Returning to Ming’an Hall, Yao Huang focused wholeheartedly on preparing to go out.

Bai Ling was responsible for styling her hair. As Yao Huang sat at the vanity, she had Qiu Chan, who managed the accounts, fetch her twenty taels of silver, and told A’Ji to retrieve a set of fine cotton clothing from her dowry chests.

The Yao family had prepared a total of eighteen loads of dowry for their daughter. Four seasons of clothing and four seasons of cotton quilts alone occupied eight loads. Of the remaining ten loads, the more valuable items were a case of jewelry, two silver ingots of ten taels each, a box of rouge and face powder. Shoes, socks, handkerchiefs, wash basins, foot basins, feather dusters and such were inexpensive small items.

If Yao Huang’s husband were an ordinary person, Yao Zhenhu and his wife would have also prepared a set of commonly used hardwood furniture for their daughter—such as tables, chairs, a vanity and so forth—to make up the more respectable twenty-four loads of dowry befitting a minor official’s family. However, the furniture prepared for their daughter’s rooms at the Prince’s manor would certainly all be fine wood. Even if the Yao family sent these large items, their daughter would have nowhere to use them. Better to use the saved money to prepare the other items even better.

Even so, the Yao family’s resources were truly limited. Luo Jinhua only managed to gather four sets of silk clothing and two sets of silk quilt covers for her daughter. Everything else was made from fine cotton, pressed at the bottom of the chests to add bulk. After marriage, if her daughter didn’t use them herself, she could still reward them to servants, including those equally ordinary jewelry items, rouge, shoes, socks, and wash basins.

On the wedding day, the Yao family’s dowry mixed into the long imperial betrothal gift procession—likely no commoners even noticed it.

Yao Huang didn’t find her parents’ dowry shabby at all. Weren’t those fine cotton clothes and ordinary jewelry coming in handy today?

While A’Ji was still at the trunks selecting clothes and shoes, Qiu Chan, who managed accounts, returned first. In each hand she held a ten-tael silver ingot, each larger than a baby’s fist.

Before the Princess Consort, Qiu Chan hesitantly stuffed both silver ingots into a purse.

Looking at this purse, Yao Huang seemed to see two fat men stuffed into a sack. At least a fat man’s flesh could squeeze together, but these two silver ingots forcibly stretched the purse into the shape of ingots. If she actually wore this purse on her person, which passerby wouldn’t stare? The petty thieves would be absolutely delighted.

Seeing the Princess Consort frown, Qiu Chan panicked but was helpless. The Princess Consort had a total of four hundred fifty taels of gold, two thousand one hundred twenty taels of silver, and one thousand taels in banknotes. The gold and silver ingots were all ten taels each, piled into small mountains. The banknotes were all in hundred-tael denominations. She could only withdraw these two ingots.

Qiu Chan’s panic also stemmed from Hua Mei being dealt with by the Prince. Even though she was proper and dutiful, she still worried about being implicated by her identity as a Yikun Palace maid.

After thinking for a moment, Yao Huang said: “Take fifty taels to find Steward Guo and have him take you to the accounts office to exchange for forty-eight taels in small silver and two strings of copper coins.”

Exchanging more at once—fifty taels of pocket money should last her quite a long time.

Qiu Chan then went back to fetch three more silver ingots and brought them before the Princess Consort for inspection.

Yao Huang smiled: “No need to be so cautious. I trust you.”

What she didn’t trust was that any maid would have the audacity to steal money from the Princess Consort’s chambers!

By the time Qiu Chan returned, Yao Huang had finished dressing. She wore a white robe and a pale green long skirt. The fine cotton material had dense, sturdy stitching. The robe’s collar was fastened tightly and the skirt waist cinched high enough, exposing only a small bit of skin below the collarbone—ensuring that even if Nanny Fang from the Chuxiu Pavilion came personally, she couldn’t find fault with Yao Huang.

Following the Princess Consort’s instructions, Bai Ling had styled a simple, fresh topknot, inserting a white jade hairpin and attaching a pink silk flower. From the crown of her head to her neck, Yao Huang wore no other jewelry. She looked just like a newly married woman from a modest household—except this newly married woman possessed beauty as smooth as mutton-fat jade. Even wearing the cheapest materials, she would glow luminously in a crowd.

