Didn't Know General Was Female Chapter 32

[Alternate t.i.tle: Make ‘Em Run
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The defeated and retreating Rong Jiahui didn't fully understand what she was doing. Why did she run? To put in a way that she couldn't possibly put any blunter, isn't the reason why her and Zhongli Luo's relations.h.i.+p has more layers to it because she put a knife to the other's neck and forced her to take her as a wife? How come a few years have pa.s.sed and she's starting to now get a bit embarra.s.sed? It's true that girl's thoughts can't be guessed, and in regards to her, the way she thinks can't even be touched.

Even so, the food that should be improved has yet to be improved. Liu Goudan is a hunter and his game wasn't gone yet; Jiahui ate it enthusiastically, but she still worried about it the sick Zhongli Luo. Pestering Auntie Liu, she did every sort of persuasion she could until the old woman agreed to bring her into the market town.

Speaking of, the distance between this village and that market is a dozen or so li. When the delicate Jiahui had been dragging Zhongli Luo, she was thinking that she absolutely could not let her die, practically using up a near-lifetime's amount of strength to do so. As of right now, she hasn't walked a full li and her legs are starting to get weak. That isn't much at all, but when had she ever gone anywhere in the past without a carriage or sedan chair?

She wasn't tired for too long, however, as when she thought that, her bad luck was truly over, just like when someone hands over a pillow right when one's about to doze off. A neighbor of Aunt Liu's was just about to send vegetables to some restaurant in the city when he ran into them, enthusiastically telling them that he just happened to be on the same path and allowing them to sit in the middle of the pile of vegetables he was pulling.

Jiahui looked at the cart and gulped. When would she ever have needed to sit in this kind of cart before? It's just a few planks and some wheels. Can it even be called a cart? Her charming face immediately wrinkled up like a bitter melon. Whatever, whatever, it's much better than walking anyways.

After a hard time of being jolted back and forth, they got to the market. Jiahui didn't think that the coin Aunt Liu brought could buy much, so she was going to take advantage of her bargaining skills. Inquiring about the location of a p.a.w.n shop and going inside, the valuable object was right in her hand.

She had just barely stepped in when the shop a.s.sistant at the side promptly made to greet her.

As he came over, he was stunned the moment he saw her clearly. Where would they ever see such a pretty young lady in a small county town such as theirs? The young a.s.sistant had obviously never seen a girl as good-looking as Jiahui before, as he can't help but look on stupidly at this moment.

The a.s.sistant didn't recover his wits until most the day had pa.s.sed, then asked her, “Miss, what would you like?”

His speech trembling, he lowered his gaze and haphazardly looked everywhere else. He wants to look longer at such a pretty lady, of course, but he's afraid of offending her and doesn't dare to.

Jiahui flashes a smile, taking the bracelet off her wrist and saying to him, “I've come to p.a.w.n this.”

The a.s.sistant finally looked up to see the excessively water-like jade bracelet, flowing just like green jade under the sunlight. His eyesight can't be considered good, but he knows this isn't an ordinary object, and he hurriedly invites her over to the sales counter.

The old shopkeeper had seen more of the world and had no sort of reaction upon seeing her appearance.

“What are you p.a.w.ning, Miss?” He asks.

Jiahui handed the bracelet over. “This.”

The shopkeep was very knowledgeable and knew what was a commodity. Following his taking of the bracelet and meticulously looking it over, his eyes brightened, but an object had to be criticized regardless of quality according to how the shop works.

He restrains the pleasant surprise from his face and says noncommittally, “The material… isn't bad, but it's not superb. There should be a pair of bracelets yet there's only one…”

Jiahui's expression dulled. She feels what he's said, too; the bracelet belongs in a pair, where's the reason in only having one? But the other thing was given as a gift, and where's the reason in taking it back? Fearing the other didn't want it, she quickly prompted, “Shopkeeper, just state a price if you want it.”

