Chapter 95 - How Can I Visit You Without a Welcome Gift!
Inside the room, Shen Ninghua was going over the ledgers when Bai Ruo led in Madam Zhang who had a pale face. “Your Highness, the Duchess of Wei is here.”
Shen Ninghua raised her eyes, and her attitude was neither warm nor cold. “Greetings, ma’am.”
Madam Zhang’s expression was solemn as she swept her gaze over the maidservants beside her and said stiffly, “Your Highness, I want to talk to you alone.”
“Bai Ruo, you guys can leave.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Shen Ninghua got up and sat down on the seat beside her. She slowly said, “May I know what you want to talk about with me?”
Madam Zhang stared at Shen Ninghua carefully. The veins on her neck constantly popped out and her voice became tense. “Shen Ninghua, you saved those disabled civilians just to attract my attention, didn’t you? Now that I’m here, you don’t have to put in any effort to test me. Let’s be honest. What are your conditions for treating Ruyun?”
Shen Ninghua lowered her head and smiled. Her slender eyelashes trembled. “What conditions? How about destroying the Zhao family?”
Madam Zhang’s body suddenly tensed up like a bowstring. “Zhao Yunxiang killed your mother, and so you hate the entire Zhao family? What wrong did Ruyun do to you?”
“Hate?” Shen Ninghua tilted her head and looked at her. “She killed my mother. Even if I killed all posterity of the Zhao family, I would still feel unsatisfied. Why can’t I hate the Zhao family because of this?”
Madam Zhang coldly twitched the corner of her mouth. “Right now, everyone says that Zhao Yunxiang is inhuman, but I think you are the most ruthless one.” The people were still praising Shen Ninghua for her kindness, but was there any trace of kindness in her vicious temperament?
“I’ve learned quite a bit of the Zhao family’s style after so long. If my own mother had taught me in my childhood, I would be gentle and kind now.” Her current personality was the result of being forced by Madam Zhao and the others, and whoever did this to her had to bear the consequences now. This was retribution.
The anger in Madam Zhang was almost out of control, but she had no choice but to remain calm on her face. “What exactly do you want me to do before agreeing to save Ruyun?”
“I can save her. But I have three conditions for you.”
“What conditions?” Madam Zhang gritted her teeth. She could predict that Shen Ninghua’s conditions would be very harsh, but as long as she could save her daughter, she would accept her conditions!
Shen Ninghua observed Madam Zhang’s expression with her eyes, and an unexplainable emotion flashed in her heart. Madam Zhao and Madam Zhang were extremely ruthless to outsiders, but they were extremely indulgent towards their children, making them ignorant of dangers and boundaries. This made her wonder if they really loved their children or wanted to harm them.
“The conditions are very simple. First, Zhao Ruyun shall marry the Fifth Prince, Baili Jinze. Second, all the medicinal ingredients that are needed for the treatment will be provided by you. You will also have to pay me 500,000 taels of silver. I haven’t thought of the third condition yet. When I come up with it, I will tell you.”
“You…” Madam Zhang’s entire body trembled. “You’re asking an exorbitant price! Ruyun is the first daughter of the Zhao family, and she is in the same bloodline as the empress. If you let her marry the Fifth Prince, wouldn’t that make the empress and the Crown Prince suspect us? Furthermore, where can I find 500,000 taels of silver? This isn’t the soil on the ground that you can pick it up as much as you want. As for the last condition, who knows what a harsh condition you will set in the future?”
Shen Ninghua turned the jade bracelet on her wrist and said without any reluctance, “Zhao Ruyun framed me many times and kept causing trouble for me. If she had offended anyone else like this, the person would have prayed for her death long before. Now that I agree to save her life and enable her to move as freely as an ordinary person, I have been showing extreme generosity. Do you expect me to save her for nothing?”
Madam Zhang gritted her teeth. She had already secretly invited all the imperial doctors in the capital, including Chen Yun. Unfortunately, no one was able to treat Ruyun. If she hadn’t seen with her own eyes the people cured by Shen Ninghua, she wouldn’t believe that a little girl had such ability. The person who could cure Ruyun was right in front of her, so she couldn’t miss this opportunity.
“I can agree to your conditions, but do you have a way to make the Fifth Prince willing to marry Ruyun?” Her daughter had a strong and stubborn temperament, whereas the Fifth Prince was gentle. Although his mother had a low status, a person like him would be easier to deal with. Ruyun would not suffer any losses living with him. If she made some explanation, the empress and the Crown Prince might not object too strongly.
Shen Ninghua’s eyes flashed with a smile. “I have my own way to make him agree. Don’t worry.”
