Every time Wen Ye conversed with Xu Yuejia, she felt that he always seemed to notice something different about her compared to others.
Seeing that he remained silent, Wen Ye retorted, "Could it be that you are willing?"
Xu Yuejia: "..." He wasn't willing either.
Xu Yuejia stared at his son, Xu Yuxuan, who was busy eating meat, and after a moment of silence, he said, "We should find a tutor for him soon."
Wen Ye's lips curled into a smile as she playfully patted Xu Yuxuan's head and said, "Yuxuan, look how much your father loves you."
She didn't seem to realize that she was gloating.
Xu Yuxuan didn't quite understand, but he felt that his mother's smile was strange, especially after his father arrived.
Since they were back at the residence, Wen Ye couldn't just let Xu Yuejia watch her and Xu Yuxuan enjoy the hot pot alone. She had Yun Zhi bring an extra set of chopsticks and a sesame dipping sauce.
Wen Ye said, "Have some too, the broth is made from bone stock, which suits your taste."
Xu Yuejia didn't refuse. "Thank you."
However, before eating, Xu Yuejia went to the inner room and changed into casual clothes.
Wen Ye felt a bit regretful; she hadn't had enough time to admire him in his official robes before he changed.
The family of three rarely sat together for a meal. Wen Ye even considerately cooked a slice of meat for Xu Yuejia and said, "Try this."
Xu Yuejia wasn't sure what Wen Ye meant by this gesture, so he fixed his gaze on her.
Wen Ye explained, "Don't overthink it. It's just because Yuxuan is here."
Xu Yuejia glanced at Xu Yuxuan, who was staring at him intently, then nodded slightly at Wen Ye to show he understood.
Wen Ye then cooked another slice for Xu Yuxuan to prevent him from getting jealous over the one in Xu Yuejia's bowl.
Although Xu Yuejia had returned home suddenly for Xu Yuxuan's sake, he eventually accepted Wen Ye's actions.
For that alone, it was worth it for Wen Ye to cook him a slice of meat.
Of course, just one slice—no more than that.
Hearing the news, Madam Lu and her two sons hurried back from Ding'an Marquis Manor. When they saw the scene outside the main courtyard, Madam Lu stopped and signaled to the maids who noticed her not to announce their arrival.
Xu Jinglin, however, caught a whiff of the delicious aroma in the air and was about to say something when Xu Jingrong quickly covered his mouth.
Xu Jinglin: "Mmmph!" Why are you covering my mouth? Don’t you want to eat too?
Xu Jingrong glared at him: Of course I want to eat, but I value my behind more!
Can’t you see that Mother didn’t let anyone announce our arrival? Clearly, she doesn’t want to disturb Aunt Wen, Uncle Xu, and Yuxuan during their family meal.
Madam Lu ignored the silent exchange between her sons, but she gave Xu Jingrong an approving look for stopping Xu Jinglin in time. She then said to Nanny Xian, "Let's go back."
Nanny Xian whispered, "Didn’t you rush back to see Madam Wen and the young master?"
Madam Lu smiled. "Xu Yuejia is here. What reason do I have to intrude? Let’s go back to the main courtyard."
She and Duke Xu had grown up together, and he cherished her deeply, never taking a concubine. Because of this, she naturally saw things more clearly than others.
Xu Yuejia didn’t eat much. After the meal, he said, "The case isn’t resolved yet. I’ll likely need to stay at the Ministry of Justice for a few more nights."
The Ministry of Justice had temporary lodgings for officials of different ranks. During major cases, Xu Yuejia often stayed there overnight.
Wen Ye naturally had no objections. She put down her chopsticks and said, "Then go ahead."
Xu Yuejia changed back into his crimson official robe. Before leaving, he suddenly stopped, turned to Wen Ye, and said, "I rushed back on horseback today, so many people must have seen me. If you need to, you can use this to stir up more rumors."
Wen Ye was taken aback for a moment before she understood the meaning behind his words. She asked in surprise, "You don’t mind?"
Xu Yuejia replied calmly, "We’re husband and wife. Why would I mind? Besides, this benefits me, doesn’t it?"
His gaze seemed to say: If I were to fuss over this, what kind of man would I be?
