On the second day of the second month, the white horse is drunk with the spring breeze.
It's been two years since the fall of Dayong, and the world is no longer under Dayong's domain, but in the first year of Yong'an under the Grand Banquet Emperor's reign.
The one ruling the Grand Banquet is none other than the former Prince of Beixiang, Zhu Huai'an, who once wandered from the Jin Sect to the northern frontier.
Early in the morning, Xu Qing arrived outside the shop door, coincidentally catching the lady from the Incense and Candle Shop across the street throwing out face wash water.
Having not seen each other for many years, the nearing-fifty Mrs. Cheng had some white hair amongst her black, but her eyes could still reveal a hint of her former charm.
"Oh my! Scholar Xu! It really is you. I thought you..."
Mrs. Cheng held back from saying 'died out there'.
"It's good to be back, good to be back!" Mrs. Cheng said twice, holding the basin, getting closer to look, and added: "Haven't seen you all these years, Scholar Xu, you too have gotten a lot older."
Xu Qing chuckled, "Mrs. Cheng, you've gotten more charming. People say a half-aged woman maintains her grace, I only understand this saying today."
Mrs. Cheng rolled her eyes, retorting, "Still as unreliable as ever!"
But with their banter, the slight feeling of alienation dissipated.
"Come, have a seat in my shop, tell me where you've been all these years, get married yet? Met a good girl? Why don't I see any nephews or nieces around, are they still sleeping in..."
Mrs. Cheng remained as gossipy about the neighborhood as ever.
Upon learning Xu Qing was still living alone, Cheng Caiyun's expression uncharacteristically turned serious.
"This won't do, they say the sooner you set up a household, the better. Do you think being a bachelor is carefree?"
In a knowledgeable tone, like an elder advising a junior, Mrs. Cheng said, "They say old trees rot from the roots, and a man without a family has no backbone. If you don't marry someone to keep warm, lying in bed at night is like lying on a corpse board, isn't it colder?
If I may speak harshly, someday when you leave this world, you might not even have someone to cry for you!"
Xu Qing casually replied, "I have a cat, it keeps me warm just the same."
"What are you talking about! Can a cat be a wife?"
Cheng Caiyun was about to say more when she saw the middle-aged man before her casually pick up a candle, gesturing to put it to his mouth, but then seemed to remember something, and put it back.
"Mrs. Cheng, the quality of your candles is getting better and better. I smell the scent, it's even purer than before."
"Ha! That Yue'e girl still remembers your words, found the best paraffin master in Xianzhou, and set up her own incense candle workshop."
"Not only does she have a master in making paraffin, but Yue'e has also traveled south and north with the Taian Escort Agency. Who knows what methods she used, bringing back masters of making small incense, calming incense, sandalwood incense, and some thread incense, medicinal incense."
"They're from all over the country! The paper from our Paper Mache Shop, the yellowed paper in this shop, and papers supplied free to schools inside and outside the county, are all made at Yue'e's workshop."
"Miss Yue'e has worked hard for the business on this street. But speaking of that big girl, she's now twenty-three, almost an old maid. I kindly found her a matchmaker, yet she scolded me for a good while!"
"Oh, the matchmaker even cursed me the other day! Said my old tongue's rusted, can't even stuff a man into a girl's bed..."
Cheng Caiyun abruptly quieted, examining Xu Qing up and down, like she hit upon an idea, her eyes squinting:
"They say fat meat doesn't flow to outsiders, Scholar Xu, I think Yue'e..."
"Stop right there!"
Xu Qing's face darkened, "Why drag me into discussing candles? The Wang Family's Little Sister said long ago, her brother's life or death is uncertain. Besides her parents, she and her brother depended on each other, and unless she sees her brother return alive, she doesn't want to marry."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Alright then, it's getting late, I still need to visit some old friends, I won't stay and chat with you any longer, Mrs. Cheng."
Cheng Caiyun grabbed a handful of seeds, chasing to the shop door, shouting at the middle-aged man retreating in haste:
"Don't run, you need to hurry your marriage! In a few more years, if you want to have children with your old arms and legs, you'll first have to pray to Lady Bao Sheng in the temple!"
Xu Qing paused, turning back with annoyance, "Mrs. Cheng, I don't rush you, yet you rush me. If I could, I'd use all my Jin Sect connections to find you a good match first."
"Bah! All nonsense, can I be like you? I've kept my widowhood for so many years, all that's left on me is this bit of reputation to take to the grave, can that be easily tarnished?"
Xu Qing waved his hand behind him, not breaking rapport with Mrs. Cheng anymore.
He could probably see Mrs. Cheng might have a deep, perhaps heart-wrenching past, but since she wasn't willing to talk about it, he wouldn't pry.
Some people, some things, perhaps are best kept buried in the heart, to be buried for a lifetime, finally going to the grave with them.
Xu Qing respected every neighbor's choices.
Outside the Paper Mache Shop, Li Tiezhu had been waiting for some time, rubbing his hands, eagerly leaning towards Xu Qing.
Seeing the beaming giant greeting him, Xu Qing raised an eyebrow, "Have you been practicing well these years?"
"Yes! I'm a Grandmaster now!" The burly man, taller than Xu Qing by a head and as broad as double doors, patted his iron-hard chest, seemingly quite proud of himself.
Xu Qing squinted, placing a hand on Tiezhu's shoulder. In the next moment, the nine-foot stalwart man grimaced in pain, his stature shrinking by two heads, nearly collapsing to the ground.