Chapter 184 Part 2 - Betrothal Gifts (Part 2)
Chapter 184: Betrothal Gifts (Part 2)
The different people in the room had different expression but Shen Miao’s reaction was on the contrary bland. She nodded her head and said to Tie Yi, “Many thanks.”
After Tie Yi left, everyone looked at each other. Shen Xin and Luo Xue Yan had discovered some abnormalities. If Prince Rui’s goal was to incite disharmony between the Shen family and the Imperial family of Ming Qi or make the Shen family unusable by the Imperial family of Ming Qi, then when the Imperial decree was handed out, Prince Rui had already accomplished his motive.
Since he had already achieved his goal then the other matters were no longer important. So why did he have to make a big deal out of this and even if one had so much money, there was no need to do this unless Great Liang’s treasury was too small and could not contain any more money and brought it to Ming Qi and gift them with both hands to the Shen family for dowry.
Wasn’t this doing unnecessarily more?
It was Shen Qiu that noticed this point and said angrily, “Isn’t Prince Rui like a weasel going to pay it’s respect to the hen, sure to be ill-intended? By sending so many things, does he think that our Shen family is greedy for wealth? We are marrying a Young Lady off and not selling a Young Lady. With so much money, what would others think of the Shen family?”
Shen Xin and Luo Xue Yan kept silent.
This was also true. The Imperial family would also be red eyed upon seeing these betrothal gifts, not to mention ordinary people. What made others more amazed that it was gifted by Prince Rui of Great Liang, so even if others had some thoughts on these betrothal gifts, they dared not act rashly and only looked on and who knew how many more people in Ding capital would not be able to sleep. Even Shen Xin’s opponents would vomit out blood.
Luo Tan was in all smiles as she spoke, “No matter the case, Mei Fu (Younger Sister’s husband) is very generous. When a man is willing to spend money on a female, then that is considered a good man. Youngest Biao Sister have yet to marry over and he had already sent over so much things, if Youngest Biao Sister marry over, the food, clothes and treatment would not be anywhere bad.” Luo Tan’s words had always been straight forward and direct and she did not know how to cover things up. It was just that the ‘Mei Fu’ words was painful to the listener.
Shen Xin covered his head, “Where can all these things be placed?”
“That’s right.” Luo Xue Yan started to get worried, “There is not enough space in our mansion to put all these things. Just the storeroom itself would not be able to continue all the antiques and there are still furniture and textiles. One even have to build a granary in the residence to put all of it?”
Shen Miao wanted to laugh out when she heard it but said, “Didn’t he bought all those mansions? After leaving, all those mansions are the Shen family’s. Just buy some guards and place all the things in? Or one could simply stay in the residence of Prince Rui.”
Shen Xin shook his head, “Yan Qing Lan is not a place that we can live it.” That was the place where Imperial families lived and if Shen Xin and them stayed there, who would know what would others think. Thinking of what Tie Yi said previously, pain flashed in his eyes, “Leaving after the year ends. Jiao Jiao, you…”
After the year ends, Shen Miao would be going to Great Liang.
Everyone in the room became quiet.
Separation, specialty separation from family was always an unpleasant thing.
When Shen Miao saw it, she was afraid that they would be emotional and quickly changed the topic, “Prince Rui had sent so much betrothal gifts, how does one calculate the dowry?”
Luo Tan was feeling a little thirsty and picked up the tea on the table to drink when upon hearing the words, she spurted out the entire mouthful of tea onto Luo Ling. However at this moment she was not concern if Luo Ling’s clothes were dirty but said, “Dowry? Heavens.”
Everyone in the Shen family seemed to have been struck by lightning.
Rationally speaking, how much betrothal gifts were sent would be around how much dowry was given. Even though it would not be more than the betrothal gifts, but it would not be much lesser than it, else when the young female entered the husband family, she would be suppressed by others. If the dowry was substantial that was even more than the betrothal gifts then she would be well regarded after marrying over. Thus the more favoured a young lady was marrying over, the closer the betrothal and dowry would be.
There was no need to say that Shen Xin doted his daughter but this dowry… Prince Rui gave the Shen residence so much betrothal gifts and if one had to give a close amount of dowry then even if the entire treasure of Ming Qi was emptied, it would still not be enough.
