Golden Branch

"Nine Lady, Master Lu Jue has sent a visiting card."

Bai Zhi came up to Wang Heng with a big red name card sprinkled with gold and reported back.

Wang Heng waved the cat toy in her hand and paused slightly.

Although the little Ruyi is round, it is flexible in its movements.

The little body pounced, and its two pink little paws accurately grabbed the shaking feathers.

Ruyi is like a fish on the hook, "hanging" in the air.

Wang Heng felt her hand sink. She looked closely and found the raccoon swaying in the air.

While Wang Heng was amused, she was worried about hurting the kitten, so she put down the cat toy.

The brightly colored feathers were also placed on the ground.

There was no drifting, but Ruyi did not give up catching him.

It seemed overly excited and neurotic, constantly jumping around the ball of feathers, scratching and biting them.

Wang Heng: ...As long as you are happy!

She let the little cat play by itself for the time being and raised her hand to take the business card.

Wang Heng didn't rush to read it, but played with this exquisite and luxurious post:

Tsk, bright red and gold.

The fine layer of gold on this visiting card is not paint, but gold powder.

Although it is only a thin layer, it is not something that ordinary people can afford.

"As expected of a top-tier playboy! Born into a noble family, deeply loved."

Lu Jue himself had no official position, and his father's family had long since been destroyed.

But he had a mother who was an iron lady in the army, and his father-in-law and uncle were both emperors who ruled the world by fighting wars.

Fighting is very profitable.

Look at Lou Yu. The huge fortune he owns in Yizhou was all the "trophies" Lou Jin gained in battles.

The Yang family has had several generations of generals, and even if they had to maintain a private army, their wealth would be inestimable.

Jincheng, Yang Ji and his son, and other members of the Yang family fought from the north to the south. Not to mention the vast territory and supreme power they subsequently gained, the "trophies" of the many wars alone were enough to make them rich enough to rival a country.

Lu Jue lost her father at a young age and remarried Jin Cheng. She may not feel that she owes anything to her late husband, but she definitely feels guilty towards her son.

If family love is not enough, money can make up for it.

Half of Jincheng’s property was given to Lu Jue.

Needless to say, the two emperors Yang Ji and Yang Rui rewarded Lu Jue with even more wealth.

Although Lu Jue was not an official and did not hold a title, the assets under his name were definitely a huge number that was hard for the world to imagine.

Lu Jue is rich and has a flamboyant personality, so naturally he can be as extravagant as he wants!

Wang Heng is also rich, but she is used to keeping a low profile.

Over the years, outsiders mistakenly believed that Wang Heng was just a poor little girl who was abandoned and left to fend for herself. She was helpless, penniless and powerless, and could only barely make ends meet by relying on her relationship with her neighbor brother... This was all Wang Heng's own "merit".

"Since they are coming to visit me, I must not break the rules!"

Wang Heng glanced at the glittering gold powder, and an image of a young man in fine clothes and a horse emerged in her mind, as well as the many "gossips" she had heard, and she couldn't help but feel curious.

Besides, even if they were not curious, Wang Heng could not turn them away as guests were welcome.

"Meow! Meow!"

Ruyi had already torn several feathers into pieces.

It bit a blue feather and crawled to Wang Heng's side.

It grabbed Wang Heng's skirt with its two front paws and climbed up with a grunt.

Wang Heng lowered her head and saw a furry ball with a three-petaled mouth holding a feather. There was a hint of flattery in its big round eyes.

It tilted its little head, looking soft and cute.

Especially that touch of "flattery", as if saying: Master, this is my prey, I'm giving it to you!

Wang Heng's heart melted: this little guy is so cute and well-behaved.

It is worthy of being the cub of the raccoon. Just like it, it has become a spirit.

Wang Heng casually handed the business card to Bai Zhi, freeing her hands to hold the crumbling Ruyi in her arms.

"Is this for me? What bright feathers! I love it!"

Wang Heng took the blue feather from Ruyi's mouth. She was so "touched" that she didn't care that her new skirt had been scratched by the cat's little claws.

It was Baizhi who felt heartbroken when she saw the fine silk being scratched and the delicate embroidery being caught.

A pair of skirts, from fabric to embroidery, costs more than ten strings of cash in total.

It was just ruined by a little raccoon.

The key point is, Jiu Niang just put it on today and hasn't worn it out yet, and then...

In other words, Jiu Niang is not short of money, and is pampered and indulged by Lou Langjun.

Otherwise, if you spend money like this, even if you are a royal lady, you will be accused of being extravagant.

...Even though Wang Heng and the people around her already knew that she had been crowned a princess and was a noble and honorable royal lady, they still had no concept of this in their subconscious.

Just like today when Lu Jue came to visit, he presented a luxurious gold-sprinkled visiting card.

This is not only because Lu Jue is wealthy and ostentatious, but also because he respects Princess Wang Heng.

However, Wang Heng will soon realize that this change comes from her identity!

……

Wang Heng, holding Ruyi, slowly walked to the main hall of the courtyard.

Lu Jue had been welcomed in by the servants and was waiting in the main hall.

