LF Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Choosing a Wife for “Him”

Three days later, Jiang Yinghua dared not stay in her manor any longer, lazing about. She obediently entered the palace and took her place in the court.

Perhaps His Majesty, remembering her admonishment from a few days prior, had a mind to somewhat ease their strained relationship, and specially arranged for a maid to join her for lunch.

During the meal, looking at the hundred-odd varieties of delicacies on jade platters, Jiang Yinghua, recalling the simple, vegetarian fare at Yan Wanzhi’s residence that day, felt a rare sense of guilt for her extravagant lifestyle.

She held her chopsticks for a long time, reluctant to lower them, her eyes wandering aimlessly. His Majesty raised her eyes and assessed her for a moment, asking, “What are you thinking about? How can you be so distracted even while dining with me?”

“Nothing much, Your Majesty, I was just thinking about how Scholar Yan said that several southern prefectures have suffered from disasters, and I wonder how things are now.” Jiang Yinghua blinked her eyes, casually picking up a mouthful of food from the nearest plate.

“So you know how to care about state affairs now. Yan Qing only returned today, when did you discuss court matters with him?” His Majesty said, while waiting for the palace staff to serve the dishes. Although her phoenix eyes did not look at the person next to her, the expression in her eyes changed several times in an instant.

“Three days ago, your subject went to Scholar Yan’s residence, and we spoke at that time. By the way, your subject saw that Scholar Yan’s residence is very simple, the courtyard is desolate, and the inner rooms are cluttered, it seems he lacks a caring person to manage the household affairs.” As Jiang Yinghua spoke, her eyes turned, and she steered the topic elsewhere.

“Oh? You used the excuse of recuperating to avoid the palace, but you had the leisure to see Yan Wanzhi?” His Majesty glanced at her, a little displeased.

“It’s not like that, Elder Sister. It just so happened that Scholar Yan sent your younger sister some top-quality bird’s nest and an exquisitely carved Duan inkstone that day. Your younger sister thought that she couldn’t just accept his gifts for nothing, so she went to his residence to return the favor.” Jiang Yinghua hurriedly explained.

“Hmm, what did you return?”

“An old ginseng. Your Majesty, your subject did not intend to make fun of anyone…” Jiang Yinghua took the opportunity to try to save face.

Before she could finish speaking, His Majesty interrupted her, “Is it that you don’t want to eat imperial cuisine, and you’re craving stir-fried meat with leather?”

“No, no.” Jiang Yinghua hurriedly got up, dismissed the palace staff, and personally served her elder sister, skillfully displaying her talent for flattery and ingratiation, a skill she had honed since childhood.

“This afternoon, you have nothing to do, return to your manor and read more books, and put your mind to proper matters.” His Majesty raised her hand and knocked the chopsticks out of her hand, instructing in a stern voice.

Jiang Yinghua, having received amnesty, disappeared in a flash. Even the most delicious imperial cuisine was just for show, it was better to return to her manor and have another meal.

In the afternoon, His Majesty rested with her eyes closed on the bed in the bedroom, and the inner attendant arranged for a group of musicians to be on standby. The already irritable and sultry weather, coupled with the ear-splitting music, was really unbearable.

His Majesty slightly raised her jade arm, and the little eunuch hurried forward, standing still in front of the couch. His Majesty lazily squeezed out two words from her mouth: “Dismiss them.”

The music stopped abruptly, and the group of musicians silently retreated from the hall.

The sudden stillness was too much. His Majesty thought that since she was just resting, she might as well find someone to relieve the boredom, so she added, “Summon Yan Wanzhi.”

Half a quarter of an hour later, Yan Wanzhi, dressed in a neat official robe, entered the hall and greeted her softly in front of the couch.

Hearing the sound, His Majesty did not even raise her eyelids, and waved her hand. Yan Wanzhi understood, gave a look to the eunuch beside her, and all the palace staff retreated.

