The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity

Chapter 333 - 302: I Might Take a Concubine

Xie Zheng and Song Wei both worked at the Hanlin Academy. Even if they usually didn’t share the same office, Song Wei found it easy to know when Xie Zheng and the others would leave the Lower Court.

Therefore, Xie Zheng didn’t know how to answer Wen Wan’s question.

If he said there was work at Hanlin Academy, it would soon be disproven. If he said the Hanlin Academy closed on time, then he wouldn’t be able to explain why he’d been coming home late recently.

Seeing Xie Zheng unwilling to speak, Wen Wan smiled and asked, "Is there something difficult to express?"

"I..."

Xie Zheng had only uttered one word when Wen Wan continued, "If it’s inconvenient for you to say, don’t force yourself. I just came from your family’s place, and the food is nearly ready. Go inside, Yang is waiting for you to come home for dinner!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Zheng’s expression became even more conflicted. But some words were inappropriate to discuss with Wen Wan, a woman. He moved his lips, ultimately only letting out a soft sound from his nose before saying nothing more and stepped into his own courtyard.

Wen Wan watched Xie Zheng’s silhouette disappear at the gate before turning to walk inside.

...

Song Wei had already returned home and heard that Wen Wan had gone over next door. Upon seeing her, he asked, "How did it go?"

Wen Wan put Jinbao down, watched the little guy trotting towards his father, and then honestly replied, "The matter of the second branch’s separation has basically been settled."

Song Wei chuckled, "Was it settled by Wanwan?"

Wen Wan made a sound of affirmation, "If I say yes, will Mr. Song give me some reward?"

"What reward would you like?"

As Song Wei spoke, he reached out to support his son, who had already walked to him, and then naturally took him on his lap.

Wen Wan said, "Let’s put the reward aside for now. I have something else to tell you."

"Hmm, go ahead."

"Before I came in, I saw Xie Zheng."

Upon hearing this, Song Wei raised his eyes slightly to look at her, "Xie Zheng came back early today?"

"I asked a few questions, but he was vague and provided no substantial answers. I think he might have some difficulty expressing it to me, a young woman. Would you have time to inquire about it?"

Song Wei’s tone was slightly low, "Since you’ve already asked, there’s no need for me to do it."

"Hmm?" Wen Wan looked at the man, puzzled.

Song Wei explained in a gentle voice, "Xie Zheng is not someone skilled at lying. If he indeed did something against his conscience and is questioned by you in that manner, he would eventually voluntarily confess."

...

Indeed, being a mature man in his thirties, Song Wei’s grasp of human minds was far more precise than Wen Wan had imagined.

Especially when she saw Xie Zheng in their courtyard, Wen Wan’s feelings grew deeper.

After returning, Xie Zheng simply greeted his parents and said he had some matters to attend to before heading straight to the Song family.

In the main hall, the food was already on the table.

Granny Song was setting out the chopsticks and, seeing Xie Zheng, smiled and gestured for him to come inside to eat.

Xie Zheng forced a smile, "Aunt, I have something to discuss with my cousin third."

Upon sitting down, Song Wei looked straight towards the door.

His gaze was notably penetrating.

Even Xie Zheng felt exposed when facing Song Wei’s scrutiny.

"Can’t you say it inside?" Song Wei’s voice was calm. Ever since putting on the black gauze cap and becoming an official, his calm demeanor often carried an air of unquestionable solemnity.

Wen Wan thought, this was probably what others referred to as "the authority of officials."

Xie Zheng didn’t step forward, seemingly guilty, avoiding eye contact with Song Wei and shifting his gaze slightly elsewhere, "If my cousin third is willing, I’d like to invite you to a tavern where we can talk over drinks."

Wen Wan paused from serving soup to Jinbao, looking towards Song Wei.

She saw Song Wei rise leisurely, tell her he’d be back soon, then stepped outside.

The cousins soon left through the gate towards the tavern.

Granny Song looked perplexed and turned to Wen Wan, "I think Xie Zheng’s complexion is off; is something wrong?"

What was happening with Xie Zheng? Wen Wan herself couldn’t determine, only comforting Granny Song, "Xie Zheng says it’s a private matter, so let’s not worry about it. Overthinking will drain us."

After speaking, she deliberately put a piece of food into Granny Song’s bowl.

...

The Song and Xie families resided on Academy Street. Due to the presence of the Hanlin Academy, an essential government office, there were no vendors or shops on the entire street, so the tavern was some distance away.

Nevertheless, Song Wei and Xie Zheng walked there.

However, the entire way they remained silent.

When they arrived, Xie Zheng ordered a pot of wine and a few small dishes.

The two cousins sat facing each other.

Song Wei looked at the person opposite and got straight to the point, "Didn’t you say you have something to discuss with me?"

Xie Zheng was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I might need to take a concubine."