Xu Yuejia looked away, put on his official hat, and stepped over the threshold with a dignified posture, his figure gradually fading into the distance.
For the first time, Wen Ye began to truly see Xu Yuejia as a person. She had initially thought he was just a rigid young man, but now...
Only after he disappeared from sight did Wen Ye finally look away and say to Yun Zhi, "Go call Liuya over."
Yun Zhi bowed. "Yes."
Since Xu Yuejia didn’t mind, Wen Ye naturally accepted the goodwill he had offered.
The incident where Lady Li of the Jiang family had injured Wen Ye and made the young master cry had not yet blown over. Now, rumors began to spread about how Xu Yuejia had rushed back on horseback without even changing out of his official robes after hearing the news.
Those who heard the story couldn’t help but feel a mix of complex emotions—envy, subtle resentment, and even bitterness.
How could Wen Ye be so lucky? Everything good seemed to fall into her lap.
Regardless of how the rumors spread, many influential families in Sheng Jing now understood that Xu Yuejia treated his new wife differently. Privately, they began to consider how they should act more cordially and warmly toward Wen Ye when they encountered her at future gatherings.
Just as Xu Yuejia had predicted, it didn’t take long for his reputation as a devoted husband to spread. As for Wen Ye, aside from envy, most people simply attributed her good fortune to luck.
To this, Wen Ye’s attitude was: Let them think what they want. If they’re so envious, let them stew in their jealousy. They can look, but they’ll never get a taste.
However, thanks to the slight affection between her and Xu Yuejia, less than half a day after the rumors spread, Minister Jiang forcibly dragged Lady Li, who had been stubbornly lingering at the gates of Changnan Marquis Mansion, back to their residence.
By the time Wen Ye heard Tao Zhi’s report, Lady Li had already been placed under house arrest by Minister Jiang, who forbade her from leaving the house and causing further embarrassment.
After finishing her report, Tao Zhi said indignantly, "So Minister Jiang gets off scot-free?"
Wen Ye calmed her down and said, "The case isn’t over yet. Let’s not jump to conclusions."
Tao Zhi was puzzled. "Will the father be implicated if the son commits a crime?"
Wen Ye replied vaguely, "Perhaps?"
Minister Jiang had more than one son. Seeing that there was little hope of saving his eldest son, he naturally didn’t want Lady Li to stir up more trouble and further offend Duke Xu’s household.
This time, Duke Xu’s family had chosen not to pursue the matter. But what about next time?
Minister Jiang was furious at home. They always said that a wise wife brings prosperity, but what kind of madwoman had he married?
He directly ordered the steward standing in the hall, "Without my permission, Lady Li is not to leave the house!"
The steward hesitated before agreeing, then added, "But the young master is still kneeling in the courtyard."
Minister Jiang snapped, "Confine him as well!"
This youngest son had always been slow-witted, and Minister Jiang had never been particularly fond of him, often neglecting him.
After all, the Jiang family wasn’t short of sons. Although his eldest legitimate son was now a lost cause, Minister Jiang still considered his other, more capable illegitimate sons to be his pride.
When Aunt Xu heard about this, she was visiting her daughter-in-law, Lady Wen, in her quarters to see her grandson.
After listening to the maid’s report, Aunt Xu pursed her lips and said to Lady Wen, "Your uncle is as ruthless as ever."
There was still room for compromise, yet he chose to push them to the brink.
Lady Li was his lawfully wedded wife, and by humiliating her like this, he had stripped her of any dignity she might have had in public.
Lady Wen didn’t dare to casually criticize her elders and simply said, "Aunt Li’s life will likely be difficult from now on."
Before her marriage, Lady Wen’s family had given her a rough idea of what Minister Jiang was like.
If it weren’t for the fact that the old master and mistress of the Jiang family had passed away and the two Jiang brothers had long since divided the family estate, her father would never have agreed to this marriage.
Now it seemed her father’s concerns had been justified.
Fortunately, her in-laws were reasonable people and hadn’t taken on the mess left by her uncle’s family simply because of blood ties.
"Never mind her. She brought this on herself. If I were Lady Li, I’d have hired a few men to give your uncle a good beating in secret."
Lady Wen: "..." No wonder her father-in-law was willing to "fall seriously ill."
