Ch. 636..640: The Princess of Northern Land Chapter 636-640
Chapter 636: Chapter 636: The Grand Wedding (3)_1
"Indeed, our father has sent us two brothers here for the ceremony. In a few days, Lord Lin will also arrive with his people and gifts. Our pace must be faster." Ruining Wang replied, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
"What is the meaning of the imperial decree?" Chu Suifeng asked.
"Since Ling Wang mentioned it, let’s receive the decree." Chu Wang briskly took over the conversation.
Chu Suifeng looked at them. Both Rui Wang and Chu Wang were holding their breath, watching his next move.
Rumors in the Capital suggested one could become king solely via Ling Wang’s decrees!
The imperial edict could very well be a test.
Chu Suifeng made no remarkable moves. He lifted his robe and knelt, and the generals and officials behind him all followed suit and knelt down.
At this, Chu Wang and Rui Wang could at last let out their breath. "The heavens decree that the Emperor declare..."
The content of the imperial edict was nothing special, commending Chu Suifeng for his victory and conferring rewards for his upcoming wedding.
"Thank you for the Emperor’s favor." After thanking, Chu Suifeng stood up from the ground. He stood, and the crowd behind him also stood up.
Seeing this, Chu Wang and Rui Wang were taken aback once again. Neither of them were fools, they realized from the crowd’s reaction just how strictly Chu Suifeng managed the Northern Lands.
But they did not suspect much, for when they entered their own territories, those local officials too, had to respect them.
"Is there anything else?" After the imperial edict was put away and everyone had taken their seats, Chu Suifeng looked at the two of them and asked.
"Nothing else, just waiting for the ceremony." Chu Wang said with a smile, "Seventh brother, this is the first time the eldest brother and the fifth brother have come to your Northern Lands. As the host, shouldn’t you entertain us properly? Tell us where to go for fun, good food, and beautiful scenic places?" Chu Suiyun asked, looking quite the dandy.
Si Jinhan, hidden in the crowd, grinned at this. The third prince was delivering a quite believable performance, though when it comes to being a dandy, Si Jinhan himself was the first in the Northern Lands. Pretending in front of him was pretty idiotic.
"Are they staying at my residence?" Chu Suifeng coldly asked Situ Gong.
"Replying to the prince, yes. The two princes came with guests to congratulate you, and you were not at the residence. This humble man could only arrange for them to stay there." Situ Gong answered, somewhat embarrassed.
"You can move out." Chu Suifeng coldly looked at the two and spoke.
Chu Wang and Rui Wang awkwardly paused. They were accustomed to throwing their weight around in the Capital City. On ordinary days, everyone underneath was reverential towards them. Who would dare offend them in broad daylight? Even amongst their equals, they were shrewd and cunning. Nobody would be as outspoken as Chu Suifeng.
So, it appears that evicting someone can be as satisfying as this.
Before either man could react, Chu Suifeng started speaking again. "As there will be a mistress in my residence soon, it’s not suitable for you two to stay. Although the inn has been vacant for some time, it’s still very neat and tidy, and they have their own people. It should not be too uncomfortable. If you don’t like the inn, you can also stay at the Tianran Residence Inn, which is the best inn in Feng City with ready-made ’guides’. As long as you give enough silver, they offer everything you could wish for: food, accommodations, entertainment. If you need something else, just ask."
Fine, even if they didn’t want to leave before, now they had to. With such a compelling reason from the owner of the mansion, if they didn’t leave now, they would be shamelessly clinging on.
Being men of status, Chu Wang and Rui Wang couldn’t stoop to such shameless behavior.
The three brothers had a strained but smooth encounter.
Smooth because Chu Suifeng was always decisive and to the point. After he spoke to Chu Wang and Rui Wang, he promptly hurried them out of the Wang Residence, not even offering them lunch.
