“Wow ah! You’re giving me so many shops as a part of the betrothal gift ah! Then the dowry I’m preparing absolutely can’t lose to you, right? Zhu Junyang, you’re so devious ah! In order to catch me, this giant fish, you’re quite willing to send out the bait!” Yu Xiaocao saw the dozen or so estates and shops on the list and felt like she had suddenly been rocketed from a small wealthy woman into a giant tycoon.
“Just what are you saying? Imperial Prince Xu views you with importance which is why he is giving you such an excessive amount of items and estates as a betrothal gift!” Auntie Zhao lightly patted the little lass in an effort to hurriedly mediate between the two. She lightly sighed inwardly. Why did the little lass always have to say things that made it difficult for other people?
Zhu Junyang felt bad for the little lass as he watched her being patted in the same location for a while. He opened his mouth to say, “Without the Wutong tree, how could one attract the golden phoenix? If I don’t offer up enough capital, then how would I be able to show just how precious and valuable Xiaocao is to me? You deserve the best!”
“Hee hee! You truly have a good eye!” Yu Xiaocao casually placed the list of betrothal gifts on the table and sent an admiring look towards Zhu Junyang. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you be at a loss here. This maiden’s residence absolutely can handle and return such a magnificent betrothal gift. However, now I’m worried about whether or not the dowry I bring during the wedding might be too excessive or not?”
“This dynasty at the moment hasn’t set down clear-cut customs for marriage. However, the previous dynasty did, but since we’ve already switched dynasties, who cares about the customs of the previous one? That being said, Imperial Prince Xu is now an imperial prince, so even if his princess consort’s dowry is a bit on the larger side, who would dare to voice their complaints out loud?”
Fang Zizhen also believed that his daughter deserved the best. He had obtained so many good things over the years for the sole purpose of making sure his daughter would be able to lift her head proudly on the day she got married. What was wrong with having a lavish dowry? If the residence was able to support it and wanted to give a lot for the dowry, what could other people do about it?
“Well now I’m relieved!” Yu Xiaocao shamelessly wondered if she would end up becoming known as the woman who had the largest dowry in the Great Ming Dynasty. Having a dowry train that spanned five kilometers was a dream every nobly-born maiden yearned for, right?
Zhu Junyang accompanied Xiaocao as they sent off the three members of the Zhao Family to the front gate as well as his future father-in-law. Fang Zizhen glared at him with an ambiguous and telling look as he said, “Your Highness, you should also head back soon ah. After all, you’re not married yet, so it’s best to keep those gossipy tongues away!”
“Lord Father-in-law is right. Once Chief Steward Su is all settled, this prince will head out immediately!” Zhu Junyang righteously and shamelessly used Su Ran’s name as an excuse. He was a bit unhappy that this fellow would be able to live in the outer courtyard of the Yu Residence for a while. Although this fellow’s identity was special, he still had his stunning looks and those from the outside, who might not know of his eunuch’s status, may start having odd thoughts when they saw an ‘adult man’ who wasn’t related to Xiaocao living at the Yu Residence.
Fang Zizhen had a cursory understanding of Su Ran’s current condition after talking to his daughter. Although he was also not entirely happy with this situation, his daughter had said that ‘a doctor has the heart of a parent’ and didn’t have any other intentions. Furthermore, that fellow…ahem ahem, although it wasn’t something that was nice to say, that fellow wasn’t truly considered a man ah! That being said, in a couple of days, Yu Hai and his family would enter the capital. At that moment, they didn’t need to worry about the impropriety of the situation anymore.
When he saw that Zhu Junyang had an acceptable excuse, Fang Zizhen didn’t bother trying to quibble with him anymore as he still had things to accomplish that afternoon.
After he saw Fang Zizhen mount his horse and leave, Zhu Junyang turned around to look at that adorable and spoiled little maiden next to him and smiled, “Are you satisfied with the betrothal gift list that I gave you?”
“It’s alright ah!” Yu Xiaocao slightly shrugged her shoulders and revealed a crafty smile, “If you also added in Treasure Pavilion to the gifts, then this maiden will be completely satisfied!”
Hou Xiaoliang, who had been standing slightly behind his master this entire time, raised his head to look at his future mistress briefly as he thought, ‘Miss Yu’s appetite is quite big. The master has given more than half of his estates to her but she still hankers after my master’s Treasure Pavilion.’ One had to know that the income from Treasure Pavilion accounted for around eighty percent of his master’s total income.
Zhu Junyang reached out his hand and tapped her adorable little nose. He lamented in a voice full of love, “You, ah, are truly a tiny little money grubber! Since you’ve opened your honored mouth, then this prince will have to agree otherwise it will seem like I’m being too miserly. Alright! When I get back, I will add Treasure Pavilion to the list as well…”
Hou Xiaoliang had long become used to his master’s bottomless ability to pamper his wife. Even if his master had said right now that he was going to give all of his businesses over as a betrothal gift to her, there still would be no ripples in his heart.
“Don’t, don’t! I was just casually joking, that’s all! You’ve already given me every business that makes money in your hands. If you end up being hard-pressed for money later on, then people will laugh at you!”
As an imperial prince, he would only have more subordinates and servants beneath him, so he would naturally have increased expenditures. Xiaocao believed that she was a ‘virtuous’ person and didn’t want to be so tight-fisted with his purse that her man had to be stingy whenever he went out. Money had very little relation to whether a man would turn bad or not. The crucial point was whether he still had her within his heart!
“This prince knows what’s going on. I’ll give it to you, so you should take it!” Zhu Junyang tasted a flood of sweetness when he saw his little lass considering him first. He used a large hand to ruffle her hair for a bit before continuing, “In my heart, you are the most precious thing in the world!”
