Nightfall

Goodbye Street

Upon returning to his back courtyard on Lin 47th Street, Ning Que took out the piece of matte-looking wooden waist tag from his chest area and casually threw it on the bed, as though he was throwing a piece of junk away.

Sangsang sat by the bed with her freezing tiny legs buried under the cozy and warm blanket. She was focusing on mending his old and torn jacket. When she saw the waist tag was thrown onto the blanket, she curiously picked it up and placed it against the sun ray that had seep through the ceiling. She strained her eyes and observed it in details for a long time, before she asked, “Young Master, what’s this?”

“Imperial palace bodyguard’s tag…for secret guard, referring to those that do things in the dark.” Ning Que sat by the table and started drinking a few mouthfuls of water from the small teapot. Recalling that he did not even get a single drink during his visit to the palace today made him felt a little dissatisfied.

Knowing that Ning Que had a position in the officials, just like how she had predicted last night about getting a fat reward from what he did, Sangsang could not help but started grinning from eye to eye. However, that was how straightforward she was when it came to reward.

“How much can you earn per month?”

Ning Que was taken aback. He put down the teapot in his hand and recalled the previous conversation he had in the palace. He then hesitated and said, “I suppose it will be about 40 to 50 silvers?”

Sangsang started frowning as her tiny dark-toned face revealed a sense of displeasure. She commented, “That’s not a lot.”

Ning Que shook his head as he laughed and reprimanded her, “Now that we are richer by 2000 taels of silver, we got to be more generous in the way we express ourselves.”

Upon listening to his words, the displeasure on Sangsang’s face disappeared as she smiled and gestured her little hands. She said, “Young Master, when you left, that person secretly sent the silvers over.”

Ning Que felt a little confused. He walked towards the bed and leaned beside his handmaiden before he asked curiously, “Where did you put them?”

Sangsang secretly took a few glances outside the shop before she put down her needlework. She then used her pair of small hands to grab onto the two corners of the blanket as she nervously pulled open a small gap, gesturing him to look into the gap.

Ning Que raised his brows as he suspiciously looked beneath the blanket. First, he saw a pair of thin legs. Then beside the legs were several stacks of silvers. Even though they were covered by the thick blanket that blocked off most of the lights, even though there were only dull lights reflecting on the silvers, they were still as attractive and as mesmerizing as ever.

He opened his mouth slightly and forcefully suppressed the agitated emotion within him. He then pretended to be calm and reprimanded, “I said before…*cough*…we need to act generous. It’s only 2000 taels of silver and you’re already so excited…No wonder I find it weird when you were covering yourself with blanket in the bright daylight. In the end, you’re just worried about these taels of silver. Don’t you find them blocking your way?”

Sangsang lifted her face as she shook her head with determination. This meant that silvers will never block her way.

Ning Que coughed twice again as he snuggled his handmaiden’s head and said, “It’s still possible for you to hide 2000 taels of silver under the blanket. What if your young master earn much more taels of silver in the future? How are you going to hide them?”

…

…

The spring in Chang’an was very beautiful as the rain poured down at times, watering the grasses and flowers along the street. Whether you were standing within the barricade or under the shelter, you could see colorful and lively scenaries everywhere. The Lin 47th Street of The Eastern City seemed alive as it was filled with bright, lively colors and crowds of people.