Chapter 626: Green Grass

The next day,

in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace,

within the Empress's quarters,

"Father Emperor, Mother Empress, this child will go take an afternoon nap now."

"Mm, go ahead."

Having finished his midday meal, the Emperor sat leisurely in his chair, holding a teacup, watching Zhao Fang walk outward with a face full of smiles.

Once Zhao Fang's figure disappeared at the doorway,

the Emperor turned sideways to look curiously at the Empress and said, "What is wrong with Fang'er today? He seems in high spirits; his smile hasn't faded since we began our meal."

The Empress smiled somewhat helplessly and said, "After Fang'er received the hundred-strand ropes that Xiao Taotao and the others sent into the palace yesterday, he begged me to bestow two strands upon the Xu family's Fifth Young Master as well, and I agreed."

The Emperor nodded with a laugh: "Just because of this matter? The child is thoughtful; then simply order the Institute of Literary Thought to craft a few strands and send them over."

"Fang'er finds those from the Institute of Literary Thought too artisanal," the Empress said, shaking her head.

"Eh? What?" The Emperor set his teacup down on the table with a thud, frowning as he said, "This boy only knows how to talk nonsense! Those from the Institute of Literary Thought are all master craftsmen; how could their works possess an artisanal air!"

The Emperor grew puzzled again: "If that is so, why is Fang'er so joyful today?"

The Empress smiled and said, "He begged me again, requesting that several noble daughters from prominent meritorious families in the capital weave a few hundred-strand ropes and send them into the palace."

The Emperor took a deep breath, frowning as he said, "They are all noble daughters awaiting betrothal within their boudoirs; asking them to weave hundred-strand ropes for that boy from the Xu family? Is this not absurd? You did not even stop him, knowing only how to spoil him!"

The Empress stood up, performed a formal bow, and said, "Your Majesty speaks rightly, but this concubine merely sent word to the Chai and Rong families; no one was dispatched to other meritorious or prominent gates."

"Rong..." The Emperor held a breath of stifled frustration in his mouth, then rose to help the Empress back into her chair, saying, "Cough, cough, Empress, why did you not say so sooner!"

In recent years, whenever the Emperor visited Consort Rong, she had spoken many favorable words on behalf of the Xu family, her phrases laden with hidden meanings.

Rong Rong Feiyan's age was not far from Xu Xu Zaijing's; after a moment's reflection, the Emperor largely understood Consort Rong's intentions.

However, Zhao Fang was the only son the Emperor had borne since ascending the throne many years ago; the love and esteem for him were truly carved into his bones, and the Empress was Zhao Fang's birth mother.

Moreover, Zhao Fang had sworn confidently that he wished Xu Xu Zaijing to take two wives; since Her Majesty the Empress regarded Xu Xu Zaijing as a nephew and would not relent, the Emperor truly found it difficult to directly decree a marriage.

Last year, the Emperor acted willfully once, wishing to emphasize and heavily employ the descendants of his former favorite, the late Noble Consort Zhang.

The result... first, he chased Xu Xu Zaijing and Gu Gu Tingye, shooting at them in anger; later, the northern strategic stronghold of Beizhou nearly suffered a major disaster; had it not been for Xu Xu Zaijing, nearly ten million strings of cash in military supplies and treasures would have been burned to ashes.

Consort Rong and the former Noble Consort Zhang were similar in certain aspects, and this matter inevitably left a thorn in the Empress's heart.

If Zhao Fang, on a whim these past two days, wished to send hundred-strand ropes to Xu Xu Zaijing, and Her Majesty the Empress had notified only the Chai family, the Emperor would have had no grounds to complain.

But since the Rong family was also notified, it demonstrated that Her Majesty the Empress was broad-minded and impartial; whether the marriage succeeds depends entirely on how both families conduct themselves.

"Your Majesty, Her Majesty, the Chai and Rong families have sent items into the palace," a palace eunuch reported from outside the door.

The Empress glanced at the Emperor and smiled: "Mm! Both families are quite swift! Your Majesty, shall these be sent directly to Fang'er's quarters?"

The Emperor paused to think, then looked toward the chief palace eunuch beside him and said, "Recently, among the troops under Marquis Xu's command, there is a Wei Xiao seeking to report merit; what was his name again?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, that Wei Xiao bears the surname Hua and the given name Rong."

"Yes, yes, that is the one! The Xu family's Fifth Young Master is credited with recommending him; look into rewarding him with some items, and send them along with Zhao Fang's."