Seeing her ruffled appearance, the shopkeeper can't help but take a few more looks at her. Rong Jiahui's looks are truly out of the ordinary. The young a.s.sistant might only see that she's pretty and not pay attention to the rest, but a shopkeeper's eyes will be much more cruel. He took in how she looked like she had been spoiled growing up; an atypical event of a pampered Young Miss who didn't understand anything running off to p.a.w.n such a precious object. Even so, she also had on coa.r.s.e linen clothes.

There are often n.o.blewomen who fall into dire straits, but she doesn't even look like one that's had a reversal of fortune. He got a vague feeling that something wasn't quite right when he thought about it.

As he hadn't spoken for a very, very long time, Jiahui couldn't help but urge him. “State your price, then, or I'll go elsewhere.”

The shopkeeper came back to his senses in a flash. He's just doing business, in any case. No money can be made from thinking so deeply. How could he let another s.n.a.t.c.h such a treasure? After quickly estimating its value in his mind, he straight-up cut nine-tenths of it off. “50 liang.”

He wouldn't ordinarily make a first offer like this, but looking at the pure little white rabbit-esque look of the young lady in front of him, he felt that he could get away with it.

Jiahui stared upon hearing that. 50 liang? She had talked a lot with Aunt Liu on the way here, and this 50 liang would be enough for Aunt Liu's family to eat for quite a few years, and she and Zhongli Luo wouldn't have to worry about food and clothing for a very long time.

The shopkeeper who had reduced it by so much in one breath was feeling somewhat lacking in confidence now that she's been wordlessly staring blankly at him for quite a while. Afraid that she wouldn't sell it, he went on to say, “If Miss thinks that's really too little, then how about 60 liang? It can't go any higher.”

Hearing him say that, Jiahui wanted to tell him he was generous, but after thinking it over, she felt that this relaxed answer could be relaxed twice as much.

……

A quarter of an hour later.

“Shopkeeper, I saw there was a Shanxi exchange bank nearby. Have your a.s.sistant come help me deposit all this silver.” Jiahui looked at all the money and beamed.

One bracelet exchanged for 400 s.h.i.+ny silver coins. She'd really made bank.

She giddily tipped the a.s.sistant five liang. Upon seeing her smile so radiantly with such a large amount of coin in her hand, he was unable to move and a bit out of breath for a moment.

The old shopkeeper watched her walk away, feeling slack-jawed. How… did all that talking turn that 50 liang into 400 liang? Ah, it doesn't matter, he'll still profit.

She left only 20 liang for herself, as silver is heavy and bringing more would be inconvenient. The bank had given her silver banknotes for the rest of it.

When she went to the market, it was the first time she truly learned the value of money. She only spent two or three silver yet bought a pile of things as if it were a huge sum of money. Were this in previous times where she used very little money herself, she wouldn't have spent such a small amount. Recalling one time when she was sitting in the carriage and had seen a stall on the street selling small baubles, she had been extremely interested and shot off a bunch of questions, only for the maids to tell her that they were beneath her status.

Zhongli Luo's health is poor right now and needs to be fixed up. She can't do much herself, merely able to sweetly give Aunt Liu a thousand instructions, stuffing a piece of silver into her hand as she spoke.

Noticing it was real silver, Aunt Liu's eyes lit up. She has nothing to follow up with, only thinking that her Goudan is a really good kid for being able to seize the opportunity of inviting this Gold Bodhisattva to their home right before others' eyes.

Zhongli Luo cautiously watched Rong Jiahui as she was bringing her food. Following some hesitation, she timidly asked, “Then… Jiahui, are you still angry at me?”

Jiahui stared at her. “Angry about what?”

“Angry about me lying to you… I swear, I won't lie to you from now on. I have nothing else to lie about.”

Little idiot. Jiahui smiled to herself. Not wanting this awkwardness to continue, she shook her head earnestly. “What's the use of swearing? Are the Heavens going to divinely punish you with lightning? It's alright, I wasn't mad when I left. For you to meet a young lady as magnanimous as me means you definitely cultivated good fortune in your last life.”

