vrcanaries Chapter 220: Marriage Compatibility Letter
Chapter 220: Marriage Compatibility Letter
Walking along the winding gravel road, neatly trimmed low shrubs lined both sides. But now, the trees were covered with dead branches. If there had been a heavy snowfall, it would have been barely noticeable. But after two days of sunshine, the snow had melted, and the bare branches were now a sight to behold.
Jing'er stopped and examined them carefully, looking very proud and confident. "These shrubs need to be pruned regularly to keep them in shape. Only then will they be pleasing to the Sixth Prince."
Jiang Ruyin and An Lingrong smiled at each other.
In the center of the yard is a small lotus pond, and the water surface is frozen.
"When summer comes, plant lotus flowers in this pond and raise some goldfish. It will help you to refresh yourself while closing your eyes to rest." Jiang Ruyin ordered.
There are four copper incense burners with ancient shapes placed in the four corners of the courtyard.
"In winter, this incense burner should be lit frequently. Firstly, it can keep away the cold, and secondly, the curling smoke adds some elegance." An Lingrong winked at Jiang Ruyin as she spoke.
Jiang Ruyin just smiled, "If you put all your thoughts into this, Hongning will cry next year."
"I know him. He will be pestering Hongxuan every day by then." An Lingrong smiled secretly.
The main house is on the north side of the yard. Several big red lanterns are hung under the eaves, which looks particularly festive against the backdrop of white snow.
When everyone walked into the house, the warm charcoal brazier instantly dispelled a lot of the coldness.
Fu Qiu nodded secretly, "The manager of the South Third Branch is quite capable."
She approached the bed and gently stroked the brand new quilt, her fingertips caressing the delicate silk. "Hongxuan is a quiet sleeper and doesn't like to toss and turn. I'm really worried that this soft material will spoil him."
An Lingrong paused, looking back outside. "This huge army has transformed the entire courtyard. I'm worried they'll spoil Hongxuan."
"What's in Yongshou Palace can't be any worse in the Prince's Residence. It's just that he is a boy, and the bed is so soft. Yongshou Palace doesn't have such an arrangement. I'm afraid I'll be so happy lying on it that I won't want to leave." Jiang Ruyin said lightly.
An Lingrong frowned, "So that's how it is. Such a vicious mind. There's nothing wrong with other things, it's just hidden in the subtleties."
Fu Qiu and Jing'er hit it off and started searching the main house to make sure there was no dirt or filth hidden.
In a short while, the entire courtyard had been completely renewed.
Jiang Ruyin and Concubine Qian sat in the main seats, while Jing'er led the other two young eunuchs and waited.
"From now on, you will be the head maidservant beside Hongxuan. You came from my Yongshou Palace. No one can embarrass you except the real master of the Forbidden City. But you must be careful with your words and actions and don't let others catch you in the wrong."
Jing'er calmed down and said in a deep voice, "I will do my best to save you. I will not disappoint you, Madam."
Jiang Ruyin nodded and looked at the two young eunuchs. "You two are much younger than Jing'er, so you should listen to her more often. Hongxuan means something different to Jing'er. He will be your master for the rest of your lives. When you get older, you will know who to listen to. I won't say more."
The three of them expressed their loyalty in unison.
Jing'er, having received Jiang Ruyin's words and having taken real power, couldn't help but show a proud expression on her face. The two young eunuchs were also working very hard.
Soon, three palace maids came carrying small bags.
Jiang Ruyin accepted their kowtows one by one.
The leading maid had a baby-faced face. She claimed to be eighteen years old, named Shu'er, and had served Ze Fei for six years. Originally a tea-serving maid in the Yangxin Palace, she had been assigned by the Emperor to serve Hong Xuan. Jiang Ruyin had made her the second-in-command of the palace.
The palace maid standing one step away from Shu'er was named Liuxiu, twelve years old. She was recommended by the Empress to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. She was a little timid and looked very lovely.
The one who fell behind was called Ke'er, fourteen years old. Jiang Ruyin knew her. Nian Shilan had sent Songzhi to greet her a few days ago, saying that Ke'er had been carefully taught by a nanny in the Nian family, but that nanny had died unexpectedly due to illness. The Nian family was no longer the same as before, so they didn't dare to use her. They told Jiang Ruyin: If she didn't have any ulterior motives, she would be much more useful than an ordinary person. If she did, just deal with her.
Songzhi spoke very tactfully, but after understanding what Nian Shilan meant, Jiang Ruyin still couldn't help feeling ashamed.
Therefore, Jiang Ruyin just nodded and ordered the reward without saying anything more. There were also two young eunuchs outside the house who kowtowed from a distance. They were the eunuchs who originally swept the courtyard.
On the day Hongxuan entered the imperial study, Prince Guo was ordered to go to Yunnan and Tibet for garrison.
As dusk deepened, a galloping horse rode into the area of Lingyun Peak, shrouded in the afterglow of the setting sun. The afterglow cast a vast, eerie shadow through the dead branches.
Zhen Huan seemed unaware and waited anxiously.
When the person she had been thinking about day and night appeared in her sight, she did not feel the sweetness of reunion between lovers.
Prince Guo's face was pale from the cold wind. He walked quickly to Zhen Huan and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Huan'er."
Zhen Huan's joy froze. "What? Did something happen to Father again?"
Prince Guo was stunned, "Ah, no." He almost forgot that in order to completely tie Zhen Huan's heart to himself, he had not yet told her the news about Zhen Yurao.
After regaining his composure, Prince Guo's voice took on a certain solemnity as he softly called out, "Huan'er. Although your garrison duty at the Yunnan-Tibet border is only for a little over a month, the round trip will take about forty days. The journey will be long and steep, and I'm truly worried about you."
Zhen Huan felt much more at ease knowing her family was safe. However, Prince Guo's departure still brought a mist to her eyes. She nodded slightly and said, "I understand that border affairs are important, but after this separation, I still feel a little empty inside." She gently held Prince Guo's cold hand, hoping to pass on the warmth of her palm to him.
Prince Guo held her hand and said sincerely, "Don't be afraid, Huan'er. When I return, I will take you to see your mother and perform the true ceremony of marriage. From now on, you will be my wife, my only wife. We will never be separated."
A mist filled her eyes, and Zhen Huan raised the corners of her mouth, revealing a faint smile, and choked up her voice, "Then I feel relieved. But you must be extra careful on this journey, and put your own safety first."
"Look." Prince Guo pulled out the long-prepared marriage invitation from his bosom. "I've prepared this a long time ago, but I just never found the right time to tell you. Now I can't wait any longer. I've thought about longing for each other, staying together forever, and so on. But I feel that what really attracts me is you, Huan'er, and you as a person. Nothing could be more suitable as a token of our love."
Zhen Huan took a deep breath, using the dusk to hide the tears in her eyes, and the two of them went inside.
Zhen Huan took the paper and pen, lowered her head slightly, and carefully wrote down her birth date and name. Her handwriting was soft and graceful, with a sense of self-improvement.
Prince Guo watched her write down the eight characters, and while he breathed a sigh of relief, the love in his eyes finally burst out uncontrollably.