Aunt Xu sighed, then leaned closer to her daughter-in-law and whispered, "I heard your uncle’s mistress has given him another son."
Lady Wen: "..." Why was her mother-in-law telling her this again?
When she first married into the family, Lady Wen had been relieved to find that her mother-in-law was a dignified and amiable woman.
But within a few months, she realized she had relaxed too soon.
Her mother-in-law was a good woman, but she often left Lady Wen at a loss for words.
A simple murder case was swiftly adjudicated, and within a few days, the verdict was reached. The perpetrator, Jiang Ming, was sentenced to death by beheading, while those who had instigated him were exiled to varying degrees based on the evidence.
Originally, such a minor case would not have drawn the emperor's attention. However, since it involved the son of an official, it garnered some notice. Minister Jiang had assumed that by making a spectacle of confining Lady Li, the Duke's household would not hold him accountable.
Little did he expect that the matter would reach the emperor's ears. The mistreatment of the current empress dowager and the emperor by the late emperor was well-known among the noble families of Sheng Jing.
Since ascending the throne, the new emperor had been particularly averse to officials who mistreated their wives or neglected their legitimate heirs.
Minister Jiang, however, had the audacity to provoke the emperor's wrath.
Of course, Minister Jiang was aware of the risks, but he had not anticipated the situation escalating to the point where even the emperor in the palace would hear of it.
By the time he learned of the emperor's displeasure, the demotion decree was already on its way to his residence.
He was demoted several ranks, reduced to a mere sixth-grade official with no real authority. This was only because the emperor, out of consideration for his blood ties to the Marquis of Changnan, showed some leniency.
No one with any sense would dare to plead on Minister Jiang's behalf. Those who had once been close to the Jiang family now kept their distance, eager to avoid any association.
Ironically, Minister Jiang's legitimate wife, Lady Li, emboldened by the emperor's decree, regained her authority in the household. In the end, it was Minister Jiang who found himself confined to the residence.
By the time Wen Ye heard of this, she was busy directing a few servants to set up a swing.
Tao Zhi, exhausted from running around, accepted a cup of water from her sister Yun Zhi and asked, "Madam, are you still listening?"
Wen Ye replied without hesitation, "Let's just watch them set up the swing."
Tao Zhi: "..." So all her efforts to gather information were for nothing.
Yun Zhi, standing nearby, couldn't help but smile.
Wen Ye stood in front of the two, her face beaming with joy.
As the saying goes, "Train an army for a thousand days to use it in a single moment." She had been sending Tao Zhi with snacks from time to time, all for this very day.
Look at how enthusiastically they were working now.
The swing was set up under the corridor, designed exactly as Wen Ye had requested—a backrest without legs, cushioned with soft padding, making it comfortable to sit on.
Xu Yuxuan had never seen a swing before. The main courtyard didn't have one, as Madam Lu feared it might be unsafe.
The eastern courtyard didn't have one either, as Xu Jingrong didn't care for such things, thinking it was only something girls would enjoy. As for Xu Jinglin, his mind was always preoccupied with food.
Thus, Xu Yuxuan had been circling the half-finished swing, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and delight at the new contraption.
After a while, he toddled over to Wen Ye, pointed at the swing, then at himself, and asked with an upturned face, "Mother? Me?"
Wen Ye chuckled and shook her head, saying heartlessly, "This swing is for me to play with. It has nothing to do with you."
Xu Yuxuan panicked at this and immediately clung to Wen Ye's leg, pleading in a soft voice, "Mother~"
Wen Ye snorted, "That won't work on me."
If it were Madam Lu, she would have already fallen into Xu Yuxuan's "auntie" trap.
Xu Yuxuan was dumbfounded. This was the only trick he knew.
Unable to think of any other way, he continued to cling tightly to Wen Ye's leg, calling out repeatedly, "Mother~ Mother~ Mother..."
Even Yun Zhi and Tao Zhi felt sorry for the little boy, but Wen Ye remained unmoved. Once the swing was finished, she had someone carry Xu Yuxuan away and took her seat on the swing, gently swaying back and forth.
Despite Xu Yuxuan's repeated cries of "Mother," not a shred of maternal affection was stirred in Wen Ye.
