The next day was a Shang Si Festival, the common people calls it “San Yue San’. Early in the morning Ji Wu Jiu and Ye Zhen Zhen went to visit Guang Ning City, the culture at Guang Ning City is a little different from the capital, most people here are not locals, some of them came from the north, and along with them, they brought along their culture, and when it is merged with the local customs here, it has become something unique all together. Ji Wu Jiu pulled Ye Zhen Zhen along with him in the crowds and following the normal citizens they lit up some incense as well, with a sudden impulse, he suddenly chanted to out of no where “I pray to the gods, in the sky and in the earth, if you are really there, please cure my wife’s sickness”, like he was possessed or something. The people surrounding them quickly gain some distance from them, and placing them in the centre of attention.
Shang Si Festival is also Nu Er Festival, on this day, the ladies are allowed to choose or confess to the ones they like. The girls will use colorful strings to make a ribbon, and when they meet someone they like, they will present it to them, and if the guy is also interested with the girl, then he will tie the ribbon on to his waist. Ye Zhen Zhen and Ji Wu Jiu was also walking in this crowd, and both of them also received numerous types and varieties of ribbons from the girls, initially Ye Zhen Zhen did not know what they meant, so whenever she sees any that were nice or unique, she will place them on her waist. When she put one on, Ji Wu Jiu will remove it, and at the end he just snatched all her ribbons, and pulled her to another street.
This street has many shops, while walking by, they passed by a fragrance shop. Ji Wu Jiu took a look at the name board, and saw “Xiang Ru Gu”(Fragrant till the bone), and couldn’t help but be stunned.
Ye Zhen Zhen whom was planning to go in, saw him in a daze while looking at the signboard, so she asks him “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” He shook his head, “just that I was reminded of an old acquaintance.”
“O,? Then where is that person now?”
Ji Wu Jiu sighed, “The person is like the name here, No matter what treasures I give you, it didn’t work, I can only think about you till the bones”
Ye Zhen Zhen asks “It’s a woman?”
Ji Wu Jiu asks her back “Jealous?”
Ye Zhen Zhen ignored him and entered the shop. The fragrances she used in the palace was the best, this time around she just wanted to try something new, flipping and sniffing through the shop. The shopkeeper’s first impression towards these two gentlemen, was that they are someone that will send money to him, so he was very helpful to them, not allowing his staffs to help but to do it personally. Ye Zhen Zhen saw a few types of fragrance that she has not seen before, and they smell good too, so she has chosen quite a lot and told the shopkeeper to pack them up. Stopping at a octagon shaped wooden box, she lightly opened the box and took a sniff, and suddenly a rush of fragrance could be smelled. Nice, but not too over, thick but not overpowering, like flower, but it shouldn’t be flower as well, also like wood type, but not as well, the smell is sweet and fresh, and very out of the world. Ye Zhen Zhen could not help but state “Such a unique fragrant!”
The shopkeeper laughed, “Gentleman, you are really someone knowledgeable in this field. Not to hide anything from you, this fragrance is called “You Suo Si” (something that I miss), it is made by this shop only, in the whole nation there is only one.” While saying this, he couldn’t help but to hold up both his thumbs, and his face full of pride. “Furthermore this type of fragrant does not need to be lit, you can put them in a room, or even in a fragrance pouch and placing on your waist, it is both convenient and nice to smell”
Ye Zhen Zhen said “Not a bad idea, but it is just that the name is a bit weird, You Suo Si? Isn’t it easier if we just speak out what we miss, why bother acting all shy about it”
Ji Wu Jiu went nearer, took the box and sniffed, after smelling it he felt a little daze.
“What is wrong with you again?” Ye Zhen Zhen asks
“This, I think I have smelt this somewhere before” Ji Wu Jiu slowly closed his eyes, trying hard to remember the feeling, but it seems so far away. So at this moment, he couldn’t really remember it well.
Hearing this words, the shopkeeper couldn’t help but say “Gentleman, most probably you mixed up, this type of smell is unique only to our stall, our secret recipe, other people should not know. Us business people would not dare to make sure a big statement without validating it”
Ji Wu Jiu shook his head, and said “Most probably, I am not too sure myself, nothing important”
Ye Zhen Zhen also wrapped up quite some amount of this scent. She then moved towards another box and opened it, inside there was a capsule that was very intricately engraved. So she took the capsule out and found out there was something inside, opening it she found a brown round fragrant pill.
Ye Zhen Zhen took the capsule and smelled it lightly, and felt something was wrong, so she took another sniff, in the end she asks “This thing, it has no smell?”
The shopkeeper smiled “Gentleman, this fragrant is called “Shi Tu”, it cannot be smelled by humans, only trained Tits can smell it out. (before anyone get confused, Tit is apparently a bird)
Ye Zhen Zhen was surprised, then why are you putting them here? Are you selling it to the tit?”