Madam Zhang struggled for a long time in her heart and finally chose the path that she thought was the most advantageous. “Alright, I agree, but I need a few days to raise 500,000 taels. Write out the prescription first, and I need to prepare the ingredients in advance.” As for the third condition, if Shen Ninghua’s condition was outrageous, she could just go back on her word!
Shen Ninghua nodded. “Sure. Qing Que, bring over the prescription I have written.”
Suddenly, a figure appeared in the room. Madam Zhang was shocked. When she saw Qing Que’s clothes, she remembered that this one was the best at martial skills among Shen Ninghua’s four maids. She didn’t expect that Qing Que had been quietly hiding in the room. Maybe the maid was afraid that she would harm Shen Ninghua. What a loyal dog!
When Qing Que brought the prescription over, Madam Zhang stood up, grabbed it, and strode out.
Qing Que wanted to snatch the prescription back from her, but she saw Shen Ninghua shaking her head, so she took two steps back to stand beside Shen Ninghua. “Miss, the prescription is very detailed. If the Zhao family made the medicine according to the prescription by themselves, wouldn’t it ruin your plan?”
“If the Zhao family really did so, then they would be courting death.” Shen Ninghua smiled confidently. “The ingredients used in the prescription are all precious tonic medical materials. Mixing them into a medicinal bath can stimulate one’s body potential. However, the human body is extremely complex and it is extremely difficult to stimulate one’s potential. It must be guided by acupuncture and moxibustion. If the Zhao family used the prescription without my instruction, they would achieve nothing except the death of Zhao Ruyun.”
“So you have already thought about every detail carefully.”
“Miss!” Hong Ling hurriedly ran in and said, “There’s a Madam Xia at the door. She said she’s your aunt.”
Shen Ninghua’s expression flickered. “Finally she has come…I’ll go take a look.”
Xia Jingqiu sized up the surrounding scenery and praised, “His Majesty really loves Ninghua so as to reward her with such a good courtyard. What a good fortune! Yingxue, Ninghua is your younger cousin, but you have to salute her. Don’t forget what I have told you.”
The young lady who was observing the surrounding scenery suddenly frowned. “Mother, although Ninghua is my younger cousin, her status is higher than mine, so I know that I have to salute her. If you keep reminding me, it will seem that I have poor manners.”
Xia Jingqiu looked at her beautiful daughter with affection on her face. “Yes, I just worry too much. My Yingxue values the etiquette the most.”
Yang Yingxue slightly curled her lips and revealed a faint smile on her face as she arrogantly turned her head around.
Bai Ruo’s gaze swept across her smile, and an inexplicable and unexplainable emotion surged in her heart. This Miss Yang’s smile was actually somewhat similar to Her Highness’s…
Xia Jingqiu’s heart was filled with pride. She was reluctant when the Xia family hurriedly married her to Yang Lian, a local official. Fortunately, Yang Lian had a gentle personality and doted on her very much. Later, she gave birth to Yang Yingxue and her younger brother Yang Yingchao, and felt more at ease. When the Xia family was exterminated and Xia Jingyan passed away, all she had in her heart was pleasure with herself.
So what if Xia Jingyan was drop-dead gorgeous? What if she was the apple of the Xia family’s eye? Wasn’t she dead now? Haha.
Shen Ninghua walked over and saw Xia Jingqiu and Yang Yingxue. She frowned slightly. “So you are my mother’s sister, my aunt?”
Xia Jingqiu felt a burst of dissatisfaction in her heart. What kind of attitude was this? Did she think that she was an imposter? She thought so in her heart, but her face was full of sorrow. She wiped the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief in one hand and held Shen Ninghua’s arm with the other. “You must be Ninghua. My poor girl, you have suffered a lot from not having a mother to protect you for so many years.”
Shen Ninghua frowned and a trace of discomfort flashed through her eyes. She never liked to get too close to people except for those with pure minds. She was not used to Xia Jingqiu’s intimate move.
Bai Ruo noticed Shen Ninghua’s discomfort and immediately stepped forward to lift Xia Jingqiu up. “Ma’am, don’t cry anymore. Miss just had her fifteenth birthday a few days ago. It’s unlucky to see tears these days.”
Madam Xia hurriedly stopped her tears and happily wiped them off. She immediately smiled and said, “Look at me. I was too excited to see Ninghua. I even forgot the rules. Come, Yingxue. Come and see your cousin.”
