Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Number One Dandy

Huan Zhu was sure Sheng Zhi Wan could not bear to throw away their bond of more than ten years. Sheng Zhi Wan set the teacup down and said, “Since that is the case, I might as well write a letter right now and have someone send you back to the palace. From now on, you will stay in the palace and you will not come out again.”

Huan Zhu bit her lip and asked, “Princess, do you mean it?”

Sheng Zhi Wan only hooked her lips and said nothing.

Huan Zhu finally panicked. Huan Zhu cried, “Princess, how can you be so heartless! This maid has followed you for so many years. If this maid is sent back now, what master would still accept me?!”

Sheng Zhi Wan leaned forward slightly and asked, “So you still know you are a maid?”

Huan Zhu met those pitch-black eyes, and the words Huan Zhu wanted to say stuck in Huan Zhu’s throat.

Sheng Zhi Wan watched Huan Zhu with a half-smile that was not quite a smile. Only then did Huan Zhu grit her teeth and drop to her knees, shuffling forward on Huan Zhu’s knees.

Huan Zhu begged, “Princess, this maid really did not do it on purpose. This maid was only thinking that you and Heir Apparent could make up sooner. If Princess thinks this maid did wrong, then later… later this maid will never act on my own again!”

What a fine “for her own good”.

Sheng Zhi Wan curved her lips and said, “Since you know you acted on your own, you will be demoted to a Fourth-Rank Maidservant. You will serve outside, sweeping and doing chores.”

Huan Zhu cried, “Princess?!”

Huan Zhu looked as if Huan Zhu could not believe it, but the moment Huan Zhu met Sheng Zhi Wan’s gaze, Huan Zhu bit her lip hard. Huan Zhu did not say a single word and simply got up and ran out.

Because of this interruption, Huan Zhu completely forgot Madam Cui’s instructions and never reported them. Even if Huan Zhu had reported them, Sheng Zhi Wan would not have cared.

That night, Sheng Zhi Wan slept extremely well.

It was not until Ting Lan came in for the third time and saw the light outside that Ting Lan woke Sheng Zhi Wan. Sheng Zhi Wan lazily opened her eyes from the couch.

Ting Lan reminded, “Princess, are you not going to pay respects to Madam today?”

Only then did Sheng Zhi Wan remember.

In Sheng Zhi Wan’s past life, in the fourth year of marriage, Qi Shu Xian was rewarded with a separate residence. Sheng Zhi Wan moved out of the Duke residence, so Sheng Zhi Wan no longer had to greet Madam Cui every day.

But right now, it was not that time yet.

Sheng Zhi Wan said, “I won’t go. We are going to the storeroom.”

Sheng Zhi Wan personally picked out several medicinal herbs and went to the small kitchen. Sheng Zhi Wan used the herbs and the chrysanthemum wine that had been soaked last year to make a bowl of sweet fermented rice dumplings.

The wine mash tasted rich, sweet, and smooth, mixed with the clean fragrance of the herbs. It was the best for warming and strengthening the spleen.

Sheng Zhi Wan ladled the dumplings out and placed them into an elegant food basket.

An Zhi asked, “Princess, are you sending this to Madam?”

Sheng Zhi Wan lifted a brow. Of course not.

Sheng Zhi Wan had An Zhi and Ting Lan do Sheng Zhi Wan’s hair and makeup. After they finished, Sheng Zhi Wan changed into the court robe that Sheng Zhi Wan had not worn for two years.

The gilded skirt was traced with fine patterns, and the wide sleeves and belt made Sheng Zhi Wan look even taller. Sheng Zhi Wan’s long dark hair was gathered up with a begonia full-pin red-gold headpiece, and as the delicate pearl tassels swayed, Sheng Zhi Wan looked dazzling.

Ting Lan stared for a moment and said, “Princess, you are the capital city’s first beauty. Those so-called capital city four beauties are nowhere close to you.”

It was a pity Sheng Zhi Wan did not like going out. Even when Sheng Zhi Wan went out, Sheng Zhi Wan always dressed in a low-key way.

Sheng Zhi Wan ordered, “Prepare the carriage. I am going into the palace.”

With Ting Lan’s support, Sheng Zhi Wan climbed into the carriage.

Not far away, a few mounted dandies happened to pass by. When they saw Sheng Zhi Wan’s figure, the youth in black at the front pulled hard on the reins.

The others heard the movement and followed his gaze.

One of them said in surprise, “That one is… Princess Qing Ning?”

Another asked, “The Princess who begged and even starved herself just to marry Qi Shu Xian?”

A third voice said, “It’s her!”

Someone laughed and said, “Then Young Master Shang Er probably has no chance. Forget her status. Even her husband is more capable than all of us put together.”

Another said, “Threefold First Laureate, and he made great merit in Cang Nan too. I heard he is going into the palace today to receive rewards. My father even told me this morning that His Majesty means to make him a Senior Fourth Rank Ping Yan General!”

That same voice clicked their tongue and said, “A Fourth Rank General that young is probably the first in history. After today, those Noble Lady who used to mock Princess Qing Ning will envy her to death.”

Another person said, “That might not be true. Didn’t Qi Shu Xian bring back a woman from Cang Nan this time?”

Someone else said, “So what? Which man doesn’t have three wives and four concubines. She’s just a plaything, and she can’t step over Princess Qing Ning. Besides, Princess Qing Ning is already this beautiful, so the woman Qi Shu Xian brought back probably won’t be bad either.”

Another voice lowered and said, “I heard she was a Farm Girl…”

The others said more, but the youth in black did not hear it. Only when the carriage vanished completely did the youth suddenly turn his horse around.

The youth said, “I just remembered something I still have to do. I won’t go to Drunken Fragrance House today!”

The group shouted after him, “Hey, Young Master Shang Er!”

The others froze, but the youth was already gone.

Someone snickered and said, “What real business could the capital city’s number one dandy have? Don’t tell me he just doesn’t want to treat us, so he’s slipping away on purpose!”

The group laughed a few times.

Sheng Zhi Wan entered the palace and switched to a sedan chair, heading straight for Ci Hui Palace.

Ci Hui Palace was lush and green. The osmanthus tree Sheng Zhi Wan planted with Grandmother when Sheng Zhi Wan was little was giving off a quiet, sweet fragrance.

Everything still felt like the past, yet it also did not.

Especially when Sheng Zhi Wan saw Grandmother leaning back in a rosewood chair, looking a little worn and pale, Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes instantly reddened.

Nanny Xiu, who was kneading Empress Dowager’s shoulders, jumped when Nanny Xiu saw Sheng Zhi Wan and was about to speak. Sheng Zhi Wan lifted a hand to stop Nanny Xiu.

Sheng Zhi Wan walked softly to Nanny Xiu’s spot and took over, kneading Grandmother’s shoulders.