Chapter 54: Foster Father and Foster Mother
Proofread By: Mim
When Qin Yi heard these words, his eyes narrowed. “Marriage decree?” He completely ignored Lin Xiyuan’s earlier statement.
“That’s right,” Lin Xiyuan responded calmly, looking directly at Qin Yi. “The Chu family’s old madam has already discussed it with my grandmother. In a few days, they will finalize our engagement.”
Qin Yi had already seen the answer in Lin Xiyuan’s eyes, and his voice grew cold unconsciously: “Who is it?”
“Chu Jinyao, my cousin.”
An inexplicable wave of irritation surged in Qin Yi. He wanted to tell Lin Xiyuan, “How dare you call her by that name?” But after holding back for a long time, he found himself unable to stop it. He had no reason to intervene.
Marriage between men and women was part of the natural order of things. What right or position did he have to prevent Lin Xiyuan from doing so?
Once again, Qin Yi recalled last year when, out of a strange impulse, he had asked Chu Jinyao what kind of husband she wanted to marry. At the time, he had a vague feeling that the ideal husband Chu Jinyao described was modeled after Lin Xiyuan.
If Chu Jinyao agreed, wouldn’t this be a heavenly match?
Qin Yi was silent for a long time, unable to find words, while Lin Xiyuan quietly waited. Qin Yi had a sense of why Lin Xiyuan had chosen to bring up this matter in front of him. The marriage request was merely a formality; the real intention was to give him a subtle reminder. If Lin Xiyuan truly sought a marriage bestowment, he could simply submit a request to the emperor. After all, Qin Yi was only the Crown Prince—what authority did he have to grant marriage decree?
Lin Xiyuan had noticed the closeness between Qin Yi and Chu Jinyao, so he intentionally brought it up as a warning. It struck Qin Yi like a blow to the head. Only now did he clearly realize that Chu Jinyao was already fourteen, the prime age for marriage. She would soon be engaged to another man, possibly taking on his surname and bearing his children. And now, this man had come to him to remind him not to get too close to Chu Jinyao.
Qin Yi felt like a lion whose territory had been encroached upon. He was obviously angry, but he couldn’t quite understand what he was angry about.
When he finally managed to compose himself, the first thing he asked was, “Do your parents know about this?”
Lin Xiyuan was certain that his grandmother, the Old Princess Consort, had already discussed the matter with both the Princess Consort and the Prince. He confidently replied, “Of course.”
Qin Yi suddenly felt there was nothing more to say. The matter was settled, and all he could do was offer his congratulations. Even though he disdained the Lin family for being a foreign royal house, he had to admit that Lin Xiyuan’s family was a good match for someone like Chu Jinyao. Compared to the aristocratic families in the capital, Lin Xiyuan had achieved much. His family background and character were respectable, leaving Qin Yi with no grounds to argue that this wasn’t a good match.
Most importantly, Chu Jinyao liked him.
She was about to marry the man of her dreams, and she would likely be very happy.
Qin Yi’s hand clenched tightly in his sleeve, but in the end, he forced himself to relax. His face was expressionless and cold as he said, “The Marquis of Changxing’s family is indeed a good match. It’s a fortunate union for both your families.”
Lin Xiyuan smiled. “Then, I thank Your Highness in advance. When the time comes, we will be honored to have Your Highness attend the wedding.”
Qin Yi replied coldly, “No need,” and stood up to leave. Lin Xiyuan quickly called out, “Your Highness, please wait.”
“What else is there?” Qin Yi asked, his voice impatient.
“A few days ago, my younger sister accidentally entered Your Highness’s quarters. She is young and didn’t mean to offend. Both my grandmother and mother have already reprimanded her. I ask that Your Highness show mercy and not punish her too harshly, considering her age.”
So, it was about that. Qin Yi hadn’t even given the matter much thought—he had only gotten involved because the County Princess dared to bite Chu Jinyao. Now, if Chu Jinyao were to marry Lin Xiyuan, that County Princess would become her sister-in-law. Even though Qin Yi wasn’t someone who concerned himself with the inner workings of households, he knew that offending one’s sister-in-law could lead to trouble. Given this, Qin Yi didn’t want to complicate matters and make things harder for Chu Jinyao.
He gave a dismissive nod. “I understand. It was just a passing remark. Since she’s young, I’ll let it go.”
