Under the Bamboo Parasol

Who knows how Madam Lin ended up on the bed in her room. But she woke up on one. A few drops of cold sweat dripped down her cheeks. She placed a hand over her forehead and took a deep breath. Her forehead was a little hotter than usual, even though it was the onset of winter, with the first snow pending to fall soon. But she was not ill.

Feng Yun was standing with a basin of water, ready to help her freshen up. She splashed warm water on her face and felt her body calm down.

After she washed her face, and patted her face dry with a towel, as Feng Yun was about to dress her with her everyday attire, Madam Lin stopped her and said: "I want something suitable for taking a walk in the city without drawing too much attention."

Feng Yun immediately understood, and quickly came back with robes that were low key, they were a gray-blue color and were not embroidered. Madam Lin got dressed, and Feng Yun styled her hair into a simple hairstyle with wooden hair pins. When she was done, Madam Lin looked like a housewife of a common household. She then looked at Feng Yun who was dressed in her everyday blood red color, with a veil covering her face, and said: "Yun'er, you should change too." Feng Yun immediately understood and went to change.

When Feng Yun came back, she was dressed in light green robes, her hair was tied by a ribbon, and her veil was removed, revealing a face with smooth pale skin, and delicate features. She looked very much like an innocent fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl, but it was those deep black obsidian eyes that were still as cold as always. "Yun'er, you should take off your veil more often." Madam Lin said as she reached out and pulled Feng Yun with her. They exited through the back door, everyone in the manor was aware of this and went back to their own business ignoring the fact that the master of the house left without saying a single word.

The streets were extremely busy and crowded in Qing Cheng's capital. There was a variety of people on the streets, some were well dressed, while others were in rags. They saw different people as they in the town. There were plenty of stores and street vendors selling all types of things. There were exotic animals in the lower city and precious jewels in the higher city.

"Madam, your daughter is very beautiful, would you like to buy a hairpin for your daughter?" voice from behind asked. Madam Lin and Feng Yun turned around to see an old man in his sixties, with a head of white hair, and a white beard. His clothes were old, but they were well washed, giving a feeling of comfort. Madam Lin and Feng Yun were indeed very similar to a pair of mother and daughter going on a shopping trip together. They both walked to the old vendor's stall and looked at the merchandise the old man was selling. The old man was selling a lot of jewelry, there were rings, bracelets, necklaces, and hairpins.

"How much is this?" Feng Yun asked as she picked up a silver hairpin with a jade flower.

"That is five silver coins young miss, it is very cheap." The old man said, it was as if he was desperate to make this sale, even though the hairpin was worth more than what he had said. Hearing that price, most common families would be scared shocked, five silver coins would be enough for a family of eight to survive for a week.

Seeing Feng Yun looking at it longer, the old man thought she was scared silly of the price, and began to feel despair, but instead, she said "Please wrap it up for me." as she handed it to him.

The old man was surprised, [this young lady actually bought this] he thought to himself.

She took the hairpin and said "Here you go." as she handed him a gold coin. One had to know that a gold coin was worth a hundred silver coins. And could take care of a family for a long time.

Now it was the old man's turn to be shocked. He took the coin with trembling hands and said "Young lady, this is too much. The hairpin is not worth so much, this old man can't accept this." He said as he tried to push the coin back into her hands.

Feng Yun gave a rare smile and said "Keep it, don't you need the money to buy medicine?" as she quickly walked away. The old man was taken aback, how did she know? He thought to himself. By the time he came out of his daze, he found the girl and the madam had already disappeared. He did not even have the chance to say thank you, he depressingly went to close up shop, since he had already made enough money to buy the medicine for his wife.