JiuZhu’s carriage stopped beside the mounting block at Chen Wang’s mansion.
“Before you is Chen Wang’s residence. May I ask where this noble person comes from?” The guards of the residence walked forward and stood in front of the carriage: “If you want to enter the residence, please hand over your waist tablet. This humble one will pass it on your behalf.”
JiuZhu did not expect that there would be so many rules required to enter a prince’s residence. She clasped the little box in her arms tightly, lifted the curtain and looked at the guard who spoke: “This girl is Assistant Minister Ming’s daughter. I came to visit His Highness for some matter, so please pass this message on my behalf, brother.”
The guard looked at the woman in the carriage and saw a pair of beautiful eyes that were as pure as a mountain spring. There were exceptionally striking. Not daring to look any longer, he quickly lowered his head: “Please wait a moment, honored lady. This lowly one will go and report your arrival.”
“Thank you for the trouble.” JiuZhu held the little box with one hand and lifted the curtain to come out of the carriage.
“Young Miss.” ChunFen opened the umbrella to protect JiuZhu from the snow: “It’s snowing heavily outside. You should wait in the carriage.”
“It’s alright, I wish to take a look at the surroundings.” JiuZhu took the umbrella from her hands: “Sister ChunFen, you should get yourself an umbrella for yourself.”
“Young Miss is so caring.” ChunFen and other servants opened their umbrellas and whispered: “We should have sent someone to inform them before coming over. It’s snowing so much.”
“It doesn’t matter. I wanted to take a look at the surroundings anyway.” JiuZhu looked at Chen Wang’s residence curiously. It was very beautiful; even the mounting block was taller than that of the others.
“Your Highness.” Fu Gui whispered to the bulge on the bed under the quilt: “It’s already two quarters into the hour of sishi1Sishi [巳时] – Refers to the time between 9am and 11am..”
“Get out!” A soft pillow flew out of the bed and fell on the ground.
Fu Gui retreated and left the chamber in haste.
“Gonggong.” Seeing Fu Gui come out of the prince’s bedchamber, the steward of the residence rushed forward and muttered, “The gatekeeper came to inform us that the Ming family’s Young Miss has come to pay a visit.”
“Ming family’s Young Miss?” Fu Gui was surprised: “Did she inform in advance?”
The steward shook his head.
“This…” Fu Gui looked back at the bedchamber, feeling a little uneasy. His Highness had been feeling very annoyed because he had to wake up early to go to the Ministry of Rites these days. Today, he finally obtained a day off and more importantly, it was snowing so much. How could he dare to awaken this little ancestor?
But he thought of Miss Ming’s paintings. The prince cherished it so much that he was reluctant to even let him take a look. Fu Gui gritted his teeth and stepped back into the room again.
“Your Highness…”
“Why did you come in again?” Chen Wang sat up on the bed: “Get out! Ben Wang will throw out anyone whoever dares to come before wushi.”
“My Lord.” Fu Gui continues speaking with a smile: “This slave doesn’t want to disturb you during your rest but there’s really something important to report.”
“What is it?” Chen Wang slipped into the warm quilt again, unwilling to budge.
“Miss Ming has come to pay a visit. Does Your Highness want to meet her?”
“Who did you say came here?” Chen Wang sat up abruptly. Fu Gui hurried forward to assist him in getting dressed.
“It is Assistant Minister Ming’s honored daughter.”
“Where is she now?” Chen Wang put on his robe and slipped his feet into the deerskin boots.
“She’s still at the mounting block…”
“Every one of them is a pig. Do they not use their brains to think?!” Chen Wang pulled the water basin, rinsed his mouth, and wiped his face with a towel. Then he grabbed the cloak closest to him and strode out: “It’s snowing so heavily and they let that little guniang wait at the mounting block?!”
“Your Highness, you haven’t bound your hair yet…”
Fu Gui trotted out after him, chiding the attendant standing outside: “Hurry up! Get the hand warmer and follow.”
“Young Miss, the snowfall is getting heavier.” ChunFen whispered: “You should get inside the carriage and wait.”
