Resplendent – Chapter 504

Chapter 504 – Dowry?

Gu Ye was familiar with this hot spring estate. Lady Jun had a frail constitution and feared the cold in winter, so the Defender Duke persistently pestered a fallen clansman and finally purchased this hot spring estate at a high price. Every winter he would request leave and bring Lady Jun there to recuperate.

The estates around Xiang Mountain were blessed with excellent feng shui and beautiful scenery. Even without hot springs, they were often impossible to buy no matter how much money one had. Moreover, because this particular estate had geothermal heat and hot springs, it could grow some out-of-season vegetables. Thanks to it, the Duke’s Manor wasn’t so lacking in fresh produce during the winter.

For this reason alone, Gu Ye couldn’t bear to tear down the estate to build a pharmaceutical factory. 

Sigh… She would just have to keep searching slowly. If she still couldn’t find a suitable place, she would choose an area with convenient transportation and dig more wells. As for the medicinal fields, she would think of another plan.

When Gu Ye tried to return the land deed to her parents, they absolutely refused to take it. Lady Jun gently stroked her delicate, pretty face and said with a smile, “Since your father gave it to you, you should keep it. Your maid told me you fear the cold in winter. Soaking in the hot spring more often will be good for your health. A young lady should take care of her body. Otherwise, when you marry in the future, when it comes to bearing children…”

Because of the matter with Prince Ning, Chu Bufan couldn’t stand hearing anything about his daughter getting married. He immediately cut his wife off, “Ye’er is still so young. Why are you so eager to marry her off?”

Lady Jun shot him a charming glare, her expression full of playful reproach and feminine allure: “It’s not that I want to marry her off. But haven’t you heard the saying: A grown daughter can’t be kept; try to keep her, and she’ll turn against you? Girls will always reach that stage one day. I’m only thinking for the long term!”

“You may be willing, but I’m not! Our daughter will not marry until she’s at least eighteen!” Whenever the Duke thought of Prince Ning, who clung to his daughter like a stubborn plaster, his heart soured as if twenty vats of aged vinegar had overturned inside it. 

Was Prince Ning too idle? He appeared everywhere! Wasn’t he supposed to be representing Yan Kingdom at the Great Pharmacists Convention? Yet throughout all the assessments, the man never showed up at any of the testing grounds.

Lady Jun’s thoughts went further than his. She was also reluctant for her daughter to marry too early, but the girl was already thirteen. In the capital, many girls her age had already begun receiving proposals. The marriage could be delayed, but the engagement had to be decided early. Otherwise, all the excellent young men might be snatched up by others.

“Bao’er, keep the land deed. Think of it as the dowry your father and I are preparing for you.” Lady Jun held her youngest daughter’s hand. Her own slender, delicate fingers were like the first bamboo shoots of spring, tender and fair. The soft pink nails at her fingertips were clean and smooth, even the tiny crescent moons looked perfectly shaped.

Gu Ye couldn’t help thinking that she would likely have to marry far away in the future… Ahem. Even though she was still acting annoyed with her Brother Chen, she had never actually considered refusing to marry him and choosing someone else.

She and Brother Chen shared a bond across two lifetimes: shared experiences, shared memories, a shared language. It wasn’t something she could simply give up.

She hadn’t forgiven him yet, true, but that was only because she was enjoying being valued, cherished, and doted on.

Who could blame her? She’d lacked love in her previous life, so deep down she always craved a sense of security, and so far, her Brother Chen’s performance was satisfactory enough.

Speak of the devil, and he arrives indeed!

Steward Zhou hurried in and reported to Chu Bufan, “Master, the Fourth Prince of Yan and Prince Ning have come to visit…”

“Prince Ning?” The Duke’s expression instantly darkened; at this point, even hearing the name Prince Ning made him bristle. In his mind, that fellow existed for one purpose only: to steal his daughter. 

“I won’t see them, I won’t see them! Tell them that our Chu family leads the army and is not suited to consorting with envoys from another nation. Ask them to leave!”

Steward Zhou looked troubled. “But accompanying them is the Chief Eunuch from His Majesty’s side. He said the matter has His Majesty’s approval…”

“Father, you should meet them,” Gu Ye advised. “They’re all men; you can receive them in the outer courtyard, serve them tea, maybe play chess. Second Brother and Fourth Brother are interested in military strategy, so let them accompany you. Who knows, you might even gain something unexpected.” 

She didn’t want her father to end up in a stiff conflict with the Emperor. A subject who openly defied the ruler never ended well.

Chu Bufan stopped for a moment. Right! The women of the inner residence couldn’t meet male guests anyway. And with him and his sons guarding the outer courtyard like hawks, that Prince Ning fellow wouldn’t be able to pull any tricks!

With a stormy expression, Chu Bufan marched into the outer court, ready to battle wits and courage with Prince Ning. But his vigilant preparations ended up being unnecessary, because the Fourth Prince and Prince Ning had come to apologize to him.

From Prince Ning’s explanation, they learned that the proposal for a marriage alliance with the Dongling Kingdom had arisen only because the Fourth Prince misunderstood his intentions. Prince Ning had never meant to use political pressure.

Eunuch Zhuang, who served the Emperor, also conveyed His Majesty’s message: The marriage-alliance agreement between the two countries has been canceled. 

On behalf of the Emperor, Eunuch Zhuang offered reassurance and compensation to the Defender Duke.

With the crisis resolved, Chu Bufan’s expression eased; he no longer looked as grim as before. 

Eunuch Zhuang continued, “Her Majesty the Empress saw Young Miss at the Great Pharmacists Convention and was very pleased. She said Miss brought honor to the women of Dongling Kingdom. As a reward and to calm her fright, Her Majesty has bestowed a set of head ornaments upon her.”

Since the Empress had granted a reward, the recipient naturally had to receive it in person. 

Chu Bufan had no choice but to have his young daughter brought out. Even so, he kept shooting Prince Ning daggers with his eyes, slicing at him repeatedly.

The Fourth Prince, watching the show and happy to stir the pot, whispered while covering his mouth, “Cousin, your future father-in-law is seriously unhappy with you. Looks like your road to winning your wife is going to be a long one!”

“Wipe that smug look off your face. Think about the County Princess from Duke Hong’s Manor…” Luo Juechen lowered his voice, the threat unmistakable.

The Fourth Prince immediately surrendered. “I was wrong, okay? Just don’t mention that venomous county lady from Duke Hong’s Manor!” He knew too well. His cousin absolutely had the ability to throw that malicious woman in his lap.

Just then, the sound of light, graceful footsteps approached. Luo Juechen’s attention snapped toward it at once. The Fourth Prince quietly exhaled in relief. His future cousin-in-law arrived just in time.

Gu Ye received the Empress’s gift personally. It was an exquisite and elegant set of pink-diamond head ornaments: a pink-diamond lotus-pearl flower piece, a pink-diamond begonia hairpin, a filigree engraved gold bracelet inlaid with pink diamonds, pink-diamond earrings…The whole set soft and rosy, perfectly suited for a young girl in the blossoming age of fourteen.

Gu Ye secretly glared at Ling Juechen. This set of jewelry was obviously his doing. Her Brother Chen must have known she missed out on that pink-diamond floral coronet last time, so now he found another way to send her an entire set of pink-diamond ornaments.

He was afraid her father would object, and afraid she might get upset and refuse them, so he borrowed the Empress’s name to deliver the gift.

Brother Chen is getting more and more cunning!

Seeing the young girl glance his way, Luo Juechen silently mouthed: Do you like it?

Gu Ye’s gaze was caught by the shape of his full, well-defined lips, and for a moment, she couldn’t bring herself to look away.