Chapter 637: Chapter 637: The Grand Wedding (4)_1
"Prince, Prince Ling is way too arrogant." Upon arriving at the inn, Prince Chu and Prince Rui discovered how desolate the surroundings were. The interior was thoroughly cleaned, but it was only guarded by a few old, weak and disabled soldiers. If they were to be relied upon for security, then there wouldn’t even be a gate to speak of.
No firewall, there was a heated bed which could keep them warm, but they would have to buy their own firewood with Silver if they wanted to be warm.
The kitchen was available, but there were no cooks. If they wanted food, either their own men would prepare it, or they could hire cooks with Silver.
In short, all things started from scratch. Both Prince Chu and Prince Rui have brought quite a few men with them. The security issue could be handled easily, but how about food preparation?
"Hehe, this is interesting." Prince Chu said with a smiling face, "All of you be quiet. I don’t want to hear any unpleasant comments. Immediately find Blackie and get him to bring a few cooks to me."
"Yes, Prince." The close guard having received his orders left, all the while fuming inside. Damn it, Chu Suifeng was too audacious. Was he not afraid of offending Prince Chu?
Chu Suiyun stll had his people to help while in the Northern Land. Compared to him, Prince Rui seemed to be in a more disgraceful situation. Fortunately, amongst those who came with them, there were cooks, so the food problem wasn’t significant.
"Prince, what is Prince Ling trying to imply?" The accompanying guard complained indignantly, "He obviously has no respect for the Prince."
"I don’t want to hear that again." Prince Rui reacted just like Prince Chu, "Everyone, keep your mouth shut. All you have to do while we’re in the Northern Land is behave."
"Yes." The guard responded. After Prince Rui went inside, he arranged for people to buy groceries, a few more blankets, and supplies like firewood and charcoal.
"Prince, impressive." Inside the Prince Ling’s Residence, there were laughter and cheers. With the firewall inside the house, it was warm and cozy.
"Prince, should I send out some men to monitor them?" A lieutenant asked as he stepped forward.
"Prince, it would be best if a team of guards is assigned to watch over the gate of the inn."
...
"No need to bother about them." Chu Suifeng said indifferently, "I’m not afraid of their interference, I’m afraid if they don’t interfere."
Everyone present nodded their heads. They had come today to intimidate Prince Chu and Prince Rui, and also to see what these two masters really looked like.
"Strengthen the guard over the next few days." Chu Suifeng ordered.
"The road has also been properly arranged." Situ Gong said.
Si Jinhan lazily watched, but where had his thoughts wandered off to?
Three days later, a second group arrived in Capital City. However, their identities seemed a bit awkward.
"Minister Lin." Situ Gong welcomed the newcomers at the inn.
"Mr. Situ." The person who arrived was the Minister of Rites, Lin Haisheng, sent by the Emperor to observe the ceremony.
"Minister Lin, your courtyard is located between the two princes, let’s see if you find it satisfactory." Situ Gong entertained him with a beaming smile, courteously leading the way in front.
"Very good." Lin Haisheng had only seen the good exterior of the courtyard. Upon hearing Situ Gong’s question, he casually answered.
Situ Gong was waiting for his response, "I’m glad Minister Lin is satisfied. As a humble servant, I have to return to attend to the prince’s wedding preparations."
"Mr. Situ please, as you wish." Lin Haisheng was still unaware that he has been set up, and kept trying to curry favor in front of this first strategist of the Northern Land.
Only after Situ Gong had truly left, did he realize his predicament.
"Minister Lin, each courtyard has its own kitchen. However, you’ll need to prepare your own cooks, firewood, and ingredients. Or, Minister Lin, would you like to join me? I happened to hire a few good cooks." Prince Chu was the first one to extend the invite, he chuckled as he offered the invitation.
Chapter 638: Chapter 638: The Grand Wedding (5)_1
Lin Haisheng was a seasoned bureaucrat, and he would not be easily fooled by Chu Wang. He could be said to be on the emperor’s side, but as a fence-sitter, he had not pledged his loyalty, remaining uncommitted to either side and offending no one. As for what his true thoughts were, no one knew.