Lin Xiyuan bowed in gratitude. “Thank you, Your Highness.” Then, as if by chance, he added, “My younger sister greatly admires Your Highness.”
Qin Yi, already in a bad mood, felt something was off when he heard this. He frowned and fixed his sharp gaze on Lin Xiyuan. “What do you mean by that?”
Lin Xiyuan, seeing Qin Yi’s guarded reaction, immediately retracted his statement and smiled warmly. “I was just speaking casually. Your Highness needn’t take it to heart.”
Qin Yi cast a cold glance at Lin Xiyuan before looking away, unwilling to spend another second looking at him. For some reason, Qin Yi found Lin Xiyuan increasingly irritating.
As Qin Yi walked out, Lin Xiyuan followed closely behind to see him off. They had just reached the courtyard when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from outside.
Chu Jinyao, still wearing the same clothes as earlier, rushed in, panting heavily.
Qin Yi immediately frowned. “What’s the matter?”
Chu Jinyao, who had been running so fast, hadn’t expected the Crown Prince and Lin Xiyuan to still be there. Flustered, she said, “Your Highness, Shizi, have either of you seen a jade pendant?”
“What jade pendant?” Lin Xiyuan asked, curious about what could make Chu Jinyao so anxious.
Qin Yi didn’t need her to explain. He glanced at her dress and noticed the pendant was indeed missing.
She had lost the jade pendant.
With a sigh of resignation, Qin Yi gave her a look before instructing Xiao Linzi, “Send people to search for a palm-sized jade pendant with red silk threads inside.”
Chu Jinyao was still catching her breath, intending to describe the jade pendant once she could speak properly. But before she could, the Crown Prince had already explained it.
Chu Jinyao was stunned.
Lin Xiyuan also noticed her surprise and grew even more suspicious. “Your Highness, how do you know about my cousin’s jade pendant?”
Qin Yi thought to himself, “I saw that pendant long before you even knew Chu Jinyao existed.” But Qin Yi wasn’t one to explain himself unnecessarily, nor did his position require him to. So, he simply said, “I’ve seen it before.”
Lin Xiyuan became even more vigilant. Chu Jinyao, trying to suppress her mounting anxiety and fear, reminded herself to focus on finding the pendant first. She explained, “Your Highness is correct. My jade pendant is palm-sized, made of clear jade, with about ten red threads inside. Oh, and I’ve also tied a gold-threaded string to it.”
“Gold-threaded?” Qin Yi’s expression turned slightly disapproving. “You’ve made a fine jade pendant look gaudy with that gold string. Did I approve of this?”
“Huh?” Chu Jinyao looked at him in confusion.
“Nothing,” Qin Yi said dismissively. “I just find your taste rather… unique.”
Chu Jinyao smiled awkwardly. “It’s not that bad, is it?”
Lin Xiyuan’s smile remained unchanged, but his internal alarm was heightened. The Crown Prince had never been one to explain himself, preferring to issue orders without further explanation. Yet, he had subconsciously offered a rationale when speaking to Chu Jinyao.
Why?
Lin Xiyuan mentally strengthened his resolve, deciding to push his grandmother to exchange betrothal letters with the Marquis of Changxing as soon as possible. The Crown Prince… definitely had ulterior motives.
After Xiao Linzi took note of the description, Qin Yi reassured Chu Jinyao. “Don’t worry. I’ve already sent people to search. Once it’s found, it will be returned to you immediately.”
Chu Jinyao, her heart having been in her throat for so long, finally felt relieved. She bowed and said, “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Lin Xiyuan, unwilling to let the Crown Prince take charge of the situation, quickly added, “I’ll have my people search for it as well. After all, this is a family matter, and there’s no need to trouble Your Highness.”
Qin Yi was stung by the phrase “family matter.” He coldly glared at Lin Xiyuan. “Since when do I require the interference of others?”
Qin Yi’s use of the royal pronoun “I” indicated his rising anger. Lin Xiyuan dared not respond and lowered his head in submission. Meanwhile, Chu Jinyao was startled by how quickly relations between the Crown Prince and Lin Xiyuan had deteriorated.
Not giving up, Chu Jinyao scoured the courtyard thoroughly. Qin Yi and Lin Xiyuan stood not far away, accompanying her. Embarrassed, Chu Jinyao repeatedly urged, “Your Highness, Shizi, you should go back. My maid Linglong and I can continue searching.”