Hearing that she was still in the mood to joke around, those words alone allowed Zhongli Luo's tumultuous heart to finally settle, and she smiled like a nearly-hundred catty fool.

However, because Rong Jiahui had revealed her face to the world when she had left, there's been someone rubbernecking outside all day long.

When she'd first come, everyone could see that she was pretty, but her charms had been greatly weakened due to her unkemptness, and she already had a husband, so no one thought much more about her. Now that she'd tidied herself up and was practically glowing, the people of this small mountain village thought that an immortal woman of the Ninth Heaven had come down to the mortal realm when they saw her.

She had only stepped out the door to get water when someone came to ask her something. Not thinking much of it, she returned with a few sentences of her own.

At this moment, Zhongli Luo, who'd been laying down in the room, saw that sun was very high up. Just as she thought to go bask in the suns.h.i.+ne, she happened to hear a burst of conversation come from the doorway. Raising her head, what caught her eye was a scene with Jiahui smiling brightly as she spoke with someone at the door. As she saw that tall, suntanned man with s.h.i.+ning eyes, she became extraordinarily depressed.

“Jiahui!” She couldn't resist calling out.

Jiahui turned her head, saw that she had gotten up, and rushed over with some anxiety. “Hey, why are you coming over here instead of resting properly?”

Her worry about her made Zhongli Luo smile. “I had nothing to do.”

As she spoke, her gaze cast to the man who was talking to Jiahui just then.

He didn't know why, but he immediately felt cold all over.

The matter with Liu Goudan, Liu Tiezhu, and a few others rescuing a married couple down on their luck is something the whole village knows. Many people had watched the spectacle and had all seen Zhongli Luo's weak, lifeless appearance, thereupon guessing that this pretty little lady would be widowed. There was a group of single men hoping every day that this prettyboy would hurry and die so they could put themselves forward and give the young lady a family to rely on. Yet it seems this guy didn't agree with that and had no intention of dying?

At his staring, Zhongli Luo asked him with some unhappiness, “What were you talking about with my wife just now?”

Noticing that she looked like she wanted to kill him, he quickly shook his head. “Nothing, nothing, I was just saying h.e.l.lo. I still haven't cut my firewood, so, Miss, I'll go…”

“Miss?” Zhongli Luo said coldly.

The man corrected himself against his wishes. “Missus! I'll go get firewood now.”

And he ran away without looking back. How come this Li Zhong, who is clearly just a thin little prettyboy, can make him fear for his life?!

Watching the way he broke out into a run, Jiahui smiles without restraint. “That guy was pretty interesting! And more than you are, hubbie~”

“Oh? Is he?” Zhongli Luo said darkly.

Jiahui cheerfully pinched her face. “You're boring, my dear sister, so he's bound to be! Honestly, I seem to be really popular here.”

That is true. Zhongli Luo curses inwardly. The glint in the look that dark-faced man was giving Jiahui could have blinded someone.

Jiahui feels about her own face, then elbows Zhongli Luo, facing her as she asked, “Hey, would you say I'm good-looking?”

Jiahui had always known that she was okay-looking, but she wouldn't be chosen to be among the cloud-like beauties in the capital. The people of this backwoods area, however, looked at her like she was breathtaking, and having those kinds of flattering gazes on her every day was quickly making her feel like a reincarnated immortal.

As she was looking at Zhongli Luo, eyes sparkling, the other had no choice but to lower her eyes, nod, and admit it. “Of course.”

In her mind, there's no one better looking.

There isn't a single girl in this world that wouldn't like someone else saying that she looks good, especially if they're a certain special someone. “How thoughtful of you!” Jiahui giggled. “You're good-looking, too.”

The author says: A very interesting, crazy new idea has emerged recently.
The translator says: …*side-eyes that statement*