes. That day, Old Lady Liu had unusually brought the Embroider Maiden along to the market. Right there in front of the Boss Lady at the clothing shop, the Embroider Maiden had stitched a sample directly onto the Boss Lady’s wrist. That was when she first laid eyes on gold—shimmering and brilliant yellow.

The second time… was right now, with those three gold leaves clutched in her hands. The Embroider Maiden had no idea how much silver they were worth, but her heart raced wildly all the same. She tried stashing them in several different places, but none felt secure enough. In the end, she simply followed Gao Ningxue’s example and tucked them into her bosom.

This token of gratitude was far too generous. Amid her unease and tension, the Embroider Maiden couldn’t help but curve her lips into a smile. Though she didn’t know exactly how much silver those three gold leaves could fetch, her mind wandered: Did this mean Weiwei wouldn’t have to work so hard hauling firewood to sell anymore? Could she make Weiwei a few nice outfits? Weiwei seemed to love the feel of silk—maybe several sets? And with what was left… could she buy Weiwei a couple of new books to read?

…

Meanwhile, Wu Wei and Gao Ningxue walked along the road toward the county yamen. After a long silence, Wu Wei spoke up again. “Doesn’t this whole thing strike you as awfully suspicious?”

“Of course it does. That’s why I’m heading off to investigate right now.”

Wu Wei sighed. “You said you’d already reached neighboring Clear River County by then, about a hundred miles from the Charity Mortuary. So how did they manage to transport you back to Qinglu County without alerting you—or any of those Imperial Court soldiers watching over everything? And out of all places under heaven, why Qinglu County? In such a big county, why stash you in a coffin at the Charity Mortuary? You’ve been missing for nearly twelve hours now. A noble county princess vanishes—how is it no one’s come looking for you? Haven’t you given any of this a thought?”

Gao Ningxue halted abruptly. “Then you tell me—what do you think happened?”

Wu Wei felt a profound sense of helplessness. The county princess had a fine personality, really; she just wasn’t much for thinking things through. Was it because she never needed to use her brain around Dongfang Rui, or was this some case of profound wisdom disguised as foolishness?

Wu Wei replied, “I think you shouldn’t show your face in public right now. Even if you’re investigating leads, it’s better to do it from the shadows. ‘Enemy in the open, us in the dark’ makes for easier moves, right? Strutting out like this is basically announcing to the world that Pingjia County Princess, tasked with escorting the auspicious omen, didn’t arrive with it. I believe your story about waking up in a coffin, but others? Even if the auspicious omen reaches the Capital safely, you’ll still face charges of dereliction of duty. And if the omen goes missing—or worse—you’re walking straight into a trap. You have no idea what happened here. Were you kidnapped and brought to this place, or rescued? Without knowing that, how can you even tell friend from foe?”

Gao Ningxue nodded after hearing Wu Wei out. “You make a good point. I should find a way to contact my master and have her take charge.”

“There are two paths: either contact Lord Dongfang, or head back to Taizhou Prefecture and ask His Highness Prince Yan to intervene. I don’t recommend going it alone.”

“I’m not going back!” Gao Ningxue’s reaction was fierce the moment Taizhou Prefecture came up. She’d shed a layer of skin to escape that place—there was no way she was returning.

“Then tell me where the Bright Mirror Division’s contact point is in Qinglu County. You go home and wait; I’ll pass on your orders.”

“I…” Gao Ningxue was at a loss for words. The Bright Mirror Division had contact points scattered across the Liang Dynasty—six or seven hundred in total, big and small, in every prefecture and county. Years ago, Dongfang Rui had given her a dossier listing them all, instructing her to memorize it for convenience while traveling.

But they were hidden in teahouses, wine shops, pawnshops, money houses, cloth shops, bookstores, grain stores… How could Gao Ningxue possibly remember them all?

Besides, these past few years, she’d stuck close to Dongfang Rui’s side wherever she went. With Dongfang Rui in command, all Gao Ningxue had to do was enjoy the sights.

Seeing the look on Gao Ningxue’s face, Wu Wei understood: Pingjia County Princess was thoroughly spoiled; there wasn’t much to expect from her.

“How many days does it take from here to the Capital?”

“With fast horses pushing hard, a dozen or so.”

“You don’t remember a single contact point?”

“…I remember there’s a Tongguang Money House… in the Capital Region.”

“You’re sure you didn’t mix it up?”

“I’m sure. I even cashed silver notes there before—I couldn’t forget.”

“And how many Tongguang Money Houses are there in the Capital Region?”

“Just the one—no branches!”

“Alright, Your Ladyship. Why don’t you head home first? That outfit of yours is too conspicuous. I’ll poke around, pick up some plain clothes and bedding for you. Go rest up.”

“Fair enough.” Gao Ningxue felt a strange pressure around Wu Wei, despite her own status as a county princess. The suggestion to go home was a relief, and she agreed at once.

Wu Wei extended her hand matter-of-factly. “Money.”

Gao Ningxue rummaged in her bosom and pulled out a plump coin purse. Peering inside, Wu Wei saw it was stuffed full of gold leaves…

“How much?”

“One leaf will do.” Some people starved while others drowned in abundance, Wu Wei couldn’t help thinking.

