Chapter 715: Chapter 715: Way Too Offensive
Because there wasn’t enough time, Liu Ji didn’t bother to check what those gifts were.
But he wasn’t worried since he and his wife are family, what’s hers is his.
Perhaps, because he didn’t let the coachman disturb her sweet dreams, his wife might even reward him with something later.
At this moment, Liu Ji had completely forgotten his angry declaration yesterday about not wanting to live with Qin Yao over a strand of hair.
Sikong Jian, this guy, being courteous for no reason, is either a traitor or a thief!
Liu Ji kept dropping hints to the coachman along the way, but unfortunately, as a mere runner, the coachman didn’t reveal much.
He only mentioned that the master was very meticulous about this gift delivery, specifically instructing him to ensure Qin Yao received the gifts herself.
Of course, when the coachman mentioned this, he didn’t forget to hint to Liu Ji to remember to keep his silence on his behalf.
"Don’t worry, don’t worry, I’m a man of my word, I’ll never betray you," Liu Ji said, patting the coachman on the shoulder with sincere affection.
The coachman secretly sighed in relief.
So, when Qin Yao woke up from her nap and opened the door, she was blocked by a pile of presents.
Yin Le, guarding outside the door, delightedly exclaimed, "Master, you’re awake! I’ll go heat up your breakfast."
"Hold on!" Qin Yao stopped her and pointed at the red and green gift boxes at the door, asking suspiciously, "What is this?"
Yin Le slapped her forehead, "Look at me, standing here like a soldier, I forgot! These are gifts delivered by the State Preceptor’s coachman this morning, supposedly from his master to you."
Qin Yao raised an eyebrow, "Just sent them over like this? No explanation?"
Yin Le shook her head, it seemed there really wasn’t any.
Qin Yao waved her hand, signaling her to continue with her tasks.
She squatted down, examining the exquisitely wrapped gift boxes. There were a total of eight boxes of varying sizes. She picked up the smallest palm-sized box and shook it a bit; there was no sound, so the item inside must have been secured.
Adhering to the mindset of "why not take it if it’s free," Qin Yao fetched a small stool, sat at the door, basking in the rare sunlight and began unwrapping the gifts.
There are probably not many people in the world who don’t enjoy unwrapping gifts, especially well-wrapped ones, as they often anticipate surprises.
However, the first small box revealed two thumb-sized golden mandarin ducks, the second a pair of unity silver locks, the third with twelve silk flowers, a wooden melon, and some rouge and powder...
"What on earth is all of this!" Qin Yao said in disbelief, putting down the long peach tree branch, feeling like she was being pranked.
Honestly, she was very disappointed with this heap of gifts!
Except for the pair of thumb-sized golden mandarin ducks, which were at least pure gold bullion, weighing roughly seven or eight taels.
Yin Le brought breakfast over, only to see everything scattered on the ground. She hadn’t held any expectations, so she wasn’t disappointed, just found it a bit odd.
"Master, are these the gifts from the State Preceptor?" Yin Le put the tray on the small table inside the house and walked over to the door, squatting down as well.
She glanced at Qin Yao first, and after receiving her approval, she picked up the peach branches, the wooden melon, and other items, looking them over, still finding them strange.
"Master, I haven’t read much, but it seems these peach branches and wooden melon aren’t casually gifted, and those silk flowers and unity locks, the more I look, the more they seem like... gifts for a beloved?"
As she uttered the words beloved, Yin Le finally realized what was odd.
A reputable State Preceptor gifting a married woman these ambiguous tokens felt like he was sending a love token, wasn’t this bound to cause misunderstandings!
That’s too offensive!
Yin Le looked up at her master’s expression, and sure enough, saw a darkened expression.
In a cold voice, she said, "Burn them!"
After speaking, she only took away those pure gold mandarin ducks and went inside for breakfast.
Yin Le looked at the beautiful silk flowers and unity locks, hesitantly asking, "Burn these too?"
Drinking her meat congee, Qin Yao casually replied, "If you like, you can do as you please with them."
Yin Le immediately bowed joyfully, "Thank you, Master!"
She collected all the items except for the wooden melon and peach branches, planning to sell them later at a stall to Aunt Yu and Zhang Guizhi.
The pair of unity locks were beautifully crafted, the silk flowers made with high-quality silk, extremely unique, and the rouge and powder seemed to be excellent products, surely sellable.
With that thought, Yin Le first threw the wooden melon and peach branches into the burner, then found a piece of tablecloth to cover a small low table, and took the gifts outside with her.
At the alley entrance stood an old elm tree, beneath which was a fruit stall. The young wives and elderly ladies of Kuanzheng Square loved gathering here for fun, hoping to snag a bad piece of fruit to nibble on.
Since moving to Kuanzheng Square, Yin Le had nothing much to do, mostly buying groceries, washing clothes, and cleaning the house.
She spent most of her remaining time with Aunt Yu and the others, making clothes, embroidering, and gossiping.
Qin Yao’s understanding of the neighbors all came from Yin Le’s mouth; no one knew the family’s happenings better than Yin Le.
Sure enough, seeing Yin Le carrying a small table with a bundle over, the ladies, having finished a round of gossip and on a break, immediately fixed their sharp eyes on her.
"Ah Le, what’s that big bundle you’re holding?" Zhang Guizhi, young and the closest playmate to Yin Le, was pushed forward by the others to inquire.
Yin Le gave her a mysterious smile, gesturing for everyone to make way, setting the small table beside the fruit stall, and started laying out the items from the package one by one.
As she displayed the items, she said, "Today I was tidying the storeroom at home and found these things. You know my master, she’s not into dressing up, so she gave them all to me. I thought I couldn’t use so many by myself, so I brought them out to share with you all."
"They’re all brand new; if anyone fancies something, just give a little in copper coins as a token, just helping clear my house’s storeroom."
As everything was laid out, the exquisitely crafted, brightly colored silk flowers caught the attention of Zhang Guizhi and the others.
These are genuinely good things, such silk flowers aren’t easily found outside.
And the rouge and powder, they’re goods from the biggest rouge shop in the Capital, ’Taohua Square’, finely textured, evenly colored, uniquely scented, all items they usually envied but couldn’t afford.
"This pair of unity locks are crafted by a master from Old Craftsman Silver Building, bearing the master’s inscription. I had wanted to buy a pair for my granddaughter’s dowry, as a display, never thought your master had them, and just as new, are you sure you don’t want them?"
While quoting the price of the silk flowers to Zhang Guizhi and others, two hundred coins each, Yin Le replied to the astonished old lady, "Yes, my master isn’t fond of such mundane items. Do you want them? Just pay according to their silver weight; these won’t last long!"
"How could I!" Though verbally expressing reluctance, the old lady clasped the silver lock and dashed home, lively as ever, to fetch money for Yin Le.
Quickly, these items sold out—after all, there weren’t many to begin with.
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