A Marriage of Convenience with a Love-Struck Regent: From Arrangement to Love [GL] - Chapter 5

Ning Huanyi shook her head to clear her thoughts, stood up, and left the private room, her head bowed low all the way back to the Marquis of Yongchang Residence.

Seeing her mistress’s dejected state, Qingdai assumed it was due to the encounter with Liu Jingming and spent the entire journey indignantly defending her. “Miss, don’t mind what Liu Jingming-gongzi said. I heard the Liu family is arranging a marriage for him, with him joining the Princess’s Residence as a son-in-law. He’ll never have a career now. What’s the point in worrying about such an unambitious man?”

“What? Where did you hear that?” As expected, Ning Huanyi’s attention was drawn to the news. Why hadn’t Liu Jingming mentioned anything about joining the Princess’s Residence earlier?

There were only three princesses in the current dynasty, and only one—a third-year post-capping, born of a concubine—was about to establish her own residence. For some reason, she had delayed setting up her own household, but now she was finally doing so by taking in Liu Jingming as a son-in-law?

“Just now, while I was standing by the stairs, I overheard Liu-gongzi’s friend mention it, and Liu-gongzi didn’t deny it,” Qingdai explained earnestly. She watched her mistress fall into a thoughtful silence.

Ning Huanyi was sensitive to the wind, so the carriage stopped at the Ruyi Workshop. She casually picked out some jewelry from the first floor to give to Qingdai, reasoning that since they’d caused such a commotion upstairs, they should at least buy something to compensate the shopkeeper.

Yesterday, she had already taken the piece she truly liked, so these were just random selections meant as a reward for Qingdai’s news.

Once this news got out, everyone would only mock Liu Jingming for trying to climb the social ladder. Ning Huanyi didn’t want to suffer this silent indignity. Since obtaining medicine from the Imperial Academy of Medicine, though it only treated the symptoms, it at least allowed her to go a whole day without coughing.

She was no longer the Ning Huanyi who could only lie in bed all day, yet some people insisted on exaggerating her frail health to such an extent, which irked her.

Liu Jingming’s actions weren’t just about venting his anger; he wanted to make sure no one in the Capital City would dare marry Ning Huanyi.

Faced with such vicious scheming, Ning Huanyi refused to let him get away with it. As a low-born princess whose mother had long passed away, she was rarely the center of attention in the palace.

The carriage was resplendent, though it lacked any gemstone embellishments. Its high-grade construction and fine horses marked it as a top-tier vehicle. Four plaques inscribed with the character “Ning” hung from its corners, and small silver bells dangled from the horses’ necks. As it passed through the Capital City, street vendors made way for it.

This very same prestige allowed the carriage to arrive smoothly at the Marquis of Yongchang Residence. The golden plaque hung proudly above the entrance, but the servants outside stood frozen in surprise as their young mistress’s carriage approached. After a moment’s hesitation, they scrambled to bring out a stool for Ning Huanyi to step down from the carriage.

“Whose carriage is that up ahead? Are we expecting guests today?” Ning Huanyi frowned. Why must visitors come today of all days? If my parents come looking for me, they won’t find me.

It was past noon, the usual time for lunch and rest. Why would anyone visit the residence at this hour?

Moreover, the arriving carriage was even more opulent than hers. Even Ning Huanyi’s own carriage, considered the finest in the Marquis of Yongchang Residence, paled in comparison to this one. Four fine racing horses pulled it, and the woodwork was crafted from the most expensive materials. This carriage was likely too grand even for an imperial concubine’s procession.
Ning Huanyi felt a headache coming on. Is this guest an important one?

Ning Huanyi didn’t dare delay any longer. After rehearsing her lines with Qingdai beside her, she claimed she was going to Xichan Temple in the Capital City to burn incense and pray. But the moment she stepped into the Marquis of Yongchang Residence, she saw the maids from Qiyan Pavilion waiting at the gate.

When they saw Ning Huanyi return, they all swarmed around her. Fortunately, the Marquis of Yongchang Residence maintained strict discipline among its servants, prohibiting them from speaking all at once to the young ladies and mistresses. So even though they were clearly agitated, they had to speak one by one.

It took about fifteen minutes of walking and listening before Ning Huanyi finally arrived at the main hall of the Marquis of Yongchang Residence and grasped the general situation.

“So, the Regent Prince, who just returned to the capital, has come to propose marriage with a lavish betrothal gift?” Ning Huanyi’s mind froze. Wasn’t the engagement just broken off? And now another proposal, from the Regent Prince—a figure who hasn’t been heard of in ages?

A few years ago, the Emperor had bestowed the title of Regent Prince upon Xiao Ning’an, who was stationed far away at the border leading troops. This move had instantly provoked widespread discontent among many court ministers. However, her father, Marquis Ning Yuanxun of the Marquis of Yongchang Residence, had been among the rare few who supported the Emperor’s decision.

It wasn’t until Xiao Ning’an truly saved the entire Yongli from disaster through her own strength that the opposing voices gradually faded from the imperial court. At the time, her father, Ning Yuanxun, had mentioned that the Regent Prince hadn’t immediately returned to court because she was waiting for the Emperor to consolidate his power at the center before returning.

In essence, she had stayed away for an extra year to avoid suspicion.

“Xiao… Xiao Ning’an? The very Rakshasa Yama who strikes terror into the hearts of the Xiongnu?” Ning Huanyi’s face paled. Though she had received an excellent education since childhood, she had also been pampered and indulged by her family. She knew her own stubborn temperament well. She had imagined finding a family slightly less prestigious than her own, where she could continue to be revered. But now, how could this Regent Prince possibly indulge her?

Qingdai, standing beside her mistress, was equally shocked. “The Regent Prince has never even met you, yet she’s asking for your hand as soon as she returns to the capital?”

Ning Huanyi’s delicate brows furrowed, but she forced herself to walk forward. The main hall of the Marquis of Yongchang Residence was magnificent and imposing, but the small courtyard before it was cluttered with piles of luggage.

Five servants from the Marquis of Yongchang Residence stood nearby, notebooks in hand, recording everything. Ning Huanyi didn’t rush into the main hall. Instead, she paused to stare at the courtyard, which was piled high with redwood chests. Now, each chest had been opened, revealing treasures of gold and silver that nearly blinded her with their brilliance.

The Ning Family had seen their share of riches, but Ning Huanyi never imagined the Regent would present herself as if emptying its entire coffers for the marriage proposal. Qingdai, who had discerned her thoughts, nudged her gently. “Miss,” she whispered, “the Regent enjoys Your Majesty’s utmost favor. These treasures likely aren’t her entire wealth.”

The courtyard bustled with activity. Live animals of the three sacrificial types—ox, sheep, and pig—grazed in the yard. Among the gold and silver, several large carp swam in wooden basins, symbolizing prosperity and abundance year after year.

It was the unassuming small items that truly caught Ning Huanyi’s eye: dried longans, lychees, peaches, and peanuts still in their shells. These represented completeness, blessings, and the promise of endless vitality.

*******
Note:
[The title “Regent-Prince” is also used as an alternative to “Regent King,” as it is a title of nobility not strictly limited by gender in some historical contexts and can be analogous to a prince/princess of the highest rank.]

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