36 The Cool Spring Rain (2/2)
The wealthy man said with a smile, ”If this were sold outside the Scent Workshop, it would cost 500 cents at most. Considering that you need to pay rent for your shop, and you're still young, I'll give you two taels of silver.”
Ning Que picked up his teapot, taking a drink, and then put it down and cursed. ”Piss off.”
The wealthy man turned angry and shouted, ”You don't know how to appreciate favors, do you?”
Ning Que shook his head and answered, ”I'm young, though I'm no fool. I was going to ask you to get out when you insulted me just now. I was just wondering how much you'd like to offer. If your offer was good, I think I'd be fine with your insult. But your offer is far from enough.”
The wealthy man walked off with a leaden face. Sangsang rushed out from the backyard only to see the silhouette of the three disappearing in the rain. She felt disappointed and turned around to look at Ning Que in the chair, angrily saying, ”Young master, that's TWO taels of silver!”
Two inksticks and three sheets of rice paper were all the Old Brush Pen Shop had sold during these days. Though they were exempted three months rent by the middle-aged man, Sangsang couldn't sleep well these days, concerned about the huge expense of the academy in the future. You couldn't blame her for blowing off steam.
As there was no business, Ning Que closed the shop after lunch, on the pretext of comforting Sangsang. But he wanted to have a stroll himself. He took Sangsang to Chenjinji Cosmetics Store for some powder a couple of streets away and stopped by Danbo Bookstore for several leisure books.
It proved a good idea to take a stroll outside. Sangsang could not suppress her joyous face with her one hand holding a cosmetics box from Chenjinji Cosmetics Store and the other with several books fastened together. Ning Que felt a lot better too, with his right hand holding the big black umbrella, and left hand stretching out to feel the rain. The rain pattered on his umbrella and hand. The young master and handmaiden, with rainboots on, strode over large and small rain puddles along the way back to Lin 47th Street.
Suddenly, the umbrella jerked, Ning Que stopped and looked at their shop dozens of meters away. Rain blackened the grey wall, and a man was sitting under the roof. The swarthy man appeared pale from his excessive blood loss. Ning Que held the umbrella more tightly.
A loud sound resonated in the air. Ning Que's left foot trod into one of the puddles on the slate, splashing the water all over. He planned to rush towards the gray wall with all his strength summoned around his abdomen.
But at that very moment, the swarthy man soaked in blood managed to smile at him and shook his head firmly. He had a horrible wound in his abdomen, and his black clothes were tattered, bones crushed, and entrails revealed. Even those Grand Cultivators of the Limitlessness State could do nothing for him.
Upon seeing this and understanding his resolve, and hearing pounding footsteps and shouting near the entrance of the lane, Ning Que retreated his left foot slowly and awkwardly. He couldn't help but shiver fiercely with his hand holding the umbrella.
”The Military Ministry is searching for a spy, move!”
A dozen of Yulin Royal Guards charged into the street and completely surrounded Zhuo Er, who was sitting in the corner of the wall, with solemn yet vigilant looks. The general who led the army seemed to let out a sigh of relief upon finding that this man had been severely injured.
The spring rain came down in torrents, making the gray wall darker, and streamed along the wall like a brook, quickly washing the wall smeared by Zhuo Er's blood.