Chapter 96

Chapter 96

After leaving the office, Song Shian was informed by Jiang Chun about the New City Princess inviting her for a drink. He told her to go without worry.

He said that although the New City Princess could be a bit unreliable, she was still considered a rare normal person compared to other royal family members.

Jiang Chun took the opportunity to ask about the situations of Princess Anyuan and Anhe County Princess.

Song Shian indicated that the royal relatives were still quarreling and that it was unlikely they would come to any conclusion. In the end, it would still be up to the old emperor to decide.

There probably wouldn't be any results in the short term.

Song Shian said casually, "Both of them are royal relatives and women. The emperor probably won't do anything severe to them."

In the end, it's likely that only the Anhe County Prince will suffer misfortune in this matter.

Jiang Chun had also expected this.

If this were an ordinary woman, Anhe County Princess, who committed adultery with another man's husband, would either be drowned in a pig cage or suffer a bad fate.

Perhaps she would be forced to commit suicide to protect the reputation of other young ladies in the family, or be confined to a family temple to spend her days with a solitary Buddha.

But princesses were different.

Leaving aside other dynasties, the princesses of the Great Zhou dynasty were troublesome.

There were those who committed adultery, those who forcibly took other men's husbands, those who kept male favorites, and even those who engaged in incest with other royal relatives.

The list was endless.

Even the victim in this incident, Princess Anyuan, hadn't she previously forcibly taken a man and made him her County Prince?

This led to the man's former wife being unable to bear the humiliation and hanging herself.

Now, Anhe County Princess committing adultery with her County Prince was not much of a surprise.

It was like karma coming back around.

However, as the County Prince of a princess, it was audacious of him to commit adultery. To preserve the royal family's face, the old emperor would likely punish him.

Jiang Chun wasn't too afraid of this ancient fangirl, the New City Princess, and since Song Shian also told her to go without worry, she went to the banquet the next day with a carefree attitude.

Of course, before that, she had to send someone to notify Yu Ancheng to rest for another day and officially start his lessons tomorrow.

Yu Ancheng would probably be furious. Which apprentice skips their first day of martial arts training?

But there was no way around it. Even though Jiang Chun wasn't afraid of the New City Princess, she didn't have the guts to cancel on her.

So, she chose to stand up her master instead.

When Yu Ancheng becomes angry later, she could just use the New City Princess as an excuse to justify herself.

It was regrettable that the New City Princess's invitation came at an inconvenient time. Had it been two or three days later, her stewed meat would have been ready, and she could have brought some for her to taste.

For now, she had to use some of Song Shian’s provisions and took out a few crystal duck eggs, asking Gui Zhi to find a silk-lined box to pack them in as a present.

It also served as a promotion for Zhong Wenjin.

Jiang Chun had even thought of the slogan: "Crystal duck eggs, even the Princess approves."

The mansion of Princess Xinchang is located within the Imperial City. The route from the Song family to the Imperial City happens to pass through the East Market.

This was Jiang Chun's first time visiting the East Market. She lifted a corner of the carriage window curtain to sneak a peek outside.

She immediately felt as if she had been transported to an ancient cultural street in modern times.

A straight stone-paved road ran through the market, with traditional shops on both sides. Each shop had a signboard hanging above the door, and colorful banners were erected outside.

Although it was winter, the street was bustling with people, showing no signs of the usual winter desolation.

Moreover, unlike the mixed crowd in the West Market, the customers in the East Market were mostly well-dressed, many of them accompanied by servants.

Accordingly, the prices of goods in the East Market shops were much higher than those in the West Market.

Even for the same type of item, the price would be 10 to 20 percent more expensive.

Jiang Chun didn't have the time to wander around, but she could still check in for some rewards.

[Ding! Check-in successful at "Yanjing City Bank," received 14 taels of silver.]

[Ding! Check-in successful at "Yanjing City Pawnshop," received two sets of nine-linked silver rings, one Ru kiln pink famille-rose *Ma Gu Offering Longevity* teapot, and two purple sandalwood inlaid makeup boxes.]

[Ding! Check-in successful at "Yanjing City Blacksmith," received ten iron clamps, fourteen iron hoes, and nine iron pots.]

[Ding! Check-in successful at "Yanjing City Medical Hall," received 12 jin of red dates, 4 jin of pepper, and 2 jin of salvia.]

