Zhao Qing held the wine cup with a smile and said, "Is this wine from the imperial palace? No wonder it smells so fragrant."
Having grown up in Liangzhou City, she had only ever tasted the coarsest grain liquor. Her heart fluttered with excitement as she carefully sipped the exquisite wine from the white jade cup.
Sweet, rich, and bursting with fruity aromas!
It was delicious!
No wonder this was the grand capital of Daqing—remote Liangzhou City couldn’t compare to even a fraction of its splendor.
Shen Wei remained silent, discreetly observing Zhao Qing’s every move. Just moments ago, when Shen Wei mentioned "imperial jade wine," Zhao Qing hadn’t shown the slightest hint of surprise.
After watching Zhao Qing finish her cup, Shen Wei smiled and said, "Princess Zhao Yang is the beloved daughter of the emperor and empress, so her residence naturally has no shortage of fine palace wines. Rumor has it that in the markets of Yanjing, a single cup of this wine sells for one hundred eighty taels of silver."
"One hundred eighty taels for a single cup? That’s absurdly expensive." Zhao Qing was astonished—the people of Yanjing certainly knew how to do business.
Shen Wei studied Zhao Qing’s expression closely and quietly concluded: Either Zhao Qing truly wasn’t from the modern era, or she was exceptionally skilled at playing dumb.
After a moment’s thought, Shen Wei feigned admiration, her words dripping with praise: "Princess of Pingyang, I’ve heard you’re quite skilled in crafting weapons. That’s truly impressive."
Zhao Qing lifted her chin with pride.
With the precious Taihua Notes in her possession, she was brimming with confidence. Still, she pretended to be modest: "I was born in the harsh borderlands. As a child, I watched my father work as a carpenter and picked up a few rudimentary skills."
This was an excuse Zhao Qing had fabricated long ago. Back in Liangzhou City, whenever Shangguan Xuan or Shen Mieyue questioned her about her knowledge of such ingenious weapon-making techniques, she always attributed it to her "father’s teachings."
Her father had been a carpenter who had passed away years ago. Even if outsiders tried to investigate, there was no way to verify her claims.
Shen Wei seemed to accept her explanation. She reached into her hair and retrieved a gold hairpin inlaid with an emerald. "I feel an instant connection with you, Princess. We met briefly at the marquis’s residence the other day, and now we cross paths again at the princess’s estate—it must be fate. This hairpin was a gift from the prince. Today, I’d like to present it to you."
Cai Ping, who had been waiting nearby, immediately understood and took the hairpin, offering it to Zhao Qing.
Zhao Qing was momentarily stunned but then graciously accepted it. She was no longer a mere herb-gatherer from Liangzhou—she was a noble princess, the future mistress of the South Garrison Marquis's Mansion. If a concubine like Shen Wei wished to curry favor, Zhao Qing saw no reason to refuse.
She examined the intricately crafted hairpin. Made of pure gold, its head was shaped like a peacock spreading half its tail—utterly luxurious and beautiful.
Shen Wei narrowed her eyes slightly and hinted, "Princess, this hairpin was crafted by the finest artisans in the palace over half a month. It even holds a hidden secret."
Zhao Qing looked closer and noticed a soft green glow emanating from the center of the peacock’s design.
What an ingenious design! Truly befitting the craftsmanship of Yanjing’s imperial workshops. She marveled, "The hidden emerald mimics a peacock’s eye—how fascinating."
Without hesitation, Zhao Qing tucked the hairpin away.
Shen Wei watched Zhao Qing’s actions thoughtfully. The gold-and-emerald hairpin had a cleverly concealed mechanism—a delicate golden net woven inside the head, cradling the gemstone. A simple twist of a hidden latch would open the net, revealing the emerald within.
Zhao Qing could devise sophisticated weapons, yet she couldn’t even detect such a simple hidden mechanism in a hairpin...
