Chapter 167 - Grandpa Song Ying

That a princess of Wuhuan was sent into the imperial palace of the Great Rui was heard by Song Yixiao in the present life and her previous life. However, she didn’t know what the princess went through afterwards.

If it were not for Jian Xubai, she wouldn’t have known that Lady Nuan, who was unknown in the palace, used to be Princess Feinuan of Wuhuan.

“He sounds like being pitiful for Lady Nuan?” Song Yixiao didn’t care that Lady Nuan had been a princess of Wuhuan before, but when Jian Xubai talked of her, his facial expression seemed really weird, “He was held as hostage in Wuhuan for several years. Maybe he was not insulted there given his identity. And it was the Su Family who made him captured. By reason, he should have held grudge against Wuhuan.”

Under this circumstance, Jian Xubai still showed sympathy for the daughter of the king of Wuhuan. How could his wife not think much?

Nonetheless, it was improper to get him to talk, so Song Yixiao had to laugh it off. “Okay. I will make a list for your review.”

“No need to be that serious. Given her current rank, just send something random.” Having sensed his wife’s suspicion, Jian Xubai stopped sipping at the wine and lowered his head, saying, “If you find it troublesome, then leave it alone.”

Song Yixiao pretended to focus on appreciating the songs and dances without giving any response.

Although it was getting more and more bustling in the hall, Jian Xubai and Song Yixiao were neither interested, who both intended to have a talk with each other after going back to the mansion.

However, when the family feast was finally over, Jian Xubai was stopped by the Crown Prince’s man at the palace gate. “His Majesty said that as you had drunk quite much at the feast, you might as well go to the Eastern Palace to sober up before returning to your mansion.”

“He must want to discuss with me about making a place for Cousin Zifu!” Jian Xubai gave a bitter smile and said to his wife via the curtain, “Go back to rest first. No need to wait for me.”

Song Yixiao said, “Okay.”

However, with the matter of Lady Nuan on her mind, how could she fall asleep?

When she tossed around in bed until 9 p.m. or so, Jian Xubai finally returned to the bedroom. Upon hearing him enter the inner chamber, she hastily sat up.

“Why are you still awake?” Jian Xubai got into bed while taking off the rope. Seeing that her hair was still fixed with a hairpin, he realized that she hadn’t gone to sleep at all. He said softly, “I’ve told you not to wait for me!”

Song Yixiao sensed his care and felt warm. Instead of sounding out his intention euphemistically, she cut to the chase. “What is going on between you and Princess Feinuan?”

“You stay awake only to ask me that?” Jian Xubai was tired after attending the feast and got even more tired for discussing business with the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace. Now that he was back, he thought that his wife was waiting for him out of worry. However, it turned out that his wife was suspecting that he had an affair with an imperial concubine. In recent years, he was good at concealing his mind. Faced with his wife’s questioning, he was disappointed and unhappy but he wouldn’t voice it out. He only said casually, “After all, she is a concubine of Uncle. Do you think there can be anything going on between me and her?”

“How would I poke my nose into your business?” Actually, Song Yixiao didn’t suspect him much, but Jian Xubai’s reply out of anger seemed to be melancholy, which made her quite sad. She held back her complicated mood, saying casually, “I am merely worried that you may expose yourself in front of others and incur suspicion. In that case, you and she will get into trouble. Worse still, I will come to no good end!”

Jian Xubai thought that after he showed his disgruntlement, his wife would comfort him warmly. Then he could take the opportunity to tell her the relationship between him and Princess Feinuan. In this way, they could have a frank and straight talk.

Unexpectedly, Song Yixiao didn’t give him the chance. And her words were even full of estrangement.

He got even more disappointed and didn’t feel like explaining, saying, “Don’t worry about it. I know what I am doing!”

Song Yixiao cast a glance at him, took off the hairpin and lay down quietly. Jian Xubai saw her reaction and couldn’t help feeling softhearted, thinking to himself. “Normally, how can she give up so quickly since she suspects that I have an affair with Concubine Nuan? It is probably because she has no one to rely on and I refuse to talk more that she doesn’t dare to ask further despite grievance!”

