The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity

Chapter 913 - 867: Keeping a Mistress

The night in Yanjing was Wen Wan’s most unique Lunar New Year’s Eve in her twenty-six years.

No family reunion, no citywide fireworks, only the shouts and uproar of rebel troops breaking into Yanjing City filled her sight and ears.

Su Qing’s capture of Yanjing, his live capture of Emperor Yan Fu Tianqi and Crown Prince Fu Changming, established great merit for Chu Country. However, the Northern Border was still under Prince Liang and his hundreds of thousands of troops, so it was temporarily impossible to incorporate Bei Yan into Chu’s territory.

This costly and draining war between the two countries had officially begun.

Wen Wan and Song Wei, with Amuer and Chu Country emissaries, were escorted by the Sky Eagle Guard back to Chu Country.

Song Wei never revealed his identity and separated from Wen Wan, returning to Ningzhou the night before entering the Chu Capital.

The Chu Capital was in full spring bloom.

Wen Wan, struck by spring sleepiness, yawned repeatedly after lunch and fell asleep curled up on the small couch.

Amuer hadn’t returned to the Western Border yet and visited Changning Marquis Mansion, accompanied by Lu Yanli, who surprisingly did not fuss.

On returning from a stroll with the two little ones, Zhao Xunyin, seeing Wen Wan awake, couldn’t help muttering, "Aside from going to the palace the day you returned to the capital, you’ve been lounging at home all the time. Are you planning not to become Your Majesty’s femme fatale?"

Wen Wan adjusted the jade hairpin in her hair, responding offhandedly, "No, starting today, I plan to reform."

Zhao Xunyin’s mouth twitched before he asked seriously, "Since Third Son went to Yanjing with you, how is he, has his luck improved?"

Wen Wan set down the hand mirror, pondered for a while, "I was just about to write a letter to inquire. I don’t know how his luck is, but my precognitive ability has disappeared."

Zhao Xunyin was shocked, "Disappeared?"

"Probably completely used up in Yanjing," Wen Wan nodded, "Otherwise, why would I not enter the palace? I didn’t want His Majesty to find out I’m now utterly useless. Originally, I didn’t join the court to truly become an official, but to change Third Son’s fate. Now halfway through, my main skill has vanished, and I don’t know what’s next."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xunyin became anxious, "Then what are you dawdling for? Hurry up and write the letter to ask!"

If the change wasn’t successful, Wanwan’s efforts over the past several months would have been wasted!

"I’ll write, write, write—right away! Look how panicked you are." Wen Wan grumbled as she cleaned her hands and sat at the writing desk, spreading out the paper and starting to grind ink.

Zhao Xunyin added, "The ups and downs for you two have made even me mentally exhausted. How could I not be anxious?"

Wen Wan said nothing more, picked up the pen, and started writing the letter, first inquiring about everyone’s situation in Ningzhou, and mentioning Song Qi at the end.

Perhaps because the snow had melted in early spring and the mountain roads were passable, the people delivering letters were remarkably fast, and Wen Wan received a reply in less than ten days.

Song Wei wrote that he had returned home safely. Before the year-end, villagers worked proactively, and a village school was built. In spring, it enrolled a class of ten or so children. Song Wei went to teach them every morning, enlightening the children, and mentioned Ye Ling’s pregnancy was stable, under the servants’ care, without any major issues. Qi Bao had gradually adapted to life without a mother; the little girl now spoke clearly, articulating words well and walking steadily.

About Song Qi, it seemed Song Wei’s pen hesitated a moment; he wrote that as time passed, Second House seemed to forget Jiaojiao and their mother’s deaths. Once, he saw Song Qi returning from the graveyard, nearly lifeless. Second Lang’s wife, moved by compassion, pleaded for him, and Song Wei intended to remove Song Qi from the clan once the ancestral hall was rebuilt.

Reading this, Wen Wan seethed with anger and wrote in her reply: Just removing her from the family isn’t enough! Doesn’t she want to be a concubine? After kicking her out of the Song family, send her to town to fulfill her wish!

When Yang delivered her invitation to Changning Marquis Mansion, she saw Wen Wan lying angrily on the small couch as soon as she entered.

Yang asked with a smile, "What’s wrong?"

Currently, Wen Wan and Song Wei were still technically separated, so she couldn’t tell Yang that she was angered by Second House’s antics. Instead, she shook her head and said, "It’s nothing, just been dealing with some bothersome matters lately."

She invited Yang to sit casually.

Yang settled into the round chair, observed Wen Wan for a moment, and said, "All the talk outside is unanimously in favor of you— Commandery Princess, saying you’re capable; just one mission to Bei Yan and you captured Yanjing. When Bei Yan is truly under Chu’s control, they’ll praise you endlessly."

Wen Wan pursed her lips, "I’d be grateful if they don’t criticize me."