JiuZhu shook her head and turned her head. Almost immediately, she saw a person rushing out of the main gate of the residence. She recognized him at a glance; it was Chen Wang.
“Your Highness.” JiuZhu trotted toward Chen Wang with an umbrella in her hand. She was stunned to see his fine black hair flying freely in the cold wind: “Your Highness looks good without binding your hair too.”
Hearing this insincere little praise, Chen Wang was annoyed. Who was he doing all this for?!
Just as he was about to speak, another gust of wind came and whacked his hair in the face.
JiuZhu couldn’t help laughing loudly. Then, seeing Chen Wang stare at her, she blinked and asked in a low voice, “How about… letting chennu help you tie it?”
Not hearing Chen Wang’s objection, JiuZhu stuffed the wooden box and the umbrella into Chen Wang’s hand, took out a long ribbon from her pouch, and walked behind him: “Your Highness, don’t move.”
“Your Highness…” Fu Gui, who had chased after him with another attendant, glanced towards the gate and turned towards that attendant, “Wait at the door, don’t disturb His Highness.”
“But gonggong, the snow is so heavy ……”
“The snow doesn’t matter.” Fu Gui stated with a sense of profound mystery: “It’s enough if the heart is nice and warm.”
“Your Highness’ hair is so smooth ah.” JiuZhu stood on tiptoe and gently gathered all of Chen Wang’s hair scattered on his back with his fingers. Then she thoughtfully tied it with a ribbon and even made a butterfly knot.
The tickling sensation on his back caused Chen Wang to move his shoulders and back in some discomfort: “Is it done?”
“Yes.” JiuZhu stepped in front of Chen Wang and bowed: “Please forgive me for taking the liberty of suddenly coming here today, Your Highness.”
The large crimson cloak draped on her body made her face appear even more delicate, naive, warm, and rosy.
Chen Wang stretched his hand and touched the hairpin with white rabbit fur in her hair: “It’s snowing so much today but you still remember to come to see me. So, Ben Wang won’t bother with you. Follow me, let’s go inside.”
Shifting the umbrella in the direction of JiuZhu, Chen Wang shook the wooden box in his hand and heard it make a clicking sound: “What’s inside?”
“Your Highness, you can’t shake it.” JiuZhu jumped and snatched the wooden box from his hands, smiling mysteriously at Chen Wang: “You’ll know later.”
Chen Wang raised his eyebrows. What kind of novelties did this lass bring with her?
Half a shichen later, Chen Wang looked at the pigs, cows, sheep, horses and various other such ‘snowmen’ in silence.
“Stuff the snow into the pottery mold, press it, knock it and little duck will come out.” JiuZhu placed the little duck in front of Chen Wang: “Your Highness, look!”
“Ming XiaoZhu2T/N: The ‘Xiao’ here refers to small/little, so he’s basically calling her ‘Little Zhu’ or ‘Little Pearl’. I kept it in pinyin since it sounds so much cuter >w<, how old are you this year?” Chen Wang reached out and nudged the little duck with his finger, accidentally poking a hole in its belly. He then saw JiuZhu, who was squatting on the ground like a ball of snow, bend down and pick some snow at the feet to fill up the hole in the duck’s belly.
“Your Highness, you asked chennu about her age not too long ago.” JiuZhu handed the pottery mold filled with snow to Chen Wang: “Your Highness, try it.”
What could be so amusing about this little toy? Only a little guniang like Ming JiuZhu with the brain of a six-year-old could be so childish.
He patted the pottery mold over the snow, and a puppy with a broken tail was lying on the snow.
“Your Highness, before you press it, you must make sure to press the area of the tail too. Or else, it would break.”
“Ben Wang naturally knows that.” Chen Wang grabbed a few handfuls of snow and stuffed them into the pottery mold. This time, a complete puppy was formed. He lifted his chin proudly. How could a little game like this stump him?
“Your Highness is amazing.” JiuZhu put another little horse-shaped pottery mold into his hands: “Try this too.”
What’s the difference between a dog and a horse? Isn’t it still something that is made by molding snow?