Lin Xiyuan shook his head, while Qin Yi said, “Don’t worry. Keep searching.”
In the end, Chu Jinyao found nothing and left, feeling regretful. She hadn’t been anywhere else that day, so where could it have fallen?
As Qin Yi returned to his quarters, Xiao Linzi had to hurry to keep up with his quick pace. Once they arrived, the first thing Qin Yi did was gather his staff and instruct them to search the garden for the jade pendant.
Xiao Linzi, closely observing the Crown Prince’s mood, felt nervous. Ever since Qin Yi had returned from outside, his mood had been foul. Serving by his side was nerve-wracking.
After some hesitation, Xiao Linzi tentatively asked, “Your Highness, what’s troubling you today?”
Qin Yi said nothing, his expression icy. Xiao Linzi shrank back, realizing he had overstepped.
After a while, a servant reported from outside, “Your Highness, the Princess Consort and the County Princess have sent a food box as a gift of apology. Would you like to see it?”
Qin Yi didn’t bother replying. Xiao Linzi quickly opened the door and dismissed the servant. “No need to bring it in. Take it away.”
The servant obeyed, and as the footsteps faded, Xiao Linzi clicked his tongue in astonishment. “The Princess Consort sure knows how to host. This time, they’ve even sent something in the County Princess’s name. Their intentions are obvious…”
Qin Yi’s hand, holding his writing brush, suddenly paused. He looked up and asked, “What did you just say?”
Shocked, Xiao Linzi quickly bowed and apologized, “Your Highness, please forgive me. I spoke out of turn and gossiped about matters beyond my place…”
“I’m asking you what you meant by your last statement.”
“Huh?” Xiao Linzi was momentarily confused, then scratched his head before replying, “I just meant that they’ve been hosting banquets and sending gifts. Clearly, they’re trying to curry favor with Your Highness.”
Like a man waking from a dream, Qin Yi finally understood what Lin Xiyuan had been hinting at earlier.
“Could it be… they’re trying to push that County Princess on me?”
Xiao Linzi remained silent, but his expression said it all: “Isn’t it obvious?”
Qin Yi found it utterly absurd. “What makes them think I would agree to that? That princess is both foolish and spoiled. It’s utterly laughable.”
Xiao Linzi, unable to stop himself, nodded in agreement. Realizing his mistake, he quickly corrected himself. “Your Highness, I should have mentioned this earlier. The Chu family’s fourth daughter also sent you something recently.”
“Her?” Qin Yi had no fondness for Chu Jinmiao, who had repeatedly schemed against Chu Jinyao. It was already a great mercy that he hadn’t punished her. How dare she try to court him?
“Throw it out,” Qin Yi said coldly. “And if she does it again, throw it out in front of her.”
Xiao Linzi eagerly complied, then added with a chuckle, “Some soldiers thought Your Highness might prefer a more refined, talented type of woman, but it seems…”
Qin Yi tapped his finger on the desk, his sharp gaze cutting toward Xiao Linzi.
Realizing his mistake, Xiao Linzi immediately fell to his knees, his face drained of color.
“You’re getting bolder by the day, daring to gossip about my affairs.”
“Your Highness, please spare me,” Xiao Linzi begged, his forehead hitting the floor. He didn’t even try to defend himself, pleading for leniency instead.
Qin Yi, exhausted, waved his hand dismissively. “Go and receive your punishment. I don’t want to see any of you right now.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” The servants, not daring to provoke Qin Yi any further, quietly retreated.
Once alone, Qin Yi remained at his desk, holding his brush but unable to continue writing.
In front of him was a piece of rice paper that had become a mess due to his failed attempts at calming himself by practicing calligraphy. Despite his efforts, his irritation persisted.
Those soldiers had speculated that he would favor a “refined and talented” woman? How laughable.
Lin Xiyuan’s family thought he would marry their spoiled, immature County Princess? Qin Yi scoffed at the idea. The County Princess seemed like nothing more than a child to him. How could he be interested in someone like that? As for Chu Jinmiao, it was even more far-fetched.
Qin Yi’s mind raced with bitter thoughts, growing colder with each one. He found most women unworthy of his attention, so what should his ideal crown princess be like?
This question left Qin Yi in prolonged silence.
After a long period of stillness, Tang Xinyi’s voice broke through from outside. “Your Highness, we’ve found what you were looking for.”
