Pei Zhaolin didn't give it much thought and declined.
Looking at the scarlet blood all over the ground, Luo Xiang's head throbbed painfully.
She looked at Zhu Er and curled her five fingers in her sleeve. "Then I'd trouble you to go back and convey a message to Miss Cui for me."
Zhu Er lifted his chin but didn't say a word.
Luo Xiang wasn't annoyed. She just smiled. "When Zhaolin had just recovered from his serious injury, I once told him about his past with Miss Cui."
"However, Zhaolin said that since he could forget, it seemed that person wasn't important."
After saying that, Luo Xiang waved her hand. "See the guest out."
Anyone could hear the sudden coldness in her tone.
Then, Luo Xiang stood in front of the door.
The maid's timid voice came from beside her, with her head lowered. "Miss, the opera singer invited from Jinyu Workshop has arrived in the backyard."
Luo Xiang watched coldly as Zhu Er was driven out by a group of servants. Only then did she feel that the anger in her chest had dissipated a bit.
She flung her sleeve and shouted angrily. "Why aren't you leading the way!"
---
In Baihua Alley, it was bustling with noise and people.
The carriage slowly drove through the alley. Hearing the neighing of the horses, the common people stepped aside one after another.
A pair of fair hands reached out from the curtain, revealing a charming face. After seeing the three characters "Chai Heng Feng" on the plaque not far away, the face immediately retracted back happily.
"Sister Jin, the place we're going to today is actually Chai Heng Feng?"
Cui Jintang swallowed the sweet cake in her mouth and nodded with a smile. "Yes. If you see something you like later, just tell the shopkeeper so that they can send it back to you."
Pei Ying, the third young lady of the Pei family, exclaimed in surprise and then affectionately pulled Cui Jintang's arm and acted coquettishly.
"Then I'm going to choose carefully today. I must give Li Yan a good scare at Concubine Rong's banquet the day after tomorrow!"
Cui Jintang glanced at her and helped her adjust the hairpin beside her temple. She whispered, "Others don't know my relationship with the shopkeeper of Chai Heng Feng. You mustn't reveal it all later."
Pei Ying giggled and quickly glanced back at Pei Zhaolin, who was closing his eyes and resting. Then she imitated Cui Jintang and replied softly, "Sister, don't worry. I can keep my mouth shut!"
Currently, all the noble ladies in the capital are proud to get their hands on the new products of Chai Heng Feng.
Just getting one hairpin is something to brag about for a long time, not to mention the non - sale items displayed in the cabinets.
It's said that even a princess of the royal family once offered a hundred taels of silver, but the shopkeeper of Chai Heng Feng didn't even look at her and just drove her out!
If it got out that her Sister Jin was friends with the shopkeeper, those noble ladies would probably be jealous and eager to beg her sister.
Just thinking about that scene, Pei Ying couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from rising.
Suddenly, she was tapped on the forehead, and Pei Ying immediately snapped out of her daydream.
She looked up blankly and saw that Cui Jintang and Pei Zhaolin had already gotten off the carriage and were now looking at her.
Cui Jintang called her in confusion. "What are you giggling about? We're at Chai Heng Feng."
The smile on Pei Ying's face grew even wider. "I'm coming!"
She jumped off the carriage on her own and even scoffed at the hand Pei Zhaolin stretched out.
"Brother, don't block the way."
This left Pei Zhaolin speechless and amused.
He slowly retracted his hand, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked at the three bold characters "Chai Heng Feng" on the plaque. His eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Then he heard a voice behind him. "Does Lord Pei remember this place?"
Pei Zhaolin looked back and saw Cui Jintang raising her eyebrows at him.
He was silent. He didn't remember, but why did the words on the plaque seem so familiar to him...
Cui Jintang didn't make things difficult for him. She led him into Chai Heng Feng.
Chai Heng Feng was resplendent. Even a chair was made of carved ivory.
Not to mention the hairpins and jewelry that made Chai Heng Feng famous. They were extremely exquisite.