Gao Ningxue handed over a gold leaf. Wu Wei cautioned, “Don’t mention the auspicious omen to the Embroider Maiden when you get back. I don’t want her dragged into this. Chat about anything else.”

“Got it.”

Gao Ningxue and Wu Wei parted ways. Wu Wei made straight for the money house at the market and handed over the gold leaf. “Shopkeeper, could you exchange this for silver, please?”

The shopkeeper took the gold leaf and examined it closely. Glancing at Wu Wei’s simple attire, he asked, “Miss, where did you get this gold leaf?”

“I’m just a gofer. Gold doesn’t circulate well at the market, so that lord sent me to change it for silver on her behalf. If you don’t believe me, I can fetch her for you to ask yourself.”

The shopkeeper smiled amiably. “I was only asking as routine, miss. I’ll exchange it right away.” He placed the gold leaf on the scale and showed it to Wu Wei. “One tael of gold for ten taels of silver. Gold leaves don’t circulate on the market—they need to be melted into ingots. No fee for the work. Does that suit you?”

“My thanks, shopkeeper. Could you make them one-tael silver ingots?”

The shopkeeper fetched a cloth bag, counted out ten one-tael silver ingots into it, and handed it over.

Leaving the money house, Wu Wei hefted the weight of the silver in her hand. One gold leaf equaled ten taels of silver—that meant she and the Embroider Maiden now had thirty taels to their name!

This would cover house repairs, and they could even buy a few mu of land to rent to tenant farmers. They’d get a share of the harvest at year’s end. That way, the Embroider Maiden’s life would be secure—no more eating through their savings, as long as no major disasters struck!

Gao Ningxue was about Wu Wei’s size, so Wu Wei headed to the clothing shop and selected two sets of plain ready-made clothes, two pairs of shoes, and a decent quilt. She asked for some cloth strips from the shopkeeper, bundled the clothes and shoes inside the bedding, and strapped it all to her back.

Wu Wei asked several shopkeepers if there were any escort agencies in Qinglu County. The answers left her disappointed.

After much thought, Wu Wei returned to the money house, borrowed paper, brush, and sealing wax, and asked for a sturdy envelope suitable for silver notes. She wrote her message, sealed the envelope tight with wax, and headed straight for the Hundred Flavors Building.

She ordered lion’s head meatballs, steamed perch, stir-fried bamboo shoots, and blanched greens. The waiter recognized Wu Wei and joked with a grin, “Miss Wu, we’ve got sturdy lads in the back courtyard. Any deadbeats eating for free, we’ll grab ’em, give ’em a thrashing, and haul ’em to the magistrates.”

Wu Wei burst out laughing and placed two silver ingots on the table. “Little brother, is this enough?”

The waiter picked up the silver, weighed it, and set it back down, eyeing her curiously. “Miss Wu, when did you strike it rich?”

“Little brother, it’s not busy now, and one person can’t finish four dishes alone. Care to join me?”

The waiter waved his hands frantically. “Can’t do that—shop rules. But I can sit here and chat with you, miss.”

“That works.”

The food arrived promptly. Wu Wei dug in with gusto; the lion’s heads were studded with water chestnut bits and lotus root dice for extra texture—ingredients she hadn’t tasted in ages. She shoveled it down, her lips gleaming with oil.

She polished off a bowl of rice in no time and ladled another. The waiter praised, “Miss Wu, you sure make eating look delicious.”

Wu Wei swallowed the food in her mouth, glanced around at the surroundings, then leaned in close and whispered, “Hey, Little Brother, want to make a quick buck with me?”

The waiter’s eyes lit up. “Miss, you’ll really take me along?”

He knew just how tough things had been for Wu Wei’s family. Last winter, she hadn’t changed her clothes once; they had been nothing but patches upon patches. Just a few days ago, she’d been selling firewood, and now here she was, dining in the restaurant. She must have struck it rich.

“I heard the owner of Hundred Flavors Building does massive business—even runs restaurants in the Capital?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Why do you ask, Miss?”

“So does your boss come here in person to check the books, or does he send clerks over with the ledgers?”

“Bit of both. His ancestral home’s right here; he stops by a few times a year. Otherwise, the manager sends the account books along every so often.”

“It was all thanks to you and the kitchen staff putting in a good word that I could sell firewood here. Today, I’m just paying it forward—sharing a little grease with you.” With that, Wu Wei spread out her five fingers. “Five taels of silver for running an errand and delivering a letter. You in?”

“Five taels?!” The waiter shot a nervous glance around. He didn’t earn that much in a whole year, even counting customer tips. Five taels just for a simple errand?

Wu Wei pulled an envelope from her bosom and slid it across to him. “Your guys make a few trips to the Capital every year anyway—they know the roads. Take this letter to the Tongguang Money House in the Capital Region. Have their manager read it personally and write a reply for you to bring back. Five taels, yours. Seeing the hesitation flicker across his face at the mention of the Capital Region, Wu Wei quickly added, “This is pure errand pay. Any travel or horse feed expenses? Just ask the manager there—he’ll cover them, no question. Here… two taels as a deposit. Bring back the reply, and you get the other three. One hand washes the other.”