“Oh, so ‘OK’ means good,” Ruiping nodded, understanding now, and asked her husband for some silver. Her husband, in his twenties and strong, was named Xu Guitang. The Xu family’s four brothers, named Guili, Guipeng, Guizhen, worked together to manage their ranch efficiently. Every year at this season, they would bring their well-fed cattle and tender sheep to the market for sale. The market was vast, bustling with vendors selling livestock, poultry, fruits, as well as women’s handicrafts and ornaments.
Caitong walked over to a stall selling jade and picked up a translucent jade pendant with a carved chick on it. Born in the year of the Rooster, Caitong found the little chick on the pendant incredibly lifelike and adorable. She was reluctant to let it go but remembered she had no money at all, so she had to put it back down.
“Do you like it?” Ruiping asked softly.
Caitong smiled. “If the young lady likes this jade pendant, why not buy it?” said the middle-aged shopkeeper, “This jade is a fine piece, look at its pure green hue, clear and without any flaws.”
“How much?” Ruiping inquired.
“Ten taels.”
“That’s so expensive?” Caitong clicked her tongue in surprise.
Ruiping, however, started bargaining with the jade merchant. Caitong tugged at Ruiping’s sleeve, indicating it was too expensive for her. Eventually, Ruiping managed to buy the pendant for eight taels. Caitong picked up the pendant, feeling deeply grateful for Ruiping’s kindness; the Xu family treated her as if she were one of their own.
“I don’t know how to thank you; this pendant is too precious.”
“Why thank me? Just consider it a gift from me to my little sister-in-law,” Ruiping said.
“Thank you, sister-in-law,” Caitong said, bowing to her.
As they walked and talked through the market, Ruiping wanted to take Caitong to the silk shop to look at fabrics. They were about to turn a corner when the sound of hooves came “clip-clop” from a distance, rapidly approaching. People on the street hurriedly moved aside.
“Quick!” Ruiping pulled Caitong, looking for a place to hide, but in an instant, the group of horsemen surrounded them.
“What do you want?” Ruiping asked in panic.
