As dawn’s first light broke, breakfast had already been laid out in the main courtyard’s dining hall. Xiao Zhenyuan sat upright at the table, holding silver chopsticks as he ate his porridge. Lady Liu sat beside him, her fingertips lightly brushing the osmanthus cakes on the plate. The room was filled only with the soft clinking of bowls and utensils.
Nanny Li gently lifted the curtain and entered, curtsying respectfully as she said, “Madam, Second Miss wishes to go into the capital today to purchase some clothing and jewelry. She specifically sent me to inquire which carriage from the manor will accompany her.”
Lady Liu’s eyebrows immediately raised, her tone carrying a hint of disdain. “It’s just a shopping trip. The old green silk carriage from the west courtyard will suffice.”
“Send the main carriage engraved with the cloud-pattern emblem,” Xiao Zhenyuan set down his silver chopsticks, his voice steady and leaving no room for negotiation.
Lady Liu looked up sharply, her face showing displeasure. “Master! She’s merely a concubine-born daughter raised in the countryside for ten years. How is she worthy of the manor’s main carriage? If word gets out, won’t people laugh at us, saying our Yongning County Duke Manor has no sense of propriety?”
“I intend to gradually reveal her status in the capital now. Soon, I will have her registered under your name, granting her the status of a legitimate daughter.” Xiao Zhenyuan looked up at her, lifting his teacup to take a sip.
Lady Liu was stunned for a moment, then furrowed her brows, her voice rising slightly. “What are you planning? Register her under my name? Give this concubine-born daughter legitimate status?”
“We originally planned for Wanning to marry Prince Rui and Wanyan to be matched with Prince Jing’s son. We were worried her plain appearance would slight Prince Jing. Now that she stands out so remarkably, I will elevate her to be your legitimate daughter. On Prince Rui’s side, we have a true legitimate daughter, and on Prince Jing’s side, we have an elevated legitimate daughter. This balances both sides! Don’t you understand this reasoning?”
Lady Liu was left speechless. How could she not understand the stakes? Prince Jing and Prince Rui were evenly matched in influence, and the manor needed to navigate both sides carefully. Her husband’s plan was for the manor’s benefit and also protected Wanning. After a long pause, she finally responded with a cold snort, reluctantly agreeing. “Since you’ve already decided, I’ll follow your lead.”
She then turned to Nanny Li and instructed, “Use the main carriage with the cloud-pattern emblem and assign four guards to accompany her. Tell her to return early and not linger outside, causing trouble.”
“Yes,” Nanny Li bowed in acknowledgment before withdrawing.
Meanwhile, the west courtyard was already bustling with activity. Dongling returned from Chen Jing’s place clutching one hundred taels of silver. As soon as she entered the courtyard gate, she called out cheerfully, “Miss! I’ve brought the silver! The manor’s emblem-adorned main carriage and four guards are waiting outside. We can shop to our hearts’ content today!”
Lin Chunian, accompanied by Dongling, Nanny Li, and Shi Yu, walked to the manor’s entrance. At first glance, she spotted the black-lacquered, gold-trimmed carriage with its curtains embroidered with the Yongning County Duke Manor’s cloud-pattern emblem. Her eyes instantly lit up. “Good heavens, this carriage is so magnificent! Is this the manor’s main carriage?”
“Now that Miss is a prospective legitimate daughter, it’s only fitting for you to ride in this,” Nanny Li said with a smile. “Dongling, Shi Yu, quickly help Miss board the carriage. Let’s head to Brocade Pavilion—the finest fabric shop in the capital!”
Dongling and Shi Yu hurried forward to assist Lin Chunian. As they boarded the carriage, the four guards stood respectfully on either side. The carriage wheels rolled steadily over the bluestone pavement, setting off smoothly. Along the way, commoners who saw the cloud-pattern emblem on the curtains turned to look and made way, some whispering among themselves. Lin Chunian lifted the curtain to gaze at the bustling city outside, her eyes crinkling into a smile. “The grandeur of the capital truly is different from the countryside. Riding in this carriage is such a face-saving experience! Today, I’ve finally gotten a taste of what it means to ‘borrow power from the mighty’!”