[Ding! Check-in successful at "Yanjing City Pharmacy," received 2 jin of American ginseng, 6 jin of gastrodia, and 11 jin of kudzu root.]

[Ding! Check-in successful at "Yanjing City Jewelry Store," received four red gold inlaid agate rings, two three-tailed gem-encrusted silver phoenix hairpins, and two gold necklaces.]

[Ding! Check-in successful at "Yanjing City Bookstore," received 15 bundles of water-patterned paper, six paintbrushes, and 22 pieces of pine soot ink.]

[Ding! Check-in successful at "Yanjing City Fabric Store," received 12 bolts of fine cotton fabric, five bolts of coarse silk, and eight pieces of deer leather.]

[Ding! Check-in successful at "Yanjing City Spice Store," received 8 jin of cinnamon, 1 jin of realgar, and 2 jin of musk.]

A long series of notifications followed, many of which included valuable items.

Although Jiang Chun's purse was already full, and she had invested in a future potential stock that would allow her to earn money while lying down, she still couldn't help but feel excited and in high spirits whenever she checked in and received good items.

Perhaps this was the joy of someone with a hoarding instinct?

Speaking of which, her system and Zhong Wenjin's system were a perfect match. One could collect valuable ancient items, and the other could convert those ancient items into RMB, then purchase modern goods from the Pinduoduo Mall.

Unfortunately, her second sister-in-law was a bit slow to catch on and hadn't yet discovered her secret.

Revealing her true identity voluntarily would be a bit undignified, after all.

She hoped her second sister-in-law would become more observant soon and discover the clues, then come to find her for a reunion.

Then the two of them could join forces and make a fortune from the wealthy and noble households.

Actually, making money wasn't the primary goal. The key was that she could ask her sister-in-law to shop for her, buying all kinds of modern goods.

She hoped to live a leisurely life in ancient times, reclining in a hammock, using a tablet to stream variety shows, sipping fizzy drinks, and enjoying the cool air from an air conditioner.

And with a handsome and well-built husband by her side, life would be simply perfect. What more could she want?!

Jiang Chun arrived at Princess Xinchang's mansion, lost in her random thoughts.

Princess Xinchang, aged thirty this year, was married to Lu Xinyu, the younger brother of the current Marquis of Yongping and the second son of the Lu family.

The couple had a ten-year-old son, Lu Kounian.

Under the guidance of a woman named Nanny He, Jiang Chun came to the main courtyard of the princess's mansion, where she saw Princess Xinchang dressed in splendid palace attire in the east wing room.

She hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "This humble servant greets Princess Xinchang."

Princess Xinchang coldly said, "Rise."

Jiang Chun stood up and directly sat down on the lower seat's Taishi chair.

Princess Xinchang looked puzzled.

She hadn’t actually given permission to sit, had she?

Then Jiang Chun, with gratitude, said, "Thank you, Princess, for letting me sit."

Princess Xinchang was almost amused. She had never met someone so assertive.

But as a dignified princess, she couldn't be bothered to argue over trivial matters like granting a seat with this girl.

After sitting down, Jiang Chun suddenly stood up again, as if stung by a needle, turned around, took the brocade box from Gui Zhi, and handed it to Nanny He.

With a smile, she said, "These are crystal-clear preserved eggs made by my second sister-in-law, Zhong Wenjin. They’re quite famous in Jiangsu Province. You can slice them and dress them with ginger for a cold dish, or chop them up to cook porridge. It’s delicious both ways.

I thought that perhaps you haven't tried them, Princess, so I brought some for you to sample."

Seeing the disgusted expression on Princess Xinchang's face after hearing her words, Jiang Chun added with a grin, "My husband loves eating these. Every time I cook porridge with preserved eggs for him, he finishes two big bowls. Usually, with other types of porridge, he only needs one bowl."

Upon hearing this, Princess Xinchang’s eyes lit up, recognizing a favorite dish of hers. She said to Nanny He, "Take good care of this."

Jiang Chun, being thorough, explained the method of cooking preserved egg porridge to Nanny He. After finishing, she said with a smile, "My husband, because he eats a vegetarian diet, can only have preserved egg porridge with some spinach, goji berries, and a sprinkle of scallions.