Qin Yi snapped out of his thoughts. “Bring it in.”
Tang Xinyi entered the room and was surprised to find it completely empty of servants. He was curious but dared not ask. After placing the item down, he quickly exited.
The room returned to its eerie silence. Qin Yi sat down, slowly unwrapping the jade pendant.
This was the same pendant Chu Jinyao had worn since she was a child, the same one that had once housed his soul. He recalled that before he fell unconscious, the red threads inside the pendant had completely vanished. But now, after so much time had passed, the red threads had begun to reappear.
Fate is truly strange, he thought. Sometimes, it is nothing short of cruel.
Having lost the pendant, Chu Jinyao had spent the entire night unable to sleep. The next morning, when she went to pay her respects to the Old Princess Consort, she was still visibly tired.
“Fifth Young Lady, what’s the matter? You look exhausted.”
Hearing her name, Chu Jinyao snapped out of her daze and noticed the Old Princess Consort watching her. She smiled and said, “It’s nothing. I just didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m a bit distracted today.”
“Oh, I see. You couldn’t sleep well,” the Old Princess Consort remarked with a chuckle. “She’s still a child at heart. After being away from home for too long, she must be feeling homesick. It just so happens that your grandmother sent a letter. Why don’t you and your sister return home for a few days? I’m sure your grandmother misses you both terribly.”
With the Old Princess Consort’s suggestion, there was no room for Chu Jinyao to refuse, and she had been wanting to return home anyway. Smiling, she rose to her feet and thanked the Old Princess Consort. “Thank you for your kindness, Old Princess Consort.”
Chu Jinmiao, on the other hand, was reluctant. Why should she go back? The Crown Prince was still here, so who wanted to return to the Marquis of Changxing’s estate? She hesitated and stalled, but there was no arguing against the Old Princess Consort’s decision. With Chu Jinyao already agreeing, Chu Jinmiao had no choice but to comply.
That day, the Crown Prince arrived late to pay his respects. The other ladies, of course, waited for him to arrive, but Chu Jinyao, eager to return home and find her jade pendant, excused herself early. ” Old Princess Consort, I feel quite faint. I’m afraid I can’t stay any longer.”
“Alright, go and rest.”
Chu Jinyao bowed and, along with her maid, walked toward the courtyard gate. Just as she reached the gate, she encountered the Crown Prince on his way in.
Upon seeing him, Chu Jinyao immediately stepped aside and curtsied from a distance. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Qin Yi approached slowly, taking in the sight of Chu Jinyao standing gracefully beneath the crabapple tree in her silver-red gown. She had grown fairer and taller since he had first seen her. With her dark hair, snow-white skin, and striking features, she was like a finely balanced ink painting—neither too bold nor too plain, with just the right amount of color and space.
She seemed to belong in this grand estate, as though she were part of its natural elegance. Perhaps, Qin Yi mused, this was the environment she truly preferred.
Unlike usual, Qin Yi didn’t stop to speak. He simply nodded slightly before walking past her. For some reason, Chu Jinyao felt a sudden emptiness in her heart.
She had wanted to ask the Crown Prince something… but then decided against it. With so many people coming and going, it wasn’t appropriate to call out to him here.
After returning to her room, Chu Jinyao took the opportunity to search her belongings again, both inside and outside the house. But despite her efforts, the jade pendant was nowhere to be found. Frustrated and anxious, she couldn’t explain why the pendant mattered so much, but she knew it couldn’t be lost—no matter what.
A few days later, after the Old Princess Consort’s conversation, Chu Jinyao refrained from going out, focusing instead on preparing to return home. The day before her departure, a green-robed eunuch knocked on her door and handed a jade pendant to her maid, Jiegeng, without saying a word before leaving.
Holding the familiar pendant, Chu Jinyao finally felt her heart settle. Grateful but puzzled, she wondered at the timing. The Crown Prince had found her jade pendant just one day before she was due to leave for home?
She made a mental note to thank the Crown Prince the next day. He might think nothing of it, but for Chu Jinyao, this was a huge favor.
However, things didn’t go as planned. Early the next morning, Chu Jinyao and Chu Jinmiao boarded a carriage bound for home. Yang Qixia, County Princess, and even Lin Xiyuan came to see them off, with Lin Xiyuan offering gentle words of caution to Chu Jinyao for her journey. Chu Jinyao was touched, but as she scanned the crowd behind her, she couldn’t find the person she was looking for.
