CHAPTER 148: CHAPTER 144: IMPRESSIVE BACKGROUND (PART 2)

"I didn’t mean it that way..." Realizing that he misspoke in haste, Xu Shu tried to soften his tone, "I just wanted to say, you look quite pretty dressed up like this."

After all, being siblings with Song Wei, who has such a handsome and elegant face, naturally Song wouldn’t be lacking.

It’s just that he never realized she could be this pretty before.

"Do you think I don’t know I’m good-looking? Do you need to make sarcastic remarks to mock me?"

Xu Shu took a deep breath, suppressing his irritability, and complained in Song Wei’s ear, "Are they really from the same mother? The difference is too big!"

Song Wei looked at him faintly and offered a sentence, "Today is your doing."

Xu Shu touched his nose, feeling a bit awkward.

"What are you here for?" Song Wei asked again.

Xu Shu replied, "Just wanted to ask where you all are going to have fun today. Who would’ve thought I’d get pinched right off the bat? Looks like I should just head home and sleep instead of getting involved. If I follow you guys around, I won’t get any peace the whole way."

Talking one way or another, in any case, Song seems to have the upper hand.

Better avoid conflict, right?

Especially since he didn’t sleep a wink last night, he’s too tired to go out.

"Take care!"

Even while still in the courtyard, Song Fang issued the eviction order.

Xu Shu is someone who forgets minor grievances, he argues with someone, only to forget about it later.

Once out of the courtyard, he resumed his cheerful demeanor, smiling at everyone he meets.

Song Wei didn’t say anything to Song Fang; those two’s affairs were truly beyond his control.

Once the rented carriage arrived, the three lifted the curtain and got in, heading towards the nearest temple fair.

——

The temple fair was indeed lively; entering past the gate, rows of bare branches were adorned with red little embroidered balls, resembling a blooming tree of red plum blossoms from a distance.

As they walked further inside, people were setting up stalls selling trinkets. Wen Wan glanced over, they were sachets embroidered with the character for fortune, colorfully arranged, and well-stitched, looking very delicate.

Song Fang saw them too, took a liking to them, and bought two, one for Wen Wan and one for herself.

Song Wei took the sachet, looked at it, and pulled his wife aside to a less crowded spot, bending down personally to help her hang it.

A little way ahead, someone was burning incense, and ash drifted over, landing on Song Wei’s shoulder.

Wen Wan took advantage of his lowered head to reach for it, her fingers hadn’t yet touched him, but the premonition came.

She quickly nudged Song Wei, her face a few shades paler than before.

Song Wei asked her, "What’s wrong?"

Wen Wan scanned around, where is the little sister-in-law?

It seems she really was taken away by the person in her premonition.

Song Wei also sensed something was amiss and checked where they had bought the sachet earlier, but Song Fang was nowhere to be seen.

"Wanwan, did you see where she went?"

Wen Wan wrote in his palm: Attic.

The little sister-in-law had been taken to a very tall attic, but as for where it was, they weren’t sure yet.

Seeing her anxious, Song Wei instead calmed down, "Don’t worry, they can’t have gone far in such a short time; the attic must be nearby."

After saying this, Song Wei, afraid of losing her in the crowd, held her hand while walking and searching, eventually finding that attic by the lakeside, built against the water, surrounded by tall trees, making it hard to see from a distance.

Outside the attic, several guards with swords hung from their waists stood solemnly, indicating that the person in the attic holds an extraordinary status.

Song Wei couldn’t proceed further, his brow furrowed slightly. The little sister was new to the Capital, unfamiliar with the place and people, how could she have been snatched away so soon after arriving?

Wen Wan grasped Song Wei’s fingers nervously, the premonition seemed to be related to the ornaments on the sister-in-law’s head, although she also wore them, why wasn’t she affected, only the sister-in-law was?

——

At that moment, sitting by the window in the attic was Emperor Guangxi.

Taking advantage of the New Year’s first day, he ventured out incognito to the temple fair to relax, unexpectedly encountering Song Wei and his young lady, as well as the girl claiming to be Song Wei’s sister in front of him.

His attention was immediately caught by the hairpins on Song Fang’s head; he initially intended to greet them, but reconsidered, fearing Song Wei might suspect his identity due to the number of guards present, he discreetly had Song Fang brought over while Song Wei and Wen Wan weren’t paying attention to ask about it.

"Little girl, don’t be afraid, I mean you no harm; I just want to ask about the jade hairpin you’re wearing, where did you buy it?"

Facing an imposing figure radiating authority like the Emperor for the first time, Song Fang’s legs went weak, her mind blank, barely hearing the question as she was overwhelmed with nerves.

"Little girl?" Emperor Guangxi asked again.

Song Fang snapped back to reality, swallowed nervously, and said, "It’s a family heirloom."

Emperor Guangxi chuckled, "It’s not good for one so young to learn to lie, just tell the truth, I won’t trouble you, I merely find it appealing and intend to pay to buy it from you."

Song Fang clutched her hands tightly, murmuring, "It’s...my sister-in-law’s dowry; she lent it to me."

"Your sister-in-law? Isn’t she Song Wei’s wife?"

Song Fang asked in surprise, "You know my third brother?"

Emperor Guangxi’s expression relaxed, "We’re acquainted."

Upon hearing this, Song Fang’s tension eased slightly.

Emperor Guangxi continued, "Since it’s a dowry, I must refrain from discussing payment to buy it; you can go back now, but remember, when your third brother asks, don’t mention I’m acquainted with him, just say I’m looking for my long-lost daughter and thought you resemble her, so I brought you over to inquire, understand?"

Not really understanding.

Song Fang asked, "Why?"

If he’s familiar with her third brother, why hide his identity before him?

Emperor Guangxi replied, "Because your third brother is too much of a mocker, he embarrassed me back in Ningzhou, and I don’t want to see him, nor do I want him to see me."

Song Fang nodded vaguely, "Alright, I won’t say anything."

After Song Fang descended the attic, Emperor Guangxi stood up, looked out the window, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

The Song family’s young lady, quite a background indeed!