Wenxi loudly replied, “It is me, Young Master.”
He turned and went to the small storehouse to search through the dowry inventory.
Most of the items piled up in the storehouse were the dowry Rong Xun had brought over from the Yong’an Marquis Residence.
There were also various wedding gifts placed about haphazardly. After finding the inventory list, Wenxi brought it out and handed it to Rong Xun.
Rong Xun carefully checked through it. Excellent, not a single thing was missing.
Although Madam Chen had given it all away with utmost reluctance, she hadn’t shortchanged him by even a fraction.
Wonderful. With these things, should he ever divorce Tan Taisi in the future, he would still have a dowry to fall back on. He and Wenxi could make a living anywhere they went.
Looking at the several vineyards and taverns listed inside, Rong Xun pondered that he needed to find some time to go check on them.
Before he could sort out his thoughts, Changji walked in.
“Prince Consort, Guard Tang requests an audience.”
“Understood.”
Rong Xun handed the inventory list back to Wenxi and stood up to walk toward the outer room.
Seeing Rong Xun come out, Tang Jiu gave him a salute.
“Greetings, Prince Consort.”
“Guard Tang, is something the matter?”
“This subordinate has been ordered by His Highness to deliver something to the Prince Consort.”
With that, Tang Jiu produced a simple wooden box and handed it to Rong Xun.
He specifically emphasized, “This was a wedding gift sent by Prime Minister Yan on the day of the Prince Consort and His Highness’s wedding. His Highness has never been fond of such things, so he specifically instructed this subordinate to bring it for your viewing and enjoyment.”
Rong Xun had no idea who the Prime Minister Yan in Tang Jiu’s mouth was, so he took the box, feeling somewhat clueless.
He thought to himself that hopefully this wouldn’t be another bunch of classical texts he couldn’t understand.
If that turned out to be true, he really couldn’t accept it.
With that thought, Rong Xun opened the wooden box.
Lowering his gaze to look inside, he saw a fist-sized luminous pearl resting there instead.
The exterior was crystal clear and translucent, with a warm texture. Even in broad daylight, it emitted a faint, serene glow.
Rong Xun didn’t particularly care for pearls and gemstones, yet upon seeing this luminous pearl today, his eyes lit up.
Turns out he wasn’t immune to gemstones after all.
For all his years alive, he had never seen such a large night-pearl.
Wait, he had never seen a night-pearl at all before this.
This gift from Tan Taisi was wonderful; it could serve as a little bedside nightlight.
It would definitely look amazing at night.
Without realizing it, Rong Xun smiled and said, “Please thank His Highness for me. I like it very much.”
Tang Jiu calmly and unobtrusively sized up Rong Xun.
Sensing something amiss, Rong Xun looked up to meet Tang Jiu’s gaze.
“Guard Tang, is something wrong?”
“Nothing. This subordinate was being presumptuous.”
With that, he cupped his fists in a salute.
“The item has been delivered, so this subordinate will take his leave.”
Outside, the snow was falling harder and harder, showing no intention of stopping anytime soon.
Passing through the southern courtyard, Tang Jiu walked straight to Tan Taisi’s study.
By the long desk, Tan Taisi was wearing a sapphire blue casual robe with wide sleeves, holding a wood carving and examining it closely.
“Your Highness, the item has been delivered.”
Tan Taisi’s gaze didn’t leave the wood carving in his hand.
He asked casually, “How did he react?”
Tang Jiu recalled Rong Xun’s expression.
After deliberating for a moment, Tang Jiu chose a more appropriate word.
“The Prince Consort was very happy and liked the Pearl of Pristine Clarity a lot. The Prince Consort also asked this subordinate to thank Your Highness on his behalf.”
Upon hearing this, Tan Taisi put down the wood carving in his hand.
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the nanmu desk, producing a dull, muffled sound.
Hanging on the wall behind the desk were two landscape paintings by former masters.
Gazing at the swirling, heavy snow outside, Tan Taisi said in a deep voice, “That old fogey Rong Huaizhou went to such great lengths to send Rong Xun into the manor, could it really be just because he didn’t want his legitimate son to marry in?”
“This… this subordinate does not know.”
