Manbao exhaled a breath, holding her hand and said, "Mingda, thank you so much."
Mingda shook her arm, making Manbao’s hand sway as well. She laughed, "No need to thank . I’ve been feeling much better lately. The bracelet you gave is really useful. I feel like I don’t even need to take dicine anymore."
Mingda paused for a mont but couldn’t resist whispering in Manbao’s ear, "For my mother..."
Manbao quickly replied, "I’ve already asked soone to make it. It should be ready in a couple of days."
Lately, their alliance seed to have so big events, and the shop was busy, so her custom order was queued at the back. But after such a long ti, it should soon be her turn.
Mingda sighed in relief.
She pulled Manbao into the inner room and dragged out a box from the cabinet, opening it to show her.
Manbao saw the glittering gold inside, and her eyes were instantly filled with nothing but gold.
She reached in to touch, "You have so much money."
Mingda laughed, "This is two hundred taels of gold. Didn’t you say a crystal bracelet costs at least eighteen hundred taels? I had soone exchange it for two hundred taels of gold, so it’s easier to carry. I’ll have soone send it to your ho later."
Such a heavy amount of gold couldn’t possibly be carried back by Manbao, right?
Upon hearing that this gold was hers, Manbao no longer felt distressed over the eighteen hundred points she spent on the Empress’s custom order.
Manbao hugged the box with a smile and said, "What excuse are you going to give for this?"
Mingda laughed, "No need for any reason. It’s just a reward from . If the adults really ask, just say I’m feeling much better, I’m happy, and so I rewarded you."
Manbao didn’t refuse, saying, "I’ll send it ho when I take a break."
By then, she’d store it in her system space and play with it herself.
Mingda nodded.
Having gained such wealth, Manbao felt very happy and couldn’t help but ask, "Are you worried about the Emperor and Empress’s quarrel?"
Mingda shook her head, "I don’t know exactly what my father and mother said, but since father ended up punishing Third Brother, and punished him so severely, it ans he still listened to my mother’s words. He just feels uncomfortable now and will be fine in a few days."
Mingda had more experience living with her parents than her two brothers. Both her brothers were cared for by their wet nurse while still in their nursing years, but she was still sleeping between her parents until the age of three or four.
When she was little, the Emperor and Empress often argued in front of her, but it was never as serious as this ti. Usually, her father would go out for a walk and then co back by himself.
Or her mother would send him soup or snacks, and then he’d co back.
But this ti, the Empress didn’t send soup or snacks, and the Emperor didn’t co back after a walk. Mingda felt he just hadn’t walked enough, and once he did, he would naturally co back.
She said, "Father’s bedchamber is always mother’s middle palace. He can’t live in the front study forever, nor can he always stay with the concubines in the harem. He will co back eventually."
And this ti, he hasn’t even visited the harem.
Upon hearing this, Manbao felt no longer worried. She thought the Emperor would return quickly, but even up to the ti she took a break, the Emperor was still living in the small study.
Early in the morning, Manbao received the gift sent by Mingda’s people. After having the eunuchs load it onto the cart outside, she rode ho with Bai Shan and Bai Erlang.
On the way, Manbao couldn’t help but complain, "Having too many rooms in the house isn’t always good. If there were no study or harem, let’s see if he’d return."
Bai Erlang suggested, "In the future, don’t prepare a study for Shanbao."
Bai Shan: ...
He glanced at Bai Erlang and changed the topic, "My grandmother and mother are going back to Longzhou for a birthday celebration and won’t be back until later next month. Is there anything you want from Longzhou?"
Manbao thought for a mont, then shook her head, "Nothing."
Bai Erlang also shook his head. They weren’t familiar with Longzhou and didn’t know what local products there were worth longing for.
Manbao nervously said, "Next month we are going to Shangzhou."
Bai Shan turned his head to look at her and smiled, "What are you afraid of? This ti Eldest Uncle Zhou is going with us. With adults present, there are many things we don’t have to handle ourselves."
Though he said this, there was still so apprehension.
Upon arrival back ho, Manbao had soone carry the box to her room. It was the ti for applying fertilizer in the fields, so only Fourth Sister-in-law and Fifth Sister-in-law were at ho. Old Zhou and the main household were still at the estate.
So no one asked what was in Manbao’s box.
Bai Shan and Bai Erlang went to her room to feel the wealth from the box, and after touching it for a while, they left.
Only Bai Shan knew why Princess Mingda gifted Manbao this box of gold; Bai Erlang didn’t know the reason and just kept marveling, "The princess is really rich."
Manbao said, "She’s not that rich. Mingda exchanged it all with the Crown Princess. She spent all her pocket money."
She had many precious things, and casually taking out a few could be worth this much, but she didn’t have a lot of cash.
Living in the palace, the Emperor and Empress wouldn’t give her cash, only various other valuable things.
Now, Bai Erlang was curious, "If she didn’t have cash, why give you money?"
Manbao paused for a mont and then said, "Because I like money."
Bai Erlang: ...
Bai Erlang looked at the gold in the box, then looked up at Manbao, and couldn’t help but ask, "Senior Sister, how can soone like you enough to desperately give you what you like?"
For calling her Senior Sister, Manbao seriously thought about it before replying, "First, you have to be cute."
Bai Shan couldn’t help but chuckle. Bai Erlang recognized the teasing in her answer, turned around, and walked away, unwilling to speak with her anymore.
Bai Shan was about to leave too, "You better keep the money safe."
Manbao responded with a smile, sending them off happily, then stored the box in her system space. There she took the gold out and placed it on the bookshelf, stacking it up. The gold radiated beautifully.
Keke asked, "Aren’t you going to put it in a box?"
Manbao said, "I don’t have a big, pretty box. I’ll look next ti soone sends sothing and see if there’s one. If there is, then I’ll pack it. For now, putting it like this is also nice."
Keke: ...
Manbao said, "Exchanging points for money feels quite good."
Manbao admired it for a long while before leaving. Her frustration from the past few days dissipated under the excitent brought by money.
The three were happy and joyful as they played for two days before going to the palace. The atmosphere was still strange but much lighter.
Manbao sauntered over to the Crown Princess’s place to visit the two secondary consorts, casually probing for news. Bai Shan carried the few snacks he brought into the palace to play with Zhao Liulang and Feng Zongping.
By lunchti, both of them knew why.
It was heard that the Emperor had returned to the middle palace. The Emperor and Empress hadn’t argued, but they also didn’t seem reconciled, it was odd.
But anyway, the fact that the Emperor was willing to return ant things were improving. Even the main hall was more lively. At the next morning court session, Manbao noticed her colleagues speaking a bit louder than the last ti.
Manbao nodded in satisfaction, looked at the Emperor sitting in the upper seat, and then lowered her head, holding back a laugh. County Magistrate Guo glanced at her, considering whether to talk to County Magistrate Tang about swapping places with him.
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