Chapter 16 Proud “You are indeed extraordinary in appearance.”…

Chapter 16: Proud and Aloof "You are indeed distinguished in appearance."...

Jiang Congyan slowly blinked her eyes and said earnestly, "You are indeed distinguished in appearance."

She spoke sincerely, not to flatter, but out of genuine admiration. The Prince of Mobei sensed the meaning behind her words, and his previous frustration vanished, replaced by a sense of great ease. He gave a proud, soft snort.

When he was young, his mother had also praised his good looks.

She said, "With such fine features, our Xiaonu will surely grow into a handsome man."

After a while, Jiang Congyan announced her departure.

The Prince of Mobei wanted to keep her, but Jiang Congyan, learning from her previous experience, took two steps back to avoid his hand and said with a smile, "Prince of Mobei, it's getting late, I should head back."

Her skirt fluttered as she moved, and the tassels at her temples swayed gently, colliding with each other to produce a delicate, crisp sound. The golden chains sparkled in the sunlight, making her radiant and illuminating the entire hall.

The Prince of Mobei ultimately did not insist on keeping her.

No rush, soon she will be mine, he thought.

As she stepped out of Fanglin Garden, the smile on Jiang Congyan's face instantly faded.

The next day, she took Ruo Lan and Si Zi out again in a carriage, without a coachman, with Si Zi driving.

She first went to the palace gate to pick up Sixth Princess, who burst into tears upon seeing her.

"Sister, I heard you are being sent off for a political marriage, how could this be? Why does it have to be you?"

Inside the carriage, Jiang Congyan used a silk handkerchief to wipe her tears, but Sixth Princess's eyes were like two springs, tears flowing endlessly. She held Jiang Congyan's hands, crying bitterly, as if it were herself who was going to be sent off for a political marriage, not Jiang Congyan.

"Sister, what will I do after you leave?"

"I brought you here today for your sake," Jiang Congyan said.

Sixth Princess was stunned, hiccuping through her tears, and gazed at her in confusion.

Jiang Congyan continued to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes, looking at her red, tear-streaked face. The sixteen-year-old girl was naive and helpless.

"Have you ever thought about getting married?" she asked.

"Getting married?"

"Yes."

"I... It's not up to me," Sixth Princess stammered, then added after a moment, "But then again, when I heard I might be sent off for a political marriage, I thought, I'd marry anyone, I don't want to leave Liang."

"Since you think that way, I’ll set up a marriage for you. You can decide after I’ve explained."

"Sister, whatever you arrange for me, I am willing!"

Jiang Congyan held her hand, "Take your time, listen closely."

She then told Sixth Princess about Huan Jun, saying he now needed a wife.

Originally, she’d made a deal with Huan Jun, but now she couldn’t, so she thought of Sixth Princess. Given the Emperor of Liang's nature, he didn’t truly care for his daughters. If there was a political need, he’d use them without hesitation. The situation in Liang State was worsening day by day, and no one could say when the Emperor would sell off his daughters. Therefore, it was better to plan ahead and marry early, at least to temporarily secure safety.

She’d been too passive about marriage in the past, which led to her current situation.

Although Sixth Princess was soft in character, she was not foolish. After hearing her sister's explanation, she realized it was for her benefit. Considering the Emperor of Liang's attitude towards the Prince of Mobei, she knew she was expendable, so she quickly agreed to the plan.

Seeing that she was willing, Jiang Congyan's expression did not relax but instead grew more stern. She tightened her grip and sternly warned, "If you marry Huan Jun, you must remember one thing: never fall for him, or you will only suffer."

The Sixth Princess earnestly took note of these words and nodded heavily, "Sister, I understand."

"Good."

Given Huan Jun's character, Yu'er should have a comfortable life after marrying him. As long as she remains steadfast, life won't be too difficult.

After they agreed, the carriage arrived at the entrance of the tea house they had visited before.

They got out and went in, finding Huan Jun already seated inside, with fresh tea ready.

To be honest, Jiang Congyan was not used to the tea from this time.