Since you don't follow a vegetarian diet, you can have someone add some minced meat to make preserved egg and lean meat porridge. It’s much tastier than just preserved egg porridge."

After a moment's thought, she added, "Both the elderly and children enjoy it."

Princess Xinchang listened intently and then, completely unappreciative, said, "The chefs in my mansion are imperial chefs. Why did you need to point that out?"

Jiang Chun was left speechless.

Princess Xinchang was really good at this whole "using someone and then discarding them" routine. If she’s so capable, why not return the preserved eggs and let her imperial chefs make porridge for her!

Princess Xinchang lifted her teacup, took a sip, and without looking at Jiang Chun, said coolly, "Do you know why I called you here today?"

Jiang Chun nodded vigorously, "Of course, Princess. You invited me to drink wine.

I skipped dinner last night to save room, just so I could feast today at your mansion."

Princess Xinchang was left speechless.

How crude!

Not only was she vulgar, but she also said it so openly, as if she wanted others to mock her.

Despite marrying this woman, Song Qingzhi still treats her like a precious gem. He would starve himself before banquets just to pick her up, and once he did, he would show affection with her at the second gate, ignoring everyone else.

If it weren't for his appearance, figure, temperament, and talent being irreplaceable, she would have suspected he had been swapped. The Song Shian in front of her was actually an impostor.

This rural butcher girl, Jiang Chun, what exactly was so good about her?

With this lingering confusion, she had summoned Jiang Chun over today to see for herself.

As a result, she was greatly disappointed.

She said helplessly, "Does Song Qingzhi know you're like this?"

Before Jiang Chun could answer, she continued, "You must be very good at acting in front of him, having two faces."

Jiang Chun said with a grin, "Your Highness flatters me too much. I'm just a rural butcher girl who can't even read. How could I possibly know how to put on the airs that ladies of the court do?

If I had that ability, would I still be butchering pigs and castrating them every day? Would I still be doing such work instead of marrying into a wealthy family and enjoying life as a young mistress?"

Princess Xinchang said coldly, "You've indeed risen to a higher status and are now enjoying life as a young mistress."

Jiang Chun protested, "I don't have a crystal ball. How could I have known that this former official of a husband would have a chance to rise again in the future?

I became a young mistress and enjoyed a good life because I have a kind heart. I couldn't bear to see my husband so ill and deteriorating, so I used all our savings to seek medical treatment for him and cared for him daily, helping him fully regain his health. This is the reward I received."

After a moment of silence, Princess Xinchang sneered, "A kind heart? I think you were blinded by his beauty and were willing to spend money to treat his illness."

Jiang Chun's mouth twitched.

Life is tough; no need to rub it in!

She didn't deny it and said with a laugh, "Anyone who married such a handsome husband couldn't remain indifferent."

Princess Xinchang fell silent.

That was indeed the truth.

If it were her, having a husband as handsome as Song Shian, she would not only spend all the family's money but would also work three jobs overnight to make sure he was well taken care of.

Of course, this didn't mean any disrespect to her own husband.

Her husband was a brave and strong man, very different from Song Shian, who exuded a scholarly aura.

Seeing that Princess Xinchang was silent, Jiang Chun began to "take credit" on her own, "Your Highness, the Jiang family are butchers in the countryside. We earn no more than three taels of silver a month.

And my husband's monthly medicine cost is exactly three taels.

But because his health is weak, in addition to taking medicine, his meals need to be nutritious and expensive. We have to feed him the priciest food and occasionally add tonics.

To support him, I butchered pigs and castrated them on the side. Sometimes, I would spend hours braising meat to earn extra income.

But unfortunately, we faced a locust disaster that led to a food shortage. People barely had enough food for themselves, let alone the means to raise pigs.

With no pigs to buy and a pressing need for money at home, I had to earn money by carrying grain sacks at a grain store. I carried two sacks at a time, rubbing my shoulders raw.

And from working outdoors daily, I was sunburnt black as charcoal.

I barely managed to survive until the famine ended, when villagers began raising pigs again."

At this point, she sighed deeply, "Sigh, others say I’m fortunate to have married the eldest son of the Song family as a matrilocal husband and was even brought to the capital from the countryside."

They have no idea about the bitterness and hardships I've endured.