Yu Xiaocao felt extremely touched by this statement. She raised her head and revealed a brilliant and glittering smile, “As long as you don’t leave, I won’t abandon you! Whether or not someone has sincere feelings for you isn’t measured by money or the amount of betrothal gifts. Thus, you should still keep those businesses…”
Her first statement caused Zhu Junyang’s enchanting pair of eyes to light up. He held onto the little lass’s soft and tender hands as he gently said, “I will love you for the rest of my life, so let’s grow old together. In this life, don’t ever think that this prince will ever let you go. Everything that is mine is yours, including myself!”
If a person from the ancient times became enlightened, then his ability to say terms of endearment would blow a modern man out of the park. Yu Xiaocao felt her cheeks grow hot and she bit her lip before smiling, “Since you say it like that, then do we really need to care whether or not our estates and stores are in your hands or mine?”
“However, this prince wants everyone in the capital to know just how much I regard you! I don’t want other people to look down on you…” The little lass’s cheeks, which were normally as lustrous and pale as the finest mutton-fat jade, now had two enchanting red clouds blooming on them. Zhu Junyang felt a bit bewitched looking at her.
Yu Xiaocao lowered her head in embarrassment after seeing his fervent eyes that were completely filled with love and adoration. She inadvertently began to draw circles on the ground with the tip of her foot. An ‘old’ man, who had been single for twenty-five years, truly had some astounding offensive abilities in the romance department. It really made it hard for a person to resist.
Under the warm light of autumn, there were two figures that could be seen. One had a tall, strong, and elegantly handsome figure while the other was short, delicate, and adorable. They looked incredibly harmonious together and the pair of them made a sight that other people couldn’t look away from.
Ning Donglan quietly stood at the corner of the street as he gazed at these two familiar figures from a distance. That adorable and special little girl was currently revealing a shy countenance that only a young lady could have. Ning Donglan knew that, within the capital, Yu Xiaocao was considered to be an unconventional young maiden. Compared to the other noble maidens who were gentle, refined, sweet, lively, and cautious, she was quite fickle and unpredictable.
At the imperial plantations, she was extremely confident. When she was with her friends, she was bright and pretty. In front of a powerful enemy, she was calm and composed…but he had never seen this type of her before. Apparently, in front of the person she liked, she could also be embarrassed and shy and would reveal what other girls often showed. She could also show that she wanted to lean against someone.
He really wanted to be the one standing in front of her now, to be able to affect her every frown and smile, to be the man that she loved with all of her heart! Unfortunately, in her life, he had arrived too late. He could only gaze at her from a distance and silently give his blessings to her…
Zhu Junyang seemed to sense something and turned his head to look towards a specific distant corner. Ning Donglan had already dodged into one of the side stores on the street, leaving an empty and desolate street corner. It somehow seemed as melancholy as a cool breeze.
“What are you looking at?” Yu Xiaocao advanced a step and curiously looked in the direction that he was gazing at. She didn’t see anything special and looked back at him with a confused look while she inquired.
Zhu Junyang frowned slightly and lowered his head to look at the young lady in front of him before smiling again. He pinched her cheek and softly said, “Nothing! Let’s go and see your Sir Su. He should be awake now.”
Su Ran, who had just eaten lunch and drunk his medicine not long ago, had been escorted to one of the guest rooms in the outer courtyard to rest. His injuries had severely sapped his energy. Even if he wanted to endure and discuss the betrothal gift list with everyone to get more good things for the lass, he wasn’t able to. Under the effects of the medicinal tea, he fell into a lethargic sleep. In fact, the eunuch he had brought along with Zhu Junyang had to help him organize the guest room.
“Sir Su, how are you feeling? Was sleeping here okay?” After knocking on the door, she entered the room to see that clever little eunuch currently helping Sir Su wash up. Yu Xiaocao revealed a sweet smile on her face.
The little eunuch who was helping him was one of the many disciples under Su Ran. He knew the chief steward usually regarded his words as precious as gold, so he smiled and hurriedly replied, “Thank you, Royal Princess Jinan, for concocting your special medicine. The chief steward hasn’t been able to sleep so well in a long time. In the past, he would always wake up halfway through from pain and have a full body of cold sweat on him…”
“Go down first ah!” Clearly, this eunuch’s attempts to be helpful were not appreciated. Su Ran faintly gave him a look and the little eunuch immediately felt cold sweat pour out of his pores. He hurriedly bowed and left the room.
Xiaocao stopped the eunuch, “Go brew another cup of the medicinal tea I gave you. Sir Su, you need to drink more of this medicinal tea as it will help your body recover better.” The latter sentence was to warn Su Ran and had a hint of ‘cajoling a reluctant kid to take medicine’ to it.
The subordinate eunuch sent her a grateful look and hurriedly stepped out. He had only been sent out to serve the chief steward after the master had come back to the capital with heavy injuries. Before he took this position, he had been instructed that the chief steward didn't like social niceties, so he needed to be clever. He had only been in this position for a short while but had analyzed the chief steward’s likes and dislikes incorrectly. It looked like he needed to be more careful in the future.
Su Ran didn’t attempt to engage with Xiaocao’s childish tone. He was an adult but he was being treated like a child. He really didn’t know what to say. However, when he raised his head and saw the constipated look on Imperial Prince Xu’s face, he immediately felt his spirits rise and his heart lighten.
“If I obediently follow your orders, will I get a reward ah?” Su Ran deliberately asked.
Zhu Junyang muttered in a grouchy manner, “We’re trying to heal your body. It’s up to you if you want to obey. But isn’t your face too thick to also want a reward for this?”
