23 Prince Ming Manor’s Betrothal Gifts
A slender beauty lies on the soft chaise in the garden of You Nian Pavilion. Her brows curved like crescents, lashes like b.u.t.terfly wings. Between her brows, there was a red vermillion dot, making her appear even more enchanting. Her face was white as fine jade, breakable with a single touch. Her hair was done into a cloud hairstyle, exposing her jade-like neck. She was dressed in brocade layers that spread all over the floor. Only several slender fingers were exposed. From far away, it was really beautiful.
As soon as Gui Yi Zi and the others entered You Nian Pavilion, they saw this stunning scenery. Even though Lan You Nian was the girl they all saw grow up, they couldn’t help sigh that time really rushed by like water. The spirited jade child has now become a fairy-like beauty.
“Master! My brothers, why are you all here?” Lan You Nian hastily rose to her feet when she saw Gui Yi Zi and the five brothers. Lan Qu brought out the tea set. Lan You Nian poured tea for the six of them as she asked them. Her master has been living in Prince Ming manor the last few days. The other brothers lived in Xiao Jin Pavilion. Considering it, a month has pa.s.sed since her poison was cured.
Gui Yi Zi sipped on the tea Lan You Nian brewed and felt in a better mood. Thea tea Nianer made tasted the best, not like the stinky brats with him who were useless. It’s good that he picked up little Nian’er all those years ago.
“Your master has stayed in the capital for long enough. There isn’t anyone in the Medical Valley to manage it. Master came to tell you master will be going back!” Though Gui Yi Zi was reluctant to part with his youngest disciple Lan You Nian, as a person of the pugilistic world, he still preferred living in the Medical Valley. He didn’t like the bustling capital. Gui Yi Zi was a little miffed, “If master doesn’t go back, I will be annoyed to death by those shadow guards in Prince Ming manor!”
After Gui Yi Zi said this, the others nodded in agreement. Gui Er exclaimed, “Little junior sister you don’t know, not only do those shadow guards bother master frequently, they won’t even let us go!”
Lan You Nian gaped in surprise at their grumbling expressions. She didn’t understand why the shadow guards in Prince Ming manor would hara.s.s master them. Whatever those shadow guards did must have been on Feng Yi Xuan’s orders. Lan You Nian asked curiously, “Did they make trouble for you?” If it was true, she must have a talk with Feng Yi Xuan. Master them was important to them. They were the family that were indispensible to her.
Gui Wu hastily waved his hand. Though they came to complain and tattle-tell, they didn’t want to incite strife between little junior sister and Prince Ming’s relations.h.i.+p. They’ve already accepted Prince Ming becoming little junior sister’s husband.
“Hmph! It would be fine if they were! Those shadow guards treat us too well. If we need anything, they would bring it to us. Whatever we do, those shadow guards will help out!” Gui Si declared chillingly. He was nearly made made by Prince Ming manor’s shadow guards. If you wanted to have a fight with him, don’t worry, those shadow guards will let you win. That respectful and flattering att.i.tude made Gui Si’s head ache.
“Ah?” Lan You Nian was confused. Why did Feng Yi Xuan do this. Even if master and her senior brothers were her family, he should do this. Why would these shadow guards become so “shameless”?
“Why is this?” Lan You Nian pulled on Gui Yi Zi’s sleeve. She can tell master was angry. But there were people treating master them nicely, why should they be angry?
Though Gui Yi Zi wanted to be angry with Feng Yi Xuan, faced with the disciple he protected as she grew, he didn’t have a temper. He only curled his beard saying, “That stinky brat wants to marry our family’s little Nian Nian. Hmph! Little Nian Nian is still young yet he wants to steal you away! Master doesn’t agree. He actually has those shadow guards endlessly fawn over master. Is master that kind of person?”
Gui San quietly shot Lan You Nian a “you understand” expression. Who was it that carried off with many good medicinal herbs from Prince Ming manor and had the shadow guards in Prince Ming manor find good food and drink for him. Master grows more playful the older he gets!
Pu! Lan You Nian spewed out the tea in her mouth. She never imagined that Feng Yi Xuan did all this to marry her sooner. Lan You Nian remembered herself saying he must obtain master’s agreement. She never expected Feng Yi Xuan’s way of fawning over people was so strange. No wonder master was so angry.
“Then did master agree?” Lan You Nian asked curiously. She knew Prince Ming manor’s shadow guards were as cold as Feng Yi Xuan but in front of their own people, they wore a different face. They were all so comedic.
“You ah!” Gui Yi Zi tapped Lan You Nian’s forehead, and sighed in exasperation, “You are so young yet you already think about marriage. And before you marry that stinky brat, your elbows already face outward. What a waste of master spoiling you for so many years!”
Lan You Nian tried to defend herself as her face flushed, “Am not!” But none of the seated people believed her words.
