Love Lock

Chapter 180 I Will Remember You

As the sun set, Lin Yuanshan dragged his heavy steps and pushed open the door to his house. Just then, the last rays of the setting sun were blocked by a dark cloud, and the yard suddenly became dark.

He subconsciously looked up at the sky and felt that the weather was as gloomy as his mood at that moment.

The wind chimes at the entrance of the cloth shop hadn't rung for three days, he thought, his fingers unconsciously stroking the ancestral jade pendant at his waist.

That was carved by my grandfather when Lin's Cloth Shop first opened. The four characters "Honesty is the foundation" on it have been worn away and are now somewhat blurred.

"Yuanshan is back!" Zhao Qiao'er's voice came from the inner room, carrying a deliberate cheerful tone.

When she lifted the beaded curtain and came out, Lin Yuanshan couldn't help but be stunned.

Today, my wife wore a brand-new peach-colored jacket with intricate peony patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. Three or four gold hairpins were inserted in her hair, swaying and flashing with gold as she walked.

"What are you doing..." Lin Yuanshan frowned. The cloth shop was almost going out of business, how could his wife still have the mind to dress up?
Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Qiao'er came forward, a strong fragrance of perfume wafting from her.

"You've had a long day, hurry up and change and have dinner. Everyone's waiting for you!"

Zhao Qiao'er deftly helped her husband take off his outer robe and handed it to the maidservant who was waiting nearby.

"Go and scent the young master's clothes with the agarwood incense we bought last time."

Lin Yuanshan opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he sighed and let his wife do as she pleased.

He noticed that the octagonal table in the hall was already set with food, four meat dishes and four vegetable dishes, with a pot of ginseng chicken soup simmering in the middle.

"Where is Dad?" he asked in a low voice, his voice weary.

“It’s here,” Lin’s mother replied.

Lin's father strolled slowly out of the west wing with his hands behind his back. Although his back was somewhat hunched, his eyes were still clear.

He glanced at his daughter-in-law's flamboyant attire, then looked at the sumptuous dishes on the table, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

After the family sat down, Zhao Qiao'er personally served her husband a bowl of soup, saying, "Have a sip of soup to warm your stomach first."

Watching him finish the soup, Zhao Qiao'er sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and began to eat.

Lin Yuanshan had just picked up his chopsticks and taken a slice of ham when Zhao Qiao'er eagerly asked, "Yuanshan, how's business at the cloth shop today?"

Lin Yuanshan paused in mid-air with his chopsticks, put the ham into the bowl, and shook his head.

"For two days in a row, not a single customer." Lin Yuanshan's voice was as dry as withered autumn leaves. "At least Wang's Cloth Shop across the street sold two bolts of plain silk yesterday, but we..."

"How could this be!" Zhao Qiao'er's voice suddenly rose, and she slammed her chopsticks on the table. "Didn't you say just a few days ago that you'd have at least three to five orders every day?"

Lin's father coughed lightly, and Zhao Qiao'er realized that she had lost her composure. She quickly composed herself, but the anxiety in her eyes could not be concealed.

Lin Yuanshan put down his chopsticks with a wry smile: "I went to Jinxiufang again today..."

He stopped abruptly, his expression becoming complicated.

"How is it?" Zhao Qiao'er asked anxiously, her body leaning forward unconsciously.

"I originally wanted to go and ask Manager Tang if, besides Young Master Wei, Jinxiufang had any other owners, but Manager Tang wasn't in the shop, so I looked around inside again."

Lin Yuanshan shook his head, as if searching for the right words.

"Jinxiufang's storefront is more than three times larger than ours, and inside there are mahogany counters all around. Every customer who enters is greeted by a dedicated waiter who will guide them and serve them tea and water..."

Zhao Qiao'er curled her lip: "It's all just superficial stuff. Our Lin's shop has been open for decades because of its genuine products..."

“No, that’s not all.” Lin Yuanshan interrupted her, his fingers unconsciously drawing circles on the table.

Lin's father suddenly interrupted, his voice hoarse yet steady.

“I went to see it the day before yesterday. That young shopkeeper surnamed Tang is indeed quite capable. He’s doing something like buy two get one free, and the customers are going crazy for it. The counter is packed with people.”

