Chapter 150 Two more
"Princess Chao Ren," Wen Zan hastily withdrew his gaze and respectfully took a step back, realizing now that he had not expected the Fourth Prince to arrive in the same carriage as Princess Chao Ren, nor did he know just how familiar the Fourth Prince was with her.
"Cousin, be careful," Zheng Haoyuan, without sparing Wen Zan a glance, got out of the carriage first and quickly went around to assist Zheng Nianru.
Following behind were Nian Xia and Xing Yu, who were already accustomed to Zheng Haoyuan’s humble attitudes. Wen Zan was surprised internally, yet seeing Zheng Haoyuan’s face so openly affectionate, he felt his initial suspicions falter.
After Zheng Nianru alighted from the carriage, Wen Zan respectfully bowed once again. During this time, he had taken a clear look at the clothing worn by Princess Chao Ren, and he could find no words other than astonishment to describe them.
The intricacy was not expressed by the amount of embroidery, but rather the opposite; the light yellow clothing of Zheng Nianru was sparsely embroidered, so much so that it seemed almost nonexistent. But upon closer inspection, the patterns that one would take for woven were embroidered painstakingly, following the textures of the fabric, with veins and channels clear and distinct. Such embroidery was dozens of times more complex than ordinary needlework; how much skill must have been invested in this single garment?
"Fourth Prince, Princess Chao Ren, please come inside," Wen Zan dared not presume any greater familiarity and by now his eyes, like Zheng Haoyuan’s, were filled with admiration and excitement as he personally led the two into the courtyard.
Upon entering the courtyard, the sound of rushing water immediately reached their ears from a distance, and a cool breeze wafting through the vine-covered corridors tempered the heat waves outside.
"Young Master Wen has been thoughtful." Although Zheng Nianru had seen many ingenious designs, she sincerely praised this one. The cool wind brought by the water was indeed a clever touch.
Wen Zan barely contained his elation, leading the way with a smile. They then came to a house nestled between mountain fissures. The house was neither tall nor large, but beside the window a slender, meandering stream flowed down, its gurgling sound softly filling the interior. The room’s sparse furnishings consisted of dark, wide-backed chairs suitable for sitting or reclining, and at each corner stood a large glazed pot with yellow chrysanthemums and colorful butterflies, filled with ice that spread a faint coldness.