CHAPTER 383: CHAPTER 351: LEVERAGING MINIMAL EFFORT FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT

Seeing that Jinbao was about to leave with Grandpa, Wen Wan suddenly said, "Dad, let me give him a bath first. He’s been touching sheep on the farm, and he smells like lamb."

Jinbao, hearing this, purposely stretched out his little arm to sniff it but couldn’t smell anything.

Wen Wan said, "The smell is on you, of course, you can’t smell it. Come quickly, Mommy will take you for a bath, otherwise, if people smell it outside, they will definitely make fun of you."

The little guy didn’t want to be laughed at, so he quickly walked over to his mother and took Wen Wan’s hand proactively.

Wen Wan told her mother-in-law and took Jinbao out. The little guy said he would make himself smell nice, and his childish words came back through the door, which made Granny Song laugh out loud.

With Yun Cai’s help, Wen Wan soon had her son cleaned up, applied some balm, and changed him into a fresh outfit, finally feeling at ease as she handed him over to her father-in-law.

After the grandfather and grandson left, Wen Wan looked at her mother-in-law, "I went to the farm, and the tenants sent quite a bit of game and farm goods. I’ve already sent the mules that carried the goods back. The game unloaded is outside the warehouse now. Do you want to keep the hides to make something? If not, I’ll let Song Jiao and her two sisters choose."

Granny Song waved her hand, "There are quite a few furs left from last year that haven’t been used. I don’t lack anything. You just let the sisters go pick."

Er Ya heard this, her face full of excitement, "Thank you, Third Aunt."

Wen Wan said, "As long as you behave and listen to your parents, in the future, you won’t be left out of good things like this."

Er Ya nodded vigorously.

As for what she was thinking, only she herself knew.

After choosing the hides and returning, Er Ya was clearly in high spirits, her smile never leaving her face.

To celebrate Jinbao’s birthday, Song Jiao made a set of clothes, and Er Ya made a pair of tiger-head shoes. Song Jiao’s craftsmanship was more delicate, while Er Ya’s was a bit inferior. However, Wen Wan didn’t mind such gestures of kindness, feeling happy both on the surface and inside.

She held the tiger-head shoes in her hands, examining them while asking about their family’s wonton selling business.

Song Jiao said, "Third Aunt helped pick a good location. Even though we’ve just opened, the daily income is still considerable."

Granny Song listened and advised Song Jiao, "Go back and tell your parents to work steadily. It’s not easy to make a living in the Capital. Think more about how to make money, and don’t daydream about things falling from the sky. Not to mention it’s impossible, even if it were, it wouldn’t fall on your family."

"Look at your second cousin’s family. When they first came, life was tough, yet the couple worked hard with persistence. They saved some silver from the fish and shrimp business. This year, they opened a tavern and even hired someone to manage it, while they became hands-off. Isn’t it true that hard days are over for them?"

"Your parents have no education. In the Capital, they rely on their skills to make a living and nothing else. If you must rely on something, perhaps only you two sisters. So, you both better study hard. If anyone has bad intentions and doesn’t follow the right path, your third uncle won’t help you, and you’ll end up marrying a poor boy, living a tough life forever."

Er Ya listened to her grandmother’s pointed words, pursed her lips, and then looked at Song Wei, who hadn’t spoken, "Third Uncle, I heard you named Big Sister. Could you give me a name too?"

Song Wei asked her, "You’ve been here so long, and your parents haven’t given you a proper name?"

Er Ya pouted, "With my parents’ level, can they come up with a name that’s nice to hear? Third Uncle, be kind and give me a decent one, will you? Otherwise, being called Er Ya all the time, I won’t be able to get married."

Granny Song gave her a sideways glance, "Even if they call you a fairy, you’re not going to ascend to heaven, are you?"

"Of course not," Er Ya smiled ingratiatingly at her grandmother, moving over to massage her legs, "I just want a nice name like Sister’s, that’s all. Is that too much to ask?"

Granny Song looked at Song Wei, "Since Er Ya has spoken, you, as the third uncle, should give her a name, so she doesn’t have to keep thinking about others’ names."

Song Wei thought for a moment and said, "Song Qi."

Granny Song asked, "Is there any special meaning?"

Wen Wan explained on behalf of her husband, "Qi and Jiao both have meanings of beauty."

Granny Song nodded and said, "Alright, that’s it."

"Song Qi, Song Qi..." Er Ya repeated her name softly and then smiled broadly, "Thank you, Third Uncle."

Song Wei looked at her, "The nanny from the Xu Family is with you. Take the time to learn from her. It will only be beneficial for your future."

"Okay." Song Qi smiled, pursing her lips.

The two sisters were here, so naturally, they stayed for dinner. Wen Wan quickly instructed the kitchen to prepare.

Song Yuanbao glanced at the sky as it got late, and after sitting for a while, he said he needed to return to the palace.

