She didn't want a peach blossom hairpin because she didn't want romantic luck, but Su Ya was different!
Immediately, she bought two peach blossom hairpins, one half-open and one fully bloomed, showing how much she wished for romantic luck!
Zhao Jiaqi held a hairpin and playfully tucked it into her hair, teasing, "Once you wear the peach blossom hairpin, romance will surely follow. You'd best choose a good one from that pile of peaches, or this hairpin will have been bought in vain!"
Su Ya shyly replied, "Madam, please don't tease this humble servant. This peach blossom hairpin is just a story, it's not as accurate as they say. If it were true, there wouldn't be so many single men and old women in this world!"
Zhao Jiaqi chuckled, "Whether it is or not, we'll know in time!"
As she spoke, she walked ahead with a smile. She knew in her heart that even if she wanted to keep Su Ya, a certain person wouldn't agree. This outing, she considered herself a matchmaker, trying to bring a perfect couple together!
The time spent shopping was always fleeting. Before they knew it, the sun began to set, and the sky grew dim!
Seeing this, the two of them found a decent-looking restaurant.
Upon entering the restaurant, the main hall was quite crowded!
"Waiter, we need two private rooms, as we have many people," Su Ya said proactively as the waiter approached!
Having worked in restaurants for many years, the waiter was adept at reading people. Seeing Su Ya speak, he immediately replied with a smile, "We have two of our most elegant private rooms available on the third floor. Please follow me!"
The addition of "most" before elegant suggested that these were indeed exceptional rooms!
On the third floor.
The private rooms were named Qing Feng (Clear Wind) and Qing Yu (Light Rain). The names were pleasant, but they couldn't be sure if the rooms lived up to them.
As the waiter opened the door, the scene inside came into view. The walls were adorned with landscape paintings, and a painting of a gentleman graced the screen. A meticulously maintained bonsai pine tree sat on a dark wood table. Incense burned in the room, emitting a delicate and elegant fragrance.
Opening the sliding window revealed a panoramic view of the streets and alleys. A gentle breeze stirred the thin curtains by the window, creating a poetic and picturesque atmosphere!
The decoration was understated yet refined, living up to the waiter's description!
"Waiter, we are strangers here and are not familiar with your local specialties. Please trouble your manager to order some for us," Zhao Jiaqi said to the waiter with a disarmingly innocent smile!
"Certainly, Madam, please wait a moment!"
The waiter, encountering such an amiable guest for the first time, happily turned and left. Before departing, he thoughtfully closed their private room door.
Seeing this, Su Ya asked Zhao Jiaqi, "Madam, did you intentionally mention being strangers to glean some information from this establishment?"
"I primarily wanted to see if they try to cheat customers. This is also a form of reconnaissance," Zhao Jiaqi replied, adding, "Go ask the waiter to send someone back to inform them to come and eat. If we're out, we should naturally sample the local delicacies; otherwise, it's a wasted trip!"
Su Ya thought her Madam was simply indulging her foodie nature, managing to inspect the local conditions and enjoy herself simultaneously.
Before long, the waiter brought out some fruit platters, pastries, and tea. The pre-meal snacks were quite abundant, and even the tea had a faint scent of osmanthus.
Indeed, the higher the grade of the private room, the better the service. Zhao Jiaqi mused at the great power of money!
Before the dishes arrived, Fan Zehao and Prince Xiaoyao arrived with their guards. Two guards stood at the entrance, while the rest of their entourage sat in another private room.
Zhao Jiaqi glanced at the two of them but noticed someone was missing. She asked her husband, "Where is Xiao Ce?"
"He's on a diet. He said his stomach was too big to look good in his wedding attire when he gets married, so he's not eating tonight and went for a run."
This statement stunned Zhao Jiaqi but thoroughly frightened Su Ya, who was beside her. "Xiao Ce is getting married? Who is the bride? I hadn't heard he was getting married!"
Prince Xiaoyao chuckled, "You're not General Xiao's wife, why would he need to inform a maid like you about his marriage?"
Su Ya's face immediately turned pale. She curtsied to Zhao Jiaqi, "I'll go to the next room first. Madam, call me if you need anything."
Before Zhao Jiaqi could respond, she lowered her head and quickly left, afraid that if she stayed a moment longer, her tears would flow uncontrollably!
After she left, only the three of them remained in the spacious private room. Zhao Jiaqi shot a glare at Huangfu Xu, "With your foul mouth, you'll get beaten up sooner or later!"
Huangfu Xu shrugged indifferently, "I'm a prince, who dares to cross me? I'll skin them alive!"
Despite his gentle outward appearance, his words were laced with cruelty. He was truly a wolf in sheep's clothing, appearing human when not hungry, but like a wolf when provoked!
Fan Zehao poured himself a cup of tea and felt that Huangfu Xu wasn't entirely wrong. "Wife, Su Ya always thinks of herself as a mere maid, a lower-class person unworthy of a good match. Sometimes, if you don't give her a strong dose of reality, she'll remain holed up in her perceived safe shell."
Zhao Jiaqi: "But can't the medicine be administered less harshly? Shouldn't she be given some time to prepare?"
"She shouldn't be given time to prepare, otherwise, once Xiao Ce makes his move, she'll retreat again? It's better to give her a strong dose now; that's more exciting!" Huangfu Xu said slyly, fanning himself with a bright red fan!
Fan Zehao, on the other side, agreed, "If it were me, I'd just marry her immediately and then slowly coax her if she's upset. If she's still not appeased, I'd let her hit me once or twice, and eventually, she'll be pacified!"
As he boasted grandly, Huangfu Xu was so embarrassed he almost wanted to hide his head in the ground. More importantly, he saw the extremely displeased expression on the Princess Consort's face.
Just as a storm was about to brew in the room, Huangfu Xu asked him, "Big Sister-in-law, did you marry her the same way?"
Fan Zehao faltered, then slowly glanced at his wife. Even though he had spoken carelessly and wrongly, he couldn't take back his words now. His scalp tingled, and he replied defiantly.
"Yes, I saw that your Big Sister-in-law was gentle and virtuous, so I married her. There was a bit of a commotion when we got home, but as the saying goes, lovers quarrel in bed and make up by night. If we don't reconcile once, we do it a few more times, and then... then it's fine. Look how gentle and skilled your sister-in-law is."
Hearing this boastful, nonsensical, and rambling speech made her laugh with anger. She remembered how cautiously he had acted back then, fearing she might run away, and how he watched her every day.
He had even shaved off his long-cultivated beard after she merely mentioned Murong Sheng was good-looking, and he'd even tried to entice her with his beauty!
This man, at his core, was truly a male chauvinist!
Huangfu Xu couldn't believe it, his eyes wide with amusement, sparkling brightly. He asked Zhao Jiaqi, who remained silent, "Big Sister-in-law, was my eldest brother really that formidable back then? Did you really submit to him? That doesn't sound like your personality!"
Zhao Jiaqi glanced at the person who enjoyed stirring up trouble and said calmly, "If he weren't formidable, how could he have tamed me?"
Fan Zehao, on the side, heaved a great sigh of relief upon hearing this. His wife was wonderful; she had saved him a lot of face today!
He wouldn't dare to speak like this again next time. He was truly afraid his wife would no longer give him face, and if she ended up trampling his dignity underfoot like a shoe sole, he would be utterly disgraced.