Yu Meng also set her eyes on these fabrics, her eyes almost glued to them.
"Mother, these fabrics are so beautiful, I've never seen anything so dazzling."
Zhao Jiaqi smiled and asked the little one beside her, "Then we'll take these fabrics. Mother will design unique clothes for you based on these fabrics, guaranteed to make you look like a proud little princess when you wear them."
For the first time, Yu Meng felt that her mother loved her, a love that was unconditional. Compared to her childhood of being constantly drilled with books, her mother was gentler now.
She nodded vigorously at her mother, "Mother, you're so good. Thank you, Mother."
The little girl's sweet words had Zhao Jiaqi beaming with joy. With a wave of her hand, she ordered a good portion of the fabrics.
For silks and satins, each type amounted to over ten bolts, in all sorts of colors, absolutely no repeats. The shopkeeper introduced them with a happy demeanor, secretly counting his earnings.
As soon as this mother and daughter left, the shopkeeper immediately had the fabrics sent to the prince's mansion. When the steward settled the bill, he was startled.
While the fabrics were indeed numerous, the sum of over a million taels of silver truly stunned the old steward.
However, he considered that this was the prince's mansion, who would dare to lie to the prince's mansion? Moreover, the other party was a large fabric store in the inner city, so they likely wouldn't have the courage to deceive the princess.
At that time, the mother and daughter went to the Treasure House. Although these businesses were their own, choosing jewelry for their daughter was not to be taken lightly.
Upon seeing the princess and the county princess arrive, the shopkeeper personally stepped forward to receive them, and directly brought out the shop's most prized treasures, arranging them in a row for the princess and county princess to choose from.
Zhao Jiaqi looked at the exquisite and beautiful jewelry and headpieces. She looked at her daughter, "See which one you like? If you like them all, just have them sent to the mansion."
Among the many hair ornaments, Yu Meng chose only a jade hairpin, showing no interest in the others. "Mother, just this one hairpin. It won't be tiring to wear in my hair."
Hearing the county princess say this, the shopkeeper chuckled, "The county princess must often train troops, so she feels these hair ornaments are troublesome. How about this, I'll tell the craftsmen to make more light and easy-to-wear jewelry for the county princess."
The old shopkeeper had spoken Yu Meng's mind. She nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes. The simpler the style, the better. If it's not afraid of falling and is more durable, that would be even better. Thank you, Uncle Wu."
The shopkeeper shook his head upon hearing this, "What trouble is there? This is what I should do."
Zhao Jiaqi, seeing her child happy, indulged her wishes. It was rare for a little girl to not care for jewelry.
She seemed to have given birth to an oddity. She wondered if the child in her belly would be a boy or a girl, and if they would also be an oddity like their elder sister.
The mother and daughter roamed outside for half the day until it was dark, and then they headed back. Besides buying some fabrics, they didn't buy anything else.
Upon returning home, Yu Meng went to the military camp, while Zhao Jiaqi stayed in the study, remaining there for most of the night. If Fan Zehao hadn't coaxed her out, she probably would have stayed all night.
Fan Zehao said earnestly, "Wife, the child's wedding is in mid-August. Even if you're designing wedding attire, you don't need to work this hard, do you? You're pregnant."
She, however, was nonchalant, "I know my own body well, and this little one in my belly is very well-behaved, it doesn't interfere."
"It's just that I've finished designing, but I don't know if the embroiderers can finish it in time," Zhao Jiaqi said, a hint of worry in her voice. She immediately got out of bed to put on her shoes. "No, I need to give instructions to find more embroiderers with excellent skills. My daughter is marrying for the first time, and it's only once. It cannot be sloppy."
Fan Zehao looked at his somewhat agitated wife, who was ready to act immediately. He quickly stopped her, "Have you forgotten that our embroiderers at Miracle Mountain Villa are all from the palace? Not only are their skills excellent, but there are many of them. Are you afraid that a mere wedding dress cannot be embroidered?"