"The hairpin leans against the side of the slanting hair bun, and a wisp of spring red appears on the fingertips."
Cui Jintang paused for a moment and looked at him. "This is the origin of Chai Heng Feng."
After hearing this, Pei Zhaolin commented calmly. "Frivolous."
Cui Jintang suddenly laughed.
She stood on the stone steps, tilted her head slightly, and looked at him. "Does Lord Pei still remember who wrote this frivolous poem?"
Pei Zhaolin didn't care much. "I don't remember. Those who could write such a poem must be unknown people."
The smile in Cui Jintang's eyes grew even stronger. She nodded in agreement. "Lord Pei is absolutely right."
She was extremely beautiful.
Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows were like dark green willows. When she smiled, the corners of her eyes curved slightly, and her eyes were clear and bright. Her appearance was so beautiful that it was like a richly - colored ink painting, astonishingly beautiful.
Looking at her lively and cunning appearance, Pei Zhaolin suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I wrote it?"
"Wow, Lord Pei is so smart."
A look of feigned surprise flashed across Cui Jintang's face. "But Lord Pei, it's frivolous~"
The woman elongated the ending sound, making it sound even more lively and cunning.
Pei Zhaolin was on the receiving end of her sarcasm, but he didn't feel the slightest bit of anger.
He lowered his head and suddenly noticed a pair of eager eyes beside him.
He turned his head and saw Pei Ying, who had heard God - knows - how much of their conversation. She was now twisting her neck from side to side and imitating Cui Jintang's tone just now. "Frivolous, brother~"
The shopkeeper of Chai Heng Feng, who was standing beside them to greet the guests, quickly lowered his head, but the corners of his mouth couldn't stop rising.
Pei Zhaolin narrowed his eyes slightly, coughed twice uncomfortably, and the smile on his face gradually faded.
"Your hairpin wasn't lost today. I don't know why you came along?"
Pei Ying, who didn't dare to talk back, opened and closed her mouth several times, silently cursing.
She could only pull Cui Jintang dissatisfiedly, pouting so much that an oil bottle could hang on her lips.
The shopkeeper bowed with clasped fists and politely greeted. "Miss Cui."
Cui Jintang comforted Pei Ying and explained her purpose to the shopkeeper.
"This item is of great significance to me. If possible, I still want to make a new pair."
Hearing this, the shopkeeper looked embarrassed. "I dare not hide it from you, miss. Some time ago, it happened to be the rainy season. The servants in the shop were careless, and many papers got damp, causing the ink to smudge. Many details can't be seen clearly."
The shopkeeper's eyes lit up when he saw Pei Zhaolin beside them. "It's just that Lord Pei is here today. If Miss Cui wants to make a new pair, why not ask Lord Pei to draw another pair?"
The shopkeeper's voice was quite loud.
Suddenly, several pairs of eyes gathered on Pei Zhaolin.
As soon as Pei Zhaolin moved his hand hidden in his sleeve, a sharp pain shot through his shoulder and neck.
This was an old injury he suffered in the south of the Yangtze River, which was aggravated when he rode the horse yesterday.
Pei Zhaolin didn't think much and declined. "I'm not convenient to paint today."
Then he turned his head and said to Cui Jintang. "Take a look at the others. Is there anything you like?"
Cui Jintang's expression remained unchanged. She just sighed slightly. "Okay."
She pretended to walk around with the shopkeeper.
Pei Zhaolin followed closely behind. He saw that her expression remained calm all the time.
After thinking for a moment, he was just about to speak. "If there's nothing you like, then I..."
"My lord! Lord Pei!"
The servant's panicked shouts came from outside Chai Heng Feng. He stumbled in all the way.
With a "thud", he knelt in front of Pei Zhaolin.
"The young lady accidentally saw Nurse Zhang covered in blood while practicing the opera just now. She was so scared that she went into a hysterical state! Even after calling the doctor, there's no sign of improvement. Please, my lord, save our young lady quickly!"