Chapter 87 Burning Gaze; He Gives a Gift

Chapter 87: Burning Gaze · His Gift

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Qin Jiao's gaze was too "burning" for Xie Nai to ignore. "Come here."

Qin Jiao walked briskly to his side. "What's wrong with admiring such a handsome god of wealth?"

"God of wealth?" Xie Nai chuckled. "Did Luo Yue tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Qin Jiao looked confused. Seeing this, Xie Nai realized he had misunderstood.

"Back in Nanzhou, I promised you could buy anything you wanted once we returned to the capital, so I had Luo Yue pick out a few things for you."

"Ah?" Qin Jiao was stunned.

At the Embroidery Tower back then, Qin Jiao had only thought he and Xie Nai were putting on an act—all just lies to fool people. The promise of buying things after returning to the capital was nothing but empty talk.

Xie Nai led Qin Jiao into the inner room.

Qin Jiao sighed helplessly. "Your Highness, actually... I came to see you today for something else."

Xie Nai didn't answer, simply continuing to guide Qin Jiao forward.

In the elegantly decorated inner room, the crescent moon table was neatly lined with various styles of Buddha niches; there were also clearly valuable four treasures of the study, jade pendants, hair ornaments, various decorative gold and silver porcelain, and even daggers and bows. Behind the table, on the blue pear wood clothes rack with white lotus cutouts, hung a row of precious fabrics and exquisitely tailored expensive garments.

"See if there's anything else you need." Xie Nai gestured for Qin Jiao to look around.

"No, no, I don't want any of it." Qin Jiao waved his hands repeatedly.

Based on the prices at Yijia Pavilion, these items were worth at least a hundred thousand taels of gold. Qin Jiao dared not accept them.

"If you don't like any of these, you can go pick something else that suits your taste." Xie Nai seemed to have misunderstood Qin Jiao's meaning.

"I..." Qin Jiao was at a loss for words. "These things are all very fine, but they're too valuable. Your Highness, you should keep them for yourself."

Xie Nai glanced at Qin Jiao, then reached out and picked up a golden oriole yellow brocade cross-collar cloud gauze robe.

This robe was exquisitely crafted. Besides the ornate gold-thread trim at the hem and cuffs, the entire garment was embroidered with lively golden orioles. The birds were lifelike, every feather hand-stitched by embroideresses. Their eyes were adorned with dark tourmaline. In the height of spring, when the robe brushed past flower bushes, it would surely be enchanting.

Then Xie Nai picked up a second piece: a moon-white cold-mountain fox-fur cloak. It looked ordinary from the front, but the back was decorated with many fiery red jade bells. When worn, the bells would chime playfully with each step.

Next, Xie Nai lifted a third piece: a silver-feathered apricot-pink crane-feather cloak, followed by a fourth, a fifth...

As he watched, Qin Jiao noticed that the clothes Xie Nai picked were either playful and bright, elegant and unique, or luxurious and splendid. Though varying in style, they were all chosen according to Qin Jiao's build and age.

"They're all prepared for the young master. I'll have Luo Yue deliver them to your residence later." Xie Nai made the decision for Qin Jiao.

Qin Jiao still tried to resist. "It's not right... These are really too expensive..."

"Flowers need careful tending to bloom beautifully."

Xie Nai suddenly cut off Qin Jiao's words.

"Flowers? What flowers?"

Qin Jiao didn't react at first.

Xie Nai leaned in slightly, casting a dark shadow that completely enveloped Qin Jiao. The young master's eyes were beautiful—when he looked at someone, they shimmered like bright pearls.

Xie Nai gazed at Qin Jiao, his voice low and captivating. "It's the Qinjiao flower."

"You... I..."

Understanding the deeper meaning behind Xie Nai's words, Qin Jiao's ears instantly burned, and his originally fair face flushed with a tipsy red.

"The Qinjiao flower is precious, so of course I must give it the best." Xie Nai paused. "Besides, Tongjia Manor belongs to me. You don't need to worry about money."

"What?" Qin Jiao's eyes widened. "The owner behind Tongjia Manor is you, Your Highness?"

For years, everyone in the capital had been guessing who backed Tongjia Manor, which dared to defy even the powerful. It turned out to be the Prince of Lingnan.

Seeing Qin Jiao's interest, Xie Nai added a few more words. "At first I just set it up for fun. As the business grew, I turned it into an intelligence hub. Sometimes Mingjia comes here to review intelligence from various sources."

Qin Jiao covered his mouth in shock, his voice trembling. "I feel like I've accidentally stumbled upon some earth-shattering news."

Looking at Qin Jiao, Xie Nai suddenly remembered the last time Qin Jiao discovered Mingjia's identity. Back then, Qin Jiao had been just as flustered, like a startled rabbit.

With a soft laugh, Xie Nai said, "Don't worry. You won't need to sleep with one eye open. I'm not going to do anything to you."

Qin Jiao: "..."

Thank you for the teasing. That awkward moment just came back to haunt me.

Tongjia Manor's situation was complicated, so Xie Nai didn't elaborate further. Qin Jiao knew his place and naturally didn't press.

In the end, Qin Jiao still didn't accept those gifts. From the row of Buddha niches, he only chose one that was low-key and simple.

Qin Jiao put away the Buddha niche and was about to sit down to discuss the "real matter" with Xie Nai when a fierce argument suddenly broke out downstairs.

"Where did this vile underling come from, daring to snatch things from me? Guards, teach them a lesson!"

"How dare you! Do you know who we are? You want to hit us? Is there no law anymore!"

"Mengmeng, don't argue with this young lady. Let's just give up the gold hairpin."

The voices belonged to three young women who had clashed over a gold hairpin. Qin Jiao initially didn't want to get involved in a dispute among girls, but then one of them suddenly shouted angrily:

"Li Xiaohu, stop being such a pushover! This lowly commoner has stepped on our faces! We are people of the Second Prince! She is committing insubordination by offending us!"

"Mengmeng, keep your voice down... Everyone is looking at us..."

The Second Prince?

Ever since the incident at Miao Mansion, Qin Jiao had been forced to pay more attention to Xie Chengyi. He reached out and pushed open the window, discreetly taking in the situation downstairs.

Directly below Yijia Pavilion was the north area of Yuezan Mansion. Three women stood there. Two of them were Zuo Mengmeng and Li Xiaohu, whom Qin Jiao had seen before at Miao Mansion.

The third woman was dressed extravagantly, wearing a step-swaying gold hairpin, and was quite beautiful. Several sturdy servants accompanied her.

People love a good spectacle. Upon hearing the commotion, the other ladies and young misses who had been browsing stopped what they were doing and secretly watched the three.

"So these are the Second Prince's sluts." The extravagantly dressed woman sneered, then gestured to her servants. "Beat them."

As she spoke, several servants rushed forward, grabbing Zuo Mengmeng and Li Xiaohu to beat them. Zuo Mengmeng, being more stubborn, kept shouting insults.

"Slap—"

The woman in fine clothes slapped Zuo Mengmeng across the face. The sound of the slap echoed through nearly the entire Tongjia Manor.

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