“Why are you staring at me like a fool?” Prince Chen leaned lazily on the windowsill, basking in the sunlight like a cat. “Has it been so long since we last met that you’ve already forgotten me?”
He touched his face, thinking to himself that his features were hardly forgettable.
Jiuzhu shook her head. “I haven’t forgotten.”
“Ah,” Prince Chen said with a smirk, “so you’re just mesmerized by my face.”
Jiuzhu: “…”
The people in the capital sure have thick skin.
“Hurry up and come over here,” Prince Chen beckoned to her. “It’s straining my neck to talk to you like this.”
Jiuzhu rubbed her own neck. Craning her head upward to speak wasn’t exactly comfortable for her either.
There were no other guests upstairs, and Jiuzhu glanced around in confusion.
“Don’t bother looking. It’s just you and me here,” Prince Chen said, lightly tapping the table with his knuckles. At his signal, someone brought out an assortment of hairpins and jewelry, placing them on the table for Jiuzhu to choose from.
Chunfen, who was standing behind Jiuzhu, couldn’t help but gasp softly. Had the shop brought out their finest treasures?
“Pick whatever you like,” Prince Chen said, glancing at the items on the table. “The quality might be a bit lacking, but the designs are passable.”
Jiuzhu glanced at the shopkeeper, who was standing respectfully to the side, and handed him back the silver peanut she had been holding. Covering her face with her hand, she whispered to him, “These look very expensive.”
Prince Chen dragged the carved stool he was sitting on closer to Jiuzhu and mimicked her whisper. “Not enough money?”
“I have enough,” Jiuzhu said, clutching her purse as if it were her most precious possession. “I just don’t want to spend it.”
Prince Chen had initially thought that the Ming family might not care much for their daughter, who had just returned to the capital, and thus were reluctant to spend on her. He hadn’t expected this to be the reason.
As the future Princess Chen, why should she be so frugal?
“Don’t worry, the items here are cheap,” Prince Chen said, picking up a hairpin and holding it up to Jiuzhu’s head. “I’m friends with the owner. I’ll make sure he gives you a good deal.”
Jiuzhu looked at him with suspicion, wondering if he was secretly working for the shop.
Seeing her expression, Prince Chen knew exactly what she was thinking. “What’s that look for?”
Jiuzhu covered her eyes and shook her head. “I wasn’t thinking anything.”
Prince Chen: “…”
This was the classic case of “protesting too much.”
He tugged lightly on her swaying braid and, with one hand, stuck a hairpin into her hair. The golden hairpin, glinting in the light, looked like a wild weed sticking out of a rock—utterly lacking in elegance.
“This is a gift from me. You don’t have to pay for it.”
“I don’t want it,” Jiuzhu said, plucking the “weed” out of her hair and placing it back on the tray. “A girl can’t just accept hairpins from any boy.”
What was wrong with a fiancé giving his fiancée a hairpin?
Was Prince Chen the type to back down when someone said no?
No, he wasn’t.
So, he stuck two more hairpins into her hair.
Jiuzhu glared at him and pulled out both “weeds.”
“Don’t move, little girl,” Prince Chen, the domineering Yun Duqing, grabbed a handful of hairpins and grinned at her.
“Stop it,” Jiuzhu said, covering her hair and retreating to a corner. Her voice, with its soft Lingzhou accent, carried a hint of threat. “If you keep this up, I’ll hit you.”
“What are you two doing?” A gentle yet puzzled male voice interrupted them. Jiuzhu, still holding her hair, turned to see Prince Qi standing at the top of the stairs. His handsome face was furrowed in confusion.
“Greetings, Your Highness Prince Qi,” Jiuzhu said, releasing her hair and performing a curtsy.
Prince Qi stepped into the room and glanced at the disarray of hairpins and bracelets on the tray. He picked up a coral plum blossom hairpin and looked at Prince Chen.
Prince Chen raised an eyebrow, walked over to Jiuzhu, and, while she wasn’t paying attention, adjusted the slightly crooked tassel hairpin in her hair. “What a rare occasion to run into you here, Fourth Brother.”
“You’re a prince too?” Jiuzhu whispered.
“Yes,” Prince Chen said, quickly sticking another hairpin into her bun. He flicked the golden butterfly on the pin and smiled. “Isn’t that a coincidence?”
This little girl seemed a bit clueless, not the sharpest tool in the shed. But the way she clutched her head was rather endearing.
Watching the two of them whispering with their heads almost touching, Prince Qi placed the hairpin back on the table. “I’m about to get married, so I need to prepare some items for the women in my household.”
He waited for a response, but Prince Chen seemed too preoccupied trying to stick another hairpin into Jiuzhu’s hair. Jiuzhu, for her part, was glaring at him while clutching her hair.
“Put it on.”
“I don’t want to,” Jiuzhu said, taking a step back. “You’re a prince, so I can’t hit you. But I can… I can have someone else hit you.”
“Oh?” Prince Chen wanted to poke her cheek, but he restrained himself.
“My fiancé is Prince Chen. He’s super, super, super nice,” Jiuzhu said, straightening her back. “I’ll have him hit you.”
Hearing her say “super nice” three times, Prince Chen couldn’t help but laugh. But seeing the seriousness in her eyes, he put down the hairpin he was holding. “Alright, alright, my mistake.”
“I know you mean well, wanting to give me something,” Jiuzhu said, taking the golden butterfly hairpin out of her hair. “The capital is bustling, and people here act freely without many restrictions. But in Lingzhou, only family, elders, close friends, or a husband can give a woman hairpins. Although I’m now a resident of the capital, I grew up in Lingzhou. Accepting a hairpin from you, Your Highness, wouldn’t be proper.”
