Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 27 The Birthday That Received the Attention of the Prince of Jin

As Song Shi'an lay in bed reading a novel, there was a sudden knock on the door, followed by the smiling voice of the waiter: "Master Song."

As soon as Song Shi'an got up, Wang Shuishan went to open the door.

And he walked over there too.

"What's the matter?"

Wang Shuishan asked.

"Master Wang." The waiter greeted Wang Shuishan with a smile, then looked at Song Shi'an who had walked up to him. "Lord Song, there is a lady downstairs who says she is your mother... I am not sure, so I dare not bring her up directly."

"That must be it."

Song Shi'an answered without hesitation.

Who would pretend to be someone's mother for no reason?

There are indeed people who randomly claim to have a mother.

"Yes, Lord Song, I will go and invite him right away."

With that, the waiter left.

Wang Shuishan quickly straightened his clothes, paying close attention to his image.

"It's alright, relax, my mother is fine," Song Shi'an comforted her.

"Of course, of course."

Wang Shuishan nodded with a smile.

After a while, a beautiful middle-aged woman dressed in silk came up the stairs.

"son!"

The moment Jiang saw Song Shi'an, she beamed with joy and rushed forward, saying, "I've missed you so much!"

Song Shi'an didn't hold back at all and immediately hugged the other person.

It's fine for a child to do such a thing, but this young man in his twenties, especially in front of his friends, surprised Jiang Shi. She then completely let go and hugged her tall, handsome son, her eyes brimming with tears: "Son, you've really made us proud, passing the imperial examination with top honors. You're such a source of pride for your mother!"

"I will do even better in the future."

Song Shi'an gently patted Jiang's back, half-embracing her, and introduced her to Wang Shuishan: "Shuishan, this is my mother."

"Shuishan greets Auntie."

Wang Shuishan clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and spoke in an extremely polite manner.

“Mother, this is Wang Shuishan, my dear friend, who also passed the imperial examination and became a scholar,” Song Shi’an introduced.

Upon hearing the words "close friend," Wang Shuishan straightened his posture even more.

"Good lad." Jiang patted his arm gently and said to Song Shi'an, "Play more with good children like this, and stop associating with that brat from the Northern Commandant's family."

"I understand, Mother."

"Since Auntie and Jingxiu are reunited, Shuishan still has some matters to attend to, so I won't disturb them any longer."

Wang Shuishan took his leave voluntarily.

"Let's have a meal together," Jiang suggested.

"I will definitely visit you in person next time."

"Okay, okay, you must come!"

After politely declining, Wang Shuishan left.

Only the two of them remained in the room.

Song Shi'an helped Jiang Shi sit up on the bed, then sat beside her, holding her hand and keeping her company.

"You haven't suffered these past few days, have you? Where have you been staying?" Jiang asked.

“I’ve been with Shuishan since the exam. I’m staying in his room. He’s a very nice guy. He gave me his bed and I slept on the floor,” Song Shi’an said.

"What a kind and honest child. Who is he from?" Jiang shook her head halfway through the question and said simply, "Whoever he is, it's enough that he's a good person. Take good care of him in the future. If his family needs money or anything, send someone to give him some."

Social circles in ancient times were very strict.

For the sake of his reputation and prestige, Lao Qian would almost never befriend a commoner.

Even if someone is born out of wedlock, their family still requires them to socialize as upwardly as possible.

"Understood," Song Shi'an said.

Looking at Song Shi'an, who was so sensible and had suddenly grown into a mature adult, Jiang's eyes were filled with emotion: "He actually passed the exam this time, and he's even the top scholar! Son, are you perhaps a celestial being descended to earth? A divine being?"

"It's just that I suddenly wanted to do well on the exam," Song Shijian said, trying to force the issue.

To outsiders, his turning point was when he fell into the water after drinking with courtesans at a restaurant.

Could it be that he attained enlightenment in a brothel?

