Chapter 120: The Tailor’s Wife

Chapter 120: The Tailor's Wife

"Miss, Prince Huan has sent an invitation to the Lin family, asking everyone to visit his residence."

Xiruo heard about this early in the morning while fetching water; the servants were all talking about it.

She immediately carried her water bucket back to Bixi Hall.

Linyun Wan looked up with a smile, put down her book, and asked, "When is it?"

Xiruo also smiled, "It seems to be in five days."

Linyun Wan pondered and said, "Prince Huan has just arrived in Jiangqian, his new residence must be chaotic. Hosting a banquet for the prominent families and officials of Jiangqian in just five days is no small feat."

Having spent her life inside the residence, she knew these matters best.

Xiruo didn't quite understand, but she got the gist from Linyun Wan's explanation.

She casually remarked, "It's because the Prince hasn't taken a wife. If he had a princess to manage the household, it wouldn't be in such disarray!"

Exactly, how can the inner household be without a mistress?

Especially in a residence like the Prince's.

Linyun Wan, who previously paid little heed to affairs outside her inner residence, felt indebted to Prince Huan.

She asked Xiruo, "Were you always by the Prince's side? Do you know why he has never married a princess?"

Xiruo shook her head, "I don't know."

"Although I served the Prince and occasionally attended to duties in his residence, I never served him closely."

"Now that I serve you, miss, I am your servant," Xiruo added more about Qi Linghen's private life, "Miss, there were never any female servants attending closely to the Prince. It has always been the eunuchs."

"I truly don't know why the Prince hasn't married, but I am aware that he has argued many times with the Emperor and the Empress about this matter. The Emperor once lost his temper severely..."

Linyun Wan's eyebrows knitted tightly upon hearing this.

She hadn't expected Prince Huan to be so bold!

It is said that the royal family is heartless, prioritizing loyalty over familial bonds. Yet, the Prince dared to defy the Emperor. It seems the Emperor indeed favored the Empress as rumored, extending his affection to the Prince, indulging his wishes even in the matter of marriage!

Seeing Linyun Wan deep in thought, Xiruo, worried she might misunderstand, whispered, "Miss, please don't get the wrong idea. The Prince is not ill. He simply doesn't wish to marry, seeming to look down upon the noble ladies of the capital... The Prince has always been willful. Nobody can control what he does not wish to do."

Linyun Wan's ears tinged red.

She hadn't suggested the Prince was ill...

"How do you know the Prince...?"

Although it wasn't appropriate to pry into the Prince's privacy, her curiosity was piqued by the conversation.

Xiruo candidly replied, "Everyone in the Prince's residence knows. One year, even the Emperor grew suspicious of the Prince... sending several imperial physicians consecutively to check his pulse."

"If it were just one physician, it would have been fine, but when several came asking the same questions, the Prince grew suspicious."

"When another physician arrived, the Prince became angry and sent him away..."

News about the royal family of the capital city spreads quickly; what happens one day is known throughout the city the next.

"It's not just me who knows, many people are aware of it."

Linyun Wan was somewhat lost in thought.

At that time, she had already been married to the Marquis of Wuding and certainly wouldn't have concerned herself with the affairs of other men. She had never heard of such private matters regarding the Prince.

Xiruo cautiously said, "You must have heard about the Crown Prince's health, miss."

Everyone knew the Crown Prince was frail. Not only was he weak, but he also had no offspring to date, likely lacking the ability to produce heirs.

If one day the Crown Prince were no longer there, Prince Huan, born of the Empress, would be next in line for the throne.

His health is of great concern to the court. Despite being his private matter, it's something that cannot be kept hidden...

Xiruo continued, "So the Prince's situation is not exactly a secret. But it's been many years, and now no one mentions it anymore."

Had Linyun Wan not asked, she would have nearly forgotten about it.

Linyun Wan did not inquire further. Matters unrelated to her, especially those concerning men, required her to maintain propriety, regardless of the great debt of gratitude she owed to the Prince.