Yang Yingxue took two steps forward and saluted in a formal manner. “Greetings, cousin. This is the first time we’ve met. I came in a hurry and didn’t have time to prepare a welcome gift. I’ll give these two bracelets to you as a gift.” As she spoke, she took off two bracelets from her wrist.
“Cousin, you are too polite. You and I are cousins, so we don’t need welcome gifts.” Shen Ninghua smiled, but she felt puzzled in her heart. It was clearly the first time she had seen Yang Yingxue, but she had a feeling of familiarity.
Yang Yingxue slightly pursed her lips and said, “Cousin, don’t be so polite with me. This is our first meeting. How can I visit you without a welcome gift?” As she spoke, she held Shen Ninghua’s wrist and put the jade bracelet on her wrist.
“Ding!” The sound of jade colliding with each other made Yang Yingxue stunned. She lowered her head to look at Shen Ninghua’s wrist and found that she was already wearing a bracelet.
The jade bracelet was red and sparkling. She could see at a glance that it was worth a lot. The most surprising thing about it was that the bracelet was warm by itself. It was actually a warm jade that was hard to find even with ten thousand taels of gold. The bracelets that she had deemed to be precious were worthless in contrast. It was like a fish’s eye compared with a ruby, in which case it was quite easy to tell which one was better. Alas, she had been thinking of the fish’s eye as a treasure!
Xia Jingqiu made a slight move. She stepped forward and grabbed Shen Ninghua’s hand. Her sleeve slid down and covered the jade bracelet on Shen Ninghua’s wrist. “Ninghua, you may not know that your uncle, my husband has been transferred to the capital. We just came here and we haven’t settled down yet. Maybe…”
Seeing that Xia Jingqiu had changed the topic, Shen Ninghua smiled and said, “Right now, only my grandmother and I live in the Prefectural Princess Mansion. You and cousin can stay with me for some time. Bi Zhu, tidy up the courtyard and let my aunt and cousin live here.”
“Yes, Miss.”
After returning to her room, Shen Ninghua frowned slightly, as if she had something on her mind that she could not understand.
Bai Ruo stepped forward and said softly, “Miss, what’s wrong with you? If you don’t like Madam Xia, just don’t let them live here.”
“No,” Shen Ninghua shook her head. “Bai Ruo, do you think that Yang Yingxue looks familiar? I always feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before.”
“Miss, didn’t you see that Yang Yingxue looks quite similar to you? Even her smile and behavior bear some resemblance to yours.”
Shen Ninghua raised her eyes, and her attitude was neither warm nor cold. “Greetings, ma’am.”
Madam Zhang’s expression was solemn as she swept her gaze over the maidservants beside her and said stiffly, “Your Highness, I want to talk to you alone.”
“Bai Ruo, you guys can leave.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Shen Ninghua got up and sat down on the seat beside her. She slowly said, “May I know what you want to talk about with me?”
Madam Zhang stared at Shen Ninghua carefully. The veins on her neck constantly popped out and her voice became tense. “Shen Ninghua, you saved those disabled civilians just to attract my attention, didn’t you? Now that I’m here, you don’t have to put in any effort to test me. Let’s be honest. What are your conditions for treating Ruyun?”
Shen Ninghua lowered her head and smiled. Her slender eyelashes trembled. “What conditions? How about destroying the Zhao family?”
Madam Zhang’s body suddenly tensed up like a bowstring. “Zhao Yunxiang killed your mother, and so you hate the entire Zhao family? What wrong did Ruyun do to you?”
“Hate?” Shen Ninghua tilted her head and looked at her. “She killed my mother. Even if I killed all posterity of the Zhao family, I would still feel unsatisfied. Why can’t I hate the Zhao family because of this?”
Madam Zhang coldly twitched the corner of her mouth. “Right now, everyone says that Zhao Yunxiang is inhuman, but I think you are the most ruthless one.” The people were still praising Shen Ninghua for her kindness, but was there any trace of kindness in her vicious temperament?
“I’ve learned quite a bit of the Zhao family’s style after so long. If my own mother had taught me in my childhood, I would be gentle and kind now.” Her current personality was the result of being forced by Madam Zhao and the others, and whoever did this to her had to bear the consequences now. This was retribution.
The anger in Madam Zhang was almost out of control, but she had no choice but to remain calm on her face. “What exactly do you want me to do before agreeing to save Ruyun?”
“I can save her. But I have three conditions for you.”
“What conditions?” Madam Zhang gritted her teeth. She could predict that Shen Ninghua’s conditions would be very harsh, but as long as she could save her daughter, she would accept her conditions!
