Chapter 111 The noblewoman favored him

Chapter 111 The noblewoman favored him

A hint of surprise flashed in Cheng Lanzhou's eyes, clearly not expecting that she still remembered this matter, and a warm feeling rose in her heart.

He nodded and said in a deep voice, "I'll be right back. Be careful." After saying that, he turned and squeezed into the crowd, quickly disappearing from sight.

Jiang Sumin rolled his eyes.

Jiang Yutang squatted in front of the soft cloth, staring at the three glass jewelry boxes, thinking to herself: These things are too valuable for ordinary people to afford. I can only keep them for now and figure out what to do with them when I get to my destination in exile.

Just as she put the jewelry box away, she heard the crisp sound of hooves coming from ahead, and an exquisitely decorated carriage was heading this way.

The curtain was lifted slightly, and a gentle female voice came from inside: "Driver, please stop."

The carriage came to a smooth stop in front of the stall. Just as Jiang Yutang was about to straighten up and make way, she heard the person inside ask again, "Miss, are these glass items you're selling?"

Jiang Yutang looked up and saw a woman behind the carriage curtain wearing a moon-white dress, with a fine jade hairpin in her hair, exuding a gentle and elegant temperament.

She quickly nodded: "Madam, these are top-quality glass pieces, each with a unique design."

The woman's gaze fell on the three jewelry boxes, and her eyes lit up: "Can I take a look at them?"

Jiang Yutang noticed that the woman was dressed in rich clothes. Even though she didn't recognize her, she could tell that this was definitely not the attire of an ordinary person.

She immediately stopped packing, took out the jewelry box that was half-stuffed in, and held it up to the carriage, slowly turning it in the sunlight.

"Madam, look, this is made of the finest glass with exquisite craftsmanship. It has excellent light transmission and the box is also decorated with subtle patterns. It is perfect for storing jewelry."

The translucent glass jewelry box refracts colorful light and shadow under the sunlight, making it so beautiful that it's hard to look away.

The woman looked at it carefully for a while, and a smile appeared on her lips as she became interested. She immediately asked her maid to help her down from the carriage on a small footstool, and went to the stall to take a closer look.

"Can I hold it in my hand and take a look?"

"Please go ahead." Jiang Yutang quickly handed over the jewelry box, her eyes full of confidence.

The woman held the box and examined it repeatedly, growing more and more delighted with each look, a smile spreading across her face: "This is indeed exquisite. How much is one?"

Jiang Yutang smiled and announced the price: "Five hundred taels each."

The woman simply nodded, her tone nonchalant: "It's not expensive."

Rich people are different. They say five hundred taels of silver isn't expensive; it's enough for an ordinary family to live on for several years or even a decade.

The woman slightly raised her eyelids, her eyes sparkling with a hint of charm, and said with a touch of emotion, "I also have a glass lamp bestowed by the emperor in my household. Although it is valuable, it is far less exquisite than this box. Such a fine item is indeed worthy of this price."

As she spoke, her gaze inadvertently swept over the shackles on Jiang Yutang's feet: "But you don't look like an ordinary merchant. Where did you get these glass items?"

Despite the repeated occurrences, Jiang Yutang remained calm: "This is a craft passed down from our ancestors. We stopped making it a long time ago. But recently, due to unforeseen circumstances, we started making some items again to earn money in order to survive."

She never mentioned whether the glass was real or fake, but attributed everything to her family's traditional craftsmanship, making her explanation airtight.

Seeing that she remained calm and composed in the face of questioning, with clear eyes and no sign of panic, the woman couldn't help but look at her again.

Despite wearing coarse clothes and shackles, she possessed an unyielding spirit and a more refined demeanor than ordinary women in the marketplace.

Her gaze returned to the jewelry box, and she turned slightly to the maid beside her, saying, "Since it suits my taste so well, there's no reason not to buy it."

She then turned to Jiang Yutang and said gently, “My family’s residence is nearby. Why don’t you come with me back to the residence to get the money?”

Jiang Yutang quickly waved his hand to refuse: "Thank you for your kindness, Madam, but I need to wait here for my companions to return, so it is really inconvenient for me to leave."

"I see."

The woman didn't make things difficult for her and readily instructed the steward behind her: "Go back to the manor quickly and get 1,500 taels of silver. Also, leave the carriage here. I'll wait for you here, young lady."

The butler responded and left. Jiang Yutang excitedly clenched his hand and exchanged a glance with Jiang Sumin beside him.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the steward hurried over carrying a mahogany box. He handed the box to the woman, who opened it to find a thick stack of brand-new silver notes, each bearing the bank's bright red seal.

The woman picked up the silver note and handed it to Jiang Yutang: "Miss, please count this. This is 1,500 taels. I'll take all three boxes."

"Thank you, Madam!"

Jiang Yutang happily accepted the box and handed it to Jiang Sumin. Then she quickly squatted down, wrapped the jewelry boxes in soft cloth, and solemnly handed them over.

Just as the woman was about to turn around and get into her car to leave, Cheng Lanzhou's figure emerged from the crowd and walked straight toward them.

Her gaze was instantly drawn to him, as if attracted by a magnet, and she moved slowly with Cheng Lanzhou's steps. Her previous gentle and composed demeanor was now tinged with a barely perceptible urgency.

Cheng Lanzhou, completely oblivious to the intense gaze, walked straight to Jiang Yutang's side, his eyes sweeping over the half-empty soft cloth, and asked in a deep voice, "Have you sold everything?"

Jiang Yutang patted the wooden box containing the silver notes, her face full of smiles: "It's sold out. You've come back just in time. We can go and get the flatbread now."

The woman was surprised to realize that the two knew each other. Her gaze inadvertently swept over Cheng Lanzhou's ankle, where she saw the iron shackles. Instantly, she understood what had happened.

She released the maid's hand and walked gracefully to Jiang Yutang, her tone filled with concern: "Miss, what have you done to deserve this?"

Jiang Yutang was taken aback, wondering why the woman had suddenly become concerned about them. He only vaguely replied, "We are just ordinary refugees who have wandered here all the way."

The woman lowered her gaze slightly, murmuring the word "refugees," and pressed, "What is it because of?"

“Uh…” Jiang Yutang glanced at the two of them with a troubled expression, and replied hastily, “I’m sorry, Madam, I cannot tell you.”

Upon hearing this, the woman knew it was probably a very serious crime, and she frowned in distress.

After a moment, she looked up again and said solemnly, "I might be able to help you find someone to take your place and restore your freedom. It's not difficult at all."

She said those last words almost directly to Cheng Lanzhou, her eyes filled with such tenderness that they seemed to drip with affection, and even her voice was softer than before.

"ah?"

Jiang Yutang stared at the woman in disbelief, not understanding why she would suddenly make such a statement. Just as she was about to politely decline, she followed her gaze to Cheng Lanzhou, who stood calmly beside her.

Suddenly it became clear, and a strange sense of speechlessness welled up inside me.

They've only just met, how did it turn into a "hero saves the damsel in distress" scenario?

Instead, Cheng Lanzhou frowned, looking wary, and said in an icy tone, "No need."

The woman refused to give up, taking another step forward and lowering her voice even further: "Young master, rest assured, I will handle this matter flawlessly, as long as you are willing..."