In the blink of an eye, the day for unsealing and opening the bids arrived. After noon, the officials of Ningguo Prefecture gathered those who had submitted bids for the government-owned farmland in the prefectural hall. They then retrieved the sealed wooden chest and opened it in the presence of the hall, with the Chief Administrator and the Military Commander observing from the sidelines. Just as the roll call was about to begin, Zhao Ai also arrived.
Since the reserve price had been set noticeably high this time, there were not many bidders—only eight in total, including Zhenzhen. The roll-call official took out the bid documents one by one, announcing the name of each bidder, the date of submission, and the bid price. The first six bids were all close to the reserve price, with the highest being only thirteen strings of cash per mu. The seventh bidder was Zhenzhen. When the roll-call official unfolded her document and announced her name and date, he called out a surprising bid: "Twenty strings of cash per mu, with a total price of forty thousand strings for two thousand mu."
For this barren piece of land, the reserve price of ten strings per mu was already unreasonably inflated, yet Zhenzhen's bid had doubled the reserve price, equivalent to ten times its actual value. As this price was announced, the hall instantly erupted in gasps and whispers. The roll-call official also nodded approvingly at Zhenzhen, seemingly convinced that she was determined to win and victory was within her grasp.
The roll-call official then took out the final bid document. After unsealing it, he first announced the bidder's name: "Wei Qingxun."
Wei Qingxun was not present in the hall that day. Zhenzhen had originally assumed she had not participated in the bidding, but to her surprise, Wei Qingxun was still among the bidders. A faint sense of unease began to stir within her.
Sure enough, the bid announced by the roll-call official for Wei Qingxun shocked everyone in the hall: "Thirty strings of cash per mu, with a total price of sixty thousand strings for two thousand mu!"
The hall buzzed with voices as people looked around, searching for Wei Qingxun's figure. The roll-call official then declared Wei Qingxun the highest bidder and asked her to step forward to sign the documents. At this moment, a middle-aged man who had been hidden among the crowd slowly rose to his feet. He bowed respectfully to Zhao Ai, the Chief Administrator, the Military Commander, and the roll-call official, explaining, "I am Xue Yi, the manager of the Luming Tower. My mistress holds a Hairpin Flower Gathering twice a year, in spring and autumn, to select and hire Musicians and performers. Today happens to be the day of the spring Hairpin Flower Gathering. Since the date was set long ago, she was unable to attend, so she sent me here to sign and finalize the bid on her behalf. She also asked me to apologize to all the officials on her behalf. My mistress said that after the bid opening and signing are completed, if the officials would be so kind, they are welcome to attend the Hairpin Flower Gathering. She will prepare fine food and wine to entertain all the officials."
Chief Administrator Li Tang and Military Commander Ding Xiyao exchanged glances. Li Tang then said to Xue Yi, "You may finalize the bid on her behalf, but the signing must be done by your mistress herself. You can take the relevant documents and contracts back with you, have her sign them, and then return those that need to be submitted."
Xue Yi agreed repeatedly and immediately produced banknotes equivalent to ten percent of the bid price to finalize the deal on the spot. Another official then escorted him to the back hall to continue handling the relevant procedures and deliver the contracts and documents.
The people in the hall gradually dispersed. Zhenzhen watched as Xue Yi walked away, secretly regretting her decision. She had been worried that bidding too high would arouse suspicion, but in the end, Wei Qingxun had outbid her.
Helplessly, she turned her gaze to Zhao Ai. He, however, remained calm and unperturbed. When their eyes met, his expression was composed and unreadable.Zhenzhen, like everyone else, bowed to the officials and took her leave. Zhao Ai merely nodded faintly, as he did to the others, without rising to see her off. After Zhenzhen had left the government office, Sima Ding Xiyao actually chased after her and said, "Ever since attending the banquet at Song Niangzi's restaurant last time, the taste has lingered in my heart, and I have missed it greatly. Today's official duties are done, so why don't I escort you back and have dinner at Zhanle Lou along the way, savoring the delicacies prepared by your hands?"
He then waved to the side and called over a two-person carriage. Seeing his dazed gaze and ambiguous expression as he spoke, Zhenzhen knew he harbored ill intentions toward her, so she politely declined with a smile: "How could I trouble the Sima to escort me? Unfortunately, I had originally intended to invite several officials to my humble shop today to taste the new seasonal dishes, but when I left, my grandmother told me that today's ingredients were not abundant enough to entertain distinguished guests, so she casually allowed several local gentry to book the evening banquet. She also instructed me to take a good look at the ingredients in the city, purchase some appropriately, and once everything is prepared, invite the officials to dine another day. So I won't be returning for now and must first stroll through the city market."