"This is it!" Lin Yuanshan said excitedly. "Today it's changed to a 'lottery for every ten taels of silver spent', and the first prize is... a set of four-season clothes custom-made by Jinxiufang."

His voice trailed off as he spoke, "We couldn't even...think of such an idea..."

"We can't think of anything, but we can poach that shopkeeper!"

Zhao Qiao'er suddenly said, her eyes blaring, "Praise me, praise me!"

Lin Yuanshan glanced at her, and she wisely shut her mouth.

A silence fell over the dinner table, broken only by the occasional soft crackling of the candlelight.

Seeing that they were all silent, Zhao Qiao'er's expression grew increasingly grim.

Suddenly, she leaned close to Lin Yuanshan and began to scold him in a low voice.

"I told you before, we'd secretly have someone burn it down, no one would know. But you wouldn't listen, and now look what's happened..."

"Nonsense!"

Lin Yuanshan slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, splashing a few drops of soup from his bowl.

"You actually came up with such underhanded tactics? The Lin family has always conducted business with integrity!"

Lin's parents' faces immediately darkened.

Mr. Lin frowned and said, "Qiao'er, you've been married into the Lin family for two years now, how can you still say such childish things? There's a business ethics to follow. If you lose, you have to admit defeat and accept it. If you can't beat someone, you should honestly learn from them, instead of resorting to these crooked thoughts!"

Zhao Qiao'er's face flushed red and then turned pale as the two elders scolded her. She bit her lip and remained silent, but the resentment in her eyes was obvious.

In a fit of pique, she picked up a large piece of fish and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing it with extra force.

"Father, what do you think... we should do?"

Lin Yuanshan turned to his father, his voice filled with an unusual helplessness, "If things continue like this, within three months, all the fabric shops on the street will have to close down..."

Lin's father sighed and put down his chopsticks.

“Yuanshan, I have lived for more than sixty years and have never seen such a spectacle. That Jinxiufang... is indeed extraordinary. I... I don’t understand it either.”

As Lin's father spoke, his eyes reddened, "The legacy your grandfather left behind..."

Zhao Qiao'er suddenly looked up: "Yuanshan."

Her eyes shone with an alarming light. "Go check on Wei Chengchao! Isn't he in jail? Go talk to him and ask him to let us get fabric from Jinxiufang. Even if we can't make those fancy dresses, we can at least sell the same fabric, right?"

Lin Yuanshan and his father exchanged a glance.

“This…” Lin Yuanshan hesitated.

"What the hell!" Zhao Qiao'er stamped her feet in frustration. "What kind of time is this to be so particular? Our whole family is about to starve!"

Father Lin shook his head: "Qiao'er, the Wei family has committed a crime this time, so I'm afraid we won't be able to find them. Besides, even if we get the same fabric, without the business acumen of Jinxiufang, we still won't be able to sell it."

"Father, what do you suggest we do? Are we just going to watch the hard work of three generations of the Lin family be destroyed in an instant?"

Zhao Qiao'er's voice was already tinged with anger. This wouldn't work, that wouldn't work. He felt the entire Lin family was a bunch of good-for-nothings.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was so heavy it was almost palpable.

Lin Yuanshan stared at the soup in his bowl, which had gone cold, with a thin layer of oil on the surface.

"How about... I go find Director Liu of the Chamber of Commerce?" After a long silence, Lin Yuanshan finally spoke, his voice low and helpless.

"Please ask him to gather all the other cloth merchants. We established businesses should also sit down together and discuss countermeasures. No matter how powerful Jinxiufang is, we can't possibly drive all the cloth merchants in the city out of business, can we?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qiao'er immediately perked up: "Yes, yes, yes! Go now!" She stood up to grab her husband's outer robe, "While it's not completely dark yet, Manager Liu should still be at the Chamber of Commerce."

Mr. Lin frowned: "What time is it? It's not too late to go tomorrow."

"Father, there's no time to lose." Zhao Qiao'er had already quickly retrieved Lin Yuanshan's blue robe. "The sooner we discuss it, the greater our chances of success."

