The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 549 - 516: Coming Home to Take the Imperial Exam and Marry a Wife
The night was deep, and the moonlight was hazy. The young man lay on the glazed tiles of the slope, one leg bent, holding a small black-glazed wine jar in his left hand, with his right arm across his brow, his eyes filled with the cold stars of the night sky.
After saying those words, he suddenly turned his head with a smile and handed the wine jar to Eunuch Sanbao, "Want some?"
Eunuch Sanbao sniffed and shook his head, "No, I can’t drink."
Song Yuanbao raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Why can’t you drink?"
Eunuch Sanbao said, "I mean, Young Master Song can’t drink. His Highness has decreed that you must abstain from alcohol in the palace."
"I’m leaving soon, and still forbidden to drink?" Song Yuanbao said with a wry smile, reaching to open the wine’s seal. He was about to bring it to his lips when Eunuch Sanbao snatched it away and hid it behind him, saying sternly, "As long as Young Master Song is in the palace for a day, you are one of the palace’s people. Whatever His Highness says, you must comply."
Unable to persuade him, Song Yuanbao sighed, "Alright, fine, I won’t drink. Make sure you hide that wine well for me. If I ever get the chance to enter the palace again, I’ll come to you first."
Eunuch Sanbao carefully held the gourd-sized black-glazed wine jar, puffing as he climbed down the roof with it. Somehow, he found a hoe and, right under a fragrant osmanthus tree in the garden, dug a hole in front of Song Yuanbao and buried the wine.
"..."
Song Yuanbao straightened up, sitting on the roof with a blank expression as he watched him.
...
After admiring the faint moon for most of the night, Song Yuanbao finally rubbed his nose and climbed down from the roof after his third sneeze, returning to his bedchamber to sleep.
Upon entering, he found that the large boxwood bed was gone, leaving a vacant space in its place.
Eunuch Sanbao followed closely behind him, softly explaining, "Didn’t you say you were leaving the palace early in the morning, young master? The bed is too large and also expensive and heavy. I was afraid we wouldn’t have time in the morning, so I had it taken out and packed up first."
Song Yuanbao said in surprise, "You were quicker to move the bed than to plead for me to stay?"
Eunuch Sanbao didn’t wail this time; he started to whimper instead.
Song Yuanbao stopped him, "It’s the middle of the night. Are you trying to ruin my rest? Leave, I need to sleep!"
Eunuch Sanbao found him some bedding and said there was a small couch in the outer hall where he could make do for the night.
Song Yuanbao took the bedding, extinguished the lamp, and lay down on the couch.
He had been outside in the chilly wind, so his mind was quite clear and he couldn’t sleep. Unable to sleep, he began to indulge in wild thoughts, thinking of the grand, heroic, and boisterous scenes of sworn brothers parting ways in the stories he read.
Song Yuanbao thought that although he and Zhao Xi hadn’t formally sworn brotherhood, after knowing each other for two years, they were certainly close friends. Now that he was leaving, even though Zhao Xi was reserved and taciturn, he surely wouldn’t just stand by silently at their final farewell, right?
He even started to imagine countless scenes of Zhao Xi opening his mouth to persuade him to stay.
The more he thought about it, the prettier and more complete the scenes seemed in his mind. However, Song Yuanbao never expected that his farewell with Zhao Xi would turn out like this.
Eunuch Sanbao woke up Song Yuanbao early in the morning, only to be slapped to the ground out of habit by the still-sleeping Song Yuanbao.
Eunuch Sanbao was teary-eyed, "Young Master Song, the big wooden bed is almost at your house. Are you going or not?"
Song Yuanbao shivered awake, finally remembering that he was supposed to leave the palace and go home today.
He wiped his face with his hand, looked at the aggrieved little eunuch in front of him, and asked, "Where is His Highness?" 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
Eunuch Sanbao said, "His Highness was invited by the Minister of Rites to discuss the investiture ceremony."
Song Yuanbao: "When did he leave?"
"Before five."
"What hour is it now?"
"It’s nine."
Song Yuanbao: "..."
Song Yuanbao figured that last night he was likely out of his mind. Zhao Xi was the kind of person who was indifferent and ascetic, even to his own birth mother. How could he possibly run over to see him off in a sappy manner?
Besides, imagining Zhao Xi seeing him off was enough to give him goosebumps all over.
Song Yuanbao rubbed his brow, got up to wash and dress, put himself in order, and finally looked around the side hall, realizing all his belongings were gone without a trace. He sighed, "Let’s go!"
After saying this, he decisively stepped out of the side hall.
Eunuch Sanbao followed, and after stepping outside, he casually locked the side hall’s door.