Unexpectedly, Ding Xiyao did not retreat at all and added, "Then I will accompany Song Niangzi to the market, and after you finish shopping, I will escort you back."
Zhenzhen repeatedly declined, but Ding Xiyao still refused to give up, insisting on accompanying her. Unable to refuse, Zhenzhen had no choice but to turn and head toward the nearby market, letting him follow behind.
At the market, Zhenzhen pretended to select ingredients, not exchanging a single word with him, but she couldn't shake him off for the moment. Frustrated, she had no heart to examine the ingredients carefully. Suddenly, she overheard people nearby discussing the Hairpin Flower Gathering at Luming Lou, saying the musician selection had reached its most exciting moment and suggesting their companions go watch: "It's packed with people; if we don't go now, we won't be able to squeeze in."
Zhenzhen had an idea and said to Ding Xiyao, "I've heard about the grandeur of the Hairpin Flower Gathering before but have never had the chance to see it. Since we happen to encounter it today, I would very much like to go and take a look."
Ding Xiyao smiled and said, "That's easy. Just follow me."
Luming Lou had substantial assets, and whether it was chefs, attendants, or musicians and performers, once hired, they were given generous monthly wages with additional bonuses, so tens of thousands applied each year. To prevent being overwhelmed and to fully attract the city's attention, Wei Qingxun decided to recruit musicians and performers in the form of a Hairpin Flower Gathering, held only twice a year. Applicants would showcase their talents and appearances in the garden behind Luming Lou, where Wei Qingxun practiced horseback archery and willow shooting. Finally, Wei Qingxun would evaluate them, and if he deemed them suitable for hiring, he would select a flower for them to wear in their hair. The entire process was open for the city's residents to watch, making it akin to a beauty pageant, which naturally drew crowds. Often, people would line up before dawn, waiting to enter, and even after the garden was full, many would gather outside, unwilling to leave.
Zhenzhen thought that with so many people here, the jostling would easily separate her from Ding Xiyao, allowing her to slip away. However, as soon as they arrived at the edge of the garden, a Luming Lou attendant recognized Ding Xiyao and immediately led them through a side gate into the garden, finding them seats in the inner area with the best view and inviting them to sit and enjoy the show.The performers at this moment were all outstanding winners from the previous rounds, each possessing remarkable talents and exceptional beauty. They performed in groups of three to five, some singing clear melodies, others dancing gracefully, occasionally casting affectionate glances toward Wei Qingxun, hoping to gain her favor. Wei Qingxun sat leisurely in the central seat of honor, looking down with a smile at the young women, her expression akin to a contented monarch observing concubines vying for favor. After each performance, she would glance around to gauge the reactions of the spectators. When Zhenzhen and Ding Xiyao appeared, she noticed them promptly, calmly waiting for Zhenzhen to turn her gaze toward her. When their eyes met, she offered Zhenzhen a leisurely smile.
After the final group’s performance concluded, a servant presented Wei Qingxun with ten flowers, including peonies, Chinese peonies, pomegranate blossoms, and roses. Wei Qingxun half-opened a white folding fan sprinkled with gold, covering the lower half of her face, and whispered her choices to the servant. The servant then presented the flowers one by one to the selected beauties, inviting them to adorn their hair with them. The chosen ones, beaming with joy, stepped forward to bow and express their gratitude to Wei Qingxun. She smiled and nodded in return, gifting them some jewelry as a token of welcome.
As the last peony was pinned into the hair of the final dancer she had selected, the unsuccessful candidates sighed in disappointment, hanging their heads dejectedly as they prepared to leave. At that moment, Wei Qingxun suddenly plucked a small branch of red flowering quince from the vase on the table before her, stripped away the excess leaves and flowers, leaving only a single blossom at the tip. She then picked up a small bamboo bow, stood up, turned, descended the steps, and leaped onto the white horse waiting beneath the willow tree. Riding around the arena, her eyes still carrying a smile, she surveyed the young women gathered there.
The women did not know what she intended, but each stood in place, filled with anticipation, their gazes ardently following her.
