latelenovela Chapter 109 I didn't die. Did I disappoint the third-ranking scholar's wife?
Chapter 109 I didn't die. Did I disappoint the third-ranking scholar's wife?
Although Lady Changting was somewhat outspoken and said whatever came to mind, she was also a kind-hearted person. This was the first time Qin Yizhen had ever heard her say such things, disregarding the lives of others.
Perhaps because Qin Yizhen's expression was too surprised, Lady Changting shook her head helplessly: "Does the princess think that I am being too heartless by saying such things? If the princess had a daughter like me, she would naturally understand why I cannot bear to see her doing well."
Wang Xianrong set a very bad precedent.
Wang Xianrong was the legitimate daughter of the Wang family. Although she was not as noble as a royal princess or a noblewoman, she was still a noble lady of exceptional beauty and privilege.
Given her status, she could easily marry a nobleman like a duke, marquis, or earl and become his principal wife, or even a princess or empress.
But she insisted on becoming Cheng Yan's concubine.
If she can turn her life around and live well, who knows how many girls below will follow suit, abandoning morality and shame for the sake of so-called love, and willingly degrading themselves to become concubines.
She is deeply devoted to love and would give anything for romantic love, and no one can control her. However, she can also do nothing if others dislike her, look down on her, or wish her ill.
"The princess asked me about the royal family's affairs because she wanted to save her, right? The princess is kind-hearted and can't bear to see innocent people die, but she brought this upon herself and asked for her own death. She really doesn't deserve anyone's pity."
Lady Changting looked out the window at the storyteller performing on the stage in the pavilion.
The stories in the book unfold as time passes, with kings, generals, lovers, and villains taking turns in their lives, and history changing like an endless tide.
Qin Yizhen also turned her gaze over and listened quietly for a while.
After a long silence, Lady Changting said, “Death is inevitable for everyone. Some deaths are heavier than Mount Tai, while others are lighter than a feather. We respect those who die for the world, for righteousness, or for their loved ones. But if someone gives up their life for some lovelorn man or woman, we find it especially absurd and laughable.”
Qin Yizhen nodded in agreement: "What Madam says is true, but everyone has their own choices. Although we do not agree, let her be."
That topic was put aside, and the group started talking about other interesting things in Qin capital. They talked about which jewelry store had released new and beautiful pieces that many noble ladies in Qin capital liked.
Qin Yizhen was somewhat intrigued. Seeing that she had been listening to the story for a while and had consumed quite a bit of tea and snacks, she decided to move with the others to a silver shop called "Baochai Tower".
When the group arrived, Baochailou asked the customers in the shop to leave and cleared the place.
If it were in the past, Qin Yizhen would probably have worried about whether it would affect the business of other people's shops, but after hearing what Manager Wan of Wanshilou said, she had no more worries.
What does it matter if we don't do business for a while? With the title of "Princess Visits Our Shop," we'll make back many times more money later.
So she remained calm and composed.
The shop's female manager tried to serve Qin Yizhen carefully, explaining the style and materials of each piece of jewelry. Qin Yizhen saw a few nice bracelets and had each of her companions choose one.
As for the jewelry in her hair, she glanced at it and then looked away, simply because she had far too much.
Even though the national treasury is not abundant now, it can still afford to make a few pieces of jewelry for the empresses and princesses. In addition, there are the pieces left to her by her mother, the ones given by Empress Dowager Cheng, and the ones prepared for her by Cheng Yan. She can't even fill several boxes with them all.
Lady Changting declined, saying, "The princess has treated us as friends; if I were to accept any reward from her..."
Before Lady Changting could finish speaking, Qin Yizhen shook her head: "Madam is joking. Isn't this a gift from me? How can it be a reward? I never like to give things away as gifts."
Years of war are truly bitter. Not only do ordinary people live a hard life, but the economy is also in bad shape. Even she, as a princess, has never been particularly wealthy.
If she had too much money to spend, she would rather send it to the Ministry of Revenue to buy new clothes and blankets for the soldiers than scatter money around to reward people.
Since it was a gift, Lady Changting and Lady Min no longer refused. Lady Changting even said, "I'll send the princess a pot of calamus another day. My young lady planted it herself. She only has a few pots, and she cherishes them very much. I'll ask her for them."
Madam Min shook her head upon hearing this: "Your daughter is only eight years old. How can you use her things to curry favor with the princess?"
"Why should I be embarrassed? I'm perfectly comfortable with it. Next time, I'll take her to the princess and let her know what a beauty that could topple kingdoms is, so she won't think she's so pretty and shameless at such a young age."
Qin Yizhen enjoyed spending time with her and had a good impression of the daughter she mentioned. Upon hearing this, she immediately said, "I haven't met your daughter yet. Next time, bring her to the Pingxi Marquis's residence. I need to see what your daughter looks like."
"Alright, bring her along."
After the others had chosen their bracelets, Qin Yizhen went to look at the hair ornaments and hairpins for men, intending to pick out a few for Cheng Yan. He didn't usually pay much attention to these things and only used a few of them.
The gold one is nice, the jade one is also quite beautiful, the gold-inlaid jade one is both rich and understated, and the bronze crown is also low-key and beautiful.
Qin Yizhen picked and chose, and found five or six that she thought were good. Just as she was about to hesitate about which ones to buy, she suddenly remembered that she didn't lack money, so she waved her hand and said, "I'll take them all."
"It's the princess."
The manager of Baochai Tower was overjoyed and hurriedly had someone bring a box to pack all the hair ornaments and hairpins that Qin Yizhen had chosen.
Lady Changting was just coming over to laugh at how much effort she had put into buying things for Cheng Yan, and Cheng Yan was overjoyed when he heard a gasp from the doorway.
"Song Pingping, is that you? What are you doing here?"
"Aren't you dead?"
Upon hearing the exclamation, Qin Yizhen frowned, worried that Song Pingping might be bullied, and led everyone outside.
At this moment, the area just a few steps from the entrance of Baochai Tower had been surrounded by guards, preventing outsiders from entering.
Song Pingping originally felt stuffy inside, so she went to the door to stand and get some fresh air. Unexpectedly, she made eye contact with a young woman who was being held outside the crowd.
The young woman wore an apricot-pink waist-length ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a red shawl draped over her arm. A golden chrysanthemum was pinned in her hair, and her powdered and decorated face looked as if she had been frightened, as if she had seen a ghost.
Upon seeing her, Song Pingping's face darkened, and she felt a surge of unease. Her gaze towards the newcomer was cold and stern: "What, I'm not dead? Have I disappointed the Lady of the Third Scholar?"
"Why are you here?"
"What does my presence here have to do with you? What, you used to bully others with your power, are you scared now?"
Just then, Qin Yizhen hurriedly came out of Baochai Tower: "Pingping, what's wrong?"
When Song Pingping saw her arrive, her eyes darted around, then she suddenly wiped away a tear and threw herself in front of Qin Yizhen:
"Princess, Princess, you must do justice for me! I've been washing clothes for others every day, saving every penny to raise this top scholar. He not only married someone else after passing the imperial examination, but now he won't let me go!"
So it was those people.
Qin Yizhen's expression immediately changed: "They still dare to cause you trouble? Do they think I don't exist?"