Free Web NovelChapter 463: Bidding Farewell in Succession
The Beili Emperor was also somewhat surprised to hear this. "The General’s Mansion is that destitute? If word of this got out, wouldn’t we become a laughingstock?"
"The last time Prince Yu of Nanyuan brought the young prince to the General’s Mansion to visit Dean Chen, the Crown Prince of Xi Yan and Mo Geluo went along as well. I heard Mo Geluo did indeed mock the General’s Mansion back then. A few days ago, Minister Qian moved a considerable amount of his family’s fortune to the General’s Mansion." Speaking of this, Sang Yan smiled and added, "It’s truly rare for Qian Fanji to be willing to move his family’s money to the General’s Mansion. It seems the bad blood between him and Xiang Minghou has finally been resolved."
’Bad blood resolved?’
The Beili Emperor knew better. ’Qian Fanji isn’t a generous man. He most likely sent that money to the General’s Mansion to repay a favor Nanyuan owed from years ago.’
’The Zhan family recently moved into the General’s Mansion, and it’s highly likely that Ye Qianning is their child.’
’As for why Xiang Minghou is so possessive of the child, it’s simply because he has no heirs of his own. Plus, he spent a night with that woman from Nanyuan and owes her a great debt for saving his life.’
’He owes Ye Qianning’s mother his life, so of course he’d treat her child like a precious treasure.’
’The Qian family and the Gu family are in the same boat. Debts of gratitude must always be repaid.’
"Since they are so short on money, then reward them with several thousand taels each of gold and silver and a hundred pieces of jewelry. Also, draft an imperial decree to commend her as an exemplary model."
"On Ye Qianning’s behalf, I thank you, Father Emperor."
"Go to the treasury and take inventory. Tomorrow, you will deliver it to the General’s Mansion along with the imperial decree."
"Yes, I will see to it at once."
The Beili Emperor waved his hand in dismissal.
Sang Yan bowed and exited, his heart filled with both joy and apprehension.
’Based on Father Emperor’s words today, I’m afraid he’s going to grant me a secondary consort. I have no idea how to bring this up with the Princess Consort.’
’Life in the Third Prince Mansion is about to get a lot less peaceful.’
——
「The next day, during morning court.」
East Shu, Nanyuan, and Xi Yan all submitted their official letters of departure to the Beili Emperor. During the morning court session, the travel permits for East Shu and Nanyuan were given to the Third Prince to deliver to the relay station.
Only Xi Yan’s letter of departure was set aside.
The Eldest Princess of Xi Yan was betrothed to Qian Fanji. The Beili Emperor’s intention was for the Crown Prince of Xi Yan to return to his country only after the princess arrived in Beili and the grand wedding was held.
When Xiliu Yuan received this reply, he did not say anything.
During the morning court session, Sang Yan requested a reward for Ye Qianning. In front of all the court officials, he briefly recounted the incident at Immortal’s Drunkenness. He did not mention anything improper about the three-nation gathering, but simply conveyed Ye Qianning’s deep love for Beili.
Even a six-year-old child knew to stand up for Beili; such devotion and courage were an example for all to follow.
Sang Yan and the Beili Emperor were perfectly in sync. The civil and military officials were all exceptionally shrewd; they naturally understood the underlying message. They would undoubtedly return to their residences and strictly discipline their own children.
The Beili Emperor rewarded the General’s Mansion with eight thousand taels of gold, eight thousand taels of silver, and nearly a hundred pieces of jewelry and rare trinkets. He also issued an imperial decree, publicly praising her and declaring that, at such a young age, she had become a model for all the noble families in the Capital City.
The announcement of the rewards and the imperial decree drew the envy of countless nobles. Many of them had met Ye Qianning and were skeptical of the Third Prince’s claims. ’How could a six-year-old be that intelligent?’
Many suspected the Emperor simply wanted to send a message to the children of other prominent officials and was using the young lady of the General’s Mansion as an example.
As for the lavish rewards, the child was, after all, the future Crown Princess Consort personally chosen by the Emperor. He wouldn’t feel the pinch, no matter how much he bestowed upon her.
When the Third Prince arrived at the General’s Mansion with the rewards and the imperial decree, Zhan Yi, Lady Zhan, and Zhan Chi were all extremely surprised.
