Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 76 Gratitude

Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Gratitude

"Cousin, thank you for visiting me the other day." Zheng Haoyuan’s face still held a pallor, and his baby fat had slowly faded, making his features increasingly resemble those of Zheng Congyuan.

"Why thank you? I see visiting you as my duty." Zheng Nianru picked up a carrot and passed it over. Ling Dang grew visibly larger at an observable pace and was soon joined by another, with two snow-white rabbits hopping around the yard.

Zheng Haoyuan immediately put down the box in his hands, happily reaching for the carrot.

"Fourth Prince, what fine things did you bring today?" Xing Yu already leaned in curiously to look.

Carrying another box, Cang Er ran in, and just as he approached Qishun Building, Zheng Haoyuan remembered another amusing item and sent Cang Er back to retrieve it.

"Thank you, Sister Xing Yu—" Cang Er’s box was taken by Xing Yu.

"What fine thing is it?"

"The Fourth Prince has chosen his favorite items to give to the Commandery Princess." Cang Er, well-behaved and speaking softly like a daughter, also handsome, easily aligned with Xing Yu and Xue Liu into one faction.

Hearing this, Xing Yu didn’t dare to open it and walked in with both boxes.

"Cousin, I’ve brought you nice things." Zheng Haoyuan said excitably," Pink coral, carved into a string of cherry blossoms for a necklace and earrings, very pretty and only fitting for you, Cousin."

Zheng Nianru turned her head.

"Why?" Headdresses and jewelry are all meant to please, why discriminate among people?

"Because Cousin, you’re the prettiest," Zheng Haoyuan’s eyes sparkled as he spoke this sincerely. Even though Zheng Nianru knew it was meant to flatter her, and it wasn’t particularly skillful flattery, she still felt delighted.

"Look at how sweet the Fourth Prince’s words are, he has pastries from the Xilin Banquet, specially saved for the Prince." Nanny Yun came out, speaking cheerfully.

At the mention of the Xilin Banquet, Zheng Haoyuan’s heart sank. Naturally, his cousin couldn’t go out, and to have pastries from the banquet meant they were sent by that man, who was being attentive, using his cousin’s money to make her happy—what kind of man was that?

Of course, this wasn’t exactly how Xing Yu phrased it. Xing Yu said, their Commandery Princess bought several shops in Imperial City, so even after leaving the Imperial Palace, they wouldn’t starve.

Zheng Haoyuan wasn’t a fool, and after paying close attention for a few days, he realized it was Nanmen Yu’s doing. But Cang Er was also right, a man who couldn’t even afford a few shops for the Commandery Princess surely couldn’t amount to much.

"How is it?"

Zheng Nianru looked at the coral strand in her hands; each coral bead was carved into the shape of cherry blossoms, each about the size of a thumb. Who said only blood-red coral was beautiful? Pink coral worn on the wrist made her skin look even more like snow.

"It must have been difficult to carve it so vividly." Each cherry blossom had a unique shape, and the necklace was even prettier: a palm-sized pink coral engraved with a cluster of cherry blossoms looked incredibly lifelike.

"There’s also this." Zheng Haoyuan opened another box, revealing a small bottle. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable until it was picked up and revealed the crystal-clear bottle to have a colorful painted landscape of mountains and pavilions inside, rivaling the works of masters, all within the bottle small enough to fit in one’s hand.

"It’s really beautiful," Fu Dong couldn’t help but praise.

"It’s very beautiful." Zheng Nianru had once seen something similar; it must be a tribute from the small state of Nanyu, exceedingly rare, and without thirty or fifty years of experience, those artisans wouldn’t be able to create such a piece.

"Fu Gong, where did you get these things from?"

"Mother Consort gave me Second Brother’s private collection; I chose for a long time, thinking you would like them."

"Cousin, if you like them, shall I pick out a few more to send over?"

"Or, Cousin, you could pick them out yourself, take whatever you like."

Zheng Nianru truly liked them, but she wasn’t greedy. These two items were already very extraordinary. Zheng Haoyuan had grown up in the palace and naturally had high standards.

Anything less than good wouldn’t catch her eye.

...

When Zheng Haoyuan emerged from Qishun Building, night had already fallen, but he felt that the timing was just perfect.

"Has the person arrived?" As Zheng Haoyuan entered the hall, he saw the masked Loyal Warriors of the Wen Family.

The black mask, with narrow and striking white lines around the eyes like phoenix tails, prompted the warriors to immediately kneel respectfully at the sight of Zheng Haoyuan.

"Greetings, my lord." The Loyal Warriors of the Wen Family were originally a branch of the family’s armed forces. For decades, the current Emperor of Nanzheng had been wary of powerful families having such forces, and gradually, the warriors became a secret force that could not show its face, hidden among the house servants and guards, known only to the influential members of the family.

Noble Consort Wen was the eldest daughter of the Wen Family, and because of the Family Head’s favoritism, she was given these loyal warriors, and they consequently came under Zheng Haoyuan’s control.

"Yan Cheng, how skilled are your men in Kung Fu?" Zheng Haoyuan frowned. Only a hundred and twenty men? Not too many. It was also his first time summoning the leader of the Loyal Warriors of the Wen Family.

Yan Cheng was momentarily stunned and unsure how to reply. The strength of the Loyal Warriors of the Wen Family was never to be doubted, but how could he convince this new master?

"Replying to my lord, the Loyal Warriors of the Wen Family must undergo rigorous training and assessment before they can become loyalists."

Zheng Haoyuan nodded, then glanced at Cang Er. Now, should he be confident?

Cang Er hesitated and nodded uncertainly.

"I am entrusting you with a mission to see your capabilities. If you complete it successfully, I will acknowledge your abilities," Zheng Haoyuan declared.

Yan Cheng was taken aback, indecisively weighing his course of action. The Second Prince had given them no small number of tasks, but this was the first to test their capabilities.

"Please command me, my lord."

"Go and kill the hostage Nanmen Yu of Nanmen State, and do not reveal your identities. Make it look like an accident," Zheng Haoyuan instructed slowly.

"Rest assured, my lord. I will take care of it immediately."

"The sooner, the better," Zheng Haoyuan nodded. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Yan Cheng accepted the order and left. The reasons behind their master’s commands were of no concern to them, especially for just a hostage.

...

Yin He frowned as he looked at the man lying in the same room as him, curious as to why there was an additional person. Was this one picked up off the streets like him and just like Xing Cheng and Xing Le?

Xing Le came in carrying food and set it on the table in the room, glaring at Yin He with puffed cheeks.

Capable of running and jumping, yet lazing around all day, he really thought himself a lord, shamelessly freeloading. At the very least, he should help out with some work, that would be reasonable.

"Have you not remembered your name yet?" Xing Le asked with an unfriendly tone.

"She called me Xingchen," Yin He replied, head lowered. It seemed he hadn’t seen her for several days, and he inexplicably felt a sense of loss.

"Xing Cheng? No, that won’t do, someone else is already called Xing Cheng. You’ll need to change your name. Let’s call you Tall and Skinny," Xing Le sighed heavily.

"Tall and Skinny, you need to learn to be grateful. The benefactor saved you not so you could freeload here," Xing Le felt it was necessary to properly "educate" this fool.

"How should I be grateful?" Yin He furrowed his brows; he would need at least to see her to be grateful.

"That is, be good to her, help her with tasks."