The King of Beijing in the Red Mansion

As expected, Keqing was delighted when she heard Shui Rong's caring words, and she responded, "Sister treats me very well and even taught me how to play dominoes!"

Keqing had a very good impression of Yuanchun. She was not like the mistress she imagined in her mind who was harsh on the concubine. The princess and her half-sister were both well-intentioned, and their words and actions were full of intimacy, which showed their character.

Shui Rong naturally understood Yuanchun's gentleness, and once again said with concern: "Ke'er, Yuanchun just came to the mansion, I need to accompany her well, and I am a little cold to you, don't take it to heart, just know that I have you in my heart."

There will definitely be many cases of neglecting Keqing in the future, so he had to give Keqing a heads up in advance to prevent her from thinking too much. If he hadn't seen that Keqing was resentful, he wouldn't have come today.

Keqing held down Shui Rong's hand that was floating down the river, and replied softly, "I understand. Your Majesty, stay with my sister and don't worry about me."

Yuanchun is the mistress, so it is normal for Shui Rong, as the lord, to spend more time with her. Shui Rong's words of comfort have already touched her heart, which at least proves that the prince has her in his heart.

Shui Rong pushed aside Ke Qing's hand that was holding him down, and said gently, "It's good that you think so. We still have a long time to live together, so why should we be together day and night?"

Hearing this, Keqing's heart was filled with sweetness. She felt the prince's love and affection. Her face was flushed, her teeth bit her tender pink lips, her charming eyes were shining with water, and she said "hmm" softly...

After a while, Shui Rong looked at his own crystal clear index finger, and then at Keqing, whose face was rosy and tender as she leaned in his arms. He felt a little melancholy in his heart. It seemed that he really missed him.

Keqing glanced at Shui Rong's strange behavior and felt shy. She pursed her lips and said delicately, "My lord, let me serve you."

Shui Rong smiled knowingly when he heard this, and without saying anything more, he simply lay down on the embroidery couch.

The sky was already hazy, and colored lanterns were hung on the corridor of the palace. The water melted to comfort Keqing. After thinking about it, he had to go to his mistress at this time, so he headed towards Yuanchun's courtyard.

In Yuanchun's courtyard, in the wing room, Yuanchun sat in front of a desk, flipping through an account book in her hand. Next to her, Tanchun held an abacus in her hand. The two sisters carefully compared their accounts and seemed to be in good agreement.

Baoqin came in with a tea tray and said softly, "Eldest Miss, Third Miss, have a drink of tea first!"

Yuanchun took the teacup and took a sip, then continued to read. Seeing this, Tanchun didn't say much, put down the teacup in her hand, and started to use the abacus.

Baoqin moved to the candlestick, picked up the lamp and flicked the candle, making the room much brighter.

She put down the lamp, groaned for a moment, and whispered, "Oh, Miss, I heard that the prince went to Miss Qin's place after playing dominoes."

Hearing this, Tanchun paused and looked at Yuanchun with bright eyes.

Yuanchun looked up and saw the expressions of the others. She did not answer but glanced at Tanchun. She had an idea in mind and asked with a smile, "Third sister, what do you think I should do about this?"

Tanchun was startled when she heard this. She didn't know what her elder sister meant, but since her elder sister asked, she had to answer. After thinking for a moment, she said softly, "I think that sister Qin is a steady person, and she doesn't seem like someone who stirs up trouble. It's normal for a noble man like the prince to have a few close friends around him. As long as the elder sister and the prince treat each other with respect, there's no need to worry too much, so as not to upset the prince."

After hearing this, Yuanchun nodded slightly, and looked at Tanchun with more admiration in her eyes. You must know that Tanchun came as a dowry to help her, and if she was someone who didn't know right from wrong, she would be a burden.

Yuanchun understood why Baoqin mentioned this matter on her own initiative. The so-called favored concubine was a headache for the mistress. However, since their marriage, her husband treated her with great compassion and she was in charge of all the affairs at home. He had not visited Keqing in recent days. This behavior had already satisfied her.

In this case, why bother about Sister Qin? It's just a matter of adding a set of bowls and chopsticks. Do you have to be on high alert and make your husband unhappy?

After a pause, Yuanchun smiled and said, "Third sister is right. My husband already likes sister Qin, so it's normal for him to go and see her. You don't need to make a fuss."

