CHAPTER 314: CHAPTER 283: A NOBLE LADY COMES TO OUR HOME (THIRD UPDATE)

Song Wei received the royal decree to escort Princess Consort Duan to the Rehe Palace.

The Capital is approximately five hundred miles from the Rehe Palace, and given Princess Consort Duan’s constitution of ’not fit for travel,’ the journey would take several days with stops.

The night before departure, Wen Wan carefully packed Song Wei’s luggage.

It was already the twelfth lunar month, and the weather was fiercely cold. Besides thickened inner clothes, outer pants, and boots, Wen Wan also packed two pairs of kneepads she had made by hand recently.

Estimating that she was almost done packing, Wen Wan tied up the bundle, turned to see her husband sitting under the lamp in a daze, and softly coughed before asking, "Husband, what are you thinking about?"

In her memory, Song Wei rarely dazed in front of her.

Song Wei snapped back to reality, his gaze towards her filled with hesitation.

Wen Wan walked over, sat beside him, and softened her tone, "Is Princess Consort Duan’s illness particularly serious? By escorting her, won’t you risk infection?"

In the Hongwen Academy, there were no shortage of gossipy female students, and Wen Wan heard that Princess Consort Duan’s illness was so severe she was ordered to be isolated five hundred miles away at the Rehe Palace.

Wen Wan immediately realized her husband took on another grueling task, much like the last coal mine case where too many people did not want to offend the Su Family, thus it fell onto Song Wei, the Hanlin Official from Ningzhou.

This time was no exception; Princess Consort Duan contracted a virulent disease, and with fears of contagion, it was passed around until it landed on her husband.

The more Wen Wan thought about it, the more wrong it felt, and she grew anxious, "Husband, should I take an early leave tomorrow and disguise myself again like last time to go with you?"

Princess Consort Duan’s illness was rumored to be so bad, who knows if it would truly infect Song Wei.

Wen Wan did not want to send off her vibrant husband, only to welcome back a sickly man later.

Song Wei didn’t agree, "You stay home and wait for me."

"Then what about you?" Wen Wan was still worried, "It’s almost New Year, I don’t want anything to happen to you at this critical time."

"Nothing will happen." Song Wei’s gaze was filled with warmth, paused for a long time, then said, "Only that when I return, we might have a long-term esteemed guest to stay."

——

Wen Wan pondered all night but couldn’t make out Song Wei’s last remark. Seeing him asleep, she chose not to ask again. Early next morning, she personally sent him off and returned to discuss with her mother-in-law, mentioning what the Third Son said about having an esteemed guest coming to the house and needing to refurbish the wing room, changing everything inside to new.

Granny Song gasped, "How much would that cost?"

Wen Wan laughed and shook her head, "I don’t know, but since the Third Son instructed this, he surely has his reasoning, we can’t be vague, or we might mess up his important matters later."

Granny Song was reluctant to spend money, but didn’t want to go against her son’s wishes, so she painfully sacrificed, replacing everything in a room from bed to cabinet, to bedding and curtains, all the way to tables and chairs.

Because Song Wei instructed that low-quality materials couldn’t be used, they had Song Lao to choose everything, ensuring all were mid-range or higher woods.

Wen Wan helped only at night after returning home from Hongwen Academy.

Old Song and Granny Song, with Mrs. Cao and Mrs. Jin, busied themselves for several days before finally getting the room fully prepared.

At night, Granny Song sat cross-legged on the Kang, calculating, "Well, one room alone costs hundreds of taels of silver, more expensive than the entire courtyard, she pained herself so much she couldn’t swallow a bite of dinner."

Not seeing her mother-in-law at the dinner table, Wen Wan went to the north room to persuade her. Granny Song lay sideways on the bed, still harboring anger, and muttered continuously, "What kind of guest is it exactly? To come to our house without gifts is fine, but making me sacrifice to prepare a room, is this a guest or the Song family’s ancestor?"

Wen Wan was amused by her mother-in-law, "Mother, husband always has his plan, we should follow it. Although hundreds of silver taels is a lot, I think from what he hinted, it might have something to do with escorting Princess Consort Duan to the Rehe Palace, it may not be as simple as we think. So please stop complaining, whatever it is, don’t we have to wait for husband to bring the person back to know?"

After being persuaded by her daughter-in-law, Granny Song finally saw things clearly. When Mrs. Jin sent the meal for the third time, she no longer refused, had it placed on the table, and enjoyed a proper meal.

It was almost New Year, and Hongwen Academy and the Imperial College holidays were sequentially announced.

No longer needing to battle cold winds to go to class daily, Wen Wan had more time to spend with her son.