"Xiruo, go and get some spices for me."

With the Prince having established his domain in Jiangqian and a new residence, she should congratulate him on his new appointment and housewarming.

Unfortunately, she was currently without resources and could only do her best to express her sentiments.

Xiruo expressed difficulty, "Miss, the spices you mentioned are complex. I can't remember them all. Could you write them down for me?"

"Of course, I can."

In Bixi Hall, there were writing materials available – ink, brushes, paper, and inkstone. These items weren't managed by Mrs. Zheng, but were provided by Lin Huabin.

Thus, their quality was quite decent.

As Xiruo ground the ink, Linyun Wan, not daring to write in her usual handwriting, used her left hand to list several types of spices.

"I'm not sure if the steward can recognize this handwriting. I'll read them to you, and if the steward can't make it out, you can relay it to him."

Xiruo nodded in agreement.

The names of the spices were written on the paper, which she could recognize.

Linyun Wan read them aloud one by one, and Xiruo went to ask Mother Zhao for the spices.

Mother Zhao, upon seeing the handwriting, furrowed her brows for a long time and asked, "Is this the young mistress's writing?"

Xiruo replied, "Yes."

Mother Zhao shook her head, finding it extremely ugly.

She told Xiruo, "It's not possible to gather all these spices immediately. You go back first, miss. I'll send someone out to buy them today, and once we have them all, we'll have them delivered to the young mistress."

Xiruo thought it over, considering Mother Zhao's plan to send someone out to buy them today as reasonable.

"You don't need to trouble yourself, Mother Zhao. I'll come by to collect them tomorrow morning."

Nanny Zhao affirmed.

After Xi Ruo left, she laughed until her stomach hurt, sharing with the surrounding maids, "Come and see, this is how our young mistress writes."

The Lin household, being scholarly, even had many literate servants.

The maids burst into laughter.

"This isn't written, it's more like scribbled by a ghost!"

"And to scribble like this, it seems the art of tracing is also lacking. Poor tracing skills, then needlework must be poor too."

Housekeeper Zhao said disappointedly, "After all, she's from the countryside, surely she's good for nothing."

Truly an ignorant and useless girl.

"Why are you laughing?"

When Madam Zheng arrived in the council hall, the maids dared not act rashly and stepped back.

Housekeeper Zhao showed the characters written by Lin Yunwan to Madam Zheng, saying, "This was written by the eldest miss."

Madam Zheng glanced at it—she had already heard the laughter and jokes from Housekeeper Zhao and the maids, but didn't know they were about her stepdaughter.

She couldn't help but laugh as well, raising an eyebrow and asking, "Did she write this herself?"

Housekeeper Zhao replied, "Miss Xiruo said she did."

Madam Zheng said disdainfully, "Take it away, it's an eyesore. Even Jiao'er couldn't produce something like this at five years old."

Housekeeper Zhao laughed, "The eldest miss can't be compared to the second young lady!"

Madam Zheng took a seat in the council hall, and the invited tailor arrived with fashionable fabrics from Jiang Qian, smiling as she introduced, "This brocade fabric is loved by ladies and madams in the capital..."

Being a willing spender, Madam Lin was seen as a significant business opportunity by the tailor, who couldn't be happier.

Madam Zheng glanced at the fabric, found it to her liking, and instructed Housekeeper Fan, "Take these to measure both young ladies."

After sending someone off, Housekeeper Fan asked Madam Zheng in a low voice, "Are you really going to follow the master's orders and make the same clothes for the eldest miss? It's quite expensive, and moreover…"

The eldest miss is so striking; if she dresses up more beautifully, she might overshadow the second young lady at King Huan's mansion!

Madam Zheng frowned and retorted, "Nonsense! Why should she be treated the same as Jiao'er?"

Mrs. Fan didn't understand, "If they're not making clothes for the young mistress, why measure her at all?"

"That's just a waste of effort."