Prince Rui had gave the Shen family a difficult problem.
*****
In the night, Shen Miao sat under the light and remembered during the daytime when Tie Yi held the long long list of betrothal gifts and sang, she could not help but wanted to laugh.
Xie Jing Xing was being too unruly. He actually wrote so much betrothal gifts down. Shen Miao held her forehead. If someone else saw this list of betrothal gifts, one feared that the Shen family would be envied by everyone in Ming Qi. However at the end this list would definitely be known by others, it was just the matter of sooner or later.
It was just that one did not know if Emperor Yong Le knew of Xie Jing Xing writing such a long list. As she thought about it, Shen Miao’s heart was somewhat sad.
In her previous lifetime when she married Fu Xiu Yi, Fu Xiu Yi did not gift such a generous betrothal gifts. Not to mention the Imperial family, even official’s list of betrothal gifts were better. One could only say that it was ordinary. At that time Fu Xiu Yi said that the residence of Prince Ding was underprivileged and he himself prefer to be simple so there was no need to do it grandly and Shen Miao believed it. Shen Xin and Luo Xue Yan feared that she would suffer from grievances and took out half of the Shen residence as dowry for her
Those dowry at the end were used to help Fu Xiu Yi financially.
Fu Xiu Yi wanted to win over this and that and one would need to use money to buy over others’ heart. She had used all her efforts to plan meticulously and did the accounting carefully and even the antique calligraphies and paintings in the Shen residence were pawned for money. Now thinking about it, after marrying to Fu Xiu Yi for so many years, it had always been her paying with the Shen family and Fu Xiu Yi had never reciprocated. Although in the matter of emotions, everything was done willingly and reciprocation was not required but as time passed, one’s heart would turn cold.
It was especially so after ascending to the throne, when Fu Xiu Yi treated Mei Furen and Fu Sheng generously, it was like a harsh slap to her face.
Now that she was marrying to Xie Jing Xing, she could not tell clearly how she was feeling in her heart. She was moved but it was not like as hot as per her previous life time but Xie Jing Xing had gave her more than she had imagined.
It even made one somewhat look forward to this wedding.
The window was knocked twice by someone and Shen Miao looked up and saw Cong Yong outside before she opened the windows. When Cong Yang saw her, he first greet her, “Young Madam, Master instructed this subordinate to bring you over.”
Shen Miao was stunned but in a flashed she nodded her head straightforwardly, “Alright.” Just nice she also have things to say to Xie Jing Xing.
The different from the first time, this time when Shen Miao entered the residence of Prince Rui, she recognised the way better but the one who suffered was still Cong Yang as he kept one carrying haystacks for Shen Miao to ‘climb’ over the walls. In his heart he was thinking that the next time it was better to knock down all these walls to save all the troubles.
When Shen Miao reached the residence of Prince Rui, all the servants in the residence saw her and stopped what they were doing and respectfully called out, “Young Madam.”
Shen Miao, “…”
Cong Yang said with joy, “Young Madam, everyone like you very much.”
Shen Miao only felt somewhat embarrassed and felt five different types of emotions in her heart.
When she was led by Cong Yang to the inner courtyard of the residence of Prince Rui, from a far she saw a snow white ball of fur running towards her and cheerfully bit the corner of her robes.
A lazy voice sounded in the night, “Jiao Jiao, come over here.”
Shen Miao looked up and saw Xie Jing Xing leaning against the tree with both hands folded on his chest as he looked her her with a smile but not a smile… The white tiger at her feet was also not sure who he was calling.
Shen Miao walked over to him and the white tiger followed with joy. This white tiger temperament was very friendly. Only after a few encounter, Shen Miao did not even tease it, but it even shook its head and wag its tail to her affectionately. If one did not know, one would have thought that this white tiger was raised by Shen Miao.
She stood by Xie Jing Xing’s side and asked, “What is it are you looking for me for?”
Xie Jing Xing raised his brows, “Cloth cutting.”
“Cloth cutting?” Shen Miao was suspicious but before she could continue to ask, Xie Jing Xing suddenly reached out and pulled her into his embrace and lightly hugged her before letting her go.
