Under the Bamboo Parasol

The carriage departed from that manor slowly, driving at an even pace. No one noticed this seemingly common carriage that one could hire for a tael or two as it stopped at the side door of the merchant's emporium. The place here was where all merchants of the capital came to order and receive their goods.

"Welcome, Madam." A man's voice said.

As she entered, she was greeted by a middle-aged man who was dressed in brocade robes of a dark blue, his hair was black, with a few traces of graying near his temples. For his age, although the graying was a little premature, it showed the onset of a stressful lifestyle.

"Emporium Head Ning." Madam Lin replied as she showed a delighted smile allowing the head of the merchant's emporium, Ning JinYuan to lead the way to the study.

"Please sit madam." Ning JinYuan gestured to a chair in his study.

Madam Lin sat down gently and nodded to him as if accepting his goodwill.

Ning JinYuan sat down himself opposite of Madam Lin.

The doors opened, and a servant entered with a tray of two teacups. Placing one before Madam Lin and the other before Ning JinYuan.

As they entered, Madam Lin had smelled the slight breeze coming from the cups. She already knew it was two cups of Honey and Jubee tea. How wonderful that tasted in this season of uncertain coldness in the weather.

"Hope you don't mind this lowly tea madam, it is imported from the southern regions, it is quite a sweet fruit." Ning JinYuan said as he took up his own stop and gave it a slight stir to cool it down.

"What brings madam here today?" Ning JinYuan asked as he brought the cup to his lips and took a sip.

"Nothing much. I just need to see the records of the top grade goods bought by the imperial palace in the past month." Madam Lin answered. She did not speak in circles, but dove in straight into the point.

"Okay." Ning JinYuan said. He understood that she was the true overseer of the merchant's emporium. No matter what, he had to report to her, yet she did not have the arrogance of a superior, instead, coming over to see him personally.

"Thank you." Madam Lin said she was quite touched that he did not ask her purpose for coming over for no reason.

Ning JinYuan left madam Lin within the room, with the records of the goods ordered and received by the imperial palace within the past month.

Madam Lin began to comb through them tediously before she found some strange goods that were brought into the palace.

Listed as second-grade oolong tea. Which was out of the ordinary because any tea that went into the palace had to be first grade since only the best was reserved for the palace, and it was only the emperor, and his consorts who could enjoy such a tea.

She looked down the list, to find that the tea had come in from the southwest regions.

A wicked smile formed on her lips as if she finally got her answer. With that, she had finally gotten her answered.

The records were all placed back in their original places, everything placed neatly back into its place. The door opened, and madam Lin walked out in a dignified manner.

"Have you gotten your answer madam?" Ning JinYuan who was standing outside the door asked.

"Yes. thank you emporium head, Ning, I will be on my way." She refused his offer of escorting her, by walking a few steps faster and closing the door behind her.

Ning JinYuan did not say much, only giving a gentle smile as he watched her back disappear from view.

Upon coming out from the back door, Ru An is still quietly seated in the the driver's seat of the carriage. When she heard the door, her back immediately straightened, like a student trying to show best behavior in front of a teacher.

Madam Lin saw the sudden panic and her lips curved upward. "Ru An, why don't you go into the carriage, it's cold out there?" Madam Lin asked as she placed her hands on the girl's hand in a strange intimate.

"It's okay, Ru An is not cold." Ru An said as she pulled her hands away.

"Very well then." Madam Lin said as got on the carriage. Ru An barely remembered to hold the curtain up for her, as she was so new to all of this.

"Where do you want to go madam?"

"Just drive around for a little while. I want to take some fresh air. The weather here is so much colder than I'm used to, you know how it is in the southern regions, we never get enough snow, maybe this year, I will see more." Madam Lin said inside the carriage. Although the curtain was thick, her voice had not been muffled, yet it was only the two of them who could hear it.

"Yes." Ru An said as she gave the reins a light tug and the horses moved at a slow speed.

The carriage moved silently along the small streets connected with the larger streets that were not so populated with a sea of people. Madam Lin could hear all the vendors yelling loud and clear for people to come and buy their products, have they not heard that a truly scented flower would attract onlookers even if one did not do anything?

She silently shook her head, as she thought of those youthful times when she had snuck out from the manor and crossdressed to walk the streets of Qing Cheng like it was her home.

That was many years ago…

The silk thread dragon's beard candy was her favorite to have on such rare occasions. The taste of the silky threads, so sweet as they touched her taste buds, melting on the spot.

They vendor, she wondered if there was still the same shop that opened no matter the time of year.