The master and servants all looked at what Qiu Chan held.

Qiu Chan carried two money pouches. In the gray, dusty pouch in her left hand were two strings of copper coins, weighing about six jin. The pouch in her right hand contained the purse she’d taken out that held five silver ingots, plus forty-eight taels of small silver—altogether also weighing six or seven jin.

“The accounts office said the Princess Consort receives fifty taels monthly allowance. Our manor distributes allowances on the twenty-ninth of each month, but yours has been advanced.”

“The accounts office also said that in future, when the Princess Consort needs silver, just have us servants fetch it from the accounts office directly. No need to exchange it.”

Yao Huang: “…”

She had long known that wealthy households gave their daughters-in-law monthly allowances. She had thought the five hundred taels annual stipend the court gave her was her allowance, because what came from the court came from Emperor Yongchang, and Emperor Yongchang was her father-in-law. It was proper for the head of the household to provide allowances to wives, concubines, children, and daughters-in-law. She hadn’t expected that in her small household with the Prince, she could receive another portion!

Fifty taels a month—that was six hundred taels a year. The Prince gave her more than her father-in-law gave her!

Actually, Yao Huang didn’t really want to use the manor’s public accounts—that is, Prince Hui’s silver. She feared that one day if the couple quarreled, the Prince would make an issue of this money. But the Princess Consort’s stipend and monthly allowance were what she deserved. During the day she tried every means to keep the Prince company in conversation, and at night she worked hard attending to him. Spending silver she’d earned herself was perfectly justified.

Yao Huang: “Alright, let’s not touch my gold and silver for now. When there’s need, use the monthly allowance first.”

A’Ji helped Qiu Chan put away the silver. When Yao Huang truly stepped out of Ming’an Hall, the purse on her person contained twenty taels of small silver, while A’Ji’s purse contained two hundred copper coins—heavy, weighing about a jin.

A’Ji couldn’t help laughing. Leaning close to the Princess Consort, she said: “I’ve never carried so many copper coins in my life!”

Before the Princess Consort married, she had one hundred wen monthly pocket money. If she spent it all, she could act coquettishly with the madam to ask for more. A’Ji did little work—after age ten, she could receive twenty copper coins monthly. Her sister Qiao Niang got fifty wen, and mother could earn one hundred. But the mother and two daughters all ate and lodged at the Yao family. When they had headaches or fevers, the Yao family would summon doctors and buy medicine. The Yao family wasn’t any wealthy great household—being able to pay such wages was already quite good.

Yao Huang: “In two more days you’ll also receive your allowance. Manor head maids can get one tael.”

A’Ji’s eyes shone brightly as she looked at the Princess Consort: “It’s all thanks to the Princess Consort’s good fortune. Otherwise I’d never have such good luck!”

The four-season clothing the manor gave head maids were all silk—better than what the Princess Consort wore before leaving the pavilion.

Yao Huang deliberately frightened her: “The more you earn, the more matters you’ll handle. You must learn all the rules well. Otherwise, if one day you offend some other noble person and they insist on punishing you according to the rules, I’ll have no way to save you.”

A’Ji nodded repeatedly.

Master and servant arrived cheerfully at the manor’s main gate.

Zhang Yue and another guard called Wang Dong were already waiting there, along with an ordinary-looking wooden-canopied carriage with blue cloth curtains hanging inside the windows.

As A’Ji was about to help Yao Huang board, Yao Huang suddenly remembered something and asked Zhang Yue: “Have you two eaten lunch yet?”

Zhang Yue instinctively said “we’ve eaten.” Wang Dong beside him had already shaken his head halfway when he heard this and quickly changed to nodding.

Yao Huang smiled and called A’Ji to board the carriage together.

The capital had four bustling main streets. Today Yao Huang went to the liveliest, South Street. When the carriage stopped, the sun was about to reach its zenith. Various street food stalls were doing business, and restaurants and taverns constantly sent out stir-frying sounds. Cooking smoke carrying vegetable fragrances filled the streets.

Yao Huang walked to a steamed bun stall and had A’Ji pull out copper coins to buy five meat-filled buns. Zhang Yue and Wang Dong each got two, while A’Ji, who also hadn’t eaten lunch, got one.

