Chapter 246: Is Xiao Fu Bao Disliked? The Whole City Loves Me With Their Lives
Chapter 246: Fiefdom
Qi Wangfei was listening to Aunt Qiu report on the congratulatory gifts sent from various residences, such as the Ying and Song aristocratic families. The addition of a little princess to the Qi royal family had been formally announced through an imperial decree.
Although the mansion had not yet hosted a banquet or publicly announced the news, all the noble families in the capital were aware of it. Consequently, families close to the Qi residence or connected through marriage sent gifts to convey their good wishes and respect. Some did so with hopes of currying favor.
The Ying family sent gifts partly out of gratitude for past lifesaving assistance, as well as because Ying Zhi truly liked Suisui. As soon as the news came out, they promptly arranged a gift, which was delivered today.
The Song family, who had already sent a wave of gifts previously, sent additional items today. They had heard that Suisui was unwell, so most of their offerings were medicinal herbs and health supplements.
The Ren and Meng families also sent gifts out of courtesy, as did the Marquis’s residence. The Marquis’s wife, who is Qi Wangfei’s aunt, had already heard about Suisui and had previously sent word, stating that Suisui must be brought to the Marquis’s residence for a formal introduction at Morning’s birthday banquet.
Upon entering, Prince Qi inquired about Suisui, which pleased Qi Wangfei. She gestured toward an adjacent room, saying, “The child is napping; she’ll probably wake up in a while.” Young children sleep a lot and grow quickly. Suisui, being frail, needed a good environment to rest peacefully, and she could usually sleep for about an hour.
Hearing she was asleep, Prince Qi nodded and casually asked which families had sent gifts. After listening, he nodded again.
Qi Wangfei, also satisfied with the list, gestured for Aunt Qiu to put away the ledger, mentioning that some items would later be given to Suisui. Aunt Qiu acknowledged quietly and stepped aside.
Reflecting on the Guo family, Qi Wangfei asked Prince Qi, “Should someone go inform the Guo family as well?”
Prince Qi felt it wasn’t necessary to make such a fuss. However, as such matters were typically handled by Qi Wangfei, he nodded, “Arrange it as you see fit.”
Qi Wangfei nodded and moved on to other matters. After the trivialities, she thought of the recent scuffle involving the prince at court. To divert his attention, she had brought up the Guo family’s concerns.
Remembering this, Qi Wangfei chuckled. “By the way, what reward did His Majesty bestow upon Suisui in relation to the coal matter?”
At the mention, Prince Qi perked up, seemingly forgetting the wound on his head, barely restraining himself from gesturing animatedly. Conscious of Aunt Qiu and the others nearby, he cleared his throat, hiding his excitement, and lowered his voice, “The emperor awarded Suisui a fiefdom, Xiangshui County under Qingzhou Prefecture. I thought the area was fairly prosperous, so I reluctantly agreed.”
Qi Wangfei gasped. Only princesses usually received fiefdoms—never a county princess!
Moreover, some less favored, low-profile princesses don’t even receive fiefs. While it isn’t unprecedented for a county princess to receive one, it’s still a gift that brings joy to the heart, demonstrating the emperor’s esteem for Suisui—or, perhaps more precisely, his affection for Prince Qi, his younger brother. With her own fief, Suisui gains a stronger foundation of support.
Qi Wangfei, thrilled, couldn’t help but smile. “A fief is wonderful. Suisui has endured so much hardship before; her life will only get better from now on.”
Prince Qi was naturally convinced of this, exclaiming, “Of course, of course! Our dear girl will live more comfortably than any princess.”
While Prince Qi dared to make such a bold statement, Qi Wangfei only responded with a helpless smile. She turned to ask Aunt Qiu about the location of Xiangshui County in Qingzhou Prefecture, its population, and approximate annual tax revenue. This was, after all, Suisui’s future estate—she needed to have a clear understanding to prevent anyone from misleading them!
Aunt Qiu hadn’t handled such matters before, so she was unsure of the specifics. But ever resourceful, she promised to inquire thoroughly and provide Qi Wangfei with precise figures to put her mind at ease.
Prince Qi, standing nearby, added, “Rest assured, I’ll request detailed tax records for the past two years from the Ministry of Revenue. Our dear Suisui won’t be shortchanged!”
With his promise, Qi Wangfei felt reassured. Suisui now had a name, a status, and a fiefdom. Gradually, Qi Wangfei’s heart settled with peace. She thought that perhaps the master’s interpretation at Lanruo Temple was indeed correct. It was best to let things unfold naturally without excessive worry. Everything was heaven’s perfect arrangement.
But now, she wondered if she should return to Lanruo Temple to fulfill her vow. When she voiced her concern, Prince Qi, overhearing, caught only one phrase: “a spring outing with our dear girl!” That was reason enough for him to nod enthusiastically. “Yes, we must go!”
Qi Wangfei thought it might be good for him to change his surroundings and mood, especially as he needed to recover. If they planned to visit Lanruo Temple with Prince Qi and Suisui, preparations were necessary. They would likely stay a few days and return before the end of the month, as they were expected to attend a banquet at the Lu residence at the beginning of the next month.
When Suisui woke up in the afternoon, she was immediately scooped up by Prince Qi, who also brought along Liu Hemeng and Shen Huatang. The three little girls, still bewildered, found themselves led to the spacious reception hall.
There, Prince Qi had already arranged kite-making materials—though they were still unassembled. Since they were going on a spring outing, what better activity than kite-flying in the warm breeze? And making the kites themselves added an extra layer of fun.
While Suisui was still half-asleep, Prince Qi had already set up everything they needed. As soon as she awoke, he whisked her over.
Qi Wangfei, meanwhile, busied herself with preparations for the Lanruo Temple trip. They planned to stay a few days and aimed to return by the end of the month, as the Lu family’s banquet was scheduled for early next month. There was much to arrange.
Prince Qi, seizing a moment of free time, scooped Suisui up and announced, “Suisui, Father is taking you to make kites so we can fly them at Lanruo Temple tomorrow.”
Turning to Liu Hemeng and Shen Huatang, he added, “Mengmeng and Tangtang, you’ll come too—let’s all have fun together!”
As for the boys of the residence? They weren’t invited!
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