The chief palace eunuch hurriedly assented.

In Nan Jiang Tang Lane,

at the Rong residence,

within the Huixue Courtyard,

the central door panels of the main hall stood wide open, and inside the door stood a semi-transparent screen over a person's height.

A Guan Guan Pozi, dressed respectably and adorned with gold ornaments, stood slightly bowed outside the screen.

Inside the screen,

the maid Seeing Seeing Ningxiang held a bolt of light, thin fabric with both hands beside Rong Rong Feiyan, saying, "Miss, how do you find this bolt?"

A slender maid stepped forward nearby and unfolded the fabric slightly.

Rong Rong Feiyan glanced at it a few times, nodded, and said, "Not bad! Take one bolt of this kind."

After Seeing Seeing Ningxiang assented, she carried the fabric outside the screen to speak.

After speaking, just as Seeing Seeing Ningxiang intended to bring over another bolt of fabric, she saw Rong Rong Feiyan wave her hand at her.

Seeing Seeing Ningxiang hurriedly turned around and said to the Guan Guan Pozi outside the screen, "My mistress requires only these for today!"

"Ai! This humble woman thanks the Miss for patronizing our business!"

"The steward is too polite! Seeing Ningxiang, go see her out."

"Yes, Miss."

Very soon,

the Guan Guan Pozi and the screen both vanished from the doorway.

When Seeing Seeing Ningxiang returned after seeing the guest out, she entered the room holding two stole scarves.

At a glance, she discovered that Rong Rong Feiyan was no longer in the main hall.

After walking a few steps to the side, Seeing Seeing Ningxiang looked through a beaded curtain and saw her own Miss sitting behind a table in the side chamber, propping her cheek with one hand and staring blankly.

Seeing Seeing Ningxiang opened her mouth to speak, but saw the slender maid approaching with a large-handled teacup shake her head at her.

Seeing Seeing Ningxiang hurriedly closed her mouth, continued walking a few steps toward the side chamber, and helped the slender maid lift the beaded curtain to enter.

The clinking sound of the beaded curtain being lifted caused the dazed Rong Rong Feiyan to turn and look over.

Seeing Seeing Ningxiang raised the stole scarves in her hands and smiled: "Miss, before that female steward left, she forcibly pressed these into my hands, saying they were new products from the shop and asking us to help evaluate them."

Rong Rong Feiyan reached out, took them, and began to examine them.

The slender maid, having set down her teacup nearby, pursed her lips and said, "This female steward certainly knows how to take shortcuts. Who knows what she might say when she visits other households!"

"Just one sentence about our family also taking two stole scarves can be spun into flowers by their mouths! Who knows how much extra merchandise they can sell!"

Rong Rong Feiyan glanced at the slender maid, shook her head with a smile, and said, "How could it be like that?"

Seeing Ningxiang hurriedly said, "Miss, how could it not be so?! This servant has heard that whenever the daughters of wealthy households in the capital hear our family has purchased something, none fail to rush out and buy it themselves."

Seeing Xi Bu glared at Seeing Ningxiang and said, "If you know all this, why did you still take those items from that female steward?"

Seeing Ningxiang, looking at the smiling Rong Rong Feiyan, stammered, "I... I just thought the items were nice; it would be a waste not to take them!"

Rong Rong Feiyan shook her head with a smile and said, "Since the items look so good, you two can just wear them when you go out later."

"Thank you, Miss!" Seeing Ningxiang hurriedly smiled and performed a formal curtsy.

Seeing Xi Bu pursed her lips as she accepted the stole handed over by Rong Rong Feiyan; after glancing at it a few times, she nodded repeatedly with some embarrassment.

"Miss, what were you thinking about just now? Were you thinking about the colored ropes?" Seeing Ningxiang asked, patting the stole tucked against her chest.

Rong Rong Feiyan raised an eyebrow; her smile slowly faded, and after taking a deep breath, she remained silent.

"Miss, your skill in weaving the Hundred Ropes is so excellent; you will surely be chosen by His Highness," Seeing Ningxiang urged.

"But the noble daughters of other families also have highly skilled female masters teaching them; which of them would be inferior?" Rong Rong Feiyan said.

As she spoke, Rong Rong Feiyan lifted a porcelain cup and took a sip of her drink.

"Pfft."

Seeing Rong Rong Feiyan holding the handled porcelain cup with one hand to drink, somewhat losing her proper demeanor, Seeing Xi Bu suddenly burst out laughing.