Yesterday, the Gu family had shown up at their door. After the little girl sent them away, she had taken Old Man Gu to Yuehua Small Building. They weren’t sure when she had left the mansion, only that she had returned by noon.
’What on earth had the little girl done during that short trip out of the mansion?’
’Never mind the rewards, she even became a model for all the children of noble families!’
’A model?’
Zhan Yi was delighted. ’The Emperor’s eyes are finally open for once!’ he thought. Of course their Zhan family’s granddaughter was a model for the aristocracy!
Qian Fanji was also extremely surprised. ’So much happened from just one trip to Immortal’s Drunkenness.’ The letters had been sent, and not only had no one grown suspicious, but she had even been rewarded by the Emperor with thousands of taels of pure gold and silver.
’To be praised by an imperial decree was an unprecedented honor in the Capital City.’
’With the Emperor’s decree and her status as the future Crown Princess Consort, probably no child in the Capital City had a more distinguished status than her. Even the princesses couldn’t compare.’
In the main hall, the Third Prince sat in the seat of honor, continuously praising Ye Qianning for her intelligence.
Zhan Yi and Lady Zhan were grinning from ear to ear.
Zhan Chi was inwardly delighted as well, sitting with his back ramrod straight. ’Of course she’s intelligent,’ he thought proudly. ’Look whose daughter she is!’
Qian Fanji looked toward Ye Qianning.
Ye Qianning held the imperial decree in one hand, her gaze fixed on several large chests outside the door. A group of eunuchs and palace maids held up trays laden with valuable accessories, bracelets, and golden hairpins.
There were also the Four Treasures of the Study, as well as antiques and other fine treasures.
"Is all of this for me?" Ye Qianning turned to look at Sang Yan, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Sang Yan smiled faintly and nodded. "Yes, it’s all for you."
Upon receiving confirmation, Ye Qianning placed the imperial decree on the table, hopped down from her chair, and trotted out the door.
Seeing the little girl run over, the eunuchs and palace maids perceptively knelt down, lowering their trays to her eye level.
Ye Qianning had expected a reward from the Emperor, but she hadn’t anticipated this much. It was all real gold and silver, over a hundred accessories, and seven or eight bracelets made of either white jade or jadeite. While they weren’t top-tier gems like emeralds, they were all still quite valuable.
"This pair of red jadeite earrings would be perfect for Grandma!" Ye Qianning held the earrings in her hand, turning back to call out happily.
Lady Zhan looked over, an irrepressible smile spreading across her face. ’The little girl always thinks of me whenever she gets something nice.’
"Oh, this child," she said with a laugh, mindful of the Third Prince’s presence.
"Qian Ning and Lady Zhan are very close," Sang Yan remarked with a smile.
"Yes, we are."
Lady Zhan gazed at the little one, her heart so warm it felt like it could melt.
Sang Yan sighed to himself. ’Just how fond is the Zhan family of Ye Qianning?’ he wondered. ’Seeing them sit so naturally in the seats of honor, you’d think this was the Zhan Mansion if you didn’t read the plaque on the gate.’
Qian Fanji’s gaze followed the chubby child. The smile on her face was undeniable—she was genuinely thrilled to see real gold and silver.
’In the past, he would have dismissed the little girl as a money-grubber. But ever since he learned of her grand ambitions and the things she was setting in motion, he now understood and even admired her.’
’What she was doing and planning were things many people wouldn’t dare to do, or would want to do but lacked the ability.’
’Even he wouldn’t dare to try, yet she did, and without any hesitation.’
’Compared to this little child, he felt ashamed.’
Sang Yan inadvertently caught a glimpse of Qian Fanji’s expression and was once again surprised.
’What’s with that soft, doting gaze?’
’Weren’t they all dead set against acknowledging her as their child at the beginning?’
’How long has it been? Why has every single one of them had a complete change of heart?’
"Grandma, how about we take these and let Auntie pick some things out?" Ye Qianning suggested after looking everything over once.
Among the hundred items, over fifty were accessories and jewelry. She was inwardly very satisfied.
"Alright." Lady Zhan agreed and rose to her feet, giving Sang Yan a slight bow. "Third Prince, please continue your conversation. I’ll take Pangtuan to the back courtyard."