It was Jian Xubai’s idea to marry Song Yixiao. Just as Wei Mengying said before, even if he decided to marry her after having considered various factors, he must feel a thing for her. After they got married, they spent countless days and nights together. Song Yixiao was a beautiful and talented woman. His fancy out of appreciation and sympathy gradually became true love.

After being quiet for a while, Jian Xubai finally heaved a sigh and said resignedly, “When I was in Wuhuan, Lady Nuan—back then, she was Princess Feinuan—loved the Han style. Hence, she often came to our residence to ask about it. At that time, of course we didn’t want to respond to her. Yet, she was almost as young as Xuepei’s younger sister and she didn’t care being cold-shouldered by us. Gradually, Xuepei was willing to explain some literary allusion or words now and then… Afterwards, we would give her some guidance too.”

However, “After all, we did it only to kill time out of boredom.”

“During that time, the king of Wuhuan did mean to let her marry me, but I rejected it for two reasons. For one thing, I didn’t feel a thing for her; for another, it was for my prospect.”

“Yet, we did spend some years together anyway. Therefore, when I heard that she miscarried, inevitably I felt somewhat sorry for her.”

Song Yixiao was angry just now but now she couldn’t help blushing. She turned around only to see her husband’s depressed look and got even guiltier. “I’m sorry!”

“It’s my fault too. I should have told you before.” As she admitted her mistake, Jian Xubai felt much better now. Then he said benignly, “We are husband and wife. All the misunderstandings can be resolved.”

“That was what he underwent in Wuhuan, which Qiu Shuxia keeps badgering about now!” Song Yixiao had mixed feelings and thought, “It must be shameful memories for him. No wonder he didn’t mention any to me before!”

However, as she looked unhappy, Jian Xubai still told her about that experience. Since she had been well taught by her mother, of course she understood why he did so.

For the moment, she felt that she had made a mistake. Not only did she was deeply ashamed of herself but also she felt grateful and touched by Jian Xubai’s concession.

However, although the misunderstanding between them was resolved, their relationship didn’t get better. Song Yixiao was sorry for her husband so she was not in a mood to make out at all.

The embarrassment was still not eliminated the next morning. Jian Xubai was amused by his wife’s awkward behaviors but he was in a good mood now. He didn’t point it out. Instead, he showed more affection for her.

Amidst their mutual concern in quietness, they left the mansion.

When it came to paying a New Year’s call to Qiu Shuxia, Song Yixiao had been well prepared mentally.

To her surprise, the trip to the Qiu Family’s mansion was not as bad as expected.

Qiu Shuxia, a man of thin appearance and elegant bearing, gave Jian Xubai the cold shoulder with unkind words. However, he was friendly to Song Yixiao and even mentioned her legitimate grandpa, Song Ying, “He passed away too early, for which you’ve suffered a lot!”

Song Yixiao never met her grandpa, so she didn’t feel anything about his words. She only exchanged some pleasantries with him and put an end to the conversation.

Having finished the talk with her, Qiu Shuxia turned to Jian Yiyou and said, “You are always an unambitious dandy…”

“Jian Yiyou is the brother-in-law of Prince of Zhao and Qiu Shuxia himself is on the side of Prince of Zhao. Why does Qiu Shuxia scold Jian Yiyou?” Song Yixiao was disgruntled that Qiu Shuxia was flaunting his seniority but now, she had no idea whether to cry or to laugh. “Is he unwilling to take the side of Prince of Zhao?”

It was quite strange. Prince of Zhao’s intention of fighting for throne was not bred recently. If Jian Yiyou didn’t expect this brother-in-law to win the succession, why did he break off the previous engagement?

Qiu Shuxia was not satisfied with scolding Jian Yiyou and even rebuked Prince of Wei and his wife in drunkenness. The host and guests drank for a while. Although the hall was full of music, the awkward silence couldn’t be dispelled anyway.

