In the dead of night, after Huian had finished her ablutions and dismissed the attending maids, she lay down in bed and felt something amiss beneath her. Reaching out, she discovered a letter hidden beneath the bedsheet.
She sat up, unfolded the letter, and after scanning its contents at a glance, she walked to the candlelight and set the letter ablaze.
The next morning, Huian dressed and tidied herself before ordering a carriage to take her to the Nan residence.
Upon hearing of Huian's arrival, Madam Wang was slightly taken aback.
Why had she come?
Jin'er and Huian had already set a wedding date. According to custom, the bride and groom should avoid meeting before the wedding. How could the bride visit without any prior notice? Did she have any manners at all?
"Madam, Princess Huian is here to see Fourth Miss," Qiu Yue said, having heard from the gatekeeper that since Huian was not visiting the elders, she had only handed over the gifts to the stewardess before heading directly to Fourth Miss's quarters.
"Looking for Nan Yuan'er?"
"Indeed, she has now been betrothed by His Majesty to the Seventh Prince of Dali!"
The mere thought of this incident brought a sense of satisfaction to Madam Wang. Liu Shi, who had longed for wealth and status for half her life, had now seen all her hopes dashed. In the past few days, every time she heard the maids recount Liu Shi smashing porcelain vases and scolding her servants, Madam Wang wished she could witness firsthand her furious yet helpless appearance!
For exchanges between the younger generation, there was no need to send a calling card a day in advance. Qiu Yue presented the gifts sent by the stewardess to Madam Wang. They included the latest jewelry sets from the Jinxiang Jewelry Shop, exquisite pearl hairpins and ornaments transported from Nanyang, a set of exquisite glass tableware made in the palace and bearing the royal crest of Dali, and a set of jewelry made of exceptionally fine imperial green jade.
While the other items were fine, the imperial green jade set was exceptionally precious. Not only Qiu Yue, but even Madam Wang, the legitimate wife of the current Prime Minister, had never worn such valuable jewelry.
Huian had always been discreet since her arrival in Lin Yuan, and before that, she had never removed her veil, leading many to believe she was a plain woman of no particular talent. However, since the Dali prince's arrival in the capital, she had gradually revealed her elegance, much like a pearl covered in dust that had suddenly been wiped clean, revealing its true luster.
Madam Wang had never met Huian, but she had heard about the events that had occurred at the residence that day. Although she knew that Huian's emotional distress during her recent ordeal was normal, she found it difficult not to resent her, especially when she thought of how her own son had suffered such severe punishment because of her. Even with such generous gifts, Madam Wang could not entirely suppress her reservations, although her aversion to Huian had slightly lessened.
Qiu Yue, while marveling at Huian's generosity, spoke cheerfully about what she had heard. "Madam, the stewardess said that the Princess only prepared gifts for you, the master, the young master, and the Fourth Miss she intended to visit. She didn't prepare anything at all for the one in Liyuan Pavilion!"
"Your servant also heard that the gifts the Princess brought for Fourth Miss seemed to be just pastries from Guishanzhai, which were not as thoughtful as those for us, rather perfunctory!"
Qiu Yue's lips curved upwards as she spoke. Thinking of these things made her unable to stop smiling, giving her a sense of triumph. For many years, Liu Shi had controlled the household affairs, and those opportunistic servants not only gossiped behind their backs but also openly mocked them. If it weren't for the consideration of Young Master Yu Jin, they might have even cut back on Madam's food and clothing expenses.
Even though Madam had now regained control of the household and was managing affairs again, Liu Shi's accumulated prestige remained. If Madam had not shown her authority a few days ago and replaced more than half of the servants, the servants in the residence would still be outwardly obedient but inwardly defiant. Even so, Qiu Yue still heard whispers suggesting that Madam was seriously ill and might pass away at any moment, and that everything in the household would eventually return to Liu Shi's hands.
This had infuriated her greatly, yet she had to admit that it was indeed the case. Even she, the head maid serving Madam, harbored anxieties, fearing that after Madam’s death, she would face Liu Shi's retaliation, let alone others.
However, today, the Princess's actions had given Qiu Yue a glimmer of hope.
Given the Princess's temperament and methods, if she were to enter the household, what storms could Liu Shi possibly stir up, no matter how formidable she was?
Madam Wang listened and cast a thoughtful glance at Qiu Yue. This Princess Huian was truly remarkable. Without even entering the household, she had delivered a slap to Liu Shi, not only giving ample face to her as a mother-in-law but also making her own servants seem to have found a backbone.
If she married Jin'er, she would naturally rally everyone to her side for survival.
What a clever person.
If she truly devoted herself to Jin'er after marrying him, then Madam Wang could rest in peace after her death!
With this thought, Madam Wang said, "Alright, put these things away."
"Yes, Madam!"
Qiu Yue locked the items in Madam's private treasury.
...
Nan Yuan'er had not expected Huian to visit her. She invited her in, prepared tea and snacks, and dismissed the attending servants.
Huian picked up a teacup and savored the tea from the Nan residence. The aroma of the tea was rich, and the taste was sweet with a lingering aftertaste, making it a rare and excellent brew.
"Is the Princess here merely to taste my tea?" Seeing that Huian was only focused on drinking tea and appraising it, and had not mentioned the purpose of her visit, Nan Yuan'er impatiently retorted with a cold laugh.
She had not forgotten the relationship between this Princess Huian and that slut Nan Shiying. Why was she visiting her to taste tea instead of going to the Wang residence to catch up with Nan Shiying?
Huian put down her teacup, unperturbed by Nan Yuan'er's hostility, and smiled as she said, "No, this Princess is here to foster a relationship with my future sister-in-law."
"Heh~"
Nan Yuan'er took a sip of tea and spat it out, her brows furrowing as she splashed the tea onto the ground. Angrily, she yelled outside, "Are you all dead? What kind of tea is this? It's so unpalatable! Hurry up and take it away and bring a fresh pot."
The maids entered in fear and trepidation, removed the teapot, and also took away the accompanying pastries.
Nan Yuan'er turned around and smiled at Huian, "The maids are ignorant, I've made a spectacle for the Princess."
Huian smiled slightly as she looked at Nan Yuan'er. After all, she was just a young lady from a noble family, resorting to such veiled insults.
Her gaze was like that of someone watching a petulant child. Nan Yuan'er's expression darkened, and she could no longer maintain her smile. This feeling of wanting to punch but hitting cotton was truly nauseating.
"I originally thought Miss Nan was a clever person, but it seems I overestimated you," Huian said, gathering her sleeves and slowly standing up. Her condescending posture exuded contempt and disdain for Nan Yuan'er.
Nan Yuan'er was furious and was about to retort, but in the next moment, she seemed to realize something and smiled, "Princess, just say what you want to say. Why bother with such provocation? If the Princess truly thinks Nan Yuan'er is stupid and dull, the door of the Nan residence is right there. Feel free to leave."
Huian did not leave. Instead, she sat down again. "Miss Nan, have you made preparations for marrying into my Dali in the future?"