Chapter 30 Princess Chaoyang's Blessings: "How could my cousin fabricate a painting?..."
The King of Qin was angry but ultimately compromised, so he left the banquet early.
Banban still couldn't quite grasp the reality of being named a princess. She pinched herself, then her cousin, feeling very uncertain. "Cousin, am I a princess from now on?"
She was still a princess with a title, just like Yang Man. From then on, she was no longer respected and feared simply because she was the object of the crown prince's affections.
Madam Zhu blushed with excitement, stroking her daughter's arm repeatedly, "My son, this is a joyous occasion!"
Ji Xiu also looked pleased. He knew his own limitations when he refused the position of marquis. He was not cut out to be an official at all. However, he would not feel comfortable if he used his daughter's merits to get a sinecure. Although he was not good at either literature or martial arts, he still had his own pride.
Madam Pang smiled and said, "If it weren't for the Crown Prince's help, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to get the title of princess. You should thank the Crown Prince quickly."
The entire Ji family rushed to kneel and thank the Crown Prince.
How could Ying Zheng accept such a gift? The Ji family was destined to be his wife's family. He also did not expect that Ji Xiu would refuse the position of marquis. You should know that the position of marquis is different from that of a princess. The position of marquis can be inherited by Banban's younger brother.
At least at this moment, he never thought of using Banban to gain benefits for his son.
Ying Zheng temporarily accepted this family member.
He was happy, and Banban was even happier. On the way back, he kept shaking his head and saying that he and his cousin were a better match.
Ying Zheng said, "Even if you don't become this princess, you and I are a perfect match."
Banban is almost twelve years old, and she has begun to vaguely understand what love is.
Just now, when the King of Qin was still here, her cousin brazenly claimed that the two of them had already pledged their hearts to each other. Her heart was beating abnormally fast, 'thump thump thump' nonstop, and she thought she was just scared.
In the past, she would have taken her cousin's words for granted, but now that he had said "we are a perfect match," she blushed for no apparent reason.
My heart is racing again.
Oh, so it wasn't because of being scared.
She was a little shy and didn't know how to say anything nice. After thinking for a while, she whispered in his ear, "I like my cousin."
Ying Zheng embraced her, his eyes filled with amusement, "You say it every few days, don't you get tired of it?"
"You don't want to hear it anymore? Then I won't say it." Banban's expression immediately changed, and she became angry.
"No," Ying Zheng quickly coaxed, "I was just joking, why are you angry? I love hearing that."
Banban gave a soft hum, hesitantly observing his expression. Seeing that he was telling the truth, she softly snuggled back against him, saying, "Cousin, you mustn't be so affectionate."
"How could that be?" Ying Zheng straightened his expression, feeling pity for her. "Never."
His affection for his cousin stemmed from the ordinariness of daily life, so he wouldn't get tired of her because of the mundane routine. Rather, since they hadn't experienced any major upheavals, their relationship would only grow stronger through those experiences.
A relationship that blossoms from the depths of despair is invincible.
The princess's betrothal ceremony was not elaborate, but Banban, who had been busy all day, was still exhausted.
Qian Yin explained to her in detail what a fief of 100,000 households meant. It meant that the taxes from 100,000 households in Chaoyang would be given to her, and she would receive a large sum of gold every year.
She not only gained the honor of being titled princess, but also earned money, becoming a veritable little rich woman.
The Crown Prince was not as wealthy as her. For example, in early spring, Ying Zheng needed money for various purposes, and Ji Changyue had to give him all sorts of rewards and subsidies.
Since Banban also wanted to give him money, Ying Zheng simply handed over the key to his private treasury to her.
Banban spent the entire afternoon in her cousin's storeroom, which was filled with all sorts of things, a dazzling array that overwhelmed her eyes. He simply didn't have any liquid gold to use, but he had plenty of valuable items!
She didn't know until she turned the pages that she had found a scroll painting.
The painting was done on newly made paper, which turned yellowish, but that did not prevent others from recognizing the people in the painting.
Unrolling the scroll, Yun gently approached, then exclaimed, "Isn't this Princess?"
A young girl appears on the canvas, her hair flowing as she kneels by a stream, adorned with colorful pebbles. She holds aloft a fish that is thrashing about, water splashing around her, and her face beams with joy.
He examined the painting closely, a smile appearing on his face as he gently stroked the paper. The ink on it had dried completely, indicating that the painting was indeed made this year.
Why won't my cousin show it to her?