After a while, Prince Rui also came over, and Lin Haisheng politely paid his respects to him as well.
Prince Rui extended an invitation to him, but Lin Haisheng declined, "Tomorrow morning, I have to take the gifts to the Wang Residence. I can make do here in the courtyard and would hate to impose on the two princes."
Another slippery move.
Chu Wang and Prince Rui both smiled faintly before returning to their respective courtyards.
They were certain that when Lin Haisheng goes to the Wang Residence to present gifts the next day, he would not get to see Chu Suifeng.
The reality was even worse. After Lin Haisheng escorted the rewards and gifts to the Wang Residence with his soldiers, he didn’t get to see Chu Suifeng or even Situ Gong’s face.
He wanted to meet Consort Lin inside the Residence, but Mr. Bai Xian, the butler, cited that the Residence was too busy with the master away and delayed the meeting between father and daughter.
Indeed, Consort Lin in Wang Residence is Lin Haisheng’s second daughter, his own flesh and blood.
As Lin Haisheng was leaving the Wang Residence, his face remained gloomy. He knew his daughter’s life in the Northern Land wasn’t easy, but he never thought it would be this difficult.
As a consort, she had to tread carefully even with a mere butler - one could imagine what her life has been like in the Wang residence all these years. Full of rage, Lin Haisheng returned to the station, dove into his private courtyard, and did not appear again.
As for the people in the Northern Land, the prince’s wedding was undoubtedly a momentous event.
The shopkeepers on the streets and the commoners in the city hung up big red lanterns, as long as they were able.
With three days left until the wedding, the Wang Residence became busier, with carriage after carriage of food supplies being sent over while the inspections were rigorous.
The number of armored soldiers patrolling the streets increased, tirelessly making their rounds.
The only downside was that it started to snow. No one found it strange; in December, it was normal for the Northern Land to be covered in snow. It would be odd if it didn’t snow.
The rooms Chu Wang and the others stayed in had no firewalls. They were used to the warm climate inside Daqin, so the weather in the Northern Land was quite a challenge for them. Even though they were bundled up, several of them did not want to get out of bed.
Shili village was also bustling with excitement. Every household hung up red lanterns, and some hung clusters of red peppers and corn beneath their eaves. The country folks’ enthusiasm showed their joy in the simplest action.
"Why do you still have time to chitchat with others?" Zige burst into the room in a flurry, immediately grabbing her to leave as soon as she saw her.
"What’s the hurry?" Ziyin looked at Zige with a headache. Her sister was perfect in every way except for her impatient temperament.
"What’s the matter? You’ll be the bride in three days. How can you sit here chatting with such a dispirited look? Come on, everything’s ready. We’re just waiting for Auntie to start your facial."
At the mention of the facial, Lin Ziyin’s face turned white. She had seen how "brutal" an ancient facial treatment could be; it would clean off all the hair on a person’s face using a pair of chopsticks and a string. It was a nightmare!
"Can I not have that facial?" She asked weakly.
"In your dreams." Zige stared at her with wide eyes. "And just so you know, there’s no way out."
"Then could you wait for a bit? I’d like to discuss it with them a little more." Ziyin struggled, making her final effort.
Chapter 639: Chapter 639: The Grand Wedding (6)_1
"Whatever you have to say, say it after you get married." Zige didn’t let go of his hand.
"Sis, they are master brewers." Lin Ziyin pleaded with a smile, "I must make the arrangements for the distillery with them before I get married. If I wait until after the wedding, we won’t be able to start production in the second half of next year."
"What’s so good about wine?" Zige replied apathetically. Wine was something old men drank, with a weird taste. Moreover, the situation in the Northern Land was special, people barely had enough food, let alone surplus for making wine.
"Sis." Lin Ziyin tried his best to convince her, "Don’t underestimate wine, I am going to create our own brand of wine in the Northern Land, it’s going to be a huge business. And I promise it’ll yield high profit with small investment."
