Chapter 102: Harder Than Before
The evening breeze was pleasant.
Gong Xu was half-drunk.
Granny Zhu held a lantern in front, and Wen Mingqian held Sang Er’s hand, her sleeves fluttering, like Chang’e and Qing Nü.
She herself was supported by Yun Ying, walking at the back.
“Master, please slow down, this stone path is a bit difficult to walk on,” Yun Ying said gently.
“It’s nothing, I’m not drunk,” Gong Xu truly felt he wasn’t drunk.
But his mood at this moment was quite elated.
As if he had suddenly awakened, he realized Wen Mingqian’s goodness.
Compared to Consort Song, Wen Mingqian was not only more beautiful, but also virtuous and more talented.
Recalling the years he had spent with Consort Song, apart from her gentle affection towards him, she had been calculating in every other aspect.
Now that Wen Mingqian was in charge, she not only took beautiful concubines for him but also ensured his comfort and well-being in terms of food, clothing, and daily expenses.
Another point was that no matter how good he thought Consort Song was, his mother had never approved of her.
It was different with Wen Mingqian; the Old Madam not only valued Wen Mingqian but also Chang An, whom Wen Mingqian had given birth to.
Although the wives of other families interacted with Consort Song, their kindness was only superficial, and they all held a degree of disdain.
This even led to criticism of him, thinking he favored his concubine over his wife.
Now that Wen Mingqian had returned, everything seemed to be justified.
Gong Xu couldn’t help but realize once again how wrong he had been before.
People are always like this; often, a single thought can lead to a completely different state of mind.
The more he disliked Wen Mingqian before, the more he found her good now.
Moreover, the nature of men is to first consider what is beneficial to them. Once Gong Xu understood this, he felt Wen Mingqian was a thousand times better than Consort Song.
Looking at Wen Mingqian’s graceful retreating figure, his heart grew warmer.
He deliberately slowed his pace and said, “I ate a bit too much at dinner today, so I can’t go to bed early. I remember the moon viewing at the waterside pavilion of Lingyue Pavilion is the best. We should go there and enjoy this beautiful moonlight.”
Upon hearing this, Sang Er whispered to Wen Mingqian, “This idiot wants to take advantage of Mother! It’s disgusting!”
Wen Mingqian then said to Yun Ying, “Then you accompany the Master to admire the moon! Be careful of the dark, and call a few more people to serve.”
Gong Xu actually wanted to admire the moon with Wen Mingqian, but he was still a man who valued his reputation and couldn’t bring himself to ask directly.
He could only vaguely say, “No need for too many people, lest it spoil the elegance.”
“That still depends on the Master being settled first. Getting hurt is no joke,” Wen Mingqian didn’t want any unnecessary trouble.
But these words were incredibly comforting to Gong Xu; he felt Wen Mingqian was concerned about him.
After Wen Mingqian returned, she closed her door and washed up to rest.
She instructed Sang Er, “Guard the door well, don’t let Gong Xu in.”
“Don’t worry, Mother! If he dares to come in, I’ll break his legs,” Sang Er bared her teeth, like a loyal little dog.
Meanwhile, Gong Rang and his wife were still in Old Madam Gong’s room.
“I suppose I’ve become senile!” Old Madam Gong sighed. “When the Old Master was on his deathbed, he repeatedly told me that the affairs of the second branch were enough to be left to the second wife.
But I didn’t believe him then, always thinking she was too young and too straightforward, and might not be able to manage the household well.
Later, when that incident happened, if I had stood up for her then, it wouldn’t have escalated to this point.”
Although Old Madam Gong was old, she was not muddled.
She could see that Gong Xu clearly had a warming sentiment towards Wen Mingqian, but Wen Mingqian, while gentle, was also distant.
“Mother, you don’t need to worry about this. They are husband and wife after all. If things are not good today, they will be good tomorrow. As long as the Second Master shows sincerity, how can he not win back his wife?” Wei Shi persuaded gently.
“Alas, at this point, we can only let fate decide. I hope no more complications arise. What I want now is for this family to be peaceful and prosperous. Then I can face the Old Master with honor when I die,” Old Madam Gong sighed deeply.
“Mother, you worry too much. Sister-in-law has always been reasonable; how could she cause unrest in the household?” Gong Rang also said.
“Alas, I don’t know what kind of fate they had in their past lives to have so many twists and turns in this one. Never mind, I won’t think about it. I do recall that if Jing’an passes his exams, it will be time for him to get married. He’s just turned twenty, and will be twenty-one by the New Year.
We should start looking for a suitable match for him in advance, so we don’t end up just grabbing anyone like catching a duck.”
Wei Shi smiled upon hearing this, “Since Old Madam says so, you must have someone in mind.”
“I think the Fourth Miss of the Changrong Marquis Mansion is quite good. The last time she came with her mother and sister-in-law, I found the girl to be dignified and polite, and also good-looking,” Old Madam Gong said.
“This…” Wei Shi looked at her husband with some hesitation. “I’m afraid they might not think highly of us.”
“How could that be? Although they are a Marquis Mansion and we are a Count Mansion, our Jing’an is handsome, filial, and honest. Among the young noblemen of similar age, you’d be hard-pressed to find many more outstanding than him.”
“Old Madam naturally sees her grandson as perfect,” Gong Rang smiled. “But people say that when a daughter is married, she is the only legitimate daughter of the Changrong Marquis Mansion. They will surely be very selective.”
“They will naturally be selective; when a family has a daughter, a hundred families seek her. Can our family not seek her?” Old Madam Gong said. “The Second Wife is quite close to their family, and I notice they seem to be trying to curry favor with her in their conversations. I wonder why.” Old Madam Gong said.
“That’s because Sister-in-law is skilled at making cosmetics and medicated powders. The Fourth Miss’s face was healed by Sister-in-law. Therefore, the Marchioness Changrong is very grateful, and they naturally interact more often,” Wei Shi explained.
“So that’s how it is, isn’t that even better? With her influence, it’s like having an advantage,” Old Madam Gong was determined to find a suitable marriage for her eldest grandson. “I’ll speak to her tomorrow and have her sound them out first.”
“Old Madam, aren’t you being a bit too hasty? We haven’t even made any progress on our end yet. It’s best to talk about marriage after he has achieved official position,” Wei Shi said. “Otherwise, wouldn’t it seem frivolous?”
“What harm is there in sounding them out?” Old Madam Gong was dismissive. “It’s just a casual mention during everyday conversation, nothing serious.”
Meanwhile, Gong Xu, after admiring the moon for a long time, found it rather uninteresting.
“Master hasn’t fully recovered yet, perhaps you should go back and rest,” Yun Ying said from the side.
Gong Xu looked up at Wen Mingqian’s room; the lights were already out.
He could only say, “Then let’s go back! The moonlight is just right to light the way.”
He then deludedly thought that she must have thought he needed to rest and had gone to sleep herself.