The winter air was chilly, but come spring or early summer, she imagined setting up a small table nearby with some snacks and tea, swaying on the swing while reading a novel, with a gentle breeze blowing by.
The thought alone filled her with contentment.
Wen Ye was lost in her daydream, while Xu Yuxuan, who had been denied the swing, had tears welling up in his eyes. His lips quivered, but he stubbornly refused to cry out loud.
Nanny Ji stood nearby, her heart in her throat, unable to comprehend why the second madam couldn't just let the young master have the swing. It was just a swing, after all.
And the western courtyard was spacious enough; they could easily make a second one.
Wen Ye leisurely enjoyed the swing to her heart's content before finally stepping off and calling out to the teary-eyed child, "Come here."
Nanny Ji, who had been silently sympathizing with Xu Yuxuan, was surprised when the young master, after being so upset, immediately perked up at Wen Ye's simple command.
Xu Yuxuan's lips stopped quivering, and his expression softened. He toddled over to Wen Ye as if nothing had happened, still sweetly calling her, "Mother~"
Nanny Ji was left speechless, completely baffled.
Wen Ye sat on the swing and gently pinched Xu Yuxuan's chubby cheek, asking, "Do you want to sit on it?"
Xu Yuxuan's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously, "Xuan'er wants to sit!"
Wen Ye sighed dramatically, "But this swing was made with my effort and money. I want to keep sitting on it. Why should I let you have it?"
Xu Yuxuan tilted his head, thinking for a moment before replying, "Because you're my mother?"
Wen Ye retorted matter-of-factly, "And you're my son. Why don't you let me have it?"
Xu Yuxuan's mouth fell open, unsure how to respond.
Wen Ye continued, "But if you really want to sit, it's not impossible."
Xu Yuxuan immediately leaned closer, his expression eager, as if to say, "Tell me, I'm listening."
Wen Ye bent down slightly to meet his gaze and said, "This swing cost me money to make. You can't just expect to sit on it without giving something in return."
"Money?"
Xu Yuxuan didn't fully understand the concept of money, but he knew it was something valuable.
Suddenly, he turned and ran to Nanny Ji, tugging at her and urging her to take him away, shouting, "Go! Go!"
Nanny Ji, confused by the sudden turn of events, glanced at Wen Ye, who gave no indication of stopping them, so she curtsied and carried Xu Yuxuan back to the main courtyard.
The New Year was approaching, and with it came a flurry of pre-holiday tasks. Madam Lu was often away from the residence, visiting the estates in the outskirts of the capital to review the accounts. It was an annual task, but given the size of the Duke's household, it would take at least seven or eight days to complete.
Xu Yuxuan lived in the left wing of the main courtyard. By the time Nanny Ji brought him back, Madam Lu had already been gone for over an hour, taking with her Nanny Xian and her maids, Qingmei and Baimei.
Even if Nanny Ji wanted to report the incident, there was no one to report to.
Once back in his room, Xu Yuxuan insisted on being put down and immediately ran to his bed.
He kicked off his little boots and climbed onto the bed, rummaging around until he pulled out a small brocade box.
When Nanny Ji saw it, she couldn't help but exclaim, "When did the young master hide this box in the bed?"
She had no idea it was there.
The box contained the New Year's money and occasional allowances that Madam Lu and Duke Xu had given Xu Yuxuan over the years.
Although Xu Yuxuan had no use for money at his age, Madam Lu insisted on giving it to him, feeling that it was somehow necessary.
Nanny Ji had once shared this sentiment, but now she had a sinking feeling...
Perhaps it was Nanny Ji's reaction that gave Xu Yuxuan a sense of secret triumph, as he now looked quite pleased with himself.
Holding the brocade box, he waited for Nanny Ji to put his shoes back on before declaring, "Let's go find Mother!"
Nanny Ji's expression grew complicated, but she said nothing and simply followed Xu Yuxuan's instructions, carrying him back to the western courtyard.
Back in the western courtyard, after Nanny Ji and Xu Yuxuan had left, Tao Zhi couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "Madam, are you trying to trick the young master out of his money?"
Wen Ye glanced at her and replied, "What do you mean, 'trick'? A son willingly offering money to his mother can't be called a trick."
Tao Zhi: "...Madam, I can't argue with you."
