The Prince's Beloved Little Wife

The next morning, Ouyang Han got up early, dressed neatly, and prepared to attend the morning court. When the maids saw the prince emerge from Chen Mengyao's room, they were delighted; it seemed the prince's residence was soon to hold a wedding. After they bowed to the prince, he instructed them not to disturb her sleep and to wait until she naturally woke up before attending to her. The maids nodded in agreement and withdrew. After giving these instructions, he went to find the steward, asking him to inventory the storeroom and prepare the betrothal gifts before heading to court. The steward was overjoyed to hear Ouyang Han's instructions. He had been anxious for him, seeing him dragging his feet, and had wanted to help him personally. Now, things were finally looking up; the wedding was finally approaching, and he needed to prepare well, not make it too shabby. He had finally found a princess, and he wanted to make sure she was satisfied. So, he led some servants to the storeroom to inventory the items.

When Ouyang Han returned from court, he came directly to the courtyard to find her. Chen Mengyao had just finished breakfast. After packing all the blueprints and documents into a file bag, she took Qingying and Yilan and followed Ouyang Han in a carriage to the residence of Prince Duan, Ouyang Yu.

Prince Duan, Prince Wen, the Crown Prince, and their consort had already received the message from the secret guards. After finishing court, they returned home with their wives and waited for them at their residence. They also instructed the steward to wait for them at the gate and escort them inside as soon as they arrived.

Ouyang Yu's residence was not far from Ouyang Han's; it only took a quarter of an hour by carriage. After alighting from the carriage, they saw that Ouyang Yu's residence was magnificent, with its vermilion gates wide open and two imposing stone lions standing guard at the entrance. The steward led them inside.

Upon entering the mansion, a spacious courtyard comes into view, paved with bluestone slabs and surrounded by various exotic flowers and plants, exuding a delicate fragrance. In the center of the courtyard stands an artificial hill, from which clear spring water flows, forming a small waterfall. The splashing water adds a touch of vitality to the entire courtyard.

Passing through the courtyard, one arrives at the main hall. The beams of the main hall are very high, adorned with exquisite carvings; the dragon and phoenix motifs are so lifelike they seem ready to take flight at any moment. Inside, several pearwood tables and chairs are arranged, the chairs upholstered with delicately embroidered brocade cushions, and the armrests inlaid with smooth, warm jade stones. The tables and chairs all exude a faint, woody fragrance.

A massive screen stood directly in front, painted with a landscape scroll. The brushstrokes were exquisite, vividly depicting mountains, rivers, pavilions, and towers, making one feel as if they were actually there. A thick red carpet covered the floor, extending from the entrance to the main seat. The main seat was situated on a high platform, behind which hung a painting of a tiger descending a mountain, its eyes wide open, exuding a majestic and imposing aura, showcasing the master's extraordinary spirit. Large candles burned on the candlesticks on either side, their flickering light creating a play of light and shadow in the hall. Everyone who entered the main hall was awestruck by its solemn, elegant, yet undeniably dignified atmosphere.

The Crown Prince and the two princes and their consorts were already seated in the hall, drinking tea and chatting. Upon seeing Ouyang Han and Chen Mengyao enter, the Princess Consort of Duan quickly stepped forward, took her hand, and sat her down beside her. Ouyang Han sat next to his second brother. After instructing servants to bring them pastries and tea, Ouyang Yu asked Chen Mengyao, "Third Sister-in-law, what brings you here today?" Chen Mengyao quickly took out the documents from her file folder and handed them to Ouyang Yu, saying, "Fourth Brother, I have some design plans and information about the auction house that I can't decide on. I brought them here to discuss which one is better."

Ouyang Yu took the drawings and was astonished to find so many different interior design styles. He then showed them to the Crown Prince and Prince Wen, who were equally amazed. They were truly impressed by their sister-in-law's talent, able to create so many different designs. After everyone had looked through them, they began to discuss them.

After more than an hour of discussion, they finally selected one from several blueprints, incorporating elements from other designs. Chen Mengyao was very satisfied; indeed, many hands make light work, and this way they could combine the advantages of several blueprints. Once the blueprint was finalized, Chen Mengyao was overjoyed and quickly thanked the princes. Then, she asked Ouyang Yu, "Does Fourth Brother have any suitable shops?" Ouyang Yu replied somewhat embarrassedly, "Third Sister-in-law, I've looked at all my shops and haven't found a single suitable one."

