"Madam?" Shulan, looking at Xin He lost in deep thought, asked, "Why not go and take a look yourself, madam?"
Xin He shook her head, "Forget it, it’s late now, there’s no need to disturb them."
If it was something she could find out about, she would know soon enough; if it was something she couldn’t, probing Madam Song now wouldn’t yield any new information.
"Has Little Nan returned yet?" Xin He asked.
Shulan replied, "Not yet, but I have a reliable servant boy keeping an eye on him. I don’t think there will be any issues."
Xin He nodded, finally feeling reassured.
No matter how capable Little Nan was, he was ultimately just a child, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit worried.
However, Xin He estimated that in about two years, he would be able to handle serious responsibilities on his own. On one hand, he would have more experience, and on the other hand, his kung fu skills would likely be well developed by then. With his current abilities, dealing with a few small thieves wouldn’t be a problem.
Now, Xiao Bei and Little Nan practiced kung fu for an hour before school each day. They were currently learning from a martial arts teacher, but once they had mastered the basics, Mu Houchu’s secret guard would take over their training. If they achieved even higher proficiency, Mu Houchu himself would teach them. But that was a matter for the future.
----
Inside Bright Moon Pavilion, the lamp in Madam Song’s room was still lit. Two attentive elderly women stood guard outside the door.
In the room, Madam Song held Song Yalin’s hand and said, "I brought you with me to visit Lady Mu in Lian’an Town this time. You should know my intentions."
Song Yalin slightly bowed her head, not saying anything.
"Now the Great Prince has come to Yu State ahead of schedule, and no outsider knows about it. This information was painstakingly obtained by your father. He is currently in Lian’an Town. You need to understand that if all goes smoothly, your marriage will be settled soon. You will marry him and become the Princess Consort. Although this may be a matter of just one or two sentences for a marriage alliance, it is of great importance to you for the rest of your life. I dare not neglect it."
"I understand."
"As long as you understand. Although it is inappropriate for unmarried men and women to meet in advance, you are my own daughter. I cannot let rigid rules harm you. If you manage to see the Great Prince before he knows who you are, even if it only leaves a good impression, your relationship will be much better after marriage. My daughter is so outstanding, no man can resist her charms." Madam Song said with a light laugh.
Marriage was never about whether couples were well-matched in terms of talents and looks. It was only about the benefits it could bring to the family. A child’s marriage was just a political matter.
While Madam Song was happy that her daughter would become a prestigious Princess Consort in the future, she was also reluctant to see her daughter unhappily married. Wouldn’t that be a waste of her life?
As a woman herself, Madam Song knew the most important factor in a good husband was compatibility between the couple. If they were incompatible, the rest of their lives would be difficult.
She and Song’s Second Master had seen each other by chance at a lantern festival before they were engaged. Although they had barely spoken, they had a mutual liking for each other. After the marriage alliance between their families, Song’s Second Master treated her well and never favored his concubines. The couple had never quarreled, which satisfied Madam Song. If her daughter could have a life like hers, she would be content.
If Song Yalin ended up in a situation like Song’s Third Master and his wife, it would be unbearable. Madam Song, thinking about it, couldn’t stand it. The Third Lady of the Song Family was a shrew, and the Third Master was overly fond of women. There were seven or eight concubines and countless maids sharing their home, making life chaotic.
Madam Song, feeling this was too much, said with a frown, "Your sister’s accident was unexpected, but I’ll handle it. Don’t worry. I heard the Great Prince is staying in a newly acquired estate in Lian’an Town. Apparently, he likes the lake outside the town. You should go there tomorrow. Even if you just catch a glimpse of him, it’ll be good."
Song Yalin, still quietly bowing her head, replied, "I understand."
Madam Song looked at her and couldn’t help but feel a little worried. Her daughter was everything a girl should be - dignified, steady, and calm. Everyone who met her praised her as the epitome of ladylike manners, and Madam Song often took pride in this. However, sometimes, she felt her daughter was too calm.
For example, right now, they were discussing her marriage, and she showed no hint of shyness. Most girls in her situation would be blushing so much they would be unrecognizable.
Was it because she had been too strict with her daughter as a child that she lost the vitality of a normal girl?
Madam Song couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.
At this moment, Little Nan hurried back.
Shulan came in to report, and Xin He immediately let him in.
"What did you find out? Did you learn anything?" Xin He asked anxiously.
Little Nan nodded, still trying to catch his breath. He quickly said, "I bribed Officer Lou’s trusted bodyguard and got a lead. The person behind all this is a nobleman from the capital, and he’s very powerful. He’s helping out because he has a lover at Hua Man Lou Inn!"
Surprisingly, Little Nan sounded quite serious.
Xin He didn’t have time to ponder the appropriateness of Little Nan’s exposure to such matters. Instead, she fell into thought: "A nobleman from the capital? Yu State is Mu Houchu’s territory, so if someone from the capital came, he would know. If anyone has come recently, it’s probably... the Great Prince?"
A flash of insight hit Xin He. She suddenly remembered that Mu Houchu had mentioned the Emperor’s instructions for the Great Prince to go to Yu State half a month later. However, the Great Prince secretly advanced his travels and was now in Yu State.
She hadn’t paid much attention to it before, since Yu State was so vast and the bandits were on the border, far from Lian’an Town. However, she hadn’t expected the Great Prince to come to such a remote town instead of dealing with the bandits after arriving in Yu State.
Either the Great Prince was hiding his true capabilities, knowing full well that Mu Houchu was now in Lian’an Town rather than Yu State’s prefecture city, or... the Great Prince was a fool who went to extreme lengths for a beautiful lover.
Xin He laughed, "Whether it’s him or not, we can just ask. After all, the lover is at Hua Man Lou Inn."
Pausing for a moment, she continued, "I guess we don’t need to guess who the lover is. The only one from the capital is Ah Lian. I’ll ask her personally tomorrow."
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