Making money was indeed a matter of importance. But getting married was also significant, Zige looked at him in quandary.
"It won’t take much time, don’t worry. Unveiling the bride only takes a blink of an eye." Lin Ziyin continued to persuade her with a smile.
"Just a short while then." Zige picked a chair farther away and sat down.
"Miss Lin, can the distillation method really increase the quantity and quality of our wine?" The speaker was a young man named Dong Mingchang who had just been sent to the Northern Land.
Another young man on the other side was pursing his lips, eagerly looking at Lin Ziyin.
"In theory, it’s possible, but I haven’t put it into practice, so I can’t guarantee it. We’ll have to see during the actual operation. For these few days while the equipment is not here yet, you can go to the cosmetics factory to learn about distillation and purification, understand more about it, so you can avoid some detours in the future." Lin Ziyin suggested.
"Can we go there and take a look?" Dong Mingxi asked surprisingly.
"Of course you can." Lin Ziyin was slightly taken aback, then thought that in ancient times any technology was almost familial, if you peeked at someone else’s technology, it could cost you your life.
"We can do better if we learn from each other. Don’t worry, without the equipment needed for our purification technology, even if you master the whole process, you can’t produce it." Lin Ziyin reassured them with a smile.
"What kind of quality can wine made by distillation achieve?" Dong Mingxi inquired.
There was no concept of alcohol degree in ancient times, his question made Lin Ziyin feel a bit embarrassed. After thinking about it, she gave an example, "Let me put it this way, if the ’Daughter Red’ you make is measured in terms of degrees, it’s about twelve degrees, the raw wine after purification can reach more than sixty degrees, and then we can blend it with water, the degrees of the resulting wine will vary according to the proportion of water added."
Zige, a layman, was confused by the technicalities. But she heard clearly that the wine they were going to produce could be diluted with water, wasn’t that a bit off? Could they sell water too?
Dong Mingchang and Dong Mingxi brothers were stunned. Blending, this word was not strange to them, as they blended their wines every day. But the ratio of their blend was not as high as what Lin Ziyin said. Generally, their ’Daughter Red’ was favored for its high alcohol content, typically, their wine was blended half and half with water, but according to Lin Ziyin, the new wine to be produced had a much higher water proportion, and yet the wine produced was actually of higher strength.
"You guys should study first, I have told you everything I know, settle down here for now, your wives and children will be sent to the Northern Land before long, and then, you’ll be able to reunite with your families." Lin Ziyin stood up to console them, "If you find anything inconvenient for the moment, you can seek Yu Shaohui or Jue Xin for help."
Chapter 640: Chapter 640: The Grand Wedding (7)_1
"Everything is really good, thank you, miss." Dong Mingchang and Dong Mingxi knelt before her, "We will never forget the great kindness you’ve shown us, miss. The Dong Family no longer exists. Henceforth, please give us names."
This was the choice made by the three siblings upon their arrival in the Northern Land, to serve the Lin Family as servants for all of eternity.
"A name is just a placeholder. If you hold the Lin Family and me, Lin Ziyin, in your hearts, no matter what you are called, you will not betray me. The elders of the Dong Family have expectations of you, so continue using your original names. The people in the village do the same." Lin Ziyin bade the siblings rise.
"Yes, miss." Dong Mingchang and Dong Mingxi gratefully kowtowed thrice more.
"Let’s go, let’s go quickly. Auntie must be anxiously waiting." Seeing that their talking was finally over, Zige immediately pulled her up and ran.
"Slow down." Lin Ziyin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. They couldn’t escape from this today.
As expected, once they reached the room, Zige and Aunt Huini grabbed her by the shoulders, then Mrs. Zhang used chopsticks and thread to pluck the fine hairs on her face.
Lin Ziyin was in so much pain, but she didn’t let out a single sound.
After the Lin Family finished dinner that night, nobody was in a hurry to leave.
