Chapter 333

In the large hall, various dishes were gradually being set up beautifully while the master of the house sat comfortably, waiting. The servants, who had just received sudden orders, were all exhausted from the rush.

Currently, the head of the manor, Qin Mazhu, was carefully inspecting his little nephew’s body. He lifted Xihao up and looked him over from side to side with satisfaction, while Xihao’s "grandmother" stood nearby, watching with curiosity. Although she still had an air of arrogance, there was a gentle softness in her eyes.

"Mother," little Xihao moaned as he was spun around, calling for his mother as if seeking help. However, Yueqian didn’t intervene. She simply sipped the fragrant tea that her brother had specially brewed for her, feeling quite at ease.

"Xihao, you really resemble your uncle. Lucky for you, you’re as handsome as I am," Qin Mazhu said happily after thoroughly inspecting his nephew.

"Of course he looks like his grandmother. The only reason he looks like you is because you are my son," Li Ailing, Yueqian’s mother, interjected just as Qin Mazhu was feeling pleased with himself, causing him to chuckle awkwardly.

He didn’t say anything more on the matter and let Xihao run back to his mother. Even though he wanted the boy to sit on his lap a bit longer, it wouldn’t have been a good idea. After all, he still wanted his nephew to feel relaxed in the manor.

He had learned that his nephew would be staying in the Hu Region for a while, so it wouldn’t be difficult to visit him again. Letting little Xihao gradually get to know them while being a kind uncle seemed like the best approach.

"So, did you come to the Hu Region solely for the purpose of exchanging medical knowledge? Even though I heard the emperor appreciates knowledgeable people, it’s not the best time to invite you for an exchange," Qin Mazhu said as the food was being set on the table.

Yueqian nodded in agreement. They talked about their suspicions regarding the impending war. However, while they were conversing amicably, a soldier in front of the manor came running into the hall in a hurry.

"M-Master, they have come again..." The soldier was panting as he spoke, but before Yueqian could find out who was coming, the eunuch’s voice announced it first.

"The Third Princess arrives!!" The eunuch’s voice and the flustered reactions of the servants piqued Yueqian’s interest.

Moreover, the arrival of this visitor was quite unusual. Her brother, who was residing in the Hu Region, wasn’t working for the government. His current occupation seemed more like importing foreign goods for sale—a profitable but not particularly prestigious job that would typically interest nobles or royalty.

So why was the Third Princess of the Hu Region coming here?

It was said that the Third Princess was another sister of the mighty Emperor. Other princesses had already married into noble families or been sent to forge alliances with other regions. Currently, there were only two unmarried princesses.

The Fifth Princess was rumored to be fond of the Crown Prince of the Bai Region. However, in Yueqian’s original knowledge, this princess would fall in love with a Young General later on. But everything had changed now. The Fifth Princess didn’t marry the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince’s power had significantly diminished. Forming alliances with the Du Region now seemed nearly impossible. Even if the war ended, the Hu Region wouldn’t view the Du Region as significant enough to warrant an alliance.

Isn’t the Du Region now under the care of a Wang from the Bai Region? Forming an alliance with the Bai Region would be much more suitable.

However, this Third Princess had never appeared in the novel before. Luckily, Yueqian was an avid reader of various texts, so she had come across some basic information about the royal family. In addition, several novels mentioned this Third Princess.

Based on the brief information, it was clear that the Emperor loved this sister very much. He didn’t let her marry for political reasons or as a tool for alliances because of his deep affection for her. This love made the Third Princess spoiled and demanding.

So, why had the spoiled Third Princess come to her brother’s manor?

"I’m here. You must get that fruit for me again today," came the voice, stopping Yueqian from speculating further.

The petite, elegant figure of the Third Princess appeared in front of them. Li Ailing sighed; it was too late for her to leave now. Qin Mazhu’s expression turned into one of boredom. Only the newcomers—Yueqian, Mu Heng, and little Xihao—were unaware of the situation.

The servants quickly stepped back to make way for the Third Princess. The master of the manor stood up to pay his respects.

"No need for formalities. I’m not here for... Hmm? Who are they?" The Third Princess, striding in as she always did when she entered Qin manor, waving her hand dismissively, was taken aback upon seeing three unfamiliar faces.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at the sight of a beautiful woman like Yueqian in the Qin manor. She couldn’t help but scrutinize more closely. Fortunately, she noticed the man standing protectively beside the woman, and the child who resembled both the man and the beautiful woman. Realizing they were likely a family, the Third Princess’s expression relaxed considerably.

"So, who are these three guests of the Qin manor?" She asked again. Yueqian offered to answer.

"I am..."

