GTB Chapter 82

Chapter 82: Matchmaking at Night, Still Matchmaking During the Day?

Chapter 82: Matchmaking at Night, Still Matchmaking During the Day?

The Next Day

Governess Li came to Jiang Jiuchu with a large stack of account books, “Your Highness, if you have nothing to do, you can take a look at these account books first to familiarize yourself with the household’s income and expenses.”

“Okay, put them here! I’ll look at them later.” Jiang Jiuchu lazily got up from the chaise lounge, looking listless. For the latter half of the night, she barely dared to fall into a deep sleep, staying in a light doze all night, fearing she would end up in his bed again.

“Your Highness, it’s better to look at them in the study! There are pens, ink, paper, and inkstones in the study. If there’s anything you don’t understand or find problematic, you can copy it out separately.”

Without waiting for Jiang Jiuchu to respond, Governess Li directly turned around and left the room with the stack of account books.

The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes revealed a knowing smile. Judging by the Princess’s sleepy face, it was clear she didn’t sleep well last night.

This was right. A man and a woman sleeping on the same couch, covered by the same quilt, wouldn’t be normal if they could sleep soundly until dawn without anything happening.

She was confident that it wouldn’t be long before the two of them would consummate their relationship.

Seeing Governess Li turn and leave, Jiang Jiuchu had no choice but to helplessly get up and follow.

There was nothing she could do; the woman was experienced and a favorite of the Empress Dowager. In other words, Governess Li represented the Empress Dowager, and she dared not disobey.

Inside the study, Governess Li greeted Shí Yan and placed the stack of account books directly in front of him. She thoughtfully moved a chair for Jiang Jiuchu, who followed behind, and said, “Your Highness, please! I’ve asked the steward to wait at the door. If you don’t understand anything, just call out, and he’ll come in to explain.”

Jiang Jiuchu looked at Shí Yan in front of the desk, nodded blankly, and thought to herself, “Could Governess Li’s true intentions lie elsewhere?”

“Matchmaking at night, still matchmaking during the day? I feel like I have no freedom at all!

Besides, if sleeping in the same bed doesn’t work, is there any point in arranging these face-to-face… encounters?”

She glanced at Shí Yan, who seemed indifferent and was writing something with his head down, then sat down, thinking, “Governess Li probably doesn’t know that this Seventh Prince of hers doesn’t differentiate between men and women.

He sleeps on the same couch as a matter of course, and he covers himself with the same quilt without hesitation, lacking even the most basic consideration for women.

She wasn’t his type; no matter how much effort she put in, it would be useless unless she stripped naked like that night in the pool. Only then might he react a little; otherwise, it would be a waste of time.”

As Jiang Jiuchu thought about this, the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved up. Although the Seventh Prince’s disposition was rare, she was fortunate to have encountered it.

After all, things were relative. She couldn’t have it both ways. Enduring these minor hardships was nothing.

Once Governess Li left, getting separate bedding would be a piece of cake.

Besides, even if Governess Li didn’t leave, she wasn’t in a hurry. Anyway, the weather was getting hotter, and she wouldn’t even need to use a cloak soon. She didn’t believe Governess Li wouldn’t leave after the summer.

While thinking, Jiang Jiuchu opened the account book in her hand, and before long, her attention was drawn to it.

This Seventh Prince didn’t have the support of a powerful maternal family. Where did he get so much wealth?

Could it be that he, like Brother Fu, had a good head for business?

Jiang Jiuchu secretly raised her eyes to glance at the opposite side, only to meet Shí Yan’s gaze.

Both of them were stunned, not expecting to make eye contact so coincidentally. They quickly looked away as if nothing had happened.

Suddenly, Governess Li’s voice came from outside the door, “Your Highness.”

Hearing the voice, Jiang Jiuchu turned around and saw Governess Li walk in with a smile, followed by a woman in her thirties with seductive eyes.

“Your Highness, this is Jin Niangzi from Yu Jin Pavilion. This old servant has invited her over to help you order some summer clothes, which should be ready in a month, just in time for you to wear them.”

Jin Niangzi from Yu Jin Pavilion? Wasn’t that the Yu Jin Pavilion that Ji Shutíng told her about, with a starting price of a thousand silver?

Jiang Jiuchu was a little stunned. Wouldn’t it be too expensive for just one set of clothes? Would Governess Li’s acting so independently anger Seventh Highness?

“Your Highness, please stand up and let Jin Niangzi take your measurements.” Governess Li urged with a smile.

“Oh!” Jiang Jiuchu stood up and walked to the side, taking the opportunity to sneak a glance at the man in front of the desk.

Seeing that Shí Yan still hadn’t raised his eyes, she felt a little relieved. To be honest, she felt a little guilty spending his money like this.

As far as she knew, the ladies and misses of Kyoto Imperial City basically only sought Jin Niangzi to order clothes when they had important occasions to attend, and few ordered multiple pieces at once.

Jin Niangzi looked Jiang Jiuchu up and down, a look of amazement in her eyes. She hadn’t expected the Seventh Princess Consort to be so beautiful.

No wonder the Seventh Highness didn’t choose the four great talents of Kyoto but instead chose the younger sister of the Mahjong [Fùmǎ] (imperial son-in-law).

She glanced at Governess Li imperceptibly, thinking, “There’s no need to deliberately praise her! Even if she didn’t greet me, I couldn’t help but praise her.”

She quickly said with a smile, “Your Highness is truly as beautiful as an angel. Jin Niangzi hasn’t seen such a beautiful girl in so many years. Look at this height, an inch taller would be too tall, an inch shorter would be too short. She’s truly the perfect height to wear clothes.”

Jiang Jiuchu listened without feeling uncomfortable. After all, which businessman didn’t praise people? She cooperated by opening her arms to let Jin Niangzi measure.

However, what she didn’t expect was that Jin Niangzi’s praise had just begun. She praised as she measured. At first, Jiang Jiuchu could still listen, but in the end, it was simply unbearable.

“Oh, I didn’t expect Your Highness to look slender, but you certainly have everything you need in all the right places. Jin Niangzi has never seen such a graceful, exquisite, and charming figure.”

“Look at this small waist, our Seventh Highness could probably hold it completely in one hand. Look at these hips…”

“Cough cough… Jin Niangzi, are you done measuring?” Jiang Jiuchu felt her whole body burning, as if she had been stripped naked. Seeing that Jin Niangzi didn’t even spare her hips, she quickly interrupted her.

No one noticed that Shí Yan’s pen had smeared ink due to a slight pause just now. His thoughts followed Jin Niangzi’s words back to that night in the bath, and the brush in his hand tightened unconsciously, as if recalling what he had seen that night and the slender waist his palm had grasped.

“Oh oh! Almost, almost! Just need to measure the legs.” Jin Niangzi, seeing Jiang Jiuchu’s face flushed, didn’t continue to praise her hips.

Instead, she quickly finished measuring and concluded, “With Your Highness’s figure and appearance, wearing the clothes made by me, Jin Niangzi, will surely attract the attention of the girls in Kyoto City. At that time, the threshold of my Jin Yu Pavilion will probably be broken through by those beauty-loving young ladies.”

Governess Li, who had been watching Shí Yan without showing any emotion, saw that he had changed paper after writing for a while. A hint of triumph flashed in her cunning eyes.

After seeing Governess Li lead the people out, Jiang Jiuchu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at Shí Yan, who was concentrating on writing, and sat back down a little awkwardly, picking up the account book again and opening it.