Chapter 170: Celebrated Too Soon
Two stewardesses hurried over. From seven or eight paces away, they clasped their hands together and performed a hurried bow to Fourth Mistress Wei.
“Young ladies, hurry back. The Crown Prince has arrived. The higher-ups have ordered that you shouldn’t come out for anything these past few days.”
Fourth Mistress Wei breathed a sigh of relief.
With the Crown Prince arriving, Second Madam would definitely not be able to come over tonight. As long as she could get through tonight, by tomorrow, Eldest Madam would surely be well!
Wan Jing also let out a breath of relief, silently reciting Amitabha.
The Young Lord would definitely be by the Crown Prince’s side at all times, and he would also have to arrange defenses and such. He definitely wouldn’t have time for other matters.
Shi Gun had instructed everyone, saying that the Crown Prince would be staying in Jiangnan for a while and to be prepared. This “while” would definitely not be short.
Once the Crown Prince left, and the Young Lord had free time, even if the Young Lord hadn’t forgotten about this matter, it would be in the past. She could just say she forgot, and it would be dropped.
Perhaps the Young Lord would even return to the Capital City with the Crown Prince!
This dead girl has such good luck!
Wan Jing’s mood eased. She first went to the fabric storeroom and looked around. She picked out two or three sets of formal wear and placed them at the very front, then chose over a dozen sets of clothes in ordinary colors and fabrics, placing them in the front rows.
The Crown Prince had already arrived at the villa, and the stewards only sent out notices afterwards. It seemed this was a secret visit, and he would be staying for a while. It was likely he would be moving around incognito most of the time, so her Young Lord’s attire would need to be more ordinary.
Wan Jing then had the maids and old women working in the fabric storeroom called together. She first informed them about the Crown Prince’s arrival, then gave them instructions one, two, and three. She solemnly emphasized that everyone must be fully alert and diligent in their duties. If they made a mistake at this time, it would be more than a triple punishment. If they worked diligently, they would surely receive rewards after the Crown Prince left.
She then, along with two minor stewards, rearranged the work schedule and inspected various areas. Only then did Wan Jing return to her room with peace of mind. She washed her face, picked up her Ah Hu, and rubbed him vigorously. She brewed a cup of good tea, and holding Ah Hu, sat in a comfortable rocking chair. She had just said a few words to Ah Hu when the old woman at the gate came running in.
The Young Lord had sent someone to summon her.
A sense of foreboding immediately arose in Wan Jing’s heart. She quickly put down Ah Hu, looked at herself in the mirror, went out of the room, and hurried out, holding up her skirt.
Wan Jing followed the servant into a spacious Xuan Hall on Half Mountain, facing the lake.
Her Young Lord was accompanying a gentle young man, pointing out the lake and mountain scenery, and talking.
Wan Jing had never met the Crown Prince, but the only person who could make her Young Lord stand in a subordinate position like this could only be the Crown Prince.
Wan Jing immediately knelt down. First, she kowtowed to the Crown Prince. Then, shifting slightly, she also kowtowed to her Young Lord. Just as she was about to straighten up, she remembered that someone else was standing nearby. Although she didn’t know who it was, anyone standing with her Young Lord and the Crown Prince was surely someone who should kowtow. It wouldn’t hurt to offer another bow.
Gu Yan’s eyebrows slightly raised as he watched Wan Jing, who was kowtowing so much she couldn’t lift her head.
The Crown Prince watched and chuckled. Just as he was about to say “You may rise,” Wan Jing had already stood up, stepped back to the side, and stood by Shi Gun with her head lowered.
The Crown Prince unfolded his folding fan, covering his smile, and gestured for Gu Yan to ask the question.
“Miss Li always leaves in the evening. Why did you leave so early today?” Gu Yan asked.
Wan Jing froze for a moment, her mind a complete blank.
Along the way, her thoughts had been racing. She had imagined dozens of possibilities for what the Young Lord might ask, but she had never expected it to be because she left early and revealed a clue!
“She said she saw… she said it was time to go back.” Wan Jing didn’t dare to say she had finished seeing, as there were still many books on the long desk.
Gu Yan squinted at Wan Jing, the Crown Prince’s gaze lowered, watching Wan Jing’s tightly clasped hands. Wen Bin took a few steps to the side and sipped a cup of tea.
