The lighting in the courtyard is poor, so by hanging a dozen palace lanterns, the bright lights will make it not too deserted at night.

Find someone who knows how to take care of the wet moss at the foot of the wall to clean it up, replace it with some bonsai, or plant some other plants, which can make the scenery in the yard more beautiful and add a little vitality.

She had just hurriedly gone into the study to hide, and after she came out she realized that something was missing there. If she added a few paintings, the four walls wouldn't be so empty.

But how to give these to him?

Jiang Rao frowned, thought for a while, then quickly relaxed and came up with an idea.

"Your Highness the Ninth Prince."

She raised her hand and stroked the pearl hairpin on her head with her soft fingers. The tassels and broken jade made a tinkling sound. She asked softly, "Can you... make another hairpin for me?"

If she asked him to make a hairpin for her, she would have a reason to return the gift.

She spoke in a soft voice and had clear eyes. Although she was wearing a plain and monotonous cross-collar men's suit, the irreconcilable contrast made her face look even more charming and attractive.

“No patterns or complicated designs, just keep it simple and do what you want.”

The little beauty is delicate and soft but not willful, with watery eyebrows, soft eyes, gentle tone, and a very good sense of propriety when she acts coquettishly.

There was clearly no threatening tone in his voice, but it really was like the saying that gentleness is like a knife, which can make people surrender even if it hits them invisibly.

It's like a fire was lit in people's hearts, making their bones go soft.

The arsonist was unaware of this. Seeing the man's eyes suddenly darken, she thought he didn't want to give it to her. She got anxious and used all her energy to act like a spoiled child in front of her father. She tugged at his sleeve and said in a voice as soft as a cat yawning, "Brother Ting, I want it."

Rong Ting clenched his fist and pressed it on the armrest of the wheelchair. His jawline was tense. He suppressed the evil fire in his heart, turned his face away, and nodded.

Jiang Rao got what she wanted, smiled brightly, and raised the corners of her lips slightly.

That night, the water in the Ninth Prince's medicinal bath changed from hot to cold.

Reduce fever.

…

It was already evening when Jiang Rao stepped out of the house. There were faint golden threads in the sky. She looked around. Although the house was remote, it was quiet enough and had a nice view. There were not so many people coming and going. It would be comfortable to live in it after repairing the house, which was suitable for recuperation.

When Rong Ting sent her out, he coughed slightly as he spoke, "Will you come tomorrow?"

“

Not coming tomorrow. ”

Jiang Rao's eyes dimmed as she looked at him. She curved her lips and smiled, "I'll come back in ten days to get the hairpin."

If he said he would come tomorrow, she was afraid that he would be sick and would have to make a hairpin for her.

Ten days later should be just right, and she would have time to arrange the things she wanted.

"Your illness will be cured by then."

Rong Ting nodded, "I'll wait for you."

"Yeah." Jiang Rao withdrew her gaze and stepped into the carriage.

After she got on the carriage, Rong Ting's eyes lost their gentleness, and he said to Huai Qing coldly, "Let's go to the dungeon."

Huai Qing watched Rong Ting go in. Not long after, he heard a shrill scream from inside and his face turned pale for a moment.

The dungeon held the spy that Changxing and Wu Qiao captured that day.

Several times he thought that the spy was dead, but every time he heard Rong Ting asking him to bring water and food, he didn't give much, just enough to keep the spy alive. Until the day when he was willing to confess that it was Queen Jiahe who sent him, he was afraid that he would not be able to die, and would not be able to live happily even if he wanted to.

This method is obviously even more powerful than the one the Fourth Girl just mentioned her aunt met.

Huai Qing couldn't help but look forward to the arrival of ten days. Only when Jiang Rao was around would he feel that the master he served was a humane guy.

…

Ming Shao had been waiting in the car. When she saw Jiang Rao coming back, she muttered, "Girl, you are finally back. I was worried that something had happened to you."

Jiang Rao wore a cone hat when she went out because she didn't want people to recognize her. Originally, she didn't want to bring Mingshao with her, for fear that those who knew that Mingshao was her personal maid would recognize her when they saw her.

But among the maids around her, Mingshao was the most strict and considerate. In the end, Jiang Rao did take her with him, but he didn't let her stay close to him.