Qian Yin also came over to take a look and immediately praised, "Your Highness's painting skills are excellent. The princess's charm is very much captured. It's hard to distinguish between the person and the painting. It's a pity that I was not fortunate enough to serve the princess at that time."
Of course.
Cong Yun resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her.
“I remember,” she recalled. “It was the height of summer five years ago. The head of the family took us to the woods to escape the heat. There was a stream that ran across the entire area, and there were even little crabs in it!”
"The head of the family rolled up his sleeves and went into the water to catch fish, and I followed him. Unfortunately, you couldn't catch any fish. The head of the family caught a big one, but you insisted on taking it yourself. The fish was slippery and darting around, and you had never touched a fish before, so you cried from being bounced around by it."
...Although it's embarrassing.
"My cousin drew me laughing."
Banban did not understand its meaning, so he took the painting to find Ying Zheng.
Before Ying Zheng had finished her work, she met an unfamiliar minister who looked to be about sixty years old.
Upon seeing her, the other party hurriedly rose and bowed, "Your humble servant Wang Jian greets Princess Chaoyang. May the princess be blessed." This was no ordinary princess, but rather the future wife of the Crown Prince and the future Queen of Qin.
"No need for formalities." Banban looked curious. "You must be Wang Jian."
Although Wang Jian rose, he still maintained proper etiquette, asking, "Does the princess know of my humble servant?"
Banban waved his hand, "There's no need to address yourself like that. You were my cousin's playmate after he returned to the Qin Palace. Although you are older, you are kind and approachable, and your relationship with my cousin is extraordinary. Of course, I have heard of you."
Ying Zheng leaned back slightly, his back resting gently against the chair back, watching this scene with great interest.
“You rarely come here, is it for important business?” His gaze fell on the scroll in Banban’s hand, and he immediately knew her purpose.
“How could my cousin fabricate a painting?” Banban unfolded the painting on his desk, pointing to the smiling face in the painting. “When did I ever smile so brightly? It’s clear that my cousin only had the fish in my hand on his mind at the time and didn’t care about me at all.”
"This is for your own good."
Ying Zheng spoke with such conviction that Banban was filled with suspicion. "What do you mean?"
"If others see this painting, they'll only marvel at how Princess Chaoyang is devoted to the Crown Prince, personally catching fish for him to eat. Naturally, the world will only know that we have a deep and abiding affection for each other. But if it were to spread that you were crying and wailing in fear..."
Ying Zheng easily grasped his cousin's thoughts. He deliberately raised his voice and acted mysterious, and sure enough, she became anxious. He then said the second half of the sentence, "That would be so embarrassing."
Banban reluctantly put it away upon hearing this.
She is indeed exceptionally concerned about her image.
Thinking this, her eyes darted around, she stole a glance at him, quickly put the painting away, and said in a demure, high-pitched voice, "Alright then."
Wang Jian's lips curled up slightly, and he coughed lightly.
Ying Zheng glanced at him sideways, signaling him to shut up.
Wang Jian immediately suppressed his smirk and pretended nothing had happened.
Banban, holding the painting, glanced at Wang Jian and asked, "Is there anything else you need to say?"
Wang Jian understood immediately that the princess was dismissing him and that there was indeed nothing important to discuss, so he quickly said that there was nothing more and asked to leave.
As soon as Wang Jian left, Banban immediately fluttered around like a butterfly, calling out, "Cousin~"
Ying Zheng caught her coquettishness, thinking she was being pretentious and must want something from her. "Tell me," he said, "what do you want?"
I knew I couldn't hide it from my cousin.
Banban thought it was boring, pouted, and said pitifully, "My cousin has a set of white jade utensils in his private treasury that changes color in the sunlight. I want them, can you give them to me?"
"What have you discovered this time?" he asked, intrigued.
Banban immediately beamed with joy, "I had someone stir-fry the coarse tea, add some sugar, and pour milk over it. It's delicious! It's a pity we don't have the right utensils to appreciate it. The white jade color is clear and matches this tea perfectly."
Ying Zheng's expression was strange. He couldn't imagine what was going on after hearing these words, but, "That's how you eat on the grasslands."
"Huh?" Banban bit her finger.
"However, the milk tea made by the grassland people is salty and is eaten for breakfast, but you want to add sugar? What kind of way is that?"
Ying Zheng's face clearly said, 'This is absolutely a culinary disaster.'
"Cousin, have you ever tried the salty milk tea from the grasslands?" Banban blinked.
“No,” Ying Zheng shook his head. “It doesn’t sound very good.”
Then what did you say?!
Banban pulled him up, "Then go and try it, come with me quickly."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
