Chapter 60 Meeting Porcelain Merchant Outside Temple, Recalling the Past

Chapter 60: Running into a Porcelain Merchant at the Temple, Remembering the Past

When Qin Jiao and the others arrived, Qin Yuanshan and Yu Shuhan indeed wore grim expressions. Fortunately, Qin Han went over to them and put on a cute act, diverting some of their attention.

At the entrance of Dongshao Temple, the Qin family carriage was already harnessed and ready. Qin Jiao walked over and was about to board when he suddenly spotted a familiar face in the crowd.

“Little Master Qin!”

The man also saw Qin Jiao and ran over to him cheerfully, holding an exquisite celadon vase in his hand.

“Luo Yiqi, what are you doing here?”

Standing before Qin Jiao was a thin, short man in his thirties, wearing a smile showing he was good-natured and easy to get along with.

“Business is tough in the capital these days, so I thought I’d try selling porcelain here,” Luo Yiqi said with a sheepish grin. “When did the Little Master return to the capital?”

“Half a month ago,” Qin Jiao replied with a smile.

Qin Jiao recalled that the last time he saw Luo Yiqi was three years ago, just before he left the capital. Because Qin Jiao’s mother, Xiao Ningshi, had once helped Luo Yiqi, he would occasionally give Qin Jiao some finely crafted trinkets he made himself—sometimes a green lotus leaf, sometimes a playful white goose, or small teapots and cups.

Three years ago, when Luo Yiqi learned that Qin Jiao was about to leave the capital to “recuperate,” he made a special trip to deliver a carefully crafted Guanyin statue. That statue was exquisitely made, with kind eyes and a gentle expression; Qin Jiao treasured it, but it got shattered in a fire in Nanzhou, unfortunately.

“Has the Little Master recovered from his illness?” Luo Yiqi asked again.

“I’m in good health now, though I’m sorry to say the Guanyin statue you gave me accidentally broke in Nanzhou,” Qin Jiao said apologetically.

“That’s nothing. In a few days, I’ll make another Guanyin statue for you,” Luo Yiqi said with a kind smile. He scratched his head sheepishly. “You left in such a hurry last time; that statue wasn’t my best work. In a few days, I’ll bring a new one to your house.”

“Alright, then I’ll be in your care.”

“Of course, of course.”

After arranging for the new Guanyin statue, Qin Jiao talked with Luo Yiqi a bit longer, asking about his business and how long it took to travel here to sell porcelain. Luo Yiqi answered in detail.

Qin Jiao remembered that Luo Yiqi had an elderly mother around seventy years old at home. He was about to ask about her well-being when Qin Yuanshan suddenly coughed twice from inside the carriage.

Luo Yiqi worked as a street vendor and was good at reading people’s faces—it was obvious the Vice Minister was unhappy with Qin Jiao talking to him for too long. So Luo Yiqi ended the conversation himself. “Little Master, please return to the residence first. Once the new Guanyin statue is fired, I’ll come find you.”

Qin Jiao also noticed Qin Yuanshan’s displeasure and didn’t want to cause Luo Yiqi trouble. “Alright, then I’ll take my leave.”

“Take care, Little Master.”

Qin Jiao got on the carriage with Cong Shuang. Luo Yiqi watched until the carriage was out of sight before turning back to continue selling his porcelain.

As the year drew to a close, more and more people came to burn incense and pray at the temple. He needed to earn enough money in these ten or so days for the New Year.

Thanks to running into Luo Yiqi, Qin Jiao’s mood improved, and Cong Shuang’s face brightened as well.

Although Cong Shuang still didn’t know the reason for the conflict between Qin Jiao and Xie Nai, she thought it was right to find other things to divert his attention.

Cong Shuang signed, “Once the newly fired Guanyin statue is delivered, how much money should we pay Luo Yiqi?”

Qin Jiao didn’t know how much a Guanyin statue cost on the market. He thought for a moment and said, “I’ll ask Qing Rong some other day.”

“Never mind, I’ll go ask around the market myself.” Cong Shuang’s face fell the moment she heard Qin Jiao’s reply.

Qin Jiao propped his chin on his hand, thinking. “Well, that works too. Just give him twenty taels extra above the market price.”