Noticing Seeing Xi Bu's gaze, Rong Rong Feiyan looked down at the cup in her hand, which bore a striking resemblance to the teacup used by Xu Xu Zaijing, and scolded playfully, "Seeing Xi Bu, what are you laughing at!"

Seeing Xi Bu hurriedly shook her head with a smile: "Miss, this servant di-did not laugh!"

"Clack." The porcelain cup was placed back on the table.

Rong Rong Feiyan stood up, playfully scolding as she reached out to pinch Seeing Xi Bu's cheeks, saying, "Still denying it!"

Holding the stole, Seeing Xi Bu covered her cheeks with both hands and begged for mercy: "Miss, this servant won't say it anymore! It's just..."

Rong Rong Feiyan stopped her action: "Just what?"

"It's just... even if our family's items have been delivered to the Xu household, we have no way of knowing! So why trouble your mind with such thoughts!" Seeing Xi Bu said urgently.

Seeing Rong Rong Feiyan stunned, Seeing Xi Bu continued, "Besides, Miss, it's not as if we haven't sent items for Young Master Xu Wu to use before."

Rong Rong Feiyan sat back down in her chair, looked away, and said, "I... I never sent anything!"

Seeing Xi Bu and Seeing Ningxiang suppressed their laughter, sharing a knowing glance; previously, when Xu Xu Zaijing went to Bai Gao, their young lady had also sent items 'anonymously'.

Rong Rong Feiyan tilted her head; beneath the jet-black, lustrous strands of hair on one side were her softly contoured ears, with earlobes that were exquisite and round, and below that, a fair, slender neck.

Watching her young lady's profile as her eyelashes fluttered, Seeing Ningxiang shook her head to snap out of her reverie and said, "Miss, there is actually a way to find out whether the items reached the Xu family."

The ear of the tilting Rong Rong Feiyan moved cutely.

"Go on."

Rong Rong Feiyan said this while pretending to look at the calligraphy and paintings nearby.

Seeing Xi Bu said, "Miss, what Seeing Ningxiang means is to find Young Master; he and Xu Han Wulang have always been on good terms."

The scene Seeing Xi Bu and Seeing Ningxiang had anticipated—their young lady jumping up with joy—did not occur.

Rong Rong Feiyan merely covered her face with both hands in some vexation and said in a muffled voice, "Forget it! I don't want to know anymore!"

You Hour, First Quarter (5:00 PM)

The sun slanted westward,

The daylight was still bright,

On Qu Yuan Street,

At Marquis Marquis Yongyi's Hou Fu,

The inner official who had come to deliver the rewards had already departed.

Before the door to Xu Xu Zaijing's private treasury in the rear courtyard, Yun Xiang and Hua Xiang stood with Guan Guan Pozi; the group held or carried numerous items in their hands, these being the rewards for Xu Xu Zaijing's 'meritorious recommendation'.

In Xu Xu Zaijing's courtyard,

Inside the study,

Seeing Qingcao stood to the side holding a tray, upon which rested two exquisite brocade pouches.

Xu Xu Zaijing, having already washed his hands and arms, stood before Seeing Qingcao, drying his hands and wrists with a cloth.

After drying them,

Xu Xu Zaijing sat in the chair behind the desk and extended his hand, saying, "Come."

Seeing Qingcao smiled, placed the tray on the desk, picked up one brocade pouch, opened it, took out the colorful Hundred Rope inside, and carefully tied it around Xu Xu Zaijing's wrist.

Observing that this Hundred Rope was made of extremely fine materials, its colors resembling clouds and rosy dawn, with gold threads and gemstones woven into it, Seeing Qingcao couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, Young Master, this Hundred Rope is so beautiful! It looks so valuable!"

Xu Xu Zaijing smiled, lifting his wrist before his eyes to examine it: "Items from the palace; which among them is not valuable?"

Seeing Qingcao nodded: "Young Master speaks the truth."

Standing close, Xu Xu Zaijing could detect a faint scent of incense emanating from the Hundred Rope.

'Perhaps it is some kind of incense to repel mosquitoes and insects,' Xu Xu Zaijing thought to himself.

The other Hundred Rope was similarly made of extraordinary materials, with fine golden threads woven to form the four characters 'Fu Shou Kang Ning' (Fortune, Longevity, Health, and Peace).

"Young Master, this one is woven more densely, the meaning of the characters is auspicious, and it is also valuable," Seeing Qingcao said, holding Xu Xu Zaijing's wrist after tying the Hundred Rope securely.

Xu Xu Zaijing smiled and nodded slightly.

