Chapter 5

The Next Day

In the early morning, Jia Heng got up very early, washed and dressed, had a simple breakfast, and changed into the fine clothes made by "Changhao" clothing shop. These were the only two sets of decent clothes he had.

Standing in front of the bronze mirror, he saw a tall, handsome young man with a dignified demeanor and sighed. This face and features were almost identical to his ancient costume appearance from his previous life.

"There are no two identical leaves in the world, nor are there two completely identical people. Who can really tell the difference between Jia Heng and Su Heng?"

"Brother Heng, it's time to go to the Qin family." At this moment, Cai Shi smiled and approached, interrupting Jia Heng's thoughts.

Jia Heng nodded and composed himself.

Following Cai Shi's instructions, Jia Heng packed the marriage contract and, with her husband Li Dazhu driving the carriage, set off for Dagong Workshop.

The carriage also carried some simple gifts.

The Qin family lived on Huazhi Lane in Dagong Workshop. The house had green walls and blue tiles, a narrow two-story courtyard, and a simple gate tower, nothing like the grand stone lions in front of the Rongguo Mansion.

Although Qin Ye was a clerk in the Imperial Kitchen, living in the capital was not easy. Even such a small house had cost him half his life savings.

"Whoa..." Li Dazhu pulled the reins, stopping the donkey cart, and turned back to say, "Brother Heng, we're here."

"Thank you, Uncle Li," Jia Heng said.

Li Dazhu, Cai Shi's husband, was a typical farmer, taciturn and honest, and usually did not smile much.

Li Dazhu grunted and went to tie the donkey cart.

Jia Heng stepped forward and knocked on the door ring, composed himself, and thought about what to say.

"Coming, coming."

A woman's voice came from inside the Qin family's courtyard, accompanied by hurried, quick footsteps. The black-painted door opened, revealing a middle-aged woman in simple clothes.

"Sir, what is it?" The middle-aged woman looked at Jia Heng.

Jia Heng bowed and said, "Auntie, I am Jia Heng, and I have come to visit Uncle Qin."

"Jia Heng?" The middle-aged woman thought for a moment and said, "Are you the Jia Dalang from Liutiao Alley on Rongning Street?"

Jia Heng's lips twitched, thinking, Jia Dalang? He's not Wu Dalang...

The middle-aged woman smiled and said, "The master mentioned you these past two days. Please, come in."

She invited Jia Heng into the courtyard.

Suddenly, she noticed Li Dazhu holding the gifts and said, "You've come, but why bring such expensive gifts?"

Jia Heng took the gifts from Li Dazhu, smiled, and said, "It's my first visit to your esteemed residence, so I couldn't come empty-handed. This small gift is a token of my respect."

The middle-aged woman's smile became warmer, and she said, "Dalang is too polite."

Jia Heng didn't correct her, but he felt a bit uncomfortable. He carried the gifts and entered the courtyard.

The middle-aged woman led Jia Heng and his companions into the flower hall and instructed a maid to serve tea and snacks.

From their conversation on the way, Jia Heng knew that the middle-aged woman was not Qin Ye's concubine but a housekeeper in the mansion.

The middle-aged woman smiled and said, "The master is on leave today and was at home, but he said he had to go to Taoranju to meet guests this morning. Shall I ask someone to call him?"

Jia Heng's face changed slightly, and he smiled, "Thank you."

The middle-aged woman called over a servant boy, gave him some instructions, and then turned back, smiling, and said, "Dalang, may I ask what brings you to see our master?"

Jia Heng pondered and said, "It's not an urgent matter, but it's something that needs to be discussed in person with Uncle Qin."

The middle-aged woman smiled and said, "Even if you don't say, I can guess."

"Oh?" Jia Heng put down his teacup, his eyes showing a hint of surprise.

The middle-aged woman smiled and said, "The master mentioned that our young miss is engaged to the Jia Dalang from Liutiao Alley. I assume you are that Jia Dalang."

Thinking of Qin Ye's sighs last night, a thought flashed through the middle-aged woman's mind.

In the back courtyard—

"Miss, the Jia Dalang from the fourth family has arrived," a maid said, running into the room with a look of surprise.

In the embroidery room, a young woman of marriageable age, with a graceful figure and a beautiful face, sat quietly in front of a bronze mirror, having her flower decorations applied by a maid.

In the mirror, the woman was stunningly beautiful, with a cloud of black hair, eyebrows that needed no makeup, and lips that needed no rouge. Her clear and beautiful face was flawless, like a flawless jade, and her cheeks were as white as snow.

"Where is he?" With a soft, charming voice, Qin Keqing turned her head to look at the maid Baozhu, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and a hint of captivating charm.

She had heard her father say that she was engaged to the Jia Dalang from Liutiao Alley and was very curious about him.

A girl's heart is always poetic, and Qin Keqing, at the age of sixteen, could not help but have some romantic expectations for her future husband.

"Miss, he is in the flower hall talking with the housekeeper," Baozhu said with a smile.

Qin Keqing lowered her eyes, a light blush appearing on her cheeks, and said, "I'll go take a look."

Rui Zhu quickly stood up, took Qin Keqing's arm, and said with a worried look, "Oh, my dear miss, how can you do that? If the master finds out..."

"Dear sister, I'll just take a quick look from behind the curtain," Qin Keqing smiled and said softly.

Rui Zhu, seeing this, said, "Then I'll go with you."

Although Qin Ye was a minor official, he usually neglected the education of his children, but he was strict about the separation of the sexes and had given instructions to the maids in the inner quarters.

Qin Keqing nodded and, accompanied by the maid, headed to the front courtyard.

Jia Heng was talking with the middle-aged woman, Aunt Wu, and had been there for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, but Qin Ye still had not returned. He began to feel a bit puzzled and considered whether to leave.

Suddenly, he sensed someone watching him from a hidden place.

This was a keen intuition from his martial arts training in his previous life. Thinking this, he picked up his teacup and said, "Aunt Wu, I heard that your family has a young master named Qin Zhong. Why haven't I seen him?"

Aunt Wu smiled and said, "Zhong'er is at school. Have you heard of our Second Master Zhong?"

Jia Heng took the opportunity to turn his head and looked at the curtain behind Aunt Wu, just in time to meet a pair of tender and alluring eyes. However, when their eyes met, those soft, watery eyes withdrew like a startled deer, and the curtain swayed slightly.

Jia Heng pondered for a moment, smiled, and said, "I heard from the neighbors that Brother Qin Zhong is handsome and talented, and at a young age, he already has a refined and extraordinary demeanor."

This was a compliment, and Aunt Wu, knowing it was not entirely true, smiled and said, "Brother Heng is too kind."

Aunt Wu was the wet nurse of Qin Zhong and Qin Keqing, and she felt honored by Jia Heng's praise.

Behind the curtain, Qin Keqing walked to the corridor, still thinking about those calm and deep eyes.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Although they had only met for a moment, for some reason, those eyes seemed to be imprinted in her mind.

"Miss, what do you think of this Brother Heng?" Baozhu asked in a low voice.

Qin Keqing nodded, lowered her eyes, and her cheeks, which had turned hot, said, "He looks... fine."

In this era, marriage was arranged by parents and matchmakers. Qin Keqing had been worried about meeting a rude and clumsy man who would disgrace her.

But seeing the handsome and dignified young man, her worries gradually faded.