Chapter 123 Chapter 123 "As your brother, I wish you and the princess..."
Unexpectedly, Pei Yuzhen and Su Huize became fast friends during this "house raid".
Su Hui was seven or eight years younger than Pei Yuzhen. She called Pei Yuzhen "Sister Yuzhen" sweetly and humbly asked her for advice on various things to do in the capital. She greatly filled the gaps in Pei Yuzhen's daily social life and took on the task of helping her sister's family gain a foothold in the capital without hesitation.
The two often went out together to shop, eat out, and look at houses and shops.
Su Hui was shrewd and eloquent when it came to business. She also helped Pei Yuzhen sort out her "last remaining" dowry business, how to replace the dishonest managers and employees, and adjust the business direction. She considered the future of Pei Yuzhen and her two daughters in everything she did, showing thoughtfulness and consideration.
Pei Yuzhen was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes. She accidentally revealed that she had been deceived before, and hugged Su Hui and cried, "All those scoundrels are no good!"
If only she had met Xiaohui, such a good friend, sooner, her dowry wouldn't have been so... *sobs*
Su Hui suddenly realized and patted her sister Yuzhen on the back to comfort her: "It's okay, out with the old, in with the new... Your Lanyi is making money writing books, right? I'll help her plan and prepare a better dowry."
Pei Yuzhen wiped away her tears and said irritably, "All she does is think about writing all day long. She doesn't seem to care about getting married at all."
Su Hui couldn't help but chuckle: "Good sister, both of your daughters are so capable. As long as you have money in your own hands, what does it matter whether they get married or not? If all else fails, we can always find husbands for them."
Pei Yuzhen was somewhat tempted by the suggestion, but she knew she couldn't make the decision for Dong Lanyi right now, so she could only vaguely agree, "...Let's see first, and if there are any suitable young talents, then we'll talk about it."
The place where the two had arranged to have dinner today happened to be near the Imperial Academy. Pei Yuzhen suddenly remembered this and said that she wanted to take Su Huize to Langhuan Pavilion.
The shop was deserted. Lian Shu was engrossed in reading the latest edition of "Yu Tang Chai" behind the counter, so absorbed that she didn't even notice anyone entering the room.
Pei Yuzhen frowned. How could a manager be like this?
She coughed hard twice.
Lian Shu looked up and immediately recognized the person. She tensed up, her face turning bright red. "Madam Pei, what brings you here today?"
"Can't I come and see how business is at the store?"
Pei Yuzhen came in and looked around, seemingly dissatisfied. "How are my daughter's books selling lately? Why hasn't anyone come to the door?"
Lian Shu quickly replied, "Madam Pei, rest assured, the sales of 'Jade Hall Hairpin' have always been very stable. It's just that the weather has been cold recently, and the ladies and young ladies don't like to go out. They usually send servants from their mansions to pick up the books directly. In addition, the Imperial Academy is approaching its year-end exams, and the students are all studying hard, so it seems a bit deserted."
“Sister Yuzhen, bookstores are not like other shops that get busier as the year draws to a close. They are in the business of making a steady, long-term profit.”
Seeing that Lian Shu looked young and nervous, Su Hui kindly spoke up for him, "Look at this room filled with the fragrance of books, it's so quiet and elegant. Scholars wouldn't like their favorite bookstores to be noisy and bustling like a vegetable market, would they?"
Pei Yuzhen thought that made sense, but she was still a little worried about Lian Shu, so she reached out her hand to him and said, "Let me see the account books for the past two months."
Lian Shu immediately stood up straight and shook her head decisively, "No, only Madam Shen and Madam Zhou can see the account books."
"...I'm their aunt!" Pei Yuzhen exclaimed angrily, hands on her hips. "And I'm Lan Yi's biological mother!"
“That won’t do either,” Lian Shu replied honestly. “Once you become a shareholder of Langhuan Pavilion, I will naturally hand over the account books.”
"Fine, fine, you stubborn brat, I'll have someone replace you when we get back!"
