Chapter 140 Worldly Wisdom

The siblings were startled and looked up at the newcomer.

The visitor was tall and slender, with a handsome face, holding a folded fan with a nonchalant, well-dressed demeanor.

"This brush is nice, kid. You have good taste." Yu Yuan examined the brush carefully before tossing it back to Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning caught it carefully, afraid it might fall and break. After all, they hadn’t paid for it yet. If it broke, who would be responsible?

Recognizing Yu Yuan, Jiang Shu relaxed and asked with a smile, "What brings you here, Young Master Yu?"

"Hmph, you dumped the management of the wine shop on me and came to stroll around Linglong Pavilion yourself. If you can come here, why can't I?"

Yu Yuan harbored resentment towards Jiang Shu for convincing him to take over while she enjoyed her leisure. He was quite dissatisfied.

Especially since Jiang Shu always claimed to be busy but was now caught leisurely strolling around, Yu Yuan was even more annoyed.

Knowing she was in the wrong, Jiang Shu attempted to smooth things over with a gift. "Young Master Yu, is there anything in this pavilion that catches your eye? I'll buy it for you."

"If I like something, you’ll really buy it for me?" Yu Yuan raised his eyebrows and quickly scanned the surroundings.

Jiang Shu felt a twinge in her heart but boldly said, "As long as Young Master Yu likes it."

Hearing this, Yu Yuan grinned slyly and actually began to carefully select an item.

Seeing his intent, Jiang Ning leaned closer to Jiang Shu and whispered, "Sister, he looks like he's up to no good."

Jiang Shu nodded. "I know. Go see if there's anything else you like."

Although Yu Yuan was a bit arrogant and mischievous, he was trustworthy and upheld his responsibilities, distinguishing right from wrong. The fact that Yu Zheng was close friends with him was proof enough of his exceptional qualities.

Spending some money to please her younger brother was worth it.

After selecting for a long time, Yu Yuan finally chose a white jade folding fan.

"Young Master Yu has excellent taste. The fan bones of this white jade fan are made from Nanyang white jade, a highly prized material known for its purity and beauty. The landscape painting on the fan surface was hand-drawn by a master, making it one-of-a-kind, perfect for Young Master Yu."

The shop assistant gushed about it endlessly.

Yu Yuan was very pleased with the compliment and, unfolding the fan, shook it gently. "I'll take this fan."

"Thank you for your patronage, Young Master Yu. This white jade fan is priced at 1,800 taels." The shop assistant grinned widely, eyes gleaming with delight.

When he heard the price, Yu Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, and he almost couldn't hold the fan steady. While the Rong Royal Residence was part of the imperial family and had considerable wealth, they weren’t extravagant to this extent. His monthly allowance was only 150 taels.

1,800 taels would take several months of living frugally, even without spending his allowance or the profits from Cuiyun Building. If he were to buy it himself, he would surely regret it deeply.

He cleared his throat nervously and looked at Jiang Shu with feigned calm.

Jiang Shu smiled gracefully and generously said, "Consider it a gift from me, Young Master Yu."

1,800 taels was nothing to Jiang Shu. Building a deeper relationship with Yu Yuan was worth it.

Jiang Shu was willing, but Jiang Ning, however, wasn’t pleased.

The Jiang family, though wealthy, didn’t get rich overnight. How could they just throw money at someone they barely know?

Though he wasn’t happy about it, Jiang Ning kept his thoughts to himself. He understood that his elder sister had her reasons for acting this way.

"Tanyu, pay for it," Jiang Shu instructed Tanyu to pay for the jade fan, so that the shop assistant and Yu Yuan could rest easy.

Thrilled to have gotten the jade fan without paying, Yu Yuan was overjoyed, and any lingering resentment toward Jiang Shu melted away. He tossed his old fan to a servant and, already waving the new one, headed back to show it off.

"Did you come to the Linglong Pavilion just for this fan, Young Master Yu?" Jiang Shu asked in confusion.

Yu Yuan was startled, and only then did he remember the purpose of his visit.

"Almost forgot the main thing," Yu Yuan said, closing the fan with a slap to his palm, and began to seriously examine the treasures on the shelves.

Jiang Shu smiled and, along with Jiang Ning, started to select a gift as well.