Just then, the Crown Prince spoke up: "Yao'er, if you're asking about a larger shop, I have one that should fit your needs perfectly. I'll give it to you. But could I also join your plan?" The Crown Prince had seen how profitable Chen Mengyao's shop was that day and wanted to join in, but he was too embarrassed to take away his brother's business, so he hadn't brought it up. Now he could use the shop as a way to make this request, fearing they might disagree. He then added, "Of course, I will also provide some novel items for auction. As for how much of a cut you can give me, that's up to you."

Chen Mengyao and Ouyang Yu quickly said, "Of course we can let our eldest brother join! We'd love to!" Ouyang Yu continued, "Then take us to see that shop another day." "No problem, we can go see it later," the Crown Prince replied hastily. The impatient Chen Mengyao immediately stood up and said, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go now! The sooner we decide, the sooner we can start decorating. Oh, and we still need everyone's help to think of a name for the shop." Everyone found Chen Mengyao's anxious manner amusing and couldn't help but laugh. This sister-in-law/third sister-in-law is truly adorable, unlike other well-bred ladies who are too straightforward. No wonder she captured Ouyang Han's heart! Even they are growing to like her more and more.

The Crown Prince also stood up and said, "Let's go then. That shop isn't far from Fourth Brother's place; it's less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea to walk there." So everyone stood up and followed the Crown Prince. Sure enough, they arrived there in a short while. The Crown Prince led them inside. This place used to be a restaurant, three stories high, but it had closed down due to poor management and had been vacant ever since. Chen Mengyao and Ouyang Yu were very satisfied with the spaciousness of the place and decided to open the auction house there.

After discussing the matter, the group returned to the Duan Prince's residence and discussed the name of the auction house again. They finally decided on "Treasure Pavilion Auction House," as it would indeed be auctioning rare and precious items. They then discussed details such as personnel and the tables and chairs for the auction house. The Crown Prince and Ouyang Yu both stated they would find the relevant people and items needed for the auction according to her requirements. Before they knew it, it was lunchtime, and the Duan Princess invited them to stay for lunch, which everyone accepted.

The meal prepared by Princess Duan was very lavish, and everyone ate to their heart's content. After the meal, Princess Duan took Chen Mengyao on a tour of her palace, leaving the men to drink tea in the main hall. Although Prince Duan's palace was not as large or luxurious as the Eastern Palace, it had its own unique charm.

The group passed through the main hall and arrived at the backyard, where a pond came into view, with koi swimming in it. Weeping willows lined the pond, and stone benches and tables were placed beneath them. Behind the pond was a series of pavilions, the residence of the prince. The window frames of the pavilions were carved in the shape of copper coins, a unique and ingenious design. The pavilions contained numerous rooms, each with its own distinctive furnishings. Some rooms had calligraphy and paintings by famous figures hanging on the walls, while others displayed various business ledgers and models on the tables, all reflecting the unique taste and hobbies of this merchant prince. Although this prince's residence lacked the grandeur and luxury of the Eastern Palace, it possessed its own refined elegance and grandeur.

Passing the pavilion, one enters the Prince's garden. Upon entering, a rich floral fragrance fills the air. The garden paths are paved with smooth pebbles, and on both sides are displayed exotic flowers and plants from all over the land. One flower resembles a butterfly, its wings trembling slightly as if about to take flight; this is the Butterfly Shadow Flower, unique to the Western Regions, said to require careful cultivation to survive. Another plant has leaves that are a deep blue, shimmering with fluorescent light; this is the Blue Star Grass from the depths of the North Sea, extremely valuable, purchased by Ouyang Yu at great expense.

Further on, a vast expanse of dazzling flowers comes into view. The most striking is undoubtedly the fiery red sunflower, standing tall in the center of the blooms, its intense heat like a burning flame. The surrounding flowers and plants seem to bow slightly in submission to its power. Beside the flower field is a small artificial hill, covered in green vines dotted with tiny white blossoms, like stars scattered across the night sky. A gentle breeze stirs the flowers, making the entire garden a flowing, breathtaking painting.