Ever since Jinbao chased the Su Family’s little girl that day, he’s become bolder about walking alone. Besides keeping a close eye on him outside due to slippery conditions, Wen Wan allowed him to roam freely indoors.

The little guy usually clung to his dad, having not seen him for several days, every time he woke up, he’d stretch his head to look out the door but never found Song Wei’s figure.

During such moments, he’d stagger back and tug Wen Wan’s sleeve, constantly calling, "Dad, dad..."

"Daddy has gone out on business, he’ll be back tomorrow to accompany Jinbao," Wen Wan said, stroking his little head.

Kids tend to forget quickly, that’s how Wen Wan had been fooling him for the past few days, always saying that his dad would come back the next day, and the little guy would forget by the next day.

Wen Wan was happily deceiving her son, not expecting to run into trouble one day.

She had just lied saying Song Wei would return tomorrow, when the little guy angrily stared at her, "Mama is lying!"

His words were still not very clear, but that little look seemed to truly express his dissatisfaction at being deceived.

Wen Wan: "..."

He’s not even two years old yet with such a good memory?

Wen Wan found it unbelievable and asked Song Yuanbao later. From his hesitant response, she figured out that it was all this little guy’s guidance. Actually, Jinbao himself didn’t even know what "lying" meant, he just followed his brother’s lead, knowing to blush and glare at his mother when saying it.

As Yuanbao bowed his head confessing his "crime," Wen Wan noticed out of the corner of her eye that little heartless boy was chasing the clay sound ball rolling on the ground, not crying even when he fell, as if afraid his mother would laugh at him, quietly getting back up to keep kicking.

——

Sending Princess Consort Duan to Rehe Palace, Song Wei took more than ten days for the round trip, and by the time he got home it was already New Year’s Eve.

Even though they were in the Capital, the Song family still preserved many of the old home’s traditions during the festival.

Early in the morning, Granny Song personally accompanied Mrs. Jin to buy live chickens and ducks, while the fish and shrimp were sent over by Xie Tao’s family next door.

Old Song was responsible for slaughtering the chickens and ducks, and after preparing them, he sent them to the kitchen, where the two mamas and Granny Song started to get busy.

Wen Wan, with Song Yuanbao, was outside putting up the ’Fu’ character and couplets.

Since Song Wei wasn’t around, this year’s couplets were ones Wen Wan had paid for from outside. She herself didn’t have that kind of literary talent, and besides, her handwriting was too delicate, unsuitable for writing couplets.

At the moment, as Wen Wan was standing on a high stool, just finishing putting up the horizontal scroll, she turned her head to see a carriage stopping not far away.

In no time, the curtain of the carriage was lifted, and a few people got out.

The person at the forefront was Song Wei, the man wearing an official’s hat, a crimson official uniform, with a leather belt cinching his waist.

While working, he seemed particularly stern and cold towards everyone.

Behind Song Wei followed three young ladies, the ones on each side were rather delicate, while the one in the middle was stunningly beautiful, with slender jade fingers. Although dressed as maids like the other two, her demeanor exuded a noble grace that the other two didn’t have.

Besides her godmother, this was probably the second elegantly gorgeous woman Wen Wan had ever seen.

Wen Wan already guessed that these three were the "distinguished guests" her husband mentioned.

In fact, when arranging the rooms, it was already quite obvious that they were female guests coming.

Wen Wan just hadn’t expected there to be three.

Normally, Song Wei, who didn’t associate closely with other women, suddenly had these ladies with him, which made Wen Wan feel a bit gloomy inside.

She got down from the high stool, moved it aside, and stood in place waiting for Song Wei to come over.

As he approached, Song Wei stopped in his tracks, his previously solemn expression softening, his gaze smiling, "Why not go inside?"

Wen Wan didn’t look at him, her gaze swept to the people behind him, "The distinguished guests you mentioned, it’s them?"

Song Wei nodded, "Let’s go inside first and then talk."

Not knowing who the others were, Wen Wan couldn’t greet them properly. Holding the stool and with Yuanbao, she led the three into her home.

Granny Song, having heard that the rumored distinguished guests arrived, got off the kang in a huff, intending to see for herself what kind of distinguished guests they were and how lofty they seemed. When she reached the courtyard and saw the three pink-clad ladies behind Song Wei, she was momentarily at a loss, "Third Son, they are...?"

Earlier, when they came in, Song Wei had personally closed the gate, and now only family members were in the courtyard. Song Wei no longer avoided the subject and introduced the lady in the middle, surrounded by two maids, "This is Princess Consort Duan."

Upon hearing this suddenly, Granny Song’s knees went weak, and she kneeled down.