The Emperor of Dongling actually dispatched Prince Xiao Hanzhi, the fourth prince, to Xialing personally to take charge of the reconstruction and maintenance of the bridges. This caused quite a stir in the capital city.
Some people were puzzled, while others gloated. The noble families in the capital also had their own speculations. They wondered whether this time Xiao Hanzhi's dispatch to Xialing was the Emperor of Dongling's test of the fourth prince's ability or a sign that the fourth prince had fallen out of favor and was being sent away.
For a while, there were all kinds of rumors in the capital!
"Mother! You tell me. They're just a few bridges. So what if they collapsed? Why does the fourth prince have to go there in person?" Since Shen Miao learned that Xiao Hanzhi would set off for Xialing tomorrow, she had been crying for a while. Now lying on the bed, she asked Shen Shi.
"Shh! Shh! Shh! My little ancestor, you mustn't talk like that. If it gets into the ears of someone with ulterior motives, we'll be in big trouble." Shen Shi gently covered Shen Miao's mouth with the handkerchief in her hand.
Shen Miao also knew the gravity of the situation. She had just blurted it out in a hurry and now she felt a bit regretful. After hearing Shen Shi's words, she lay on the quilt, silently shedding tears.
"Miao'er! Don't worry. The fourth prince is the Emperor's son. How could the Emperor harm him? Most likely, the Emperor values and appreciates the fourth prince and this time sending him to Xialing is giving him a chance to earn merit!"
"Miao'er! The fourth prince is not only the Emperor's son, but also Concubine Chen's son. Look, when the fourth prince was dispatched, did Concubine Chen or Marquis Xuanping stand up against it?"
Shen Shi watched as Shen Miao slowly shook her head, then patted her arm in satisfaction. "So, you don't need to worry about this at all. Concubine Chen is such a shrewd woman. How could she let the fourth prince be wronged? So this time when the fourth prince leaves the capital, he must be highly regarded by the Emperor and going to do something important! Stop worrying blindly here. Just prepare your dowry at home!"
"Mother! But... wasn't that thirty thousand taels of silver stolen? Where can we get the money to prepare the dowry?"
Shen Shi's hand that was stroking Shen Miao's hair paused, and her face stiffened for a moment, but then she quickly recovered. "Miao'er, you don't need to worry about this. I'll figure it out! Anyway, this is a major event that concerns your whole life. Mother will surely prepare a decent dowry for you and then marry you off in style."
A look of longing appeared on Shen Miao's face. "Mother, when I marry the fourth prince and become the fourth princess, you'll be respected wherever you go in the future!"
A gratified smile appeared on Shen Shi's face, but when Shen Miao couldn't see, a bitter and sad expression flashed across her face.
Because of the matter of the thirty thousand taels of silver, she had completely offended Shen Feng and also angered Shen Zhuo and Old Lady Zhu. It would be impossible for her to ask her natal family for help in the future.
Shen Shi could be said to have fallen out with the Shen family for the sake of the thirty thousand taels of silver and Shen Miao's dowry! Even if Shen Miao became the side princess of the fourth prince's mansion in the future, it would be hard for the Shen family to go back to the way it used to be.
......
"Miss, you've been planning for such a long time. Why don't you take action now?" Jiaoyue was grinding ink for Shen Li while her eyes were fixed on Shen Li's face.
"Jiaoyue, how long has it been since the fourth prince and his entourage left?" Shen Li stopped writing, dipped her writing brush in the inkstone.
Jiaoyue slightly raised her head and counted in a low voice before saying, "It's been about ten-odd days! Miss, is Xialing City far from the capital?"
Shen Li had never been to the south of the Yangtze River, so she didn't know the exact situation along the way. But thinking about the distance on the map, she still said, "Xialing City is within Changzhou Prefecture. It would take about ten-odd days to ride a fast horse from the capital to Changzhou."
"Then for the fourth prince and his large group like this, they must not be fast. Miss, will it take a month?" Jiaoyue had never been far from home and was curious about everything. Now hearing Shen Li talk about things outside, she asked eagerly.
"It won't take a month. They'll arrive in about twenty-odd days!"
Jiaoyue nodded understandingly and then fell into her own imagination.
Seeing that Jiaoyue stopped asking her questions, Shen Li picked up her writing brush and continued writing.
After a while, Mingyue came in through the door with a smile on her face. "Miss! There's a letter from the Hua Mansion in Yangzhou!"
Shen Li put down her writing brush, stood up, took the letter from Mingyue and started reading.
"Grandmother will be seventy years old in two months and wants me to go back to Yangzhou for her birthday!" After reading the letter, Shen Li said to Jiaoyue and Mingyue.
"Grandmother is going to have her birthday? This is a major event! Miss, are you going?" Jiaoyue asked happily, seeing the smile on Shen Li's face.
"Of course! How could I not go for Grandmother's birthday? Moreover, I haven't been to my maternal grandparents' home for many years! Over the years, Mother hasn't been able to fulfill her filial piety by Grandmother's side. Now as her daughter, I must go and show my filial piety to Grandmother on Mother's behalf!"
"That's great! I've never been to Yangzhou. This time I can finally go on a long trip and have a look!" Jiaoyue excitedly grabbed Mingyue's hand.
"I've never been to Yangzhou either. But I've heard that it rains a lot and there are many waters in Yangzhou. There are lakes everywhere. You can see fishermen rowing black-awning boats wherever you go. The scenery is very beautiful! Moreover, there have always been many beautiful women and gentlemen in Yangzhou. When you go there, you can see all kinds of beautiful and charming women everywhere! It's really a good place to live!"
"Really! Really! If that's the case, we must have a good look when we go to Yangzhou. What else is fun and interesting in Yangzhou? Mingyue, tell me more!"
Jiaoyue was naturally lively and active. She had been feeling bored staying at home all day. Now hearing Mingyue talk about Yangzhou, she got interested and pestered her to talk.
Shen Li unfolded the letter in her hand, read it twice, then walked back to the table, picked up her pen and wrote a reply.
This letter from the Hua Mansion in Yangzhou was written in the tone of Old Lady Hua, Shen Li's grandmother, inviting her to go to Yangzhou in two months for Old Lady Hua's birthday.
Shen Li's mother originally had little to do with the Hua Mansion. By chance, she saved Old Lady Hua once. Old Lady Hua thought Shen Li's mother looked very much like her early-deceased daughter, and they got along well. So she recognized Shen Li's mother as her adopted daughter.
Regarding this matter, Shen Li also heard that her mother was originally a female doctor in the rivers and lakes. She fell in love with her father and they wanted to get married. Later, her father wanted to elevate her mother's status, so he asked Old Lady Hua to recognize her as an adopted daughter.
Of course, it was also because Old Lady Hua really had a connection with Shen Li's mother that she agreed. After that, Shen Li's mother officially changed her surname to Hua and was named Hua Mingyan.