Chapter 11 Each Has Their Own Calculations

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"Mm-hmm," the siblings nodded in unison.

"How much silver did it cost?" Madame Jiang sat down and took a sip of tea.

As long as both her children returned safely, spending a bit of money was of no concern to Madame Jiang.

"Four hundred taels," Zuo Xiangning said softly.

Madame Jiang gave Zuo Xiangning a glare, then called out to Zishuang, "Go and fetch a silver note of four hundred taels."

She handed the note to Zuo Xiangning. "Whatever kind of courtyard you want to build, just talk to Zhang Rui's household. Her husband can draw up the plans. Leave the construction to him."

"Thank you, Mother," Zuo Xiangning hadn't expected Madame Jiang to support her unconditionally.

She jumped up, laughing as she hugged Madame Jiang's shoulders, "Mother is the best to me."

"Don't think I'm just giving this to you for free, it will be deducted from your dowry!" Madame Jiang looked at her son's clothes with disdain, "Hurry back to your room. If your father sees you, he'll have another lecture for you both!"

After paying their respects to Madame Jiang, Zuo Xiangning and her brother ran out, giggling.

Upon parting, Zuo Zimo gave Zuo Xiangning a thumbs up, "Impressive."

However, Zuo Xiangning's heart was secretly filled with worries.

She had acquired the mountain, but she knew nothing about mining.

She couldn't possibly just take up a pickaxe and start digging randomly around the mountain, could she?

Moreover, she needed to find someone trustworthy to watch over the mountain, lest the gold wasn't mined but other troubles were unearthed.

But she had no one available by her side.

She hadn't slept well that night, and after finishing breakfast the next day, Lü Xia came to invite her, "Madame asks for Miss's presence."

Zuo Xiangning, dressed up prettily, headed to Madame Jiang's courtyard. She had not yet entered when she called out, "Mother."

Madame Jiang saw her wearing the new clothes she had ordered made for her, her eyes gleaming with added joy.

With a smile, she beckoned Zuo Xiangning to sit beside her. Pointing to a few people standing in the middle of the room, she said, "These are Zhang Rui and his wife, and their two sons. From now on, for any errand, just command them. If you need to go out or buy something, you can also rely on Zhang Rui's household; I have arranged for her to be the gatekeeper of your courtyard."

Zuo Xiangning was overjoyed within. Madame Jiang had already found people for her.

After sending Zhang Rui's family away, Madame Jiang spoke to Zuo Xiangning, "You will come with me to the Chu King's Mansion in a moment."

Madame Jiang and her party grandly exited the Zuo Residence.

In Ruyi Courtyard, Auntie Liu was speaking with Zuo Xiangyu, "Madame Jiang has made your father check on the flower-viewing banquet!"

Zuo Xiangyu pursed her lips, "The second sister said there wasn't a single flaw; what's there to worry about? And can't you be less afraid of her? Zuo Xiangrong has just gotten pregnant; who knows if she'll be able to carry it to term..."

Auntie Liu hurried forward to cover her daughter's mouth, anxiously saying, "My little ancestor, are these words for you to be carelessly speaking of?"

"Mother, we are in Ruyi Courtyard!" Zuo Xiangyu removed Auntie Liu's hand, glaring as she spoke, "Can't I say whatever I want in your courtyard?"

"No matter where, such words should never be spoken again!" Auntie Liu was so angered that her heart ached; she sat in a chair pounding her chest, "Before you open your mouth, can you think first? How many times have I warned you again and again? Why won't you listen to me? Plus, that marriage proposal from the Gu Family is so good, why doesn't your sister think of arranging it for you?"

"Good? He looks like a wooden stump," Zuo Xiangyu retorted with a twist of her mouth, "I'm not keen on that at all!"

"That second young master of the Gu Family is extremely handsome, a rare sight of a beautiful man!" Auntie Liu frowned, "I'm telling you, don't be like your sister, fantasizing about marrying a prince. With your status born of a concubine, you are doomed to never be a prince's principal consort, just like your sister!"

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Zuo Xiangyu cared the most about her status as "born of a concubine." After hearing what her mother said, her face immediately changed, and she stood up, saying, "Why don't you try to become the legal wife? If you were the legal wife, at worst my sister could become a consort, and if the eldest imperial son becomes His Majesty the Emperor, then my sister would be the Noble Consort..."