Following Tan Taisi’s instructions, Tang Jiu had deliberately mentioned Yan Zhuoyue in front of Rong Xun, yet the Prince Consort hadn’t shown the slightest reaction.
Either he truly didn’t know Yan Zhuoyue, or he was exceptionally skilled at putting up a front.
Tan Taisi picked up the wood carving on the desk again and stroked it.
He instructed Tang Jiu, “Investigate Rong Xun’s background further. Make the investigation thorough.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
Tang Jiu accepted the order and stepped out.
Tan Taisi looked down at the wood carving in his hand.
The wood carving depicted a little tiger.
The person who carved it was clearly unfamiliar with knife techniques, leaving the surface bumpy and uneven. The resulting tiger lacked its innate majestic air, possessing instead a rather naive and endearing charm.
However, since it was hand-carved, it showed genuine sincerity and thought.
This item had been brought in by guests on the day of his wedding with Rong Xun.
All wedding gifts entering the manor had to undergo inspection before being placed in the storehouse, and this item stood out far too much among the array of jewelry and jade pieces.
That very night, Tang Jiu had brought it straight to Tan Taisi.
It was a wedding gift specifically intended for Rong Xun.
The Zhuang family of Yaozhou.
If he remembered correctly, this Zhuang family of Yaozhou was a wealthy merchant clan of immense fortune.
The capital and Yaozhou were separated by a vast distance, so how could Rong Xun possibly know someone from the Zhuang family?
Tan Taisi put down the carved wooden tiger and slowly curved the corners of his lips.
His Prince Consort was becoming increasingly interesting.
In the southern courtyard, Rong Xun was examining the Pearl of Pristine Clarity from every angle.
The more he looked at it, the more he liked it.
He was completely oblivious to the fact that his identity had already been exposed.
He had Wenxi find a suitable base to hold the Pearl of Pristine Clarity.
He pondered over where would be the most appropriate spot to place this pearl.
He walked a full circle around the bed.
Finally, Rong Xun placed the pearl on the innermost shelf right by his bedside.
With that task done, he picked up the popular romance novel Wenxi had dug out, crossed his legs on the soft couch, and began reading with great relish.
Before he knew it, the sky outside had grown dark.
Wenxi glanced at the clepsydra in the room. It was already the hour of Shen.
He stepped forward to remind Rong Xun, who was engrossed in his novel, “Young Master, it is almost time for dinner. We should head to the front hall.”
“Is it that fast?”
Rong Xun looked up from the book to find that it was already dark outside.
He handed the novel to Changji, who was standing nearby.
Without trying to hide the content on the cover, Changji took it and caught sight of the title unawares: I Am Deeply Loved by the Ghost King Husband.
Changji was visibly and thoroughly stunned.
He had heard previously that the Prince Consort loved delving into literature in his spare time, but this research… was of this nature?
Rong Xun glanced at Changji, noting his awkward and flustered expression.
He couldn’t help chuckling softly. “Still spacing out? Go put it away properly, I’m heading out.”
“Ah… Yes, please forgive me, Prince Consort.”
Changji hurriedly clutched the book, wanting to scurry into the small study.
“Ah, wait.”
Rong Xun called out to Changji, “Don’t put it in the small study. I haven’t finished reading this book yet, just leave it on the table in my bedroom, I’ll need to read it before going to sleep.”
“Ah… This.”
The Prince Consort was supposed to share a bed with Prince Chen. Did the Prince Consort actually intend to read this book together with Prince Chen?
When Rong Xun arrived at the front hall, Duofu was already directing the servants in preparing to serve the meal.
Seeing Rong Xun approach, they paused what they were doing to bow and pay their respects.
“Go on with your work.”
With that, Rong Xun casually seated himself in a nearby pearwood chair and waited for dinner to be served.
Just as the dishes on the table were almost all set out, Tan Taisi leisurely strolled over.
His stride was unhurried yet carried a steady grace.
Rong Xun stood up to greet him, “Your Highness.”
“In your own home, the Prince Consort doesn’t need to observe such formalities.”
Tan Taisi took a seat opposite Rong Xun, picked up his chopsticks, and picked up a piece of fish.
Rong Xun was hungry too, and since Tan Taisi had said there was no need for rigid etiquette, he stood on no ceremony.
