Jiapingguan Chronicle

Chapter 2860 Master Qingsong 78.0
After listening to Shen Cha's words, Song Yaojia remained silent for a long while before letting out a soft sigh.

"Of course, you don't have to say it if you don't want to."

"There's nothing I want to say or not say, it's just that I haven't had the chance to say it yet." Song Yaojia wrapped her cloak tighter around herself. "Don't worry, it has nothing to do with what we're planning."

"I don't think it's related. If it were, Brother Yaojia would have told you immediately."

"So that's a private matter?" Shen Haolin looked at Song Yaojia. "Is there a private matter in the capital that you can't handle? If you can't handle it, surely His Majesty can?"

“I came here with Xiaobaizi, which is the will of my father and uncle, as well as His Majesty,” Song Yaojia sighed and said. “They want me to come here to hide for a while, so that things will get better.”

"Hide?" Shen Cha looked Song Yaojia up and down. "Brother Yaojia isn't the kind of person who causes trouble. Even if he does cause trouble, he can handle it. Even Brother Xiaojue, Uncle Huang, and Uncle Wang can't handle it."

"Let's not talk about them. Even my Uncle Wang supports my decision to come out and hide." Song Yaojia spread her hands helplessly. "Do you remember that my mother arranged a marriage for me?"

"Marriage?" Shen Haolin frowned. "That arranged marriage from childhood?"

"Yes, that's it!"

"That's not right!" Shen Cha recalled, "Wasn't the engagement canceled? If I remember correctly, that girl fell in love at first sight with the second son of the Marquis of Yong'an at a chrysanthemum appreciation banquet. They both liked each other and insisted on canceling their engagement with Brother Yaojia, didn't they?"

"That's right, didn't she marry the second son of the Marquis of Yong'an as she wished? And went to Huaizhou to take up her post with the Marquis of Yong'an?" Shen Haolin looked at Song Yaojia. "When the engagement was dissolved back then, although I was at the border, I heard about it. The girl's family made quite a fuss. Relying on their past relationship with the Princess Consort, the whole family blocked the gate of the Prince's Mansion. They wouldn't give up until they got the deed of dissolving the engagement, right?"

“I’ve heard Master Huilan mention it too. Although that girl’s family isn’t an official family, they’re still a scholarly family, a family of upright officials. How could they make such a fuss?” Shen Cha said, her face full of disdain. “Don’t they feel ashamed of their family’s reputation? And what did they say back then? That their daughter would never marry into the royal family, or something like that? Does the title of Princess Consort of the Prince of Dai disgrace their family?” She rolled her eyes as she spoke. “Luckily, the engagement was canceled. Otherwise, who knows how difficult it would have been for Brother Yaojia!”

“I also feel very fortunate. When they blocked the gate of the mansion, I knew that this marriage was not suitable. But at that time, my uncle and father were not in the capital, and my youngest uncle was in the imperial mausoleum. There was no elder in the family who could make the decision. Later, it was the Empress Dowager who stepped in and granted permission to dissolve the marriage. She also made the other party swear that they would go their separate ways from now on and not entangle each other again.”

"So what?" Shen Cha looked at Song Yaojia. "They wouldn't be here to cause trouble, would they? But they're far away in Huaizhou... wait, the Marquis of Yong'an has gone to the capital?"

“He’ll be returning to the capital next month to report on his duties, but he’ll still be going back to Huaizhou. However, this time he’s bringing his family with him. His eldest son and daughter-in-law are guarding Huaizhou for him, while he’s bringing his second son and youngest daughter-in-law back to the capital.” Song Yaojia sighed. “Xiao Jue, the Empress Dowager, my uncle, and my father mean that to avoid us meeting in the capital and to avoid any awkwardness, they want me to come to the border with Xiao Baizi, General Yingbao, and General Yingjun.” “What’s so awkward about that?” Shen Cha snorted twice. “Shouldn’t they be the ones feeling awkward?”

"It's mainly to avoid conflict." Song Yaojia sighed. "Do you know why the Earl of Yong'an brought his youngest son and daughter-in-law back to the capital?"

"Could it be that he's trying to find a job for his youngest son?" Shen Cha counted on her fingers. "His youngest son should be about our age. He couldn't find a suitable job in Huaizhou, so he insisted on coming to the capital to look for one?"

"That's definitely not it. They just want to pull some strings to get his youngest son back to the capital," Song Yaojia sighed. "Since they want to cultivate connections, they'll inevitably host or attend banquets at various residences. It's springtime now, and there are many flower viewing parties and poetry gatherings in various residences. If I were in the capital, the families we know would definitely invite me, especially my uncle's family. I can't possibly refuse. And the Earl of Yong'an will definitely try every means to get an invitation to my uncle's banquet. When the two sides meet,..."

"They want to go to the Xia family's banquet?" Shen Cha snorted and rolled her eyes. "My uncle's connections aren't so easy to come by. He hasn't been involved in politics for many years and only holds a sinecure. It's amazing that the Marquis of Yong'an would remember him."

“My uncle is a member of the royal family, and there are plenty of people who want to get in through his connections. We don’t need the Earl of Yong’an.” Song Yaojia spread his hands. “There are plenty of people who want to see my uncle through various banquets, and the Earl of Yong’an is no exception.”

"Of course I know, it's just sarcasm." Shen Cha snorted. "If you ask me, Marquis Yong'an should just give up on that idea as soon as possible!"

“That’s what I think too. Although I don’t have any feelings for that girl, I still resent the Earl of Yong’an for condoning his in-laws’ disturbance at the gate of the Prince’s Mansion. He and his in-laws dared to act so recklessly because they took advantage of the fact that there were no elders in the Prince’s Mansion back then, and bullied me, a child in charge. If it weren’t for the Empress Dowager’s intervention, they might have even broken into the Prince’s Mansion and forced me to sign that contract. He thinks that after so many years, no one will remember this blatant act of slapping the royal family in the face? How could that be?”

"What do you mean?" Shen Cha leaned closer to Song Yaojia, her eyes shining. "Is it the Imperial Uncle and the two Princes who are going to make a move, or the Empress Dowager and the youngest uncle?"

“They all have this idea, so I have to leave.” Song Yaojia spread her hands. “If I stay, they are worried that the Earl of Yong’an will come to me and complain. If I, as a junior, fall out with the Earl of Yong’an, my reputation will be ruined.”

“That’s true. If it were his youngest son asking you to intercede, you could just yell back. But if it’s the Earl of Yong’an…” Shen Cha pouted, “and he’s acting like an elder and taking advantage of his age, then it’ll be really difficult to deal with.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s good that Brother Yao Jia is hiding. It makes it so that the Earl of Yong’an can’t find anyone to plead for him.”

She touched her chin, and then, as if struck by a sudden thought, gave a mischievous chuckle.

"Why are you laughing like that?" Shen Haolin tapped Shen Cha on the forehead. "Have you come up with some naughty idea?"

"It's not a bad idea at all. I was just thinking, if the Earl of Yong'an is so eager to scheme for his youngest son, what if he finds out that his youngest uncle has returned to the capital?" Shen Cha chuckled again, "Wouldn't he just walk right into his trap?"