Chapter 37: Awaiting the Imperial Decree

"Jiaojiao, Madam, there is no need to see me off. I shall head to the palace now to petition the Emperor for a marriage decree. Have no fear, Jiaojiao; my heart is yours alone, and I would never marry another. Wait for me!"

With that, Yin Sumuo departed, leaving behind yet another shameless public declaration of affection.

Zhao Jiao was truly impressed. Prince Su was certainly a man who knew how to go all out! She had to admit, she was no match for him. She wondered which troupe master he had apprenticed under—look at how everyone watching actually believed him.

Noticing Zhao Jiao standing dazed, Madam Qiu quickly nudged her with an elbow. The girl must be stunned with joy, she thought. She had originally expected that at best her daughter would become a secondary consort; she hadn't anticipated that the Prince would hold her fifth daughter in such high regard. The girl was truly blessed—was she really about to become a Princess?

Zhao Jiao played along, responding, "Safe travels, Your Highness!"

Madam Qiu was celebrating too soon; it remained to be seen whether Prince Su could actually secure the imperial decree. Still, she supposed this mess was indeed of her own making, so playing along with Prince Su's act was the least she could do. Besides, she was more than happy to sabotage Yin Ling's affairs!

Once Yin Sumuo left for the palace, leaving the betrothal gifts behind, Zhao Jiao turned to head back into the estate. The onlookers began to disperse, eager to spread the gossip—after all, who doesn't love a bit of scandal?

"Jiaojiao, this is wonderful... It’s clear the Prince is truly devoted to you!" Madam Qiu was naturally delighted. If her fifth daughter became a Princess, it might benefit her own son, Ting'er. Plus, with the girl enjoying such glory, wouldn't she be able to bask in the reflected light?

"Mother, it’s far too early to tell. I told the Prince that we must wait for the imperial decree. He is an imperial prince; his marriage is not something he can decide on his own. Besides, I come from a humble background—would the royal family ever allow me to be a Princess? Never mind that. Let’s keep those gifts put away for now; please, Mother, I must trouble you to oversee them..."

"You are right, of course. Look at me, I was so happy I became muddled. You are the clear-headed one, Fifth Girl. Still, we shouldn't belittle ourselves. Everyone has their own destiny, and I believe you are favored by fortune—you have the look of a lady of wealth. Don't worry about those items. Since you trust me so, as your mother, I must take care of this for you. Leave it to me; I guarantee I will list every single item and have it sent to you. Rest easy!"

"I have troubled you, Mother."

"Nonsense! By the way... didn't you say you were going to invite a tutor? Did you fail to bring one back? It's fine, there's no rush." Seeing no one, Madam Qiu couldn't help but ask.

"I brought one. Given the situation earlier, I didn't think it appropriate to bring the tutor to the main hall, so I had Liuxu take them to rest first. Mother, would you like to meet them later?" Zhao Jiao intended for Madam Qiu to be occupied with the gifts. As for the tutor, since they were already in the estate, meeting them sooner or later didn't matter—the main thing was that Xu Yunting hadn't returned yet.

"You brought one... That's excellent! Why didn't you mention it? I could have thanked the Prince on your behalf..."

"We can discuss that later. It's fine. I'll head over now!" Zhao Jiao brushed the topic aside.

"Go, go! Make sure you host them properly, and don't be negligent. Oh, and don't forget the maid the Prince sent you!" She looked well-trained, quite unlike an ordinary servant.

Zhao Jiao looked back; she had noticed her earlier. "Follow me!"

"Yes," Yinkou finally spoke.

"Jiaojiao..." Concubine Meng finally emerged, pulling Xu Yunjun along and calling out timidly.

"Oh, where were you, Mother? You didn't come out to greet them. Honestly, I told you there’s no need for such formalities! This is a major event for our Fifth Girl!" Seeing Concubine Meng, Madam Qiu stepped forward to take her hand, speaking urgently.

"I... I was afraid of embarrassing Jiaojiao. With you here as the legal mother, that is enough. It didn't matter if I appeared or not. Madam, I watched from afar; the Prince is a man of great talent and clearly cherishes Jiaojiao. I am at ease now!"

Zhao Jiao was speechless. Concubine Meng... some things were truly hard to change, such as her ingrained inferiority and timidity.

"What are you saying? There's no embarrassment in it. Does the Prince not know who gave birth to Jiaojiao? You worry too much. You've seen him now, so you can rest easy. Jiaojiao is a blessed child; you should just wait to enjoy your good fortune. Don't hide away next time!"

"Madam is right. A child does not despise their mother's humbleness. Don't say such things again. Mother, there are many items; please have Mother help you with them. I am going to see the tutor now!" Zhao Jiao said, reaching out to pat Xu Yunjun's head. "You, lad, go study. Yunxiang, you go serve the young master!"

"Yes!" Yunxiang stepped forward obediently. It wasn't that Zhao Jiao didn't trust her, but she preferred to avoid complications; the less this girl knew, the better. However, Yinkou was different—she had come from the palace and was unfamiliar with the former Xu Jiaojiao, making her much more suitable to keep by her side.

Zhao Jiao led Yinkou toward her courtyard. As for whether Prince Su could successfully escape his marriage to the Grand Princess's estate, that would depend on his own abilities. If he failed, she would think of another plan.

"Yinkou, it's been a while. You must have suffered after I left the palace?" Once they were alone, Zhao Jiao spoke while walking.

Yinkou followed closely, her head bowed and hands neatly at her sides. "That I survived leaving the palace is already a great stroke of fortune, all thanks to your grace, Miss."

For those serving in the palace, especially low-ranking maids like them, suffering was trivial; merely surviving was a blessing.

"I cannot take the credit. I didn't have the power to get you out. You should thank Prince Su. However... since he sent you to me, I will ask you this: where is your home? Do you have family left? What are your plans for the future?" She did like the girl, but she didn't want to force her. If she wanted to go home, she would let her.

"Returning to Miss, I have long... had no family. I was sold at age five and don't even remember where my home is. If you do not despise me, Miss, I am willing to serve by your side! I only ask for a meal to eat. The world is vast, but I have no place to call home. I beg you to take me in!"

So, she was another poor soul. Yet, one could know a face but not a heart. It wasn't that Zhao Jiao was cold-blooded, but she dared not trust anyone easily again.

"Since that is the case, stay with me. You come from the palace, so I don't need to lecture you on rules. But remember one thing: I never use anyone who has been disloyal once!"

"This servant will remember. Thank you, Miss, for taking me in. I will serve you with all my heart." Yinkou stopped, knelt, and kowtowed solemnly to acknowledge her new mistress.

"Get up. You are a free person now, so I won't force you to sign a contract. But hear this: if you cross me, I can dispose of you as I please, even without a contract. Do you understand?"

"I understand! This servant would never dare!" Without a contract, she had been granted the greatest mercy; she would certainly serve with devotion. She could tell that this young lady was no ordinary person.

"Let's go." Zhao Jiao nodded in satisfaction and turned to continue toward her quarters.

On the other side of the Xu estate, Xu Guodong's face was ashen, while the Old Madam and Concubine Qiu looked equally resentful. So many precious things, and yet they could only watch, unable to get their hands on a single bit of it!

"Master, surely our Qian'er is better than that Fifth Girl? You must plan carefully for her future. Perhaps our Qian'er will have even greater fortune than the Fifth Girl one day!" Concubine Qiu was truly green with envy. If her daughter had stayed in the capital, perhaps this immense wealth would have been hers!