Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Shanmei
Shanmei's biological mother's surname was Mei. She was originally a maid serving as a clerk in Prince Zhongshun's study. Because she was talented and good-looking, she was taken in as a maid.
Soon after, Shanmei was born. Princess Zhongshun saw that Shanmei was very smart and likable at a young age, so she promoted her mother to be a concubine.
Although Concubine Mei was a little arrogant at first, she was quite obedient in front of Princess Zhongshun. However, ever since she became pregnant and gave birth to the second son of Prince Zhongshun, she always felt that she was different from the other concubines in the palace.
In addition, it happened that Wu Tianyue had been ill for more than half a year and had not recovered yet. He was taken to Jiangnan by Prince Zhongshun to seek medical treatment. The rumor in the palace was that he had died from his injuries.
After hearing the rumor, Aunt Mei also felt that Wu Tianyue would not come back this time. She was also flattered by some people, so she couldn't help but have some unrealistic ideas in her mind. She was jumping around all day long to test Princess Zhongshun's bottom line.
Princess Zhongshun didn't want to pay any attention at first, but after warning Mei several times, she still compared her son with Wu Tianyue in front of others all day long. Seeing that she was getting so unreasonable, Princess Zhongshun withdrew the memorial that had been submitted to appoint her as a concubine.
After knowing this, Concubine Mei went to Prince Zhongshun to make a fuss. However, Wu Tianyue was Prince Zhongshun's first child after many years of marriage. Because of the battle between the retired emperor and the emperor, they had been separated from each other for many years. Not to mention that Wu Tianyue was proficient in both civil and military affairs, so he naturally doted on her. Therefore, Concubine Mei not only did not get any benefits, but was also punished by Prince Zhongshun himself.
After this incident, she behaved much better and didn't dare to provoke Wu Tianyue again. However, she started to spread the word about her son's talent. Shanmei felt that it was inappropriate and tried to persuade her several times, but she didn't stop, so she found an excuse to move to another courtyard.
Princess Zhongshun looked at her coldly. Seeing that Shanmei had always respected her before and after, she did not vent her anger on him. Instead, after Shanmei moved out, she asked for an imperial decree to confer the title of princess on her.
Shanmei was of course grateful, but because of her aunt, she could not get close to Princess Zhongshun, so she wanted to do her best to help the mansion. So when she learned from Jin Ling that Princess Zhongshun's bookstore had actually been losing money, but because she and Daiyu liked reading, Princess Zhongshun did not listen to the bookstore owner's suggestion to close the bookstore and do something else, she boldly proposed reform.
Princess Zhongshun was busy, and since it was a small bookshop, she gave it to her. Shanmei managed the bookshop in perfect order in no time, but when everyone thought she was trying to please Princess Zhongshun, she backed off after the bookshop started to flourish.
Today, Shanmei had another quarrel with her biological mother and returned to the yard exhausted. Just as she was about to rest, she heard that Wu Tianyue had arrived and was very surprised.
In the past, Princess Zhongshun had no daughters, so she often sent people to call them over to talk. But at that time, Wu Tianyue was taken into the palace by the retired emperor, and then Daiyu was born. After Jin Ling came, she stayed with Princess Zhongshun all day long, so she rarely called them. Therefore, she and Wu Tianyue were not familiar with each other since childhood, but when she learned that he was coming, she hurriedly got up to greet him.
Wu Tianyue sat down and drank a sip of tea. When he saw her come out, he said with a smile without beating around the bush, "Sorry to bother you, sister. I came here today to ask for a favor."
"Brother, just say it directly." Shanmei was puzzled but smiled, "I dare not refuse if I can do it."
"I heard that my sister came up with something in the bookshop today that has greatly increased the fame of the poetry book I put there. I would like to entrust the subsequent sales of the poetry book to my sister. I wonder if she can help me with this?"
Shanmei listened and smiled, "It's just some small tips. If you want, I can write down the precautions and give them to the bookstore."
Wu Tianyue came to Shanmei, not only to make Daiyu a great poet, but also to get the princess of the royal palace to endorse her. In this way, even if someone found out that 'Xiaoxiang' was Daiyu, it would not have a big impact on Daiyu. So when he heard her refuse, he smiled and said, "Sister, you have read those poems and know who they are. I don't want anyone to criticize her identity in the future."
Shanmei didn't want to get involved: "With the ability of the prince brother, it shouldn't be difficult to hide this, right?"
"It's not difficult." Wu Tianyue smiled, "But why should I hide it? I just want the world to know her ability."
Shanmei just thought that Daiyu's birthday was approaching and he did this to please Daiyu. She didn't expect that he wanted people to know that the person behind it was a woman. Her daily education made her want to refute it, but she didn't want to object in her heart, so she was stunned for a moment.
She fell silent, and Wu Tianyue ignored her and continued, "I'll ask Mother for the bookshop tomorrow and transfer it to your name. You can do whatever you want with it. I only have one request."
Shanmei listened and subconsciously asked, "What's the request?"
"I want the name 'Xiaoxiang' to be known throughout the world."
Shanmei lowered her head and thought for a moment. Her mother's words, saying that she would have to rely on her brother in the future and that she had to help him make plans, suddenly made her feel indignant. She gritted her teeth and said, "Okay!"
Wu Tianyue only wanted the result and didn't want to know what she was struggling with, so after getting a positive answer, he smiled and said, "Thank you, sister."
After saying that, he stood up and said goodbye: "I'm going back first. I'll send the things to you tomorrow. If there's anything you can't handle, go find Wang Gui. He knows where to find me."
Shanmei suppressed the joy and uneasiness in her heart, stood up and walked him out.