In their few encounters, Prince Chen had rarely seen such a serious expression on Jiuzhu’s face. He studied her features carefully and suddenly laughed. “Little Ming girl, do you know my title?”
Jiuzhu shook her head.
“I was born in the 23rd year of Xiande. My father named me Duqing, meaning that no matter how much suffering there is in the world, his beloved son can overcome it all without enduring any hardship.” Yun Duqing clasped his hands behind his back, his tone unusually gentle. “When I was fifteen, I was granted the title of Prince Chen.”
Jiuzhu stared at him in stunned silence. The autumn breeze brushed past the windowsill, causing the copper bell under the eaves to chime softly.
“Whether it’s the customs of the capital or the traditions of Lingzhou, I’ve never given jewelry to any other girl,” Prince Chen said, seeing Jiuzhu still staring at him in a daze. He placed the golden butterfly hairpin back in her hair. “This golden butterfly has wings as thin as a cicada’s. It suits you perfectly.”
This time, Jiuzhu didn’t remove the hairpin.
“See? If you’d just let me put it on earlier, we could’ve saved all this trouble,” Yun Duqing said, lightly poking her forehead. He couldn’t resist poking her again, causing the butterfly wings in her hair to flutter gently.
Jiuzhu covered her forehead and tilted her head to look at him. “Are you really Prince Chen… Your Highness?”
“Is there anyone in the entire capital who would dare impersonate Prince Chen?” Yun Duqing rubbed his chin. “In a few days, it will be Consort Su’s birthday. The Emperor will host a banquet in the palace. Remember to come with Lady Shen.”
“You really are Prince Chen,” Jiuzhu said, her face suddenly breaking into a radiant smile. “That’s wonderful.”
Back then, he had been a kind-hearted little fairy boy. Now, he was still the same good person who didn’t get angry when others spoke ill of him and who would send people to help her when she got into fights.
“What? Are you happy?” Prince Chen asked, seeing her smile so brightly. He couldn’t help but smile too.
“Yes, I’m happy.”
After eight years apart, learning that he and Consort Su were doing well—how could she not be happy?
Sigh.
Prince Chen looked at Jiuzhu’s soft, fair cheeks. Her innocent and naive nature was fortunate to be matched with him. If she were to marry someone else…
He frowned unconsciously and turned to Prince Qi. “Fourth Brother, you’re still here?”
Prince Qi placed the selected jewelry into a box and spoke unhurriedly. “Fifth Brother, have you finished picking?”
“When choosing accessories for a woman, it’s best to have her come along,” Prince Chen said, lowering his gaze. His tone was casual. “If she doesn’t like it, wouldn’t that be a waste of my good intentions?”
“Is that so?” Prince Qi glanced at the tray of hairpins that Prince Chen had picked but which Jiuzhu had refused to wear. “It seems Miss Ming doesn’t care much for your choices.”
“That’s not true,” Jiuzhu said. “Prince Chen has an excellent eye and refined taste. I love every piece he chose. I just couldn’t bear to let him spend so much money, so I had to reluctantly decline.”
No one could question Prince Chen’s taste, not even his own brother.
An excellent eye?
Prince Qi paused the hand holding the hairpin, his beautiful eyes turning to Jiuzhu, and then he smiled gracefully, nodding to her: "My apologies, it seems I misunderstood."
"It's alright." Prince Chen stepped forward, standing in front of Jiuzhu: "I am broad-minded and won’t dwell on such trivial matters."
"Your Highness." A middle-aged man dressed in a deep blue martial attire, with a scar on his chin, came upstairs. Seemingly unaware of others present, he bowed deeply to Prince Chen, not even glancing at Jiuzhu behind him. He approached Prince Qi and cupped his hands in salute: "The Marquis is critically ill."
"I understand." Prince Qi set down the jewelry box, signaled his attendant to settle the bill, and then turned to leave the shop in haste with the middle-aged man.
"Miss, miss?" Chunfen noticed that Prince Qi had left, and Jiuzhu had not performed the proper courtesy. Fortunately, Prince Qi was in a hurry and didn’t notice the young lady's breach of etiquette: "What’s wrong?"
Jiuzhu slowly shook her head: "Who was that middle-aged man who just came in?"
"Judging by his attire, he seems to be a servant from either the Pingyuan Marquisate or Prince Qi’s residence," Chunfen thought for a moment. "Since he was sent to deliver a message, he must be a trusted aide of the master."
Noticing that Jiuzhu’s complexion had turned pale, Chunfen reached for her hand and realized her palm was cold: "Miss, please wait here. I’ll fetch your cloak from the carriage."
"I’m not cold…"
Before she could finish, a large, dark cloak was draped over her shoulders.
"Keep it on." Prince Chen noticed the cloak slipping and reached out to adjust the ties, fumbling with them until he managed to tie them into… a hopeless knot.
Chunfen: "..."
Tying a cloak was clearly a high-difficulty task for His Highness Prince Chen, who was accustomed to being waited on by numerous servants.
Pretending not to notice the knot he had created: "Consort Su’s birthday is approaching. Don’t catch a chill and fall ill."
If she couldn’t attend the birthday banquet, rumors might spread that the young lady was on bad terms with his mother.
They say that the relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is the most challenging. He didn’t want to worry about such matters before even getting married.
The man’s cloak was a bit too long for Jiuzhu. She glanced down at the hem dragging on the ground and tugged it up slightly.
"Oh." Jiuzhu nodded obediently.
Prince Chen: "..."
Shouldn’t she be taking this opportunity to ask about his mother’s preferences, so she could prepare a suitable birthday gift?
What’s with the "oh"?
Couldn’t she be a bit more thoughtful?!
