Chapter 74: Crown Prince’s Concubine – 2

The Xie Family also received the imperial decree. Old Madam Xie fell silent for a moment and let out a soft sigh. She then turned to the four-year-old child playing by her side and said, “Your Little Uncle is getting married. You must be on your best behavior from now on, do you understand?”

Xie Qingfeng didn’t understand. Why did he have to be on his best behavior? Wasn’t it a good thing for a Little Aunt to join the family? Finally, there would be someone to play with him.

The news sent a significant shockwave through the various noble houses. Although Xie Liangchen was the ideal son-in-law in everyone’s eyes, the men of the Xie Family were notorious for their short lifespans. Families who doted on their daughters were unwilling to let them suffer such a fate.

Still, everyone wondered: how did a minor official of the sixth rank¹ manage to stumble into such overwhelming fortune?

Ren Xin paid no mind to the rumors swirling outside. After eating and drinking her fill, she looked at the clansmen who had come to offer their congratulations and felt nothing but disgust. Honestly, as long as the gifts arrived, she didn’t care at all whether the people showed up.

Take the current situation, for instance. A delicate-looking woman was using a sharp, bitter tone that clashed with her gentle appearance to guilt-trip her: “Sister, you’ve finally found a good home. Poor us, our fates aren’t as blessed as yours. Once you marry into such a wealthy family, you won’t have a single worry, while we still have to fret every month over whether there’s enough rice and grain. There’s truly no comparison. When you’ve made it in the world, Sister, you mustn’t forget your kin. You must help us out often…”

Ren Xin nodded perfunctorily. “I can forget. Don’t overthink it. You’re just not as pretty as I am; otherwise, you wouldn’t be struggling to keep yourself fed.”

The woman reacted as if her tail had been stepped on, immediately snapping back, “When did I say I couldn’t feed myself? And what makes you think I’m not as pretty as you?”

Ren Xin rolled her eyes at her. “Then what are you being so sour about? And who exactly among the ‘kin’ should I not forget? You? You’ve never even darkened my doorstep before today. Now you show up with a few measly gifts and act like I owe you my life. Is there something wrong with you? If you can’t afford to eat, you look down on those drinking porridge. Who do you think is going to indulge your nonsense!”

The woman was huffing with rage. Ren Xin quickly signaled her maid to escort the guest out. “Make sure she doesn’t drop dead in my house. I’m waiting to be married; how unlucky would that be!”

Immediately after, Ren Xin’s gaze swept over her so-called sisters. “Do any of you have any more ‘advice’ to give?”

They all shook their heads. They had assumed Ren Xin had a mild temperament, but who knew she was so fierce? Ren Qiang had been silenced so thoroughly she couldn’t even argue back, looking utterly pathetic as she slunk away.

Everyone began chiming in with auspicious blessings, one after another, terrified of displeasing Ren Xin.

But this was child’s play. The days that followed were even more chaotic. All sorts of strange characters she had never met before crawled out of the woodwork, annoying the ginseng spirit to no end.

In particular, someone had heard that the Xie Family was coming to deliver the betrothal gifts today, and everyone rushed over to join the spectacle. The Ren Family’s house was small to begin with, and now it was so crowded that the kitchen could barely keep up with the demand for hot water.

Ren Xin wanted to lose her temper, but her mother wouldn’t allow it. Her mother warned her that if she acted as rudely as she had last time, she would be locked in her room to embroider her dowry.

Xie Liangchen had returned the previous day, and today he was personally accompanying the betrothal gifts.

In truth, he didn’t much care whom he married. Even if she was unreasonable, his grandmother would naturally teach her, as long as she wasn’t rotten to the core.

Although Xie Liangchen was a military commander, he was exceptionally handsome. And just like that, the ginseng spirit was completely captivated.

It was truly an accident. Normally, a bride-to-be isn’t supposed to meet her fiancé, but fate had other plans. Ren Xin was in the middle of a verbal battle, attempting to shut down some particularly nasty relatives who were trying to take the moral high ground, when Xie Liangchen arrived at the door with the betrothal gifts.

When Xie Liangchen stepped inside, he saw a young girl dressed in verdant green. Her tongue was sharp and her words were biting, yet her face remained smiling as if she were merely chatting about the weather.

She looked so incredibly vivid and full of life that he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Ren Xin looked up and saw Xie Liangchen being led in by the butler, followed by over a dozen large red chests. She instantly went silent.

This was a bit embarrassing, damn it. But this man was truly good-looking. Even if she had to pay for him, she’d be willing.

Translator’s Notes