Xie Ciyan sat stunned for several seconds before lifting the carriage curtain and looking around.
"Shuo Feng, go ask whether the Jiang Family's two young ladies are nearby."
"Yes!"
Remembering the string of words that had caught him completely off guard, Xie Ciyan frowned.
Anhe Wang was the only Wang of a different surname in Yu Kingdom's history to have bought his title with money.
Back then, the late emperor had spent three years quelling unrest beyond the borders. When he returned to the capital, the treasury was empty-and Prince Anhe suddenly appeared.
With the treasury depleted, Prince Anhe had given away his entire fortune and handed over a million shi of grain, asking the late emperor only for a princely title and the hundred-li stretch of barren land around his hometown as his fief.
A Wang of a different surname who wanted no real authority was merely asking for an impressive title, along with a hundred li of land. There was no harm in granting it, so naturally, the late emperor had not hesitated.
But if those eight gold mines and seven silver mines were real...
Then the fortune Prince Anhe had given away back then was no more than a light drizzle slipping through his fingers.
And what had his little sister-in-law meant by that?
Someone would marry County Lady Baojin and use Prince Anhe's wealth to fund a rebellion?
Xie Ciyan's gaze suddenly turned cold.
"County Lady Baojin, these are all yours. Go ahead and buy them all."
Once Jiang Yourning's thoughts returned to the present, she spoke with a smile before Lin Xiangyin could argue.
"Did you hear that? They don't want them anymore. Wrap them all up for me."
County Lady Baojin looked at the shopkeeper with satisfaction, while her little maid slapped a stack of banknotes onto the counter.
"Total it up and give me my change!"
While they waited, County Lady Baojin turned to Jiang Yourning and the others with another satisfied smile.
"You lot seem decent enough, and my arrival has indeed spoiled your outing today. How about this? I'll give you ten thousand taels as compensation."
"Since it's a reward from you, County Lady, accepting would be more respectful than declining."
Jiang Yourning smiled faintly.
Well, well! Could all those cannon-fodder female supporting characters with their noses in the air please come with this setup from now on?
She sounds a little arrogant, sure, but she doesn't have a nasty mouth. This County Lady Baojin actually seems pretty nice.
After all, if I had that kind of money, I'd absolutely flaunt it even more than she does. I'd go out with dozens of handsome men accompanying me and waiting on me. Wouldn't that be glorious?
"Ahem!!!"
This time, even though Jiang Wanrong's composure had been put through plenty of training lately, she still failed to hold it in.
Dozens of handsome men accompanying her and waiting on her? What sort of brazen declaration was that?
It seemed that once her younger sister made money, she would still have to ask their mother to keep her in check. Otherwise, something really might happen.
With the lovely money in hand, Jiang Yourning watched with a beaming smile as County Lady Baojin, whose title had come from gold ingots, departed. Only then did she coax the still-unhappy Lin Xiangyin downstairs.
After they bought a few bolts of good fabric, Jiang Wanrong spoke up and coaxed Lin Xiangyin into heading home before Jiang Yourning even had to think of a way.
Lin Xiangyin left each sister five hundred taels, then gave them a few more worried reminders before reluctantly leaving.
"Sis, I'll give you the jade pendant Young Marquis Xie gave me last time. Take it to Anping Bank and withdraw as much as you can. Then I'll leave finding people to renovate the tavern and everything else to you."
Jiang Yourning took the translucent white jade pendant from her sleeve and placed it in Jiang Wanrong's hand.
Looking at the pendant in her hand, Jiang Wanrong could not help feeling warmth well up inside her.
The jade pendant Young Marquis Xie had given her younger sister could be used to withdraw fifty thousand taels of silver.
And now, without another word, her younger sister had put that enormous sum entirely into her hands, leaving her free to use it as she pleased.
"Then... what are you going to do?"
"Me? I'm going shopping, of course. And while I'm at it, I'll find a carpenter to make some tables and chairs according to what we discussed."
Jiang Yourning gave her an innocent smile.
*I really am a genius. If my sister takes the jade pendant to withdraw money, how could my future brother-in-law not hear about it? I just wonder whether the lad can seize the opportunity to put on a good showing in front of my sister. Besides, with a little rounding, this could count as a token of love from my brother-in-law to my sister.*
With a little crack.
Half the warmth in Jiang Wanrong's heart shattered.
Her younger sister wanted to surround herself with countless handsome men, yet wanted her to fall into the grave of marriage. What a wicked girl.
Then again, my future brother-in-law lost his father as a child and has no mother, either. The only one left in his household is an old marquis who hardly meddles in anything. With a family situation like that, my sister wouldn't suffer if she married him.
All right.
So her younger sister really was looking out for her.
Still.
Young Marquis Xie's childhood had been rather tragic. Was it really appropriate for her to consider wreaking havoc on him?
She ought to find someone whose life had been less miserable.
In the carriage not far away.
Listening to Jiang Yourning, Xie Ciyan was so moved that his eyes brimmed with tears.
Though he was hardly a good man, he had done plenty of good deeds rooting out villains and punishing evil. He deserved a little sister-in-law who planned so carefully on his behalf.
"Shuo Feng, go to Anping Bank."
"Master, weren't we going to the palace for an audience with His Majesty?"
Shuo Feng froze.
"There's no rush. Go to the bank first!"
"Yes!"
"Later, have Jade Pavilion send those few top-tier pieces of jewelry they've been keeping tucked away to the Jiang Residence. Half for each young lady."
Shuo Feng paused again.
"But, Master... weren't you planning to give the East Sea Mermaid-Pearl Headdress to Her Majesty the Empress for her birthday?"
"Prepare another set of jewelry for my aunt. Give the East Sea Mermaid-Pearl Headdress to my little fairy!"
"Understood..."
Shuo Feng's feelings were complicated.
His master had always dismissed women before. Whenever he acquired anything good, he would immediately give it to Her Majesty the Empress, who doted on him as though he were her own son.
Now, his master had someone he loved.
Her Majesty's wholehearted affection had, in the end, been bestowed on the wrong person.
After parting with Jiang Wanrong, Jiang Yourning talked Chun Tao and Xia He into going shopping to buy her something to eat, while she entered a somewhat out-of-the-way grain shop herself.
"What would you like, honored customer? Pick whatever you want. The price is negotiable."
The shop assistant slumped over the counter and listlessly fiddled with the abacus beneath his hands, worn glossy from use, without even lifting his eyelids.
Having changed her appearance, Jiang Yourning surveyed the shop. The rice had yellowed, flies buzzed around it, and the flour looked filthy too.
Her thin lips parted, and a few words emerged in a flat, hoarse voice. "Two jin and two liang of fine Daughter's Red wine."
Hearing this, the shop assistant casually pointed to the little door beside him.
"One tael of silver. Go in and choose for yourself."
"All right."
She slapped a tael of silver down in front of him, and he turned the candlestick beside his hand.
Jiang Yourning walked toward the little door.
Beyond the little door lay a brightly lit passage.
Jiang Yourning casually took a black cloak hanging on the wall and draped it over herself, its black hood shrouding her completely.
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