Chapter 186 Moving

Chapter 186 Moving

The next day, Jiang Yutang took the money and went from house to house in the countryside to inquire about it.

Danzhou is a remote place, and most people live in poverty. Even those who are relatively well-off can afford dressing tables, but they are usually simple tables made of ordinary wood, painted red to make do. They are not only not exquisite, but also not sturdy.

Jiang Yutang searched for most of the southern part of the city, her legs aching, but she still couldn't find anything that suited her.

An old woman by the roadside looked up at her and smiled as she offered advice: "Young lady, are you looking for a dressing table made of fine materials? Go ask at a brothel. The girls there love to dress up, and everything on their dressing tables is carefully selected. You're guaranteed to find something good."

Jiang Yutang's eyes lit up; how come she hadn't thought of this place!

The girls in brothels made a living based on their looks, so their requirements for grooming tools were naturally much higher than those of ordinary people.

She thanked the old woman and turned to walk towards the brothel.

As soon as he reached the door, he was stopped by the pimp at the entrance.

Women are not allowed to enter.

"I'm not here to cause trouble," Jiang Yutang explained her purpose, and the pimp quickly went in to inform him.

Before long, a madam dressed in fine silk and satin swayed out, a professional smile plastered on her face. She looked the prison rabbit up and down, her eyes full of strangeness.

"You look so clean and tidy, why did you decide to buy a dressing table here?"

"As long as the product is good, nothing else matters," Jiang Yutang said bluntly.

The madam raised an eyebrow and beckoned to her: "Come with me."

She walked ahead, her waist swaying like a water snake, occasionally turning back to chat.

"The dressing tables here are the ones that young ladies use every day. They are made of top-quality rosewood and mahogany, and the carvings on them are all hand-carved by skilled craftsmen. They are much better than those crudely made ones outside."

Jiang Yutang followed behind and looked at the dressing tables of more than a dozen girls.

Some are too gaudy, some are too ornately carved but lack elegance, and some, though made of good materials, have outdated designs and are ultimately just not quite right.

Just as she was about to ask if there was anything else, she suddenly heard a clear female voice from above.

"Mrs. Cheng, please come up and have a seat."

Looking up, she saw Su Wan. She was standing on the second-floor corridor, dressed in an elegant dress, waving at her.

Seeing this, the madam quickly smiled and smoothed things over: "So you're an acquaintance of Wan'er's. Why didn't you say so earlier, miss!"

As the two entered Su Wan's room, Jiang Yutang realized that it was completely different from the other rooms in the brothel.

There were no elaborate decorations, only a zither, a couch, and a mahogany dressing table in the corner with simple rouge and face powder on it.

The dressing table had smooth lines, a smooth, mirror-like surface, and lotus scroll patterns carved along the edges. It was exquisite yet grand, exactly the style she was looking for.

"this......"

Jiang Yutang pointed to the dressing table and asked hesitantly, "Miss Su is willing to sell it to me?"

Su Wan sat on the couch, glanced at her, and said in a flat tone, "It's yours."

Jiang Yutang was taken aback, not understanding why she was suddenly being so generous.

Su Wan continued, "General Cheng helped me avenge my great grudge, and I haven't had a chance to thank him yet. This dressing table isn't worth much, but it's just a small token of my appreciation."

Since the other party was being frank, Jiang Yutang no longer refused and readily accepted: "Then I will thank Miss Su on behalf of Lanzhou."

She turned around and gave the madam a silver ingot, asking her to find someone to deliver the dressing table to her small shop.

As Jiang Yutang stepped over the threshold, she suddenly remembered something from before.

She stopped and looked at Su Wan: "Miss Su, have you visited that suburban mansion again?"

Su Wan's hand, which was playing the zither, suddenly paused, and a wrong note was produced on the string at her fingertips. She took a deep breath, her voice as soft as a sigh.

"Why bother going? You'll only be making a fool of yourself." The disappointment in his words was impossible to hide.

Jiang Yutang carefully chose her words before speaking, "That's not Lan Zhou's house, it belongs to Captain Wu."

Upon hearing Jiang Yutang's words, Su Wan froze instantly. She looked up abruptly, only to see the hem of Jiang Yutang's clothes as she turned to leave.

Su Wan stood there, stunned, for a long time before she came to her senses. Her fingertips unconsciously traced the strings, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

After a long pause, he finally muttered, "Idiot."

When Jiang Yutang returned to the shop, the people sent by the madam had just set up the mahogany dressing table.

The dressing table stood in the corner of the shop, its dark red wood accentuated by the carvings, gleaming warmly under the oil lamp.

Yun was circling the dressing table, gently touching the texture of the surface, and asked curiously, "Tang'er, why did you suddenly think of buying this?"

"This is a gift for a friend."

As Jiang Yutang wiped the light sweat from her forehead, she explained, "I promised to help someone find a nice dressing table, and I finally found one today."

Yun nodded knowingly, her fingertips tracing the lotus carvings on the dressing table, a hint of melancholy in her eyes.

“In our early years, we also had a rosewood dressing table, which was part of my dowry from your maternal grandmother. It was inlaid with mother-of-pearl.”

Seeing the desolation in Yun's eyes, Jiang Yutang felt sorry for her and took her arm.

"Mother, what's so difficult about that? I'll find you an even better one in a few days, I guarantee you'll like it."

Madam Yun patted her hand with a smile, her tone somewhat relieved: "Silly child, why bother with all that? At my age, I don't care about these things anymore. It doesn't matter whether I have them or not."

She turned to look at the courtyard behind the shop: "Why don't we buy one for Dai'er? She'll soon be part of our family. If your Aunt Cheng needs one too, you can find another one."

"Don't worry, Mother, everyone will get a share," Jiang Yutang assured him, patting her chest.

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Songzhi led several men out of the backyard carrying packed bedding.

"Little sister, everything's almost packed, and the carriage is waiting at the door. Shall we move in now?"

"move!"

At Jiang Yutang's command, the family sprang into action instantly.

The house was right behind the small shop, separated only by a moon gate; it was just a short walk away.

The once empty and deserted courtyard was filled with furniture and utensils brought in by everyone, and instantly became lively and welcoming.

Jiang Yutang directed people to put tables and chairs into the main room, while Jiang Sumin carried a hoe and turned over the soil in the corner of the yard.

She had been clamoring for a long time to plant hydrangeas and tulips brought from modern times here.

It was the first time that Lin and Cheng Dai'er had entered the new house. They were stunned by the layout of the house as soon as they crossed the threshold.

The floor of the main room was paved with smooth bluestone slabs, cleaner and tidier than ordinary dirt floors. The windows were fitted with fine-grid glass, allowing light in while blocking the wind, a feature unique to Danzhou.

"This...this house is so special." Lin reached out and touched the smooth wall, her face full of amazement.

Jiang Yutang smiled and boasted, "Take another look at the bed in the bedroom. It's so soft and comfortable. I guarantee you'll get a good night's sleep."

Everyone followed Jiang Yutang to look at each room. She specially reserved the east wing with the best lighting for Lin Shi, the west wing for Yun Shi and Jiang Shengan, and chose the south room close to the courtyard for her own convenience in traveling back and forth at night.