Finally, Wei Qingxun reined in her horse and stood still in the center of the arena, facing the direction where Zhenzhen stood. With a smile, she drew the bamboo bow and shot the branch of flowering quince like an arrow. The quince flew straight and true, landing squarely in Zhenzhen’s hair, where it lodged like a hairpin.
The onlookers, as if awakening from a dream, erupted into cheers, applauding Wei Qingxun for her ingenious gesture.
Wei Qingxun guided her horse to Zhenzhen, leaned down, and extended a hand to her, speaking in a tone that was both a command and an invitation: “Come up.”
Eager to escape the loathsome Ding Xiyao beside her, Zhenzhen hesitated only briefly before placing her hand in Wei Qingxun’s, allowing herself to be pulled onto the horse.
Wei Qingxun stood half a head taller than Zhenzhen and now held her partly in her embrace as she urged the horse into a gallop, heading out of the garden. The crowds gathered inside and outside the gate hastily retreated to either side, clearing a path as the horse charged forward. In a cloud of dust, Wei Qingxun swiftly carried Zhenzhen away from the scene.
Guiding her horse toward the outskirts of the city, Wei Qingxun laughed and said to Zhenzhen, “Earlier, I heard that you also submitted a bid for the government-owned land auction and lost to me. Are you angry with me?”
Zhenzhen replied, “I wouldn’t say I’m angry, but I do find it strange. Why were you willing to pay so much for it? That land isn’t worth it.”
“The land itself may not be worth it, but the local officials must be carefully appeased,” Wei Qingxun stated frankly. “Someone wanted me to bid high, so I had no choice but to comply. After all, the larger the business, the more one must cater to the whims of officials. If they are satisfied, even if you lose here, they might let you profit elsewhere. But if you offend them, they can make you cough up everything you’ve earned before.”"Who asked you to buy it?" Zhenzhen inquired. "Li Tang or Ding Xiyao?"
Wei Qingxun smiled without answering.
Zhenzhen thought for a moment and added, "If you were afraid of offending the local officials, you shouldn't have taken me out today... Didn't you see Ding Xiyao beside me? He..."
"He was harassing you. I noticed," Wei Qingxun whispered with a laugh into Zhenzhen's ear. "So I decided to help you escape this way. As for whether I'm afraid of offending him... I might have had concerns before, but not anymore."
Zhenzhen asked in surprise, "Why?"
"Because of Prince Wei," Wei Qingxun replied, glancing back before slowing the horse's pace. "Let him tell you himself."
At that moment, Zhenzhen also heard the sound of another horse galloping closely behind them. Looking back, she saw that the rider catching up was none other than Zhao Ai.
Zhao Ai rode up to them, blocking Wei Qingxun's path, then fixed a cold stare at Zhenzhen and commanded, "Get off the horse."
His frosty expression was something Zhenzhen had never seen before, leaving her somewhat flustered. After a moment's hesitation, she dismounted under his intense gaze.
Zhao Ai guided his horse closer to her, leaning down and extending his hand—a gesture almost identical to Wei Qingxun's earlier one.
"I could hire a carriage to go home..." Zhenzhen attempted to refuse but was quickly cut off by his sharp retort, "No more nonsense, get up here!"
Still stunned by his unusually forceful tone, Zhenzhen found herself pulled onto the horse before she could react.
He seated her in front of him and, under Wei Qingxun's amused gaze, spurred the horse into a gallop and rode away.
Held partially in his embrace, Zhenzhen felt awkward and stiff. She could sense his anger but couldn't understand why he was so furious. After riding in silence for a while, Zhao Ai finally spoke coldly, "You pay no heed to what I say."
Zhenzhen was taken aback and instinctively asked, "What do you mean?"
"I told you long ago," Zhao Ai said, "that from now on, neither of us should ride on the same horse with anyone else!"
His words instantly brought back memories of the day they first met, making her feel as if a lifetime had passed. Faced with his youthful jealousy, she didn't know how to respond. After a long pause, she murmured softly, "But she's a woman..."
"Even a woman is not allowed," Zhao Ai snorted, displeased. "She enjoys dressing in men's clothing, blurring the lines between genders to flirt with girls. It's truly irritating to watch!"
"You saw what happened at the hairpin gathering earlier?" Seeing Zhao Ai's tacit acknowledgment, Zhenzhen couldn't help but tell him, "Second Brother, actually... before I entered the palace, I also loved dressing in men's clothing to flirt with girls."
He fell silent for a moment, then said, "That's different. When you dress in men's clothing, it's called heroic and dashing."
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