Chapter 24 Traveling with My Betrothed Wife
The Shen family agreed to the marriage out of necessity, so they naturally couldn't publicize it as they had before, otherwise people would misunderstand and think that the Shen family was eager to curry favor with the Prince of Jin's mansion. Therefore, Qi Jingxuan simply spent some money, just like those people had hired hooligans to smear Shen Yan before, and had someone pretend to have heard the news through various other channels to spread the word about his engagement with Shen Yan.
Although the news certainly didn't spread as quickly as he did with fanfare, these past few days have been the busiest time for gossip about him. Even if the news spread slowly, it wouldn't be far behind. Once the imperial decree for the marriage is issued, it will be known to everyone in the streets and alleys.
After arranging these matters, Qi Jingxuan did not linger on the street any longer. He returned to the Shen family's gate with his hands behind his back, looking smug.
Having experienced sleeping outdoors the previous night, he didn't lay out a straw mat at the door last night. Instead, he had a chaise longue brought over from the palace.
The chaise longue is narrow and doesn't take up as much space as other chaise longues. It can be placed against the wall without blocking the alleyway. At night, you can lay out bedding and sleep there, which is much more comfortable than a straw mat. During the day, it can also be used as a seat, and if you get tired of sitting, you can lie down and take a nap, which is very convenient.
At this moment, Qi Jingxuan sat back on the chaise lounge. His mood was no longer as anxious as it had been a few days ago. He even had the mind to observe the passersby and greet those he recognized from time to time, such as the Zhang couple who had been lending him their bathroom for the past two days.
To pass the time, the servants brought him a few books, but he had been busy these past two days and hadn't had a chance to look at them. Now that he finally had a moment of peace, he sat for a while, then picked up a book and prepared to flip through it.
The book had barely been picked up, and before the cover could even be opened, the gate to the Shen family compound creaked open.
Qi Jingxuan perked up, put down his book, and dashed over to stand at the door.
He thought it was a palace maid coming out to shop, and he only planned to peek through the crack in the door. If he had the chance, it would be best to say a few words to Shen Yan through the courtyard gate. But he didn't expect that the person who opened the door was Shen Yan herself.
Qi Jingxuan was taken aback and called out, "Miss Chen... Miss Chen."
Shen Yan nodded and said, "I heard that the Prince has returned from the palace, so I came out to see him."
When Qi Jingxuan heard that she had come specifically to see him, he grinned and said, "Yes, I just got back."
Shen Yan nodded: "Then the prince must already know that my father has agreed to our marriage."
Qi Jingxuan had been trying hard to marry Shen Yan, and now that his wish had come true, he was originally very happy. However, hearing her mention it to him so frankly face to face made him feel inexplicably strange.
He raised his hand to touch his nose and smiled, "I know, I... I definitely will..."
Before she could finish saying "It's for your own good," Shen Yan said, "Then let's go for a walk together."
"ah"
Qi Jingxuan was taken aback, then quickly shook his head. Looking around, he saw that some people were already curiously observing them, so he lowered his voice and said, "We're not married yet. If you go out with me alone now, they'll think you're eager to marry me, and who knows what nasty things they'll say then."
Shen Yan replied, "It is precisely to let the world know that I married the prince willingly, that is why I want the prince to accompany me."
Qi Jingxuan stared at her blankly, puzzled. Just as he was about to ask for the reason, she continued, "If I don't let the world know that I did it voluntarily, the person hiding behind the scenes might still try to kill me. That would not only be bad for the prince, but my father would also be criticized."
"People will think that my father sold his daughter for personal gain and career advancement, agreeing to the marriage against my will, and I was forced to commit suicide."
“I don’t want to die, and I don’t want people to misunderstand my father, so I want to tell the world that I married you willingly.”
Since she had already agreed to marry Qi Jingxuan, she naturally didn't want to face the worst possible outcome. In order to completely thwart the schemes orchestrated by the mastermind behind the scenes to harm Prince Jin through their family, she didn't care if her reputation worsened further.