As they all laughed and teased, Lan Jian Jun and Lan Mo Xian came together to You Nian Pavilion. Lan Jian Jun saw Gui Yi Zi and respectfully bowed, “Teacher!” Lan Jian Jun’s respect was not only because of Gui Yi Zi’s reputation in the pugilistic world, this elder has saved his daughter and has raised his daughter into an adult. Lan Jian Jun was intensely grateful to Gui Yi Zi.
Gui Yi Zi nodded. Though he knew little Nianer has forgiven her father, and they believed this to be a good thing, in his heart Gui Yi Zi still didn’t have a good impression of Lan Jian Jun, so he didn’t offer him a good face. But he gave little Nianer face and didn’t hara.s.s the other.
“Why has father come?” Lan You Nian wondered why they all came together to You Nian Pavilion.
“Father came for your marriage. Prince Ming already proposed marriage to your father. I heard teacher was here so I came. Nianer was raised by teacher. This marriage must have teacher’s say!” Lan Jian Jun sat down explaining. Actually, he was shocked by Prince Ming’s sudden marriage proposal. After considering it several times over, he wanted to let old teacher Gui Yi Zi to make the decision.
Gui Yi Zi was pleased by Lan Jian Jun’s tact and his face became much better. He looked at Lan You Nian, his gaze filled with benevolence, “Though master is reluctant to let little Nian’er marry so early, master knows of the feelings between you two. It’s already autumn. After winter pa.s.ses and this year is over, next year little Nianer will marry at fifteen!” Gui Yi Zi felt sour in his heart and then shouted, “Stinky brat, if you don’t treat little Nianer well, little Nianer still has the time to change her mind!”
With Gui Yi Zi’s words, Feng Yi Xuan, Feng Xia Qi and the others walked into You Nian Pavilion’s courtyard. Feng Yi Xuan pulled Lan You Nian into his arms, declaring smugly, “I won’t give Nian Nian the chance to change her mind!”
Feng Xia Qi them truly felt happy for Feng Yi Xuan. Gui San looked at Feng Yi Xuan, “Since you’re marrying next year, Prince Ming, can’t you be modest in front of us? Little junior sister hasn’t married you yet!” In his heart, he was still angry over An Er constantly hara.s.sing him. Prince Ming’s subordinates were bizarre with their way of ingratiating themselves with others. Gui San believed if they didn’t agree to let little junior sister marry Prince Ming, they can forget living the rest of their days in peace.
“She will marry me!” Feng Yi Xuan declared proudly. His greatest pride wasn’t that he built Ghost Realm, a force that can bring terror with its name, not bathing in the blood of his enemies on the battlefield as he killed them, making the enemy retreat, not the fact no one in court dared to offend him, but that he can marry Nian Nian. This was his greatest pride.
“I can give the shop to the southern side of the capital to you!” Feng Yi Xuan said to Gui San after some consideration.
Hearing this, Gui San was excited. The shops in the capital’s southern side were really profitable but he was unable to obtain any. Now such a shop that was in great demand was presented to him, Gui San eyes popped with money. Yet Gui San didn’t know, no matter how much money he earned, wasn’t it all Wu Qing Pavilion’s. Wu Qing Pavilion belonged to Lan You Nian, so Feng Yi Xuan was only handing the shops in his hands to Lan You Nian.
After discussing it, Gui Yi Zi reminded Feng Yi Xuan of some things he needed to pay mind to. Though the poison in Lan You Nian’s body has been detoxified, after so many years the poison has already depleted Lan You Nian’s body and needed to be carefully nursed back to health.
“Won’t master stay for a few more days?” Lan You Nian asked, longingly, though she knew the capital didn’t suit master, a person of the pugilistic world.
Gui Yi Zi looked at little Nianer who was like her younger self who depended on this master and felt much better about Feng Yi Xuan stealing away his disciple. Gui Yi Zi shook his head, “The Medical Valley needs this old man. Gui Er and Gui Si will return to the Medical Valley with master!”
Neither Gui Er or Gui Si had any objections to Gui Yi Zi’s arrangements. Even if they didn’t return to Medical Valley, they’d be wandering around in the pugilistic world. To them, there is no difference. Because wherever they were, they knew where their home was. They were never lonely.
“You must be careful. In the stinky brat’s letter, he asked this old man why someone can use poison bug to change one’s face. Nor is little Nianer’s poison created by some ordinary person.” Gui Yi Zi said with obvious worry, “The only one besides this old man who can make this poison!”
“Master, who is it?” Gui San asked curiously. They didn’t expect there to be someone’s medical skills to be a match for master’s. They have never heard master mention this person. Based on this, Gui San them knew this person wasn’t someone easy to interact with. This person also hurt little junior sister. Thus, they wouldn’t forget this.
