Chapter 178
**Chapter 178: Know How to Slaughter a Pig**
Cai Ping nodded eagerly, “Don’t worry, my lord. I’ll make sure everything is handled perfectly this time!”
After failing to meet her master’s expectations before, Cai Ping was determined not to let him down again. She absolutely could not disappoint him!
...
At the Zhen Nan Marquisate.
As soon as Shangguan Xuan stepped through the gates, he was summoned by the old lady’s maid to the Shou An Hall.
Inside the hall, the elderly matriarch, her hair streaked with gray, lay on her sickbed, her brow furrowed with worry.
“Xuan’er, has Sun Shi returned?” the old lady asked anxiously.
Shangguan Xuan dismissed the servants around him and sat by her bedside, shaking his head helplessly. “Sun Shi has already left Yan Jing; I don’t know where she’s gone. Princess Zhaoyang is close to her and intends to help her recover the remaining dowry.”
The old lady coughed in anger, taking a couple of sips of ginseng soup to soothe her throat. Frustrated, she exclaimed, “I knew it from the start; Sun Qingmei is truly a selfish woman! The Sun family has fallen, and we, the Marquisate, were willing to take her in, yet she shows no gratitude and even brings family matters to the Emperor’s attention! So what if her dowry is substantial? It could be used for the Marquisate’s expenses!”
Without Sun Qingmei to manage things, the old lady’s sixtieth birthday had turned into a chaotic affair.
She thought of the empty storerooms in the Marquisate and frowned. “That Zhao Qing, a country girl, is even worse than Sun Qingmei. At least Sun Qingmei has a fortune; Zhao Qing has nothing but the empty title of county princess.”
The old lady was quite dissatisfied with marrying a country girl into their high-ranking family. The best solution would be to have a “secondary wife.”
Marrying Sun Qingmei would bring wealth to the Marquisate, while marrying Zhao Qing would bring prestige.
Who would have thought that Sun Qingmei would be so ungrateful and ruin their original plans?
“Mother, although A Qing comes from humble beginnings, she is exceptionally clever. Both the Emperor and the Crown Prince hold her in high regard,” Shangguan Xuan couldn’t bear to hear his mother speak ill of Zhao Qing; in his heart, Zhao Qing was a wonderful woman.
The old lady rubbed her temples. “Very well. Marrying Zhao Qing would benefit the Marquisate, but where will the money for the wedding come from?”
With so many servants in the Marquisate, the expenses from the second and third branches were draining their resources, and the Marquisate was already in deficit. After Sun Qingmei left, the temporary servants scattered like birds and beasts, leaving the Marquisate short-handed.
Where would the money for the wedding come from?
Shangguan Xuan had a plan. He told the old lady, “Don’t you still have five thousand taels of silver? That’s your dowry from years ago. Why not give it to me to use for the wedding?”
The old lady had a substantial dowry when she married into the Marquisate. After all these years, five thousand taels remained. Using that for a wedding banquet wasn’t too shabby.
“That’s my emergency fund!” The old lady never expected Shangguan Xuan would have the audacity to target her private savings.
Shangguan Xuan patiently replied, “After you’re gone, that money will belong to your children. I’m currently favored by the Emperor and bearing the future of the Marquisate on my shoulders. The Marquisate will soon regain its glory. What’s five thousand taels in the grand scheme of things?”
The old lady’s face turned ashen.
She could never part with her late-life savings to fund Shangguan Xuan’s wedding. A woman without her own money had no standing in the Marquisate.
“Don’t even think about it!” The old lady coldly refused.
Shangguan Xuan didn’t give up. “What use does a woman have for so much money? If you take it out to support the Marquisate’s expenses, it would benefit everyone—”
Just as Shangguan Xuan was about to persuade her further, lively footsteps approached from outside. His sister, Shangguan Qian, burst into the room, beaming. “Brother, the steward from the Heng Wang Mansion is here! You should go see him!”
Shangguan Xuan frowned. The steward from the Heng Wang Mansion?
Since the decline of the Zhen Nan Marquisate, the noble families of Yan Jing had kept their distance, and hardly any princes were willing to associate with them. Suppressing his curiosity, Shangguan Xuan left Shou An Hall, intending to receive the steward from the Heng Wang Mansion in the main house.
Shangguan Qian followed closely behind.
