CHAPTER 316: CHAPTER 285: SONG WEI’S CONCUBINES, TWINS (SECOND UPDATE)

Imperial City, Kunning Palace.

The palace banquet had already ended. Empress Su had drunk a few more cups, feeling a bit dizzy, and was now resting on the Imperial Concubine’s Couch.

Two shadows appeared at the door; it was the two Shadow Guards previously arranged to follow Princess Consort Duan to the Rehe Palace.

Empress Su noticed them, waved to dismiss the palace attendants, and let the two enter to report.

"How are things at the Rehe Palace?" Empress Su opened her eyes and asked the two.

"Reporting to Madam, everything is normal."

"Normal?"

One of the Shadow Guards said, "Princess Consort Duan indeed caught a serious illness. After moving into the Rehe Palace, the Emperor even removed most of the palace maids around her."

Empress Su frowned, seemingly sensing something unusual from this statement.

"Why did the Emperor remove the people around her?"

"It’s said that Princess Consort Duan’s illness was so severe that people have already been infected."

Is the Emperor planning to let Princess Consort Duan fend for herself?

Princess Consort Duan had been favored by the Emperor for many years. Even if the Emperor were to be ruthless, as she is already critically ill, how could he suddenly remove her palace maids?

Empress Su squinted her eyes, "Where did the removed people go?"

The Shadow Guard said, "They left with Mr. Song."

"Song Wei?"

"Indeed."

Empress Su fell silent. Although she was somewhat suspicious of the Emperor’s removal of the palace servants around Princess Consort Duan, she ultimately couldn’t think of the possibility of ’escape through disguise’ coming into play.

The reason the Shadow Guards thought everything was normal was because the ’Princess Consort Duan’ who was covered with a veil and taken out of the palace in a palanquin was already a substitute. The real Princess Consort Duan had always followed as a palace maid. Once at Rehe Palace, she was taken back to the Capital by Song Wei under the guise of being infected.

——

On New Year’s Day, to prevent all the old and young of the Xie Family from coming over to pay their respects, Song Wei suggested that their own family visit proactively.

To this, no one objected.

Early in the morning, Wen Wan sat at the Eight Immortals Table in the main room with Yuanbao and Jinbao.

On the table, red blessing bags and copper coins were arranged.

Blessing bags were specially bought for giving red envelopes for the New Year, and the copper coins were exchanged with people when buying vegetables.

The Xie Zheng family had two little boys, Xie Tao’s family had one boy and one girl, four children in total, all needed to be given red envelopes.

Jinbao sat on his mother’s lap, leaned forward and reached out his small chubby hand to grab the copper coins.

Wen Wan picked up the blessing bag, untied the string on the opening, indicating for the little guy to put them in.

The little guy surprisingly behaved and seemed curious, he tossed the copper coin in his paw into the blessing bag, then looked up at his brother and his mother, seemingly waiting for praise.

"Jinbao is so good, let’s do another." Wen Wan opened the blessing bag a bit wider for him to toss.

The little guy, still greedy, had initially grabbed one, now wanted to grab a handful but didn’t hold them steady, dropping them all over the ground.

...

When the Song Family went next door to pay their respects, Aunt Xie took the opportunity while they were talking in the main room to give Wen Wan a signal.

Wen Wan handed Jinbao to her mother-in-law and found an excuse to stand up and walk out, thinking Aunt Xie had discovered something about their family, feeling a bit nervous.

Once in the courtyard, Aunt Xie asked, "Has Second Lang’s family sent any letters?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Wan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, saying one had come before the end of the year.

"How’s the fish pond?" Aunt Xie asked nervously.

Though she had transferred ownership to Song Erlang’s family before coming, she ultimately still remembered the many years of hard work with fish and shrimp, constantly thinking about it.

Wen Wan hadn’t returned, didn’t know the specific situation of the pond, and honestly said, "After the year, Third Son will arrange for someone to go back to fetch Da Ya. When that girl arrives, aunt can ask her."

"What? Da Ya?" Aunt Xie seemed confused.

Wen Wan did not mention the matter of Second Lang’s wife threatening them with an engagement, only said, "Da Ya is twelve this year, mother-in-law doesn’t want her to marry in the countryside, plans to bring her to the Capital to see the world."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Xie suddenly laughed, "Second sister-in-law has thought this through."

Then asked, "When will you pick her up?"

Wen Wan said it must be after the third day of the New Year.

Aunt Xie nodded, "Alright, if it’s inconvenient for your family at that time, she can stay here, relatives are still family, and our two families are so close, it doesn’t matter where she stays."

Wen Wan paused, "Aunt, why would you say it’s inconvenient for our family?"

Aunt Xie glanced at Wen Wan’s stunned expression, thought this girl has yet to adapt, sighed and advised, "Being an official’s wife, it’s different from those years in the countryside, with a young talent like Third Son, it’s normal to have several wives and concubines in the backyard. You’re already the legitimate wife with a son, your position is secure, broaden your mindset."

Wen Wan: "..."

Turns out they’ve been hiding it for quite some time, but the Xie Family already knew that the Song family had ’guests,’ and even mistook them for Song Wei’s concubines?

Wen Wan couldn’t help but admire Aunt Xie’s strong imagination.

