The next
day, servants loaded up carriages with belongings and needs for the journey.
Feng wrapped a coat around Yue,”Nan Province is cold. I don’t want you to catch
a cold... Anyway,Yue,are you sure you don’t want to just go back home first and
let me handle this?”. Yue smiled as she tightened the strap of coat,”No,Feng...
I must do this”.
How can
I say no to such determination,Feng shrugged.
”Be safe there alright? Don’t
eat strange things ,don’t catch a cold... Don’t do anything reckless”,Mrs Guan
sighed as she pinched both of Yue’s cheeks, ”Stubborn girl”. ”Don’t
worry,mom... I will succeed”. Hui Zhong tickled his sister’s sides,” SUCH BIG
TALK AND CONFIDENCE!!!!” ”HEYYY Stop it,brotherrr!!!”. Yue Ping laughed while
trying to stop her brother’s tickling.
”...I will miss you”,Yue Ping
weakly muttered as she gazed at her mother and brother. ”I know it is a tradition to cry today but I
won’t... I want both of you to remember my smile as a strong Yue Ping.
Goodbye,mother and brother....till we meet again”. Yue embraced her mother and
brother tightly,then let go and stepped onto the carriage ,not looking back.
Feng patted Hui Zhong’s
shoulders,”Thank you for everything, we will do the best” ”I wish you both the
best of luck”,Hui Zhong chuckled as he comforted Mrs Guan who silently wept.
”Farewell. Thank you for your great hospitality”,Feng bowed and left. He stepped
onto the carriage,couldn’t help smiling when he saw Yue holding tears in. The
carriage started to move,Feng pulled Yue into his embrace.
”It’s okay
to be weak in front of me... Cry your fill,Yue Ping”
”...”
Feeling in
peace,Yue Ping soon fell asleep.
The journey lasted for days,
they passed through countless different scenery –forests,lakes,hills,plains- and
stayed nights in either rural inns or tents. Yue Ping was nervous of the
journey ahead,but she braced herself and she knew...Feng would be there beside
her no matter what. They finally reached Nan Province. While their city was a
merry city,Nan Province’s ”heart” city was cold and mainly white.It was
surrounded by mountains. Everyone wore coats or at least fur jackets . Feng had
known how cold the place was,thus prepared sufficiently.
”I-it’s beautiful...”,Yue Ping
felt breathless,”It looks so pure and clean...All white”. Xie Feng approached
her carrying two steamed buns,”Welcome to the Heart of Nan Province, Bai Xue
City. Here are their speciality,snow buns”. Yue curiously chomped the steamed
bun and...”T-there’s mochi and powdery sugar inside”. She smiled,”Tasty”. Xie
Feng chuckled,how he wished they were in this beautiful city for a vacation.
”Young Master!”,a guard came
running.”I have requested an audience with the trade master of the city but the
soldiers said that The Master is currenly resting after a long trip from another
city. They request us the come back the next day”
”W-whatt..”,Yue
was slightly disappointed. ”It is fine,Yue Ping...Since we are here,we should
go enjoy ourselves,no?”,Feng ruffled through her hair. ”....Alright”.
Feng sent the soldiers ahead to
the inn to rest as he went sightseeing with Yue Ping,only accompanied by a few
guards dressing up as commoners. ”This city feels so cold... I don’t feel that
much of life here but...It’s very beautiful”,Yue muttered. ”You haven’t seen
the city on snowy days, it’s like...the whole town is made of snow”,said Feng.
”You have
been here before,I presume?”
”Once”
”Recommend
me other good food”
”They have
shaved ice with tea flavor and delicious chicken herb stew to warm our
bodies...”
That day
ended with culinary tour,with Yue stuffing almost all good food to her
cheeks.Feng could only shake his head and laugh. Nighttime fell and they both slumped
on the mattress in their room,”Soooo tired” ”Yeah...My back hurts”,Feng
grumbled.”Oh”,he exclaimed,”They have hot springs here” ”Say what?” ”Because our
room is a special room for Ministry guests, we have mini hot spring right
outside of our room’s backdoor”. Yue opened the room’s backdoor to see tiny
hot spring enough for around four people.
”Feng,can I
soak in it?”
”...Sure”
Yue happily
stepped out of the room. The backyard with small hot spring was surrounded by
tall and thick bamboos,making it safe and not cold. Yue slowly took of her
clothes,wrapped herself with a single towel and soaked. I just had bath but I guess hot spring bath is different...So calming,she
thought to herself. The warm water soothed her,both mind and body. She closed
her eyes and inhaled the scent of bathwater.
...
...
”Hotspring
is nice”.
Yue jumped
upon hearing Feng’s voice. He was there ,soaking beside her with closed eyes.
”FENG?!” ”What,can’t I enjoy too?”,he smiled with his eyes still closed.
