Prince Ning and the Princess both wore half-worn house clothes, whereas Zhu Sujin's garments were new and made of fine material.
She had always thought this was Prince Ning maintaining appearances, showcasing their austere servitude. It wasn't until she heard Father Jiang's words that she realized they truly had no money.
Prince Ning had no influential maternal family or in-laws, was initially overlooked, and then spent years under house arrest. After his release, given the Emperor's attitude towards him, it was unlikely that he would receive much in the way of gifts. Even though Prince Ning's men had opened some shops and bought some land, it was still a case of more going out than coming in. Most of their money was spent on fostering power in secret.