“She left after seeing Miss Shi?” Gu Yan asked, understanding.
“Yes.” Wan Jing closed her eyes.
It’s over! I can’t avoid it anymore!
“Tell me carefully, what did they say?” Gu Yan picked up a cup of tea and handed it to the Crown Prince, who had sat down, ready to listen carefully.
“Yes!” Wan Jing steeled herself and began recounting from Miss Shi’s “I’ve troubled you.”
The Crown Prince sipped his tea. Hearing the twists and turns, he raised his eyebrows and looked at Gu Yan. Gu Yan’s face was tense, and Wen Bin quickly lowered his head to sip his tea.
Wan Jing spoke in one breath until the engagement was broken off and stopped abruptly, her head lowered, not making another sound.
I absolutely cannot say the words that follow! Not a single word!
If the Young Lord were to hear about it later from Yu Lan or Eldest Madam, she would say she was so scared she was confused and didn’t hear anything!
Whether the Young Lord believed her or not, she didn’t care. She would accept any punishment. In short, she couldn’t say any more!
“You may go.”
Hearing Gu Yan’s command, Wan Jing spun around and walked out very quickly.
“You broke off the engagement because of what she just said?” the Crown Prince asked Gu Yan.
“Mm,” Gu Yan affirmed with a hum.
“Did you tell Miss Li?”
“No, Miss Li is extremely intelligent.”
“Mm, because she’s intelligent and speaks cautiously, you asked her to persuade Miss Shi,” the Crown Prince said slowly.
Wen Bin chuckled upon hearing this.
This Miss Li is indeed intelligent, but the part about speaking cautiously is debatable.
Gu Yan spread his hands in embarrassment.
“Thinking this way and that, have you been like this before?” the Crown Prince continued to laugh.
Gu Yan picked up his cup and lowered his eyes to sip his tea.
“How is Eldest Madam?” the Crown Prince asked Shi Gun.
“Reporting to the Crown Prince, she is about the same as usual,” Shi Gun replied with his hands clasped.
“Please have Fourth Mistress Wei go and keep her company,” the Crown Prince then ordered.
Shi Gun agreed, bowed, and withdrew to personally deliver the message.
“Although this little girl speaks too directly, she conveyed your message clearly. This is a good thing. Eldest Madam is an intelligent person, and once she understands, she will be able to move past this,” the Crown Prince said to Gu Yan.
“Mm, I hope so,” Gu Yan said with a wry smile.
That fool Wan Jing fled in such a panic, she must have omitted a lot of things, and those omitted parts are the key!
When Shi Gun returned, he brought in a personal guard covered in sweat.
The personal guard unbuckled his saber, entered the Xuan Hall, and knelt to kowtow.
Gu Yan recognized him as a confidant of Yang Qifan. After watching him kowtow, he introduced him to the Crown Prince: “This is Yang Wu’s servant, Qing Shan.” Seeing the Crown Prince nod, he instructed Qing Shan: “Speak.”
“Yes, Fifth Master sent me to deliver a message from Master Huang Hui Xian Zhou at the wharf to the Young Lord:
“Master Huang said that He Rui Ming, the young master of the He family, sought him out and said that President Zhu of the Jiangnan Silk Guild intends to support Mrs. Wu, the widow of the late Foreman Zou of the Cheng Zi Gang, in taking over the Cheng Zi Gang.
“Master Huang said that Master He specifically instructed him to say that with President Zhu’s support, Mrs. Wu will surely be able to take over the Cheng Zi Gang.”
“Mm, I understand. Thank you for your trouble. Shi Gun, have someone take him for a bowl of soup to rest, and give him ten taels of silver,” Gu Yan said after glancing at the Crown Prince.
Watching Qing Shan leave, the Crown Prince looked at Gu Yan and said, “If we can win over Mrs. Wu, it will be twice as effective for the silk guild.”
Gu Yan hummed, his brow furrowed.
“We need a suitable person to go and speak with her,” Wen Bin interjected.
“Miss Li might be able to do it,” Gu Yan said after a moment of silence.
The Crown Prince’s eyebrows slightly rose.
“She knows I am currently rectifying the Maritime Tax Bureau. She has excellent judgment and is very trustworthy. How about you take a look tomorrow? Big Brother, you take a look too,” Gu Yan said.
“Alright,” the Crown Prince said with a cheerful laugh.