Looking at his wife's anxious expression and then at his father's worried look, Lin Yuanshan finally nodded: "Butler, go and prepare some gifts."

By the time Lin Yuanshan stepped out the door carrying the gifts, it was completely dark. He took a deep breath and walked towards the Chamber of Commerce. He didn't know if this plea for help could save the Lin family's business, but at least he had tried.

With this in mind, his steps gradually became firmer...

Last night, it rained heavily all night in the capital. The raindrops pounded on the green tiles of every household, like thousands of horses galloping.

This morning, the rain stopped and the clouds dispersed, leaving the sky a clear, bright blue, as if it had been washed clean, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and vegetation.

Sunlight streamed through the clouds onto the damp streets, making the cobblestones gleam.

Inside Jinxiufang, Tang Xiaotong has been extremely busy since the shop opened at dawn.

He and several of his men moved through the hall filled with clothes, fine beads of sweat glistening on their foreheads. Their indigo sleeves were rolled up to their elbows, revealing their well-defined forearms and an old scar on their wrists.

"Aunt Zhang, has the embroidered skirt for Vice Minister Li's family been ironed?"

"It'll be ready soon, Manager Tang!"

"Sister Li, is the crabapple blossom embroidery that Master Qian is rushing to finish?"

"It will be ready soon; you can pick it up tomorrow."

While inquiring about work, he was also busy greeting customers who entered the store.

It wasn't until noon, when everyone had gone home for their meals, that the number of customers in the restaurant gradually decreased.

Tang Xiaotong finally caught her breath, sat on the low stool behind the counter, picked up the tea that had long since gone cold, and drank it all in one gulp.

The tea slid down my throat, taking away some of my fatigue.

Just then, the wind chimes at the door rang softly, and a gentle breeze carrying the scent of grass wafted in.

Tang Xiaotong looked up and saw Princess Yujia standing alone at the door, the sunlight gilding her entire body with a golden edge.

Today, Princess Yujia was not wearing Turkic attire, but instead wore a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). Her long, black hair was styled into the fashionable Jinghong bun, a popular hairstyle among noble ladies in the capital, with only two strands of hair hanging down beside her ears.

If it weren't for those eyes as deep as the night sky over the grasslands, one would hardly recognize her as the princess from the Turkic Khaganate.

“Princess Yu…”

Tang Xiaotong quickly stood up with a smile, but accidentally knocked over a teacup, spilling tea on the counter. He frantically tried to wipe it with his sleeve, his cheeks burning.

Princess Yujia's lips curled up slightly, and a hint of the hearty smile that Tang Xiaotong recognized—the kind of smile unique to the children of the grasslands—flashed in her eyes.

But all of this was quickly overshadowed by the court etiquette that had been practiced for many days.

She approached slowly, her skirt swaying gently, already displaying the poise of a noble lady from the Great Jing Dynasty.

"No need for such formalities, Manager Tang." Her Dajing dialect was much more fluent than when they first met, though it still carried a slight foreign accent. "Have you had lunch yet?"

Tang Xiaotong composed herself and replied respectfully, "I haven't eaten yet. Would the princess like to join me..."

“I’ve already used it.” Princess Yujia shook her head gently, the silver hairpin in her hair swaying lightly, shimmering like stars in the sunlight. “I said I was going out for a stroll, but the nanny only gave me half an hour.”

Tang Xiaotong habitually turned to the side, making an inviting gesture: "Freshly brewed almond tea has been prepared in the backyard, would the princess like some..."

Before he could finish speaking, he felt his sleeve being gently tugged. Princess Yujia's fingers were slender yet strong, and her fingertips were slightly cool.

She shook her head, her eyes revealing a complex emotion that Tang Xiaotong had never seen before.

"Tomorrow is the marriage ceremony." She spoke softly, as if afraid of disturbing something. "The matron said that we need to practice etiquette twice as much today and can no longer drink tea."

These words were like a dull knife, slowly and heavily piercing Tang Xiaotong's heart.

He then suddenly realized that the foreign princess before him, who was already adept at wearing magnificent robes, would become the emperor's concubine the next day.

The days spent together, teaching her to identify the texture of silk, brewing her almond tea that is not found on the grasslands, listening to her tell about Turkic customs... all of this will come to an end tomorrow.

