The long street was dark and drizzling.
Two blue and white water-grass-shaped oil lamps were hung in front of the rouge shop, and the light was dim and unclear.
The shop was quiet, as if no one was interested.
Only Yue Xu's voice was lingering in the empty street.
The woman next door heard the sound and curiously poked her head out to look. The blue satin carriage was luxurious and exquisite, and the long robe on Yue Xu was also made of top-grade gold brocade.
The woman was horrified and regretted her meddling in other people's business.
He shrank his head, pulled his clothes together and tried to bolt the door. Suddenly, a strong hand appeared through the crack of the door.
Yue Xu stopped the door and said politely, "Madam, is this the shop owned by Manager Ma?"
Yue Xusheng was very righteous. The woman looked him up and down for several times and did not continue to close the door: "You are..."
Yue Xu bowed, and suddenly remembered the casual conversation he had with the Jinwu Guards. He whispered, "Tomorrow is my wife's birthday. She used to love the rouge made by Shopkeeper Ma. It happened that I was away on a long trip recently and will be back tonight, so I thought..."
He lowered his eyes, looking embarrassed, as if he was truly trapped in love.
The woman smiled and said with her hands down, "Your wife is so lucky to have a good husband like you. My husband is not like me, who is just hanging around."
She smiled and spilled all the beans about Shopkeeper Ma's past, "But I'm afraid you won't be able to buy rouge tonight. Shopkeeper Ma seems to have gone on a long trip, and the shop has been closed for a long time."
Yue Xu's heart skipped a beat, and he was full of doubts, but he didn't show it on his face: "Excuse me, Madam, when will Shopkeeper Ma return?"
The woman shook her head: "I don't know about that. Last year, his shop was kept secret and often closed."
The woman hesitated for a moment, "I heard earlier that the shopkeeper Ma wanted to sell the shop, but then he said he didn't want to sell it. Tell me, how can a business like this stay closed for months and years? It's the same as the Lanxiang Shop."
Yue Xu was shocked. He sent the woman away in a gentle manner, bowed and retreated to the carriage, and told Shen Yan everything the woman had said.
Yue Xu frowned: "Master, do you want me to..."
Shen Yan said calmly: "Yeah."
The autumn rain is fine and dense, and the rain hits the banana leaves.
The bluestone road was covered with raindrops. Yue Xu climbed over the wall into the courtyard and opened the door from the inside to welcome Shen Yan into the house.
The shop was silent. Yue Xu was holding a sheep-horn lantern and quietly walked around the shop.
Just as the woman said, Shopkeeper Ma had not opened the door to welcome guests for a long time, and there was a thick layer of dust on the lacquered wooden table.
After searching the woodshed in the backyard, Yue Xu searched all the hiding places, then went upstairs and reported, "Master, there is no one in the store."
The Yinghua windows were tightly closed, blocking out the night sky.
The green gauze curtain was hung low, and Shen Yan sat upright on the bamboo-backed chair, nonchalantly examining the Langyao red-glazed cup in his hand.
The teacups used here have always been used to entertain distinguished guests at home.
If what the woman just said is true, this rouge shop is run by only the owner Ma, and he has at most one clerk to help out.
A servant certainly cannot afford such a valuable item.
Shen Yan stood up, his wide sleeves fluttering in the air, and suddenly his eyes fell on the kang table by the window.
In the inconspicuous corner of the wall, there are several knife marks of varying depths.