The next day, Wu Tianyue went to the main courtyard early. After greeting everyone, he sat down and said to Princess Zhongshun with a smile, "I heard that Shanmei revitalized the bookshop in the mansion a few days ago?"
"She does take after her aunt in this respect. She has some abilities." Princess Zhongshun was stunned. "Why are you asking this suddenly?"
"I heard about it outside these days." Wu Tianyue took a sip of tea. "I didn't expect that although she is young, she is quite capable."
"Not too young." Princess Zhongshun thought he was just chatting and continued, "She's only two years younger than Yu'er, so she can still do some things. But Aunt Mei..."
Hearing Princess Zhongshun's concerns, Wu Tianyue smiled and suggested, "Then don't let them handle the affairs of the palace. Give them some other things to practice with first."
Wu Tianyue was busy studying literature and martial arts when he was young, and never paid attention to the people in the mansion. After Daiyu came, he paid even less attention to his sisters. Now that he suddenly brought them up, there must be something fishy, Princess Zhongshun thought to herself, and asked him with a smile: "What evil plan are you up to now?"
"What do you mean by a bad idea?" Wu Tianyue cried out in indignation, "Isn't it okay for me to care about my sisters?"
Princess Zhongshun didn't believe it: "I don't see you asking about them normally, why are you suddenly concerned about them?"
Wu Tianyue listened to his mother's words and said that she didn't believe him. He sighed and said, "I heard that Shanmei turned the bookshop around, and I thought that my sisters in the mansion might have some skills. I wanted them to help me look after the shops under my control."
"You're out of money?" Princess Zhongshun frowned. "I asked Lan Ye a few days ago, and your businesses haven't suffered any losses, have they?"
"It's not bad, but I have to support the farmhands these days, and after the disaster relief, it's not enough." Wu Tianyue said sympathetically, "Besides, if they are capable, why do they have to be trapped in the house?"
"Find some time to dismiss your farmhands. I'll have someone allocate a few more shops to you later." Princess Zhongshun didn't think it was a big deal. "But your sisters are all ladies from wealthy families. Managing a bookshop is elegant, but how can they manage other shops?"
Wu Tianyue sighed inwardly after hearing this. Sure enough, even his mother, who believed women were no worse than men, felt women shouldn't be tainted by these money-grubbing affairs. However, he smiled and said, "Thank you, mother."
Princess Zhongshun saw him laughing like this and pointed at him: "You are just thinking about this thing of mine."
"That depends on my mother loving me." Wu Tianyue said with a smile, "But I have a lot of property under my name, and if I am given a shop, I'm afraid there will be complaints in the mansion."
Princess Zhongshun snorted coldly: "What does it have to do with them who I give my things to?"
"Mother is an upright person, so she's naturally not afraid of what others say." Wu Tianyue smiled. "I was just thinking that although my sisters have learned some housekeeping skills from Mother, it's ultimately just theory. Why not give them each a shop or farm to practice first, so they don't get fooled by the subordinates in the future?"
Aside from Concubine Mei, who had some ulterior motives, the others were quite honest. Furthermore, while women couldn't show their faces in public, they still had to hold onto power in the harem to live a better life. So Princess Zhongshun thought about it and nodded, "That's fine."
"Then I would like to thank Mother on behalf of my sisters."
Princess Zhongshun heard what he said and said with a smile, "You want to come and thank me?"
After that, he ordered Xia Jin to transfer the bookstore to Shanmei's name, and the others were also given shops or farms in order. Although Jin Ling was not as good as them, she often came to the courtyard to relieve Princess Zhongshun's boredom, and she also got a small rouge shop. Daiyu was already favored and had been determined to be the future mistress of the palace, so she got a silver shop.
Naturally, there was an uproar in the palace. It had never happened before that a woman had private property before she got married, but Prince Zhongshun never interfered in the affairs of the palace. It was always Princess Zhongshun who had the final say.
Princess Zhongshun was criticized in the past for giving alms with her unmarried daughter, but in the end she succeeded in making the girls in the mansion famous, and attracted everyone to imitate her. All these were her private property. Although others felt a little jealous of Daiyu's favor, they did not dare to say anything and their faces were full of gratitude.
Shanmei tossed and turned all night, and was shocked to receive the news when she woke up early the next morning. She didn't expect Wu Tianyue to resolve the matter so quickly. She hurriedly took people with Wanggui to promote the poetry collection.
As for Daiyu, she often received gifts from Princess Zhongshun, so although the gift this time was too big, she was not surprised when she thought about Princess Zhongshun's words that she would ask for an imperial decree to grant the marriage.
But she was in poor health and was too impatient to take care of these things, and no one around her understood this, so Princess Zhongshun sent someone to help her take care of it first, and to teach the maids and servants around her at the same time.
I originally thought that it didn't matter if I couldn't teach her, I could find someone useful for Daiyu in the future, or if that didn't work, I would leave the people around me to her. I didn't expect that Xiaoyue's mother Liu Shuang was actually quite smart. Although she was older and had never been exposed to this, she learned the fastest and best.
Princess Zhongshun thought about it and realized that this man was favored by Daiyu and had no other relatives in the two mansions. The honor and disgrace of mother and daughter depended on Daiyu, so he was naturally loyal to Daiyu. So she decided to transfer Liu Shuang to Daiyu's courtyard and focus on training him.
Wu Tianyue didn't know about this. Seeing that everything was settled, he stopped paying attention to it. After asking someone to inquire about what Jin Ling had asked him to do, he was busy classifying those poetry reviews into a book and had it printed.
Time passed day by day, and soon it was February 12, Daiyu's birthday.
Wu Tianyue entered the palace early in the morning. When he finished his work, it was already time for lighting the lamps. He hurriedly mounted his horse and went to the Grand View Garden to find Daiyu.
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