"Yes...yes." Tang Xiaotong tried to keep her voice steady, but felt her throat tighten. "The ceremony is tomorrow."

Princess Yujia seemed to have noticed his unusual behavior as well, her amber eyes staring directly at him, leaving Tang Xiaotong nowhere to hide.

After a moment of silence, she suddenly took off the wolf tooth pendant she always wore around her neck.

"I came to give you something."

She placed the pendant in her palm and handed it to Tang Xiaotong.

The wolf tooth was pure white with a faint yellow tinge at the tip. It was strung on a finely woven leather cord and had clearly been worn for many years.

Tang Xiaotong stared at the gift in shock: "This...this is too precious, I can't..."

"On the grasslands, wolf fangs are only given to the most respected people." Princess Yujia stubbornly raised her hand, her eyes flashing with a light that Tang Xiaotong could not understand.

“This was given to me by my father, the Turkic Khan, at my coming-of-age ceremony. He said that this wolf tooth came from the alpha wolf that had guarded our tribe for ten years.”

Tang Xiaotong's hand trembled slightly, and she dared not take it.

Princess Yujia suddenly stepped forward and put the leather rope around his neck.

The wolf fang was pressed against his chest, carrying Princess Yujia's body heat and a faint scent of the grassland.

"In our Turkic community, those who accept wolf fangs are recognized as warriors."

Princess Yujia took a step back, looking with satisfaction at the pendant hanging on Tang Xiaotong's chest, then suddenly added as if remembering something, "Of course, according to the etiquette of your Great Jing, this might be a bit... against the rules."

She said it was "against the rules," but a rebellious glint flashed in her eyes—the wildness of the grasslands that had not yet been completely tamed by court etiquette.

Tang Xiaotong's fingers unconsciously touched the wolf's fangs, feeling their smooth, slightly cool texture.

He knew how significant this gift was in Turkic culture. He felt his heart pounding violently in his chest, almost bursting out of his ribcage.

"Princess, this..."

“The old woman said that in your Great Jing Dynasty, men and women are not supposed to touch each other.” Princess Yujia interrupted him, her voice suddenly lowering. “After entering the palace, I will be His Majesty’s woman. In the future… I’m afraid I will never have the chance to drink your almond tea again.”

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting dappled patterns of light on Princess Yujia's face. Tang Xiaotong noticed her eyelashes trembling slightly, like the delicate wings of a butterfly.

“I will remember you.” Princess Yujia raised her head and looked directly into his eyes. “I will always remember you.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiaotong felt dizzy, a thousand words stuck in her chest, yet she couldn't utter a single one.

He was the manager of Jinxiufang, and she was a concubine about to enter the palace. Between them lay a distance even greater than that between the Turks and the Great Jing Dynasty.

"Your Highness's kindness will be forever remembered by this humble servant."

In the end, Tang Xiaotong could only bow deeply, suppressing all her emotions under this polite gesture.

Princess Yujia seemed to expect him to say something, but after a moment, she only sighed softly: "I should go back."

Tang Xiaotong nodded silently and accompanied her to the shop door. Outside, the maid Alan was pacing back and forth. Seeing Princess Yujia come out, she immediately went to greet her.

"Princess, it's getting late. It's time to go back and continue practicing the grand ceremony."

Princess Yujia turned back and looked at Tang Xiaotong one last time, her eyes filled with too many unspeakable emotions.

Then she turned around, her skirt tracing an elegant arc as she walked away with Alan.

Tang Xiaotong stood in the middle of the road, watching her figure gradually disappear around the street corner. The wolf fang on her chest was heavy, as if it weighed a thousand pounds.

"Hey!"

He sighed deeply, feeling an indescribable sense of loss.

It turns out that the feelings that had inexplicably arisen after spending so many days together could not erase the fact that Princess Yujia was going to enter the palace as a concubine.

After today, she will be the emperor's woman. In the end... it was all wishful thinking on his part.

The sky over Beijing was still azure, and the sun was still shining brightly, but Tang Xiaotong felt as if her world had been turned upside down at that moment.

Comments, donations, and votes are welcome! Go ahead and shower me with them! I'm not afraid!