Before the wedding, Mama Wang had actually taught him a whole slew of dining etiquette, which notably included serving food to one’s husband, but Rong Xun had treated it all as going in one ear and out the other, never bothering to learn it.
Eating should be done as one pleased; why bother serving dishes when he had hands of his own?
Just as Rong Xun was eating quite happily, Tan Taisi suddenly put down his chopsticks.
Rong Xun had just picked up a piece of duck meat and was about to open his mouth to eat it.
Yet seeing Tan Taisi stop, he suddenly felt the food in his hand wasn’t as appetizing anymore.
His eating pace slowed down considerably.
Noticing this, Tan Taisi personally picked up a shrimp and placed it in the small dish Rong Xun used for his food.
“Why aren’t you eating? Is the food not to your liking?”
“No.”
Rong Xun offered an awkward smile and ate the shrimp Tan Taisi had given him.
“Tomorrow is the return visit to the bride’s parents, and this Prince wishes to prepare some gifts for your parents. I wonder what the Marquis and his wife prefer?”
“Cough, cough!”
At Tan Taisi’s words, Rong Xun was caught off guard and started coughing violently.
Tan Taisi actually wanted to personally prepare gifts for the Yong’an Marquis and his wife!
Rong Xun couldn’t help but be astonished.
Logically speaking, return-visit gifts were typically prepared by the estate’s steward.
Tan Taisi was a lofty prince.
He shouldn’t need to trouble himself with such trivial matters.
Besides, how on earth would he know what the Marquis and his wife liked?
This was truly a life-or-death question. Rong Xun couldn’t avoid answering, nor could he answer randomly.
If his cover was blown, wouldn’t that be the end of it?
Having tossed the question to Rong Xun, Tan Taisi calmly and leisurely sipped the soup a maid had ladled out for him.
One spoonful at a time, taking his sweet time.
He wasn’t in a hurry at all.
After finishing half the soup, Tan Taisi observed the slightly flustered Rong Xun.
“Is this question so difficult? Does the Prince Consort need this long to think, or…”
His gaze suddenly tightened, his voice taking on a hint of coldness.
“Or does the Prince Consort simply not know what his own parents like?”
“Of course I know!”
Rong Xun bit the bullet and replied, “My parents like many things, actually anything Your Highness sends will be fine. Since the gifts were personally chosen by Your Highness, Father and Mother will certainly be very pleased.”
“The Prince Consort speaks quite eloquently. However, this Prince still wants a definitive answer. The Prince Consort should just spell out what the Marquis and his wife prefer, so that this Prince can prepare accordingly, no?”
Inwardly, Rong Xun cursed Tan Taisi all over again.
Based on all the rumors he had heard previously, he had taken him for some aloof, icy figure.
Yet after spending the past two days together, he discovered things weren’t quite like that at all.
He hadn’t seen any aloofness, but sometimes the man was genuinely punchable.
Judging by Tan Taisi’s demeanor, he wouldn’t let the matter rest today without getting a concrete answer.
Rong Xun hesitated for a moment.
He bit the bullet and made up a few things at random.
Since it was a gift from Prince Chen, even if they didn’t like it, the Marquis and his wife surely wouldn’t be foolish enough to show it.
“So your parents like these sorts of things.”
Tan Taisi revealed a meaningful smile.
“Rest assured, Prince Consort, tomorrow’s return gifts will definitely satisfy your family.”
Rong Xun forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“This subject thanks Your Highness on behalf of my parents at home.”
After dinner, Tan Taisi headed back to the study.
Logically speaking, on the second day of marriage, there should be plenty of people coming to visit.
Yet returning from the imperial palace today, Rong Xun hadn’t heard of a single guest calling on them.
Could it be that Tan Taisi’s interpersonal relationships were genuinely that poor?
Rong Xun shrugged. Poor or not, it was none of his business.
After deliberating for a few seconds, he decisively returned to the southern courtyard.
After washing up, Rong Xun lay in bed reading his novel.
Not long after he started, Wenxi came in from outside to report, “Young Master, His Highness Prince Chen is here.”
Rong Xun bolted upright from the bed in shock.
“Why is he here?”
Wenxi looked puzzled. “Young Master, you and His Highness are husband and husband, isn’t it completely normal for him to come to your room?”
Rong Xun said, “It is completely normal.”