Zheng Qian turned and saw someone standing not far away.
She hadn't noticed at all.
Zheng Qian wasn't particularly skilled in martial arts, nor especially perceptive, so it was understandable if she didn't notice someone deliberately approaching.
Focusing, she saw the figure standing in the pavilion's shadow. His gentle eyes were exceptionally serene, like a cool breeze on a midsummer day.
Zheng Qian smiled: "Your Highness."
The visitor was none other than Prince Ancheng, Xiao Mingyu.
Xiao Mingyu stepped into the pavilion, carefully examined Zheng Qian's cat, and smiled: "Miss, your cat is quite lovely; its eyes are beautiful."
Then he glanced at Zheng Qian.
Her features weren't especially striking—just delicate—but her eyes were pretty, especially the beauty mark between her brows, like a small inlaid vermilion jewel.
"Your Highness flatters me; it's just an ordinary cat," Zheng Qian replied.
Xiao Mingyu didn't understand her subtle joke of humble modesty while praising her cat, only smiling. He had particularly elegant hands, long and clean, and reached out gently to pet Achou's head.
Achou immediately bared its teeth.
Zheng Qian stepped aside to avoid his hand: "Your Highness, my cat is fierce—when did you arrive?"
"When the young lady said she wanted Young Master Wen to make a kept man for you," Xiao Mingyu replied.
Zheng Qian: "…"
Seeing her expression as if struck by lightning, Xiao Mingyu couldn't help laughing heartily.
Zheng Qian quickly composed herself, wearing an innocent, serene expression.
Xiao Mingyu teased: "Miss Zheng has lofty ambitions."
"Oh, not at all," Zheng Qian replied casually. "A beauty like her is rare in a thousand years; to want to claim one is only human."
This time, Xiao Mingyu was surprised.
He knew something of the Jing'an Marquis's household. The so-called eldest Miss Zheng was considered undignified—she fawned even on the housekeeper and servants, submissive and timid.
The more she behaved that way, the less noble she seemed, and no one took her seriously.
This made her insecure, slightly eccentric; careless words could hurt her and bring her to tears.
But the woman in front of him had a fiery beauty mark, radiating an overwhelming, almost blinding vitality.
She was witty, worldly, and experienced in life, completely unlike the cautious young lady of legend.
She had even mastered abacus calculation on her own.
Even her brother, Zheng Chi, didn't believe she had invented it herself. Based on his words, Xiao Mingyu had assumed her skills were taught by someone else, and hadn't given her special attention—until now, when he regarded her differently.
"Miss Zheng is straightforward," Xiao Mingyu said with a smile. "Like me, I also appreciate a beauty."
"Your Highness likes my fiancé?" Zheng Qian blinked.
Xiao Mingyu: "Some people in the court may have influence, but my ambitions lie elsewhere. Miss Zheng, don't worry—I won't compete with you for him."
"That's a relief," Zheng Qian said. "If you tried to compete, I couldn't win."
"Why not?"
"You are handsome, wealthy, and powerful; what chance does a humble girl like me have? I dare not compete. Your Highness, I seek your protection!" Zheng Qian declared.
Xiao Mingyu: "…Not only gracious, but also a little shameless."
Others, trying to flatter him, would act cautiously and schemingly. She, however, directly asked for protection—a sharp, clever move.
Xiao Mingyu was in a good mood and sat down beside her: "If you want my protection, what can you offer?"
"Of course I have something. I have plenty of things that earn money, like abacus calculations," Zheng Qian replied.
Xiao Mingyu's eyes lit up: "Are you exaggerating?"
"No."
"Then tell me, what else do you have?"
Zheng Qian: "Your Highness, I came here for the banquet. I don't know why you're here, but this doesn't seem like a place for business, right?"
Xiao Mingyu felt a little flustered, but laughed: "You're right, I was hasty. Then, I shall invite Miss Zheng to the prince's mansion another day."
Zheng Qian responded politely.
She asked again: "Your Highness also has connections with the Wen family?"
"Do you know how the Wen family got the emperor's trading license? Whose influence did they use?" Xiao Mingyu asked with a smile.
Zheng Qian understood.
This prince was the Wen family's powerful backer. Following him, the Wen family earned a fortune.
After a brief conversation, Wen Zhao returned.
Seeing him, Xiao Mingyu suddenly vanished in a blur. In the blink of an eye, he was several yards down the path, as if he had appeared from another route.
His martial skills were impressive.
Zheng Qian narrowed her eyes.
The cat was observing her expression carefully.
Zheng Qian focused, watching as Wen Zhao, sweating, rushed into the pavilion with a gift list: "Found it! Look quickly."
Her gaze, however, shifted to Xiao Mingyu.
Wen Zhao, following her gaze, immediately saluted: "Your Highness."
Xiao Mingyu, pretending to be calm, strolled over with elegance, as if he hadn't just eavesdropped on Zheng Qian.
"To Wen Zhao, no need for formalities," he said.
Zheng Qian also made a mock salute.
"To Miss Zheng, likewise," Xiao Mingyu added.
Wen Zhao was surprised: "Your Highness knows her?"
"I was classmates with your elder uncle and often visited the Jing'an Marquis's residence," Xiao Mingyu explained. "Thus, I have met Miss Zheng."
"Which elder uncle?" Wen Zhao asked, confused.
Xiao Mingyu: "…Sigh. What good is looking this handsome if you can't spare a bit of brains?"
"What are you two talking about?" Xiao Mingyu bypassed the topic.
Typically, outsiders avoid interfering when an engaged couple meets. But Prince Ancheng was no ordinary man; he sat down boldly, wanting to witness the scene.
Luckily, Zheng Qian knew he was pretending, and Wen Zhao's brain wasn't sharp enough to consider anything else.
"About the betrothal gifts," Wen Zhao said. "I'm taking a concubine, and she's helping me decide what gifts to give."
Xiao Mingyu's gentle, affectionate eyes turned to Zheng Qian: "Miss Zheng is not yet married, yet already arranging gifts for her husband's concubine—truly a model of a virtuous wife."
He teased, and Zheng Qian replied without missing a beat: "Your Highness overestimates me. I only fulfill my duty."
Xiao Mingyu, frustrated in finding fault, laughed heartily instead. He seemed to be watching a fine performance.
Zheng Qian was also watching a "performance"—though the roles in his eyes were different from hers.
She glanced at the gift list: "Four catties of tea, a sack of pastries, two sheep, eight ten-ounce jars of wine, assorted fruits, a box of gemstones, a pair of dian-cui ornaments, four pairs of gold candlesticks, two sets of ruby headpieces, twenty bolts of peacock-patterned silk, twenty bolts of rose-purple satin, thirty thousand taels of silver, and one hundred taels of gold."
After reading it, she thought: "Pretty expensive. If I pay, am I a fool? No, I need to wring these out from the Zheng family."
Besides silver and gold, there were eight gold jars for wine, each made from one tael of gold—very expensive, must include in the calculation.
She memorized the items quickly.
Prince Ancheng, seeing her finish, said: "Let me see too—can I?"
Betrothal gifts were private; aside from tea, pastries, livestock, and wine, the rest varied by household. For her to see was fine, but for an outsider to want to?
Zheng Qian hadn't even thought of refusing when Wen Zhao readily agreed: "Of course, they're not treasures—why not?"
He snatched the gift list from her hand.
Zheng Qian: "…"
Brains—Wen Zhao had none at all.
(Please leave me a comment to let me know how you like the story so far! Thank you!)