CHAPTER 375: CHAPTER 343: FIND A REASON THAT CAN CONVINCE THE LIVING BODHISATTVA (PART 1)

When Wen Wan returned to the room, Song Wei had already come back from the Lower Court. Seeing her, he asked about the situation with the second family.

Knowing her husband had been exhausted from his day at the government office, Wen Wan didn’t want to bother him. She just said a few casual words and didn’t go into details. Finally, she told Song Wei, "Husband, I’ve already discussed it with Mother-in-law. In a few days, I’ll take Second Sister-in-law and tidy up the old courtyard in the alley, then let their family move in."

"Was there a conflict?" Song Wei asked.

Wen Wan was silent for a moment, then nodded. It seemed her toughness in front of others turned into grievance with him, and her voice sounded muffled, "The house is just so big, with more people, there will always be various conflicts. I quit school to properly accompany Jinbao, to prevent him from growing up wrong, not to become a resentful woman in a deep courtyard."

Song Wei smiled slightly, "Then let them leave."

Hearing he said this without asking the reason, Wen Wan inadvertently recalled the time when Song Wei asked her—don’t you like me standing by your side?

When she thinks back now, there is an indescribable sweetness.

——

In the following days, no matter how Er Ya tried to flatter her, Wen Wan remained unmoved, her attitude neither cold nor warm.

Choosing a free time, she took the Second Sister-in-law to the courtyard in the alley for a stroll.

The second and third houses had been separated for many years, and Second Lang’s wife was not used to living with her in-laws. As there were many rules in the Song Mansion, given the option, she was very willing to live alone.

Therefore, when she saw the courtyard in the alley, Second Lang’s wife felt very satisfied.

With the wife satisfied, naturally, Song Erlang had no more objections. The couple consulted Granny Song for a suitable day to move and planned to relocate soon.

When Er Ya heard about it, she again begged Wen Wan, saying she wanted to stay and would do anything.

Wen Wan told her that the Song Mansion already had enough servants, no need to add more. She told her just to follow her parents and live there. In the future, if she wanted to see her grandparents, she could come and visit the elderly couple, which was the same.

Er Ya cried tearfully and then pleaded with Song Jiao.

Song Jiao replied coolly, "Begging me is useless. I’m going to move with my parents myself."

Last night, Song Jiao had already discussed with Wen Wan; since her parents were moving, if she stayed behind alone, Er Ya would create trouble. So she decided not to stay at the Song Mansion and move with them to the courtyard. This way, Er Ya would have no reason to complain.

Wen Wan was somewhat regretful that the girl who had been in her care for a year would leave, but such things can’t be forced. Moreover, the young girl was right; to shut Er Ya’s mouth, it must be done this way.

Wen Wan finally agreed and also asked Song Jiao to take the palace maid Yun Duo from Tingsong Pavilion and the nanny sent by the Xu Family along.

Finding out her sister was leaving, Er Ya was speechless. Despite her reluctance, she could only move with her parents.

In a few days, Song Erlang’s family left the Song Mansion and moved to the courtyard in the alley.

Wen Wan stayed for a meal with them, and before leaving, she left behind three hundred taels of silver.

Three hundred taels is no small sum, Second Lang’s wife was so moved she didn’t know what to say.

Wen Wan said, "Back in the old home, I had tasted Second Sister-in-law’s wontons and found the flavor quite unique. Has Second Sister-in-law ever thought about turning her skills into money?"

Under Second Lang’s wife’s shocked gaze, Wen Wan continued, "Not far from here, there is a street market. I helped you rent a shop front, already paid for a year’s rent. If Second Sister-in-law thinks my suggestion is workable, why not give it a try."

Second Lang’s wife’s eyes suddenly reddened, "Thank you, sister-in-law, I..."

Wen Wan raised her hand to stop her, "No need for extra words. If you truly appreciate me, educate your two daughters well. Both are, after all, the nieces who grew up by my side for over a year. I don’t want them to change their disposition just because they left the Song Mansion."

"Rest assured, from now on, I will educate them well."

...

Wen Wan left the courtyard in the alley, but did not return home immediately. She asked Uncle Lin to drive the carriage to the pawnshop where she had previously pawned jewelry and asked the shopkeeper, "You previously said that the items I brought were very likely from the palace. How confident are you in that statement?"

The shopkeeper stroked his beard and smiled, "Madam, although I’m old, I’m an expert in this field. I’ve seen countless treasures, and in our circle, people call me ’Great Courtier.’ In appraising treasures, I have never made a mistake. The items you brought are of the Imperial Household’s casting craftsmanship. Similar goods outside might have such appearance but nowhere near the quality of craftsmanship. If I truly wanted to deceive you, I would say it’s fake and worth little, instead of boasting about the treasure and raising the price so you can profit, isn’t that the logic?"

Imperial Household casting.

Wen Wan’s eyes became momentarily dazed.

"Madam?"

The sound of the Great Courtier’s voice reached her ears.

Wen Wan came back to her senses, smiled slightly, thanked and left in haste.

Returning home, Wen Wan closed the door, taking out her dressing case, which was filled with jewelry her mother left behind.

