Jiang Shu's voice called out through the rain, her pomegranate-red figure passing through the moonlit gate. Jiang Songyi looked at her eldest sister's soaked skirt and suddenly said loudly, "I'll lend you this shop. I'll use it when you're well off."
"No need to return it." Xin Yidao put the lacquer box into her arms, her fingertips touching the red gold bracelet on her wrist, "Consider it a return gift for the jade pendant."
The princess watched the two figures receding in the rain, then suddenly smiled at the nanny. "Go tell the Ministry of Revenue to reduce the funds allocated to the Eastern Palace by 30%." She pinched a piece of milk cake into her mouth, her eyes narrowing in sweetness. "We have to give the young people some fun in sharing weal and woe."
…
The candlelight in the glass lamp flickered, illuminating the dragon-patterned jade pendant in Jiang Songyi's hand. Su Sheng stared at the green hue and suddenly slammed the table, saying, "How could such a good opportunity as opening a shop be missed by me?" His belt jingled loudly, like a peacock with its feathers standing on end.
Xin Yidao brushed off the flour on her sleeves and said softly, "If my cousin wants to invest..."
"Come in!" Su Sheng rushed to Jiang Songyi, "I'll give you double the money!" He had just pulled out half of the banknotes from his sleeve when the princess hit him on the back of his hand with her round fan: "Do you think this is a cricket fight?"
Jiang Songyi slowly put away the jade pendant. "Didn't Master Su say I was taking advantage?" She glanced at the boy's flushed face and suddenly remembered how he had spent lavishly in the gambling house in his previous life. Sure enough, she saw Su Sheng stiffening his neck and shouting, "Young Master... I'm here to make sure you don't embezzle!"
On the carriage back home, Jiang Songyi was still stroking the cloud pattern on the edge of the jade pendant. Jiang Shu looked at the jade, which had almost been polished to a glossy shine, and couldn't help but joked, "If you like it so much, why not put a tassel on it and hang it by the bed?"
"Aunt!" Jiang Songyi's ears flushed slightly as she hurriedly stuffed the jade pendant into her purse. The aroma of roasted chestnuts drifted from outside the carriage curtains, and she suddenly heard a familiar, clear voice: "County Lady, please stay."
Jiang Jinzhao stood at the foot of the hanging flower gate, his moon-white student uniform stained a pale gold by the twilight. The land deed he handed over still smelled of ink, but Jiang Songyi drew back as if her hand had been burned: "No merit, no reward."
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