To speak boldly, it’s only me. If it were any other woman, they really couldn’t have done it.

So, I deserve to enjoy this good fortune!

After listening to her lengthy speech, Princess Xinchang retorted sarcastically, "You’re telling me you can carry a bag weighing two *shi* at once? That’s three hundred pounds?

You can’t just make things up like that!"

Words without proof are meaningless; seeing is believing. Jiang Chun decided to prove it to her.

She scanned the room and her gaze landed on a bronze tripod in the corner.

The bronze tripod was as tall as a person, and its body was quite wide. Unlike the bronze tripods seen in later generations, which were often covered in patina, this one was still relatively new and a bright yellowish color.

She stood up, walked over, spread her legs, and placed her hands on the tripod. She lifted it slightly to gauge its weight.

Feeling it was within her capability, she exerted all her strength and lifted the tripod with a sudden motion.

Princess Xinchang: "???"

Princess Xinchang was completely stunned.

This bronze tripod was a gift from her imperial brother to protect her household. It must weigh a thousand jin.

When they brought it into the room, it took twelve guards using six iron rods, moving slowly like a tortoise, and it took a full quarter of an hour to get it inside.

Her husband joked that the tripod would stay there for eight generations and wouldn’t be moved.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Chun lifted it effortlessly as if it were nothing.

Was her strength greater than that of twelve guards combined?

Was she even human?

Clearly, her claim about carrying two *shi* of grain wasn’t just empty boasting.

Jiang Chun put the tripod down, patted her hands as if to dust off imaginary dirt, and turned to Princess Xinchang. "Your Highness, do you believe me now?"

Princess Xinchang: "..."

She believed it entirely.

But she was too stubborn to admit it, neither confirming nor denying it, and just snorted. "With such strength, you’re well-suited to be a porter and earn the wages of twelve men."

Jiang Chun didn’t quite understand how she came to the conclusion of "earning the wages of twelve men," but it didn’t matter.

She said with a grin, "Exactly. If I weren’t so strong, how could I have earned money as a porter to support my husband when there were no pigs to slaughter during the famine?"

Hearing this, Princess Xinchang’s expression softened considerably.

Indeed, this rural butcher girl had a poor background and was illiterate, but she had devoted herself wholeheartedly to Song Shian, both financially and physically.

If it weren’t for her, any other village girl would have failed to take care of Song Shian, let alone support him.

The usually prickly Princess Xinchang couldn’t help but praise her. "You’re a good woman."

Jiang Chun, who never knew the meaning of humility, immediately took advantage of the opportunity. "Your Highness, you have such great insight to recognize what a good person I am."

"Well, I don't have any other strengths, but I'm kind-hearted. I don't have any bad intentions towards people, I'm good to everyone, and I'm patient with everyone.

My father often tells me that it's not good for me to be so unguarded. If I encounter a bad person, I'll definitely be taken advantage of. But I just can't change this nature of mine.

Sigh, I really can’t do anything about it."

Princess Xinchang: “……”

As a princess of the imperial family, and with her elder brother being the current emperor, she was used to everyone from imperial relatives to titled ladies being respectful in her presence, not even daring to joke.

When had she ever met someone like Jiang Chun, who was so shamelessly boasting?

If her cultivation of inner peace hadn't been solid, she would have been shocked speechless on the spot, unable to maintain the dignity of a princess.

After a moment, she huffed, "Good to everyone? Patient with everyone? I doubt Lady Zhang, whom you beat up, would agree with that."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Jiang Chun immediately exclaimed, "If she had only scolded me, I could have tolerated it. After all, I’m thick-skinned and don’t have much pride.

But she made the mistake of scolding my husband, saying that he had abandoned Eldest Miss Cheng. If I hadn't taught her a lesson, it would have been an insult to how good my husband is to me. I would have been too embarrassed to sleep hugging him at night.

Flies don't land on flawless eggs. There were so many noble ladies present at the Chrysanthemum Viewing Banquet that day. Why didn't I hit anyone else but her?

If someone has a foul mouth, they should suffer the consequences. I'm not her mother, so I won’t indulge her!"

Princess Xinchang listened patiently to her ranting but her focus wasn’t on Lady Zhang. Instead, she asked a question that was far beneath her status as a princess.

"You sleep hugging each other?"

