Chapter 159 - 159: More Beautiful Than Silver
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Really. See, I unintentionally became friends with Ruler and caught Old Mistress Wang’s eye. How lucky I am! One is a princess, and the other is the daughter of the Grand Perceptor. Oh my, I’m worry-free for the rest of my life.”
The old lady chuckled and then sighed deeply.
“The poor envy those with money, and those with money envy those with power. The higher you climb, the harder you fall. Look at those high-ranking officials in the capital. They all form cliques and alliances. One misstep and they could lose their lives. I still think it’s good to stay in Tianshui Town.”
“Wealth and privilege come with their dangers. Those who pursue them willingly accept the risks.”
“Ru’er doesn’t want to climb high, but the high branches just happen to notice her. Fools indeed have their luck.”
“Ru’er is innocent and lively, but she’s not foolish. She understands many things very well. ”
“Let’s not talk about her. How was your visit to the Wang family today?”
“What else could it be? It was a formality. It’s been so many years, and there’s nothing close between us. I get along better with you.”
“Neighbors are better than distant relatives, especially since we live so close.”
“Let me tell you, as soon as they saw my appearance and my hair today, they were all stunned. You have no idea…”
Their relationship was a mix of grandmother and granddaughter, as well as mother and daughter, with a closeness that transcended distance.
At night, while everyone in the Bichun Garden was sleeping, Qiao Mai continued to place her children in the space.
Under the moonlight, she went to the Wang family. The Wang family was no less affluent than the Fu family. She evaded all the hidden guards and spies.
It gave her a sense of reassurance. She wondered if it was Wang Zongsheng’s doing as Jiaru’s residence was surrounded by hidden guards.
Each one was concealed in the shadows. Seeing this level of protection, she could let her guard down.
She had considered staying for a few nights to ensure Jiaru’s safety before leaving once the marriage was successful. However, it seemed she had been overly cautious. Only someone of her caliber could penetrate this level of protection. Otherwise, they would have been detected long ago.
Experience truly mattered. Wang Zongsheng, despite not being physically present, regarded his daughter’s marriage as of paramount importance and arranged for such extensive security.
Indeed, with wealth, one could afford to maintain so many security personnel.
Relieved, she returned to Haitang Courtyard, took her children out of the
space, and let them continue sleeping.
Being away from home, she had to be extremely cautious, especially about her children. She couldn’t afford any mistakes.
Therefore, she didn’t return to her room but sat cross-legged in the courtyard, cultivating.
Three days later, the capital returned to normal. The matter with the Fu family seemed forgotten, although the authorities might still be investigating secretly.
However, no traces were left, and there was nowhere to investigate.
Miss Fu’s face remained the same even after consulting the palace physicians. She spent her days locked in her room, constantly distressed and trying various methods to no avail. Some suggested the drastic measure of cutting off her face, but would she have skin left?
Of course, Miss Fu could not bring herself to allow such a procedure. At this point, she paid little attention to her Brother Long Ji.
Miss Fu’s disfigured face had become known, and many were secretly glad.
Some even laughed, “Who did it? Amazing! This is a great deed. She’s a woman of low character and a cheap person. Haha, well written. It suits her personality.”
Others deliberately set off firecrackers on the street, showing that Miss Fu was truly unpopular with the people.
Qiao Mai and her children couldn’t stay in Bichun Garden all the time. They had come out to have fun, so she drove a horse carriage and took her children out to play.
At the very least, when coming to the capital city, they had to catch a glimpse of the Imperial Palace. They couldn’t enter, but she wanted the children to see it from the outside.
Qiao Mai drove the horse carriage straight to the imperial palace. There was a moat outside, and no Imperial Guards were guarding around. Carriages and pedestrians could travel along the outermost road to admire its beauty.
Inside the moat were rows of soldiers, standing straight and rigid.
The children sat in the carriage, leaning against the windows and looking towards the imperial palace.
“Mother, are the houses here the best?”
“Of course. This is where the Emperor lives.”
“The Emperor is the highest ruler you mentioned, right?”
“Yes, he rules over all the territories of the Great Ming Dynasty with the power of life and death. One wrong move can lead to execution.”
“That’s so scary. Why do people still want to serve as officials in the court?”
“Because they seek wealth and power. The more dangerous the place, the more wealth and power can be obtained.”
Whether they fully understood or not, they were scholars and the ones who would seek official positions in the future. She wanted to impart these lessons to her children.
“But the commoners often get bullied.”
“It depends on how you choose.”
Feng’er said, “Mother, I don’t know if I can pass the exams. I’ll have to try. If I can become an official, I will. If I can’t, I’ll come home and farm.’
“I’m the same, Mother!”
“Me too!”
Ling’er raised her hand and said, “Ling’er too.”
The three older brothers laughed at her, “You’re a girl. You should learn cooking and housekeeping from Mother. When we achieve something, we will take good care of you.”
Their laughter attracted the attention of some people nearby. The city had been sealed for several days, and many people were eager to come out. They all came out to enjoy themselves.
Undoubtedly, the scenery on the moat was excellent, attracting many people.
Ling’er’s head was adorned with shiny hair ornaments that dazzled the eyes, especially the eyes of the young ladies.
“What is she wearing on her head? It’s so pretty.”
“Look at that woman driving the carriage. Her clothes and hair accessories match so well. She’s so beautiful.
“Why haven’t I seen hair ornaments like this at the jewelry store?”
“That’s right. Where did she buy that hairpin?”
“Let’s ask her.”
As a result, Qiao Mai was stopped by a group of young ladies. However, they were much more pleasant than Miss Fu.
“Excuse me, sister, where did you buy the hair ornaments for you and the children?”
Qiao Mai touched the hairpin and thought that this was a hairpin custom-made by a high-end brand from Earth, studded with diamonds. There was definitely nothing like it here.
It was all because of this hairpin. It seemed that women could go to great lengths for beauty. “Oh, you mean these hairpins?”
“This is a hairpin?”
“Yes, a friend of mine brought them from abroad. They are studded with small diamonds.”
“How much does one of these hairpins cost?” “About ten thousand taels of silver.’
“Oh my, such a small hairpin is so expensive?”
“Yes, the gemstones on it are crystallized volcanic lava and emit their own light when there’s no sunlight. When the sun shines on them, the brilliance becomes even more intense.”
“Right? How can something be more beautiful than silver? We can’t afford it.
Can we take a look and touch it?”
“I’m sorry, but a few days ago, a young lady came up and tried to snatch them. I don’t want that to happen again.”
“A young lady? Snatched? Are you talking about Miss Fu?”
“I don’t know her, but she didn’t succeed. Later, she wanted to buy them, but I refused to sell them. She left.
“It must be Miss Fu. We heard she had her face disfigured. It serves her right.
She used to rob us, so we didn’t dare to go out. We heard her house was robbed, and her face became like that, so we decided to come out together.”
“I see. It seems that from now on, I can’t wear these new hair ornaments when
I go out.”
“As long as you don’t run into her, it should be fine. By the way, which family are you from?”
“I came to the capital with the Wang family to attend a wedding.”
“Which family? We’d like to hear.”
“Prince Shunqin. The bride is my sister.”
“Oh my, so you’re the sister of the future princess. Please forgive us for our disrespect. ”
“Now that there’s nothing else, can I take my children to play?” “Sister, do you have more of these new hair ornaments?”
“I do, but they are expensive.”
“Where are you staying?”
“Bichun Garden..”
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