After leaving the academy, Zhao Qingning was in high spirits.
Seeing that it was still early, she took Qiuhua to the market.
Qiuhua expressed some concern: “Miss, we should head back soon. If His Highness finds out you met with Xiao Jiu, you’ll be punished when we return.”
Zhao Qingning smiled at this: “Don’t worry, it won’t happen.”
Qiuhua didn’t understand—did she mean they wouldn’t be discovered, or that she wouldn’t be punished?
She was finding it harder and harder to understand her young mistress.
Zhao Qingning deliberately lingered longer on the streets.
After all, how else would she leave enough time for Chunlan to tattle on her?
Zhao Qingning changed direction and headed to a clothing shop.
Lu Jinghan was too thin—the academy’s robes hung loosely on him, making him seem all hunched over. Moreover, he always wore dull gray and black. People should wear brighter colors; it’s more pleasing to the eye and can lift one’s mood.
So, she decided to buy him a few outfits.
Entering the shop, she took a liking to several pieces at once. Since she had money now, she simply bought them all.
As she prepared to leave, she remembered that Lu Jinghan always tied his hair haphazardly with a small wooden stick, without a proper hairpin—such a waste for such a delicate face.
Since she was helping him, she might as well do it thoroughly.
With that thought, she went to a jewelry store.
Unexpectedly, she ran into an acquaintance as soon as she stepped inside.
Jiang Zhiyi was staring at a pair of pearl and green jade teardrop earrings and a lily-of-the-valley tassel hairpin in a box, unable to tear her eyes away.
She loved these things. In her modern life, she never had extra money to buy them. Now that she was here, finally…
“Young lady, you’ve been looking for nearly half an hour—are you buying or not?” the shop assistant asked impatiently.
Jiang Zhiyi’s throat tightened.
She really wanted to buy them, but they cost ten taels of silver.
Her father’s annual salary was only a little over ninety taels.
She simply couldn’t afford that much.
Even with a discount, it was beyond her means.
With an empty purse, she had no choice.
After a long pause, she sighed: “I’m not buying.”
The assistant briskly put the items away, muttering under his breath, “If you’re not buying, why look for so long? Wasting my time…”
Jiang Zhiyi flushed with embarrassment at his words.
The capital was full of officials, and her father, a fifth-rank official, held little sway.
Not to mention, this jewelry store, located in the busiest area and renowned throughout the capital, undoubtedly had powerful and influential owners.
Just as she was about to leave, she saw Zhao Qingning stride in.
A flicker of disgust crossed her eyes, and she remained silent.
Seeing her, Zhao Qingning instinctively stepped farther away.
She hadn’t forgotten how this young lady could burst into tears at the drop of a hat back at the academy.
Since the other was the female lead and she couldn’t get along with her, it was best to keep her distance.
Thinking this, Zhao Qingning moved to the counter, where she happened to see the earrings and hairpin the assistant hadn’t yet put away. Her eyes lit up, and she said softly, “I’ll take these earrings and hairpin. How much are they?”
The assistant hurriedly bowed: “Greetings, young mistress. You jest—how could we charge you?”
She was taken aback, but Qiuhua spoke up: “Miss, this is our own shop. You can take whatever you like directly.”
Zhao Qingning looked around at the opulent, lavish decor in astonishment: “This is ours?”
In her memories, the original owner had never personally gone out shopping, as servants would bring the finest goods for her to choose from. She had no interest in the family’s shops either, so it was no surprise Zhao Qingning was unaware.
However, the shop assistants below all remembered the owner’s appearance and dared not neglect her.
“Not just this,” Qiuhua said with a smile. “This entire street belongs to our estate, and there are over a dozen more shops in the bustling eastern market as well.”
“…”
Royal relatives truly lived with outrageous extravagance.
Since it was their own property, not having to spend money was even better.
“Then wrap these two up for me. By the way, do you have any hairpins?” After a moment’s thought, she added, “Bring out both men’s and women’s styles for me to see.”
“Please wait a moment, I’ll fetch them right away.”
The assistant swiftly packaged the items and brought out all the hairpins in the shop for her to choose from, his attitude exceptionally enthusiastic.
After looking for a while, Zhao Qingning selected a cyan jade hairpin. The hairpin was translucent green, with a bamboo leaf design at the end.
