The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity

Chapter 851 - 807: A Good Husband

Wen Wan and her group were still offering incense in the treasure hall when Xu Jia returned. Mrs. Xu was donating incense money.

Xu Jia saw that her mother was giving large silver notes, totaling several thousand taels.

Xu Jia was momentarily surprised.

Though her mother was not stingy, she was usually not so extravagant, always considering the household expenses. Donating so much at once today, it seemed she was in a good mood because of her daughter’s affair.

Collecting her thoughts, Xu Jia approached and called out to her mother.

Mrs. Xu turned and saw her daughter’s rosy cheeks and vibrant demeanor, immediately realizing the marriage was settled. Her eyes lit up, "Jiajia..."

Xu Jia glanced up at the solemn Buddha statue ahead, clasped her hands together, and said to Mrs. Xu, "In front of the Buddha is not a place for talking. Let’s go to the guest courtyard and talk slowly later."

Mrs. Xu nodded, called over Wen Wan, and the group grandly left the treasure hall, heading directly to the guest courtyard arranged by the Abbot at Song Wei’s request.

This guest courtyard was near the back of the mountain, with a serene environment. Like other Zen courtyards, it had a tall Suoluo Tree. Now in early autumn, a few flowers hadn’t yet withered, trembling on the branches.

Wen Wan and a few others entered the central room, and the maids went outside to ask the little monk for hot water to make tea for their masters.

Mrs. Xu sat on a cushion, rubbing her sore calves, and asked Xu Jia, "Did you just go to see Yun Liulang?"

Xu Jia nodded calmly.

Mrs. Xu asked nervously again, "Did he acknowledge?"

Xu Jia did not answer directly, but said, "Yun Liulang is a highly influential person. If he openly breaks the engagement, it won’t benefit him or the entire Yun Family."

It’s settled then!

Hearing this, Mrs. Xu felt a surge of joy, "Amitabha Buddha, may the Bodhisattva bless. My Jia has finally found a good husband, I hope my thousands of taels of incense money weren’t donated in vain, that the marriage proceeds smoothly."

Wen Wan looked at Mrs. Xu’s devoutly clasped hands and smiled, "I mentioned before that the Fahua Temple’s divination is effective. Although Jia didn’t draw a lot, as soon as she arrived at the door, she was granted a heavenly match. It shows that Fahua Temple is truly a blessed place, and Jia’s trip today was not in vain."

Mrs. Xu, who previously complained about Fahua Temple being far and high, dared not say those words now, instead planning to come and pray to the mountain’s Buddha and Bodhisattva whenever she had time and donate more incense money.

Song Yuanbao and Ye Ling exchanged smiles and congratulated their little aunt.

However, Song Yuanbao, like Wen Wan, harbored the same doubts, feeling that everything went too smoothly.

Yun Huai once stayed at the Song Mansion for a while, and Song Yuanbao understood him. Although his attention to detail wasn’t as high as Zhao Xi’s, he wasn’t someone to settle for less easily. The words from Master Xu Yun seemed somewhat elusive, and now they coincidentally fell upon Xu Jia, a woman who had once divorced, making it too much of a coincidence.

Moreover, from another perspective, it was not easy for Aunt Jia, who had a previous marriage, to find a good husband. Even if someone admired her, marrying her would invite pressure from his family and society.

But if it was a heavenly match, with a renowned monk like Master Xu Yun to vouch for it, everything would fall into place naturally.

Yes! Fall into place naturally, that’s it!

Song Yuanbao quickly pieced together the puzzle, realizing there was no such thing as destiny here; it was all orchestrated by Yun Liulang. Given his status, it wouldn’t be hard to enlist Master Xu Yun’s help, and he did this to silence the world and allow Aunt Jia to marry into the Yun Family smoothly.

Such clever tactics!

Song Yuanbao couldn’t help but sigh internally.

Then, when did these two actually start? Why had he never heard of it before? Were they publicly distant but privately maintaining a connection?

Song Yuanbao felt he might never know the answers to these questions because he didn’t plan on exposing the relationship between Xu Jia and Yun Liulang.

Just like when he wanted to marry Ye Ling, he used some little tricks along the way. His goal and Yun Liulang’s were the same—both wanted to win over their beauties as soon as possible. As a fellow man, Song Yuanbao understood.

However, Yuan Liulang managed to make the events so stirring, he still felt full of admiration.

Wen Wan already felt something was amiss when Xu Jia chose not to have Song Yuanbao accompany her and instead followed the little monk. Now seeing Xu Jia return, not only did her wrist, covered by her sleeve, have a fine bracelet, but the expression in her eyes spoke volumes—her face told too many secrets. Wen Wan guessed that the destined person was just a decoy. The whole affair was merely to smooth over Xu Jia’s past, legitimizing her marriage.

