She Just Liked Pretty Things

Mommy! I was wondering why even a little novice monk was so handsome these days. Turns out he was the little prince who got stolen.

He hasn't been acknowledged by his family yet. I pinched his cheeks twice, so surely they won't chop my hands off, right?

Beside her, Jiang Wanrong's eyes widened too, and she hurriedly braced herself against a stone pillar.

How on earth was her sister so damn amazing? She had never even met the reigning emperor, yet she had recognized his son at a glance?

Before Jiang Wanrong could think any further, Wukong spoke again.

"You're mistaken, benefactress. I have a senior brother named Wuneng, not a junior brother."

"Is your senior brother fat?"

Ignorance was no crime, after all, so Jiang Yourning's courage swelled again.

"My senior brother isn't fat. He's just richly blessed and a little sturdy."

Wukong corrected Jiang Yourning again.

He thought the benefactress before him seemed a little strange.

"All right, all right, richly blessed!"

Jiang Yourning couldn't help laughing until she shook like a sieve.

Help! ** never appeared. I was just testing the waters, but there really is a Wuneng! This world fills in its own gaps, and it does a damn amazing job!!!

Jiang Yourning pulled a handful of candy from her sleeve, bent down, and flashed the smile of a child trafficker coaxing a little kid.

"Little Wukong, where's your Wealth God Hall? Take me there to pray, and I'll give you candy. How does that sound?"

"Is it all for me?"

Wukong's eyes lit up at once.

"It's all for you!"

Jiang Yourning nodded, and Little Wukong's eyes instantly sparkled.

"I'll take you there!"

Eating candy might make his teeth fall out, but candy was really sweet. At worst, he would just lose every last tooth.

His senior brother had told him they would grow back after falling out anyway. He wasn't scared!

Jiang Yourning took two steps forward before realizing someone was missing from her side.

She turned and saw Jiang Wanrong standing rooted to the spot in a daze.

"Sis, what are you spacing out for? Let's go to the Wealth God Hall."

"Mm, all right."

Jiang Wanrong swiftly came back to her senses, nodded, and followed.

Passing a shrine, Jiang Yourning noticed quite a few people inside. She glanced up at the plaque above the hall, then looked away without a trace of reluctance.

Jiang Wanrong followed her gaze.

They were both fourteen now and would be old enough to marry in another year. Jiang Wanrong was just about to ask whether Jiang Yourning wanted to stop inside and pray when she heard her sister's thoughts.

Pah! Only idiots pray for marriage. Can marriage put food on the table?

Find yourself an unreliable husband and in-laws, and life will be one misery after another. Better to rely on yourself.

"..."

The words on Jiang Wanrong's lips were instantly swallowed back down.

What kind of shocking, convention-defying declaration was that?

And yet...

She couldn't seem to find any reason to argue.

There were far too many couples who became bitter enemies after marriage...

This bout of wild speculation from Jiang Wanrong successfully strewn someone's road to winning his wife with obstacles.

Once they reached the Wealth God Hall, Jiang Yourning didn't hesitate for even a moment. She dropped to her knees with crisp decisiveness.

Even dogs wouldn't spare the Marriage Hall a glance, but I'll kneel in the Wealth God Hall forever.

Grandpa Wealth God, bless me. Your faithful devotee is willing to stay away from gambling and drugs for the rest of her life in exchange for wealth pouring in all her days.

Grandpa Wealth God, bless me. Your faithful devotee is willing to offer Chu Haoze's worthless life in exchange for finding money every day she steps outside.

Grandpa Wealth God, bless me...

"..."

Remembering how quiet her sister had been while offering incense and worshipping in the Mahavira Hall, then hearing the relentless torrent of thoughts now, Jiang Wanrong's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

But Chu was the imperial surname. Who was Chu Haoze?

Why did her sister want him dead?

Suddenly, Jiang Wanrong understood.

So the lunatic her sister kept telling to hurry up and die every day was named Chu Haoze.

Over the past few days, she had gradually learned about the powers in the current court.

The seventh prince, Chu Haoze, had a birth mother of unknown identity and was not favored by the emperor.

Even palace maids and eunuchs with a little backing in the Imperial Palace dared casually spit at him whenever they saw him.

But how could someone like that have the power to overthrow all of Great Yu?

Jiang Wanrong couldn't figure it out.

Jiang Yourning knelt before the Wealth God Hall until her legs went numb, offered three sticks of Huayin Temple's thickest, most expensive incense, and generously donated a gold bar toward the incense fund before reluctantly rising.

"Benefactress, where's my candy?"

After watching ants move house outside for over ten minutes, Little Wukong hurried over when Jiang Yourning finally emerged.

"Don't worry. It's all yours~"

Jiang Yourning gave Wukong the whole handful of candy, then took out another handful for Jiang Wanrong.

"Little Wukong, let me pinch your cheeks again, and I'll treat you to peach blossom pastries. How about it?"

The sight of Wukong made Jiang Yourning long for that feel, even springier than jelly.

If she didn't take advantage now, she wouldn't have another chance later.

Peach blossom pastries...

Little Wukong wavered for a moment.

"Then you can only pinch them twice."

"Deal! I'll send my little maid to fetch them for you in a bit."

Without hesitation, Jiang Yourning extended her wicked claws again.

She pinched him at least ten times.

Only when the little novice monk's eyes grew misty with tears did Jiang Yourning let go.

"Little Wukong, take us two big sisters to try your temple's vegetarian food."

"You didn't keep your word just now. You pinched me ten times, so you'll have to give me five peach blossom pastries!"

Little Wukong held out his chubby little hand and spread all five fingers wide.

Boo-hoo, he really wanted to leave!

But this benefactress was too wicked. She tempted him with delicious treats, and he wanted to share the peach blossom pastries with his senior brothers, so he had to sacrifice his cheeks and keep them company.

Damn, how can a little cub be this adorable? I could eat eight of him in one sitting. Nom!

The little fellow really isn't greedy. Nice, nice. What an adorable, well-behaved little cub.

"No problem. Five it is! Come on, take us to eat."

Jiang Yourning looked at Little Wukong with her eyes curved into crescents, brimming with laughter.

Behind her, Jiang Wanrong watched her sister with increasingly complicated feelings.

It seemed she had learned a little more about her sister today.

Did her sister like anything as long as it was pretty?

Jiang Yourning's little mouth never stopped chattering along the way. Her sleeve was like a treasure chest, always producing strange and unusual snacks.

"Little Wukong, this tastes even better. Want to try some?"

Jiang Yourning took out a ball-shaped chocolate and waved it before Little Wukong's eyes.