At that moment, the waiter brought the wine and small dishes. Song Wei took the wine pot, poured drinks for both Xie Zheng and himself, without any change in expression, spoke slowly, "Go on, what’s causing your dilemma?"

Xie Zheng couldn’t help but ask, "Aren’t you surprised, Third Cousin?"

Song Wei smiled faintly, "Taking a concubine is a small matter, I don’t find it surprising."

The psychological burden all along was dismissed as a "small matter," and Xie Zheng seemed to find an anchor, his tense emotions relaxed somewhat, and he recounted the whole story.

...

Two months ago, Xie Zheng’s eldest son, Xie Zhuo, ate something incompatible, suddenly foamed at the mouth, and fainted. Xie Zheng hurriedly hired a carriage to fetch a doctor. During the journey, he repeatedly urged the driver to speed up, resulting in an accident that injured a young lady.

"She had a minor scratch on her face and a fractured leg," Xie Zheng said, "For the facial wound, I had the doctor use the best medicine, and it has mostly healed. But her leg, I’m afraid she’ll walk with a limp from now on, it won’t fully recover."

He took a deep breath, "I can’t not take responsibility for her."

"So, every day after finishing at the Lower Court instead of going home, you’ve been with her?"

Xie Zheng nodded, "She’s been recovering a lot lately and needs someone to help her walk."

"Did she agree to be your concubine?" Song Wei asked again.

Xie Zheng lowered his eyelids, and after a moment, slowly said, "Yes."

"What about her family?"

"Her biological father has long passed away, and she only has a bedridden mother. She usually makes a living by setting up a small stall selling pancakes, life is very tough."

"Two months, with guilt and sympathy, it’s enough for you to develop feelings for her." Song Wei took a sip of wine, his words light and effortless, but it left Xie Zheng unable to lift his head.

Song Wei understood him to some extent.

With Yang, it was more of a man’s sense of responsibility, but for that young lady, perhaps he truly had feelings.

In an era where men had multiple wives and concubines, responsibility and affection didn’t necessarily have to coexist, a man could separate them entirely if he wished.

Regarding this matter, Song Wei didn’t see himself as having a say, "As long as you find a way to get Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin to accept her, I have no objections."

At this, Xie Zheng immediately looked troubled, "If I could think of a solution, I wouldn’t have come to see you, Third Cousin."

Song Wei said, "I can remain silent, even tacitly agree to you taking a concubine, but you can’t expect me to help come up with ideas, they are two different things."

Xie Zheng also knew that it was difficult for Song Wei, given his temperament, to ask him to come up with ideas. But he’d been racking his brains unable to find a good solution these days, almost driving himself crazy.

After sitting silently for a while, Xie Zheng asked him, "If it were you, Third Cousin, what would you do?"

Song Wei replied honestly, "Our situations are different."

All his responsibility and feelings were invested in the same person, even if faced with a situation similar to Xie Zheng’s, he would find the best doctor, find other ways to compensate, but he would definitely not develop feelings for the young lady, nor would he get entangled in how to bring her into the household.

...

Today was a candid session.

Even though he couldn’t get any useful ideas from Song Wei, finding someone to vent his frustrations allowed Xie Zheng to relieve some pressure. At least his chest didn’t feel as congested, and at least... Song Wei didn’t directly blame him but chose tacit approval.

——

After returning, Song Wei truthfully told Wen Wan about Xie Zheng’s predicament.

Wen Wan had thought the situation would be like Song Wei had previously speculated, that Xie Zheng was feeling too pressured by his family and wanted to take a shortcut like Hao Yun, never expecting it to be such a difficult entanglement.

"Is there no other way?" Wen Wan thought of Aunt Xie’s strong character comparable to her own mother-in-law, feeling faintly worried.

Song Wei said, "If Xie Zheng was purely doing it for compensation, there might have been other ways, but the problem is, he and that young lady may already have feelings for each other."

Once emotions are involved, the scales in one’s heart will inevitably tilt towards that side, especially since the young lady is in a weaker position. If the Xie family flatly refuses, it will only make Xie Zheng more distressed for her, and in the worst case, he might turn against his family for her.

Returning to her thoughts, Wen Wan looked at the man’s handsome profile and suddenly asked, "What if it were you, Husband? What would you do?"

Song Wei smiled and asked her, "Are you in such a hurry for me to take a concubine?"

Who would want to share a husband with other women? Wen Wan hummed softly, "I just want to know how you would handle the same situation."

Song Wei said, "I wouldn’t develop feelings, which would make it less complicated to handle."

Wen Wan pursed her lips, smiling knowingly, "What do you mean by not developing feelings?"

In their five years of marriage, Wen Wan had never heard Song Wei say he liked her. Just now, he said he wouldn’t develop feelings for other women, could it be a roundabout way of confessing his feelings for her?

Thinking of this, Wen Wan felt a sweetness in her heart, her face blushing.

The man didn’t answer directly, swiftly changing the subject, "You mentioned earlier that you wanted a reward, what is it?"