Springtime Farming: A Happy Wife At Home

Chapter 1374: Must Compete Again

Editor: Henyee Translations

Qiao Xuan was taken aback when she laid eyes on the gifts.

The ten pieces of jade, porcelain, and gold-plated purple copperware were all exquisite, clearly treasures of tribute grade. The intricate designs, fine craftsmanship, and intricate details garnered admiration from the depths of her heart.

This left Qiao Xuan feeling inexplicably guilty. It seemed that gifting the Crown Prince a mere 30,000 taels of silver might have seemed rather paltry…

This was an extraordinary windfall!

Even if she wasn’t an expert in valuing such items, it was evident that the combined value of these ten items far exceeded 30,000 taels!

When Shao Yunduan returned, Qiao Xuan couldn’t contain her surprise and promptly showed him the gifts. “Husband, these are the New Year’s gifts sent by the Princess Consort. Don’t you think they are too extravagant? Shouldn’t we give the Crown Prince more money?”

Shao Yunduan burst into laughter. “Well, since the East Palace has been so generous, we can keep it. We will provide the Crown Prince with additional funds before our departure in the spring. I have a plan in mind.”

The Crown Prince wouldn’t be lacking in resources. Shao Yunduan had spent a considerable amount of time by his side, gaining insights into his financial management. While he might not be completely accurate, he wouldn’t be too far off the mark.

He couldn’t afford to give the Crown Prince an excessive amount of money; he had to exercise caution.

Qiao Xuan smiled, feeling reassured.

In the blink of an eye, the minor New Year had come and gone. The capital had become even livelier, with an intensified festive atmosphere.

During this period, the government offices were essentially operating at half-capacity. There was little pressing work to attend to, and unless it was an urgent matter, no one was in a hurry to address it. Official duties were temporarily put on hold, resuming their normal pace only after the New Year and the Lantern Festival.

Families were preoccupied with attending social events and gatherings.

Qiao Xuan adapted, but Shao Yunduan had to participate in banquets or small gatherings nearly every day.

What left people utterly speechless was that Qingdi’s prince had been engaged in drinking contests with Shao Yunduan ever since Shao Yunduan and Qiao Xuan returned from their journey south.

Prince of Qingdi possessed a decent alcohol tolerance, and he was considered an intermediate-level drinker.

Remarkably, his competitive spirit burned as fiercely as ever. The more he lost, the more determined he became. It seemed that as long as he could outdo the Great Qin people in any aspect, he would find contentment and fulfillment.

They had no choice but to compete in one area where they could still hold their ground: drinking.

Furthermore, because Shao Yunduan managed the dishes excellently, he had to rise to the occasion wherever he fell. Prince of Qingdi admired Shao Yunduan but was also eager to best him, particularly in matters of drinking.

Shao Yunduan couldn’t decline Prince of Qingdi’s challenges, so he continued to accept one glass after another. Nevertheless, he kept a watchful eye on his own limits, ensuring he didn’t become too intoxicated. If he felt he was approaching that threshold, he would decline further drinks.

However, what he didn’t anticipate was that Prince of Qingdi would be the first to succumb.

The prince became so inebriated that his speech became slurred, and his eyes lost focus. He could hardly articulate coherent sentences. As his own attendants escorted him away, Shao Yunduan still sat gracefully with clear eyes, appearing only slightly tipsy.

Consequently, the banquet that day ended with the young prince completely inebriated and unconscious in the province.

Initially, this didn’t raise much concern. However, it soon came to light that the wine Prince of Qingdi and Shao Yunduan had consumed that night was different from the rest.