Shen Ninghua observed Madam Zhang’s expression with her eyes, and an unexplainable emotion flashed in her heart. Madam Zhao and Madam Zhang were extremely ruthless to outsiders, but they were extremely indulgent towards their children, making them ignorant of dangers and boundaries. This made her wonder if they really loved their children or wanted to harm them.
“The conditions are very simple. First, Zhao Ruyun shall marry the Fifth Prince, Baili Jinze. Second, all the medicinal ingredients that are needed for the treatment will be provided by you. You will also have to pay me 500,000 taels of silver. I haven’t thought of the third condition yet. When I come up with it, I will tell you.”
“You…” Madam Zhang’s entire body trembled. “You’re asking an exorbitant price! Ruyun is the first daughter of the Zhao family, and she is in the same bloodline as the empress. If you let her marry the Fifth Prince, wouldn’t that make the empress and the Crown Prince suspect us? Furthermore, where can I find 500,000 taels of silver? This isn’t the soil on the ground that you can pick it up as much as you want. As for the last condition, who knows what a harsh condition you will set in the future?”
Shen Ninghua turned the jade bracelet on her wrist and said without any reluctance, “Zhao Ruyun framed me many times and kept causing trouble for me. If she had offended anyone else like this, the person would have prayed for her death long before. Now that I agree to save her life and enable her to move as freely as an ordinary person, I have been showing extreme generosity. Do you expect me to save her for nothing?”
Madam Zhang gritted her teeth. She had already secretly invited all the imperial doctors in the capital, including Chen Yun. Unfortunately, no one was able to treat Ruyun. If she hadn’t seen with her own eyes the people cured by Shen Ninghua, she wouldn’t believe that a little girl had such ability. The person who could cure Ruyun was right in front of her, so she couldn’t miss this opportunity.
“I can agree to your conditions, but do you have a way to make the Fifth Prince willing to marry Ruyun?” Her daughter had a strong and stubborn temperament, whereas the Fifth Prince was gentle. Although his mother had a low status, a person like him would be easier to deal with. Ruyun would not suffer any losses living with him. If she made some explanation, the empress and the Crown Prince might not object too strongly.
Shen Ninghua’s eyes flashed with a smile. “I have my own way to make him agree. Don’t worry.”
Madam Zhang struggled for a long time in her heart and finally chose the path that she thought was the most advantageous. “Alright, I agree, but I need a few days to raise 500,000 taels. Write out the prescription first, and I need to prepare the ingredients in advance.” As for the third condition, if Shen Ninghua’s condition was outrageous, she could just go back on her word!
Shen Ninghua nodded. “Sure. Qing Que, bring over the prescription I have written.”
Suddenly, a figure appeared in the room. Madam Zhang was shocked. When she saw Qing Que’s clothes, she remembered that this one was the best at martial skills among Shen Ninghua’s four maids. She didn’t expect that Qing Que had been quietly hiding in the room. Maybe the maid was afraid that she would harm Shen Ninghua. What a loyal dog!
When Qing Que brought the prescription over, Madam Zhang stood up, grabbed it, and strode out.
Qing Que wanted to snatch the prescription back from her, but she saw Shen Ninghua shaking her head, so she took two steps back to stand beside Shen Ninghua. “Miss, the prescription is very detailed. If the Zhao family made the medicine according to the prescription by themselves, wouldn’t it ruin your plan?”
“If the Zhao family really did so, then they would be courting death.” Shen Ninghua smiled confidently. “The ingredients used in the prescription are all precious tonic medical materials. Mixing them into a medicinal bath can stimulate one’s body potential. However, the human body is extremely complex and it is extremely difficult to stimulate one’s potential. It must be guided by acupuncture and moxibustion. If the Zhao family used the prescription without my instruction, they would achieve nothing except the death of Zhao Ruyun.”
“So you have already thought about every detail carefully.”
“Miss!” Hong Ling hurriedly ran in and said, “There’s a Madam Xia at the door. She said she’s your aunt.”
Shen Ninghua’s expression flickered. “Finally she has come…I’ll go take a look.”
Xia Jingqiu sized up the surrounding scenery and praised, “His Majesty really loves Ninghua so as to reward her with such a good courtyard. What a good fortune! Yingxue, Ninghua is your younger cousin, but you have to salute her. Don’t forget what I have told you.”
The young lady who was observing the surrounding scenery suddenly frowned. “Mother, although Ninghua is my younger cousin, her status is higher than mine, so I know that I have to salute her. If you keep reminding me, it will seem that I have poor manners.”
Xia Jingqiu looked at her beautiful daughter with affection on her face. “Yes, I just worry too much. My Yingxue values the etiquette the most.”