Jiang Chun said, "Of course! My husband can’t fall asleep unless he hugs me. Even if we have a fight or an argument, he shamelessly clings to me and insists on hugging me.

Sigh, there’s really nothing I can do about him."

Princess Xinchang felt a twinge of envy.

She had always thought that someone as aloof and haughty as Song Shian would, even if he married, only treat his wife with mutual respect.

Who knew that after marriage, he would be so clingy, even more so than those playboys who loved to chase women.

No wonder Jiang Chun took every opportunity to flaunt her relationship. If she had such an exceptional husband, she would flaunt it three times a day.

Then Jiang Chun, not knowing when to quit, asked, "Don't you and your husband sleep hugging? In the cold winter, sleeping alone under a quilt is so cold! I can't bear that kind of suffering!"

Princess Xinchang's face darkened.

Her husband was perfect in every way, except for his snoring, which made it unbearable. They had been sleeping in separate rooms since the second day after their wedding.

Originally, she didn't think there was any problem with this, as sleeping alone was more comfortable. At least, no one would snatch the quilt from her in the middle of the night.

Twelve years of marriage had passed like this.

Hearing Jiang Chun's words, she suddenly felt a sense of emptiness and coldness.

In the cold winter, it was certainly warmer to sleep hugging each other, and her heart wouldn't feel so lonely.

But if she had to hug her husband...

Never mind.

If the quilt was cold, she could just have the floor heating turned up."

It's still better to feel lonely than to be kept awake all night by thunderous snores.

She glared angrily at Jiang Chun and said irritatedly, "I know you've got a good husband, but there's no need to boast every time you see someone. Be careful, others might get jealous and have thoughts of stealing him away."

Jiang Chun wasn't worried at all.

Before Eldest Miss Cheng had her accident, someone might have indeed harbored such intentions, but after the incident, these people probably withdrew their claws.

These high-ranking officials and nobles are not fools; they couldn't fail to see that something was fishy about it.

It was known throughout the entire Imperial City that Eldest Miss Cheng couldn't forget Song Shian and had refused to marry anyone else.

Even if she gave up on Song Shian, she wouldn't settle for someone far inferior.

Connecting this with the incident a few days ago when Eldest Miss Cheng's cousin-in-law provoked Jiang Chun, only to be beaten up by her, it was easy to figure out the key point.

The incident at Marquis of Anyuan's household's Chrysanthemum Viewing Banquet was most likely orchestrated by Song Shian.

He cut off the Cheng family's hopes once and for all, and at the same time, set an example to deter others. He showed what would happen to those who dared to covet him.

There was no need for Jiang Chun to compete with other women; Song Shian himself resolved things as easily as cutting melons.

This was the benefit of finding a reliable husband; there was nothing to do but win without effort.

She said with a grin, "I'm not afraid. My husband isn't someone who can be controlled. As long as he doesn't want to, no one can take him away."

Princess Xinchang said coldly, "What if he does want to?"

Jiang Chun said with a laugh, "Then if we break up, I'll just find a younger, more obedient, and more charming young husband."

Princess Xinchang twitched at the corner of her mouth.

This woman really knew how to think ahead, and Princess Xinchang strangely felt that she wasn't joking. She really could do such a thing.

Unable to help herself, Princess Xinchang looked up and carefully examined Jiang Chun from all angles.

This woman was taller than herself, who was already considered tall among women.

On her melon-seed face, there were a pair of large almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose with a dainty tip, and below it, a small, petal-like red mouth.

If she were to have tears in her eyes, she would look like a utterly fragile beauty.

That is, as long as she remained silent and still.

Following her slender neck down, there were towering peaks on her chest that couldn't be hidden even by a loose jacket.

Further down, her legs were completely covered by the pleated horse-face skirt.

But when Jiang Chun had bowed earlier, Princess Xinchang had seen clearly that her legs were long and slender, and her hips were round and perky.

This woman had an outstanding appearance and figure, and her free-spirited personality was probably why Song Shian was so devoted to her.

If the two of them really broke up, it wasn't certain who would lose more.

Initially, Princess Xinchang had been examining Jiang Chun with a critical eye, but now her thoughts had completely changed, and she even felt that the two of them were an ideal match.

Only a brazen and free-spirited woman like Jiang Chun could melt Song Shian's cold heart and turn him into something yielding.