Nanny Li said with a smile, “From now on, Miss will be a noble lady of the capital. Such arrangements are only fitting. Let’s first go to Brocade Pavilion—it’s the finest fabric shop in the capital, and all the noble ladies love to pick out fabrics and jewelry there.”
Before long, the carriage stopped at the entrance of Brocade Pavilion. Seeing the insignia of the Duke’s residence, the shopkeeper hurried out personally, bowing with a beaming smile. “Which esteemed guest from the Duke’s residence honors us with your presence? My humble shop failed to welcome you properly. Please, come inside!”
Lin Chunian was helped down from the carriage by Dongling and said calmly, “I’m just here to pick out some fabrics for clothing. There’s no need for such courtesy, shopkeeper.”
The shopkeeper glanced up and caught sight of Lin Chunian’s appearance. Instantly, a flash of admiration crossed his eyes, but his mind raced with speculation: Such a stunningly beautiful young lady, yet she arrived in the Duke’s residence’s main carriage—could she be the Duke’s concubine? But then again, the Duke was already past his forties and had always been devoted to Madam; he would never marry someone so young. Could she be Young Master Xiao’s woman? Yet the Young Master had not yet taken a wife, and according to propriety, it was improper to take a concubine before marrying. If she were an unofficial mistress, how could she dare to ride openly in the residence’s main carriage? After turning it over in his mind, he couldn’t come to any conclusion, so he respectfully led the group inside, not daring to ask further.
“Esteemed guest, these are the latest arrivals: Cloud Brocade, Su Embroidery, and Hangzhou Silk are all in the inner room. There are also newly arrived pearl hair ornaments from Jiangnan. I’ll fetch them for you right away!”
Lin Chunian enjoyed herself picking items in the inner room. Her fingertips brushed over a roll of lotus-root-colored Cloud Brocade, and she said with a smile, “This fabric feels very soft, and the pattern is elegant. It would make a lovely Ruqun.”
Shi Yu stood to the side, her eyelids lowered without much expression. Hearing this, she merely glanced at the Cloud Brocade and said flatly, “The fabric is good, and it would suit a Ruqun well. It’s just too delicate and would be troublesome for daily wear.” There was no hint of enthusiasm in her tone, and a trace of gloom lingered between her brows, clearly still resentful about being assigned to serve Second Miss.
Dongling, however, paid no mind at all. Pointing to a nearby roll of pomegranate-red gold-woven satin, she said cheerfully, “Miss, pick this one for an outer robe to wear at family banquets. It’s festive yet dignified—perfectly suitable!”
Just as she spoke, the sound of tinkling jade ornaments came from outside, and the shop assistant hurriedly announced loudly, “Princess Zhao Jinzhu of Prince Jing’s household has arrived! Miss Shen Qingyao of the East Chang Earl’s residence has arrived!”
Lin Chunian looked up and saw two women entering gracefully, both dressed as top-tier noble ladies of the capital. Zhao Jinzhu wore a pomegranate-red gold-woven Xiapei, with a gold-inlaid pearl hairpin at her temple. Her features were delicate and charming, yet her steps were composed, and a faint smile graced her lips, presenting the image of a proper noble lady. Beside her, Shen Qingyao wore a pink silk skirt embroidered with lotus branches. Her features were clear and lovely, but her eyes were particularly lively, closely following Zhao Jinzhu and frequently glancing at her expression, as if taking her lead.
These two seemed to be of considerable standing, especially the one in front. Though she smiled warmly, her eyes held a scrutinizing gaze, clearly not as simple as she appeared on the surface.
As the two approached, Zhao Jinzhu’s gaze first swept over the attending Nanny Li and the others before settling back on Lin Chunian. Frowning slightly, she asked gently yet with a probing tone, “This young lady looks unfamiliar. How is it that you are accompanied by maids from the Duke’s residence, picking fabrics at Brocade Pavilion?”