Chen Mengyao was stunned again. The flowers and plants in the Prince Duan's mansion were also very unique and plentiful. As expected of a businessman, he was able to find so many rare and exotic plants, and they were quite valuable. She couldn't help but admire Ouyang Yu even more.

After Princess Duan led Chen Mengyao and the others on a tour of the mansion, they returned to the main hall for tea. Again, various unique pastries were served, most of which Ouyang Yu had collected from other regions. Plates of exquisite pastries were laid out on the table. Among them was a cake called Snow Cherry Cake, transported from the far north. The cake was a pale pink, like the color of cherry blossoms against the backdrop of early winter snow. It melted in the mouth, first releasing a cool sensation on the tongue, like a biting wind blowing across snow, followed by the sweet aroma of cherry blossoms, like spring cherry blossoms falling between the lips and teeth.

Beside it were golden crispy rolls, specially made for Ouyang Yu by a wealthy merchant from the Western Regions. The outer layer was golden and crispy, as if crafted from gold, making a "crunch" sound when you bit into it. The filling was made of local sweet fruit puree mixed with goat milk curd, sweet but not cloying, with a rich milky aroma, every bite filled with the flavor of the Western Regions.

Then there's the cloud-shaped rice cake, and this isn't your average cloud-shaped rice cake. Its main ingredient is rice grown in terraced fields high in the mountains, shrouded in mist, and it's made using a special baking process. The cake is layered, thin as a cicada's wing, exuding a fresh rice aroma, and has a soft, glutinous texture, like clouds dispersing in your mouth. As everyone tasted these unique pastries, they couldn't help but admire Ouyang Yu's wealth and knowledge even more.

Only after everything at the auction house was finalized did Ouyang Han take Chen Mengyao back. Princess Duan also gave her some of the pastries she had just eaten, and some beautiful jewelry that Ouyang Yu had collected from various places. Seeing Ouyang Han leaving, the others also bid farewell and returned home. Princess Wen invited Chen Mengyao to visit her the next day, and the Eldest Princess, not to be outdone, invited her to her residence the day after. Chen Mengyao accepted all invitations. Since she had nothing to do at the palace anyway, and everything had been discussed, she felt relieved and decided to go and see for herself. The Eldest Princess and Princess Wen were very happy, and after bidding farewell to everyone, they all went their separate ways.

On the way back, Chen Mengyao was incredibly excited: "Finally, I've accomplished something big again! A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The exotic flowers and plants in my fourth brother's residence are even more numerous and beautiful than those in your own palace! He truly is a wealthy businessman. I want to earn lots and lots of money so I can buy even more beautiful flowers and plants." Hearing Chen Mengyao's childlike words, he couldn't help but laugh: "Good, good, good. My wife, do whatever you want. I support you. Now that the auction house matter is settled, let my elder brother and fourth brother handle the rest. We should start preparing for our wedding. I'll go to the Imperial Observatory tomorrow to choose an auspicious day for the wedding. Now, I'll find some craftsmen to come and renovate your house. Also, I'll arrange for Uncle An to send a steward and a nanny to your house later."

Hearing Ouyang Han address her so affectionately as "Madam" and "Husband," Chen Mengyao felt a little embarrassed and said shyly, "Okay, I'll do whatever you say, my husband." Ouyang Han was overjoyed to hear Chen Mengyao call him "husband," and he embraced her, kissing her passionately. Chen Mengyao responded to him. This kiss was longer and sweeter than ever before. It wasn't until Ling Feng called from outside, "Your Highness and Your Highness's Consort, we've arrived at the Prince's residence," that Ouyang Han reluctantly released her. Chen Mengyao's lips were slightly swollen, and she became even more shy, hiding in the carriage, afraid of being ridiculed by the servants.

Ouyang Han reluctantly carried her down from the carriage. Chen Mengyao kept her head buried in his chest. Ouyang Han smiled helplessly and carried her directly back to the room. Along the way, the servants they saw covered their mouths and snickered. They were happy to see the prince and princess so affectionate, and it was time for them to start decorating their new home. They hurriedly consulted the steward about the items they needed to furnish the palace. The steward was also very pleased that the servants liked the princess so much, and quickly told them what they needed and asked them to buy it as soon as possible.