Pei Yuzhen made a harsh remark, then took two new books from the bookshelf next to the counter, shoved them into Su Huize's hands, and snorted, "Xiao Hui, take these back and read them—hey, put them on my daughter's tab, you hear me?"
Lian Shu nodded silently.
While Pei Yuzhen was out, Su Hui quickly placed a silver ingot on the counter and whispered, "I am the maternal aunt of the Crown Prince's wife. I'll come to discuss cooperation with you another day."
Since this bookstore is her niece's business, she naturally has to contribute some money. It's a good idea to have the caravan take a cartload of books back with them on their return trip to test the waters.
Can't girls from Northwest China have beautiful storybooks?
...
As the year draws to a close, there is another important event: Princess Lekang and Jiang Yunlin are getting married.
This timing is actually a bit rushed, which doesn't quite fit the elaborate procedures and dignified atmosphere that a princess's wedding should have.
However, Princess Lekang and Jiang Yunlin had discussed it privately and both of them needed this marriage as a shield, so naturally the sooner the better.
So when the Imperial Astronomical Bureau sent Emperor Qingxi a divination-predicted wedding date for him to choose from, Princess Lekang decisively chose the former between the end of this year and June of next year.
She acted like a shy young girl in front of Emperor Qingxi: "...I am not young anymore. If I get married before the New Year, I can bring Jiang Tanhua to pay New Year's respects to Father Emperor on New Year's Day."
Emperor Qingxi: ...Daughter, you're only twenty. How are you not young?
The elderly father once again experienced the bitterness of "a daughter is not meant to stay at home once she grows up."
However, it's rare for Lekang to take the initiative to make a request, especially since she wants to marry the person she loves, so it's understandable.
Since the child started helping her elder sister manage the affairs of Min'en Temple, she has become much more cheerful and poised.
However, Emperor Qingxi did not immediately agree. After Princess Lekang took her leave, he secretly went to Consort Gao and asked her to arrange a reliable female imperial physician to take Princess Lekang's pulse.
"You think Le Kang is in such a hurry to get married because he and the prince consort couldn't control their feelings and did something outrageous?"
Emperor Qingxi sighed deeply, "If the third-ranked scholar dares to... I will, I will!"
Consort Gao patted his chest with a mixture of helplessness and amusement. "Your Majesty, what are you thinking? How could such a refined and handsome young man as the third-ranked scholar dare to be disrespectful to the princess before the wedding?"
However, it's really hard to say whether unmarried men and women who are mutually attracted and deeply in love will end up together...
Consort Gao dared not delay and immediately made the arrangements. She then suggested, "Why don't we also have the imperial physician examine the third-ranked scholar? Just in case..."
The words were not fully explained, but Emperor Qingxi understood immediately.
"Investigate, we must investigate thoroughly." He waved his hand and said decisively, "My daughter cannot live as a widow."
As luck would have it, the imperial physician that Consort Gao sought out was none other than Wen Xian.
She subtly conveyed Emperor Qingxi's message to Wenxian, and Wenxian went straight to Princess Tongan's residence as soon as she left the palace.
Since Princess Lekang lost touch with Consort Lin and her daughter, she preferred to stay with Princess Tongan most of the time rather than return to the palace.
Upon hearing Wenxian's words, she was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. She quickly grabbed Princess Tong'an's sleeve, saying, "Elder sister, I..."
That was close; Father Emperor's good intentions almost backfired.
"Don't be afraid. The Imperial Medical Academy has just undergone a round of purges. Newly recruited imperial physicians have to wait for their seniority to be established. Not just anyone is qualified to treat you and the prince consort."
Princess Tong'an comforted her, "From now on, Wenxian will be in charge of your health as a couple. She is one of our own and can be trusted."
Wenxian nodded to Princess Lekang: "Your Highness, rest assured, I will visit Jiang Tanhua alone later and teach her some tricks to conceal her identity."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, and thank you, Physician Wen." Princess Lekang said with gratitude.
