Chapter 267 Interesting Things

"So what did you find out today? Tell me about it." Shen Anan smiled faintly.

The maid Xiao Jie immediately became excited, "This is now a common topic of conversation in restaurants and teahouses. It's about an official, and it's said that he's a very talented scholar-official."

"Why are you keeping it a secret in front of the Fourth Prince's wife?" Lin Yurou glared at her, and Xiao Jie slowly got to the point.

"It is said that there was once a top scholar, who was outstanding in appearance and talent among all the scholars of that year. Even the emperor liked him when he saw him and wanted to marry the princess to him. Later, the man wrote an outstanding article in the Golden Throne Hall, so the emperor promised him a request. Unexpectedly, he pretended to be deaf and dumb and did not accept the emperor's kindness. Instead, he asked for an unexpected request."

"What did you ask for?" Lin Yurou asked with a raised eyebrow.

Xiao Jie pursed her lips and said, "I asked for a decree for my biological mother."

"What's so unexpected about that?" Lin Yurou was not interested. "After ten years of hard study, I finally got promoted. Isn't it natural to repay my mother?"

"No, no," Xiao Jie shook her finger, "What's unexpected is not that she asked for an imperial decree for her biological mother, but that her biological mother was not the original wife, but a concubine. Now she has received an imperial decree to enter her husband's family."

"My son passed the imperial examination, she has an imperial decree, and her husband's family is just an ordinary merchant. So who is superior, the legal wife or the concubine with an imperial decree, living under the same roof? This question has evolved from a question of filial piety to a discussion of the superiority and inferiority of legitimate and illegitimate children, and the distinction between officials and civilians."

"It is said that a few days ago, the official brought his father and his family to the capital, and now they are discussing it very enthusiastically."

Lin Yurou pondered for a moment and said, "According to the rules, since he won the first place in the imperial examination, even if he was granted an imperial decree, he should have asked for the title of legitimate mother. After all, in a wealthy family, it is unreasonable to call a concubine mother, let alone a concubine who does not even have a title."

"All the wives of the first wives in the capital say so, but the wives of the illegitimate children also say that their stepmother is mean and that they and their concubines have struggled to survive before they can have a chance to succeed. If everyone respects the stepmother, then the concubines will have to die after giving birth to a child."

"What's worse is that, that gentleman never entered his father's family from the beginning to the end, and his mother was never accepted. He only had this family after he entered high school. His mother raised him with great difficulty. If he asks for the title of legitimate mother just for the sake of official promotion, what kind of son is he? He is ungrateful when he first enters the officialdom. How can he be a good official with integrity?"

"Why do you have to marry into my father's family?" Shen Anan suddenly asked, "Opening a new mansion and living with my widowed mother is no better than being sucked dry by that family."

"What the Fourth Prince's wife said makes sense, but those officials and merchants in Daliang who have three wives and four concubines disagree. A biological father is a gift from heaven, and even if one does not want a mother, there is absolutely no reason to deny one's ancestors."

"Humph," Shen Anan sneered, "It's just an example to apply to yourself. Even if you discuss it until next year, you won't be able to determine who is right or wrong. It's a waste of words."

"What the Fourth Prince's wife said makes sense. Now they have changed their minds and started to debate whether talent or origin is more important for this illegitimate child whose mother is unknown. That gentleman is the leader of the group and has stood up for those illegitimate children."

"Family is family, country is country. No matter whether one's origin is good or bad, as long as one has talent and can serve the court and plead for the people, it's enough. Why argue about other people's family background?" Lin Yurou said in a calm voice.

"Yes, so now, some people praise that gentleman for enduring humiliation for his mother and understanding filial piety, while others scold him for not understanding the principles of legitimate and illegitimate children. There are also many reasonable people who agree with the young lady's statement."

As the master and servant chuckled, Shen Anan suddenly spoke up, "You just said that now restaurants and teahouses are discussing this matter?"

"Yes, not only in restaurants and teahouses, but also in the streets, people are talking about it. I just don't know which gentleman they are talking about."

Shen Anan stood up immediately and asked, "When did it start?"

Seeing her seriousness, Xiao Jie immediately said respectfully, "It seems to have just started yesterday. I don't know when the wind started. I only brought it to the young lady for entertainment after hearing about it from the gossipy old woman in the mansion."

"An An, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Shen Anan shook his head, and for some reason he thought of Chen Tian in his mind. Isn't the current debate the same debate that would be caused in the court after his identity was exposed?

Is it a coincidence, or...

"I also heard that the daughter of a minister specially wrote a poem to praise the minister for not forgetting his mother's hard work and not fearing the world's comments."

"Sister-in-law, it's getting late. I won't accompany you any longer. Take good care of yourself these days. I'll send someone to talk to mother."

"Okay, then you should slow down on your way." She stood up and sent Shen Anan out of the yard. The former walked in a hurry.

"Young Madam, did I say something wrong? The Fourth Prince's wife doesn't look well." Lin Yurou poked the maid's forehead with her finger and smiled helplessly.

——

At the Fourth Prince's Mansion, Xiao Yuan finally sent those old pedants away, but he heard that his wife had gone out without saying a word.

"Then why are you still here?"

Qingfeng touched his nose and said, "The princess doesn't allow me to follow her."

Xiao Yuan raised his foot and kicked him, "If she doesn't let you follow, then you won't follow? Who do you belong to?"

"The master said that the princess's orders are equivalent to yours." Qingfeng lowered his head and said sullenly.

Xiao Yuan choked up and frowned slightly, "What are you standing there for? Go find it."

Qing An at the side couldn't help but speak up, "Master, Mo Xiang came back just now and hurriedly asked the imperial physician to go to the Shen Mansion. The prince's wife should have returned to the Shen Mansion."

"Call the imperial physician?" Xiao Yuan frowned, "Who is feeling unwell?"

"It seems that the young lady of the Shen family is pregnant."

Hearing this, Xiao Yuan's eyes moved. Shen Changhe was quick, "You ask the butler to prepare a generous gift and send it to the Shen Mansion to congratulate."

——

When Shen Anan returned to Wutong Garden, Xiao Yuan was still busy in the study. He heard Mo Ran say that Qingan had come several times and asked her if she had returned home.

She sat in front of the bronze mirror and took off her hairpins and rings, while instructing, "Go to the study and tell them that I'm back."

"yes."

"Princess Princess." Mo Xiang said with a smile, "As soon as you returned to the mansion, the housekeeper's legs were running around. He must have reported it to the son-in-law."

"Well, he said what he said. Since Qing'an is asking, we should still go and tell him, so that he won't be petty and come back to make trouble."

Mo Xiang smiled secretly and helped Shen Anan change her clothes. Shen Anan took off her earrings and put them in her makeup box, and her eyes were attracted by a bracelet.

She picked up the bracelet, and Mo Xiang's heart was lifted, "Does the princess want to wear it?"

A trace of confusion appeared in her eyes, and she looked at Mo Xiang through the bronze mirror, "This bracelet is of such poor quality, where did it come from?"

Her vision shouldn't be so bad.

"..." Mo Xiang was suddenly startled, and was stunned for a long time before she spoke softly, "Don't you remember, Princess? This bracelet is not..."