Chapter 116: Another Fish Tank Delivered, Another Batch of Seeds Given

"Grand Princess Rui'an?" Qin Wanru was momentarily stunned. She hurriedly stood up to offer a formal greeting, but the Grand Princess gestured for Nanny Gao to support her.

"Your foot is injured, so there is no need for such ceremony. Seeing you, child, I simply feel a sense of affinity. Our meeting today is fated. Since you have arrived in the capital, you must naturally integrate into the circle of noble young ladies. Once the invitations from my estate are sent out, come over with your mother," the Grand Princess said, rising and smiling at Qin Wanru.

"Thank you, Grand Princess!" Qin Wanru’s eyes brightened with excitement, and she managed a bow with Yujie’s support.

Seeing that such a young girl possessed such decorum, the Grand Princess felt even more favorably toward her. This time, she did not wave off the gesture. After accepting the bow, she removed a bracelet from her own wrist, took hold of Qin Wanru’s hand, and slipped it on.

"Very well, I shall take my leave now. Once matters at my estate are settled, I will send the invitation," the Grand Princess said with a smile, appearing to be in quite a good mood.

"Thank you, Grand Princess!" Qin Wanru bowed deeply once more. She was genuinely grateful; without the Grand Princess’s introduction, she would have had no choice but to attend banquets alongside Lady Di.

Beyond the potential for Lady Di’s behind-the-scenes schemes, attending banquets under the banner of the Yongkang Earl’s estate would have inherently placed her at a disadvantage. In future dealings with Lady Di and the Yongkang Earl’s estate, the Qin household would have been forced into constant concession and perhaps even coercion.

In her previous life, it was precisely because of Lady Di’s secret machinations that Shui Ruolan suffered a premature labor, ultimately resulting in the death of both mother and child. Although the truth was later uncovered, the political pressure exerted by the Yongkang Earl’s estate and the Duke of Xingguo’s household meant the matter was swept under the rug, leaving Shui Ruolan to die in vain.

The root cause was the Qin household’s belief that they could not afford to lose the support of the Yongkang Earl’s estate. This time, she would protect Shui Ruolan and ensure she safely gave birth to her child. She would never let Lady Di cause such a tragedy again.

With that in mind, she needed to sever ties with the Yongkang Earl’s estate immediately upon entering the capital, rather than appearing in high society as their subordinate. The Grand Princess had offered her a shortcut straight into the inner circles of the nobility, and for that, she was profoundly grateful. Even in her past life, she had owed the Grand Princess a debt of gratitude.

By the time Shui Ruolan returned, panting, Qin Wanru had already rested for some time. She moved her foot and had Yujie massage it slightly through her shoe, finding the pain had subsided. It was likely just a minor sprain and nothing serious; a bit more massage with medicated wine later would resolve it.

"Wanru, how did you climb so fast?" Shui Ruolan sat on a stone bench, wiping her sweat with a handkerchief. Yujie had already poured her a cup of tea.

The tea was lukewarm, but it was perfect for the moment. Shui Ruolan drank more than half the cup in one go before catching her breath. Looking back at the distant mountain path, she felt a jolt of alarm. It was so high and so far; she was amazed she had managed to climb it herself, and thus, her admiration for Qin Wanru grew even more. She had thought it would be good enough for Qin Wanru just to make it up, but not only had she succeeded, she had been faster and rested less than she had.

"Mother, perhaps I’m just a bit more sturdy from playing around," Qin Wanru said with a laugh.

The two rested a little longer before heading into the temple. They did not linger long on the mountain; after visiting a few Buddhist halls, they made a hasty return. They arrived back at the Qin residence just in time for lunch. After returning to their respective courtyards, both were exhausted from the climb and the sweating, leaving them with little energy for anything else.

After washing up and having a bowl of porridge, Qin Wanru had no strength left. She fell into a nap, and upon waking, though her body ached, she felt refreshed. Yujie had already rubbed her foot with medicated wine; it only hurt slightly when pressure was applied. Aside from the lingering red swelling, it felt fine.

Just as she sat by the window, Nanny Yu hurried in. "Miss, a large fish tank has been delivered. They say it was ordered by you and asked where it should be placed."

"A fish tank?" Qin Wanru was taken aback.

"It’s very similar to the one you had in your old courtyard for water lilies, only larger. You should be able to keep more in it," Nanny Yu said with a chuckle. Though she found it strange that a fish tank would arrive the day after they reached the capital, she assumed Qin Wanru must have picked it out while she was out earlier.