Thus, the two successfully passed Emperor Qingxi's "premarital medical examination" and finally set their wedding date for the 18th day of the twelfth lunar month.
In any case, Princess Lekang's residence was converted from a prince's mansion, so there was no need for major repairs. The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Rites worked hard and finally managed to tidy up the princess and her husband's bridal chamber inside and out before the wedding date, making it look brand new and joyous.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi were also shocked when they received the wedding invitation.
"Is this the speed of royalty?"
However, their marriage was indirectly facilitated by the two of them; it's good that they got married sooner.
On the day of the wedding, the entire Hou family left early and arrived at Princess Lekang's residence.
Then, in the front yard, they saw Prince Heng and his wife, who acted as if they were the hosts, warmly entertaining their guests.
Shen Lingyue: ...I almost forgot that Princess Lekang is Prince Heng's younger sister.
Emperor Qingxi would certainly not leave the palace to attend his daughter's wedding banquet, so Prince Heng, as the eldest brother, would naturally take on the responsibility of entertaining the guests.
Prince Heng was beaming with joy today, seemingly even happier than on the day Princess Rongcheng got married.
The top two scholars from the previous year, one became his son-in-law and the other his sister's husband; these will be his helpers in the future.
He said that his father still cared about him!
If Prince Heng is happy, then naturally others will be unhappy.
Prince Yu strolled forward, wine cup in hand, a sly smile on his face. "Brother, on this joyous occasion, where is your beloved son-in-law?"
The smile on Prince Heng's face froze for a moment, and he warned him through gritted teeth: "Knowing it's a joyous occasion, don't bring up things that are hard to swallow."
Prince Yu wanted to see him humiliated, so he drank the wine in one gulp and happily went to chat with other members of the imperial clan.
The imperial family members have been having a tough time lately, all of them keeping a low profile, afraid of being targeted by the powerful censors of the Censorate.
At this time, they only dared to secretly speak ill of Princess Tong'an when they gathered together.
As soon as Prince Yu arrived, he was immediately pulled into the conversation: "Brother Wang, don't you think she's overstepping her bounds as a woman? We're all surnamed Xiao, yet she insists on driving us to extinction. What good does she gain from that?"
One of them winked and said, "I think it must be because the Prince Consort Wei is too weak and useless to satisfy her. This woman is unhappy in the bedroom, so she can only take it out on us."
"According to you, we should gather a few more handsome men and send them to the princess's residence, so she won't have time to bother with us, hahaha..."
These members of the imperial clan, who were usually idle and good-for-nothing, indulging in cockfighting and dog racing, took advantage of being in a secluded corner with no one around to chat about vulgar topics with utter disgrace, displaying their despicable and ugly behavior.
Then, a voice came from somewhere behind them: "Princess Tong'an is here!"
"Where is it? Where is it?"
"Never mind that, let's go, let's go!"
The group's expressions changed instantly, and they scattered in a panic like headless flies. No one knew who stepped on whose shoe or who got caught on whose belt, but they all bumped into each other and ran away in a disheveled mess with bruises and swelling on their faces.
Beneath the latticed window separated by a wall, Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi stood up from the bushes and spat loudly at their panicked backs as they fled in disarray.
"A bunch of cowards! If you're so capable, go and talk to the princess!"
The last person who spoke ill of Consort Wei behind his back is now buried with grass three feet tall.
Shen Lingyue clung to the windowsill, peering intently into the distance.
She wanted to memorize all these people's faces so she could go back and report them to Princess Tong'an.
"Yan Yan, did you remember the one on the far left wearing the dark green robe? He had the most lewd smile."
"I've got it, I've got it. Let's go back to the backyard quickly." Yan Yi tugged at her sleeve.
Once those people realize that Princess Tong'an didn't come at all, they'll realize they've been tricked, and they might even come back to settle scores.
The two of them promptly slipped away, returned to the backyard, and pretended to be nonchalant, chatting and gossiping with familiar female relatives, immersing themselves in the entire process of a princess's wedding.
...
