0p0 Chapter 228 Crown
Chapter 228 Crown
The sycophant said, "This is the world's most famous Hundred Crowns. Any piece of jewelry inside is worth a thousand taels of silver, not to mention a complete set of headdresses."
Another maidservant excitedly chimed in, "To enter this gate, you have to be assessed on your wealth beforehand. The jewelry inside is so novel and diverse, it'll dazzle your eyes!"
The maid supporting Consort Tian proudly said, "Our Consort is a regular here; she always arrives with a complete set of jewelry."
Zhai Yun listened without interrupting. If Zhai Yun remembered correctly, Consort Tian did have a lot of dowry, but since entering Prince Rui's mansion, Consort Tian had been using the Prince Rui's money.
The jewelry here isn't cheap; she buys a set every time she comes, using her own dowry.
As soon as Zhai Yun stepped into Baiguan, she saw a familiar figure. However, Zhai Yun never expected that such a busy person would appear here, and that she would happen to run into him.
When Da Yi saw Zhai Yun, he was about to call out and walk over to say hello, but Zhai Yun stopped him with a look. Da Yi glanced at Tian Fei in front of Zhai Yun and instantly understood.
Zhai Yun saw that Da Yi had turned his attention away and continued to discuss the store's product selection with the shopkeeper.
Consort Tian seemed to have run into an acquaintance, Crown Princess Ke Ya. The previous times Zhai Yun had seen her, she had always been gentle, dignified, and elegant. Today, she was wearing a pink brocade dress, which made her look as beautiful as a peach blossom.
Noticing someone looking at her, she looked over at Zhai Yun. Zhai Yun first bowed to her, and then she heard him say, "Young Master Zhai... Rui, it's been a long time!"
When the Crown Prince hosted the last banquet for Prince Rui, Zhai Yun was still Zhai Shiwei, but Ke Ya remembered him.
Zhai Yun did not want to overshadow Consort Tian, and the Crown Princess could not possibly be unaware that she had quarreled with Feng Chenji, so Zhai Yun did not want to get too close to her.
"I am here today to protect the Consort," Zhai Yun said, shifting the topic to Consort Tian.
Ke Ya glanced at Consort Tian and smiled elegantly, "Is the Consort here today also to choose a gift for her aunt?"
Zhai Yun didn't want to listen to what they were saying. Her gaze swept around the Baiguan store, which had two floors, with jewelry on the bottom and headwear on the top.
Ke Ya and Tian Fei went up to the second floor together, and Zhai Yun followed them up.
When Da Yi saw Zhai Yun go upstairs, he told the shopkeeper that he wanted to go upstairs to take a look, and the shopkeeper immediately led him upstairs as well.
During her conversation with Consort Tian, Crown Princess Ke Ya would occasionally glance back at Zhai Yun, who pretended not to notice.
However, this Crown Princess spoke in a gentle and soft voice, and it seemed that she could not get any benefit from talking to the domineering Consort Tian. She could only casually agree with her, taking advantage of the gap when Consort Tian was choosing her headdress.
The Crown Princess took a few steps toward Zhai Yun, looking at him with a peaceful expression: "Young Master Rui, I often hear the Crown Prince mention you, saying that you are a rare talent."
Zhai Yun lowered her head, feigning embarrassment. In her previous life, she had seen too many women like this. Women raised by aristocratic families were always well-mannered and had the best manners. They rarely revealed themselves and seemed peaceful, but once someone touched their interests, they would use all sorts of means.
Zhai Yun bowed and said, "You flatter me, Your Highness. The Crown Prince is most fortunate to have you by his side."
Ke Ya wanted to say something, but Tian Fei pulled her away. Tian Fei had her eye on a set of jewelry displayed alone, but there were other people who had their eyes on the same set as her.
She was a merchant's wife, and the gold, silver, and jade ornaments she wore looked quite valuable. Consort Tian brought up her and Ke Ya's identities to try and compete for the top spot.
When Ke Ya realized that her identity had been exposed and that everyone around her was bowing, her face turned pale and then green. Tian Fei, on the other hand, seemed to think that things weren't bad enough.
Upon hearing the names of the Crown Princess and the Prince Rui's concubine, the merchant woman did not back down at all. She even called the shopkeeper over, wanting to pay more to get the set of jewelry.
The merchant's wife bluntly stated, "So what if she's the Crown Princess or a Princess? Does she think that just because she's of high status she can bully us ordinary people, she has to follow the proper order of arrival?"
Consort Tian, known for her domineering nature, became even more relentless after hearing this. "I want this set of jewelry. If you're not satisfied, you can go to Prince Rui's residence to argue with him. Someone, pack it up."
Ke Ya watched this scene from the side, her face extremely ugly, and she took the opportunity to leave first.
This headdress is really expensive, made specifically for wealthy ladies. The jade and gold ornaments on it are all exquisite, and a set of it can cost several thousand taels of gold.
"Oh, so you're the concubine of Prince Rui! I heard that since you entered Prince Rui's mansion, you haven't learned how to manage a household, but you've learned to squander money. The debts hanging over Prince Rui's mansion in the whole capital are almost four feet long. Is Prince Rui's meager salary enough for you to squander?" The woman mocked loudly.
Sweet Consort was speechless. Ever since Zhai Yun took her to Su Embroidery Pavilion to buy clothes, her friends have been praising her for being so capable, able to buy so many clothes from Su Embroidery Pavilion.
Later, she went to Suxiu Pavilion a few times and learned that she could keep accounts there. Suxiu Pavilion sent the bills to the Prince's Mansion, and the Prince didn't say anything after seeing them. After that, she kept the bills on credit outside.
The bills were still delivered to the prince every month, and no one asked her for money. She could still buy things on credit the next time she went. The prince said that as long as she was happy, that was fine. So she became even more reckless in her shopping.
Zhai Yun overheard people around her talking, "Although the rumors about Prince Rui are terrifying, he is really good to his concubine. He doesn't utter a single complaint about such a wasteful woman."
"I heard that Prince Rui still clears some bills every month after his salary comes down, so those shop owners are willing to let Prince Rui's mansion put the bills on their tabs."
"Sigh, I married a spendthrift, when will I ever be able to pay off her debts!"
Zhai Yun had no idea that such a thing happened. Listening to the discussions around her, she heard that they were all talking about how good Prince Rui was to Consort Tian, and even more about the four-foot-long bill that Prince Rui's mansion owed.
Consort Tian wasn't afraid of the merchant woman at all. Although what they said was true, she had to get this headdress today. "What's so great about paying more? I'll pay more too! I have a man who's willing to spend money on me, so what?"
The merchant woman clicked her tongue at Tianfei's arrogant demeanor, saying, "When it comes to money, you really can't beat me!"
Seeing that the two sides were about to clash, and that the six maids on Consort Tian's side were about to join in, resorting to robbery if they couldn't win the money contest, Zhai Yun quickly stopped them. This was her shop, and everything inside was very expensive. She would be heartbroken if it was accidentally smashed!
Instructed by the freshman, the shopkeeper rushed over at that moment. As soon as he arrived, he excitedly grabbed Zhai Yun's hand, "Stop arguing, everyone stop arguing!"
After saying that, he knelt down before Zhai Yun and said, “My benefactor, it’s my benefactor! I have finally met you after all these years. I was once attacked by bandits in the Northern Wilderness, and I was saved by my benefactor who happened to pass by.
After saying this, the shopkeeper stood up, ordered his men to wrap up the set of male concubines, and announced, "Stop arguing! This set of male concubines is not for sale."