Song Wei stood up to see him off.

Earlier there were too many people around, and it wasn’t appropriate to talk in front of the women. Now that it’s just the father and son alone, Song Yuanbao took the initiative to mention the matter of Yutang Palace, saying that the Imperial Concubine arranged for little palace maids to serve His Highness for a trial marriage. It’s been almost two months, and His Highness hasn’t allowed anyone in to serve him even once.

Song Wei said, "His Highness is the same age as you, just fourteen. His body hasn’t fully developed, how can he have anyone serve him in bed?"

"It’s not like that," Song Yuanbao explained. "He’s young, and it’s understandable that he doesn’t want anyone to serve him in bed. But he never lets anyone in to guard night, not even palace maids or eunuchs."

"Oh?" If it were an ordinary family’s child, it wouldn’t be hard to understand. But the other party is a prince, which makes it quite intriguing.

Song Yuanbao thought for a moment and still decided to speak out, "Last Mid-Autumn Festival, I accidentally discovered a little secret of His Highness. It turns out he doesn’t let anyone guard at night because he has an unsightly sleeping posture. When he’s awake, he can control all his bad habits, but once asleep, he can’t restrain himself at all. So I think he’s probably afraid of people seeing this unknown side of him."

Saying this, Song Yuanbao looked up at Song Wei, "It’s really not decent to poke at someone’s privacy behind their back, but I’ve pondered for a long time and couldn’t come up with a way to enlighten him. The Imperial Concubine hasn’t forced him, saying it’s fine as long as he completes the task before the age of seventeen. But seeing His Highness like this, it’s not about seventeen; even at twenty-seven, he might not be able to overcome it on his own."

Finally, he asked, "Father, can you help me come up with some advice?"

Song Wei smiled, "It seems you really consider His Highness a friend."

Otherwise, with Yuanbao’s personality, encountering a situation like this, he would mostly choose to keep his distance and not get involved. There aren’t many people who make him care so much.

Song Yuanbao did not deny it, and said frankly, "He is both a mentor and a friend."

Although he doesn’t quite appreciate His Highness’s serious and strict nature, thinking about it, the person has the potential to inherit the throne in the future. Could he possibly go about learning and doing nothing all day?

Returning to his thoughts, Song Yuanbao continued the previous topic, "Father, you still haven’t given me advice yet!"

Song Wei nodded, his expression gentle, "It’s not difficult to say. If you show him a sleeping posture worse than his, maybe the situation will change."

Song Yuanbao slapped his forehead, "Right, why didn’t I think of that?"

Song Wei reminded, "But you must be careful. His Highness is mature and not easily fooled. If he sees through the trick, you might suffer a little."

Song Yuanbao expressed indifference; having been a companion for so long, he hasn’t suffered the least?

The father and son parted at the main gate. Song Yuanbao boarded the carriage heading to the Imperial City, while Song Wei turned back and entered the main gates, heading to the outer study.

Song Qi received a very serious name, feeling pleased, she left Rong’an Hall, following Wen Wan back to Qingteng Residence.

Jinbao went out with his grandfather, Yuanbao returned to the Imperial Palace, giving Wen Wan a temporary break. After returning to the house, she had some green bean soup delivered to cool down and drank it with her two nieces.

Song Qi glanced at Wen Wan’s elegant and content expression as she ate, then saw her eldest sister Song Jiao exhibiting the exact same demeanor as their third aunt, and secretly curled her lips.

After finishing the green bean soup, Yun Cai brought in a basin of water for everyone to wash their hands.

Taking advantage of Wen Wan standing by the basin rack, Song Qi took the initiative to mention Su Yaoqi, "Third Aunt, does that young master often come to our house?"

When she heard the words "our house," Song Jiao’s eyelids trembled. She looked up at Song Qi but didn’t say a word.

"Why inquire about him?" Wen Wan’s mood was indifferent.

Song Qi said, "Earlier, eldest sister told me that no one is perfect, and nobody wants to have defects, so when facing others’ defects, you can’t mock if you can’t sympathize. But at the time, I was really just surprised, and didn’t mean to mock him. I think his reaction was mostly a misunderstanding, and I want to explain it to him face-to-face."

Wen Wan finished washing her hands, was drying them with a towel, and turned around upon hearing this. She gave Song Qi a meaningful look and said, "You don’t need to explain to him."

"Why?"

"You two won’t know each other in the future anyway. Whether he misunderstands or not, what does it matter to you?"

"But I..." Song Qi bit her lips, looking aggrieved.

"Alright, after we finish lunch, I’ll have someone send you two back." Wen Wan didn’t want to continue the topic. Song Qi is prickly, slight disagreement with her and she would bristle like a hedgehog.

As an elder, Wen Wan didn’t want to engage in a quarrel with her niece over this.

Song Jiao saw her third aunt handle the matter lightly but effectively and was slightly relieved.