Ming Dynasty: I am truly not the Emperor of Longevity

Six months later, news of her beloved finally arrived.

Xiong Yuncheng, the chief镖头 (bodyguard/escort) of Yangzhou Weiyuan镖局 (escort agency), personally led a team to Biyang County and brought him a small wooden box.

Inside, there was gold worth five thousand taels of silver!

Although there were no letters or even a message besides a box of gold, Chen Yunniang knew very well that the person who entrusted the shipment was her husband, Lin Chaoxi.

Out of curiosity, Chen Yunniang inquired about the identity of the courier from the Weiyuan Escort Agency.

According to Chief镖头 (head镖师) Xiong, the person who entrusted the shipment claimed to be surnamed Lin and was a young man around twenty years old. Apart from that, the镖局 (镖局) did not know any further information.

This is actually very illogical!

For such a large amount of gold and silver to be transported, one should have signed a detailed agreement with the escort agency. Sending it anonymously, aren't you afraid that the escort agency will be tempted by the money?

A common problem among many men is that they like to brag in front of women.

Having lived in the world of prostitution for so many years, Chen Yunniang had heard far too many stories about all sorts of people.

Vehicle drivers, boatmen, shopkeepers, and spies—even innocent people should be killed—this is not just empty talk!

Without effective oversight, such a large sum of money as five thousand taels of silver would almost certainly be embezzled.

However, Chief镖头 (head镖师) Xiong was very polite to him. After he signed the receipt, Xiong seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and carefully put the receipt away from his body.

Before he left, the young man said that the Lin family was large and powerful.

Presumably, they used some method unknown to themselves to make Chief Escort Xiong hesitant to act rashly.

Therefore, the Lin family must be a powerful and influential clan with a deep-rooted history.

More than two months ago, another young man came to the door and delivered a letter sealed with sealing wax.

The envelope bore the secret mark that Chen Yunniang had made with her husband, so she naturally assumed that the person was a servant of the Lin family and her husband's subordinate.

In the Lin family mansion in Biyang County, the correct way to address a concubine of the head of the household as "auntie" or "auntie" was to use the title "little lady" instead of "concubine." Occasionally, when a servant tried to curry favor, they would use the slightly presumptuous title "little lady."

However, this person addressed himself in a strange way, actually calling himself "Miss".

When Chen Yunniang first heard this, she was actually a little annoyed, because at Cuihua Tower, she was sometimes also called "Miss".

But this person was very respectful and extremely courteous, and did not seem to be deliberately humiliating him.

It's more likely that she was unaware that she had once been a courtesan, or if she knew, she pretended not to know.

In that case, the term "girl" takes on another meaning.

Chen Yunniang was once the daughter of an official. When she was young, she had heard her mother and father's aunts talk about how, in families of officials, noble families, and high-ranking officials, rules and regulations were taken very seriously.

Servants cannot address mistresses who do not have a formal title in the master's household as "auntie" or "grandmother"; they usually address them as "young lady."

Chen Yunniang also secretly observed the man who delivered the letter for her husband. He did not have the humility of a servant in a wealthy family. Although he was respectful in front of her, he clearly had an arrogance in his bones.

Chen Yunniang had only ever seen this feeling in one type of person: government officials.

The Lin family is very likely a prominent and powerful family, or even a noble family.

The contents of that letter also surprised Chen Yunniang.

The young master actually asked her to buy a house in Fancheng, and he moved there himself. The property in Biyang County was managed by a steward, and people were sent to check the accounts regularly.

Chen Yunniang quickly took her servants and hired more guards in Biyang County and went to Fancheng, where she bought a large house.

She had just received a huge sum of five thousand taels of silver not long ago. During this period, she had purchased some land and shops in Biyang County, but had only spent a little over a thousand taels of silver, so she was very well-off.

The new residence in Fancheng is more than twice the size of the one in Biyang County.

Just two days ago, the man who had delivered the letter to Biyang County came to visit again, this time bringing a verbal message.

My lord will be coming to Xiangfan today, but it is inconvenient for him to stay long. Please allow me to reserve a private room in this teahouse to meet you.

Chen Yunniang walked to the window and looked at the official wharf not far away.

The official ships of the Prince of Ying's mansion filled the entire dock, and hundreds of soldiers from the Imperial Guard were on guard along the shore, preventing ordinary people from getting close.

It will be difficult for civilian boats to dock. Although they can take the land route instead, some delay is inevitable.

The sun is almost below the horizon. Will my beloved be able to make it today?

Just then, the sound of the door being pushed open came from behind.

"This servant greets Master."

The one speaking was her maid, Chuntao.

Chen Yunniang quickly turned around, and a familiar figure appeared before her.

. . .

One hour later.

It was already dark by then, but the official boats on the riverbank were still brightly lit, and the faint sounds of string and wind instruments could be heard.

The source of the sound was the royal entourage of the Prince of Ying's palace.

When a prince passes through the country, even if he stops ashore for a temporary stay, he is received by local officials and has almost no opportunity to move freely.

Of course, you can also stay overnight on the boat.

Before Lu Chen quietly disembarked, he instructed Sun Dexiu, who had already taken office as the Chief Clerk of the Prince of Ying's Palace, to have the music continue, creating the illusion that he, the Prince of Ying, was still feasting on the ship.

"Yunniang, I'm getting married."

Lu Chen stood by the window, looking at the lights along the river, and suddenly spoke.

"Ah, congratulations, my lord."

Chen Yunniang gave Lu Chen a deep bow.

"May I ask which family this lady comes from?"

"Hehe, it's kind of funny."

Lu Chen sighed softly, then laughed again.

"I don't even know who my legal wife will be; it's all my brother who's in charge."

My father has long since passed away, leaving behind only my brother and me. My elder brother is twelve years older than me. As the eldest brother, he is like a father to me, so my marriage is naturally decided by him.

I am away from home most of the year and do not live with my brother. I only recently received a message from home saying that my brother is looking for a wife for me.

"I can't make this decision myself. My eldest brother's word is law at home. If he wants to choose a wife for me, I can't refuse."

Indeed, before setting off from Chengtian Prefecture to Yunyang Prefecture, Lu Chen received news that the Jiajing Emperor was preparing to select a concubine for him.

According to the system of the Ming Dynasty, when a prince who had already been enfeoffed was to choose a consort, the scope could not be the whole country, but only the prefecture and county where his own fiefdom was located.

With only a few exceptions, the selection of a consort was expanded to the entire province. As the only younger brother of the current emperor, the Princess of Ying was chosen from across Huguang.

At this time, the emperor's special edict had been issued to the Huguang Provincial Administration Commission, and the Commission would soon issue a marriage selection proclamation to all prefectures, states, and counties in the province.

From the moment he was granted the title of Prince, Lu Chen knew that he would never be able to decide his own marriage.

However, when the time came, I still felt a little regretful.

Fortunately, the Ming Dynasty royal family never considered family background when choosing a principal wife, and even deliberately avoided women with a prominent family background.

Most empresses and princesses were commoners with respectable backgrounds.

My own marriage shouldn't be tainted by anything inappropriate.