A round and plump yuanbao hairpin brought three people into silence.
"A return gift for my sister." Jiang Sheng was still shy, "I don't have money to customize it, so I came to the silver shop to make a selection, hoping that my sister won't dislike it."
Yao Siqing stared blankly, her mind complicated.
Even a little orphan girl knew to give a return gift after receiving one, and specially came to the silver shop to carefully select one, yet she herself didn't have a single valuable piece of jewelry on her from head to toe.
If the previous Yao Siqing was casual and unrestrained, after seeing the yuanbao hairpin, her mind went through several changes, adding solemnity and prudence.
She inserted the hairpin into her hair bun, and lifted her skirt to turn around, "Does it look good, little sister?"
"It looks good, really good!" Jiang Sheng was extremely happy.
Yao Siqing was willing to accept the return gift, meaning she regarded her as a friend.
This was her first friend since she had enough to eat, and such a beautiful elder sister at that. It was worth the money she painfully spent on those eighteen taels of silver.
"You, don't come to this silver shop to pick silver ornaments anymore in the future." Yao Siqing grabbed Jiang Sheng's little chubby hand, "I'll take you to a few shops, where it's both cheaper and better looking."
"Great, great!" Jiang Sheng trotted to keep up.
The two of them gradually went further away, leaving Chang Yan and Wen Zhiyun in the carriage looking at each other.
One awkwardly pinched his fingers.
One put away the thick and long silver needle.
Who would have thought that when they rushed up aggressively, wanting to catch whichever scoundrel was seducing the young lady from their family, they would discover it was a beautiful girl.
Speaking of which, Jiang Sheng had been dedicated to eating her fill and eating well all these years, following her brothers around everyday without her own friend.
"Cough cough, she's at that age where she should make friends." Chang Yan coughed twice, "We can't always watch over her and control her."
Wen Zhiyun didn't speak, biting his lower lip.
Compared to fifth brother's open-mindedness and generosity, little Doctor Wen's life was simple to the point of absurdity. Other than seeing patients, there were his brothers and sisters, especially that sister who had extended a hand during his most helpless moment, becoming the undisputed core of his life.
Now the core had her own friend, and Wen Zhiyun didn't know whether he felt loss or sour grapes, lowering his head dejectedly.
Chang Yan also didn't know how to advise him. He himself felt more loss than gratification.
Who could accept a little girl who had always affectionately called them "brother", suddenly following someone else one day?
Fortunately she was just an elder sister.
Chang Yan heaved a long sigh, and changed the topic, "Speaking of which, we should also give little Jiang Sheng some jewelry. There just so happens to be a silver shop here, why don't we go take a look."
Wen Zhiyun's small face became even more ghastly pale. It took him quite a while to squeeze out, "Little Five, do you have money?"
Chang Yan, "......"
Jiang Si outside hee-heed a few times, and took the initiative to drive the carriage back home.
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from outside the carriage.
The person spoke humbly and respectfully, "Wife, this is the biggest silver shop in Fengjing, pick whatever you like, I will foot the bill."
"You're only giving me some silver ornaments for my birthday?" the woman's voice was coarse, seeming dissatisfied, "Oh well, you also don't have much silver, silver ornaments will have to do then."
The two people walked towards the direction of the silver shop.
Wen Zhiyun was still crestfallen, regretting why he couldn't make money like second brother.
"Fourth brother." Chang Yan's eyes lit up, "Here comes the money."
Wen Zhiyun looked up blankly, and saw the carriage curtain lifted, revealing the round husband and wife pair outside.
The man had a round head, round brain, round belly, and the woman by his side was similarly plump and round, exuding good fortune. They swayed as they awkwardly descended from the carriage.
Who else could it be other than Gong Prince's Crown Son who had a beauty secretly tucked away in the small temple.
Wen Zhiyun's first reaction was fear, not daring to provoke these imperial and noble families again.
It was Chang Yan whispering by his ear for a while, and then thinking of his sister's bare neck and wrists that made him steel his heart and clench his teeth to jump down from the carriage.
Before Gong Prince's Crown Son could enter the silver shop, the two respectfully greeted him, "Greetings, Young Master."
Only calling him Young Master and not Crown Prince showed that both sides didn't know each other's identities.
"Has the Young Master completely recovered since I last saw you at the clinic?" Wen Zhiyun was extremely nervous inside but had to maintain a pure and innocent appearance on the surface to show a doctor's benevolence.
Gong Prince's Crown Son was startled, and beads of sweat emerged from his plump forehead.
"Who is this? When were you sick? Why does he call you Young Master?" Crown Princess Consort asked doubtfully, "And you still haven't explained what's going on."
With three consecutive questions thrown over, Gong Prince's Crown Son was rendered speechless.
He continually blinked at Wen Zhiyun, hoping the doctor could understand on his own.
"Speak. What exactly is going on." Crown Princess Consort revealed displeasure, "If you don't speak, I'll chop off your head."
Although Wen Zhiyun knew that according to Dayu Dynasty's strict laws they couldn't casually behead people, he still shuddered in fright.
He seemed to understand why Gong Prince's Crown Son wanted a secret beauty tucked away. He also got a sense of how formidable these imperial and noble families were.
But fifth brother was right. If he wanted to make money and treat more of the poor common folk, then he had to deal with these imperial and noble families, had to go face those superior people who casually talked about decapitation.
After brief self-reassurance, little Doctor Wen trembled and said, "I'm a doctor from Wen's Clinic. We have special masseuse ladies at our clinic to give massages and help ladies relax. The Young Master... The Young Master came to arrange a masseuse lady for his esteemed wife."
Gong Prince's Crown Son was taken aback, the desire to survive made him frantically nod, "Yes, yes, that's right!"
"You guys also have masseuse ladies?" Crown Princess Consort breathed a sigh of relief, a shy joy and smugness emerging on her face. "Though I've never heard of this so-called clinic, that the Crown Prince is so considerate makes me really happy."
"As long as Wife likes it. We just walked dozens of steps, I'll get a masseuse lady to relax you later." Gong Prince's Crown Son fawned, "So can I go to You Ran House tonight..."
Crown Princess Consort sharply raised her head.
"I won't go." Gong Prince's Crown Son abruptly braked, "I definitely won't go no matter who calls me. I have to accompany my wife at home."
Only then did Crown Princess Consort reveal a smile, "The consideration is appreciated. Let's go pick some silver ornaments."
The plump woman took the lead to turn around and walk towards the silver shop.
Leaving Gong Prince's Crown Son to madly wipe the sweat off his forehead, finally relaxing.
"Young Master, I'm so embarrassed by this." Wen Zhiyun's face was full of shame, "It's my fault for disturbing the Young Master and his esteemed wife, I'll take my leave now."
He turned to leave, as if it really was just a chance encounter.
Gong Prince's Crown Son relaxed his suspicions, took out an ingot of silver from his clothes, and reluctantly tossed it over, "Get that whatever masseuse lady to Prince Gong's Mansion to attend Crown Princess Consort."
"Also, forget everything about last time. If even half a word leaks, be careful of your skin and tendons."
After speaking, he urgently chased after Crown Princess Consort, seemingly complaining about the scarcity in his purse, hoping his wife wouldn't pick overly expensive silver ornaments.
Yet last time at the broken temple, he had clearly brought the young ladies plenty of solid gold ornaments.
Wen Zhiyun was puzzled and perplexed. He gripped the thirty or so taels of silver tight, and it was a while before he came back to his senses, "Little Five, we have money to buy jewelry for little sister now."