"You shut your mouth! If you keep speaking so recklessly, I'll break your legs!" Auntie Liu's head buzzed with anger and fright,"You better go back now, staying here any longer will drive me mad."

She knew her own daughters, ten of Zuo Xiangyu couldn't match one Zuo Xiangyun in cunning. Her eldest daughter was determined to marry Zuo Xiangning to the second young master of the Gu Family, surely there was an extraordinary reason for it.

She called over her head maid, Jin Zhui, and asked her to send a message to her eldest daughter, "This afternoon, I'll wait for her at the silk shop."

Zuo Xiangning followed Madame Jiang to the Chu King's Mansion, and when she alighted from the sedan at Chuihua Gate, she saw Zuo Xiangrong waiting by the gate.

Madame Jiang held her eldest daughter's hand, asking with concern, "How have you been feeling these past few days? Are you experiencing any discomfort?"

"Mother need not worry; your daughter is very well." Zuo Xiangrong, with a face as lovely as peach blossoms, asked, "Did only mother and sister come? Why did Zimo not come?"

"He went to school today," Madame Jiang said: "Learning a little is better than not learning at all."

"The Prince of Chu mentioned recently that he wanted to arrange a position for Zimo in the Bureau of the Five City Soldiers and Horses," Zuo Xiangrong said: "Once it's confirmed, I will have someone send a letter home."

"Then you must thank the Prince of Chu well," Madame Jiang said with a delighted smile.

Zuo Zimo was neither good at literature nor martial arts, and had become Madame Jiang's worry.

Zuo Xiangrong smiled and said, "The palace has sent a new Imperial Chef, and the pastries made are extremely good."

Was it a gift from His Majesty the Emperor, or did Prince of Chu ask for it?" Madame Jiang's face did not reveal a smile, instead, a worried expression appeared.

"It's a reward from His Majesty, and it ranks among the top three in the palace," Zuo Xiangrong said with a wry smile.

Zuo Xiangning guessed from their expressions that they were both worried about the child in Zuo Xiangrong's womb.

If this child turns out to be a boy, it would naturally be a cause for universal rejoicing, but if it's a girl, the higher she's lifted now, the harder she'll fall in the future.

Zuo Xiangning linked arms with the two of them and smiled, "Mother need not worry, my sister will undoubtedly give birth to a boy."

"You seem to know everything," Zuo Xiangrong smirked and pinched Zuo Xiangning's chubby little face, then asked someone to bring the carved box from the dressing table to Zuo Xiangning, "This is for you."

Zuo Xiangning curiously opened it, inside were ten little gold ingots, each weighing five taels, glittering brightly and very beautiful.

"These were newly minted, I found them pretty and saved ten for you," Zuo Xiangrong said with a smile.

"Just keep spoiling her!" Madame Jiang feigned complaint, "She just bought a mountain yesterday, and now you're giving her gold ingots; if she and your brother put their heads together again tomorrow, who knows what they might buy."

"If they act up again, you should beat them!" Zuo Xiangrong covered her mouth and chuckled, "Unless you can't bear to."

"She is not like you; you are like a tiger, needing both beating and scaring," Madame Jiang laughed: "She is like a rabbit, can I treat her the same way I treat you? If she were like you, see if I wouldn't beat her!"

"You're so partial," Zuo Xiangrong pouted, "And always looking for excuses, aren't you?"

Madame Jiang stayed at the Chu King's Mansion for more than an hour and declined Zuo Xiangrong's polite invitation to stay longer.

"Take good care of yourself, and if there's anything, send someone to find me," Madame Jiang said in a low voice: "Your eldest brother has made military achievements again and, barring any accidents, should be able to return to the capital to receive his title by the end of the year."

Zuo Xiangrong nodded with a smile, well aware that her family was her strongest support.

"Don't be too submissive in the mansion," Zuo Xiangrong said: "Zimo and Xiangning are both of marriageable age."

"I understand," Madame Jiang nodded.

Zuo Xiangning, now a year younger than Zuo Xiangyu, was just like Zuo Xiangrong and Zuo Xiangyun back in the day. The marriage affairs of the two couldn't help but involve a competition of who would come out on top.