"I never imagined that my son, who loves to play so much, could stay idle in this little inn..."

Jiang looked around the room with amusement, but paused when she saw a novel with a red title next to her pillow. She quickly turned her gaze back to the book and said, "Oh, by the way, do you know Sun Situ's youngest daughter?" Damn, Mom thinks I'm sexually repressed.

Song Shi'an, pretending nothing had happened, said, "Isn't she some kind of number one beauty in Jiangnan?"

"Speaking of beautiful women, look at how knowledgeable you are about them," Jiang teased.

"No way, Mother," Song Shi'an denied.

I've never even seen her face properly, what do you mean by the number one beauty in Jiangnan?

They don't have my approval.

"Son, do you know?" Jiang felt excited when she thought of this. "That Minister Sun sent his eldest son, Sun Heng, who is a high-ranking official in the Dali Temple, to come to the mansion in person to invite you to his birthday celebration."

"Is this happening?"

Song Shi'an was very surprised.

That was a fourth-rank official in the imperial court.

Let alone the top scholar in the provincial examination, even the highest-ranking scholar in the imperial examination is a level that many people never reach in their lifetime.

Besides, that's the Sun family of Yangzhou.

It can be said that, apart from the Qinzhou Xungui Group, it is the most prestigious family.

They are not comparable to the mere Song family.

Why should they invite me?

That makes no sense, absolutely no sense at all.

"Why do you react the same way as your father?" Jiang asked, puzzled.

"Oh, what happened to my dad?" Song Shi'an asked curiously.

Jiang said, "Your father said that Lord Situ is narrow-minded in this matter and is afraid that you will steal his son's title of Jieyuan. He will set up obstacles to make things difficult for you."

"What do you think, Mother?" Song Shi'an asked.

"No matter how narrow-minded he is, he shouldn't be so petty as to hold a grudge against a junior like you. Besides, no matter what, he should at least consider your father's feelings, right?"

With a smile, Madam Jiang confidently deduced, "I think it's a good thing. You're the top scholar in the provincial examination, so if he's choosing a husband for his daughter, he'll definitely choose the best. If you can get close to Minister Sun, wouldn't you rise to great heights in the future?"

"Oh dear, I never thought of such a thing..."

"The most beautiful woman in Jiangnan".

"..." Song Shi'an stopped waving his hand, pursed his lips, and said, "Let's see, let's see."

"I knew you liked pretty girls."

Jiang stood up with a smile, then pulled Song Shi'an: "Let's not talk about it anymore, let's go home."

However, Song Shi'an slowly raised his head, looked at her, and said nothing.

In an instant, Jiang felt as if the sky had fallen: "You don't still not want to go home, do you?!"

"mother."

Song Shi'an stood up and slowly hugged her.

He is still unsure what Sun Situ is planning to do.

But he had a guess that wasn't too far-fetched.

If I guess right.

Then he really can't go home.

.........

In the pavilion by the spring and stone lake in the Prince of Jin's mansion, two princes dressed in python robes were fishing, being served by an old eunuch.

Prince Zhongping smiled slightly and said, "Second Brother, it's Sun Situ's birthday. He's invited the top scholars, including the one who guessed Father's intentions. Perhaps, this is quite interesting."

"What do you mean?"

The Prince of Jin pulled up his fishing rod, but the hook was already empty.

After hanging the earthworms on the hook, he threw them back into the water.

"That man stole the title of Jieyuan from Sun Situ's son. Given that man's temper, he probably won't give him a pleasant look and might even make things difficult for the Jieyuan."

Prince Zhongping slowly turned to look at Prince Jin and reminded him, "And the top scholar was appointed by the Emperor himself."

"..."

After a moment's thought, the Prince of Jin said, "Then go to celebrate his birthday the day after tomorrow."

King Zhongping turned around, pulled up his fishing rod, and a big fish broke out of the water.

"Yes, Your Highness Prince Jin."

(End of this chapter)