Daughter-in-law's betrothal gifts and daughter's dowry?
This gift has too profound a meaning; I dare not accept it!
Accepting it might easily bring trouble upon myself...
But how can I refuse?
Yuan Yao glanced at the people whispering at the banquet, then lay down on the ground with her small body and said in a childish voice, "Your Highness, I cannot accept this jade bracelet."
"Why?" Consort Lin's expression grew increasingly indifferent.
She wanted to see how Yuan Yao would refuse.
Yuan Yao scratched her head, her face conflicted, and whispered, "Yao'er... Yao'er dares not say..."
Afraid to speak?
Consort Lin glanced at everyone at the banquet and said coldly, "Say what you want, no one will blame you."
"Really?" Yuan Yao gently rubbed her knees, looked around, and then mumbled aggrievedly, "Yao'er just received a jade ruyi from the Empress, and I already have a big piece of jade. I don't want any more..."
Don't want jade?
Consort Lin almost laughed in anger.
The empress bestowed upon us jade ruyi, and there are many in the storeroom. Although they are precious, they are common in the palace. But her jadeite bracelet is the only pair in the world.
They're too young to appreciate quality.
However, this is probably part of what makes children so endearing.
Consort Lin was rejected in public, but instead of being angry, she smiled slightly and said, "Yuan Yao, if you don't want the jade bracelet, what do you want?"
Another choice...
This is really too difficult!
Suddenly, Yuan Yao's gaze fell on the table in front of Consort Lin.
Her clear, bright eyes darted around, and her delicate little finger pointed at the fan as she said softly, "Your Highness, Yao'er wants that!"
Immediately, everyone looked in the direction she was pointing.
There, lying flat, was a Suzhou embroidered fan with a butterfly and flower design.
The round fan is exquisitely embroidered with lifelike patterns, and it was also of tribute quality.
But... compared to a priceless jade bracelet, it's simply insignificant!
For a moment, I didn't know what to say about Yuan Yao.
You could call her naive, but that jade bracelet was definitely not something you could just accept casually.
You could call her scheming, but she's just a little toddler of a little over three years old...
What could such a tiny child understand?
Consort Lin's expression was complicated.
After a long while, she finally came to her senses and beckoned to Yuan Yao: "Come here to me."
Yuan Yao happily got up and walked over expectantly.
Consort Lin picked up the round fan and asked, "Tell me, why did you take a liking to this round fan?"
Yuan Yao wiped her forehead, her face full of childlike innocence: "Yao'er is hot. This fan is pretty, it will definitely cool you down!"
As soon as she finished speaking, many ladies covered their faces and chuckled softly.
After all their speculation, it turns out that Princess Yuan Yao was simply too hot and wanted to fan herself, which is why she refused the jade bracelet...
Consort Lin paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Very well, this fan is yours to enjoy."
Yuan Yao took the fan, fanned her face with it, and said with a satisfied and happy expression, "Thank you, Your Highness! This fan really makes me feel so cool!"
Seeing this, the Empress ordered, "Serve the meal."
Yuan Yao took a fan and happily returned to her seat while fanning herself.
Today's fish feast features dishes made entirely with fish.
The fish were all transported from various places, including river fish, sea fish, and many other varieties.
Grilled fish, steamed fish, fried fish, baked fish...
It seems that the Ninth Prince had given the order that Yuan Yao's table had fewer dishes than the others, only light dishes like steamed fish and fish head soup.
Huairou and Huaiyao had long been restless.
Huairou brought over a cup of tea, lifted her skirt, and said, "Sister Yao'er."
Yuan Yao was drinking fish soup when she heard this. She looked up and called out in her childish voice, "Sister Huairou!"
Huaiyao leaned closer, glanced at her food, and said disdainfully, "Why does the Ninth Prince only give you this to eat?"
"Huaiyao." Huairou gently scolded, then said to Yuanyao, "Yao'er, thank you for sending the guards to save us that day."
We heard you've been very busy these past few days, so we haven't had a chance to thank you properly.
"When we have time, we'll host a small dinner to properly thank you."
Yuan Yao took a handkerchief from the maid behind her, wiped her mouth, and shook her head, saying, "Sister Huairou, Her Majesty the Empress has already rewarded Yao'er with the jade ruyi, so you don't need to thank Yao'er separately!"
When the jade ruyi was mentioned, Huaiyao's expression turned sour.
She sat down next to Yuan Yao in a neat red dress with tied sleeves, and said in a huff, "You happily accepted the jade ruyi that the Empress gave you, but why don't you accept the jade bracelet that my mother gave you?"
Do you know that those jade bracelets could be exchanged for a city of 300,000 people?
A pair of jade bracelets, in exchange for a city of 300,000 people?
Yuan Yao's mouth gaped slightly as she asked in surprise, "A jade bracelet? Is it that valuable?"
"You're so stupid!" Huaiyao said disdainfully. "You really know how to pick! This broken fan is worth at most five hundred taels of silver!"
puff……
Yuan Yao almost burst out laughing.
A fan that can be exchanged for five hundred taels of silver is already incredibly expensive!
How did it become a broken fan in Huaiyao's mouth?
Yuan Yao picked up the round fan and fanned Huai Yao, saying happily, "I think this round fan is better than that jade bracelet!"
No matter how expensive a jade bracelet is, it's just a burden to me. Not only is it tiring to wear, but I also have to be careful with it all day long, afraid of breaking it.
But this fan, it's so refreshing to use! Even if you throw it around, it won't break!
Huaiyao was so angry she wanted to glare at someone.
Huairou chuckled and said, "Alright, Huaiyao, wouldn't it be better to keep this jade bracelet as your dowry later?"
After today, everyone will know that the Imperial Concubine left you a priceless jade bracelet. You'll have plenty of face when you get married!
Getting married?
Huaiyao blushed instantly and stammered, "Who...who's getting married? I'm not getting married!"
Huairou smiled mischievously and said softly, "You're already nine years old. In three or four years, you'll be of engagement age!"
"I...I don't want to be engaged!" Huaiyao's face turned bright red. "What's so good about getting married? I want to go to the battlefield and become a female general!"
After speaking, Huaiyao rolled up the whip on her wrist: "This princess is going to practice whipping, I'm not talking to you anymore, hmph!"
"Huaiyao," Huairou said with a hint of helplessness, "the ladies and young women of noble families are all here today, so please bear with it and practice the whip another day, okay?"
Huaiyao said irritably, "I'm full. Can't I go out for a walk to digest my food?"
“Hmm…” Huairou hesitated.
At this moment, Yuan Yao said, "Sister Huairou, I'm full too. Shall we go out and play? We'll come back when dessert is served!"
It's too restrictive here; I feel uncomfortable staying here.
Upon hearing this, Huairou smiled and said, "Let's go, the lotus flowers in East Lake will be in bloom in a few days! It would be good to go and see the lotus leaves."
The three of them bowed to the Empress and Consort Lin from a distance, then walked around the screen and headed towards the stone bridge.
As soon as they stepped onto the stone bridge, a group of imperial guards carried ten large boxes toward the Moon-Viewing Platform.
On the stone bridge, the young masters who had finished their meal and come out to enjoy the scenery made way for them.
One of the young masters mustered up his courage and asked, "What's in this box?"
The imperial guard glanced at him and said coldly, "Fish food."
Fish food?
Upon hearing those two words, Yuan Yao felt a chill run down her spine.
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