Chapter 24-Part 3

Jiang Xiurun clasped his fist towards Gongsun Wu Yan and said, “Your words are reasonable. I still need to check if the Crown Prince’s food is appropriate, so I won’t accompany you for idle chat.”

After saying this, she swayed her wide sleeves and left with long strides.

Li Quan was furious, his beard bristling, as he pointed at Jiang Xiurun’s swaggering figure and said, “A lowly person has become arrogant! A lowly person has become arrogant!”

However, the other two officials did not join in the chorus. They were not foolish; they knew that Young Master Jiang had won the favor of the Crown Prince and naturally needed to maintain a good relationship with him.

Throwing stones has always been aimed at floating dogs. Now, opposing Jiang Xiurun would be like hitting a rock with an egg! They were smart people; how could they join Li Quan in his dissent?

However, after Jiang Xiurun’s earlier remarks about seeking closer ties, Gongsun Wu Yan also pondered them and deeply felt their validity.

This incident with the Crown Prince’s danger highlighted the changing winds in Luo’an City. Although Yan State was good, if there were real troubles, they would not be able to rescue them in time, so it would be more beneficial to seek help from Han State.

Thinking this way, Gongsun Wu Yan suddenly remembered the time on the hunting grounds when Jiang Xiurun had taken the initiative to chat with the Han princess, Tian Ying.

Could this kid have known early on that the Crown Prince was going to change the Crown Princess Consort and that Tian Ying was the most hopeful candidate?

Thinking carefully about it, the meticulousness and farsightedness of this Bo State emissary were truly intimidating.

At this moment, Gongsun Wu Yan silently reminded himself to pay attention to Jiang Xiurun’s actions in the future, which would be beneficial to himself as well.

Everything should be prepared in advance to avoid going against the Crown Prince’s wishes.

Jiang Xiurun was unaware that her act of flirting with noblewomen on the hunting grounds had become a prime example of farsightedness.

She was now in charge of the mansion’s affairs, and things were going smoothly.

Because Feng Liwu was not good at socializing, the mansion had never held a banquet before.

When the steward was too busy to handle these details, he would consult with Jiang Xiurun, who had a good relationship with him.

Jiang Xiurun naturally wouldn’t refuse, carefully writing down the details of the procedures for the steward. For Jiang Xiurun, who had been adept at dancing with long sleeves in her past life, this was an easy task.

Seeing her skillfulness, the steward nodded secretly, thinking to himself that the Crown Prince truly had a discerning eye to recognize talent. Despite having cultivated so many officials in the mansion, none of them could match Jiang Xiurun!

When the day of the banquet arrived and everything was in order, only the opening of the doors to welcome guests was left.

In the capital, all eligible noblewomen received invitations from the Crown Prince’s mansion. Everyone knew the meaning behind this invitation. Their daughters were naturally dressed up meticulously, with brocade and silk and golden hairpins shining brightly.

The usually quiet entrance of the Crown Prince’s mansion was now lined with a long queue. With distinguished guests coming and going, it was exceptionally lively.

However, Jiang Xiurun couldn’t be bothered to join in the festivities. She stayed in her room, playing with an abacus.

A non-greedy chief eunuch in the palace is not a good eunuch!

This time, while organizing the banquet for the steward, she kept the account books balanced on the surface but secretly accepted quite a few kickbacks from merchants and traders. After the banquet was over, her savings suddenly increased significantly. Together with the gold she had lent out privately before, it would be enough for her and her brother’s future, secluded country life expenses.

With money, her heart also settled down.

At this moment, the laughter and chatter from the banquet occasionally crossed the courtyard walls and reached her courtyard.

In her past life, such scenes of extravagance and luxury failed to evoke even the slightest nostalgia in her.

If she could, she hoped that after returning to the countryside with her elder brother, she could find a reliable and honest husband, raise two or three children, and keep a yard full of chickens. That kind of simplicity was what she had yearned for in two lifetimes…

Before she could wake up from the sweet dreams of the countryside, a servant from Feng Liwu’s side ran all the way to her courtyard and said, “Young Master, why are you so calm? The Crown Prince invites you to drink in the main hall!”

Jiang Xiurun didn’t expect the Crown Prince to think of her amidst his busy schedule. Reluctantly, she got up and changed into a long robe before leisurely walking to the main hall.

Compared to Young Master Jiang, who had made a fortune, the Crown Prince, who proposed the banquet, was unusually regretful.

Usually, he wasn’t the host of the banquet, and he could avoid socializing by simply exchanging a few words. Even if someone came to talk to him, it would be mostly men and wouldn’t cause much trouble.

But today, as the host, he couldn’t avoid anyone. In this banquet, unmarried noblewomen were as numerous as clouds and leaves falling, creating a bustling scene.

Everything else was fine, but the mixture of rouge and powder in the air was truly suffocating!

After watching these women, each more charming than the last, flock towards him, it felt like suffocation, as if drowning.

So when Jiang Xiurun came slowly, the Crown Prince grabbed her arm and, using the excuse of an urgent matter to discuss, dragged her to a side room in the main hall.

But once inside the room, Feng Liwu didn’t say a word. He just stood beside Jiang Xiurun, lowered his head onto her neck, took a deep breath, and felt like he could hold on for a while longer.

Jiang Xiurun didn’t know what was wrong with the Crown Prince, so she slightly turned her head to avoid him and asked, “Why did the Crown Prince summon me in such a hurry? What’s the matter?”

With his eyes closed, Feng Liwu said calmly after a while, “I heard that your Bo State is going to send a maiden here. I don’t know which sister of yours it is. Since she’s coming alone, she might be looked down upon by the people below. Can you arrange something for her?”

Jiang Xiurun’s scalp exploded upon hearing this. In her past life, after her and her brother’s arrival, there had been no further developments, let alone the mention of sending a maiden as a hostage!

What was the emperor trying to do? Who was the one being sent?

Most importantly, would her identity be exposed because of this?

Thinking of this, her palms began to sweat slightly! She just stared straight at the Crown Prince.

Seeing her wide-eyed, as if scared like a child, Feng Liwu couldn’t help but smile and ask, “What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy that your sister is coming to Luo’an as a hostage?”