If Jiang Chun had been more reserved, this outcome might not have occurred.

Princess Xinchang turned to Nanny He and said, "Instruct the kitchen to add a few more fine dishes, and have Chef Zhao prepare them personally."

Jiang Chun immediately beamed with a smile and cupped her fists towards Princess Xinchang, saying, "Excellent! Your Highness is truly generous!"

Princess Xinchang gave her a glare and scolded with a laugh, "What kind of messy etiquette is this!"

Jiang Chun justified herself, "I'm currently learning martial arts from Instructor Yu, so it's only fitting that I use this warrior's salute."

"But I'm only doing this for you, Your Highness. I wouldn't bother with such a grand salute for anyone else."

Princess Xinchang said coolly, "Oh? Is that so? What a coincidence. My husband is also a disciple of Instructor Yu, a formally initiated apprentice."

Jiang Chun exclaimed in surprise, "Ah! This is like the flood hitting the Dragon King's temple, a case of family not recognizing family!"

Before Princess Xinchang could respond, Jiang Chun jumped up, anxious and hurried, saying, "I don't know if Senior Brother is at home? If he is, I'll go pay my respects."

Princess Xinchang twitched her mouth.

This girl really knows how to climb the ladder. As soon as she heard it, she started calling him "Senior Brother." She certainly doesn’t treat herself as an outsider.

Princess Xinchang hummed softly, "He's on duty at the palace and not at the mansion."

Fearing Jiang Chun might not understand, she added an explanation, "My husband is now the deputy commander of the imperial guards."

Jiang Chun exclaimed, "Wow! Senior Brother is amazing, doing quite well for himself. I guess if I ever hit rough times and can't even afford food, Senior Brother will definitely be able to take care of me."

Princess Xinchang sighed and put her hand to her forehead.

She knew Jiang Chun was good at climbing the ladder, but she didn't expect her to climb so high.

To actually say something like asking her Senior Brother to support her!

Yet she said it so naturally, with such a sense of camaraderie, without any ulterior motives.

Princess Xinchang said speechlessly, "Expecting my husband to support you? What about Song Shian, your husband? If he finds out, see what he'll do to you!"

Jiang Chun shrank her neck.

Princess Xinchang had struck a nerve.

If Song Shian heard this, he would probably lose his temper on the spot.

Even if her husband Lu Xinyu was her fellow disciple, it wouldn’t help.

As a man, Song Shian definitely wouldn't accept her saying something about another man supporting her.

Although anyone with eyes could see she was just joking.

But when Song Shian loses his temper, he doesn't see reason at all.

It seems she must change this bad habit of rash talk in the future. She needs to be careful with words when it comes to matters involving other men.

But she couldn't show weakness on the surface. She couldn't let Princess Xinchang see her vulnerability.

She said with a grin, "Don't worry, my husband knows me well. Even if I asked Senior Brother to take care of me, I'd bring him along to share in the good life and wouldn't leave him behind."

There were too many flaws in her words, and Princess Xinchang really didn't know what to say.

But as she followed Jiang Chun's hypothetical scenario, if Jiang Chun and Song Shian moved into her Grand Princess’s mansion, she would get to see Song Shian every day.

When the time comes, I’ll catch him and have him paint a picture for me every three days and write a calligraphy piece every five days.

Once I have collected enough paintings and calligraphy, I’ll host a Song Shian (Song Qingzhi) art exhibition at my Grand Princess’s mansion, distribute invitations, and invite all the high-ranking officials and nobles in the Imperial City to appreciate them.

Listening to everyone’s praise for my idol and their envy of me having so many artworks…

It would feel like a dream.

But she quickly regained her composure.

Better not get carried away.

With Song Shian’s temperament, how could he possibly accept someone else supporting his wife? And even suggesting supporting him as well?

Not to mention actually doing it, just saying this would stir up a hornet’s nest and get me stung all over.

Princess Xinchang glared at Jiang Chun, annoyed, and said, “Stop spouting nonsense.”

Jiang Chun shut her mouth reluctantly.

If he doesn’t want to support me, so be it. After all, I was just joking, and my goal was to build a connection with my senior brother, Lu Xinyu.

I’m a wealthy young woman now; I can support myself and my family perfectly well, so there’s no need for anyone else to provide for me.

