Chapter 265: Jade Bamboo

"I have some silver in my purse," Han Bing said.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Yunchu shook her head and said, "Enough."

If there were more, putting them away would be too conspicuous; now she can slowly store these, making it seem as if she had eaten them herself.

In her space, she now has a lot of silver, but she does not intend to use this money.

Ill-gotten gains should be returned to the people's hands.

"It should be over there, that's the Zhuang Clan's inn; I delivered a letter there." Jiang Yunchu smiled; in her hand she had a family letter written by her great-aunt, which mainly introduced her situation, though it only mentioned that she was a relative of the Kang Clan and did not specify her exact identity.

A month ago, her great-aunt had written a family letter to the Zhuang Clan's uncle, asking him to look after the land and manor; now there should be news.

"Good."

Han Bing nodded, saying nothing.

"Sir, are you here for a quick meal or to stay?" the shop boy ran over enthusiastically.

Jiang Yunchu entered the inn and saw a spacious hall with many people seated; it wasn't mealtime, yet she hadn't expected such a crowd.

"I'm looking for the proprietor," Jiang Yunchu said.

The shop boy's expression changed, then he carefully glanced at Jiang Yunchu; she didn't look like trouble, had a smile, carried belongings, clearly a traveler, and went straight to the proprietor?

"Sir, please sit at that table for a moment; I'll go back to look for him—the proprietor is checking today's supplies and isn't in the hall." The shop boy said this with a smile, reasonable and proper.

Quite pleasant, with no looking down on customers or bullying them; it seems the Zhuang Clan matches the information she had gathered.

"Proprietor, that's the young gentleman who just asked for you," the shop boy said after finding him, first whispering a few words and sharing as much of his observations as possible; the proprietor was somewhat plump, like a Maitreya Buddha, always smiling, though he looked rather old.

"Go ahead and get busy; I'll take a look," the proprietor said after hearing this, walking over with a smiling face.

Upon seeing the two, his eyes lit up instantly; the shop boy had emphasized repeatedly that they bore an air of nobility, but how could such nobility be summed up in a glance?

Their entire demeanor was nothing like that of ordinary people.

Their attire seemed ordinary, but every detail was refined—especially the jade-bamboo waistband and the jade-green hair ribbon; this color and texture came from two bolts of cloth the Zhuang Clan had previously produced, both sent as gifts to Miaomiao in the capital, yet now they appeared on this young gentleman, suggesting he is connected to her Miaomiao.

Just from their outfit, belongings, and bearing, the proprietor had already inferred much information.

Just one sentence made Jiang Yunchu's eyes light up.

The Zhuang Clan, judging from the people she had encountered, were pleasant to deal with and even shrewder than expected.

"Please lead the way," Jiang Yunchu said, nodding; she exchanged a glance with Han Bing, then both rose and followed the proprietor behind him.

The inn's first floor is the hall, second floor the elegant rooms, third and fourth floors are guest rooms.

However, behind the inn lies a courtyard where orchids are in full bloom, filling the air with fragrance.

In the middle of the orchid trees stands a swing frame with a new blanket draped over it; on the opposite side is an artificial mountain, water continually trickling down its slopes, imparting a sense of leisurely tranquility.

Further inside is a corridor with wind chimes hanging on both sides; a gentle breeze brushes past, leaving a soft sound in the ears.

"This courtyard is quite exquisite," Jiang Yunchu said, curling the corner of her mouth as she gazed at the tastefully arranged yard; every spot seemed filled with warmth and rich human feeling.

"Sir, you may not know, this courtyard is managed by my Eldest Miss; even though she has married far away in the capital, it has always been kept for her—whenever she wishes to return, she can come back and see it, and do as she pleases." The proprietor spoke with a hint of regret.

Miaomiao has been gone for many years, and no one knows her current state; the two younger ones have married into Jiangnan, yet Miaomiao has not returned.

"She will come back, after all, this is her home."

Jiang Yunchu thought of her great-aunt; looking at everything in the courtyard, she somewhat understood her great-aunt's mindset—people are in different environments, some need to grow stubbornly in the cold wind, either triumphing over it or withering in it.

But others are born like flowers in a greenhouse, gathering all manner of affection upon themselves.

She used not to understand how her great-aunt could be so confident, saying, "The Zhuang Clan—I still have a say in it."

A woman who married far out, able to speak such words, shows how much confidence her natal family gave her.

"Good, good, good," the old proprietor nodded, his smile deepening.

After passing through the corridor and entering the rear residence, there weren't many rooms; the proprietor led them to a reception hall and said, "Guests, please take a seat."

Jiang Yunchu nodded and then sat down.

"Are you guests from the capital?" the proprietor poured tea for the two, then, having composed himself, asked with a chuckle.

Jiang Yunchu raised an eyebrow, "How can you tell?"

Just a glance, and you can be certain where they come from.

Any loopholes? But these days she often checks, so there are hardly any.

"Guests need not worry; only Zhuang Clan people would know this, outsiders would not."

"The guests' hair ribbon and waistband come from the same bolt of cloth, called jade bamboo."

"Produced by the Zhuang Clan."

"Back then, the Zhuang Clan, missing the Eldest Miss, wove only two bolts; after that they stopped production, so only two exist in the world, both sent as New Year gifts to the capital."

The proprietor smiled, looking at Jiang Yunchu's expression, becoming even more amiable.

"Indeed, it was Aunt Zhuang Miao who gave it to me," Jiang Yunchu said, nodding; her information was not convenient to reveal now, and she had already aligned her story with her great-aunt.

"Indeed, it was Aunt Zhuang Miao who sent it to me." Jiang Yunchu nodded; her news isn't convenient to reveal now, and earlier we had already coordinated our story with my grandaunt.

The proprietor nodded, his smile growing more kind.

"This is the family letter from Aunt Zhuang Miao to the Zhuang Clan, and this is the clan's token." Jiang Yunchu respectfully handed over the items with both hands, merely because she saw the old man's eyes glisten with tears.

"This is a family letter from Aunt Zhuang Miao to the Zhuang Clan, and this is a token of the Zhuang Clan." Jiang Yunchu respectfully handed over the items in her hands with both hands, merely because she saw the old man's eyes glisten with tears.

"I will send it home as soon as possible, personally delivering it to the master's hands; you, sir, may rest here—the rear courtyard already has two guest rooms."

"Hot water can be sent by the shop boy, meals will be delivered to the two gentlemen's rooms; today you two should rest well."

The proprietor's face was full of smiles, yet the hand holding that letter trembled slightly.

"Thank you for the trouble."

Jiang Yunchu and Han Bing rose and bowed.

The proprietor nodded, having arranged their rooms, then hurriedly left the rear courtyard.

That shopkeeper nodded, arranged rooms for the two people, then hurriedly left the backyard.