"As your elder brother, I don’t have much ability." Lin Changshu began speaking, and Lin Ziyin knew what he was about to say; she had already heard it when Zige got married.
"Enough, my elder brother and sister-in-law, and elder sister, Big Brother Wu, stop trying to add to my dowry. I have so much land and workshops, I won’t be lacking in silver."
"The silver you have is yours. Though we may not have outdone ourselves, it’s still our sincerity. With our parents gone, as your elder siblings, we can’t possibly hold back. Accept it, no matter how small an amount it is, little by little it adds up. Even if it’s used to tip the servants, it’s fine." Aunt Huini earnestly persuaded.
"Alright then, everybody gives me twenty taels of silver, and I’ll keep it safe. If someday I really need the money, I’ll ask for it. You can’t back out by then, Grandpa, you’re the witness." Lin Ziyin teased, laughing.
Upon hearing this, Lin Changshu and the others grew anxious because they had prepared more than just twenty taels of silver.
"That’s settled then." Lin Ziyin didn’t give them a chance to speak.
The old master of the Lin Family glanced at her and nodded hesitantly.
"I also have twenty taels reserved for sister. It’s saved in the bank." Changting said, his eyes red.
"Yanzhi also has some, Yanzhi has one tael of silver. Let Uncle keep it for Auntie." Lin Yanzhi innocently uttered.
"Alright." Lin Ziyin, her eyes reddening too, what dissatisfaction could she possibly have with this family?
In a blink of an eye, the auspicious day arrived.
Before dawn, Lin Ziyin was woken by Zige and Aunt Huini to get dressed and groom herself.
Then, many young wives and girls entered the room. They were all villagers coming to add to Lin Ziyin’s dowry. Since her status was now different, most of what they brought was mostly silver.
They felt it was disgraceful to bring anything of less value. Besides, now every household has people working in factories and raising poultry and livestock at home. No household was short of silver. Two or three taels of silver were not much but represented a lot of goodwill.
Lin Ziyin was their employer and knew well what two or three taels of silver represented - a month’s wages for one person. She honestly couldn’t accept this money, "I will keep the purses that hold the silver, but you should take the silver back. Your kindness has touched me, thank you all."
Everyone looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Everyone was acting on behalf of their families. If they returned like this, they would definitely be nagged at when they got back home.
"Alright, let’s do it this way," Lin Ziyin laughed and said, "Otherwise, I will get angry."
Seeing her put on a serious face, they knew that if they didn’t take the silver back, she’d definitely be angry. Everyone had to take back the silver reluctantly.
"You might not accept others’, but you must accept ours." Aunt Yin, two sister-in-laws, and cousin He Dingyu all held boxes in their hands, persistently pushing them into Lin Ziyin’s hands. "When Zige got married, we didn’t do enough because we were in a tight spot. Now we’re living comfortably, you can’t refuse."
"Aunt, sister-in-laws and cousin, hold onto these items for now. Consider it as keeping them for me. If there comes a day when I need them, you can give them to me then. Perhaps they will be a timely help to me in the future," Lin Ziyin said, laughing.
Despite thinking it wasn’t appropriate, Yin and the others couldn’t argue with her. In the end, Aunt Yin and the rest had no choice but to keep the items, secretly deciding to hold onto the silver notes and jewelry to give to Lin Ziyin in case of an emergency.
People came and went, and with the addition of the makeup, daylight broke with all the hustle and bustle.
The booming sound of firecrackers came from outside. Then Lin Changshu came in, "The prince is here. Are you ready, sis?"
Hearing this, the wedding matron hastily picked up the comb. As she spoke auspicious words, she fastened the last strand of her hair. A red headscarf was immediately placed over her head, and Lin Ziyin’s vision instantly became very dim.
"Let’s go, sis." Lin Changshu bent over and carried her on his back.
Perhaps it was because she was marrying well, a good marriage indeed. In her family, there were no sad faces. Lin Ziyin, lying on Lin Changshu’s back, could only hear laughter and joy around her.