Shen Wei recalled the "composite bow" the prince had mentioned. He once said that Zhao Qing only provided blueprints and never participated in the actual crafting of weapons.
Was she unwilling to get involved—or was she simply incapable?
Shen Wei took a sip of her warm drink. If her suspicions were correct, Zhao Qing likely wasn’t from the modern era. She had probably stumbled upon knowledge of modern weapons through sheer luck—perhaps from a book, a mural, or an ancient scroll.
Silently, Shen Wei resolved to investigate further. She needed to uncover the source of Zhao Qing’s knowledge.
---
Meanwhile, in the study of the princess’s estate, Zhao Yang had a maid grind ink for her as she swiftly wrote out two promissory notes.
As she wrote, she remarked, "A woman’s dowry is her private property. Only spineless men would dare to use it. Your marquis’s residence still owes Sun Qingmei twelve thousand taels of silver. She has entrusted me as her representative—the marquis must repay the debt this year."
Once the notes were finished, the maid handed them to Shangguan Xuan. His face darkened with anger.
Deep down, he knew the truth: His mother had only agreed to elevate Sun Qingmei’s status because of her enormous dowry. Sun Qingmei’s father had died in battle, her brother had succumbed to illness, and as the last surviving member of the Sun family, she had inherited the family’s vast wealth.
Marrying Sun Qingmei was akin to marrying a money vault.
The entire marquis’s household had tacitly agreed to leech off her. But now that Zhao Yang had exposed their scheme outright, Shangguan Xuan’s face burned with humiliation.
Zhao Yang was just a powerless princess who relied on the emperor and empress’s favor to throw her weight around in Yanjing. Shangguan Xuan, on the other hand, had earned his glory on the battlefield, guarding the nation’s borders for the Li family of Daqing. Who didn’t regard him as a national hero?
To return to the capital only to be insulted like this—he couldn’t bear it.
"Fine, I’ll sign." Swallowing his fury, Shangguan Xuan gripped the brush and signed his name.
With his military achievements and a brilliant wife like Zhao Qing, the South Garrison Marquis's Mansion would surely regain its former glory.
A mere twelve thousand taels? They’d repay it soon enough.
Zhao Yang, satisfied, placed the promissory notes back into a box. "I know your household is strapped for funds, so I won’t press you too hard. On the fifteenth of each month, I’ll send someone to collect one thousand taels. You’ll have a year to repay the debt in full."
After securing the notes, she accepted a warm drink from her maid and leisurely asked, "You mentioned having an important letter? Show it to me."
Shangguan Xuan retrieved a letter from his sleeve.
It had been given to him by Yan Yunting.
Yan Yunting was currently stationed in Liangzhou City, assisting Shen Mieyue in military operations. The distance was vast, the journey long. Being so far from home, he couldn’t help but miss his beloved in Yanjing. He had written letters to both Tantai Rou and Zhao Yang.
Tantai Rou replied to every letter, her words filled with affection, even sending Yan Yunting boots and fur hats. But from Zhao Yang? Not a single response.
And every letter Yan Yunting sent to Zhao Yang had vanished without a trace.
Yan Yunting suspected Zhao Yang was still holding a grudge. He had failed to meet her at Luoyue Lake all those years ago, and it seemed she hadn’t forgotten. So he entrusted this letter to Shangguan Xuan, asking him to deliver it to Zhao Yang in person.
"Your Highness, this letter will surely bring you joy," Shangguan Xuan said as he presented it.
The entire capital knew of Zhao Yang’s deep love for Yan Yunting.
Since Yan Yunting had left for his post, Zhao Yang hadn’t interacted with any other man for over half a year, as if quietly awaiting his return.
The maid took the letter and handed it to Zhao Yang.
With a casual glance, Zhao Yang’s beautiful almond eyes caught sight of the elegant script on the envelope: "Respectfully written by Yunting, for Zhao Yang’s eyes only."
Her eyes widened. "A letter from Yan Yunting?"