”B-but..you...I...ERR WHY ARE YOU HERE?” ”I can’t bathe with my own wife?”,he
calmly asked as he opened his eyes,”Anyway your body is wrapped by towel so
what’s the matter?”
”...Nggh...”
”What’s
your plan for negotiating?”,Feng calmly asked.”I-Increase the trade or trade
special goods” ”Special goods?”,Feng pondered. ”Like the medicinal herb growing
near our inn” ”Pha leaves? Can’t. That’s our trade object with Ran Province...
Maybe we could find out first why they stopped trading with us” ”I agree”.
”Let’s
venture the night market after this and gather information”
”Alright”
Moments
passed....
”....Yue?
Let’s go”
”...UMMM
TURN AROUNDDD”
Feng
laughed hard. They dressed up and stepped out of their room. Unlike the white
daytime scenery, nighttime in Bai Xue City looked dark yet bright at the same
time. The sky was pitch black but the houses seemed bright due to the white
colour and white lanterns lighted the streets. The streets were quiet, until
they reached the night market full of people.
Feng and
Yue looked around and found a stall only selling a few buns. The vendor
sighed,looking depressed. Feng approached the stall,”I’ll take two buns...”
”O-oh,please
wait a moment”
”Good
business,eh? Only a few left”
”...No.
These are all I have today...”
”Hmm?”
”I usually
sell traded goods...Those health potions from neighboring province and tiny
little Mimi dolls”
Yue
whispered,”Feng...are those?” ”...Yes.Goods from our city”.
”Ummm”,Yue
spoke,”I actually need those dolls...Do you know when they will start trading
again?”
”I’m afraid
not,my lady. The Trade Master in our city just passed away... Right now his
heir is his only daughter and since then she cut off trades with certain
regions...I have no idea why actually. I’ve never even seen her.But I’ve heard
rumors that.... The neighboring province offended her in a way”
”...I
see...Thanks”
Feng and
Yue looked at each other ,unsure of what to make of the conversation. Offended?,Feng pondered. Suddenly
someone tugged the sleeve of Yue’s dress. ”Hey hey”. Yue turned around to see a
short girl,probably fourteen, wearing very colorful clothes and her hair tied
to two buns. Her dark hair contrasted the fairness of her skin,making her look
like a beautiful doll.”M-may I help you?”
”You two
outsiders?”,the little girl asked
Feng
sighed,”Little girl...The term visitor sounds better”
The little
girl pouted,”I’m Qing, not little girl.Mister,you’re rude”
”Wha—YOU are rude”
”Wha—YOU are rude”
”Feng...Don’t
argue with kids...That’s embarrassing”,Yue whispered. Feng said nothing,but
still looking very annoyed.
”This is
why I hate outsiders! ”,the girl shouted and she ran away.
Feng
shrugged,”Strange girl. Must be a noble,judging by her appearance”. Yue was
lost in thoughts,
”Feng...I
saw her carrying a brooch just now shaped like weighing scale”
”...”
They were
both silent
”I think
she’s....The Trade Master”
”WHATTTTTT”
The atmosphere was awkward. That night, they didn't speak much. Feng was too frustrated and refused to believe he just offended the Trade Master,while Yue felt bad for not telling him earlier. But above all, How could such a little girl become a Trade Master?
Morning arrived
Feng and Yue nervously waited in Bai Xue Trade Master's manor. The manor was very big and the interior was mostly in white-the house felt cold. A servant bowed,"Honored Guests,Lady has permitted you to come in her working room"
They both nervously followed the servant and reached the room,
They saw the same little girl in government clothing. She gaped,"YOU...."
This is going to be a long day,Feng shrugged .The girl cleared her throat,"...I'm Xue Qing Xia, Trade Master of Bai Xue. How may I help you?". Oh,her in office and her shopping are different,Feng was a bit surprised. He lowered his head a bit,"I'm Yuan Xie Feng, son of Minister Yuan and this is my wife Yuan Yue Ping. We have come to discuss about the recent cut of trade ties"
"The son of minister himself has graced upon I,a merely Trade Master,for this matter?I am flattered",Qing chuckled. Such refined way of speaking,she's like different person,Yue stared in disbelief. "I need to know the reason,lady",Yue spoke,"What is this...offense our Province inflicted upon you?",
"....",Qing was silent
"Please,Trade Master,for the sake of our trade businesses..."
"Tell you what,your herb medicine potion is poisonous"
"What?",Feng exclaimed,"But...We have been trading for years and there has been no such case...And our potion is made of harmless ingredients"
"....And your dolls are plagiarism from other doll"
"That can't be..",Yue timidly spoke up,"Those dolls are our crafts"
"You should investigate by yourselves"
"But..."
"That is all I will say. I'm sorry but you are dismissed,one of my servants will accompany you in your stay .We shall provide proper hospitality",Qing went back into the backroom.
Feng sighed and pulled Yue out of the room. "Feng...",Yue sighed,"What to do?"
"We are not giving up that easily. First of all,we must investigate".