Jiang Rao got on the carriage, leaned against the wall, and said lazily, "I'm coming out now, aren't I?"

She asked Ming Shao: "The Seventeenth Prince came here just now. Did you hear anything?"

Ming Shao said, "The carriage was parked far away, so I didn't see anything. I only heard the neighing of horses not long after the hour of Wei."

Since they parked far away, the Seventeenth Prince should not have seen their carriage. Jiang Rao felt relieved and told the coachman to set off for the lantern shop and brothel in the city.

Ming Shao asked curiously, "Girl, what are you going there for?"

Jiang Rao lowered her eyes, "His Highness the Ninth Prince gave me a new hairpin, I am giving him a gift in return."

Ming Shao had been with Jiang Rao for too long and was not used to Jiang Rao's temper.

Knowing most of the information, she leaned against the window and glanced at the Ninth Prince's mansion which was gradually receding into the distance. The steps were covered with fallen leaves and looked a little desolate. She seemed to have guessed something and raised her eyes to look at Jiang Rao.

Jiang Rao was sighing and tracing the cloud pattern on the carriage with his fingers, feeling a little annoyed. "Even an outsider like me can see that this house is built wrong everywhere. If I hadn't been in a position to interfere, I would have to renovate it."

Seeing Ming Shao hesitate to speak, Jiang Rao raised her eyebrows slightly, "What's wrong?"

Ming Shao said quietly, "It would be great if you could marry me. You can renovate the house however you want."

Otherwise, considering the level of worry the girl has, it would be unreasonable for her not to be the mistress of the house.

Jiang Rao was stunned for a moment, then she reacted and raised her hand to tickle Ming Shao, "Okay, it's because I indulged you too much that you learned to make fun of me."

Ming Shao dodged with a smile, and the master and servant started a fight.

After the noise was over, Jiang Rao was breathing heavily and her cheeks turned red.

She explained to Ming Shao in a serious manner, as if she was speaking to herself, "Don't get me wrong, I'm helping him for the sake of the entire Ning'an Marquis's Mansion."

Ming Shao asked her in a low voice, "Miss, have you never made any plans for your marriage?"

Jiang Rao: “…”

She really hadn't thought about it.

She is a rebellious person, but she also values ​​her reputation and doesn't want to embarrass her family. But if you say she values ​​her reputation, she is not so rule-abiding.

If she marries into a family with strict ethical standards, either her husband's family members will be angered by her and die young, or she will shorten her life first.

Harming others and yourself.

Besides, when the new emperor ascends the throne, it is uncertain whether her family can avoid being exiled.

In the face of life and death, everything is trivial, including marriage.

She really didn't want to waste her brain thinking about these things. The accounts of the three shops and those banquets and social events were enough to deal with every day.

Seeing that she was not understanding, Ming Shao did not say anything more, but reminded Jiang Rao, "Miss, you are not paying attention, but the Fourth Master is very concerned and is watching over you everywhere."

Jiang Rao laughed and said casually but firmly: "If I don't want to get married, my father won't force me."

The carriage moved forward, and Jiang Rao leaned against the wall and took a short rest.

She dreamed for a short while.

It was already late at night in the dream, but there was the residual sound of gongs and drums.

On the windows, on the floor, on the beams in the room, wherever the eye can see, there is festive and dazzling red everywhere.

The woman on the wedding bed had her face covered by a red veil.

The woman's waist was so thin that it could be bent. She was wearing a wedding dress with intricate workmanship.

It was exquisite, with mandarin ducks and pomegranates embroidered on the edges of the sleeves with fine magenta thread. It was unknown how many layers of thread there were, and it was more beautiful than any wedding dress Jiang Rao had seen before.

This bride was also much braver than any bride she had ever seen before.

Others would probably be nervously twisting their handkerchiefs with their hands, but she just drooped her head and was about to fall asleep on such a big day.

This is even more unruly than her change.

Jiang Rao was eager to see the bride's face.

No matter who you are, when you go to a wedding banquet, isn't the person you want to see the most the bride?

Someone came in and raised his hand to hold the bride's chin which was slightly lowering.

He whispered something in the bride's ear, his arrogance and nobility hard to conceal from his back. He kneaded the bride's earlobes, his movements inexplicably wanton and wicked. Unfortunately, she couldn't hear what he whispered to the bride, she only saw that the bride woke up instantly.