Qin Jiao remembered that Luo Yiqi used to sell porcelain on Jinxing South Street and Sajin Lane, where his stall had quite good business.

From what Luo Yiqi had just said, now he came to the area near Dongshao Temple to do business, and the round trip took a full day. So he’d bring several oilcloths with him, slept next to his ox cart at night, and ate the dry rations he brought from home. And it wasn’t just Luo Yiqi—all the vendors who came to Dongshao Temple did the same.

It was only after running into Luo Yiqi that Qin Jiao realized that the area outside Dongshao Temple was much livelier than three years ago. There were vendors selling porcelain, flowers, cloth—you name it. It was basically a small market.

After going through poverty in Nanzhou, Qin Jiao knew how hard it was to have no money. He let out a helpless sigh. He couldn’t help everyone, but he could only help Luo Yiqi within his means.

Because of Luo Yiqi and the other vendors at Dongshao Temple, as the carriage entered the city, Qin Jiao lifted the curtain to look outside.

The streets still looked bustling and prosperous, not at all like business was bad.

In the distance, an umbrella stall was crowded with people, doing a brisk business. The young shopkeeper was collecting money with a smile, her eyes curving into crescent moons. But a moment later, her expression instantly changed—at the corner of the long street, several men wearing the official robes of the Market Inspectorate were heading their way.

“The Market Inspectorate is here! Quick, let’s go!”

With the help of another vendor, the umbrella seller hurriedly packed up her stuff. Qin Jiao stared in confusion and was about to lean out for a better look when Cong Shuang tugged his sleeve.

“Sister, what is it?” Qin Jiao asked curiously.

“Little Master, tomorrow we…”

Cong Shuang’s hands froze mid-sign.

Qin Jiao looked at her, puzzled. “What about us?”

Cong Shuang had originally wanted to say they should go out tomorrow, but then she suddenly remembered that Qin Jiao had openly defied Qin Yuanshan at Dongshao Temple today. Not only would they be forbidden from leaving the house, but he might also get punished by the family when they got back. Cong Shuang expressed her worries, but to her surprise, Qin Jiao chuckled.

Calmly, he said gently, “Sister, don’t worry. It’s fine.”

“About to be punished by the family, and you say it’s fine?”

Qin Jiao didn’t explain further; he just reassured Cong Shuang, telling her to rest and not worry so much. After comforting her, Qin Jiao looked out again—the umbrella seller was already long gone, and the street was still as lively as ever.

Qin Jiao thought maybe he was overthinking. But Cong Shuang was also overthinking; she hadn’t heeded his advice at all, frowning the whole way.

The night breeze carried the unique scent of osmanthus—they had arrived at the Qin residence.

As Qin Jiao and Cong Shuang got off the carriage, Qin Yuanshan, just as Qin Jiao had anticipated, stood with a stern face, brows furrowed in anger.

He gave a low reprimand. “Qin Jiao, come with me.”

It seemed his vice minister father was going to punish him. Qin Jiao was about to follow Qin Yuanshan into the residence when a strange fragrance wafted through the night breeze.

The scent felt vaguely familiar to Qin Jiao. He followed its source—it was Qin Chaole and Concubine Yin.

Qin Jiao looked at them with a calm yet piercing gaze. Qin Chaole curled his lips into a smile at Qin Jiao, his eyes crescent-shaped and alluring. Concubine Yin, on the other hand, pretended not to see Qin Jiao and pulled Qin Chaole straight into the residence.

The moment Qin Chaole turned around, the smile on his face vanished, replaced by a chilling coldness in his eyes.

“Let’s go.” Yu Shuhan’s voice brought Qin Jiao back to his senses.

He was about to walk inside when he suddenly saw someone approaching on horseback from a short distance away.

“Lord Qin!”

Everyone looked in surprise—it was Tongsheng, the attendant of Lin Wen.

As the saying goes, “Even a servant of a prime minister is as important as a seventh-rank official,” and since Tongsheng was the prime minister’s close attendant, Qin Yuanshan and Yu Shuhan treated him with courtesy.

Qin Yuanshan stepped forward and exchanged pleasantries with Tongsheng, who maintained the dignified air of the prime minister’s household.

After a few words, Tongsheng revealed the purpose of his visit to the Qin residence.

He had come on behalf of Lin Wen to retrieve the betrothal token.

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