Xin He smirked and said, "You’re just realizing now that you’re living a blissful life? Look at how you are with your son on a daily basis!"
Marquis Mu seemed to recall something and smiled lightly, "Well, I may not be as capable as Duan Lan who, in the past two years, has gathered a handful of women in his harem. I hear the Emperor recently conferred him the title of Marquis, not to mention, one of his concubines just gave birth to a chubby little boy, quite a double celebration."
Xin He smiled faintly, "The Emperor has no choice but to depend on Duan Lan now. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was given the title of a prince, let alone a marquis. As for the women he has married, they all seem to be of importance. Marriage alliances are indeed the best way to win over courtiers."
It seems that for Duan Lan right now, the allure of power far exceeds any familial feelings. Maybe... this can be considered letting go?
Xin He shook her head, letting out a soft chuckle. Everything was over now.
Seeing Xin He’s composed expression, Marquis Mu smiled, "Do you see now how good your husband is?"
Xin He glared at him, "You mean how good your wife is!"
Chun Ge stubbornly clung to Mu Houchu’s robe. Looking quite annoyed at being overlooked, he made baby noises, attempting to climb up.
Marquis Mu was in a good mood, finding this little brat more adorable than ever. With one swift motion, he scooped him up into his arms.
Seeing his brother being held, Ning Ning also started making noises. Marquis Mu casually scooped him up as well with another hand. The two little ones were far more well-behaved in Marquis Mu’s arms than in Xin He’s, sitting contentedly without causing a ruckus. It’s probably because they were already accustomed to their father’s temperament since birth.
Xin He looked at Mu Houchu and asked, "Have you ever considered ruling over all of Da Qian?"
Marquis Mu’s expression hardened slightly, "Yes, I have."
"It may be hard," Xin He remarked.
Marquis Mu smiled mildly, "Right now, the Emperor apparently reigns over Da Qian, but Duan Lan is actually the one controlling everything. The Emperor appears more like a puppet. Back then, he was so guarded against me, yet he never thought that the real wolf in sheep’s clothing would be Duan Lan. While I have considered ruling over all of Da Qian, I know it would be challenging. Now, my ambitions are dwindling. I simply want to live peacefully with you and our children. If I ever truly gain the highest position, I would probably be more constrained than free. What do you think?"
Xin He chuckled, "Yu State is great, I like it here."
One sentence, that’s all it took to express her heart. She didn’t want much. The current situation was just fine.
If they truly were to compete, that’s the same as Mu Houchu needing to contend with Duan Lan again. However, he carries no more desire for strife. Some temptations do not hold significant meaning for him. All he wants now is satisfaction with what he has.
While they were talking, Shulan walked into the Taoyuan Garden, "Prince, Princess, Young Master Song has arrived."
Xin He smiled, "Let him in."
"Yes, ma’am."
Shulan immediately left to escort him, and soon a handsome young man strode in. He’d grown much taller since two years ago. With youthful elegance, he greeted Xin He and Mu Houchu, "Greetings to the Prince and Princess."
Xin He responded with a smile, "Just a few days ago, Ah Guai mentioned that you just passed the civil examination with top scores. That’s quite impressive."
Song Xi laughed, "It’s not a big deal."
"I presume you’re getting ready for the imperial examination next spring?"
Song Xi shook his head, "My teacher says I’m not yet ready. The upcoming imperial examination has attracted stellar talents. I’m afraid it’d be hard to emerge as the top one. He advised me to focus and prepare for the next three years before taking the examination."
Xin He nodded with a smile, "Your father does have a point."
On one hand, it’s to let his son stay grounded. After all, being recognized for passing the civil examination at a young age has already made him the talk of the town. Another victory might go to his head. On the other hand, it seems Master Song has hopes for Song Xi to work harder and aim for the title of the top scholar in a few years.
Song Xi already has the capabilities to pass the Jinshi exam.
What’s admirable about Song Xi is that despite being young, he is neither arrogant nor impetuous and is steadfast in his journey, which is quite rare. Xin He was pleased with this aspect alone.
Marquis Mu remained indifferent for some reason. The more he watched this young man growing, the less he was fond of him.
Then it dawned on Xin He, and she asked, "Speaking of which, you’re turning fifteen this year, right? You’ll have your coming-of-age ceremony next year. By then, the people coming to offer marriage proposals for you might even break your doorstep. I accidentally ran into your mother the other day, and she mentioned she was worried about your marriage arrangement. How does it stand now?"
Song Xi blushed slightly and modestly replied, "There’s no rush. I want to establish my career first and then settle down. I have yet to achieve anything notable, how can I consider getting married? I’ve already told my mother that I won’t settle any marriage arrangements within three years."
As for what happens after three years... he’ll find another excuse after three years...
Xin He tilted her head. Something felt familiar about his response. It felt as if she had heard it somewhere... but where?
Li Nan?
Marquis Mu scoffed, "So, if you still haven’t established your career by the time you’re twenty-five, you won’t get married until then?"
That was actually the thought in Song Xi’s mind.
Song Xi laughed, "It’s not entirely impossible."
Perhaps, he really would have to wait for another ten years.
"Then you wait." Marquis Mu huffed.
"I’ll patiently wait as if it’s the beginning." Song Xi replied. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
Xin He felt a bit puzzled seeing the two of them throwing words back and forth as if they were exchanging riddles. She decided to cut through the strange tension and said, "You came at the perfect time. These past few days, Ah Guai has surprisingly been studying poetry for a change. Why don’t you, the great scholar, go see her? You can assist her a little."
The smile on Song Xi’s face deepened. He bowed, "Sure, I’ll take my leave."
He then turned around and left.
Watching Song Xi’s retreating figure, Marquis Mu frowned, "In the future, try to reduce his contact with Ah Guai. He isn’t a child anymore."
When they were small, playing and joking around was fine. But now, how old are they?
Xin He quickly caught onto Marquis Mu’s thoughts and retorted with a smile, "Or what? Did you think he came to the Royal Mansion to see us? He was merely paying his respects before going to see Ah Guai."
Marquis Mu raised an eyebrow, "You knew and you still let him come?"
Xin He blinked, "Song Xi is good, isn’t he? We watched him grow up, he’s really well-mannered, and he’s also motivated - both intelligent and diligent. Ah Guai likes hanging out with him too. They’re rare childhood sweethearts with innocent relationships, why stop them?"
"Ah Guai is so young!" A thought of his eight-year-old precious daughter being pursued by someone made Marquis Mu uncomfortable!
Xin He laughed, "Ah Guai is innocent and doesn’t overthink things. Song Xi has always been respectful. Even if he has deeper thoughts, he only keeps them to himself. As for what to do ten years later, let’s talk about it in ten years. It’s too early for that now. In the end, it all depends on whether Ah Guai likes him."
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