Then, His Majesty pointed to her own leg with her index finger. Yan Wanzhi bent down and gently massaged her legs in front of the couch with clenched fists, acting like a well-behaved little palace maid.

After a long while, His Majesty opened her eyes imperceptibly, a gleam of cold light landing on Yan Wanzhi’s shoulder.

Sensing the gaze from above, Yan Wanzhi felt as if her heart had skipped a beat, and even her breathing became rapid, but the movement of her hands did not dare to stop even for a moment.

“I heard Prince Zhao say that Yan Qing is very generous.”

His Majesty suddenly opened her mouth, startling Yan Wanzhi. The key was that this unprovoked question made it difficult to know where to start answering.

Yan Wanzhi secretly pondered, wasn’t this little Prince being coaxed by her quite happily? How could she be doing this behind-the-scenes complaining?

Before she could respond, His Majesty propped herself up with her arm, hooked Yan Wanzhi’s chin with one hand, and said faintly:

“Yan Qing is very good at buying people’s hearts. The gifts sent are nothing new, but they should be very much to Hua’er’s liking. Why are you in such a hurry to please my sister, what are you plotting?”

His Majesty’s eyes, filled with ice, seemed to have a magical power to capture people’s hearts, staring at Yan Wanzhi so much that she hesitated and did not know what to do, even her tongue could not obey her command.

“Your… Your subject dares not.”

As soon as the words fell, the hall was unusually quiet, and Yan Wanzhi could clearly hear her own heavy and hurried heartbeat, “plop, plop.”

“Blood swallows are hard to find at this time of year, Yan Qing is really generous, you have too much salary and nowhere to spend it, right? Then let’s exempt this year’s salary.”

That heartbeat was so loud that His Majesty felt a little annoyed, withdrew her hand and stopped scaring her.

Yan Wanzhi seemed to have not recovered, and knelt blankly on the floor.

“Not thanking me for my kindness?”

His Majesty got up and walked behind her. After a long while of not hearing any movement, she turned her head and glanced at her.

Yan Wanzhi hurriedly turned around and bowed to the person in front of her: “Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your grace, and will never do it again.”

Three days later, in the evening, it was a holiday, and Jiang Yinghua was idly swinging on the swing in her manor.

“Cousin Princess~ Cousin…”

A sharp female voice came from the winding path.

Jiang Yinghua couldn’t help but support her forehead and mutter: Noisy.

The person who came was the youngest daughter of the Lou Official, the apple of the eye of the The eldest princess, and Jiang Yinghua’s little cousin——Lou Wanwan.

The name was gentle enough, but this person, although she was born with a delicate and pretty appearance, was really a bit crazy.

Lou Wanwan saw the person on the swing at a glance, and hobbled her little legs to get closer to her.

Jiang Yinghua reached out and stopped her an arm’s length away, “Stand there, be proper.”

Wanwan pouted, holding a silk handkerchief in her hand, and stood in front of her honestly, “Oh.”

“What are you doing here?” Jiang Yinghua stood up and walked to her side. Her intuition told her that the atmosphere emanating from this girl today was a little strange.

Although she was her little cousin, she was only a few months younger than her, and now she was also a sixteen-year-old girl.

The visitor held the silk handkerchief in her hand like a treasure, and handed it to Jiang Yinghua’s eyes, “Cousin, look!”

The expression on her face was triumphant, happy, and a bit smug?

Jiang Yinghua took the handkerchief, which had a common, sour scholar’s poem written on it, specifically written for girls, sparing no words of praise.

The person who wrote this poem must have good literary talent, but after reading it at a glance, one would know that he was a frivolous and romantic scholar who knew the affairs of the boudoir well. But this handwriting was so familiar.

“At such a young age, where did you get such a second-rate miscellaneous poem? If your old relic of a father sees it, he will surely break your legs.”

The little cousin stomped her feet in a hurry, snatched it back, and treasured it in her heart. “It’s not some second-rate miscellaneous poem, this is what Wanwan just got at the poetry meeting at the Blooming building today, but it was Scholar Yan who personally wrote it for me.”