She hoped Lu Jinghan would become a gentleman as refined and gentle as bamboo.
Then, she chose another white jade hairpin.
A gentleman should be like jade, after all.
It could also be considered an auspicious choice.
After that, she picked out a bracelet for Yongjia.
Watching from a distance, Jiang Zhiyi felt both sour and bitter inside.
Since fate had arranged for her to transmigrate, why hadn’t it given her a higher status?
What difference was there between a fifth-rank official and an ant in the capital?
If her mother were Princess Yongjia, how could she possibly not even have ten taels of silver to her name?
Zhao Qingning was arrogant and domineering, but her fate was simply too good.
However, she was steeped in wickedness and would inevitably face retribution sooner or later.
Comforting herself this way, Jiang Zhiyi felt slightly better.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard Zhao Qingning speak again: “Huh? Bring that garment over for me to see.”
The shop assistant looked where she pointed and realized she was indicating a rare treasure. He explained, “Miss, this item is for a charity donation.”
“Charity donation?”
“Yes. After the recent floods in Jiangnan, there were countless refugees. With limited government funds, they sought donations from merchants to aid the disaster victims.” The assistant pointed at the garment. “This is a priceless treasure, originally not for sale. But our master, concerned for the victims, put it on display.”
If anyone purchased it, all the proceeds would be donated to the refugees.
This way, it would also contribute to helping those affected by the disaster.
Zhao Qingning understood and said, “Wrap it up for now then.”
Since the young mistress wanted it, the assistant naturally complied and immediately did as instructed.
Zhao Qingning took it and turned to leave.
“Miss Zhao.” Unexpectedly, Jiang Zhiyi frowned and stopped her. “Even though this is your family’s shop, the money from selling this garment is meant for the disaster victims. How can you just take it like that?”
Zhao Qingning was taken aback: “Is there a problem?”
“Of course there is!” Jiang Zhiyi hadn’t expected her to be so heartless. “Those disaster victims are starving and barely clothed—they might be relying on the funds from selling this precious garment for relief. Yet you take it for your own selfish desires.”
“Occupying such a high position, is this how you trample on the people’s welfare?!”
Jiang Zhiyi spoke with righteous indignation, feeling filled with a sense of justice.
Zhao Qingning simply found her somewhat baffling: “If I take the garment and have the shop donate the money instead, wouldn’t that work? After all, this is my family’s business, so it’s equivalent to me contributing.”
She had already thought it through—she would inform her mother afterward and donate the garment’s value to the refugees, effectively meaning she had purchased it.
It wasn’t as if she lacked compassion.
Jiang Zhiyi was momentarily stunned.
She had assumed Zhao Qingning intended to take it without any compensation.
After all, she hadn’t seen her take out any money either.
Zhao Qingning narrowed her eyes: “Miss Jiang, since you care so much about the disaster victims, how much have you donated?”
Jiang Zhiyi was immediately rendered speechless with anger.
Her family background wasn’t wealthy—how could she possibly have money to donate?
Seeing her remain silent, Zhao Qingning didn’t want to stay any longer and said in a light tone: “Since Miss Jiang is so kind-hearted and concerned about the refugees, you should donate more then, to do your part.”
With that, she left.
When Jiang Zhiyi came back to her senses, she felt nothing but resentment.
Wasn’t Zhao Qingning’s remark just mocking her for having no money?
She subconsciously walked to the door, wanting to argue with Zhao Qingning, but overheard her conversation with her maid.
“Qiuhua, do you think Xiao Jiu will like these two hairpins?”
“Miss, of course he will. After all, he’s never seen such fine things in his life, right?”
“You’re probably right. Let’s go home first, and tomorrow we’ll go to the academy to give him a surprise.”
The carriage gradually faded into the distance.
Jiang Zhiyi’s face darkened.
Was Zhao Qingning deliberately mentioning in front of her that those were gifts for that Little Wild Seed? Wasn’t she implying that she was lowly and poor, unable to afford such things—even inferior to that Little Wild Seed?
Probably in Zhao Qingning’s mind, whether it was pastries or jewelry, she and that Little Wild Seed were equally contemptible.
Thinking of this, she felt utterly vexed.
So what if Zhao Qingning had power and influence? She was nothing but an empty-headed fool.
One day, she would climb to the highest position and make Zhao Qingning kneel and kowtow to her!