Fei Pin Ying Qiang

Chapter 3- The Concubines

After Li Chen and Qi Niqun returned from the palace in the afternoon, Li Chen immediately left for the Ministry of Revenue, the emperor having summoned him there. Due to his wedding matters, Li Chen had been allowed a month of vacation, and was free to run a few errands for the emperor.

Meanwhile, Qi Yunruo was taking a nap. Liusu shook him awake. Instructed him to leave for the estate's storage warehouse.

As Qi Yunruo dazedly sat up from bed, from the corner of his mouth glistened a bead of drool. Liusu wiped it off with a handkerchief, her expression one of disgust. She lifted Qi Yunruo to his feet to adjust his attire.

Count Ziyang's estate had prepared 128 crates of dowry, two plots of farmland, and four storefronts for their precious daughter. Other than this, there were wedding gifts from other families and the imperial palace. For this reason, besides Qi Yunruo, Eunuch Gao brought four imperial guards and one older female servant to personally help Qi Niqun record and organize the items.

The exterior general manager of Winter Plum Courtyard was Eunuch Gao. Whereas, the interior general manager was Nanny Cheng. Directly under them were four older female servants and two eunuchs.

Qi Niqun's nursemaid, surnamed Song, was about the same age as Nanny Cheng. Nanny Song gave off a clever impression. Nanny Cheng was sturdy and peaceful, and did not mind that the other woman often showed off in front of her.

Once the prince returned home again, he immediately headed for the study. On the other hand, Qi Niqun sat in the main room of her courtyard, watching as the servants recorded her dowry and sorted them into crates. Come nightfall, the servants would deliver the crates to the storage warehouse, to be further organized. There were also large, unwieldy items sent to the warehouse, such as screen dividers and lumber.

The task of recording the dowry fell upon Qi Yunruo. He wrote down every word of Eunuch Gao.

"One golden great Argus and pearl dangling hair ornament, one golden jade-inlaid butterfly-and-love-flower dangling hair ornament, one white-crystal peony dangling hair ornament, and one golden five-colored jewel jade-speck long hairpin. Place these in box A3."

"One white-gold white-pearl jade medallion and one red-jade golden-pearl jade medallion. Place these in box A4."

A jade medallion, or jinbu.

"A set of four embroidered four-seasons gold and sandalwood screen dividers. Place these in box C34."

"Five one-hundred-year-old gingseng roots. Place these in box B11."

"One box of rubies, one box of sapphires... "

Qi Yunruo did not stop until the moment the servants lit the lights of the estate, the sun having set completely. He rubbed at his eyes. Pulled up the wick of an oil lamp's candle so that it would shine brighter, when someone spoke right by his ear. "Young master should return. It's meal time."

He lifted his head and found himself eye to eye with Liusu. She and the rest of Qi Niqun's maid servants were still busy, not one of them pausing from their work. He flicked his gaze at Qi Niqun. Upon closer inspection, her makeup was beginning to smudge.

"Third Young Master, just leave the work to others," General Manager Cheng said with a smile. "It's almost time for the meal to be served. Just let me know whatever young master likes to eat. Yesterday, this old slave was very busy in the princess consort's Winter Plum Courtyard and couldn't meet Third Young Master. From your appearance you seem very honest, so don't let yourself be wronged."

"...Thank you General Manager Cheng," said Qi Yunruo.

Qi Niqun had left the main room a while ago. Qi Yunruo was unsure if he should also return. He paced back and forth the warehouse, and when he finally left for the Winter Plum Courtyard, he came across Qi Niqun. She merely glanced at him, not in the mood to gesture for him to come over. To chat for a bit. Qi Yunruo also had reservations of approaching her, in case she did not want him to do so.