"Hmm, that whip looks nice. Take it down so I can have a look," Yu Yuan said. After browsing for a while without finding anything he liked, his eyes caught sight of a whip hanging on the wall.

Curious about Yu Yuan’s excitement, Jiang Shu and Jiang Ning turned to see what had caught his attention.

It was a long black whip, with both ends of the handle inlaid with multicolored gemstones, very unique and beautiful.

At first glance, it was clear that the whip was designed for a young lady.

Unable to resist her curiosity, Jiang Shu asked, "Young Master Yu, are you planning to gift this to a young miss?"

Yu Yuan nodded and examined the whip closely.

Given his royal background, Yu Yuan’s acquaintances were likely high-born young ladies.

Worried that Yu Yuan might pick the wrong gift, Jiang Shu gently suggested, "Why not choose jewelry for a young miss?"

"I think she'll like this more," Yu Yuan said, quite satisfied with the whip in his hand.

Seeing that Yu Yuan seemed confident in his choice, Jiang Shu let it go.

"Elder sister, look at this," Jiang Ning called out in surprise.

Jiang Shu turned her gaze back and saw Jiang Ning holding a gold bracelet inlaid with red gemstones, very delicate and beautiful.

"Young master, you have a keen eye. The gems on this bracelet are red coral, crafted uniquely and ingeniously, with a clever design," the shop assistant said, his attitude having changed significantly after witnessing Jiang Shu’s wealth. He carefully took the bracelet from Jiang Ning’s hand to demonstrate.

"There’s a hidden clasp here. When opened, you can place scented beads inside, so that when worn on the wrist, it fills the air with a delightful fragrance," the shop assistant explained.

"No wonder the bracelet smells nice. So, there are scented beads inside," Jiang Ning realized.

The red coral scented bead bracelet was so exquisite and unique that Jiang Shu thought Sun Yijun would surely like it and decided to buy it.

By the time they left the Linglong Pavilion, it was already evening. Jiang Ning rubbed his stomach and said, "Elder sister, I'm hungry."

"Let's go, to Cuiyun Building," Jiang Shu said indulgently.

It was dinner time, and Cuiyun Building was already half-filled with guests. The siblings went straight to a private room and ordered a table full of dishes.

While waiting for the food, Jiang Ning chatted with Jiang Shu.

"Elder sister, why did you gift Young Master Yu something so valuable?"

Jiang Ning was unaware of the relationship between Jiang Shu and Yu Zheng, nor did he understand the connection between Jiang Shu and Yu Yuan, so it was natural for him to have doubts.

Looking at the resentful young man, Jiang Shu whispered into his ear, "He is the crown prince, and Cuiyun Building relies on him to keep troublemakers at bay. Getting to know him better will also help Jiangji."

"Running a business takes more than just smarts and foresight; you also need connections and a backer."

Jiang Ning grimaced and muttered, "What a hassle."

This was exactly why he didn’t want to go into business.

Jiang Shu rubbed the boy's head and explained softly, "It's not just a hassle; it's about how things work in society, which is necessary not only in business but in everything you do."

The same went for officialdom.

Though Jiang Ning was still young, he was quick-witted and picked up on it right away.

He remembered that the last time their father was seriously injured, it was thanks to Jiang Shu’s connections that they were able to summon an imperial physician.

As the siblings spoke, the dishes arrived quickly.

They were all Jiang Ning's favorites, and he had been craving them for a long time, so he ate to his heart's content.

The day passed in the blink of an eye, and the next day, Jiang Shu put on men's clothes to handle business at Jiangji.

That morning, just as she was about to leave, a household staff member reported that Shen Changze had arrived.

What did he want?

Jiang Shu's brows furrowed immediately. "I won't see him. Tell him the Jiang family is not welcoming him."

"Yes," the servant replied and left.

Afraid of running into Shen Changze and getting hassled, Jiang Shu waited an extra fifteen minutes before going out.

But to her surprise, Shen Changze was still outside, and as soon as he saw Jiang Shu, he approached her.

"Jiang Shu, I have something to say to you."

Jiang Shu's gaze turned icy, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Is the nobleman here to repay a debt?"

Shen Changze choked, looking somewhat embarrassed. "No."

"Then I have nothing to say to you," Jiang Shu said as she was about to leave.

Shen Changze panicked and snatched her wrist.