Wen Ye picked up a piece of pastry, nibbled on it, and sighed, "Being so powerful that you have no rivals is a lonely existence."
Tao Zhi stared at her in shock.
Yun Zhi, standing quietly nearby, said nothing, but inwardly she thought, "Tao Zhi, why did you have to provoke Madam?"
Wen Ye finished a small plate of pastries and finally saw Nanny Ji returning with Xu Yuxuan.
Xu Yuxuan, seeing Wen Ye still sitting on the swing, immediately brightened. Clutching his brocade box, he toddled straight toward her, not even waiting for Nanny Ji to help him.
Fortunately, the ground had been cleared and was smooth and dry, otherwise, she might have stumbled a couple of times.
"Mother, here!" Xu Yuxuan walked up to Wen Ye and presented a small brocade box with both hands, saying, "Money!"
Wen Ye took the box but didn’t open it immediately. Instead, she said, "So there really is something inside."
She glanced at Nanny Ji, who had approached.
Nanny Ji understood her meaning and quickly explained, "This was something the young master hid under his bed. I had no idea it was there."
Wen Ye was somewhat surprised. She then tapped Xu Yuxuan's little head and said, "I didn’t expect you to already know how to stash away money at such a young age. Quite impressive, young man."
Wen Ye suddenly recalled the gold and silver leaves Xu Yuejia had previously sent to the west courtyard and finally understood.
It must be inherited from his father.
Xu Yuxuan didn’t fully grasp what Wen Ye meant, but he vaguely sensed it was a compliment. He flashed a big smile. Wen Ye said, "Well, I’ll open it now."
Xu Yuxuan nodded vigorously, his face showing no hint of reluctance.
Tao Zhi, standing nearby, couldn’t help but feel that her mistress’s tone just now resembled the wolf grandmother from the story of Little Red Riding Hood that she used to tell her and Yun Zhi.
The small brocade box wasn’t locked, only secured with a hidden clasp, so it opened easily.
"So much," Wen Ye murmured as she looked at the little golden pig inside the box, along with the silver coins tucked into the gaps. The golden pig was likely a gift Madam Lu had specially made for Xu Yuxuan, given as a New Year or birthday red envelope.
To be honest, the little golden pig bore a striking resemblance to Xu Yuxuan.
Wen Ye secretly compared the two in her mind.
"Mother, do you like it?" Xu Yuxuan leaned in, tilting his head up to ask.
Although Wen Ye no longer clung to wealth as she had in her past life, a box of golden pigs right in front of her was hard to resist. She wasn’t a saint devoid of desires, after all.
So she nodded and admitted, "Mother likes it, but these belong to you, Yuxuan."
Xu Yuxuan thought Wen Ye might refuse, which would mean he couldn’t sit on the swing. Panicking, he insisted, "Give it to Mother! Mother must take it!"
Then, he added, "Yuxuan doesn’t want it!"
Wen Ye had originally intended to tease—well, trick—Xu Yuxuan out of a few silver coins for fun. Life needed a bit of amusement to stay interesting.
But she hadn’t expected Xu Yuxuan to offer her a whole box of golden pigs. This made her feel a little guilty.
When he grew up and recalled this moment, he’d probably regret it deeply.
Feeling remorseful, Wen Ye immediately closed the box and handed it to Yun Zhi, instructing her seriously, "Put this with the others and keep it safe."
Yun Zhi held the box, looking utterly bewildered.
Was her mistress really swindling money from the young master?
Seeing that Wen Ye had accepted the box, Xu Yuxuan eagerly turned his gaze to the swing she was sitting on, his eyes filled with longing. Wen Ye promptly said generously, "Come sit on Mother’s lap. I’ll take you for a ride!"
Xu Yuxuan was still too young to sit on the swing alone, so Wen Ye held him on her lap as she rocked it gently.
With one arm wrapped around him and the other holding the swing rope, she didn’t need a maid to push. A few kicks with her feet, and the child in her arms burst into laughter.
Wen Ye was delighted too—after all, it was a box of golden pigs.
She was overjoyed.
Xu Yuxuan didn’t feel much about losing the box of golden pigs.
But he felt the warmth and affection from his mother.
And he loved it.