Qi Jingxuan suddenly realized, and scratched his head sheepishly: "You've thought of everything, but... but this is too much of a hardship for you."
Compared to life, what's a little hardship?
Shen Yan smiled and returned to the previous topic: "Then, Your Highness, could you show me around?"
"To be honest, I've been in Beijing for half a year and haven't gone far from home yet. The only place I'm really familiar with is Yangliu Hutong."
"Your Highness was born and raised in the capital, so you must know many good places. If you have the time, could you show me around?"
Qi Jingxuan saw that although she had proposed going out with him to deal with the schemes of the mastermind, she seemed to be genuinely interested in the capital, so he immediately agreed.
“No problem. Although I only left the palace to establish my own residence two years ago, I have loved going out of the palace since I was a child, and I am very familiar with the capital.”
"I know a lot of interesting places and great restaurants. Do you want to go sightseeing first, or do you want to find some good food first?"
Shen Yan thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to a fun place first and eat as we go."
Qi Jingxuan laughed heartily upon hearing this: "We're on the same page! I also like to eat while walking. Let's go now!"
Shen Yan nodded and was about to step out of the door.
Although Qi Jingxuan said "I'll leave now," he assumed she wanted to greet Madam Su first. Seeing her about to leave immediately, he couldn't help but ask, "Don't you need to tell Madam Shen?"
Although he and Shen Yan had verbally agreed to be married, they had only known each other for a few days, and the process of getting to know each other had been quite unpleasant. Wouldn't Madam Shen be unhappy if he just took Shen Yan away like this?
Shen Yan said, "No need, I already told my mother before I came out."
Qi Jingxuan said "oh," and wondered if he should go in and say hello.
He hesitated briefly, then, thinking that Madam Shen would probably not be happy to see him, he decided against it.
His mother-in-law is currently pregnant, and it would be bad if he angered her to the point of causing her illness.
Having abandoned that idea, Qi Jingxuan led Shen Yan out of the alley.
People on the street saw Qi Jingxuan standing at the entrance of the Shen family's house talking to someone, and they were all curious about who was inside. When they saw that it was Shen Yan who came out, they were greatly shocked. When they saw the two of them get into the same carriage, their eyes widened even more.
Those with inside information knew that the Shen family had agreed to a marriage alliance with the Prince of Jin's mansion, and after the initial shock, they didn't find it too strange.
Those who were unaware that the two were already engaged were completely baffled. Seeing people gathered together whispering and mentioning things like "marriage" and "betrothal," they quickly went over to join them.
Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Qi Jingxuan and Shen Yan left Yangliu Hutong by car and headed towards the busiest street in Beijing.
………………
This was the first time a woman had ridden in Qi Jingxuan's carriage, and he felt rather uncomfortable for a moment.
It wasn't that he didn't want Shen Yan to ride in his carriage, but rather that he had never been alone with a woman in such a small space before, and he had no experience and didn't know what to say.
He pursed his lips, looked around for a moment, and felt that although it was just a carriage, it was still his place, and he should do his best to be a "host". So he opened a drawer on the side, took out a small box and handed it to Shen Yan: "The pastries and candied fruits from Sibaozhai are very delicious. Try them."
After he finished speaking, he noticed that Shen Yan did not reach out to take it, but instead subconsciously glanced at the drawer that he had opened.
Although the two had never officially interacted, Qi Jingxuan suddenly understood what she was thinking and quickly said, "They are fresh. The pastries in my collection box are changed every day and never kept overnight."
Although he hasn't been using the carriage much these past few days, often having the driver leave it parked at the alley entrance all day, the servants haven't neglected him because of it.
Not to mention that the pastries might spoil if left out for too long, and his servants couldn't bear the responsibility if they got sick from eating them, this box of pastries was quite valuable. Ordinary people wouldn't even be able to buy it. The pastries he couldn't finish on the same day were always divided up by his servants, so there was never any left over to save for the next day.