However, after seeing JiuZhu staring at him, Chen Wang sighed helplessly in his heart: Never mind, it’s fine as long as this child has a great time.
The steward walked into the yard and saw a long row of little snowmen on the snow. He also noticed His Highness and Miss Ming squatting on the ground and playing some unknown game and laughing quite happily. He walked over to Fu Gui and whispered, “Qi Wang’s residence sent people to bring a basket of fresh bamboo shoots. That person said that it came straight from Qi Wang’s garden to let our prince have a taste.”
“Understood.” Fu Gui nodded: “I’ll report this matter to His Highness once we get back.”
“Aiyo.” JiuZhu suddenly cried out in pain.
“What’s wrong?” Chen Wang dropped the pottery mold in his hand, walked over to JiuZhu, and looked down at her.
“My feet… My feet are numb.” JiuZhu looked up pitifully at Chen Wang: “Your Highness, pull me quickly.”
Chen Wang sighed helplessly again. Although he had not yet become a dad, he seemed to be starting to experience the troubles of being the same. He bent down and put his hand in front of JiuZhu: “Give me your hand.”
“Thank you ah, Your Highness.” JiuZhu smiled and put her hand in his palm.
“You are really…” Chen Wang pulled JiuZhu up and turned to get the hand warmer on the slab. As soon as he took a step, he felt a pull at his back, and fell to the ground with a thud. His handsome face smashed the two puppies carved out of snow to pieces.
JiuZhu looked down at the cloak that she had stepped on, and silently… silently retracted her feet. She endured the pain and numbness in her calf, and carefully squatted beside Chen Wang: “Your Highness, are you okay?”
Chen Wang sat up and glanced at the edge of the cloak with footprints and snowflakes, and silently wiped the snow off his face.
JiuZhu quickly took out her handkerchief to help Chen Wang clean his face: “Your Highness, chennu really didn’t do it on purpose, you… don’t be angry.”
“Did Ben Wang ever say he’s angry?” Chen Wang took the handkerchief from JiuZhu’s hand and casually wiped his face: “Are your legs still numb?”
JiuZhu nodded slightly, her eyes looking at Chen Wang’s face from time to time. She seemed to be a puppy with a guilty conscience, the one who knew that it did something bad but didn’t want to be punished.
The next moment, she was lifted by Chen Wang and carried on his shoulders, in the same posture as carrying a sack.
Carrying her into the room with a heater, Chen Wang put JiuZhu on the soft couch. He picked up the embroidered quilt and put it on JiuZhu crudely: “Be good and sit still. Ben Wang will let the maid come to pinch your legs. There is no female clothing here, so take off your cloak, shoes, and socks, and let the servants dry it.”
“Where is your Highness going?” JiuZhu asked.
“I’m going to change my clothes.” If he didn’t leave the room, could he possibly have to watch the little guniang take off her shoes and socks?
After leaving the house, Chen Wang untied his loose hair, stuffed the fancy ribbon into his sleeve, and said to the maid by the door, “Take good care of Ming guniang, you must not be neglectful.”
“Your Highness.” Fu Gui stepped forward, unfurled the clean cloak in his hand, and replaced the snow-stained on Chen Wang’s body: “Qi Wang’s residence has sent someone to deliver a basket full of tender bamboo shoots.”
“I see.” Chen Wang nodded, “What time is it now?”
“It’s almost the hour of wushi.”
“Send someone to Assistant Minister Ming’s residence to inform him that Ben Wang is Ming guniang keeping at this residence for lunch and will personally send her back in the afternoon.” Chen Wang paused: “Don’t go empty-handed. Put the fresh vegetables sent by the hot spring villa into a basket and take it so as not to let people think that my Chen Wang residence is stingy.”
“The slave will do as said.” Fu Gui heard the instruction: “Please don’t worry, Your Highness. This slave will handle this matter personally.”
T/N: No…. Why did he undo JiuZhu’s special butterfly knot!…. On a side note, I don’t think JiuZhu’s parents will mind the messenger going empty-handed as much as they would mind him keeping her back xD
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