“Little sister, why are you tagging along?” Shangguan Xuan turned around to find Shangguan Qian trailing right behind him.
Shangguan Qian playfully stuck out her tongue, her cheeks flushed, tugging at his sleeve and pouting, “Big brother, just let me come! I want to see!”
The Heng Wang was known as the most handsome man in Yan Jing, of noble birth and charming demeanor. Although he had many concubines, he had yet to take a formal wife.
In the past, when the Marquisate was in decline, Shangguan Qian didn’t dare to covet the position of the Heng Wang’s wife. Now that the Marquisate was regaining its glory, as a legitimate daughter of the Marquisate, she felt she was worthy of the extraordinary Heng Wang.
The two arrived at the main house.
The steward from the Heng Wang Mansion stepped forward, respectfully cupping his hands in greeting. “My lord, our Wang Ye has heard that you are about to marry the county princess of Pingyang. A match made in heaven! Wang Ye has sent this old servant to the Marquisate to present a wedding gift in advance.”
The steward handed over a beautifully crafted box.
Shangguan Xuan raised an eyebrow, exchanging pleasantries before accepting the box. “It’s too kind of His Highness the Heng Wang to send a gift before the wedding.”
He opened the box to find a stack of silver notes inside.
Shangguan Xuan was taken aback, while Shangguan Qian’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Ten thousand taels! What a generous gift, truly befitting the Heng Wang!
Shangguan Qian’s admiration for the Heng Wang soared, and she couldn’t help but imagine that if she could become the Heng Wang’s wife, a life of wealth and luxury would surely follow her.
The steward, smooth and considerate, added, “Our Wang Ye is highly favored by the Emperor and oversees the river transport, so he is certainly not short of silver. My lord, with your remarkable achievements in battle, protecting the home and the nation, please accept this small token.”
Ten thousand taels could resolve the Marquisate’s pressing financial issues.
Shangguan Xuan wasn’t foolish; he knew the Heng Wang was trying to win him over. He didn’t want to get involved in the power struggles among the princes, but the ten thousand taels in the box could allow him to marry Zhao Qing in style.
After some internal deliberation, Shangguan Xuan ultimately accepted the silver, politely saying, “Thank you for the kind gesture from His Highness the Heng Wang.”
The steward exchanged a few more flattering words before bowing and taking his leave.
Unable to contain herself, Shangguan Qian dashed after him, blocking the steward’s path. The steward maintained a respectful demeanor, smiling kindly. “Miss Shangguan, is there anything else?”
Shangguan Qian’s cheeks flushed.
After a moment’s thought, she shyly pulled out a small pouch from her sleeve. The pouch was embroidered with beautiful hehuan flowers (合欢花, a symbol of love and harmony) and emitted a faint fragrance.
“Could you please deliver this pouch to His Highness the Heng Wang?” Shangguan Qian said bashfully. “Last spring at the banquet, the Wang Ye saved me from under a horse’s hoof. I’ve kept this kindness in my heart ever since.”
A girl’s feelings are hard to conceal.
The steward sighed inwardly, wondering if Miss Shangguan had lost her mind. Of all people to like, why did it have to be his master?
He accepted the pouch. “I will convey your sentiments to the Wang Ye.”
As the steward was about to leave, Shangguan Qian stepped forward again. “Wait, steward! I’d like to ask you something else. What kind of women does the Wang Ye like?”
Shangguan Qian considered herself beautiful, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. In the sea of beauties in Yan Jing, she ranked quite high, with suitors aplenty. She was confident that if the Heng Wang spent a few days with her, he would surely fall for her.
The steward hesitated for a moment, but seeing the sincerity in her eyes, he decided to tell her the truth. “In the past two years, our Wang Ye’s tastes have changed. He prefers women who are beautiful and slender.”
Shangguan Qian’s confidence soared; she was indeed beautiful!
The steward continued, “And she should be able to act.”
Shangguan Qian was puzzled. Did the Wang Ye like actresses? She secretly resolved to learn acting the very next day.
The steward added, “She must also be skilled in horseback riding.”
Shangguan Qian felt a thrill of joy; she was quite proficient in riding. Coming from a military family, she had learned to ride and shoot since childhood.
The steward raised a finger, speaking earnestly, “Most importantly, she must know how to slaughter a pig!”
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