Seeing that Yuanchun didn't care, Tanchun and Baoqin said nothing more and continued to check the account books.

After a moment of silence, Jin Chuan'er walked in and said with a smile, "Miss, the prince is here."

Yuanchun, Tanchun and others looked a little surprised when they heard this. Wasn't the prince with Keqing? Why did he come here at this time?

Chapter 102: Yuanchun, who is underestimated

Not long after, Shui Rong walked into the inner room and saw Yuanchun sitting at the desk. Tanchun was sitting next to her with an abacus in her hand. She asked in a clear voice, "Are you checking the accounts?"

Seeing Shui Rong coming, Yuanchun and Tanchun were delighted and looked at him lovingly with their bright eyes.

Tanchun stood there, while Yuanchun came forward with lotus steps and took off the fur coat that Shuirong was wearing. She said with a smile on her beautiful face, "My third sister and I are checking the account books."

Shui Rong frowned slightly when he heard this and said in a clear voice: "Some account books are not worth much. It will hurt your eyes to read the account books in front of the candlelight. Don't read the account books at night in the future."

Hearing Shui Rong's caring words, both of them were delighted. Tanchun pursed her lips and walked forward and said, "Brother-in-law, it's getting late. I'll go back first."

The couple were just enjoying their sweet conversation, so Tanchun naturally knew that she shouldn't stay any longer and disturb their mood, so she planned to leave.

Shui Rong nodded gently, looking at the petite beauty in front of him. He wanted Tanchun to stay so that she could have a closer relationship with Yuanchun, her elder sister, and him, her brother-in-law. However, it was not the right time yet, so he did not try to persuade her to stay. He said softly, "Third sister, when you go back home, go to the storehouse and pick up a few things to bring back to your aunt."

Although it was Yuanchun's "returning gift", Shui Rong would not be stingy with it since it was Tanchun's dowry. Aunt Zhao was a greedy person to begin with, and she would definitely ask Tanchun for more when she returned to the Jia Mansion. So Shui Rong asked her to prepare some to avoid a quarrel and embarrassment for Tanchun.

Tanchun's heart trembled when she heard this. She was a good dowry, but the prince was considerate. Not only did he prepare a separate courtyard for her, but he also took care of Aunt Zhao's affairs for her and supported her dignity. For a moment, she was inexplicably moved. She looked at Shui Rong with her bright eyes and nodded in response, "Thank you, brother-in-law."

Listening to Tanchun's words of thanks, Shui Rong reached out and touched Tanchun's little head, and said softly: "What's good about being a family? Well, you go back and rest early."

Tanchun felt the prince's favor and felt very sweet in her heart. She responded with a red smile and left with light steps.

Seeing Tanchun leave, Yuanchun brought tea to her and said with a smile, "My husband is very considerate to my third sister."

Shui Rong smiled but said nothing when he heard this. As the saying goes, half of a sister-in-law's butt belongs to her brother-in-law, but Tanchun is a different sister-in-law now. Not to mention half, the whole roundness and fullness belong to him. Therefore, Shui Rong is naturally considerate to Tanchun.

However, Yuanchun's words were quite joking, so Shui Rong took the teacup and placed it on the table, then reached out to embrace the beauty in his arms, sniffed the soft fragrance, lightly touched her red lips with his index finger, and jokingly said, "The whole room smells sour, are you jealous, madam?

Yuanchun's cheeks were slightly drunk when she heard this, and her eyes were sparkling. She spat softly and said angrily, "How could I do that? I am also happy that my husband can think of Aunt Zhao for my third sister. Although my third sister doesn't like her, she is her biological mother after all. Not only did she give her own money to her, but whenever Aunt Zhao did something wrong, she pretended not to care and protected her in secret. It's just that Aunt Zhao is really ignorant of the overall situation. She only wants to take advantage of small things and makes a fool of herself."

Shui Rong understood what he said. After all, everyone in the Jia family knew that Tanchun was secretly protecting Aunt Zhao, but they pretended not to know about it for fear of exposing Tanchun's reputation. If Tanchun was really the kind of person who was heartless to her biological mother, how could Lady Jia and Mrs. Wang value her?

Thinking of this, Shui Rong said softly: "That Aunt Zhao is just greedy for some small gains, it's not a big deal."

Yuanchun nodded slightly, groaned for a moment, and then said, "By the way, when does my husband plan to take my third sister into his room?"