"Lu Jue pays homage to Princess Langya!"

Lu Jue has been practicing martial arts since he was young, and his five senses are very sharp.

From a distance, he could vaguely hear the sound of footsteps.

He stood up and bowed.

At this moment, Lu Jue no longer had the unbridled look he had on the official road that day. Instead, he was very humble and polite.

This is probably what a true child of a powerful and wealthy person looks like. He is not just arrogant and willful.

They will behave accordingly and appropriately according to different occasions.

"...Don't dare!"

The angel delivering the imperial decree (the emperor's envoy) had not arrived yet, so Wang Heng could not call herself a princess.

Wang Heng was used to being reserved, and even though she knew she was a princess, she didn't dare to show off too much.

Being carried away by success is the worst thing to do!

"Princess, you are too modest. When I left the capital, the angels of the Ministry of Rites had already departed."

Lu Jue is modest but not servile, and he still carries the pride of a nobleman amidst the rules.

He smiled and said, "It will probably take a few days for the angel to arrive in Yizhou!"

When the angel arrived and read the imperial edict, Wang Heng became the legitimate, noble and respectable Princess of Langya.

Although she is not of royal blood, the title "Langya" is also strange.

But she had a favorite concubine, A Niang, and a fiefdom of several hundred households.

Even some less favored real princesses cannot match this honor.

Just like Lu Jue’s aunts and cousins, whose birth mothers were humble, the old saints and sages may have forgotten their existence.

They only have the status of princesses, but don't even have a title.

Compared with these golden branches and jade leaves, Wang Heng, the fake princess, is more decent and noble.

Lu Jue didn't need to curry favor. Given his status, even the legitimate princess born to the queen had to politely call him brother.

Lu Jue will be polite to Wang Heng——

Firstly, it was for my uncle. After all, Concubine Jiang was my uncle's most beloved woman. He respected my uncle and naturally respected his true love.

Secondly, it was for the sake of rules. No matter what, Wang Heng was a princess granted by the emperor and conferred by the court.

A princess is a princess. Even if she is not of royal blood, as long as she has the title of princess, she should be respected.

This is not for a certain person, but for the majesty of the saint and the dignity of the court!

Thirdly, it’s Lu Jue’s little thoughts.

Today, he and Wang Heng were face to face. Without the annoying veil, Lu Jue could see Wang Heng's appearance more clearly.

She has bright eyes and a pretty face like a flower.

Slender and graceful, elegant and graceful.

Even if she just stood there, she was as beautiful as a painting.

Her peerless beauty would not be affected in the slightest by external factors such as her dress being slightly messy.

Well, that's right. When Lu Jue secretly looked at Wang Heng, he didn't miss the fraying of her skirt, the frizziness of the embroidery, and the meowing cat in her arms.

"Princess Langya, do you like Li Nu?"

Lu Jue quietly took note of this.

It is normal for ladies to like to keep pets.

For example, in Beijing, there are noble ladies and noble men who like to keep cats and dogs.

Even Lu Jue raised kites, lynxes, etc.

A lynx is, in a way, just a larger raccoon.

Of course, Lu Jue raised these not for teasing or playing, but for hunting.

Kites and lynxes are not huge in size, but they are very ferocious.

When hunting, they can help their owners hunt.

Lu Jue is a warlike young general at heart. Even for entertainment, he likes intense activities such as hunting, horse racing, and polo.

The pets he kept were also ferocious birds of prey and beasts.

However, Lu Jue would not demand others to do things based on his own preferences.

A delicate little girl like Wang Heng should have a cute and adorable little cat slave.

only--

Lu Jue's gaze lingered for a moment on Ruyi's orange tiger stripes.

This cat is just an ordinary raccoon, not a precious or rare breed.

With Wang Heng's status and beauty, she deserves to have a more precious cat slave.

By the way, the lion cat that is popular in Beijing recently was brought here by Hu merchants from the Western Regions.

His whole body is snow-white, his eyes are of different colors, and he looks noble.

Lu Jue thought secretly: After returning, I will ask someone to rush back to the capital and find a way to get a lion cat from Hu Shang.

If you want to pursue a beautiful woman, you should cater to her preferences.

Of course, while showing your courtesy, you also need to show your status and how much you value her.

Even if it is a lion cat that is worth a fortune, as long as the beauty likes it, I will give it to her.

Wang Heng didn't know what Lu Jue was thinking at the moment, so she greeted Lu Jue politely.

It’s not easy to say too much when you meet for the first time.

Lu Jue came here this time just for a simple visit.

There is ample time!

Anyway, Princess Wang Heng of Langya will not come to the capital immediately.

The princess's palace bestowed by the saint is still under construction.

……

Lou Yu didn't know that Lu Jue had already gone to poach his girl.

Even if he knew, he wouldn't care too much.

Ah Heng has been spoiled by him and cannot be coaxed away by just anyone using any means.

"My dear, the people who went to the southwest have returned. They caught the iron-eating beasts that Jiuniang wanted. Two large and two small, four in total. They also brought back local bamboo and bamboo shoots..."