No sooner had she finished speaking than Shen Qingyao immediately stepped forward, her tone sharpening into a perfect picture of someone eager to take the lead: “Isn’t that right? She looks quite unfamiliar. To have a maid from the Duke’s estate attending so closely—could she be some obscure woman from who knows where, sneaking in to latch onto the nobility?”
Shi Yu’s expression darkened slightly, but she dared not be negligent. She stepped forward half a pace and whispered a reminder to Lin Chunian: “Miss, this is Princess Zhao Jinzhu, the legitimate daughter of Prince Jing. Beside her is Miss Shen from the Earl of Dongchang’s household. Both are among the capital’s most distinguished noble ladies. We must not offend them.”
With a single glance, Lin Chunian detected the jealousy in Zhao Jinzhu’s eyes—so palpable it seemed ready to spill over. She understood at once: this must be one of Xiao Jueyan’s admirers. Yet not a trace of this showed on her face. She curtsied properly according to etiquette.
Nanny Li promptly bowed and replied in a respectful tone: “Greetings, Princess Zhao, Miss Shen. This is our Second Miss of the Yongning Duke’s estate, Xiao Wanyan. She was recuperating in the countryside in previous years and has only recently returned to the estate.”
“Second Miss of the Duke’s estate?” Shen Qingyao raised an eyebrow, leaning close to Zhao Jinzhu to whisper, “I’ve never heard of her. How did a Second Miss suddenly appear? And so beautiful… Could she be Young Master Xiao’s woman?”
A flicker of coldness passed swiftly through Zhao Jinzhu’s eyes, and her gaze toward Lin Chunian instantly turned sharp. Then she recalled what Father Prince had mentioned earlier about forming a marriage alliance with the Duke’s estate. At that time, he had mentioned that the Duke’s estate intended to bring back their second daughter, who had been recuperating outside, to be betrothed to Elder Brother. This Second Miss before her must be the one. A weight lifted from her heart, and an effusively warm smile immediately spread across her face. She stepped forward and took Lin Chunian’s hand: “How presumptuous of me! I apologize for the offense! I had no idea Young Master Xiao had such a striking younger sister. No wonder he never mentioned you—the estate must have been reluctant to let you appear in public.”
Holding Lin Chunian’s hand, she continued with a light laugh: “The Princess jests. I spent ten years in the countryside; the people in the estate had nearly forgotten me. How could it be a matter of reluctance?”
Her expression changed faster than flipping a page. Probably because she sees me as just a concubine-born daughter returned from the countryside, posing no threat.
Seeing Zhao Jinzhu’s softened attitude, Shen Qingyao immediately switched to a smiling face to smooth things over: “With such beauty, sister, you are sure to become one of the capital’s top beauties in the future! The fabrics and jewelry at Brocade Pavilion are the finest. Feel free to pick anything you like—you’re bound to find something to your taste.”
“Thank you, Miss Shen. We are indeed looking,” Lin Chunian replied truthfully.
Zhao Jinzhu promptly turned and called out to the shopkeeper: “Shopkeeper, put all the fabrics, jewelry, and ready-made garments that Second Miss selects today on Prince Jing’s estate’s account. Consider it my welcoming gift for my sister.”
The shopkeeper hurriedly bowed in acknowledgment: “Yes, Princess!”
Lin Chunian quickly declined: “Princess, this is absolutely unnecessary. How could I let you incur such expense? I can purchase these items myself.”
“Sister, you’re being too formal!” Zhao Jinzhu gave her hand a gentle squeeze, her smile growing even more affectionate. “You’ve just returned to the capital. As your elder sister, it’s only right that I prepare a gift. Besides, you are Young Master Xiao’s sister, which makes you my sister as well. What elder sister would let her younger sister spend her own money?”
Round and round it goes, always back to Xiao Jueyan. This attempt to curry favor is far too obvious. But free benefits are free benefits—no reason not to take them.
Lin Chunian accordingly said thankfully: “Then I thank the Princess for your kind intention.” This humble subject would be impolite to refuse.”
She chuckled inwardly: Having a handsome elder brother does have its perks. Even when shopping, someone rushes to pay.