Although Tanchun was brought in as a dowry, there were no other arrangements for her in recent days. She was simply allowed to stay in the palace, which was quite unclear.

Shui Rong felt puzzled when he heard this. Tanchun was Yuanchun's half sister, and in a sense, they were real sisters. But now the elder sister didn't care about the ambiguity between her husband and her sister, and even seemed to like it. This feeling was a bit too much.

This evil feudal society is truly lovable.

After a pause, Shui Rong pinched the chin at a distance, looked at the plump face and moist lips, and said softly: "Third sister is still young, there is no need to rush, let her stay by your side to help you for a year or two before making plans."

As for Tanchun, she is still young, so let's take care of her first. Everyone around her is in the palace, so how can she fly away?

Yuanchun nodded slightly when she heard this. This time she was just asking casually, but when her husband pinched her, her plump cheeks couldn't help but feel a little tipsy.

Shui Rong looked at the beauty's moist face and couldn't help leaning over to kiss her. But Yuanchun raised her hand to block it, and said with a look of anger in her eyes, "My husband went to Sister Qin's place before."

Although Yuanchun didn't care about Shui Rong going to Keqing, it didn't mean that she didn't care. At least she let her husband know about it. She was very generous.

Shui Rong didn't care when he heard this. He didn't think it was strange that Yuanchun knew he had been to Keqing's place. Even though the palace was spacious, they were all in the same mansion after all. There was nothing that could be hidden.

So Shui Rong said casually: "I went to see Keqing earlier."

Yuanchun curled her lips upon hearing this, her willow-shaped eyebrows curved, and she looked at Shui Rong with her sparkling eyes, saying angrily, "Did you really just go to take a look? I can smell the scent of Sister Qin on your husband."

When Shui Rong embraced her earlier, Yuanchun smelled the fragrance of Keqing from Shui Rong. There was nothing wrong with getting close to Keqing, but it was ridiculous for her husband to want to be intimate with her without even covering up the smell on his body.

Shui Rong looked a little embarrassed at this moment. It was inevitable that he had been scented by Keqing because of his previous close contact with her.

Seeing Shui Rong silent, Yuanchun reached out and stroked Shui Rong's handsome face, saying softly: "My husband, I am not jealous of Sister Qin, but I am worried about your health."

Shui Rong raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard this. He understood that Yuanchun knew about his intimacy with Keqing and was only worried about his overindulgence. Although it was well-intentioned, Shui Rong always felt uncomfortable listening to it. He had only been intimate with Keqing once, so why did she have to worry about his health? It seemed as if her words implied that he was not capable of this.

Originally, Shui Rong had no plan to continue fighting, but under the current circumstances, he needed to let Yuanchun understand the serious consequences of saying that a man was not capable in front of him.

Thinking of this, Shui Rong snorted softly, pinched Yuanchun's chin, leaned over and bit her.

Yuanchun felt her husband's tyranny with her eyes wide open. It was not that she blamed him, but her husband still had the scent of Sister Qin on him, so she should at least take a shower first.

However, Yuanchun was speechless at this time. After a while, Yuanchun closed her starry eyes slightly, put her arms around Shui Rong's neck, and immersed herself in it.

"By the way, I saw you checking the accounts earlier. What did you find out?"

Yuanchun rested her hands on the embroidered couch, biting her lips with her pearly teeth, listening to what her husband seemed to be saying. She turned her head, her plump face as bright and beautiful as peach blossoms. She opened her starry eyes and looked at her husband behind her, and said tenderly, "What did my husband just say?"

Shui Rong chuckled upon seeing this. Yuanchun was now very powerful. Let's see if she dares to underestimate others again.

Raising his hands and patting them gently, Shui Rong said, "Didn't you check the accounts with Third Sister earlier? What did you find out?"

"Hmm," Yuanchun snorted and glared at Shui Rong with her starry eyes. Her husband is the same, always humiliating others.

Pursing her lips, Yuanchun bit her red lips and said, "I took a quick look and found that the expenses in the mansion are quite frivolous."

Shui Rong did not comment after hearing this. He had already known about the extra expenses in the palace when he took over the accounts, but he felt it was difficult to handle at the time, so he ignored it. Now that Yuanchun took the initiative to speak up, he was pleased.

After a moment of silence, Shui Rong said in a clear voice: "Madam, you are now the manager of the mansion. If you feel that the mansion is overfunded, it is up to you to decide how to deal with it."