Yang Yingxue slightly curled her lips and revealed a faint smile on her face as she arrogantly turned her head around.
Bai Ruo’s gaze swept across her smile, and an inexplicable and unexplainable emotion surged in her heart. This Miss Yang’s smile was actually somewhat similar to Her Highness’s…
Xia Jingqiu’s heart was filled with pride. She was reluctant when the Xia family hurriedly married her to Yang Lian, a local official. Fortunately, Yang Lian had a gentle personality and doted on her very much. Later, she gave birth to Yang Yingxue and her younger brother Yang Yingchao, and felt more at ease. When the Xia family was exterminated and Xia Jingyan passed away, all she had in her heart was pleasure with herself.
So what if Xia Jingyan was drop-dead gorgeous? What if she was the apple of the Xia family’s eye? Wasn’t she dead now? Haha.
Shen Ninghua walked over and saw Xia Jingqiu and Yang Yingxue. She frowned slightly. “So you are my mother’s sister, my aunt?”
Xia Jingqiu felt a burst of dissatisfaction in her heart. What kind of attitude was this? Did she think that she was an imposter? She thought so in her heart, but her face was full of sorrow. She wiped the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief in one hand and held Shen Ninghua’s arm with the other. “You must be Ninghua. My poor girl, you have suffered a lot from not having a mother to protect you for so many years.”
Shen Ninghua frowned and a trace of discomfort flashed through her eyes. She never liked to get too close to people except for those with pure minds. She was not used to Xia Jingqiu’s intimate move.
Bai Ruo noticed Shen Ninghua’s discomfort and immediately stepped forward to lift Xia Jingqiu up. “Ma’am, don’t cry anymore. Miss just had her fifteenth birthday a few days ago. It’s unlucky to see tears these days.”
Madam Xia hurriedly stopped her tears and happily wiped them off. She immediately smiled and said, “Look at me. I was too excited to see Ninghua. I even forgot the rules. Come, Yingxue. Come and see your cousin.”
Yang Yingxue took two steps forward and saluted in a formal manner. “Greetings, cousin. This is the first time we’ve met. I came in a hurry and didn’t have time to prepare a welcome gift. I’ll give these two bracelets to you as a gift.” As she spoke, she took off two bracelets from her wrist.
“Cousin, you are too polite. You and I are cousins, so we don’t need welcome gifts.” Shen Ninghua smiled, but she felt puzzled in her heart. It was clearly the first time she had seen Yang Yingxue, but she had a feeling of familiarity.
Yang Yingxue slightly pursed her lips and said, “Cousin, don’t be so polite with me. This is our first meeting. How can I visit you without a welcome gift?” As she spoke, she held Shen Ninghua’s wrist and put the jade bracelet on her wrist.
“Ding!” The sound of jade colliding with each other made Yang Yingxue stunned. She lowered her head to look at Shen Ninghua’s wrist and found that she was already wearing a bracelet.
The jade bracelet was red and sparkling. She could see at a glance that it was worth a lot. The most surprising thing about it was that the bracelet was warm by itself. It was actually a warm jade that was hard to find even with ten thousand taels of gold. The bracelets that she had deemed to be precious were worthless in contrast. It was like a fish’s eye compared with a ruby, in which case it was quite easy to tell which one was better. Alas, she had been thinking of the fish’s eye as a treasure!
Xia Jingqiu made a slight move. She stepped forward and grabbed Shen Ninghua’s hand. Her sleeve slid down and covered the jade bracelet on Shen Ninghua’s wrist. “Ninghua, you may not know that your uncle, my husband has been transferred to the capital. We just came here and we haven’t settled down yet. Maybe…”
Seeing that Xia Jingqiu had changed the topic, Shen Ninghua smiled and said, “Right now, only my grandmother and I live in the Prefectural Princess Mansion. You and cousin can stay with me for some time. Bi Zhu, tidy up the courtyard and let my aunt and cousin live here.”
“Yes, Miss.”
After returning to her room, Shen Ninghua frowned slightly, as if she had something on her mind that she could not understand.
Bai Ruo stepped forward and said softly, “Miss, what’s wrong with you? If you don’t like Madam Xia, just don’t let them live here.”
“No,” Shen Ninghua shook her head. “Bai Ruo, do you think that Yang Yingxue looks familiar? I always feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before.”
“Miss, didn’t you see that Yang Yingxue looks quite similar to you? Even her smile and behavior bear some resemblance to yours.”
RECENTLY UPDATES
Mystery
Fantasy
Action
Eastern
Drama
Action
Action
Action