Of course, Song Shian is the exception.

As a married couple, his money is mine, and my money is ours. Whether he says he supports me, or I say I support him, it amounts to the same thing.

Whichever he prefers.

*

After chatting with Princess Xinchang for about half an hour, it was time for lunch.

Jiang Chun felt rather pleased.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, Madame Zhuang had urged her to leave promptly, saying she shouldn’t keep Princess Xinchang waiting and should arrive early.

But Jiang Chun firmly declined.

If she arrived too early and they ended up clashing, they might argue for two whole hours before lunchtime. How exhausting.

Even if they didn’t clash, if they had nothing to talk about and she had to sit there awkwardly for two hours, that would be unbearable too.

So she waited until the third quarter of the morning (9:45) to leave.

It took her two quarters of an hour to get there.

So she only had to chat with Princess Xinchang for just over half an hour.

She was just too clever!

It wasn’t that Princess Xinchang was hard to get along with; actually, she was quite alright. Her personality was similar to Madame Zhuang’s, a bit cold on the outside but warm inside.

Including Song Shian, he was also like that.

Jiang Chun felt she was quite good at dealing with such people.

No other reason, just that she had a thick enough skin.

Sitting there making small talk was just too tedious.

The second sister-in-law is overly cautious. She’s hesitant to bring anything out, afraid that someone might discover something and burn her alive.

It would have been better if she had brought out the mahjong earlier. By now, she could have already been playing a few rounds with Princess Xinchang.

Mahjong is a fantastic way to pass the time.

However, Princess Xinchang found her speech anything but boring. Instead, she found Jiang Chun’s speech witty, humorous, and unique, unlike other noble ladies and young misses.

Most importantly, she could learn a lot about Song Shian from her.

Princess Xinchang decided to invite Jiang Chun over for a chat whenever she had free time.

Jiang Chun was known for her hearty appetite and love for meat. She could just order more delicious dishes and give her additional gifts. In any case, she wouldn’t let Jiang Chun leave without a reward.

Jiang Chun hadn’t expected that not only would she enjoy a delicious meal, but before leaving, Princess Xinchang also had Nanny He present a brocade box containing a pair of purple jade bracelets.

Purple jade is known as warm jade. Wearing purple jade bracelets for a long time can gradually improve the health of those with cold constitutions.

Jiang Chun didn’t have a cold constitution. Her body temperature was even slightly higher than average, but the purple jade bracelet was simply stunning.

Now that she no longer had to set up a stall daily, her skin gradually regained its natural color.

Her snow-white wrist, adorned with the light purple round bracelet, made her skin appear even fairer.

Jiang Chun was so delighted that she quickly bowed and thanked, “Thank you for the gift, Your Highness. This bracelet fits my wrist perfectly, as if it were made for me.”

Princess Xinchang’s lips twitched, then she raised the corner of her mouth in a barely noticeable smile.

Listening to her speak was indeed very entertaining.

Just as Jiang Chun was about to take her leave, a maid rushed in to report, “Your Highness, Lord Song is here. He said he’s here to pick up Jiang Niangzi.”

Jiang Chun raised her eyebrows in surprise. Today wasn’t a day off. In the middle of the afternoon, Song Shian should have been on duty at the Hanlin Academy. Could he have skipped work?

Princess Xinchang snorted and laughed, “Even if he took a leave, he came to pick someone up. Am I some man-eating beast that would eat his wife?”

Then, waving her hand, she said with a bit of pride, “Go, leave now. If you’re late, someone might rush into the inner courtyard to snatch you away.”

The “someone” was self-evident.

Jiang Chun said with a smile, “This commoner’s wife takes her leave.”

Then she personally carried the brocade box containing the purple jade bracelets and walked towards the second gate with a smile on her face.

Song Shian didn’t skip work or take a leave. He went to handle a task with his brother-in-law, the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince had already informed the head of the Hanlin Academy in advance.

*

So, after returning to the capital, he didn’t need to go back to the office and had time to pick up Jiang Chun.

Seeing her bright smile, Song Shian’s cold and indifferent expression softened, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips, “What’s the matter? Why are you so happy?”

Jiang Chun said with a smile, “I’m happy to see my husband. My husband is my source of joy, my little sun.”