She placed them one by one on the dressing table, her movements careful and gentle. Her fingers lightly brushed over them, her fingertips slightly trembling, her emotions were intensely stirred.

"Mother, what is this?"

Beside her came Jinbao’s soft voice.

Wen Wan turned her head and saw the little fellow pointing at the items on the dressing table. She smiled and said, "These are from your grandmother."

The little fellow cocked his head, full of curiosity, "Who is grandmother?"

"She is mother’s mother."

The little fellow was puzzled, "Does mother also have a mother?"

Wen Wan cast her gaze towards those pieces of jewelry for a long time, then nodded, "Yes."

"Jinbao hasn’t met mother’s mother," the little fellow continued.

Wen Wan held her son in her arms, gently stroking the back of his head, not uttering a single word.

——

Imperial City, Yutang Palace.

Another year had passed, Eldest Prince Zhao Xi was fourteen.

Princess Consort Qi arranged for palace maids for his trial marriage to be sent over at the beginning of March.

Song Yuanbao accompanied Zhao Xi to practice swordplay at the martial arts field, returning drenched in sweat.

Upon entering, he saw a row of unfamiliar palace maids standing outside the main hall, counting exactly ten.

Song Yuanbao immediately reacted, turning his head with a smile to Zhao Xi, "Your Highness’s luck with beauties has arrived at your doorstep."

Zhao Xi glanced at him indifferently, quickly redirecting his gaze, stepped forward, and stopped in front of the maids.

A few maids caught sight of His Highness’s handsome and elegant face and shyly lowered their heads.

Zhao Xi’s gaze swept over them one by one, then he casually pointed to one, "You stay, the rest can leave for now."

The selected palace maid blushed deeply.

They had been warned about His Highness’s decisive temperament, so those not chosen were initially a bit disappointed, but soon returned to normal and retreated respectfully.

The maid who stayed was named Huidong, slightly older than Zhao Xi, already trained by the nanny before arriving, and familiar with intimate matters despite being untouched.

Once the unselected maids left, Zhao Xi said to her, "From today onwards, you will reside in the Right Wing Palace. Without my permission, you must not step into the main hall."

Huidong looked up at him in shock.

The young prince, always training, didn’t have pale skin, but his features were deep and strikingly handsome; his eyes seemed to hide stars in a winter night sky, brilliant yet cold.

Yet, even cold and indifferent, his visage could still make one’s heart flutter.

As if he hadn’t noticed the astonishment in her eyes, Zhao Xi didn’t linger, turning around to enter the main hall.

Eunuch Sanbao hurriedly followed to serve tea.

Mr. Mu came over respectfully to Huidong, "Please, this way."

Huidong regained her composure, flashed a grateful smile, and followed Mr. Mu to the Right Wing Palace.

"Young Master Song resides in the Left Wing Palace. If the young lady has no duties, please do not disturb him," Mr. Mu kindly reminded.

Huidong replied softly, acknowledging the advice.

Yet secretly she found it amusing, having heard that Young Master Song closely follows His Highness like a shadow all day; how could she possibly disturb him?

Song Yuanbao entered the main hall, and after Eunuch Sanbao served the tea, he looked at Zhao Xi with keen interest, "Are you just dismissing her like that?"

Zhao Xi just raised the tea cup to his lips, his voice calm within the faint tea mist, "Mother Concubine’s deadline is before I turn seventeen, she didn’t specify tonight."

"Shouldn’t you start adapting early? Like having her watch over you from tonight or something."

"You seem very concerned about my personal affairs?"

How could he not be concerned?

Song Yuanbao grumbled internally, with his sleeping posture, he truly feared he might accidentally push the young lady off the bed in the middle of the night.

Zhao Xi paused, recalling something, "Nearly forgot, you are fourteen this year too."

Song Yuanbao’s heart skipped, feeling a bad premonition.

Sure enough, the next moment Zhao Xi ordered Eunuch Sanbao, "Bring back those previous maids and let Young Master Song choose one."

"..."

Song Yuanbao cursed his own mouth for his words, desperately saying, "Your Highness, I don’t need this, our family doesn’t have this custom."

"Hmm." Zhao Xi said, "Then let’s break it from today."

Song Yuanbao: "...Really don’t need it."

Zhao Xi smiled at him, "No need to be polite, only when you successfully complete your trial marriage will I begin mine."

He also instructed Eunuch Sanbao, "Go relay what I just said to the Imperial Concubine, tell her not to hurry."

Song Yuanbao felt as if he had been struck by lightning, scorched both inside and out.

From his eyes glinting with schadenfreude, Eunuch Sanbao managed to squeeze out a look of sympathy for Young Master Yuanbao before quickly summoning back the former maids.

Zhao Xi sat upright in the main seat, eyes lowered as he addressed Song Yuanbao in a tone that brooked no argument, "Choose!"

Even in death, dragging someone down with him; apart from his father, Song Yuanbao had never seen someone so conniving.

Without even sparing a glance at the maids, he beseeched, "Can I not choose?"

Zhao Xi, unperturbed, lifted his eyelids, "You can."

Song Yuanbao rejoiced, "Your Highness is truly a living Bodhisattva who saves the distressed."

Zhao Xi: "Find a reason that could convince a living Bodhisattva."

"..." Song Yuanbao.