The man's back was straight, and he was wearing a red wedding gown with wide sleeves and dark python gold thread. His tall and slender figure supported him, making him look very imposing.

It’s the groom.

After waking up the bride, he used the jade ruyi to lift her veil.

Jiang Rao saw the bride's face.

Gradually, no other thoughts came into my mind and I was completely confused.

"Girl, wake up, we're at Sweetwater Lane."

The carriage stopped outside of Tianshui Lane, which was full of brothels and wine shops. Ming Shao woke Jiang Rao up. After Jiang Rao woke up, he had a sad and bitter face, "I had a nightmare."

Who would have thought that the person wearing the phoenix crown and bridal robe in the dream was actually her.

Ming Shao comforted her, "It's just a dream, don't think too much about it."

Jiang Rao lowered her head and did not respond.

She looked eagerly to see if the bride was pretty, but ended up seeing her own face.

She doesn't have anyone she wants to marry now.

Almost all the best young talents in Jinling are in Bailu Academy, and she has almost recognized all of them. But no matter who it was, let alone marrying them, she felt strange at the thought of touching hands with them in the future.

The makeup on her wedding day was so gorgeous that she couldn't tell how old she was in the dream, nor could she see who the man she was marrying was. She felt very uncomfortable.

She supported her cheek and waited in the carriage.

Just now, she instructed Mingshao to go to the flower shop and the lantern shop to order bonsai and eaves lanterns, and have the shops make them and deliver them directly to Rong Ting's residence.

After waiting for Ming Shao to come back, she asked her in a gloomy tone, "You said earlier that my father was helping me find a marriage partner. Have you ever heard about the candidates he has in mind?"

Ming Shao heard her ask this and shook her head.

She only listens

When they arrived at the mansion, some maids said during casual conversation that the Fourth Master was worried about the young lady's marriage. The maids were all curious about who the future son-in-law would be, but no one knew. Ming Shao also didn't know who Fourth Master Jiang was most satisfied with right now.

"I will help you find out later."

Seeing Jiang Rao depressed, she tried to comfort her, "Miss, you are already lucky enough that the Fourth Master is willing to listen to your opinion. For other girls in Jinling, their parents just decide and the matchmaker just says, and no one asks them if they are willing or not. They just put on the veil and get married."

Jiang Rao was naturally aware of this. She had always felt that she had the final say in her marriage, but the dream just now did not reveal the cause.

Could it be that she really agreed to the marriage herself?

But she also didn't see how happy and sweet she was when she took off her veil.

Ming Shao said, "Young lady, don't worry too much. The Fourth Master's vision is not wrong."

There was an unrelieved worry between Jiang Rao's brows.

…

After returning home, Jiang Rao changed into men's clothes. The more she thought about the dream, the more uneasy she felt. She carried a silk lantern and went to the study of Mr. Jiang Si.

Turning the corner of the pavilion, she suddenly stopped.

Pei Songyu, who was walking from the other side, also stopped.

Fourth Master Jiang was just seeing Pei Songyu off when he saw Jiang Rao coming. He smiled and introduced her to her, "Your cousin."

Pei Songyu smiled gently, "I've seen it once."

Jiang Rao looked at Pei Songyu's figure and found that he didn't look like the man in her dream. She relaxed her vigilance a little and bowed to him openly.

Pei Songyu also nodded at her.

Fourth Master Jiang looked at them, who were so far apart that there seemed to be enough space for four or five people in between them. He frowned and shook his head, and said to them, "In fact, you have met several times when you were children. Do you remember?"

Just as Pei Songyu was about to speak, Jiang Rao said, "It's been many years, I can't remember it clearly."

Seeing that she said she couldn't remember clearly, Pei Songyu didn't mention it any more. He turned around and said to Fourth Master Jiang, "Thank you Fourth Master for escorting me here. I will take my leave now."

Jiang Rao waited for Pei Songyu to disappear behind the Moon Gate. She turned around and saw that Fourth Master Jiang's eyes were still on the direction where Pei Songyu disappeared. Her slender fingers nervously grasped her father's sleeve, "Dad."

"They say a daughter who is married off is like water spilled."

She asked anxiously, "Daddy, are you going to throw the basin of water on me?"