Then, to Xu Xu Zaijing's surprise, Seeing Qingcao brought the last tied Hundred Rope close to her nose, sniffed, and asked puzzledly, "Young Master, since these are both items from the palace, shouldn't the incense scent be the same?"

"Why does this servant perceive the fragrance of these two Hundred Ropes to be somewhat different?"

Xu Xu Zaijing withdrew his arm, sniffed, nodded, and said, "Indeed! Perhaps they were woven by different artisans?"

Seeing Qingcao nodded, then picked up the tray and walked outward.

"Click."

With a soft sound, the study door was closed.

Xu Xu Zaijing rotated both his wrists, looked at the several Hundred Ropes upon them, and raised an eyebrow with some helplessness.

After glancing at the sky outside the window, Xu Xu Zaijing dragged his chair over to the windowsill; just as he was about to pick up a book to read,

"Click."

The study door was pushed open again.

Xu Xu Zaijing turned his head to look, and seeing Seeing Seeing Qingcao standing at the doorway with an unusual expression on her face, he asked, "What's wrong?"

As he spoke, Xu Xu Zaijing's gaze shifted downward, and he spotted the two brocade pouches held in Seeing Seeing Qingcao's hands.

After turning around to shut the door, Seeing Seeing Qingcao walked quickly toward Xu Xu Zaijing.

Having glanced outside through the window beside Xu Xu Zaijing, Seeing Seeing Qingcao deftly revealed the two slips of paper hidden in her palm: "Young Master, look. Just now, when I... when I wanted to wash and put them away properly, I discovered these."

With a face full of confusion, Xu Xu Zaijing picked up the slips of paper; he had only taken one look when his eyes suddenly widened.

The reason was simple: on each of the two slips of paper was written a single character, one being 'Rong', the other 'Chai'.

"Y-Young Master, w-what does this mean?" Seeing Seeing Qingcao asked in a stuttering whisper: "Surely the young ladies from the Rong and Chai families didn't write these, did they?"

Xu Xu Zaijing helplessly rubbed his forehead and said nothing.

"Young Master, th-these are items bestowed by the palace; who could have stuffed these notes inside!" Seeing Seeing Qingcao scratched the back of her head, her face a mask of question marks.

Xu Xu Zaijing tucked the slips of paper into the book in his hand and said helplessly, "Who else could it be?"

Xu Xu Zaijing naturally recognized Zhao Fang's handwriting.

As he spoke, an image already formed in Xu Xu Zaijing's mind: Zhao Fang writing on the slips of paper with an expectant expression, then placing them into the brocade pouches with a mischievous grin.

Seeing Seeing Qingcao's eyes darted about; a guess formed in her heart, especially since the rewards had been bestowed in Zhao Fang's name, so she hesitated and asked in a low voice: "Young Master, then what does His Highness mean by this?"

Xu Xu Zaijing closed the book, looked outside with eyes full of contemplation, and said in an uncertain tone: "Perhaps the Crown Princess has already been decided, and His Highness is urging me to find a principal wife?"

Looking at Xu Xu Zaijing, Seeing Seeing Qingcao said: "Young Master, is it really so?... Matters of marriage should be the concern of the Lady, should they not? Thinking even higher up, Her Majesty the Empress regards you as a nephew and might also show some concern."

Xu Xu Zaijing looked down at the hundred-strand ropes on both his wrists, then turned his head to glance at Seeing Seeing Qingcao.

Having followed Xu Xu Zaijing for many years, Seeing Seeing Qingcao shared a certain tacit understanding with her young master.

Understanding the meaning behind Xu Xu Zaijing's gaze, Seeing Seeing Qingcao pursed her lips with some difficulty and said: "This servant feels that both noble young ladies are excellent! If only Young Master you... if only you could marry them both and bring them home, that would be wonderful!"

Xu Xu Zaijing rolled up the book in his hand and lightly tapped Seeing Seeing Qingcao's hair bun, saying: "You certainly dream big; they are both legitimate daughters from high-ranking noble houses—how could it possibly be possible to marry them both?"

Seeing Seeing Qingcao rubbed the hair bun that had been tapped, opened her wide eyes to look at Xu Xu Zaijing, and said: "Young Master, you haven't even asked, so how do you know it's impossible?"

"Slap!"

This time, Xu Xu Zaijing used a bit more force.

"Ouch!"

Clutching her stinging head, Seeing Seeing Qingcao looked at Xu Xu Zaijing with a grievance-filled expression.

(End of Chapter)