“Not selling to them, it is to sell it together with the Tit. In this Guang Ning City, there are all sorts of people. Some families are afraid that their children will be conned away and cannot be found, so they will place this fragrant on their body, in within 10 miles, the Tit will be able to track it. As long as the fragrant is still on the body, they will be able to find their children”
“It really is unique” Ye Zhen Zhen praises.
Ji Wu Jiu also thought that it is quite good, “Let’s buy some”
“We don’t have any children”
Ji Wu Jiu tapped her head lightly, “Silly, you carry it on your body, if you get lost, I will be able to find you quickly”
“How will I get lost, I am not a children”
“Just wear it” He said, and suddenly lowered his head next to her ears, in a low voice “If not you will be defying an imperial edict.”
Both of them carried out packages and two bird cages out from the shop and headed back to the army camp. The army camp is not as happening as the city, but also decided to celebrate Shang Si Festival, a group of men was drinking wine and reminiscing about their love stories, no matter if it was real or fake, they were speaking of it full of passion. Also, not sure from where but Ye Lei Ting managed to find a group of dance girls, dancing non stop in the camp.
Ji Wu Jiu suddenly understood why Ye Zhen Zhen wanted to leave the palace so badly, and to visit the army camp. Most probably she got too bored staying in the palace, although she is fed well, and served by many everyday, but according to her attitude, in the end she is still someone that prefers to live happily and unconstrained. That is why she has mentioned more than once that “This place is better than the palace”.
Even so, at the end of the day, she would still have to return to the palace, to the place that she does not like. Thinking about this has somehow made Ji Wu Jiu felt a little pain in his heart. Looking at Ye Zhen Zhen sideways, she was currently laughing out loud without constraint.
The wine in the armies are very strong, Ye Zhen Zhen was in a good mood, and drank a few bowls, her gaze are starting to float, and was laughing foolishly at the fire place. Ji Wu Jiu grabbed a hold of her shoulders with one hand, and holding a bowl of water in another, trying to make her drink some water. Ye Zhen Zhen however, ignored him and continued to be in her own world.
“Zhen Zhen drink some water” Ji Wu Jiu gently tells her, while trying to push the water to her face.
The moment the bowl reached her lips, she suddenly turned her head away and laughed “No, I want to drink wine”
Her smile was very alluring, like a blooming peony. Ji Wu Jiu realized no one was really paying attention to them, so he quickly stole a peck from her cheeks.
Ye Zhen Zhen looked up at him, and suddenly her hands was placed on to his chest, looking for something. This time round, Ji Wu Jiu was not wearing his armor, so Ye Zhen Zhen very quickly found the red bean on his chest, and she pinched them lightly through the cloths.
Ji Wu Jiu moaned lightly.
She got more and more addicted. Ji Wu Jiu could not take it anymore, threw the bowl a side and helped her back to their tent.
When they arrived back to their tent, Ji Wu Jiu remembered something: He needs to insist on bathing in front of Ye Zhen Zhen. Although Ye Zhen Zhen is drunk now, but he cannot give up, he must be persistent. So he placed Ye Zhen Zhen on the bed, and ordered Wang You Cai to bring in water. After he finally finished bathing, he went to the bed, and found out Ye Zhen Zhen already turned her body, with her back facing to him.
Ji Wu Jiu thought Ye Zhen Zhen fell asleep already, so he slept on his sides and hugged her from the back, his chin on her shoulders, in a low voice he murmured to himself “Zhen Zhen, I have washed myself clean”
Ye Zhen Zhen shivered slightly, and said “Ji Wu Jiu, I am sorry” In her voice carrying a tone of someone that just cried.
Ji Wu Jiu turned her body around, and found her face full of tear stains, and new ones were coming out from the corner of her eyes, her black hair is also soaked with tears.
Ji Wu Jiu could not help but feel sad, he immediately helped her dry her eyes, and gently consoled her “Zhen Zhen, don’t cry, don’t worry”
“I am sorry, I am sick” Ye Zhen Zhen closed her eyes tightly, new tears streams down again, “I am sick, I am sick…..”
“Don’t worry, you can be cured, Zhsn Zhen don’t cry, you can be cured…. “ Ji Wu Jiu kept consoling her gently, his sleeves were all wet from her tears, seeing at the her now, made him feel very very bad.
“Why don’t you look for someone else, it doesn’t matter who. Just that… you must not let them touch you”
Ji Wu Jiu kissed away her tears, and replied “I will not look for anyone, I will only look for you”
“But, I am sick, I am sick a…..”
“You can be cured, even if you can’t be cured, it does not matter..”
Note: Sigh ~ I want one Ji Wu Jiu please…. :(