Chapter 185 The Heir Apparent of the Earl's Mansion 8

She was merely using the Emperor's influence; she wouldn't dare to actually spread rumors about him!

The old marquis was startled awake again. "What do you mean?"

Do you really think those officials who were beheaded by the Emperor were executed because of which leg they stepped into the palace first?

The old Marquis's face turned pale: "It's all over, it's all over, it's all over! Does that mean my Marquis's family line will end?"

Ning Yan said, "It's not that bad. I have a girl named Cuizhu by my side, and I plan to take her as my wife after the New Year."

She's beautiful, with a big bottom, so she's likely to be fertile and give birth to a boy on her first try, continuing our family line.

The old marquis perked up again, his beard flying in the wind. "Why can't I just marry a principal wife? I'll just marry a principal wife!"

This time, Ning Yan didn't even need to say anything; he wilted shortly after he finished speaking!

If the Emperor really had that kind of relationship with his grandson, it would be good enough if his grandson could have a concubine to serve him. And even then, it's hard to say whether the Emperor would allow his grandson's concubine to have children!

If he had known this day would come, he would never have let his grandson join the Imperial Guard as a bodyguard, even if it meant his death.

As a result, he became successful, and his official position rose again and again, reaching the fourth rank at the age of eighteen. However, his life was ruined!

When the old Marquis passed away, it seemed as if all his energy and spirit had been drained away.

After her grandfather passed away, Ning Yan brought up the matter of taking a concubine. Among her servants, only her wet nurse and Cui Zhu knew her true gender.

The wet nurse was the mother's confidante and was absolutely loyal to her.

Cuizhu was an orphan who was rescued by Madam Ning when she was seven years old. She had memories and regarded Madam Ning as her benefactor. She had no ill intentions towards Ning Yan, but she still wanted to add an extra layer of insurance to this relationship.

As for Cuizhu's future regrets... there are plenty of ways to deal with that.

“But you can’t have children even if you’re on duty in the palace.”

He knew perfectly well that his son had just been bluffing with his own father. If his son really had that kind of relationship with the emperor, would his whole family still be alive?

"Let's bring them in first, and figure out a way later."

"Recently, everyone in the family should be more cautious. If necessary, close the door to visitors and don't let my grandfather go out."

The old man was kept in the dark and didn't know the truth, so he didn't act shrewdly.

"What's wrong? Did you hear something in the palace?"

"Aren't you curious about all these families suddenly proposing marriage?"

The Earl of Cheng'an immediately fell into deep thought. "You mean, these people are plotting against you?"

"I don't know, but I do know that these people couldn't just suddenly appear out of nowhere."

She actually knew, after all, what was going on in the palace was unknown to others, but it couldn't be kept from Sixi. She had a good relationship with Sixi and Wufu, and those two would not hide anything from her.

It's simply because she's an eyesore to those women in the harem!

How novel! When she was a woman, the emperor left the harem empty for her sake, preferring to have an affair with a widow, which made the ladies in the palace hate her to no end.

Now that she is a man, she is still a thorn in the side of those concubines.

Taking a concubine must be put on the agenda.

That evening, Ning Yan went to her mother's place, and when she returned to her own courtyard, she called Cui Zhu to her side.

Cuizhu is twenty years old this year, two years older than the original owner of this body.

In modern times, twenty years old is the prime of youth, but in ancient times, that would be considered an old maid.

But Cuizhu is beautiful; she really is a flower.

What's remarkable is that this girl didn't try to climb the social ladder just because she's beautiful. She's very composed and doesn't have the frivolity of typical pretty girls.

When she wasn't home, this girl would stay in the servants' quarters making clothes and shoes for her. When she came back, she would take care of her perfectly from head to toe.

If this were modern times, a girl like this would be a must-marry, and she'd be pampered three times a day.

Unfortunately, this was in ancient times, and the fate of a maid was already predetermined.

“I plan to host a banquet for you in a few days. From now on, you will be my aunt. You will be in charge of everything in this courtyard. If there are any unsuitable people, you can deal with them as you see fit.”

Cuizhu bowed respectfully: "Yes, Your Highness. This servant will obey Your Highness's orders."

"Change your way of addressing me. Stop calling me 'servant' all the time. From now on, just refer to yourself as 'I'."

Cuizhu was obedient, "Alright, I'll listen to the young master."

Ning Yan was satisfied. "Get ready, I'll take you out to buy your dowry tomorrow."

Cui Zhu looked up in surprise, "Then what do I need to prepare?"

Ning Yan handed the things in her hand to Cui Zhu: "Dress yourself up as beautifully as possible, and be as flamboyant as you can when you go out tomorrow!"

Cuizhu smiled, "I understand, Your Highness."

The next day, as soon as it was light, Ning Yan was helped to get up, dress, and have breakfast. After getting ready, she took the newly dressed Cui Zhu and went out to flaunt her beauty on the street.

The carriage first stopped in front of the largest jewelry store in the capital. Ning Yan jumped off the carriage first, then helped Cui Zhu down. The two went into the store side by side, where the manager personally greeted them, "Your Highness Ning, it is an honor to have you here. We are so sorry for not welcoming you properly."

Ning Yan bowed to the shopkeeper and said, "Bring out all your best jewelry for us to see. Money is no problem."

The shopkeeper was overjoyed when he heard this and quickly told his assistant to bring out the most expensive items.

Ning Yan pointed to the beautiful jewelry on the tray and said, "Choose one, don't worry about the price, just tell me which one you like."

Cuizhu said sweetly, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Having already received instructions, Cuizhu naturally didn't hold back, picking out jewelry by the plate, making it clear to everyone that the young master doted on her.

When it came time to pay, Ning Yan pulled out a silver note containing over 17,000 taels of silver. This was definitely a generous gesture for a concubine.

Next came the silk shop, where dozens of bolts of the best fabric were loaded onto the cart. Cuizhu thought that no matter how much fabric she bought, it wouldn't be a waste, as both the lady and the old lady in the family could use it. Therefore, she specially selected some fabrics suitable for the lady and the old lady to wear.

After leaving the silk shop, Ning Yan led her entourage to a rouge shop, a pastry shop, a theater, and a restaurant. Along the way, she ran into some of the original owner's former cronies. Since it was inconvenient for her to be with women, they talked for a while and then parted ways.

By the time they returned to the Marquis's residence from the restaurant, the news had already spread throughout the capital.

The heir of the Marquis of Cheng'an had an extremely favored concubine, for whom he spent lavishly—tens of thousands of taels of silver in a single day. This was definitely true love.

Some people have even started spreading the touching love story of the two.

Ning Yan was very satisfied with the result, and she even fell asleep with a smile on her face that night.

But the next day, as soon as she entered the palace, she couldn't smile anymore.

Si Xi watched as her lips moved, but no sound came out. Ning Yan knew what she was saying: "The Emperor is in a bad mood today, so you'd better be careful."

Ning Yan: So who made him unhappy?

Si Xi: Who else could it be? Could it be our family again?

I thought the displeased emperor would be difficult to please today, and might even kill several officials to vent his anger.

However, he did not. He summoned his ministers as usual to discuss state affairs and review memorials.