Oh well, she thought with a wry smile. Why would the Crown Prince bother to remember something as trivial as her departure? It was only a brief trip home. She would thank him properly when she returned.
Chu Jinyao and Chu Jinmiao climbed into the carriage. The horses neighed loudly, pawing at the ground before galloping out through the gates.
When Old Madam Chu received the news that Chu Jinyao and Chu Jinmiao were coming home, she was initially surprised but quickly composed herself. After asking about their daily life at the Prince Huailing’s estate, she let them retire to their rooms.
Ever since that incident with Chu Jinmiao almost being sent to a nunnery, the relationship between her and the Old Madam had visibly soured. The entire household was aware of this, but it was never openly discussed.
Old Madam Chu quietly asked Chu Jinyao, “What has Chu Jinmiao been up to at the Huailing estate?”
Having almost torn the relationship apart with the Old Madam Chu, Chu Jinmiao was determined to impress her, while the Old Madam Chu, in turn, subtly suppressed her to save face.
Chu Jinyao told the truth, recounting how Chu Jinmiao had schemed to detain Linglong and Lin Xining’s ambiguous attitude.
The Old Madam Chu’s expression darkened immediately. “I knew she would be trouble, yet Madam Zhao still insists on trusting her! I don’t know if I should call her kind or foolish.”
While the Old Madam Chu could criticize Madam Zhao, Chu Jinyao could not, so she remained silent. Realizing it wasn’t appropriate to continue discussing such matters in front of her granddaughter, the Old Madam Chu shifted the topic. “Is there really something going on between her and Xiao Ning?”
“You can ask Aunt Zhu about that,” Chu Jinyao replied.
The Old Madam Chu fell into deep thought. If Chu Jinmiao were truly a part of the Chu family, she might not have objected to the match. But the problem was, Chu Jinmiao wasn’t a true member of the Chu family, and she still harbored resentment toward them.
The Old Madam Chu had no intention of letting Chu Jinmiao marry into such a good family, especially not her beloved grandson’s. If Chu Jinmiao posed a threat, it was best to eliminate it before it grew.
After weighing her options, the Old Madam Chu said to Chu Jinyao, “I understand. You should go and rest.”
Meanwhile, Chu Jinmiao was far from ignorant of the Old Madam Chu’s suspicions.
She had been investigating for some time and finally discovered the location of that strange shop connected to Chu Jinyao.
Thanks to Momo Sun’s earlier reports, Chu Jinmiao had long known that Chu Jinyao had something hidden, but since Momo Sun had left prematurely, she hadn’t been able to gather much information.
Still, what little she had was enough. She noticed that every month, someone entered the estate to report something to Chu Jinyao. After a long period of surveillance, Chu Jinmiao had pinpointed the location.
Early one morning, Chu Jinmiao took a carriage to the shop. She wanted to see what Chu Jinyao was up to.
Upon arriving, Chu Jinmiao instructed the driver to slow down as they neared the shop, eventually parking in a nearby alley. She lifted the curtain and observed the scene from across the street.
What she saw shocked her. Chu Jinyao had a shop this grand and impressive?
The more Chu Jinmiao thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. Why would a shop this large involve Chu Jinyao at all? What could their motive be?
Unable to figure it out, Chu Jinmiao felt increasingly resentful. Why should Chu Jinyao enjoy such good fortune? As she brooded, she suddenly noticed a group of people approaching the embroidery shop in a sneaky manner.
The group consisted of two men and one woman, all poorly dressed, with dark, weathered skin. They looked like a rural family—probably husband, wife, and son. While the young man seemed a bit more composed, the older woman was hunched over and so timid she could barely lift her head.
The three of them huddled together and slowly approached the entrance of the embroidery shop. The older woman hesitated upon seeing such an opulent storefront, but the man beside her seemed to scold her, and they continued pulling each other toward the entrance.
Just then, a smartly dressed young woman walked out of the shop, seemingly to retrieve something. The moment she saw the three standing at the steps, her expression darkened.
The three newcomers, like flies attracted to a scent, rushed toward her and grabbed her arm, refusing to let go. The older woman, in particular, was the most dramatic. Clutching the young woman’s hand, she began to wail, “Su Hui, I raised you, nursed you, and even arranged a good marriage for you! Now that you’ve made money, is this how you repay your own mother and father?”
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