However, with Princess Consort Duan staying at the Song family for a long time, even if they can keep it a secret for a while, eventually the Xie family will find out. Instead of making things hard to explain in the future, it’s better to let the Xie family think whatever they want, and they just go along with it. Besides, the matter won’t spread outside.

Gathering her thoughts, Wen Wan tugged at the corners of her mouth, "People just arrived yesterday, and Aunt already knows. Your information is truly well-informed, isn’t it?"

"I went out yesterday, and happened to see Third Son bringing them down from the carriage." Aunt Xie sighed, "Goodness, three of them came at once, whoever sent them was really ruthless."

Wen Wan really didn’t know how to respond, so she could only accompany her with a smile.

Aunt Xie thought she was smiling bitterly and advised some more, saying Third Son was acting involuntarily for his future and that some sacrifices were unavoidable, urging her not to think too much.

The identity of ’concubine’ was deeply ingrained in Aunt Xie’s mind. At such times, Wen Wan found it difficult to refute, since the people were really staying at their house, there had to be some explanation.

...

Considering Princess Consort Duan’s safety, Song Wei didn’t stay at the Xie family’s for long, and proposed to leave after finishing his meal.

Granny Song and Old Song stayed behind to chat, while Yuanbao and the Xie family’s young ones went outside to play.

Seeing her husband about to leave, Wen Wan hurriedly picked up Jinbao to follow.

Returning home, after closing the door, Wen Wan told Song Wei about what happened at the Xie family’s.

Evidently, Song Wei himself didn’t expect Aunt Xie to have already assigned identities to the three people brought yesterday, his expression somewhat mixed between laughter and tears.

Wen Wan asked him, "Should we clarify things with the Xie Family?"

"Of course not," Song Wei replied. "If they’ve misunderstood, then let them, we shouldn’t make any response on our side."

Not making any response means neither acknowledging nor refuting, ambiguous.

Even if Princess Consort Duan was Emperor Guangxi’s concubine, after all, she is Song Wei’s elder, so how could she be disrespected casually?

The concubines believed by the Xie Family are three, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be Princess Consort Duan. If anything really leaks out, they could have the little palace maid take the cover.

——

It’s not just the Xie Family who believe Song Wei was taking concubines, there were also Xu Shu and his wife who visited at the beginning of the year.

The room Princess Consort Duan currently resides in was Song Fang’s maiden room before. When Song Fang got her skirt dirty while alighting from the carriage, she went into the courtyard to ask Wen Wan for clean clothes, habitually running towards her old bedroom intending to change there, only to realize something was not right upon arrival, someone seemed to be living there, and it was a woman.

Without encountering the person inside, she hurried back to ask Wen Wan, who was living in the west wing room?

Wen Wan hesitated, not speaking for a while.

Song Fang suspiciously looked at Song Wei, "Third Brother, you wouldn’t be taking concubines, would you?"

Song Wei was neither affirmative nor negative.

Song Fang widened her eyes, "Brother-in-law has only been married for five years, and you’re already taking concubines, that’s really heartless!"

Wen Wan didn’t speak, sitting on the kang playing with Jinbao.

Song Fang stomped her feet in anger, looking at Wen Wan, "Brother-in-law, can you endure this?"

Wen Wan raised her head and smiled, "Isn’t it quite normal for men to have multiple wives and concubines?"

"But..."

Song Fang was very upset, even more so than Xu Shu taking concubines.

In her heart, Third Brother had always been disciplined and upright. How long had she been married away, and there was already another woman at home?

The thought made her uncomfortable.

Song Wei calmly sipped some tea, glancing at Song Fang, "You came back to your parental home, just to find fault with your brother?"

Right now, Song Fang least wanted to see her Third Brother, she coldly snorted upon hearing Song Wei speak.

Xu Shu himself wasn’t taking concubines, but he didn’t see anything wrong with Song Wei doing so, thus he didn’t express any opinions, merely looked anxiously at Song Fang, his gaze resentful, "Wife, you must not get angry, or else it might harm the fetus energy, then will I still get to be a father?"

Wen Wan, who had her attention always on Jinbao, suddenly raised her head, looking directly at Song Fang.

Song Fang’s face turned slightly red, she hesitated before saying, "Diagnosed before the new year, originally planned to announce the good news upon returning home, but who knew we’d encounter such a troublesome affair!"

Thinking of Third Brother taking concubines, Song Fang still felt like having a bone stuck in her throat, extremely uncomfortable.

"Indeed, you shouldn’t get angry anymore." Wen Wan said with a smile, "The old lady of the Xu Family is eagerly anticipating her great-grandson, her eyes are almost practically falling out, you need to take good care of yourself."

She then asked her whether she was experiencing morning sickness.

Song Fang said there was basically no morning sickness, but she felt lazy all day, lacking energy to do anything.

Wen Wan thought, drowsiness during pregnancy is quite normal, wasn’t it the same when she was pregnant with Jinbao? Vomiting along the way almost made her feel exhausted.

Yet after chatting for a while, she realized Song Fang’s drowsiness was too severe, she could fall asleep while talking.

Wen Wan intended for Song Fang to go inside and rest for a while, but Xu Shu refused, insisting on taking her back.

Wen Wan smiled with pursed lips, "Why so nervous? Our bed won’t eat people."

Xu Shu raised his eyebrows, grinning with satisfaction, "It’s twins, how can I not be nervous?"