The freshly steamed buns were piping hot, and Zhang Yue’s heart was equally warm. When he guarded the gate at the Yao family, Madam Luo often slipped them easy-to-carry food. He hadn’t expected the Princess Consort to think of them even when going out to play herself.

While watching the commoners around the Princess Consort, Wang Dong tilted his head toward Zhang Yue: “Our Princess Consort is truly wonderful.” Even more amiable than Steward Guo treating them.

Zhang Yue’s expression was serious. He used his eyes to remind Wang Dong that some things were fine to know but needn’t be spoken aloud. As guards, it was best not to keep the Princess Consort’s name on their lips.

Up ahead, Yao Huang stopped again at a grilled meat skewer stall, buying twenty skewers of grilled lamb in one go. After ordering, she had A’Ji go ask Zhang Yue and his companion what flavors they liked. There were three flavors to choose from: cumin, savory, and spicy.

A’Ji ran over and back: “Zhang Yue says they’re full and won’t eat.”

Yao Huang ordered ten savory skewers to give them, while she and A’Ji split ten spicy ones. Each skewer cost ten wen—in the past, she and A’Ji rarely got to eat them.

After eating the grilled meat, their mouths burned. Yao Huang went to buy two bamboo tubes of plum juice, one for herself and one for A’Ji. This time she didn’t give any to the guards.

The sunlight was warm and cozy. It made A’Ji close her eyes in contentment. Days like this were truly wonderful—just like in a dream.

All four had filled their bellies. Yao Huang began browsing shops. She still remembered several jewelry pieces her mother had admired at the end of last year—some four or five taels, some seven or eight taels—but mother had only feasted her eyes, reluctant to buy any of them.

Yao Huang wouldn’t give her mother precious items worth dozens or hundreds of taels. Mother didn’t like such ostentation anyway. But seven or eight tael jewelry pieces weren’t beyond mother’s reach—it only depended on whether mother was willing to be generous to herself once.

Yao Huang selected a hairpin and a pair of earrings, spending over ten taels. She’d save them to give mother next time she returned to her natal home, along with the rouge and floral dew the palace had rewarded her.

Besides picking things for mother, Yao Huang also spotted several jewelry pieces for herself, all priced at twenty to thirty taels. She’d come back tomorrow after taking a large ingot to buy them. Consort Du had rewarded her one hundred taels—counted among her betrothal gold, it was just spare change. Spending it all would leave a nice round number.

After browsing for nearly two hours, both master and servant felt their feet aching faintly. So Yao Huang chose a restaurant where storytelling was performed. She had the two guards eat in the first-floor main hall while she and A’Ji entered a private room. After ordering dishes, Yao Huang simultaneously settled the bill for both tables. A’Ji, Zhang Yue, and Wang Dong were all serving her—as their master, Yao Huang naturally should provide their meals.

A’Ji’s appetite was much better than Prince Hui’s. With such a dining companion, Yao Huang also ate heartily. Master and servant ate all three dishes completely clean.

Walking out of the restaurant, it was precisely dusk.

Prince Hui had instructed not to linger outside too long. Yao Huang prepared to return to the manor.

Wang Dong: “Princess… Madam, please wait. I’ll go drive the carriage over.”

Yao Huang: “No need. Let’s walk over. How comfortable the breeze is—perfect for digesting our meal.”

Passing the grilled meat skewer stall again, even more people were queuing. Yao Huang thought for a moment, then took A’Ji to queue up again.

A’Ji clutched her stomach and said truthfully despite the discomfort: “I’m so full, I really can’t eat anymore.”

Yao Huang laughed at her: “It’s not for you. I’m bringing some back for the Prince.”

Every time mother took her out, she always brought father a small gift—either a piece of cloth for making socks, or a meat pie or two ounces of loose wine. Even though the copper coins spent on father weren’t as much as the spare change mother and daughter spent, father would grin widely upon receiving the gift. Having seen this many times, Yao Huang gradually understood what it meant.

What father cared about wasn’t whether the gift was valuable, but that mother thought of him. Even a rough man was like this—she certainly couldn’t neglect the Prince.