"Besides, if the prince's mansion sends out a general announcement, all the embroiderers in the inner city will surely flock back. It's not about the money; if they say the wedding attire the county princess wears was embroidered by them, it would bring them honor, and they'll have endless wedding dress orders in the future."
How could his wife not understand such simple logic?
Her daughter's marriage had made her, as a mother, incredibly busy.
Zhao Jiaqi, lying on the bed, heard her husband's words and found them very reasonable. So, she languidly lay back down, pulling Fan Zehao to tell him about her interactions with their child that day.
As they chatted, Fan Zehao fell asleep. When Zhao Jiaqi realized no one was responding to her, she discovered her husband had already dozed off.
She slept soundly through the night, even having a beautiful dream.
The next day.
Huangfu Xian and Huangfu Xu, the two brothers, had discussed and decided to return to the State of Yun together. Neither of them was willing to be the emperor.
Prince Xian said, "We've discussed it. We'll each manage for half a year. Once our children have grown up, we'll choose an excellent child among them to be the emperor."
Prince Xiaoyao agreed with this proposal, "I just hope my child isn't a boy. I wish for a daughter."
Hearing this, Prince Xian rolled his eyes, "As if that's possible. If you don't like boys, send them to me after they're born."
"That won't do. Why should my child be yours?" Prince Xiaoyao retorted, unwilling to concede.
Zhao Jiaqi and Fan Zehao watched the two brothers putting on a show, feeling quite vexed. They didn't need to comment on the outcome of their discussion, but they truly didn't have the time to listen to this nonsense.
Zhao Jiaqi said, "You two, stop. The State of Yun was left by your father. How you manage it is your business, and you don't need to tell us. But remember, you are brothers. In the future, we hope to see you living in harmony."
The brothers unanimously agreed, stating that they would not fall out over minor gains.
Zhao Jiaqi and Fan Zehao saw the brothers off outside the inner city. Watching the carriage recede into the distance, Zhao Jiaqi sighed with emotion, "I wonder if their promise of not falling out will come true."
Fan Zehao put his arm around his wife and smiled, "Whether it's true or not, for now, they both genuinely have no interest in the throne. As for what happens in the future, let's see who can contend for supremacy."
Indeed, who the future ruler would be remained to be seen.
Unity followed by division, and division followed by unity; this had been the pattern for many years, and it wouldn't change with them.
After Prince Xian and Prince Xiaoyao departed, the wedding preparations in the prince's mansion were put on the fast track. Although these two children were not getting married in Dingbei Liao, Helian Zhicheng had invited the important officials from their country.
Suddenly, the prosperity of the inner city surpassed anything before.
The streets and alleys were crowded, and even the small vendors were busy and making a fortune.
Meanwhile, in the State of Yun, the struggle for the throne had ended. Just as the two brothers had said, one would manage for half a year, and when their children were capable of inheriting the throne, one would be chosen to be emperor.
In the history of the State of Yun, the appearance of two emperors who could coexist peacefully truly shocked the people of various vassal states.
But that was the reality. With the two emperors backed by the inner city, who dared to question them?
Time flew by, and it was August. With the children's wedding approaching, Zhao Jiaqi's belly grew larger with each passing day. The wedding attire that the embroiderers had made for Yu Meng was also ready.
When Yu Meng wore it, she looked like a celestial maiden.
Zhao Jiaqi was mesmerized, "I never imagined my daughter would look so stunning in this Xiuhua dress!"
"It's true that your design is beautiful, but the key is that our daughter is also beautiful," Fan Zehao said, trying to please both sides and offending neither. His words made both women extremely happy.
Zhao Jiaqi helped Yu Meng sit before the vanity table and personally styled her bridal hair, placing the phoenix crown she had designed on her head. After a simple makeup application, a beautiful woman stood before them.
The couple couldn't help but look away.
Fan Zehao longed to touch his daughter's face. The little girl who used to chase after him, calling him "Dad," had grown up.
He was so moved that tears almost welled up in his eyes, "My daughter has grown up, and she's beautiful."
Zhao Jiaqi smiled and nodded, echoing her husband's words, "Of course. Whose child do you think she is?"
The couple never held back when praising their children.