Let's Make the Most of Today, Too

Story Blurb:

The Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince devoted his life to his country and its people, but died young, leaving behind an only daughter named Jiang Yao.

To show their boundless imperial favor, the new emperor and the empress dowager agreed to bring her into the palace and raise her, then find her a good match when she came of age. That would be a fitting way to repay their former mentor's kindness.

But as the girl grew older, blooming into a graceful beauty with a bright, guileless nature that they themselves had nurtured, the empress dowager and emperor grew more and more worried whenever they thought about her marriage. They feared that one moment of carelessness might tarnish the treasured jewel they'd cherished for over a decade.

They even considered finding her a husband who would marry into her family.

For this reason, on the first day of the lunar month, the emperor went to the empress's chambers to discuss it with her. But the account book in her hands distracted him, and when he opened it, his vision went black.

On the left-hand side, it read:

Third month, thirteenth day: Prince Xiaoyao competed in archery and horseback riding against Young Master Li, son of the Minister of Revenue, at the racecourse. They argued midway through, and Young Master Li unfortunately fell from his horse. A doctor diagnosed a broken leg. Medical expenses: over five hundred taels.

Fourth month, twentieth day: Prince Xiaoyao won a luminous pearl at the Treasure Pavilion auction. Cost: three thousand taels.

On the right-hand side, it read:

Third month, thirteenth day: Jiang Yao ran into Young Master Li, son of the Minister of Revenue, at the racecourse. They argued, and afterward Young Master Li was unfortunately injured. The imperial physician treated him for an injury to his lower body. He may never be able to perform as a man.

Fourth month, twentieth day: Jiang Yao took part in the auction at the Treasure Pavilion. She failed to win the luminous pearl she loved, so she settled for the next best thing, spending nine hundred and ninety-nine taels on a pair of matching mandarin duck pendants.

As if struck by a thought, their eyes fell to each other's waists. There, tied around each of them, was a smooth, white jade pendant. Its design featured a pair of mandarin ducks, symbolizing a loving marriage.

Jiang Yao had given them the pendants just three days earlier.

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Prince Xiaoyao Xie Yi was the youngest brother of the current emperor. With his father and mother, his birth mother, elder brothers and sisters-in-law, and elder sisters all doting on him, he could have anything he wanted.

Unfortunately, at some point, all these people had grown stingy with him. Whenever he asked them for money, they gave him complicated looks.

After making some inquiries, Xie Yi learned that his elder brother had been raising a precious, beautiful girl in the palace, showering her with money day after day.

What a delight. It seemed someone else understood the art of spending money just as well as he did.

Xie Yi marveled to himself, never imagining that before long, an imperial decree of marriage would bind the two of them together.

When the marriage was decreed, almost everyone around him told him that Miss Jiang was the current emperor's favorite. He had to treat her well and stop acting like a wastrel.

Xie Yi found this amusing. But when he looked closely, he realized she was the very person who had joined him in playing a prank on Young Master Li that day.

How interesting.

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The biggest news in the capital lately was surely Prince Xiaoyao's wedding. He was marrying Jiang Yao, the only daughter of the late Grand Tutor.

Who in the capital didn't know Prince Xiaoyao Xie Yi, a loafer who spent his days chasing women and stirring up trouble?

And everyone knew the Grand Tutor's only daughter, Jiang Yao, was courteous and well-mannered.

When the news broke, the officials throughout the capital privately lamented that Miss Jiang would likely be bullied with those two paired together.

Fortunately, their married life turned out to be fairly harmonious.

Late at night, the young emperor and empress looked at each other over the money flowing away like water. Their faces softened into relieved smiles, and they silently repeated in unison:

Spending money averts disaster. Spending money averts disaster.

An easygoing prince x a girl who's very good at pretending to be well-behaved

Lighthearted, slice-of-life, marriage first, love later

One-on-one romance, both leads are each other's only one, fictional ancient setting, little political intrigue

Thesis: Face life with a positive attitude