Nanny He, who had come to see them off on behalf of the princess, almost lost her teeth from the sourness.

She thought Jiang Niangzi was deliberately acting crazy and foolish in front of the princess to lower her guard, but she wasn’t pretending; she was genuinely crazy!

Song Shian felt a warm feeling in his heart upon hearing that, and he reached out to take her hand, speaking gently, "I'm happy to see you too, my dear. Let's go home."

With that, he gently helped Jiang Chun onto the carriage, as if she were a delicate porcelain vase that could shatter at any moment.

Nanny He's lips twitched.

If she hadn't seen Jiang Chun's great strength earlier, she might have actually believed it.

Song Shian handed his horse to the servant and then squeezed onto Jiang Chun's carriage to ride home with her.

On the way, Jiang Chun asked concernedly, "Did you skip work to come and fetch me? Will it affect your attendance record?"

"No," Song Shian shook his head and explained the situation to her.

Upon hearing that, Jiang Chun let out a soft sigh of relief, "So that's how it is, now I'm relieved."

After putting her mind at ease, she handed the brocade box to Song Shian, and said with a happy smile, "Princess Xinchang is very generous with her gifts. The gift she gave me was actually a pair of purple jade bracelets."

Song Shian lifted the lid of the brocade box and took a glance before closing it again, chuckling softly, "She's the daughter of Empress Xian and the emperor's own sister. Of course, she has many fine things."

Having received such a good item, Jiang Chun no longer minded the tedium of making small talk. She said with a grin, "I hope the princess invites me over more often. That way, I can benefit more from her."

Thinking of how obsessed Princess Xinchang was with her calligraphy and paintings in their previous life, Song Shian said lightly, "There will be opportunities."

The two chatted idly for a while longer, and then Jiang Chun suddenly asked Song Shian, "Have you heard about the underhanded move of the Cheng family?"

Song Shian, who had orchestrated the entire plan of Cheng Wenyuan and Fan the Butcher's "affair," had people watching the Cheng family.

So, as soon as the Cheng family made their statement, he knew about it.

He thought the term "underhanded moves" Jiang Chun used was quite fitting for this situation.

Song Shian expected that, to protect Cheng Wenyuan's reputation, the Cheng family would acknowledge Fan the Butcher as their son-in-law; otherwise, Cheng Wenyuan would become a woman disgraced by an affair with a butcher.

However, he didn't expect that they would persuade the Earl of Anqing to recognize Fan the Butcher as his illegitimate son, thereby elevating Fan's status.

But that didn't matter much.

A pheasant remains a pheasant, and just because you attach a feather to its tail, it wouldn't turn into a phoenix.

Not everyone is like Jiang Chun, after all.

And Jiang Chun wasn't a pheasant that became a phoenix; rather, she was a pheasant with the spirit of a phoenix, someone who could even write in Dashi script.

He snorted softly, "Let's see how they'll handle the aftermath."

Cheng Wenyuan, who held herself in high esteem and had her eye on him for years, would never truly be interested in Fan the Butcher. Even if she married him, it would only be for show.

As for Fan the Butcher, after gaining the Earl of Anqing as his father overnight and becoming the son-in-law of a prominent family like the Chengs, would he be willing to give up such great wealth?

Definitely not.

So, there would be plenty of drama ahead for the Cheng family.

Jiang Chun tsked, "Too bad we can't watch closely. If anything happens, remember to tell me immediately, my love."

Song Shian gently tapped her nose and said with a soft chuckle, "You're always so eager to join in the fun."

Jiang Chun lifted her chin haughtily. "I can skip other people's drama, but I must see Cheng's. After all, she covets my husband and dreams of kicking me out to take my place."

Song Shian reached out and pulled her into his arms, gently stroking her back. "Don't worry, I belong to you and only you. No one else's coveting will make a difference."

Jiang Chun was actually quite reassured, but she grumbled, "Who knows if it will make a difference? There are many capable women in this world, not just me.

But..."

Her expression suddenly turned cold, and she said icily, "Whether they covet you or not doesn't matter. What matters is that if you dare to do anything against me, I'll castrate you.

You know I'm excellent at castrating pigs. It's quick and precise, and I won't let you suffer any more than necessary."

Song Shian felt a chill down below and couldn't help but raise his hand to cover his groin.