Not long after dawn, Lin Ting got up.
It was rare for her not to laze in bed, mainly because she was afraid she’d oversleep again today and miss her chance to go out and buy Aphrodisiac.
As soon as she woke up, Duan Ling pushed the door open and came in.
Soft sunlight streamed in through the crack, casting a long shadow at the threshold.
Lin Ting looked over.
His hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, his crimson robe as bright as fire.
The hands hanging at his sides were slender and distinct, his skin so pale it seemed unreal.
He moved with slow, graceful steps, and the Incense Sachet swaying at his waist barely moved—he looked no different from usual.
Watching Duan Ling walk toward her, Lin Ting couldn’t help but slow down as she dressed.
Because he no longer locked the door when coming or going, things had returned to how they used to be.
As she watched, her hand loosened and the skirt sash at her waist, not yet tied, slipped down.
Duan Ling caught the sash, raised his hand around her waist, and tied it for her, even hanging the Incense Sachet in place.
“After breakfast, we’ll head out.”
Lin Ting raised her arms so Duan Ling could tie the sash and fasten the Incense Sachet for her.
“Alright. By the way, how did you sleep last night?”
She’d been making him calming soup these past few nights—it should have helped a little.
“Very well.”
She glanced at the bright light outside.
“That’s good. I’ll keep making it for you when I have time.”
Although Lin Ting usually slept well, she’d noticed that after drinking the calming soup, her rest had improved even more these past few nights.
She decided she’d keep making it—not just for Duan Ling, but for herself as well.
After breakfast, they went to the main gate and boarded a carriage for the long street.
There were no Imperial Guards following them today, just a Coachman sitting up front.
Lin Ting lifted the curtain and looked outside the carriage.
Recently, with the rebels attacking the city, the long street was quieter than usual, though there were still plenty of people about.
As the carriage passed the morning market, the voices of the townsfolk discussing the news drifted inside: “Do you think they’ll break into the city?”
Lin Ting instantly understood that the “they” the commoners referred to were the Xie Family Army, who had now become rebels.
A man with a full beard said, “How should I know? But whether they break in or not, it doesn’t make much difference to us.”
“What do you mean by that?”
The bearded man scoffed, “The corrupt officials of Ancheng have never treated us like people. Offend them, and they’ll find any excuse to throw you in jail. Could the rebels really be worse than these officials? Either way, I don’t care who wins or loses.”
Someone glanced around nervously, kindly warning him, “Watch your mouth, or trouble will find you.”
He shrugged, unconcerned.
A merchant who’d come to Ancheng to do business asked in confusion, “If that’s the case, why haven’t you left Ancheng for somewhere else?”
Of course, he meant before the fighting, not now that the city was sealed.
The owner of the bun shop, a native of Ancheng, replied, “You don’t understand. We Ancheng folk believe in the Earth God. Whether it’s life or death, we never leave Ancheng.”
A woman lowered her voice and interjected, “I heard the Earth God of Ancheng has shown a sign.”
Everyone’s attention was drawn.
“Really?”
The woman’s face was full of awe and reverence for the Earth God.
“Really. If you don’t believe me, ask anyone who’s been to pray recently. Since last month, the words ‘Strange Omen of the Realm’ have appeared on the statue every few days, then vanish after half an hour.”
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
The bearded man finished his noodle soup, laughed dryly, and said, “‘Strange Omen of the Realm’—is the Earth God telling us the realm is about to change hands?”
“Careful what you say! Do you want to die?”
The bearded man’s wife and both children had long since died, so he had nothing left to fear and didn’t care if the officials took his life.
“Tch, nowadays you can’t even speak the truth?”
“Maybe someone’s just writing on the statue on purpose, then wiping it off after half an hour?” Some believed, others doubted.
The woman insisted, “No, many people saw the words appear suddenly, then vanish just as suddenly after half an hour. If that’s not a sign from the Earth God, what is it?”
Gradually, more and more people agreed.
A couple stepped forward, the man speaking with conviction: “My wife and I saw it ourselves when we went to pray yesterday. The words appeared out of nowhere.”
The people of Ancheng had always valued the Earth God above their own lives.
Now, hearing that the Earth God had truly shown a sign, everyone was excited beyond measure.
The bearded man added, “If the Earth God has shown a sign, then we should follow the will of Heaven.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than soldiers, swords drawn, charged over and arrested everyone who’d discussed the matter.
The townsfolk were usually terrified of the officials, but with the Earth God’s sign on their minds, they became fearless, even shouting, “On what grounds are you arresting us?”
The soldiers pressed them forward fiercely, making an example of them, and shouted, “You’re spreading rumors—why shouldn’t we arrest you?”
