"Miss, the princess has summoned you for a meal!" Ying'er entered Wu Ruyue's room and saw Wu Ruyue sitting in front of her dressing table, holding a jade hairpin in her hand.
Wu Ruyue quickly put the hairpin in her hand into the jewelry box and responded. The hairpin she had just held was a New Year's gift that Song Shucheng had given her discreetly on New Year's Eve.
After spending that night together, Wu Ruyue felt a pang of emotion for Song Shucheng's handsome appearance and gentle, warm tone. His intense gaze and the awkwardness and nervousness he displayed when presenting her with the New Year's gift stirred something within her.
Madam Wu also saw that Wu Ruyue was not averse to Song Shucheng, so she took great care of her these past few days.
"Yue'er, come here quickly. After you finish your breakfast, your sister will take you out." Madam Wu said to Wu Ruyue as she walked in.
"Can I go out today?" Wu Ruyue was wearing a light green brocade robe, and the white rabbit fur scarf around her neck made her pretty face look even whiter.
"Yes. Today, the Prince brought his primary wife and secondary wives into the palace and specifically sent word that we can go out for a stroll," said Lady Wu.
"Today is the Lantern Festival, there must be a lantern festival," Wu Ruyue said.
“There’s usually a temple fair on the fifteenth of the first lunar month. Do you want to go see it?” Wu asked.
"Anyway, staying cooped up in the house is boring, so why don't we go take a look? Sister, are you going to take Third Princess with you?" Wu Ruyue asked. She gestured for Hongying to start serving her chicken soup, and then winked at Xiangyun to serve her food.
"No, there are too many people outside. She's only five years old, and it's difficult to take care of her. It's safer for her to stay in the mansion. Let's just go for a stroll with my sister!" said Madam Wu.
Wu Ruyue nodded and asked, "Isn't Song Gege going? I don't always go with Song Gege."
When Wu Ruyue mentioned Song, she assumed that Song was thinking about Song Shucheng, and said happily, "Then let's invite Sister Song. I wonder what her plans are. Hongying, go and ask Sister Song right away. Tell her I'm going out to see the temple fair and ask if she wants to come along."
Hongying quickly put down her chopsticks and left.
Wu Ruyue held the porcelain bowl and sipped the chicken soup.
"Here, eat more of this beef. You're too thin," Madam Wu said, personally placing a piece of beef on her sister's plate.
"You're not thinner at all. You don't look good when you're fat," Wu Ruyue muttered.
"Look at your face, there's hardly any meat on it. Eat some more of this Eight Treasure Chicken, it's delicious!" Madam Wu gestured for Xiangyun to put some chicken on Wu Ruyue's plate.
Meanwhile, Hongying relayed the message to Madam Song. Madam Song was also having lunch, and when she received Madam Wu's invitation, she gladly accepted.
"Alright, I'll go. Shucheng, let's go to the temple fair together," Song Shi said to Song Shucheng. It turned out that today was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and Song Shucheng and the others were also off work. Song Shi had someone bring him in to celebrate the festival. She also wanted to create more opportunities for the two young people to meet and spend time together.
Song Shucheng had always been thinking about Wu Ruyue, and seeing his sister's arrangement, he naturally understood her intentions and quickly nodded in agreement.
After lunch, Madam Song, Song Shucheng, Madam Wu, and Wu Ruyue, each accompanied by their maids and wearing different colored cotton cloaks, boarded the two carriages parked at the gate.
Wu Shi and Wu Ruyue shared a carriage, while Song Shi and Song Shucheng shared another. The two carriages headed towards Dashilan in the south of the city. Every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, a temple fair was held there. It was mainly a gathering of various small vendors selling all sorts of trinkets from all over the country. People also came out to celebrate the Lantern Festival, and over time, it became a traditional event. Here, people of all social classes, regardless of wealth, status, age, or rank, wore happy smiles and cheered together for the start of the new year.
Song Shucheng glanced at Wu Ruyue briefly at the door and was slightly disappointed to see that she wasn't wearing the hairpin he had given her.
"Shucheng, how are things between you and Ruyue now? I saw you two chatting happily on New Year's Eve. Does she have feelings for you?" Madam Song naturally knew her brother's thoughts and asked directly.
“Elder sister, I don’t quite understand my daughter’s thoughts. I’ll have to trouble you to ask Princess Wu about this.” Song Shucheng wasn’t really sure what to do. On New Year’s Eve, Wu Ruyue seemed very happy, but her attitude became unclear afterwards. When she came out today, she met Song Shucheng at the door, but barely looked at him, and wasn’t wearing the hairpin in her hair.
“Alright. Today, I’ll take this opportunity to ask Sister Wu. If she’s also interested, we can discuss arranging your marriage. Then we can talk to the concubine and find an opportunity to speak with Consort De to try and get her eligibility for the imperial concubine selection revoked. That way, you can get things done,” said Madam Song.
"Thank you, sister!" Song Shucheng said happily, putting aside his initial discomfort.
"Once you're engaged, we'll ask Father for some money, and I'll give you some more as a sister. We'll buy a courtyard house in the south of the capital. Then you'll have a firm foothold in the capital," said Madam Song. She naturally hoped her younger brother could establish himself, so she would have an assistant in the future. Besides, considering Fourth Prince's current status, his future prospects were uncertain. If she entered the palace, the clerk's future would be even brighter.
Thinking of this, Madam Song couldn't help but sigh softly, "If everything goes smoothly for you, I will be at ease. From now on, I will have a family in the capital."
Knowing that Song Shi had been lonely and helpless all these years and had been neglected in the Fourth Master's inner quarters, Song Shucheng quickly said, "In that case, sister will have a family to rely on in the future. If you are unhappy, come and stay with your brother for a few days to relax."
Madam Song smiled and nodded, saying, "Shucheng, you might as well spend more time with your uncle and nephew. Although he is older than you, he still has to call you uncle in terms of seniority."
Song was referring to Xu Shaowen, the husband of the eldest princess. He is currently a sixth-rank cavalry officer, but his father is the Vice Minister of Rites. You are all relatives and can visit and keep in touch with each other regularly.
“Yes, sister is absolutely right. Shucheng can go and see his niece and grandniece now,” Song Shucheng said with a smile. He was only a young man in his early twenties, but he was already an uncle in terms of seniority.
Madam Song smiled and said, "Shucheng, come over whenever you have time. The Prince seems to value you highly, and with the help of the concubine, I will do my best to support you in your future career."
Seeing that Madam Song cared for him without any selfish motives, Song Shucheng was moved and said, "Yes. Sister treats Shucheng so well."
The wrinkles around Song's eyes indicated that she was no longer young, and she desperately needed something to fill the emptiness in her life.
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