Chapter 220 The Wasted Son of an Ancient Family (18)
Song Yu has been feeling very frustrated lately.
In the imperial court, the emperor reprimanded him for a trivial matter, which made him feel uneasy.
Previously, I had made a very good impression on the emperor.
He certainly knew that his public persona played a very important role, but now, how has it changed?
Could it be...?
He suddenly realized that he hadn't mentioned his deceased wife in a long time.
This shouldn't be!
How can you ignore the carefully crafted persona you've established?
So he decided to stir up some trouble.
That is, to distribute porridge on the anniversary of his deceased wife's death.
Changqing was speechless when he found out.
It's not a year of famine, so who are we doing this for? Besides, we have to drag him into it, saying that his mother was kind-hearted and that distributing porridge on his death anniversary is a way to comfort his soul.
A porridge bucket was erected at the city gate.
The aroma of meat wafted through the air.
There's no shortage of people coming to eat.
Changqing sat expressionlessly to the side.
Of course, he doesn't need to do the work; there are servants to do it.
Song Yu and Bai Susu, both dressed in plain robes, stood to the side talking to someone.
"It's nothing. I just saw Changqing a few days ago and suddenly realized how much he's grown. It reminded me of my late wife. She was a kind person who often distributed porridge during famine years. Now it happens to be the anniversary of her death, so on a whim, I brought my child to experience what my mother did back then."
Song Yu looked overwhelmed with emotion, and those listening nodded in agreement.
Lord Hou is a man of deep feelings.
Bai Susu also sighed, "These past few days, the Marquis has not slept well. He often wakes up in the middle of the night and talks about how when he was fighting on the border, his family relied entirely on Sister Wan to support them. She was able to think of the disaster victims while taking care of her family. She is truly a kind-hearted person."
Upon hearing this, someone jokingly asked her if she, as the current mistress of the Marquis's mansion, felt uncomfortable that the Marquis was reminiscing about his ex-wife so much.
Bai Susu immediately shook her head, "How could that be? I'm only grateful to be able to follow such a devoted man, besides—"
She paused, then emphasized, "I dare not overstep my bounds. I am not worthy of the title of mistress of the Marquis's mansion. As long as I can stay by the Marquis's side and take good care of the two children, I will be content."
Changqing, who was standing nearby, felt a pang of toothache when he heard this.
These two are really acting.
Those who came to eat porridge were all commoners who usually didn't have the opportunity to meet important figures like the Marquis. Today, they heard him say so many things, and they were all genuinely moved.
Everyone wisely praised the Marquis for his loyalty and righteousness, and also commended Bai Susu for her magnanimity and being a great and virtuous wife.
Changqing just felt bored.
He was even feeling a little sleepy.
suddenly.
His ears twitched, and the sound of horses' hooves echoed within the city. Several figures arrived like the wind.
Changqing's eyes lit up.
The visitor turned out to be Eunuch Su, whom they had met once before, who served the emperor.
"His Majesty's oral decree!"
The newcomer was not polite; after dismounting, he immediately gave a command.
Splash!
The crowd knelt on the ground.
Song Yu was visibly excited.
As expected, he had made the right move. The current emperor and empress were childhood sweethearts with a very good relationship. They had almost experienced a life-or-death separation, so he especially appreciated people who valued affection.
Bai Susu lowered her head and knelt beside Song Yu.
Her feelings were somewhat complicated.
She was naturally happy that Song Yu received a reward from the palace, but since the reason for it was related to his deceased wife, she felt like an outsider.
The emperor valued relationships.
Didn't you see all the effort she's put into the Marquis's mansion over the years?
Even bestowing upon him an imperial title would be good.
Just because she wasn't a legally wedded wife, does that mean everything should be ignored and she has to put on a smiling face?
I felt a little resentful.
But at this point, she naturally remained silent.
The others looked on with envy.
Who would have thought that the Marquis's act of distributing porridge would alarm the Emperor?
Many people recalled that when the Marquis returned from the war, he learned of his wife's death and was depressed for a long time. He built a "Wife-Remembering Courtyard" at home and hid there all day, refusing to see even his colleagues. It seems that it was Eunuch Su who went there and summoned him to the palace, where he received many rewards.
On a distant city tower, several people stood with their hands behind their backs.
Upon seeing this, one of them snorted coldly.
"Ha, Song Yu really uses the same trick to the end. Now his youngest son is over ten years old, and he's still playing the old trick of missing his deceased wife."
This man had a dignified expression and wore a purple robe. He was none other than Marquis Weiyuan, Wu Jin, who did not get along well with Song Yu.
The other person next to him smiled as well.
"This trick works well, of course we should use it more often. Haven't you seen how it always alarms the Emperor? The Emperor loves this kind of story. You and I can only lament that we don't have a single dead wife to remember."
Wu Jin immediately spat, "I don't need this kind of story. Marquis of Suining, you have a harem of wives and concubines. Even if you wanted to act like him, you don't have the means!"
The other person turned out to be another marquis, Marquis Yang Zhan of Suining.
These non-royal families who were granted titles were basically those who fought alongside Emperor Taizu to establish the empire. Now, after several generations, under the deliberate guidance of the palace, they have split into several factions and are at odds with each other.
"I'm too lazy to pretend!"
Yang Zhan scoffed at his words.
Wu Jin did not refute, but remained silent for a while.
“That’s true, Brother Yang. Your son Yang Song is exceptionally talented, a true scholar. His transition from military to civil service is something probably only your family could achieve. Song Yu’s two sons can’t even come close. Of course, you don’t need his mannerisms.”
Yang Zhan revealed a smug expression.
He was naturally pleased with his son, who was now already hailed as the most talented scholar in the capital.
The future is limitless.
"That's your son-in-law too!"
"Hahahaha." Wu Jin laughed.
At this moment, Su Gonggong's somewhat shrill voice also drifted over from outside the city gate in the distance.
Both of them wore expressions of disdain.
But as they listened, their expressions became quite interesting.
"I have heard that the Yongning Marquis's residence has recently been distributing porridge at the city gates of the capital... Although this act may seem benevolent, it is actually contrary to the imperial order and violates the rules of etiquette. I have no choice but to sternly condemn it!"
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