chapter 7

Three months later, Yuan Zong, my cousin, had almost fully recovered.

He was only half a year younger than Cheng Jia, a young man with dignified features.

But his temperament was somewhat gloomy, his dark eyes always carrying a hint of coldness.

Cheng Jia said he had always been like this since birth-mature beyond his years, not fond of talking, and told me not to mind it.

Naturally, I didn’t mind. Since he was Cheng Jia’s cousin, I treated him as my own cousin as well.

During that time, to make it easier for Yuan Zong to recuperate, Grandpa and I took both of them and moved to Yuni City in Shanshan.

Shanshan was a famous city-state in the Western Regions. It connected eastward to Yang Pass, westward to Wuyi, and to the south were the Ruo People and Qiang People tribes. The north-south Official Road between the Central Plains and the Western Regions intersected here, making it a bustling place.

Yuni City used to have many a Central Plains Person come to do business, but in recent years, the Official Road had fallen into disrepair, and few Central Plains Person came any more.

Qi Mo was indignant about this: “It’s all because of those damned Bandits. Central Plains Person doesn’t dare come here to do business anymore. If we want to trade tea and porcelain with them, we have to carry the goods ourselves all the way to the Central Plains.”

Grandpa and I had a medicinal herb shop in Yuni City. Many a Central Plains Person used to come to trade for cistanche, red hemp, and other herbs.

As the number of Central Plains Person dwindled, our business dried up, and we moved to live near the Tianshan in a Yurt.

Qi Mo was a Qiang People, our neighbor in Yuni City.

He was eighteen or nineteen, dark-skinned and sturdy, with a big white smile when he laughed.

He and his uncle bought animal pelts in Yuni City, were skilled in weaving, and could make exquisite felt carpets and Sheepskin Soft Boots.

His father and mother still raised hundreds of horses in the grassland tribe.

Qi Mo’s uncle often took him, loaded with goods, to the Central Plains for trade.

Sometimes, they would drive fine horses there as well.

He said Central Plains Person was very warm and liked their goods and horses.

On the third month after Grandpa and I arrived in Yuni City, Qi Mo happened to return from the Central Plains with his uncle. When he saw me, he was very happy and ran over to chat.

“Ah Li, you’ve moved back?”

“Yes, we might stay here for a while.”

“That’s great! Wait a moment, I have something good for you.”

Qi Mo happily ran back to his family’s shop and soon came out with something wrapped in a blanket.

“Ah Li, look, this is a handkerchief I saw last time in the Central Plains. It’s yellow, embroidered with peonies and butterflies. You haven’t seen peony flowers before, right? I specially brought it for you. The shopkeeper in the Central Plains said this is the most fashionable style right now-young ladies in Changan are all scrambling to buy it…”

Qi Mo excitedly unwrapped the layers of blanket and carefully handed me a handkerchief.

A yellow silk handkerchief, embroidered with a large red flower and two butterflies fluttering above it.

I held it in my hand and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow, it’s beautiful! Thank you, Qi Mo, I really love it.”

“So ugly.”

Qi Mo and I were immersed in joy when suddenly someone nearby sneered coldly, saying it was ugly.

Qi Mo’s face immediately turned black and red. I looked at the person and frowned, “Yuan Zong, don’t talk nonsense. This handkerchief is very pretty.”

Yuan Zong snorted again, not bothering to look at us, and turned his face away.

Qi Mo tugged at me, “Ah Li, who is he?”

“Oh, I forgot to introduce you. His name is Yuan Zong, he’s my Husband’s cousin. Qi Mo, I’m getting married-my Husband is called Cheng Jia.”