My sister became the empress, but I'm still growing vegetables and raising chickens

Chapter 299 Choosing a gift

"Ningning!" Princess Roushu called out to Xie Erlang, "This is Princess Zhao Ning from the Princess's residence."

Xie Erlang, with a gentle expression, smiled and said, "So you are the county princess. I've always heard A-Yun mention that you sisters grew up together and are very close."

Princess Rou Shu then introduced Gui Yuan, and Xie Erlang greeted her with gentle courtesy.

"Ningning, stop fooling around. Come here, let's go inside."

Even though her sister had scolded her, Zhao Ning wasn't upset. Like a victorious fighting rooster, she stood tall and proud, head held high, calling Xie Erlang "brother-in-law" repeatedly.

Xie Erlang knew that she was deliberately shouting this so that Feng Zizhou could hear, but he could only shake his head helplessly.

Zhao Ning said, "My brother-in-law is so good, he's good to my sister too. He's very polite, and I've heard he's incredibly talented, not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can compare."

"No, no, Your Highness is too kind."

Feng Zizhou, who was behind him, touched his nose and hung his head, showing no intention of arguing, and started to walk in.

Zhao Ning stopped him, angrily asking, "What do you want to do?"

Feng Zizhou was taken aback: "I... came to pick out a birthday gift for Xiaoxia..."

Zhao Ning glared at him: "Didn't you hear what my brother-in-law said? He told you to stay far away from Sister A-Yun from now on?"

Xie Erlang sighed and rubbed his forehead, saying, "Princess, that's not what I meant..."

"That's exactly what you mean, and that's exactly how it should be!"

Feng Zizhou opened his mouth and said weakly, "But there are new arrivals here today. I... I sneaked out during my shift. If I don't pick them today, I won't have time to pick them out."

"That's your business, what does it have to do with us?" Zhao Ning didn't care what he thought.

Princess Rou Shu and Xie Erlang exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.

"Ningning." Princess Roushu pulled Zhao Ning back. "The shop is open for business, anyone can go in. If you mind, let's not go in yet, let Fourth Young Master Feng go in."

Xie Erlang then cupped his hands to Feng Zizhou and said, "I apologize, my sister-in-law was a bit impulsive. Please forgive her, Fourth Young Master."

Zhao Ning protested again: "No way! He already said that Jin Yutang is having a new product launch today. I need to pick out a gift for my niece. Why should I give it to him?"

Finally, having no other choice, Xie Erlang gestured to Feng Zizhou, and the four of them went inside together.

Upon reaching the second floor, the shopkeeper ordered his men to bring over all the newly arrived jewelry and present it to the distinguished guests one by one.

But when Feng Zizhou took a liking to something, Zhao Ning immediately declared that she liked it too, leaving Feng Zizhou speechless and awkwardly asking them to choose first.

Princess Roushu glanced around casually and spoke to Xie Erlang, "Husband, are you done with your work?"

"Yes, I have met with the Master and the others. They are all busy, and I did not want to disturb them."

Xie Erlang was not a native of Kyoto, but the Xie family was a prominent family in Yuncheng. In addition to the Xie family's nephews and nieces, many students from their hometown also worked hard to enroll in Kyoto Academy.

This time, Xie Erlang accompanied his wife on her homecoming trip, and also came to visit his former teacher and the students from his hometown.

Xie Erlang was gentle and polite, and would not deliberately target Feng Zizhou. In fact, fearing that Feng Zizhou would feel embarrassed, he took the initiative to strike up a conversation with him.

"I heard that Fourth Young Master is working at the Dali Temple? Isn't he busy lately?"

“The ministry is quite busy.” Feng Zizhou was an extroverted person. When Xie Erlang took the initiative to talk to him, he felt close to him and was willing to talk to him more. “Prince Ning is investigating a case. I wanted to go with him to investigate, but he wouldn’t allow it. He only let me be in charge of filing case files in the ministry.”

His brow was furrowed.

“This case is not easy to investigate. His Majesty only gave us seven days, and four days have already passed. Prince Ning has not made a single clue, and he even refuses to let me go and help!”

Xie Erlang smiled and said, "His Highness Prince Ning has his reasons. If, as Fourth Young Master says, there is absolutely no clue, I'm afraid even if Fourth Young Master goes there, he won't be of much help."

Zhao Ning chimed in from the side, "Hmph, Feng Zizhou, all you can do is talk, you can't do anything. Is Prince Ning crazy to send you to make things worse?"

“You… Zhao Ning, shut up!” Feng Zizhou bared his teeth at her.

Zhao Ning curled her lip: "Who doesn't know you? Tsk tsk tsk, even when I asked you to organize the files, you had to sneak out."

Feng Zizhou ignored her and simply got up, walked to Gui Yuan and bowed: "Miss Gui, I don't know how to choose things for girls. I wonder if you could help me pick one out. My little niece is almost two years old. She looks just like her mother and is very beautiful."

Zhao Ning shouted, "Yuanyuan, ignore her!"

It was only because Princess Roushu held Zhao Ning back, preventing her from acting recklessly, that she didn't rush over to continue arguing with Feng Zizhou.

Gui Yuan immediately stood up to return the greeting, politely nodded in agreement, and had someone bring over the jewelry, choosing three pieces that she felt were quite good.

"A necklace made of mutton fat jade, with its warm and snow-white color, would be the perfect gift for a child."

"The gold lock is intricately carved and has patterns that symbolize peace."

"This set of red coral hairpins is of good quality. Although coral is not as precious as gold and jade, this set is very nice. In a few months, it will be the New Year, and wearing red headdresses will bring good fortune."

Gui Yuan has good taste, Princess Rou Shu watched from the side and nodded.

Zhao Ning immediately said, "Sister A-Yun, which one do you think is the best? I'll buy it and give it to my niece."

Princess Roushu pulled her to sit down: "You shouldn't get involved. Miss Si is already two years old, and these things are just right for a child that age. Your niece isn't even born yet, so if we buy something that big, she won't need it."

“But…” Zhao Ning wanted to argue, but after thinking about it, she felt that it made sense. It wouldn’t be fashionable anymore in two years, so she turned around and glared at Feng Zizhou, and stopped arguing.

Gui Yuan smiled and said, "Fourth Young Master Feng, these three are what I think are good. If you think they are acceptable, you can choose one of them."

Feng Zizhou called over the shopkeeper: "I'll take all three of these."

Gui Yuan was taken aback: "You want them all? In that case, isn't this birthday gift a bit too extravagant?"

After all, the Feng and Si families had a strained relationship and no contact with each other, so it was indeed somewhat inappropriate for Feng Zizhou to send such a generous gift.

"So what? I took care of Xia'er for seven months, holding her and coaxing her to sleep every day, feeding her." Feng Zizhou said proudly, "I even secretly taught her to call me Daddy, hehe."

Zhao Ning rolled her eyes: "Miss Si didn't beat you up?"

Feng Zizhou scratched his head: "My second cousin didn't, but my third cousin disagreed, saying that if I did that, I would ruin her sister's reputation."

Zhao Ning said, "That's right. Miss Si lost her husband and it's not easy for her to raise the child alone. And you're still so reckless. Luckily, the common people aren't like the capital, otherwise everyone would be spitting at Miss Si."

After choosing his gifts, Feng Zizhou, having nothing else to do, sat down next to Xie Erlang and started talking to him.

"Have you heard about the case that Prince Ning handled? Do you think it was the Third Prince's fault, or did Si Jing'an frame him?"

Xie Erlang glanced at him, but unlike the others who dared not speak out and pretended not to know, he did not.