PNB Chapter 564: If you can't speak well, then don't speak at all.
Chapter 564: If you can't speak well, then don't speak at all.
He yelled at the top of his lungs, like a loudspeaker announcing good news, as he ran towards Zhou Wenjian, Murong Changqing, and the others, shouting as he ran, "Changqing! Quickly help me check if the bracelet Renyi gave to Princess Wan'er is very valuable!"
His voice echoed in the hall, startling everyone who turned to look.
Li Renyi's face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe tomato. His eyes widened like saucers, and his mouth gaped open in disbelief.
He had an urge to find a block of tofu and smash his head against it; he felt extremely embarrassed at that moment, like he was about to die in a socially awkward situation.
You should know that he secretly took this bracelet from his mother's jewelry box. Although his mother was the wife of the Marquis of Jing'an, she always adhered to the principle of thrift and frugality, and most of the jewelry she bought was very cheap.
Remembering how the jewelry he stole when he ran away from home last time was only worth a few dozen taels of silver when he pawned it, he felt extremely annoyed and secretly prayed that this bracelet would be worth something so he could save face.
At this moment, Fang Xiaoxiao also heard Long Jinyan's loud voice, and her curiosity was immediately piqued. She grabbed Hongxiu and, like a cheerful little bird, hopped and skipped closer to Ouyang Tuoba and the others.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she urged Murong Changqing, "Changqing, hurry up and appraise this bracelet! How much is it really worth? Don't keep us in suspense!"
Murong Changqing, a seasoned collector of antiques and collectibles, appeared remarkably calm at this moment.
He took the bracelet with both hands, squinted slightly, and examined it closely in his hands. Sometimes he would hold it up to his eyes to observe it carefully, sometimes he would gently turn it, and occasionally he would tap it with his fingers to listen to the sound.
His face was full of expressions, sometimes clicking his tongue in amazement as if he had discovered some treasure, and sometimes sighing slightly as if he had seen something regrettable.
In short, he deliberately kept everyone in suspense, refusing to reveal the exact value of the bracelet.
Just as everyone was getting anxious because of Murong Changqing, Zhao Wuji calmly took out a gold hairpin from his pocket.
The gold hairpin was exquisitely designed, inlaid with several sparkling gemstones that shone brightly in the sunlight.
He handed the gold hairpin to Li Wan'er and said seriously, "Princess, as a general, although my salary is quite generous, I cannot spend money recklessly."
I bought this gold hairpin from Xuanbaoge for 1,500 taels of silver. I hope the princess will like it.
His voice was calm and firm, and his eyes revealed sincerity and expectation.
Li Wan'er looked at the jade bracelet and gold hairpin in front of her, a look of surprise on her face. A hint of panic flashed in her eyes, and she didn't know what to do.
Meanwhile, some people around them stared wide-eyed in shock, while others whispered amongst themselves, making the hall lively with a variety of sounds and expressions.
Seeing the surprised expressions on everyone's faces, especially Li Wan'er's slightly widened eyes, Zhao Wuji felt a surge of pride.
He usually disliked people who flaunted their status with money, finding it utterly vulgar. But now, seeing everyone awestruck by the value of the gold hairpin, he couldn't help but feel secretly pleased. The feeling of being recognized and envied made him feel sweet inside.
When Zhou Wenjian and Ouyang Tuoba heard that Zhao Wuji was willing to spend more than a thousand taels of silver to please Li Wan'er, their eyes lit up instantly, and they both looked on with envy.
Ouyang Tuoba didn't hold back at all, giving a thumbs up and saying loudly, "Zhao Wuji truly deserves to be called a great general. He is usually very low-key in his dealings with others, but I never expected him to be so generous for the person he likes, willing to spend a fortune. He is truly a role model for us all! We are ashamed of ourselves!"
His voice was full of admiration, and his eyes gleamed with envy.
Fang Xiaoxiao already had a good impression of Zhao Wuji, after all, Zhao Wuji had behaved politely and respectfully during the previous marriage proposal incident, unlike Li Renyi who was unreasonable.
Hearing Ouyang Tuoba's praise, she felt even more strongly that Zhao Wuji was truly a gentleman.
She nodded slightly, a smile of appreciation on her face, thinking to herself, "This Zhao Wuji is indeed quite good, much better than Li Renyi."
As Li Renyi watched everyone praising Zhao Wuji while he was left out in the cold, a wave of sadness welled up inside him.
Looking at the exquisite gold hairpin in Zhao Wuji's hand, and then thinking of the bracelet he had stolen from his mother's jewelry box, he knew that he was no match for Zhao Wuji in terms of either wealth or ability.
His head was slightly lowered, and his eyes revealed a hint of disappointment and inferiority.
Seeing Li Renyi's dejected appearance, Long Jinyan felt a little sorry for him, so he went up to him, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Renyi, don't be so down."
"What's so great about him? Although Zhao Wuji is the top general of the Great Yu Dynasty, with immense wealth and astonishing personal strength, commanding respect in court and unparalleled bravery in battle, that doesn't mean anything."
Hearing Long Jinyan's words, Li Renyi raised his head slightly, a hint of gratitude flashing in his eyes. He was about to thank Long Jinyan for his comfort when he heard Long Jinyan continue, "Think about it, Renyi, even if you work hard for another hundred years, you probably still can't compare to him."
He was a great general who made great contributions to the country.
However, no matter what, you are still a spoiled scion of a wealthy family who is proficient in all aspects of eating, drinking, and having fun. At least in terms of birth, you are much better off than many others.
Look at those ordinary people, they can't even get enough to eat. How can they have the good life you have?
Upon hearing Long Jinyan's words, the gratitude on Li Renyi's face vanished instantly, replaced by helplessness and frustration.
He rolled his eyes and said irritably, "If you don't know how to comfort people, then don't try. How can you talk like that?"
Fang Xiaoxiao watched this scene unfold and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
She laughed so hard she almost fell over, tears welling up in her eyes, and she kept saying in fits and starts, "Long Jinyan, you...you're so funny, hahaha..."
Just then, Murong Changqing, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.
Holding the jade bracelet, he revealed a mysterious smile and slowly said, "Everyone, please stop arguing. I have carefully examined it. This bracelet is worth three thousand taels of silver. It can be said to be a rare and exquisite jade bracelet in this day and age."
As soon as he spoke, everyone fell silent, turning their gazes to the bracelet with surprise and curiosity.