Xiao Jingnan lowered his eyes and looked at his wrist.
The craftsmanship of the bracelet was not complicated. It was just the simplest single - row flower knot.
However, even so, it was not neatly woven. It was all lopsided, twining around his wrist like a naughty little silver - ringed snake biting its own tail.
This was the only piece of needlework done by Li Wanming that he had seen in the past two years.
And it was for him.
He gently stroked his wrist and said seriously, "I will keep it well."
Li Wanming raised her eyebrows, slapped him with a "pop", and exclaimed, "Keep it? It's for you to wear! What, is my craftsmanship so embarrassing that you can't wear it?"
Xiao Jingnan quickly corrected himself, "I mean, I will wear it well! My lady's craftsmanship is peerless in the world."
In his eagerness, the words "my lady" slipped out of his mouth again.
Strangely enough, during their sham marriage, he always called her "my lady". Now that they were officially engaged by imperial decree, he had started to call her "Wanming" or "Third Miss Li", becoming more polite.
Xiao Jingnan suddenly realized his impoliteness and felt a bit embarrassed. His face flushed.
Li Wanming hadn't heard him call her "my lady" for almost two years.
But this time, it gave her a feeling that made her blush and her heart race.
The man in front of her had a face as handsome as a jade crown. His eyebrows and eyes were like clear waters and green mountains. There was a burning light in his eyes, as if ten miles of peach blossoms were in full bloom, hiding boundless passion and tenderness.
Li Wanming's heart skipped a beat.
She finally realized that this man really wanted to marry her.
Not to break an omen, not to carry on the family line, but truly wanted her to be his wife.
She was really going to marry him...
Two months later, they would get married in the wedding hall and then share weal and woe and hold hands for a lifetime.
If they were lucky, they would even grow old together.
This time, it wasn't a sham marriage. There was no employer - employee relationship of just providing meals, and there would be no divorce...
Li Wanming's face blushed instantly.
It was so strange. She had been his "lady" for two years, but now she just learned how to blush.
Xiao Jingnan stared at her blankly for a while until Li Wanming gently pushed him and said, "It's almost dawn."
He sighed and walked towards the gate, looking back three times at every step, "I'm leaving?"
Li Wanming bit her lips and nodded gently, "See you at the wedding hall."
The new moon was like a hook, slowly shedding its silver light.
Xiao Jingnan stood at the gate, looking back intently, and gave his last instructions, "I may not be able to leave the mansion freely during this period, but it doesn't matter. I'll send Lu Ping and Wu Yao here tomorrow. If you have any problems, just find them... And Cai Wei and Qing Lan will come tomorrow too..."
"Come on, you're so wordy!" Li Wanming pouted and said, "Your lady has seen the world now. Can't I handle such a small situation?"
She stood in the yard with her hands on her hips, looking heroic, "Isn't it just the sealing of a few shops? What's the big deal?"
"Which wealthy tycoon hasn't experienced such ups and downs? These are just small bumps on my road to getting rich. It's nothing! When someone writes a biography about me in the future, it will all be good material!"
The moonlight fell on the girl's face, making it as white as jade.
The girl's mouth was slightly upturned, showing an unyielding stubbornness.
Her eyes were as bright as jewels.
Xiao Jingnan felt relieved.
Sure enough, this was the Li Wanming he knew.
Indomitable, tough, and never giving up easily no matter what situation she was in. Her vitality was as strong as the grass that could not be burned out by wildfires, spreading all over the desolate city.
"If something really happens, remember to tell Lu Ping..."
"Alright!" Li Wanming pushed him to the gate, "If you don't leave now, it will be dawn!"
She wrinkled her cute little nose and pretended to be angry, "Staying in the girl's house overnight before getting married. What would people say if this got out? I'm warning you, don't ruin my reputation!"
Xiao Jingnan finally burst into laughter.
Yes, his Wanming was stronger than he had imagined.
Since that was the case, all his worries and reluctance could be buried deep in his heart, and there was no need to say more.
Xiao Jingnan took a deep look at her again, then turned around and got on the carriage that had been waiting at the gate.
After he left, in the large yard, only Li Wanming was left in an instant.
She looked at the empty yard. Instead of going back to the house, she slowly walked to the wicker chair and sat down.
It was a warm winter this year, and there was no snow.
The air was just a bit cold, but there was no biting wind.
So although it was dawn, it wasn't particularly cold.
The sky was already turning fish - belly white, and the slightly red glow was hidden in the hazy mist.
Before long, the vibrant red sun would burst out.
"It's going to be a fine day on the first day of the Lunar New Year," Li Wanming pulled at the corner of her mouth.
It was not until now that she felt a piercing pain in her chest, as if her heart was being dug out of her chest alive.
Her wine shop, her academy, and the business she had been busy with for several years would all end on this auspicious day of the first day of the Lunar New Year.
From now on, she would no longer be the wine - selling lady, but the future princess of the Prince Ning's Mansion.
She would have to manage the household, receive guests, be virtuous and gentle. She could no longer laugh or cry as she pleased, be unrestrained and free...
Li Wanming looked at the rosy dawn in the sky like a flame. Finally, two lines of cool tears slid down her cheeks.
...
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the imperial decree came early.
Just after Chen Shi (7 - 9 a.m.), the officials from the Ministry of Revenue came with ledgers and seals.
They started the inspection from the Li Family Wine Shop on Changming Street, then moved on to the old shop in Pingkangfang, followed by the Changxing Inn, the Wanfu Pawnshop, and the Changxing Inn again...
The wine shop had been in business for the longest time, so there were the most goods and accounts.
However, since the accounts of the Li Family Wine Shop had been under investigation in the past two days, it didn't take much effort to clear all the accounts in the shop.
The wine cellar, the warehouse, the granary, the purchase receipts, the sales receipts, the tables, the furnishings... One by one, item by item, Li Wanming numbly signed and stamped on them.
Since it was the Chinese New Year, all the shop assistants had taken their holidays. So she had to handle all the account - checking by herself.
Cai Wei and Qing Lan came early in the morning. Although they could help, after all, they were not the owner, so they had no right to deal with the shop's supplies.
All the trivial matters still had to be done by Li Wanming herself.
The officials from the Ministry of Revenue must have already received the news that she had been appointed as the future princess of the prince. They were very polite to her.
When they came across some seemingly valuable items, they would subtly remind Li Wanming that she could take them back, and they would turn a blind eye.
But Li Wanming said, "Thank you for your kindness, but... no need."
She would have no chance to open a shop again in the future. The Prince Ning's Mansion didn't lack these things either. She didn't need to keep these things anymore.