Gui Yi Zi sighed and seemed to remember, “If master guessed correctly, this person is Du Niang Zi. She once studied under the same teacher as master, as well as master’s junior sister. When master was young, I concentrated on medical skills while Du Niang Zi was unmatched in the field of using poisons. Du Niang Zi did things very strangely. We don’t have any friends.h.i.+p. Later, Du Niang Zi was chased out of Medical Valley by master for killing a fellow disciple. Master hasn’t seen her since. From what you said, this Du Niang Zi must have joined some sect and do some harmful deeds.”
“This Du Niang Zi has tried to harm little junior sister or to say she has been targeting Feng empire. Her heart is vicious. Is that why master has disciple stay in the capital?” Gui Yi asked. Usually master had him return to the Medical Valley to manage matters but this time master had him stay in the capital.
“En, if you encounter Du Niang Zi, you must be careful. If you can avoid it, avoid it, don’t fight with your life!” Gui Yi Zi said to Lan You Nian and the others. In Gui Yi Zi’s eyes, nothing was more important than the few youngsters’ safety.
“We know. I will protect Nian Nian!” Feng Yi Xuan promised. He already let Nian Nian become hurt. He won’t let it happen a second time. It’s time to get rid of this Du Niang Zi. Otherwise, it would be cancerous.
“Master, how is Du Niang Zi’s martial arts?” Feng Yi Xuan asked. They knew nothing of Du Niang Zi. Even Ghost Realm and Wu Qing Pavilion had no information on Du Niang Zi.
Gui Yi Zi recalled some things, “Her poison skills is very good so Du Niang Zi’s qinggong is very good but her martial arts isn’t very good. But Du Niang Zi has poison all over her body. If he catch her, you can’t get too close to her!”
Though Feng Yi Xuan was usually arrogant and had the conceit of a superior, Feng Yi Xuan nodded with respect in front of Gui Yi Zi.
Gui Yi Zi left without eating lunch, taking Gui Er and Gui Si with him and left the capital and turned to the Medical Valley belonging to the pugilistic world.
——
Seven days have pa.s.sed since Gui Yi Zi left the capital. Recently Lan You Nian has been overlooking Wu Qing Pavilion’s affairs. She just so happened to have some free time and was going to brew some peach blossom wine but before she could start she heard Hua Mu Qing and Yue Bai Lian chattering as they ran into You Nian Pavilion, even the usually sedate Lan Qu was stirring with excitement.
“Nianer, go to the front hall quickly!” Hua Mu Qing pulled on Lan You Nian and ran to the front hall. Lan You Nian was about to reject her but her other hand was grabbed by Yue Bai Lian. Lan You Nian was helpless as she walked into the front hall with everyone.
The moment Lan You Nian entered the front hall, she realized why they were so excited. Today was the day Prince Ming manor was proposing marriage to Lan manor and sending over the bridal gifts. This wasn’t the most important. The most important was the astounding bridal gifts.
Lan You Nian knew a woman from a normal family only had four or six sets of betrothal gifts. Even a princess or junzhu’s betrothal gifts had eight. However, Lan You Nian was unable to count how many betrothal gifts Prince Ming manor had carried in. There was nowhere to put it. The gates of Lan manor were crowded with many sets of gifts, as it piled up in the streets. Lan You Nian suspected there was likely several hundred. It can be considered the most betrothal gifts a woman has ever received.
Lan You Nian stood at the doors of Lan manor, listening to An Si’s voice keeping count, as well as Uncle Lan’s beaming smile as he nodded. The front of Lan manor was filled with a crowd of civilians who looked enviously at the rare betrothal gifts.
The one to offer the betrothal gifts should be a well-respected person. The one to come to offer the gifts was Jing manor’s Marquis Jing Leng and Emperor Feng Xia Qi. She can be counted as the first who has ever received such honor. Lan You Nian was a little stunned, but she was touched by Feng Yi Xuan’s attachment of importance to this marriage.
“Jian Jun, look at the betrothal gift list!” Jing Leng handed the long betrothal gift list to Lan Jian Jun, his eyes filled with gratification. His two nephews found their own loves. He as the uncle can be rea.s.sured.
Lan Jian Jun glanced over the list. Though he had prepared himself, he was still shocked. Many objects on the list were priceless. Seeing Prince Ming has practically moved out all the things in Prince Ming manor’s storage, Lan Jian Jun was pleased.
“Uncle Lan, after making note of the amount, put these gifts into the storehouse. When Nianer marries, add it into Nianer’s dowry!” Lan Jian Jun had no greed in his eyes. Usually the betrothal gifts were given to the woman’s family but Lan Jian Jun refused to take a single cent, making people admire Lan Jian Jun’s honesty.
After the betrothal gifts were sent out, the whole of the capital, from the streets to the alleys were circulating about the betrothal gifts given by Prince Ming manor to Lan manor.