"Just... place it under the large tree on the east side of the courtyard," Qin Wanru said, a faint smile dawning on her face. So, that Prince really had remembered. Since it was here, she would keep it. She did truly want to raise water lilies; it was simple, elegant, and allowed her to enjoy the flowers without leaving home.

Nanny Yu nodded and left, but moments later, she returned looking troubled. "Miss, the servant who brought the tank says he must see you to have a receipt signed."

"A receipt?" Qin Wanru raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, he says it is a very important document that you must sign for," Nanny Yu said helplessly. The two servants were stubborn, insisting they would only hand it over to the young mistress herself, fearing their master would punish them if they failed their task.

"Qingyue, go take a look," Qin Wanru said casually.

Qingyue turned to follow Nanny Yu, and before long, she returned with a strange expression, whispering, "Miss..."

Qin Wanru looked up, shifting her gaze from Qingyue to the servant she had brought in. Her own expression turned equally peculiar. The person wearing the servant's clothes, who had just looked up, was clearly Chu Liuchen. She pressed a hand to her forehead. What was he trying to do now?

She waved her hand, signaling Qingyue and Yujie to leave. Both girls had seen Chu Liuchen before and knew of his noble status, so they retreated reluctantly.

"Your Highness, why are you here today?" Qin Wanru asked, standing up helplessly. She had just woken up and hadn't intended to go out; her long hair was draped loosely over her shoulders, making her look even more petite.

"Are you truly eleven years old?" Chu Liuchen looked at her with undisguised disdain, walking over to sit in the chair opposite her and eyeing her askance.

"Your Highness, I truly am eleven," Qin Wanru reaffirmed with a sigh.

"In the capital, eleven-year-olds are at least taller and more developed than you! Some are nearly as big as your sister!" Looking at the delicate, doll-like Qin Wanru, Chu Liuchen felt even more dissatisfied.

"Then how old does Your Highness think I should be?" Qin Wanru bit her lip and retorted.

"Nine or ten, perhaps!" Chu Liuchen measured her height and stature with his eyes and gave a firm answer.

"..." Qin Wanru poured him a cup of tea and placed it before him. "Why have you come today, Your Highness? Is your illness better?"

Since she couldn't win the argument about her size, she simply changed the subject.

"Qin Wanru, isn't it a bit late to ask about my health only now?" Chu Liuchen looked at her with a cryptic smile. He didn't seem surprised by her inquiry. With a raise of his brow, he looked gentle and harmless, appearing like someone of peerless grace.

But Qin Wanru didn't see it that way. Was he unhappy? Not knowing how she had offended this temperamental, sickly prince, she could only offer a forced smile. "I wanted to ask just now, but I was so intent on proving my age that I forgot to inquire after your health first!"

Though Chu Liuchen’s face remained pale, his spirit seemed good. Upon closer inspection, his skin was smooth and radiant, not just pale, but of a texture that even she envied.

Chu Liuchen laughed, his beauty breathtaking. His gaze toward her softened, as if he weren't the one who had been picking a fight moments ago.

"I brought you a packet of water lily seeds. You can sow them in the spring. These are exotic seeds I requested from the Empress Dowager. The lilies that bloom are exceptionally beautiful and last a long time." He took a packet of seeds from his robe and placed them on the table.

"Very beautiful water lilies?" Qin Wanru was intrigued.

"Do you doubt anything belonging to me?" Chu Liuchen glared at her, his handsome face darkening with displeasure.

"Anything from Your Highness is naturally of the best quality. Thank you, Your Highness!" Qin Wanru rose and bowed. One could never treat this prince with the logic of an ordinary person.

Chu Liuchen gave a cold snort, stood up with a haughty air, and sauntered toward the exit. "You look so small. I'm leaving!"

As the curtain fell, Qin Wanru was left speechless. He had come just to tease her! Bringing a fish tank was one thing, but to come all this way just for this? She couldn't fathom his motives. But given his capricious nature, nothing he did was strange. If his actions could be predicted by common logic, he would never have been able to compete for the throne while the Emperor lay incapacitated.

Chu Liuchen and his personal attendant, Xiao Xuanzi, strode out of the Qin estate. Once they were outside and inside the Prince Chen carriage, his expression turned icy. He pressed a handkerchief to his lips and coughed twice, softly.

"Your Highness, are you alright?" Xiao Xuanzi had been the one moving things, but seeing the Prince like this, his heart leapt into his throat. He knew the state of the Prince's health better than anyone.

"Let’s go to the palace," Chu Liuchen said, his exquisite face lifting slightly. His eyes were calm and void of emotion as he looked out the window. His expression settled into a state of neither joy nor anger, losing all vitality. The beautiful youth leaned weakly against the cushions of the carriage and slowly closed his eyes.