His actions were too fast and the hug was only for a short moment before he let go, making Shen Miao filled with annoyance but unable to say anything. If she said anything, it seemed like she was being calculative but if she did not speak out, it seemed that he had taken advantage of her.
Xie Jing Xing said, “With your temperament, most likely you will not obediently embroider the wedding dress. I found the best seamstress but one do not know the measurement of your clothes.” He looked up and down at Shen Miao and said meaningfully, “After hugging one would know.”
Shen Miao, “Audacious. Shameless.”
Xie Jing Xing slowly replied, “Oh? But you looked like you like it just now.”
Every time this person spoke three sentences, he would be able to make another angry. Shen Miao said in sarcasm, “Your means and methods are very high level that with one hug you are able to know the measurement. One must have done a lot of such stuff in the past?”
Xie Jing Xing stared at her that Shen Miao felt her back shivering before his lips hooked up, “Jealous? Then you can hug back.” He open his arms and put on a gentleman appearance.
“Who wants to hug you?” Shen Miao said in despised, “Yes. I have something to ask you.”
Xie Jing Xing’s eye brows raised, “What is it?”
“The list of betrothal gifts was received. Why did you send over so many betrothal gifts?” Shen Miao felt that it was funny when she thought about it, “My Shen mansion could not contain all those things and moreover you sent over so much stuff that the Shen family would not be able to afford the same level of dowry. Are you deliberately finding for trouble?”
“Just this?” Xie Jing Xing said heedlessly, “I still plan to gift more.”
Shen Miao, “…” She was just about to speak when one saw a guard running in from outside. Upon seeing Xie Jing Xing, his expression became one of great difficulty as he spoke, “Your Highness, there is someone outside. These subordinates were stopping him but it was like he had gone crazy and kept shouting your name. In order to avoid causing misunderstanding, one had to temporary hold him down.”
“So?” Xie Jing Xing asked.
“It is the Eldest Young Master of the Count of Ping Nan, Su Ming Feng.” The guard said.
Shen Miao’s head suddenly went up.
At this moment in the front hall of Prince Rui residence, there was a young man that was tied up and his body was tied up as though it was like a scorpion and there was a piece of rag in his mouth as he glared angrily at the guards by the side and still struggled in vain.
That person was Su Ming Feng.
Su Ming Feng had instructed people to monitor the residence of Prince Rui for a long time and also monitored the Shen mansion and Princess residence. However the longer the monitoring went, the deeper the suspicion was in Su Ming Feng’s heart. He suspected that Prince Rui was that dead Xie Jing Xing and even though this kind of conjecture was outrageous and ridiculous, as time went by, not only did the thought not disappear, it became even more profound.
Xie Jing Xing and Shen Miao had some relations and now Shen Miao was bestowed marriage to Prince Rui. If Xie Jing Xing was Prince Rui then everything could be explained.
Su Ming Feng had an attachment to Xie Jing Xing’s matter that could not be understood by others. After all this was a childhood playmate that he grew up with. He had learnt a lot of things from Xie Jing Xing and the importance of Xie Jing Xing could be said that he impacted his entire life.
No matter if Xie Jing Xing was or was not Prince Rui, Su Ming Feng had to personally investigate.
He wanted to sneak into the residence of Prince Rui and take a look at Prince Rui when he took of his mask. At that time, the truth would be out.
This was a insane move but Su Ming Feng felt that there was an undeniable reason. He was not that stupid that he went in directly himself but instructed his people to make a declaration in the East and strike to the West. After the guards in front were distracted, he would take advantage of the chaos and sneak in.
However Su Ming Feng did not expect that the guards of the Prince Rui residence were so proficient and caught him in a short time.
He was dispirited but there was more disappointment. At this time Su Ming Feng thought that since he had been caught, as long as he did not admit to it, nothing could be done. Thus he struggled desperately and even announced his family, hoping that it would attract that Prince Rui’s attention.
Just as he was thinking, a bearded man who was clad like a guard walked in from outside and stopped in front of him.
Su Ming Feng’s heart could not help but tighten. The bearded man gave a look to the surrounding people and someone came over to untie him and took off the rag in his mouth.
“Master wants to see you. Come with me.”