After Madam Wu explained everything, she was worried her daughter would not believe her, so she even went through the box under the bed-stove and rummaged through it for a while before emerging with a handkerchief. She unfolded it carefully and revealed a beautiful jade amulet and the white jade ring.
Qi Qingzhu took the amulet. It was cool to the touch, and she examined it closely.
Rather than an amulet, it was more like a jade tablet.
The tablet was the size of her palm and had a phoenix engraved on it. There were words carved in the back, in what looked like seal script. She could not read them, though.
Qi Qingzhu then looked at the white jade ring. There was another engraving on the inner side of the band, but she could not read that either.
“So you’re saying Yaoyao isn’t my younger sister by blood,” Qi Qingzhu said slowly.
Madam Wu lowered her voice. “If she really is my daughter, would I treat her like that?”
“But she’s still part of our family,” Qi Qingzhu said.
Madam Wu took the keepsakes back from Qi Qingzhu and said, “When she was younger, she was really pretty. She grew sweeter with every day, and all of us thought that with her looks, she would definitely be able to marry the son of a wealthy family in Qingzhou City! But then she lost her wits! And she even gave birth to three burdens!” How unlucky!
Qi Qingzhu said furiously, “Yaoyao lost her wits because you two wouldn’t get her treated in time when she fell ill! The fever addled her brain!”
“What’s the point in mentioning that now?” Qi Boli held his head. “In any case, we raised her, right? We’ve done all we can.”
“Have you?” Qi Qingzhu watched her mother hide the items into the box again and said, “They gave you so much money to raise her, and you’re still demanding money from her!”
“We raised her, and that counts for more than money! It’s only right that she pays us more in return! Does she have any idea how much trouble she caused our family after she became a fool?” Madam Wu said matter-of-factly.
Qi Qingzhu could not believe how unreasonable her mother was being. “Dad, Mom, if you want to cut ties with her, shouldn’t you give the tablet and ring back to Yaoyao? She has the right to know her real identity.”
“Know what?”
Madam Wu’s gaze turned wary. “I told you about this today, but don’t you go telling anyone! I plan to make that ring and tablet our family heirlooms. At worst… When we really have no choice, we can pawn it at the store for money!”
Qi Qingzhu, “…”
…
At the market…
As time ticked past, the sun somehow came out at noon! As a result, even people from other villages nearby came to visit the temple fair.
Qi Qingyao had been all hyped and ready to do business, but after a long time, she did not receive a single client. She then turned around to look at Ox-head and Horse-face on either side of her.
“Your masks must be scaring them away. No one’s buying our meat.”
Jiang Yeqian, “…”
Si Jin, “…”
Si Jin scratched his head awkwardly and shouted of his own accord, “Fresh boar meat, freshly hunted. Two maces per catty, hurry up while stocks last! If you’re late, there will be nothing left but bones!”
The young man’s voice was clear and sweet, quite pleasing to the ears.
However… Once others saw his horse-head, they simply turned away.
Qi Qingyao grew anxious like a cat on a hot tin roof.
She looked at her fresh pork and gave it some thought. Then, she stood up and yelled at the crowd,
“Free-range pork, the first of its kind in Qingzhou!
“You are what you eat! The fresher the food, the younger you look!
“Of all the delicacies under the sky, pork is the healthiest!”
