CH 21

Chapter 21:  People Aren’t Outstanding Only Because They’re Poor.

At the beginning of April, the peach blossoms danced in the spring breeze, and Qi Ci was clutching the salary he had just received in his hand with mixed feelings.

‘Shit, you really can earn this much money solely by calculating the accounts in the Prince’s Residence?!’

The amount of money he earned by reading and writing letters in a whole year in the Northern Border was less than half of what he earned now!

Qi Ci tossed and played with the silver in his hand, thinking about how to spend it.

He already had all the food and accommodations he needed in the Prince’s Residence, so he didn’t need to worry about those.

He didn’t need more clothes either.

Suddenly, Qi Ci thought of a saying.

A horse is weak because it’s too thin, while people aren’t outstanding only because they’re poor1.

Qi Ci pondered over the fact that he had been in the Capital for almost a month, and he had never seen women wearing magnificently adorned clothes singing love songs.

So, as soon as Qi Ci clutched the money again, he made a decision: “I’ll invite Bian Zhonghua to the wine alley to eat and drink. We can also stroll around the market along the way.”

Then, Qi Ci put away the account book that had just been checked, picked up his salary and the Token Bian Zhonghua gave him, and walked to the Western Courtyard.

Qi Ci heard that the Prince’s Residence will be completed in three days, so there were fewer people in the Residence, leaving only a few maids and servants left. The hard-working carpenters were also no longer here.

In the courtyard, the swallows were flying around the peach and apricot hanging on the branches. The breeze brought up the fragrance of the fruits, soothing one’s body and mind. Qi Ci’s footsteps were light when suddenly, a woman caught his eye.

That woman was dressed like a maid, and she was struggling to carry a wooden bucket full of hot water with both hands. As she gritted her teeth, she staggered along the way, as if she was about to fall at any given moment.

Qi Ci hurriedly went forward to help, taking the bucket from her hands: “Where are you going? Let me help you.”

Of course, the maid didn’t expect that someone would help her, so she was taken aback as she said with panic: “No, I, I…..”

Qi Ci smiled: “It’s alright, I’ve seen that it’s hard for you to carry such a heavy bucket full of water.”

The maid thought for a while, but in the end, she couldn’t hold her arms anymore. It hurt, and her arms were sore, so she simply nodded and whispered: “Thank you….”

The hot water was carried to the courtyard where the maids and servants lived. Qi Ci thought that it was strange, after all, it wasn’t time to rest yet, so why was a maid bringing such a large bucket of water here?

The maid, who was called Xiao-Yu, was awkward at first, but after talking with Qi Ci for a while, she revealed her cheerful nature: “Ah, you’re the Gongzi in charge of the accounts?”

Qi Ci smiled: “You know me?”

Xiao-Yu nodded: “Yes. Everyone is saying that there’s a good-looking Gongzi in the account room, and that must be you!”

Qi Ci’s earlobes blushed after being called ‘handsome’. After a gentle cough, he said: “You’re just saying it to compliment me. ”

“I am complimenting you! You even helped me to carry water. Qi-gongzi, you’re so nice!” Xiao-Yu said. “There was a rumor circulating that you came from a brothel, but I didn’t believe it. Those who spread the rumors are bastards who can’t see other people being successful.”

Qi Ci paused, feeling a vague pain in the back of his neck, where he had been burned.

It turned out that the young boy at that time had actually recognized the mark on the back of his neck…..

‘Forget it. If he recognized it, then he recognized it. People may say things behind my back, but I won’t lose anything. Let them say whatever they want.’

Qi Ci was sad for a moment, but he got over it right away. His changing humor was so fast that Xiao-Yu didn’t notice it.

As they walked and talked along the way, they soon arrived at the courtyard where the maids and servants lived. Qi Ci wanted to avoid being suspected, so he didn’t carry the bucket into the room for Xiao-Yu. Instead, he placed it at the door. After Qi Ci put the bucket down, he said softly: “Well, you can carry it yourself from here on.”

Xiao-Yu bent down to thank him repeatedly and raised her hand to bid Qi Ci farewell.

Qi Ci also raised his hand and waved at her. But just when he was about to leave, he stopped.

Xiao-Yu was puzzled: “Qi-gongzi, what’s wrong? Do you need anything?”

After hesitating for a while, Qi Ci finally asked: “Xiaoyu, where did you go just now?”

Xiao-Yu didn’t understand but still replied nicely: “I didn’t go anywhere. I just went to pick up a bucket of hot water.”

Qi Ci pointed to her sleeve and said: “There’s blood on your sleeve.”