Hearing the sound of the lock, Song Yuanbao paused for a moment, but ultimately didn’t turn back, keeping his head down until he walked out of Yutang Palace’s main gate.
Outside was a long covered walkway along high walls, with a four-person sedan chair parked on it.
As soon as Song Yuanbao sat inside, the four little eunuchs carrying the sedan chair lifted it, heading in the direction of the Imperial City Gate.
Eunuch Sanbao followed, glancing at Song Yuanbao every couple of steps.
Being stared at like this made Song Yuanbao somewhat uncomfortable. He turned his head and threatened him fiercely, "Keep staring, and I’ll gouge out your eyes, believe it?"
Eunuch Sanbao shrank his neck and said, "I just wanted to ask, is Young Master Song really not going to say goodbye to His Highness?"
"It’s not like it’s a life and death farewell, why act sad?" Yuanbao rolled his eyes at him, "I’m leaving the palace, not attending a funeral. You’re pulling a long face on purpose, aren’t you?"
Eunuch Sanbao quickly shook his head, "I wouldn’t dare."
"If not, then give me a smile."
Eunuch Sanbao tried to pull his lips into a smile, but it was a struggle.
Yuanbao said, "Come on, let me give you a smile."
After speaking, he turned his thumb upside down, lifted his nose, bared his teeth, and crossed his eyes, making a goofy face. Eunuch Sanbao laughed so hard he was clutching his belly.
"That’s better." Yuanbao lowered his hand and returned to normal, "If His Highness isn’t in a good mood in the future, just do what I did, got it?"
"Got it," Eunuch Sanbao nodded.
Only after escorting Yuanbao out of the Imperial City Gate did Eunuch Sanbao head back.
Just reaching Yutang Palace, he saw Zhao Xi standing outside a side hall, staring blankly at a bronze lock.
"Your Highness," Eunuch Sanbao asked curiously, "Weren’t you at the Ministry of Rites? Why did you come back all of a sudden?"
Zhao Xi came to his senses, lowered his lashes and spoke unhurriedly, "I forgot something and came back to get it."
Seeing Eunuch Sanbao quiet, he asked, "Has Song Hao left?"
"I just saw him out of the Imperial City."
"Did all his belongings get moved?"
"Yes, there’s not a single thing left," Eunuch Sanbao took a few steps forward facing the side hall door, "I have the key, would Your Highness like to go in and check?"
"No need to check," Zhao Xi didn’t take the key, but merely instructed Eunuch Sanbao, "He’s gone, so have someone clean it from time to time to avoid dust gathering."
Eunuch Sanbao responded, glanced at the lovely osmanthus in the corner, and decided to speak the truth, "Your Highness, Young Master Song buried a jar of wine underneath there."
Zhao Xi looked in the direction Eunuch Sanbao pointed, focused for a moment, and with a faint tone said, "I know."
He didn’t linger long at Yutang Palace, seemingly just back to collect what he’d left, and soon returned to the Ministry of Rites.
——
Yuanbao returned home right when Jinbao finished morning lessons.
The little guy saw his brother return, leapt toward him, endlessly calling "Brother, Brother," like a hen laying eggs.
Yuanbao rubbed his little head and asked, "What’s up?"
Jinbao blinked his round eyes, "Daddy says Brother isn’t leaving anymore once he’s back."
Yuanbao’s eyes flickered a bit and said, "Daddy didn’t lie to you, I won’t leave again this time."
"Really?" Jinbao raised his neck, his little face full of doubt.
"If I’m lying, I’m a puppy." Yuanbao extended his pinky for a promise.
The little one asked again, "Will Brother be studying with Jinbao then?"
Yuanbao thought of Xu Dengke, twitched his mouth slightly, and shook his head, "Brother’s going to the Imperial College, not studying with you."
Jinbao became more confused, "What is the Imperial College?"
"A place for studying."
"Then why can’t Brother study with me there?"
"Brother’s studies are different from yours," Yuanbao answered patiently.
The little one pouted, "Jinbao also wants to go to the Imperial College."
Yuanbao laughed, "You’ll be able to go when you grow up."
The little one felt quite troubled. Whenever he said something, his parents and brother always assured him that he could do this or that when he grew up. When would he finally grow up?
While talking, they had already reached outside the Hanging Flower Gate. Yuanbao asked, "Are Mom and Dad home?"
The little one said, "Mom is."
Yuanbao then asked if he was hungry, suggesting to eat first if he was.
The little one nodded.
The brothers headed directly to Wen Wan’s Qingteng Residence.
Song Jiao was helping Yun Cai set the table for a meal and, seeing Yuanbao, was a bit taken aback, "Big brother? Why are you back?"
Yuanbao smilingly replied, "Back to become the top scholar and get a wife."