Shui Rong mostly didn't care about the things that happened "within the family", but Yuanchun was different. She was the mistress of the palace and was in charge of these matters. It was legitimate and she had no reason to complain.

Yuanchun was embarrassed when she heard this, and said in a trembling voice, "My husband, I'm afraid I won't be able to explain to my mother."

As for the unnecessary expenses in the palace, all that could be done was to reduce them. If they were reduced, there was a fear that the Dowager Concubine Beijing would make a fuss. Moreover, those who caused the unnecessary expenses were all elderly people in the palace, most of whom were related to the Dowager Concubine Beijing, making it even more difficult to deal with.

At present, the relationship between Yuanchun and Concubine Beijing is gradually easing. She doesn't want to create any rift and make her efforts go to waste.

Shui Rong understood what he said and said, "I'm not asking you to make all the changes at once. First, see if there are any irregularities and make some reductions. If your mother blames you, your husband will stand behind you."

Even if it is slightly reduced, Concubine Beijing will not care too much. After all, as the mistress of the family, it is impossible for Yuanchun to have no power at all.

Yuanchun felt relieved when she heard this. With her husband supporting her, she was sure her mother wouldn't say anything, and the housekeeper's affairs would be easier to handle.

After a pause, Yuanchun replied, "I understand, my husband, please rest assured."

Shui Rong nodded slightly. With Yuanchun's intelligence, he could rest assured to leave the household affairs to her. Shui Rong said no more. He couldn't let this man who dared to underestimate his wife off lightly.

Chapter 103 Return

On the day of returning home, Shui Rong and Yuanchun dressed up. Shui Rong wore a robe with a five-clawed dragon pattern and a golden spider-patterned belt around his waist. His black hair was tied up and fixed with a emerald gilded crown. His slender body was straight, and he looked handsome and noble.

Yuanchun had her hair combed into flowing clouds, and wore a phoenix hairpin on her head, a crystal clear jade pendant around her neck, and a shabby silk bridal gown with jade pendants embroidered on an ultramarine background, with a pattern of small navy five-petal flowers edging her, and a bright red jade belt around her neck. She looked graceful and elegant.

After paying their respects to Concubine Dowager Beijing in Ning'an Hall, the two left the palace.

For this return trip, the palace prepared four decorated carriages, leading the way was the gilded pavilion-style carriage representing the Palace of Prince Beijing.

Shui Rong, Yuanchun and Tanchun sat in the first carriage, while Jin Chuan'er and other maids sat in the second carriage. The third and fourth carriages were loaded with gift boxes.

In addition, Feng Ziying, the leader of the palace's guards, has already taken office. Dressed in armor and with a sword on his waist, he leads twenty burly guards on horseback in a majestic manner. The group leaves the palace in a mighty procession and heads towards the Duke of Rong's Mansion.

In the spacious carriage, Shui Rong saw that Yuanchun looked a little unnatural, and he understood in his heart. As the saying goes, a daughter who is married off is like spilled water. Now that Yuanchun is the Princess of Beijing, she no longer belongs to the Jia family.

Moreover, unlike Shui Rong's previous life, where a married daughter could go back to her parents' home anytime when she missed them, now under the strict ethics, even though the Jia family and the Prince Beijing's Palace are both in the capital, Yuanchun cannot go back to her parents' home at will. Her mentality is different.

At this time, Yuanchun might be feeling a little homesick.

Thinking of this, Shui Rong smiled and said, "Yuanchun, don't cry when you meet your father-in-law and mother-in-law later, otherwise it will seem like I have wronged you. Those who want to please their father-in-law and mother-in-law don't have the face to do so."

Yuanchun felt sweet when she heard this. As a prince, Shui Rong didn't need to please anyone. His words were just out of consideration for her. And as Shui Rong said, since she married into the palace, her husband had never wronged her. She knew that her husband was comforting her.

Thinking of this, Yuanchun rolled her sparkling eyes at Shui Rong and said angrily, "I will not shed tears."

Shui Rong chuckled upon seeing this, hoping that he would not embarrass himself as Yuanchun said.

After a pause, Shui Rong turned his gaze to look at Tanchun who was kneeling, and said with a smile: "Third sister, you are also not allowed to cry."

Although Tanchun was not married in a formal ceremony, she still belonged to the palace, and Shui Rong would certainly not treat her differently.