Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Yunling Prefecture truly deserved its reputation for prosperity. People of every unusual appearance passed along the roads, and vendors hawked wares unlike anything found elsewhere.
Qiao Ying pulled Shen Qingyu through the streets, fascinated by everything around her. Whenever she heard a vendor calling, she had to stop for a look.
Shen Qingyu followed at a leisurely pace. He had always been exceptionally sensitive to others’ emotions, and Qiao Ying’s excitement reached him so clearly that it coaxed the corners of his own mouth upward.
When a peddler carrying baskets on a shoulder pole passed them, Qiao Ying turned and protectively moved Shen Qingyu aside so the baskets would not strike him.
Shen Qingyu lowered his face. “The sky is the same every day, and so is the wind. Why are you so happy?”
“If you’re alive and well enough to see the same sky and feel the same wind every day, isn’t that worth celebrating?” she replied as though it were obvious.
Qiao Ying had treated Shen Qingyu’s decision to bind her that morning as a game, but some miraculous instinct warned her that one careless step might cause him to imprison her in earnest.
Sometimes Qiao Ying said such peculiar things that Shen Qingyu could only half understand her. But he had eaten exceptionally well today, so he did not mind being dragged through the streets. He could consider it a walk to aid digestion.
“Fox for sale! Wild fox caught in the mountains! A magnificent specimen!”
Qiao Ying turned and instantly stopped walking.
The seller was a hunter. When he saw a young woman pause with curiosity, his smile grew more enthusiastic. “Come take a look, miss. This fox has a beautiful pelt. With winter here, it would make the perfect fur cloak!”
A red fox was confined inside the cage. Curled in the tiny space, it wrapped its fiery tail tightly around its body, as if hiding itself inside a ball of dancing flame.
Red foxes were not uncommon. What made this one rare was that the hunter had deliberately avoided harming it during capture. Its pelt remained intact, raising its value considerably.
Qiao Ying was genuinely interested. She released Shen Qingyu’s hand, hurried over, and crouched before the cage, meeting the fox’s animal eyes.
Shen Qingyu was unaccustomed to the emptiness of his hand. He took hold of his Blind Staff instead, came to stand behind her, and asked with a smile, “Do you like it?”
“It’s fluffy and adorable. It must feel wonderful.”
His smile turned sardonic. “Its fur is coarse. It would scrape your hand, not feel wonderful.”
The hunter objected. “Young Master, you cannot see. How could you possibly know this fox’s pelt is coarse? I’ve hunted in these mountains for years and caught more prey than I can count. I swear this fox is a superior specimen. If you don’t believe me, ask around. Few hunters could catch a fox this beautiful.”
Shen Qingyu pulled his lips into a mocking, unreadable smile.
Unable to restrain her curiosity, Qiao Ying reached for the fox’s great tail. In an instant, the Blind Staff appeared before the cage and blocked her hand.
She looked up.
Shen Qingyu kindly warned her, “If that unpleasant fox smell gets on you, it will be very difficult to remove.”
Qiao Ying withdrew her hand and sniffed her own arm, muttering, “It smells perfectly nice. Not unpleasant at all.”
Shen Qingyu missed her small gesture and heard only the words “smells nice.” His lips tightened in displeasure.
After years in business, the hunter had seen plenty of young couples. Girls were usually unable to resist pretty things, while the men often refused to spend the money.
Assuming these two were no different, the hunter thought to himself: This young master may look respectable, but his eyes are useless. He’s probably blind. A man with a disability should thank the heavens that such a beautiful woman wants him at all. Now she wishes to buy a wild fox, and he refuses even that?
Eager to make the sale, he said, “Miss, the weather has turned cold. Once snow seals the mountains, finding such a beautiful fox will be nearly impossible. You won’t get another chance like this. Why not buy it and make yourself a fur cloak for winter?”
Qiao Ying had already taken out her purse. “Of course I will.”
A soft female voice interrupted. “How can you bear to kill such a pitiful, innocent little creature for a fur cloak? It’s far too cruel!”
A young woman in a pale yellow silk dress approached. A veiled hat concealed her face, but her graceful figure suggested that breathtaking beauty lay beneath it.
Two maids and an entire troop of guards followed her, making her status plain.
The Girl in Yellow stopped before the cage and bent to inspect the fox.
Startled by her movement, it shrank away, wrapping its red tail tightly around itself. Its eyes remained full of vigilance.
The young woman sighed gently. “How pitiful. Such a tiny cage, such bitter cold, and you still intend to kill it. Without buyers, there would be no slaughter.”
As she spoke the final sentence, she turned as if casting Qiao Ying an extra glance.
Still holding her unopened purse, Qiao Ying had the distinct impression that she was being condemned.
Shen Qingyu took her hand and drew her upright. He seemed rather pleased. “It appears you cannot compete with her. This wild fox is not fated to be yours.”
The hunter grew impatient. “You can’t say that, miss. I risked my life to catch this fox in the mountains. If I don’t hunt, how am I supposed to feed my family? Besides, this young lady has already agreed to buy it. You should mind your own affairs.”
The Girl in Yellow did not become angry. She straightened with aloof dignity.
She had no need to lower herself by arguing with a hunter. One maid stepped forward and rebuked him. “What coarse words from an ignorant commoner. Show some respect.”
The other added, “Everyone in Yunling Prefecture knows how kindhearted our young miss is. Whenever she encounters injustice, she must intervene.”
“If you anger our young miss, Gentleman Yanyu will certainly not spare you.”
The hunter paled and nearly fell to his knees. “You are… you’re…”
The young woman finally spoke again. “Xiao Yun, Xiao Xia, enough. I act according to my conscience. There is no need to invoke my brother.”
The two maids murmured their agreement and retreated with lowered heads.