When Shen Yan heard him say that, she lowered her head and smiled, then reached out and picked up a pastry from the box.
Qi Jingxuan simply stuffed the entire food box into her arms and said, "Try everything. I'll have someone pack more of whatever you like later."
The snacks he's eating now are all his favorites; I wonder if they suit Shen Yan's taste.
His mother said that he should win her over with sincerity so that she would not think about divorce in the future. So he should start now to let Shen Yan feel his sincerity!
Shen Yan nodded, holding the food box and slowly savoring each dish. During this time, she lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked around as she ate.
The carriages of the Prince of Jin's residence bear their own insignia, making them easily recognizable to those who know their place. Seeing the curtain open as the carriage moved, revealing not only the Prince of Jin but also a woman inside, was quite a surprise.
The carriage traveled in such a conspicuous manner all the way without stopping, and finally drove straight into a large mansion.
When Shen Yan heard Qi Jingxuan say he was going to take her to some fun place, she thought it would be either a brothel in the market or some interesting shops, but she didn't expect it to be such a big mansion.
Even before entering the house, one could see the carved beams and painted rafters, the flying eaves and brackets, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary family home. Once inside, every five steps revealed a new scene, with each place meticulously crafted.
Such a house should logically belong to a wealthy family, quiet and elegant. However, although the scenery was beautiful, bursts of laughter could be heard from time to time, which seemed out of place in this house.
Shen Yan was about to ask Qi Jingxuan where they were when she saw him jump off the carriage first and reach out to her, saying, "Come on, I'll take you to play."
Shen Yan hesitated for a moment, then gently helped him out of the car. She was stunned by the scene before her as soon as she got out.
The courtyard in front of me was divided into several areas of different sizes. Some people were playing archery, some were playing ball, and some were playing cuju. There were also people performing acrobatics and magic tricks near the wall.
People were laughing and playing in the pavilions and towers in front of us. The tallest tower was filled with the sounds of string and wind instruments and the shadowy figures of people. Even just a glance from afar told you how lively it was inside.
A waiter came forward to greet Qi Jingxuan, but only glanced at Shen Yan beside him to remember her appearance before looking away, not daring to overstep his bounds in the slightest.
Qi Jingxuan waved his hand and said, "Go down, I'll wander around by myself."
The waiter agreed and immediately withdrew.
Qi Jingxuan walked in familiarly, introducing the place to Shen Yan as he went: "This is Yafeng Garden, a favorite pastime for young masters and ladies in the capital."
"Don't be fooled by the elegant name. Actually, they just wanted to go to the brothels but found them too crowded and noisy, so they moved the brothels here."
"However, those who are selected to come here are all the most capable people in the entertainment district, so it is quite interesting to see."
“During festivals, entertainers would perform in this open space in the courtyard. The performances were different every year, depending on who won first place. On ordinary days, it was divided into several areas like this for everyone to enjoy.”
"It's just that this house is too small. After dividing it up like this, each plot of land is even smaller. We can only play things like wooden archery and ball games. We can't play football like this. If we really want to play football, we'll have to find another place."
When Shen Yan heard him say that the house was too small, she was speechless for a moment. She felt that the two of them might have different perceptions of size, but she didn't say anything. She just followed Qi Jingxuan and looked at whatever he introduced, and she enjoyed it.
As the two approached the archery range, the people playing there saw Qi Jingxuan and exclaimed, "Your Highness, it's been several days! What brings you here today?"
Then he couldn't help but look at Shen Yan, who was standing beside him: "This is..."
Qi Jingxuan coughed lightly, glanced at Shen Yan, and seeing her calm expression, he straightened his expression and solemnly introduced her: "This is Miss Shen, the apple of the eye of Lord Shen, the lecturer of the Hanlin Academy, and my... betrothed wife."
-----------------------
A note from the author:
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
