Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Jiang Yongkang looked up and realized that there were three women in the carriage. He immediately felt embarrassed. âYouâre all here. Forget it.â
Shen Sitian asked, âUncle Jiang, are you going to town?â
Jiang Yongkang nodded and smiled gently. âI havenât been back for a long time. Iâm going back to see my grandson with some dried mushrooms for them. I dried them myself.â He patted the bag on his body.
âThen come up. Weâre going to town too.â They had gotten his help last time. Could it be that they were unwilling to even give him a ride?
âThis⦠isnât a good idea.â
Tong Shuitao didnât like his hesitation and said, âWhatâs the matter? You can just sit outside with my grandfather.â
Madam Yang also nodded.
Jiang Yongkang thanked him and got into the carriage.
Father Tong chuckled. âHold on tight.â
The carriage set off again. However, the three people in the carriage who were originally chatting happily could not say anything because there was an unfamiliar man outside.
Jiang Yongkang was also very quiet. Occasionally, he would talk to Father Tong in a low voice.
The carriage arrived in town not long after. Jiang Yongkang bade them farewell and left with his bag.
Father Tong had been to this town a few times and knew where there was a cloth shop. He immediately rode the carriage to the largest cloth shop.
Tong Shuitao accompanied Madam Yang and Shen Sitian in. Father Tong found a place to park the carriage and waited for them.
After an unknown period of time, he finally saw the three of them coming out from afar.
However, compared to their expressions when they entered, the three of them had very ugly expressions.
His granddaughter clenched her fists and looked like she was about to hit someone.
Father Tong hurriedly went forward. Before he could ask, he heard Tong Shuitaoâs indignant voice. âSheâs too much of a bully. Seeing that weâre strangers, she kept lowering the price. Five copper coins per piece. We even used our own embroidery thread and fabric. How shameless of her.â
Father Tong quickly asked, âWhat happened?â
Tong Shuitao said, âThe lady boss of that cloth shop is a good-for-nothing. At first, when she saw that we were dressed well, she thought that we were going to buy things. In the end, when we asked her if she wanted embroidered handkerchiefs, her expression changed on the spot. When she saw Miss Shenâs handkerchief, she kept despising it and only gave us five copper coins. It was as if she was dismissing a beggar.â
Father Tong couldnât help but frown. Although he didnât know much about this, he heard from his wife and Aunt Ke that Miss Shenâs embroidery work was something that few people could compare to. Anyone who knew a little about the market would pay at least twenty copper coins for a handkerchief.
âI know another cloth shop. Why donât we go there and take a look?â
Shen Sitian nodded. âYes, letâs take a look at more shops. We can compare them.â
The three of them walked in the direction of the carriage. Father Tong could not help but say, âActually, the town canât compare to the county city. Why donât you go to the county city and ask?â
Shen Sitian held her forehead. âAt that time, I thought that since the town was close, I could just walk over myself. I didnât want to trouble Father Tong to bring me over. Who knew that when Yundong heard that I was coming over, she would ask you to drive me?â She didnât expect Madam Yang to follow too.
âHow is this troublesome? I have to send the two young masters to school every day. Itâs by the way.â
Shen Sitian shook her head. âYunshu and Yuanzhi went early. You went in as soon as the city gate opened. You came back immediately after sending them off. I heard that most of the cloth shops in the county werenât open at that time.. How could I make you wait?â