In the front yard, today's groom, Jiang Yunlin, was dressed in a bright red wedding robe, with flowers in his hair, making him appear even more handsome and radiant, just like the moon in the sky, truly living up to his name as the third-ranked scholar.
She followed closely behind Prince Heng, her face bearing a flawless smile, as Prince Heng led his newly minted brother-in-law around, toasting and socializing.
When she arrived at Qi Xiuyuan's seat, she found that the wine pot in front of him was more than half empty, and he was already drunk. He didn't even see her coming over and was still pouring himself a drink.
"Brother Qi, don't you always abstain from alcohol when you're out?"
Jiang Yunlin knew that Qi Xiuyuan's alcohol tolerance was not high, and subconsciously reached out to take his cup, but Qi Xiuyuan dodged it by stepping back.
Qi Xiuyuan looked up, his fair and handsome face flushed with the effects of alcohol, his eyes glazed over. He blinked a few times before recognizing the person. "Yes, Brother Jiang, you look really handsome today..."
He stared at Jiang Yunlin and grinned foolishly.
Jiang Yunlin sighed and advised him, "Drink less, or someone might take advantage of you while you're drunk."
Don't forget that the Princess of Rongcheng is still looking for someone to have children with.
Qi Xiuyuan, however, seemed to have gotten angry and stubbornly shook his head: "No, today is Brother Jiang's big day, I must drink!"
He stood up unsteadily and raised his glass to Jiang Yunlin.
"As your brother, I wish you and the princess... a son soon, and a long and happy life together."
After saying that, he drank it all in one gulp, and then fell into a dazed and confused state.
A slight bitterness welled up in Jiang Yunlin's heart, and she gently clinked her cup against his.
Then she summoned a maid from the princess's residence, saying, "Editor Qi is drunk. Take him to his guest room to rest. Do it quietly, so no outsiders will know."
Prince Heng was chatting happily with someone when he turned around and realized that Jiang Yunlin hadn't caught up yet. He quickly took a few steps back, grabbed her sleeve, and said, "Brother-in-law, come here. Let me introduce you to this esteemed gentleman..."
As for Qi Xiuyuan, who was drunk and slumped on the table, he completely ignored him.
What's there for my brother-in-law to talk about with a mere Hanlin scholar?
"Alright, I'll follow your arrangements, Brother Wang."
Jiang Yunlin lowered his head and concealed the intense killing intent in his heart.
...
The moon was high in the sky when the party ended.
According to custom, Jiang Yunlin should have returned to her and Princess Lekang's new room at this time to prepare for bed.
But she was still worried about Qi Xiuyuan, who was drunk, and after thinking it over, she decided to go to the front guest room to take another look.
At the very least, he should be allowed to stay peacefully at the princess's residence for one night. Once he sobers up and returns home tomorrow, there will be no need to worry about his innocence.
Jiang Yunlin arrived at the guest room and asked the maid, "Is Editor Qi still asleep?"
"Yes, Your Highness, rest assured, I have been guarding the door the whole time, and no one has come near."
Jiang Yunlin breathed a sigh of relief, then chuckled at his own overreaction, waving his hand and saying, "You've worked hard, go and rest."
She knocked on the door. "Brother Qi, are you awake?"
No one answered.
Jiang Yunlin thought for a moment and decided to go inside to check. He had heard of a tragic incident where a drunk person vomited in their sleep and choked to death.
But as soon as she pushed the door open a crack, a hand reached out from inside and pulled her inside without saying a word.
Before Jiang Yunlin could react, he was already trapped in a strong, warm embrace.
"Brother Qi?"
Her voice trembled slightly as she looked up and met a pair of eyes still slurred with intoxication, eyes that now brimmed with intense obsession, so unfamiliar they were frightening.
The room was dark, with no lights on, but his eyes shone with an astonishing light.
Qi Xiuyuan stared straight at Jiang Yunlin, then suddenly raised his hand and gently pinched her earlobe, stroking it little by little until his fingertip touched her lips.
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Author's Note: I overslept this afternoon, but there will be another update tonight!
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