Chapter 95: Distributing the Spoils (1) (1/2)
Xiao Bojian had assumed that Chu Lian’s personal maidservants were all on his side. Since the letter had been received by one of her handmaidens, he assumed the letter would definitely reach Chu Lian’s hands.
When Wenqing returned and found that the letter had disappeared, she was scared out of her wits. She rummaged through the entire room, but couldn’t find it. After her bout of panic, she eventually fell sick and couldn’t get out of bed for a few days.
While recovering from her illness, Wenqing could only console herself by thinking that she must have accidentally dropped it somewhere. Even if she had dropped it within Songtao Court, only Chu Lian’s personal maidservants knew how to read. Since the incident had already happened, Wenqing didn’t dare to report it to Wenlan or Senior Servant Zhong, and simply let it pass.
Once Chu Lian had returned to her bedroom in Songtao Court, she ordered Xiyan to bring out the box of accessories.
The moment the pear blossom wood box was opened, the dazzling glow of treasure inside was revealed. Senior Servant Gui, Senior Servant Zhong, Wenlan, and the rest who hadn’t gone to the Dingyuan Estate were blinded by the sight.
What? Had Third Young Madam gone shopping at a jewellery store instead of attending Old Marquis Dingyuan’s longevity feast today?
When Chu Lian looked up and noticed the shock on everyone’s faces, she smiled mischievously. She took out Imperial Princess Leyao’s ‘gracious’ contribution to the pot, the exquisite little golden qilin statue, and showed it off to them. “What do you think? Isn’t it pretty?”
How could it possibly not be pretty? That was something that the empress had ordered a special craftsmen’s guild to make by hand!
Senior Servant Gui and Senior Servant Zhong nodded in a daze.
It was Senior Servant Gui who recovered first. “Third… Third Young Madam, where did you get all this jewellery from?”
Those couldn’t possibly be visiting gifts from the Dingyuan Estate. If the Dingyuan Estate gave away things like that to their visitors, their doorstep would have been flattened by the crowds flocking there.
Chu Lian shook the box of accessories while grinning from ear to ear. These were all top-quality goods, except for a few more normal-looking golden hairpins and bangles. However, even if their quality was just average, they were still worth a hefty sum.
The best items of the lot were Lady Yang’s red coral bracelet, Madam Huang’s pink pearl bracelet, Royal Princess Duanjia’s white jade ring, and Imperial Princess Leyao’s golden qilin statue.
Chu Lian shot a look at Xiyan before looking down into the box and picking out accessories to play with.