"No need to bother. You want the fruit, right? I’ll have someone bring it to you. Then you can leave," Qin Mazhu interrupted, waving his hand to stop his sister from revealing family information to the princess. He quickly ordered his men to fetch the box of fruit the Third Princess wanted.

Feeling humiliated, the Third Princess paused. She looked at Qin Mazhu, biting her lip in frustration. Realizing he didn’t care or notice at all, she spoke arrogantly.

"Very well. I thought you might say you didn’t have the fruit. Do you have rose tea today? I want some, too."

"We have rose tea. I’ll have it brought to you at once."

"Th-then, do you have dog fur from the north? Have you made a cloak for me?" The Princess persisted, asking question after question until Qin Mazhu’s eyebrow twitched.

"That, we don’t have. You did not inform us in advance."

"Good—oh! I mean, why didn’t you prepare it? Winter is approaching, and a princess like me needs a new winter coat anyway. You are really foolish. How can you run a business like this? A man like you lacks attention to detail. The fact that you make a profit at all is purely due to good luck from your past lives. Next time, you should get someone to help you with these things. Now... what do you have to eat? While I wait for you to get everything ready, I might as well have some food."

The young princess, not knowing how to show affection, saw that Qin Mazhu had conceded to her. She glanced around and noticed the abundance of food. How could she pass up the opportunity to eat with the person she liked?

"Princess, please return first. This is my fault. Once we get the fox fur, I’ll send it to you immediately. So please..." Qin Mazhu gestured for her to leave, but the princess wasn’t ready to go. She looked at Yueqian and the child standing beside her.

"What? I’m not in a hurry. And who is this cute little child? I want to stay and play with him. Don’t you know I love children? I want to have three or four of my own. I’ve had royal physicians check my health, and they all say I’m in excellent condition, as healthy as a mother could be. So, if someone had children with me, they’d be strong and adorable. What do you think?" The young princess took the chance to promote herself.

This almost made Li Ailing spit out her tea. From her birth until her marriage into the Qin family, she had never seen anyone try to sell themselves to a man like this.

Qin Mazhu’s face grew more wrinkled by the moment, and the servants lowered their heads even more. They wanted to laugh, but knew it would be inappropriate. Moreover, their master didn’t like this woman at all. This woman’s blunt and straightforward nature was not what Qin Mazhu appreciated.

Perhaps because he had always been surrounded by his cunning mother and sister, he preferred women who were intelligent, like those around him. If he couldn’t find such a woman, wouldn’t it be better to avoid the headache of having a furen of the manor altogether?

These days, he already had many concubines in the manor. If he ever felt the urge, they could take care of it. But the position of the principal wife was more important than that. It wasn’t just about lust but about having a lifelong partner by his side. He wanted someone who would make him feel comfortable, not constrained.

And the Third Princess gave him the opposite feeling!

Yueqian, however, felt differently. She looked at the Third Princess, who was about her age, with a bit of pity. This princess had likely been pampered too much, leaving her unaware of how to behave in a way that would endear her to a man. She had never learned to please anyone; she was probably always the one being pleased.

At the same time, the princess was straightforward and didn’t hide her feelings. Wouldn’t it be comforting to have someone like that around? There would be no need to guess what she was thinking or worry that she might be hiding a metaphorical knife. Having such a person by one’s side could indeed be a good thing. Her personality was very much like Rui Beng’s.

"Your Highness, having good health is indeed a blessing, but you must also learn to care for your husband and future children," Yueqian smiled, hoping to teach the princess a bit more.

However, Qin Mazhu’s expression suggested he wanted her not to involve herself too much with this troublesome princess. Of course, Yueqian paid no attention to this.

"What do you mean? Care for my husband? Of course, I will. I have plenty of money to buy clothes for him. I can use my wealth to buy good food for him, or even hire talented people to serve in the manor. I can ask my brother to procure things my husband likes. Do you see now how well I can care for my husband?"

The Third Princess seemed a bit displeased with Yueqian’s advice. She was very confident, clearly having learned the wrong way to please someone.

Yueqian narrowed her eyes slightly before speaking cunningly.

"So, if your husband has a sore back, would you hire a courtesan to massage him? Or if he wants his wife to play the zither for him, would you hire a beautiful woman to be that wife? When your husband wants a delicious broth, do you think you could cook it with all the love and care he deserves?"

"It’s clear that even now, Your Highness does not understand what it means to truly care for a husband. In that case, please join us for a meal and observe how I tend to my husband."

Yueqian smiled, as if she had won a victory, which only made the princess even angrier. Meanwhile, Qin Mazhu felt indescribable weariness. He couldn’t figure out what his little sister was planning, but judging by her demeanor, it probably wasn’t anything good!