Thinking this, Wen Wan’s smile deepened, genuinely happy for Xu Jia. After all, society demands so much from women. Though separating from a husband carries a slightly better reputation than being dismissed, wanting to marry well again is terribly difficult. Xu Jia, having left Tang Yuan and meeting someone who doesn’t disdain her past and sincerely cares for her, is indeed a blessing and fate.

...

The destined person had appeared, and the abbot master sent several little monks down the mountain to inform.

The noblewomen counting on the roadside turned pale upon hearing this, questioning the little monk if someone had cheated. They had counted one by one, and until now only reached seven or eight hundred, where did the thousand come from?

The little monk recited the Buddha’s name, patiently explaining that there were incense patrons at the back of the mountain too, and counting had to start from the entrance of the main gate, counting the number of people who started ascending from the foot of the mountain wasn’t accurate.

The noblewomen blushed with anger, flung their sleeves and left, but among them, some were unwilling to let go, wanting to see exactly which celestial being was the destined one.

Wen Wan anticipated being blocked on the front descent, so she suggested going down the back mountain. Although it was more roundabout, it avoided many troubles.

Mrs. Xu had no objections, so the group went down the back mountain, sending a maid to the place where the carriage was parked to tell the coachman to turn around, as the masters were waiting at the Ten-mile Pavilion in front.

Returning to the Capital, night had already fallen.

The carriages of Xu and Song Mansions went their separate ways, each heading home.

Mrs. Xu was eager to share this surprise with everyone at her estate and to distribute bonus money to the staff.

Even more eager than her was Song Yuanbao.

Song Yuanbao was naturally not excited about Xu Jia’s matter but for his own life events.

Ye Ling was frightened by his enthusiasm, and upon returning home, hid in her mother-in-law’s courtyard, even having dinner with Wen Wan.

Wen Wan had known all along about the young couple not consummating their marriage. After all, if it had happened, the maid there would have brought the first cloth to show her.

Today was a particularly good day; ever since Song Yuanbao proposed to take leave to go with them to Fahua Temple, Wen Wan speculated something was up. Now seeing Ye Ling hiding out in her room and not return, she laughed and said: "You can hide from the beginning but not the end with me. You have to face it sooner or later. It’s been two months since the wedding, seeing each other daily, what is there to be shy about?"

Ye Ling’s slender fingers wrapped around the cloth, her voice soft, "I’m not scared, just nervous."

For these two months, Song Yuanbao had been sleeping on the small bed. At first, Ye Ling didn’t understand why he kept taking cold showers every day. Later, the dowry lady told her, she only realized, and every time Song Yuanbao went for a bath, she was deeply embarrassed. Now they were finally going to take it seriously; how could she not be nervous?

"Go on!" Wen Wan said gently: "Although I’m not Yuanbao’s birth mother, over the years, feelings have developed. I had been longing for you to cross the threshold, and now that you have, I’m yearning for a grandson from you soon, the mansion feels too empty, a few little ones would liven things up."

Perhaps with a more mature mindset, Wen Wan discovered that many of her youthful thoughts were gone. Now, her happiest moments are playing with Jinbao, Qi Bao, Duobao and Yan Li, no matter how chaotic, her heart feels completely fulfilled.

Yan Li is a brother, Jinbao, Qi Bao, and Duobao are children, if another generation of grandchildren arrives reaching the fourth generation all living together, the mansion would be truly bustling.

Ye Ling noticed the hope in her mother-in-law’s eyes, realized this day was inevitable, so she stood up, giving a respectful bow and left the Qingteng Residence, encountering Song Qi along the way. She saw Song Qi’s sad expression, curiously asked: "Second sister, what’s wrong?"

Song Qi had gone to Fahua Temple today, not seeing the person she wanted, her mood was really down, and she didn’t want to converse much, just pursed her lips, "Nothing, I’m just going back."

Ye Ling gazed at Song Qi’s receding back and asked Xiang Ning nearby, "Would Second Miss’s unhappiness be my fault?"

Xiang Ning, having disliked this second young lady from the day she entered the mansion, upon hearing her lady ask, snorted, "What concern is it if she’s happy or not, as long as Miss you are happy."

Master and servant quickly returned to Harmony Pavilion.

Song Yuanbao had his dinner in the outer courtyard, after which he went to Song Wei’s study to ask about many matters of the Hanlin Academy, coming to Ye Ling’s room only late at night.