Pang Xiao’s stern gaze swept over everyone. “What? Will there really be complications?”
“Ahem.” Xu Weizhi smiled as he stood up, reassuring Pang Xiao with a smile: “Your Highness needn’t be nervous. Your future father-in-law is such a clever person, and Miss Qin is even a female Zhuge Liang, extraordinarily intelligent. No matter what unexpected situations arise at the Qin residence, Minister Qin and Miss Qin will be able to handle them perfectly. As for this Prince’s mansion, with Your Highness presiding, any problem can be easily resolved.”
“Yes, yes.” All the strategists nodded in unison.
Pang Xiao relaxed slightly at these reassuring words, his tense shoulders easing.
“You make sense.” Pang Xiao nodded seriously.
All the strategists couldn’t help but find this amusing.
Their Prince, usually brilliant and cunning in his schemes, actually had such a childish side—he looked just like a green young man.
But on second thought, the Prince had no romantic experience, so emotionally speaking, he really was just a green young man.
Everyone had been young before and knew what it felt like to be moved by a woman. Regardless of how their relationships ended or whether they could be with their beloved, they could understand this mixture of anticipation, nervousness, and anxiety about gain and loss.
Everyone couldn’t help but sigh: How wonderful to be young!
Xie Yue stood up with an honest smile: “Your Highness, in my opinion, you truly needn’t worry. Just the other day you were concerned about Elder Gu’s matter, with Minister Qin imprisoned in the palace, fearing Miss Qin couldn’t handle it. But look—despite all your preparations, they went unused. Miss Qin single-handedly resolved all the troubles.”
“Indeed. Miss Qin is truly the most intelligent woman we’ve ever encountered.” Everyone chimed in agreement.
Pang Xiao nodded seriously: “You’re all right.”
Seeing Pang Xiao’s reaction, everyone suddenly felt they’d discovered a new way to please their Prince.
Some strategists who usually wanted to get closer to the Prince and become core members of his inner circle began praising Qin Yining enthusiastically.
They had met Qin Yining and knew of her intelligence and capabilities, so their praise was naturally well-founded.
Pang Xiao listened attentively, feeling completely comfortable throughout his body, as comfortable as soaking in hot springs. He couldn’t help but nod frequently, and his tense expression relaxed considerably.
Xie Yue and Xu Weizhi exchanged glances, both maintaining straight faces with shared understanding.
If they didn’t, they might burst out laughing.
In their hearts, the Prince had always been an almost supernaturally intelligent figure, so seeing this down-to-earth side of him made them laugh inwardly.
Pang Xiao said: “Now we need to pay attention to several matters. First, we must guard against anyone causing trouble before the wedding. Second, we must prevent anyone from disrupting the wedding ceremony. Third, the betrothal gift list has been prepared—we must choose an auspicious day to send it, and determine who should deliver it. Fourth, on the day of urging makeup, how to make it distinctive. Fifth, and most importantly.”
At this point, Pang Xiao paused for breath.
Everyone’s expressions grew serious.
Pang Xiao continued: “Most importantly, this Prince’s future father-in-law is extraordinarily learned and knowledgeable. He’s naturally surrounded by equally intelligent people. What if on the wedding day their family relatives block the door and ask tricky, strange questions—what should we do?”
Everyone: …
Your Highness, you’re not afraid of bloody battles between armies, yet you fear a few door-blocking questions?
The strategists felt their understanding of their Prince was still incomplete.
“Ahem.” Xie Yue cleared his throat, suppressing his amusement: “Your Highness, regarding pre-wedding troublemakers, you needn’t worry for now. First, the Lu family affair has drawn some people’s attention. Second, your marriage was bestowed by His Majesty—the imperial edict is still enshrined in the ancestral hall. Who would dare cause trouble? As for those brainless people who might disrupt things, they’re mostly jumping clowns not worth fearing. Your Highness can rest easy.”
Pang Xiao nodded slowly.
Xu Weizhi also said: “Regarding wedding disruptions, you needn’t worry too much either. I believe, given His Majesty’s brotherly affection for Your Highness, for a wedding he bestowed, he’ll certainly arrange everything properly. Perhaps His Majesty will even attend with the Empress to observe the ceremony. With His Majesty presiding, we naturally needn’t worry.
“Even if His Majesty doesn’t preside, Your Highness still has the Elite Tiger Guards. They’re our Prince’s mansion troops—deploying these elites doesn’t require a tiger tally.”
“Exactly so.” Xie Yue added: “Your Highness could also coordinate with Prince Consort Ji. Prince Consort Ji now commands the Huben Army and has nearly a hundred troops in his residence that could be borrowed to maintain order.”
Xu Weizhi and Xie Yue didn’t speak too explicitly, but Pang Xiao understood their meaning.
Although Ji Zeyu had become commander of the Huben Army, Pang Xiao was confident of his considerable prestige within the Huben Army. Ji Zeyu’s mansion troops were drawn from the Huben Army—borrowing these men would be no different from deploying his own subordinates.
“Good.” Pang Xiao nodded with satisfaction: “Setting aside everything else, the soldiers we trained ourselves have first-rate skills.”
It’s not like they’re planning a brawl—what’s the point of skills! The Prince really is so happy about marriage that his head has gotten muddled.
Xie Yue said with amusement: “What’s important is that you select some with proper bearing. Your Highness, think about it—young men in military uniforms, neat and orderly, imposing and dignified—how magnificent that would be.”
“Right, right.” Pang Xiao nodded repeatedly: “This is settled then. This Prince will go discuss it with Ji Zeyu later. About the betrothal gifts…”
Xu Weizhi said: “The Grand Dowager and Old Master have already prepared the betrothal gifts. Worried about exceeding protocol, they prepared 208 sedan chairs worth of gifts, all genuinely fine items. When presenting the betrothal gifts, Your Highness shouldn’t appear personally—Old Master will arrange suitable people to go.”
“Very good.” Pang Xiao nodded, then felt it wasn’t enough: “Add two more sedan chairs of gold for this Prince—small gold ingots, arranged neatly. Two hundred and ten sedan chairs will make a nice round number.”
Everyone was stunned.
Two sedan chairs of small gold ingots—how much gold would that be!
Everyone could already imagine how many people would be blinded by the glittering small gold ingots in the sunlight.
“Your Highness, this… your gold is too conspicuous. What if people gossip? Besides, His Majesty is desperately short of money right now.”
Hearing this, Pang Xiao waved dismissively: “If he wants it, let him come rob it. This Prince will only marry once in his lifetime. They’ve raised such a fine girl for so many years and given her to me—if my betrothal gifts are too light, Yining would also be wronged. Besides, my future father-in-law isn’t just any ordinary capable minister—he’s someone who can overturn the world with a flick of his hand. Adding two more sedan chairs of small gold ingots isn’t excessive.”
Xie Yue was rendered speechless, but thinking it over carefully, it did make sense.
Nowadays, which family didn’t have some silver? The poorest were probably the state treasury and imperial coffers. This was an unavoidable reality.