Yang couldn’t help but laugh, saying that common people are like that, always following the popular opinion, never seeking the truth, poking into gossip wherever it emerges, and advised her not to take it to heart.

Wen Wan had Linglong bring in tea before asking Yang, "You didn’t come here simply for a chat, did you?"

"Indeed not." Caught off guard, Yang felt a bit embarrassed, "Our Feng has had constant obstacles in his marriage arrangements. I would like to ask the Commandery Princess to see if there are any fitting young ladies, not demanding high status, comparable to our family or slightly lesser is fine."

Xie Feng has been discussing marriage arrangements since last year, and no matter how many women the matchmaker introduces, he shows no interest. Wen Wan understood the reason, "Feng has someone in his heart. He is unwilling to marry a wife. Even if you introduce a princess to him, he might not be interested."

Hearing this, Yang felt quite helpless and sighed, "I don’t know if he’s possessed or what. Even after everything that happened with Song Qi, he still can’t forget about it and keeps having people inquire about her news from Ningzhou every other day. Ah, I’m at my wit’s end, which is why I came to the Commandery Princess, hoping you could step in and advise him to let go of this idea and marry a wife to give the Xie family an heir."

At Yang’s request, Wen Wan went to the Xie family.

Although Wen Wan had divorced, the fact that she could still remember the Xie family made Aunt Xie very delighted, and she pulled her to sit in Derong Hall, with Yang and Xie Tao’s wife accompanying her for tea.

Xie Feng wasn’t good at studying, but his father, Xie Zheng, was successful and found him a small position at the Ministry of Justice. At this moment, the father and son had just come back from court, entering through the door one after another.

Seeing Wen Wan also there, Xie Zheng promptly bowed, "Commandery Princess."

Xie Feng was even more taken aback and realized he couldn’t call her Aunt anymore, so he followed his father and said, "Commandery Princess."

Wen Wan smiled at him, "Finished with court?"

"Yes." Xie Feng scratched his head and sat down to the side.

"I’m here today about a matchmaking proposal," Wen Wan got straight to the point, "I’ve found a girl with good prospects for you. I’ll hold a feast someday, and you can meet her then."

Xie Feng’s face stiffened, "The Commandery Princess... is matchmaking for me?"

"Any problem?" Wen Wan took a sip of tea.

In fact, there was no girl, nor was there any talk of matchmaking. She just wanted to test how infatuated Xie Feng was with Song Qi.

Before, when the family arranged marriage proposals, Xie Feng could come up with a few excuses, but now with Wen Wan involved, he found it difficult to brush it off. He struggled for a while before managing to say, "Is the girl’s family background high?"

Wen Wan smiled and asked, "What if her family background is high, or what if it’s not?"

Xie Feng replied, "I have no titles, if her family background is too high, I’m afraid I can’t match up, and it would only delay the girl."

Wen Wan then said, "It’s about the same as your family."

Xie Feng was again at a loss for words.

Aunt Xie, anxious at the scene, frowned and scolded him, saying, "What’s wrong with you, being so choosy even when the Commandery Princess is proposing for you?"

Xie Feng pursed his lips, looking distressed.

Besides Sister Song Qi, he didn’t want to marry anyone. But he had sent people to investigate, and they said Song Qi was being tormented terribly, several times nearly losing her life.

He had recently been secretly saving money, and once he had enough, he planned to buy a small estate outside to take Song Qi there to live. No matter what, he couldn’t stand by and watch her die.

Xie Zheng noticed this and, with a stern face, said, "Are you still thinking about Song Qi?"

Xie Feng did not answer directly but lowered his eyes.

Aunt Xie, upon hearing this, lost her temper, heedless of Wen Wan’s presence, began to rant, "Have you forgotten how Song Jiao died? It was because that little wretch said something outrageous, which upset her into premature labor, costing two lives with just a word. What is so good about her that’s worth your constant thoughts?"

Regarding the deaths of Cousin and Aunt, Xie Feng couldn’t argue; it was indeed Song Qi’s fault, but he just couldn’t bear it.

Seeing the hesitation in the youth’s eyes, Wen Wan didn’t force it any further and instead changed the subject, chatting with Aunt Xie and the others about other things.

Before leaving the Xie household, Wen Wan called Xie Feng alone to the pavilion in their garden and asked him, "Do you know about Song Qi’s situation in Ningzhou?"

Xie Feng was sincere by nature and not good at lying. Thinking that Wen Wan harbored no ill will, he nodded, his face looking quite gloomy, "I’ve had people inquire; Song Qi has been on the verge of death several times. I’m afraid she’ll just die like this."

Wen Wan asked, "So what do you plan to do?"

"I want to save up and buy a small estate, then take her over," facing Wen Wan, Xie Feng seemed to have no more reservations, directly expressing his thoughts.

Wen Wan raised her eyebrows, "You plan to keep a mistress?"