Tea during this period was heavily medicinal, often mixed with ingredients like scallions, ginger, and even herbs, resulting in a distinctly strong taste that made one hesitant to take another sip, though it was great for curing a hangover. There were also lighter teas, but the tea leaves were not as good as later varieties, mostly from wild tea trees, with a bitter and harsh flavor, and some even had a sharp, almost stinging taste. Only a few were sweet. When she was in Liangzhou, the Zhang family, to suit her refined palate, went all out purchasing tea from the southwest, carefully choosing just a few types that she could tolerate.

The most popular beverage was wine, with countless literati writing poems and essays about it. There was even a story of Bi Zhuo, a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Personnel, who, upon smelling the aroma of wine one night, sneaked into his neighbor's house to drink from their wine jar and was thought to be a thief. The next day, they discovered it was Bi Zhuo, who, after being released, still refused to leave and drank heavily with the host before finally stumbling off. This illustrates the extent of people's obsession with wine during that time.

The brewing technology of this era was still primitive, and it was mostly in the hands of a few noble families. Jiang Congyan had also opened a wine shop in Chang'an called Guiyuan Winery, with her own means. The wine she brewed was rich and full-bodied, and much stronger than others, making it highly popular in Chang'an and bringing in a lot of money. This allowed her to quietly help with the grain shortage in Liangzhou, though it was not a huge help, it was her way of showing her gratitude to her grandparents.

Collecting her thoughts, Jiang Congyan led the Sixth Princess into the tea room, while Ruo Lan closed the door and stood guard outside.

Huan Jun first glanced at Jiang Congyan, then turned his gaze to the Sixth Princess beside her.

The Sixth Princess felt uneasy under his scrutiny but remembered her sister's words and tried to keep her composure, quietly standing by.

After exchanging greetings, the three of them sat down again.

Huan Jun's expression was somewhat heavy. He had just finalized a cooperation agreement with Jiang Congyan a few days ago, but now things had changed. The plan for a fake marriage had naturally fallen through, and he hadn't expected her to contact him again, this time with a new candidate.

This candidate was somewhat unexpected, but it was actually feasible.

The Huan family had always been trusted by the emperor, and Huan Jun's marriage had been a persistent issue for his family. As long as he agreed, his family would certainly be willing to ask the emperor for a favor. An unfavored princess would not be a loss for the emperor, but this person before him...

"To be honest, I brought the Sixth Princess here partly out of guilt for breaking our agreement, hoping it might be of some help to you, but more importantly, I hope you can take care of Yu'er and provide her with a stable life. For this, I would be immensely grateful."

Jiang Congyan's expression and tone were extremely sincere, and even such words did not make Huan Jun dislike her. On the contrary, her honesty increased his goodwill toward her.

Huan Jun observed both of them carefully, straightened his expression, and said seriously to the Sixth Princess, "If the Princess can meet my requirements, I am willing to cooperate with you."

Sometimes, the same matter could yield vastly different results depending on the person involved. He had been willing to cooperate with Jiang Congyan because he saw that her temperament would not waver for him, and she was sharp-minded and insightful, making her an excellent partner. But with the Sixth Princess... he needed a guarantee, and this was his way of setting the terms upfront.

"Please speak, sir," the Sixth Princess said cautiously.

Huan Jun's requirements were similar to what her sister had told her. The Sixth Princess tried to control her nervousness and solemnly agreed.

Jiang Congyan was also observing the Sixth Princess. Huan Jun had a handsome appearance and was young and accomplished, making him a desirable match for many young ladies in Chang'an. She was worried that the Sixth Princess might develop feelings for him, which would be disastrous. Fortunately, such a situation did not arise.

Thus, Huan Jun agreed to return home and inform his family of his intention to marry the Sixth Princess.

He needed a wife to fend off family pressure, and the Sixth Princess needed a stable life. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, as long as both parties adhered to the agreement.

With this settled, Jiang Congyan escorted the Sixth Princess to the door, "I'll have Si Zi buy you some sesame cakes and pastries. Wait here for a moment; I still have a few words to say to Huan Jun."

The Sixth Princess obediently nodded.

Jiang Congyan returned to the tea room, where only she and Huan Jun remained seated across from each other.

She looked at the man who would one day hold up half of Southern Liang and asked quietly in the dimly lit room, "Have you ever thought, sir, what you would do if one day Chang'an were to fall?"