Hearing this, Lin Ting let the curtain fall.
Words appearing and disappearing suddenly—it was probably written with alum or some other substance.
Duan Ling seemed not to have heard any of this, lounging carelessly with his eyes closed, resting.
Suddenly, his long lashes quivered, and he opened his eyes to look straight at Lin Ting.
“You said last night you wanted to go out, but you didn’t say where. Where do you want to go?”
Lin Ting was thinking up a reason to visit a pharmacy.
“I want to buy some new clothes.”
Autumn and winter were approaching, and Ancheng was getting colder by the day—she needed more layers.
Although Duan Ling had bought her several sets of autumn and winter clothes not long ago, few people ever thought they had too many clothes.
Duan Ling fiddled with the Incense Sachet at his waist and told the Coachman outside, “To the Chengyi Shop.”
The Coachman changed course.
At the Chengyi Shop, Lin Ting earnestly began picking out clothes—if she was going to put on an act, she had to do it thoroughly.
“What do you think of these two sets?”
Duan Ling followed her gaze.
On the rack were two long dresses in different colors.
The pale blue one had a ring of soft fur at the collar and sleeves, good for blocking the wind.
The sky-blue one was thinner, but the embroidery was exquisite and lifelike.
“They’re both nice,” he replied.
Lin Ting looked at a few more sets, but in the end, only chose those two.
“You look like you’re dressed a bit thin yourself. Why not get a couple of sets too?”
Duan Ling wasn’t much interested in buying clothes.
“No need, I’m not cold…”
Lin Ting didn’t let him finish, dragging him straight to the men’s section.
“I think this pale apricot set and this red one would look good on you. I’ll buy them for you.” Duan Ling had bought her clothes before, so now she’d buy him two sets.
Duan Ling ran his hand over the two sets Lin Ting picked for him.
“You’re buying them for me?”
With a wave of her hand, she pulled out her money pouch and paid decisively.
“A gentleman’s word is his bond. Shopkeeper, how much is it?”
“Twenty taels of silver,” the shopkeeper replied immediately, having been following them.
Lin Ting’s heart broke a little—so expensive?
It was over her budget, but so be it, just this once.
She passed over the Silver Note as slowly as a snail, instinctively gripping it tighter as the shopkeeper reached for it.
The shopkeeper smiled, eyes crinkling.
“Miss?”
A Silver Note wasn’t like heavy, drop-proof silver ingots—it was fragile and easily torn.
Lin Ting let go, watching as the twenty taels disappeared into the Chengyi Shop’s cash box, gone from her forever.
She took a deep breath, swallowing the pain of the loss, comforting herself that with the God of Wealth watching over her, she’d surely make the money back in the future.
The shopkeeper locked the cash box and folded their clothes.
“Are you two husband and wife?”
Still lost in her grief over the twenty taels, Lin Ting asked absentmindedly, “Why do you think we’re husband and wife?”
Even if she was buying him clothes, they could just as easily be siblings who didn’t look alike, or simply close friends.
The shopkeeper glanced at their eyes, smiled without answering, and went back to his bookkeeping.
Lin Ting was still thinking about buying Aphrodisiac, so she didn’t linger long in the Chengyi Shop.
Back on the street, she had Duan Ling put the clothes in the carriage, then casually led him around.
To make herself look like someone just out for a stroll, Lin Ting wandered, stopping here and there, occasionally ducking into shops to browse.
While idling about, she memorized the locations of the surrounding pharmacies, estimating the distances.
After a while, Lin Ting stopped in front of a restaurant.
“Let’s have lunch here.”
Next to this restaurant was a pharmacy, and the straight-line distance was definitely less than a hundred paces.
Once inside, she could find an excuse to slip out and buy the medicine.
Duan Ling nodded and followed her in.
Lin Ting, seemingly casual but actually deliberate, chose a Yajian that didn’t face the main street—so even if she opened the window, she’d only see the restaurant’s backyard, not the pharmacy next door.
She pulled out a chair and sat down, just as the waiter came over to ask what dishes and wine they’d like.
Lin Ting ordered a few dishes and a pot of wine.
“Just these for now. Oh, and could you please stay here and help us warm the wine?”
Warming the wine would take about half a quarter of an hour—Lin Ting planned to use that time to buy the medicine and return.
With the waiter warming the wine in the Yajian, he could also keep an eye on Duan Ling for her.
But what excuse should she use to go out?
Excuses like going to the toilet or buying something had been used too many times—they’d seem fake.
Lin Ting fretted.
“Of course, Master.”
In this chilly weather, warming wine was normal, and the waiter often helped guests with it.
He made a note.
The waiter went to fetch the wine.