Under the circumstance, Qiu Shuxia’s wife, Madam Jiang, feeling as if sitting on a bed of nails, hurriedly winked at her maids. After a while, a maid served a cup of wine to Qiu Shuxia. He fetched it and took a sip of it, saying in confusion, “The wine tastes…”

Before he finished his words, he passed out. Faced with all the guests’ surprised looks, Madam Jiang said calmly, “He is drunken. Please don’t be offended!”

Of course no one would feel offended. Qiu Shuxia had scolded almost all the juniors who came to pay a New Year’s call to him!

After the feast was over, on the way back to Duke of Yan’s mansion, Song Yixiao said to her husband, “I’m sorry for Auntie!”

“I’m sorry for us too!” Jian Xubai said casually. “We have to go to his mansion to watch that old man flaunt his seniority every year.”

Song Yixiao was speechless.

Having noticed that her husband didn’t feel happy, she stopped talking then.

Having been at the mansion, Song Yixiao took a sip of the tea served by the servant and was about to mention sending gifts to Lady Nuan when Liyu came inside to report, “Your Highness, Madam, Her Highness the Grand Princess sent words that you are invited to her mansion for business discussion.”

Jian Xubai and Song Yixiao were both surprised. “What does she want to discuss with us about at such a time?”

Liyu had no idea. “The messenger delivered the message and left. I don’t know what it is about.”

On the way to Jinguo Grand Princess’s mansion, Jian Xubai seemed to take a tumble. “The people sent to Youzhou by Mother has been away for more than half a month, right?”

Jinguo Grand Princess got the grievous news in Youzhou on Nie Wuying’s birthday. It had been about 20 days since then.

Song Yixiao calculated the time and felt surprised, “Does anything happen to Yourui?”

When they arrived at the Grand Princess’s mansion, they realized that their conjecture was right. Luckily, it was not that something untoward happened to Pei Yourui but that she didn’t want to come to the imperial capital. “I know that she is sad and that she will feel embarrassed when she is here, but her Chief House Steward has sent words that her brothers and sisters-in-law are not virtuous. How can I leave her alone in Youzhou?”

The Grand Princess was very upset. “She has never been there before. How can she not suffer grievance in a strange place? Yet, in the imperial capital, she is a local here. Even if she lives in the Pei Family’s mansion in the imperial capital, it is better than living with her brothers and sisters-in-law in Youzhou!”

Song Yixiao understood how her mother-in-law felt now.

Notwithstanding, she still didn’t know what to do. If she were Pei Yourui, she wouldn’t come to the imperial capital.

How could she have any solution?

Jian Xubai said, “How about me going there? Maybe the foster sister may listen to my advice.”

“Since there is no outsider here, I’ll tell you honestly!” Regarding the matter, the Grand Princess only called for Jian Xubai, Song Yixiao and Commandery Princess Qingjiang. Now the Commandery Princess said with a frown, “I would rather ask Rouchi to go to Youzhou than let you go there!”

The reason was quite simple. “You’ve already been on bad terms with Yiyou and his wife. If you go to take Yourui back, they will sure believe that you do it against them on purpose.”

Although there were a lot of bad feelings between the two brothers, their mother, the Grand Princess and sister, Commandery Princess Qingjiang still hoped that their relationship wouldn’t get worse.

After the Commandery Princess said that, the Grand Princess nodded her head, “Moreover, you’ve just been working in court and you are busy currently. If you go to Youzhou yourself, how long will it take for a round trip? How can you make the time?”

However, Pei Yourui couldn’t be left in Youzhou. In the end, Commandery Princess Qingjiang proposed an idea carefully. “What about Uncle Limiao? I heard that Uncle Limiao and Prince Consort Pei are sworn friends. Since Grand Secretariat Pei primed Yourui to inherit half of his assets on his deathbed, he must have told her about Uncle Limiao so that she can turn to him for help when in trouble.”