While speaking, the stars in that girl’s eyes were almost overflowing.

“Which Scholar Yan?” Jiang Yinghua frowned.

“Who else could it be? The popular talent beside His Majesty, there’s only Yan Wanzhi in the whole country.” The little cousin said, her face full of shyness.

Jiang Yinghua’s delicate eyebrows suddenly became sharp, her eyes turned, and she asked with a smile:

“Could it be that Wanwan is in love with him?”

Hearing these words, the little cousin lowered her eyes, her hands fidgeting at the edge of her skirt, her feet tiptoeing.

Okay, no need to ask, this is a default admission.

Before Jiang Yinghua could say anything teasing, Wanwan looked playfully at her cousin: “The great talent Yan is handsome and unrestrained, a jade tree facing the wind, which girl in the capital doesn’t love him, could it be that cousin is not moved at all?”

“Childish. So you’re here to show off to me?”

“No, no, no, cousin misunderstood. People, people are not, um… Aiya…”

“Speak properly.” Seeing the girl hesitant, twisting and turning, Jiang Yinghua became inexplicably angry.

“Wanwan knows that cousin’s talent is extraordinary, and wants to trouble you to write a reply poem. Cousin also knows that I have no ink in my chest, but people gave me a poem, so I have to express myself, so that he will remember me, and make an appointment to meet again.” As she spoke, she grabbed Jiang Yinghua’s sleeve.

“Take your claws off.” Jiang Yinghua glared at her fiercely.

“Good sister, please.” The cousin’s hand clenched tighter, and she even started shaking her.

“Okay, follow me to the study.” Jiang Yinghua was worn down and had no choice.

Spreading out paper and pens, Jiang Yinghua impatiently waved a few times, picked up a piece of paper, and said, “Take it.”

The cousin happily took it and muttered, reading:

Sophora, Night pillow。

Lantern, Hairpin

“Good poem, good poem, cousin really understands me. I’ll choose a brocade box and send it to Yan’s residence tomorrow.” After saying that, she raised her foot to leave.

Hearing that she was going to send it to Yan’s residence, Jiang Yinghua was stunned, and hurriedly shouted, “Come back!”

“What else do you want to say, cousin? You can’t spoil my God-given marriage.” Wanwan blinked her big eyes and acted coquettishly.

“What are you going to do sending a poem there, making a private appointment?” Jiang Yinghua looked serious.

“That’s exactly what I mean, hehe.”

Jiang Yinghua supported her forehead. If emotions had colors, then at this time, there must be three black lines on her face.

“If cousin has nothing else, I’ll go home.” Wanwan ran out happily all the way.

“Copy it yourself before sending it, don’t take mine and embarrass yourself.” Jiang Yinghua hurriedly added.

“Got it!”

Looking at the crazy girl who disappeared in a flash, Jiang Yinghua suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and slapped her forehead, really a God-given opportunity. Yan Wanzhi, it’s your fault for attracting bees and butterflies first, so don’t blame me.

Jiang Yinghua hurriedly sat back at her desk, picked up a pen, and wrote a note very seriously.

After writing it, she carefully blew it dry and folded it up, chose a small sachet and put it in, and told Hua Yan that tomorrow evening when the court was dismissed, she must deliver this sachet to the butler of the Lou manor, but be sure to choose a stranger to send it, and don’t reveal any clues.

As for the content of that note, it was a line of reply poem written in imitation of Yan Wanzhi’s handwriting:

One see, Zuifang。

The next day in the afternoon, Jiang Yinghua ordered several personal guards of the Prince Zhao Manor, ordered them to change their clothes and go to Drunken Fragrance Alley to keep an eye on it, in case that silly sister was not stopped by her father and really went there, so that they could protect her.

After all, that Drunken Fragrance Alley was the gathering place of brothels and brothels.