Chapter 58-Part 2

Feng Liwu’s expression softened slightly after hearing this, and he seemed quite pleased with this young master’s meticulous preparations for the ceremony, looking as if he appreciated the effort.

He then said, “A few days ago, I had the steward add some accessories to your dowry chest. Do they look good to you? If you don’t like them, have him change them.”

Being used to flattery, Jiang Xiurun, without thinking much, began wiping the sweat from the Crown Prince’s forehead with a handkerchief as she replied, “I was just thinking of discussing with Your Highness about returning those hairpins and pearls… The Empress bestowed many jewels upon you, Your Highness, and although they are all recorded, I’m worried that there might be some oversight. If something originally meant for Princess Cao ends up with me, wouldn’t that cause trouble for Your Highness?”

Feng Liwu knew she was always cautious, but he didn’t mind because those items weren’t from the palace’s storeroom.

A few days ago, he had specifically ordered his subordinates to purchase those pearls and jewels at a high price during a diplomatic mission to the southern barbarian lands.

The pearls, in particular, were as large as dragon eyes, perfectly round and unusually white. A skilled craftsman had turned them into a set of hairpins, pearls, and earrings, which made a perfect set.

So, when Jiang Xiurun asked about it, Feng Liwu replied casually, “They didn’t come from the palace; they were custom-made for you.”

Jiang Xiurun thought carefully after hearing this, and indeed, that was true!

She was from the state of Bo, where it was customary for unmarried women not to pierce their ears.

Since she would still have to disguise herself as a man in the future, she couldn’t pierce her ears. Therefore, the earrings given to her were specially made as clip-ons. The accompanying gemstones were also exceptionally rare and precious. However, despite the luxurious appearance, they were a bit heavy.

Fortunately, Jiang Xiurun was tall and had long legs, so they suited her well.

The Crown Prince, who had always been frugal and not one to care much about appearance, had unexpectedly ordered his people to prepare such accessories for her, which surprised Jiang Xiurun greatly.

Feng Liwu then mentioned that the dowry brought by princess Yao, who came from the state of Bo, was all tailored to match Jiang Xiuyao.

So, the jewels and items should be left for Princess Yao.

As for Jiang Xiurun’s dowry chest on the day she entered the mansion, it would be provided by him, ensuring that she wouldn’t lose face in front of the other two princesses.

Hearing this, Jiang Xiurun was truly moved.

If, in the future, she were to be “divorced” from the crown prince mansion, she hoped the crown prince would be generous enough to let her take everything with her!

For now, she expressed her gratitude with a fawning smile.

Time quickly passed, and the day of the Crown Prince’s wedding ceremony arrived.

As the Crown Prince had instructed earlier, the banquet was canceled, and the side gate of the Crown Prince’s mansion was opened to bring in the three princesses.

With such a discreet approach, even those who wanted to curry favor with the Crown Prince had no chance to ask for a celebratory drink.

Cao Xi and Tian Ying, both princesses of their respective states, felt somewhat uncomfortable being brought into the mansion in such a cold manner.

However, thinking about how many women in Luo’an City wanted to enter the Crown Prince’s mansion but only the three of them were chosen, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride, knowing that many envied them.

But with more women came more conflicts.

As the three red sedan chairs were carried into the mansion, princess Cao and princess Tian began arguing over who should enter first.

Jiang Xiurun, who had returned to the post station the night before and was to be married from there, had risen early.

Having trouble sleeping on the hard bed of the post station, she was yawning as she was getting ready.

At this moment, Jiang Xiurun was slumped in the sedan chair, trying to catch up on sleep. Hearing the sounds of the two princesses’s attendants arguing outside, she didn’t even bother to open her eyes. Instead, she instructed the maid outside her sedan chair to tell the bearers to move her sedan chair back a bit, so she wouldn’t seem to be competing with the two princesses.

She thought it wouldn’t be too late to enter the mansion after the other two had settled their differences.

Unfortunately, the bearers of the two princesses were not ordinary people. Coming from the Marquis of Jing’s mansion and the Empress’s palace respectively, they were all seasoned veterans who were not easily fooled.

Unable to determine who should go first, they reached a stalemate.

In the end, they agreed that the sedan chairs would remain outside, and the three princesses would get out and enter the mansion together, avoiding any appearance of rank or order.

After this agreement, the maids invited the three princesses out of their sedan chairs.

The newlywed brides of Great Qi did not wear veils over their heads; they wore a dangling pearl curtain, allowing people to see their faces clearly.

Cao Xi and Tian Ying were both dressed in their finest today, each beautiful in her own way.

However, Tian Ying’s natural beauty was slightly superior to Cao Xi’s.

When she stepped out of the sedan chair, the crowd of onlookers in Luo’an became restless, murmuring that the princess from the State of Han was far more stunning than the princess from the State of Yan, and that she would surely win the Crown Prince’s favor once she entered the mansion.

Hearing the whispers around her, Princess Tian was immensely pleased, smiling slightly as she glanced at Princess Cao.

Cao Xi’s expression darkened, her eyebrows twitching in displeasure.

She silently cursed the palace ladies for insisting they get out of the sedan chairs at the gate, wishing she could enter the mansion quickly to avoid being scrutinized by the commoners.

But just as she was about to step onto the stairs, the crowd suddenly erupted in louder gasps, their astonishment palpable…

Curious, Tian Ying turned to look—only to see that the princess from the state of Bo, who had secretly given birth, had just stepped out of her sedan chair.