By a twist of fate, the illegitimate son of the Marquis's family marries the county princess.

Yunxiu Workshop

When Zuo Mingxuan came up to the third floor, Pei Rujing was looking through the new styles of dresses from Yunxiufang.

As spring arrives and the women shed their cloaks, they can once again dress beautifully and gracefully.

Yunxiufang has seen a surge in orders this month.

Pei Rujing remembered that she hadn't visited Yunxiufang in a long time, so she arranged to meet Zuo Mingxuan there.

The shopkeeper, Sai Xishi, was standing beside Pei Rujing, introducing the dress: "This dress suits the county princess very well, would you like to try it on?"

Pei Rujing caught a glimpse of Zuo Mingxuan out of the corner of her eye and waved her hand, saying, "No need, just wrap it up for me and take it with me later."

Sai Xishi agreed and tactfully withdrew to attend to the other guests.

Zuo Mingxuan walked up to Pei Rujing and said, "How strange, the county princess would actually take the initiative to ask me to meet?"

Pei Rujing walked over and sat down, picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said, "My husband owns a bookstore called Ruijintang. In a few days, he will be holding a competition to select the top ten storytelling masters. He needs one hundred judges, thirty of whom must be female. Judges are required to have at least three years of experience reading storytelling masters, and you are just right."

Zuo Mingxuan knew that Pei Rujing wouldn't take the initiative to ask her out unless there was something wrong, but she never expected it to be like this.

"A storytelling competition? That sounds interesting, but it's just a small, folk competition. Why would it attract the attention of the county magistrate? Could it be that your husband is deliberately using the magistrate to boost the competition's reputation?"

Pei Rujing rolled her eyes at her: "I volunteered to be a judge."

Zuo Mingxuan sat down next to her: "Then you go and take the job, why are you dragging me along?"

"My husband said that if I were the only female judge, it would inevitably cause gossip, so he allocated thirty judges out of the one hundred available spots to women. The only one I can think of who meets the requirements is you."

Zuo Mingxuan's expression was strange: "Princess, don't tell me you're responsible for finding all thirty female judges?"

Pei Rujing smiled: "You're so smart! I knew I could have made the right choice by coming to you."

Zuo Mingxuan chuckled: "The task that Young Master Wen entrusted to the County Princess, the County Princess is now trying to pass on to me. Between the two of us, who is truly smarter?"

Pei Rujing sat upright, her every move exuding the air of a noblewoman: "Who told you to have so many friends?"

Zuo Mingxuan couldn't help but scrutinize Pei Rujing: "Princess, did Young Master Wen cast a spell on you?"

Pei Rujing looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"Otherwise, why would you listen to him so much?"

Pei Rujing denied it: "Nonsense! He doesn't want me to be a judge, so he deliberately caused trouble for me and wanted me to give up. I won't let him succeed."

Zuo Mingxuan expressed doubt: "Really?"

Pei Rujing said impatiently, "Why are you asking so many questions? Hurry up and think about how to recruit thirty... no, twenty-eight female judges. They need to have at least three years of experience reading storybooks."

Zuo Mingxuan had no choice but to give up on asking further questions, and said, "Has the county princess not paid much attention to our mahjong club?"

Pei Rujing frowned: "What do you mean?"

Zuo Mingxuan: "Princess, our mahjong club currently has dozens of members. We can start by finding suitable people among them. If we can't gather enough people, then let them go back to their residences and ask their sisters."

"Only twenty-eight people, is that so difficult?"

His tone was indifferent, as if he didn't take it seriously at all.

Pei Rujing stared at her blankly.

If Wen Zongji were here, he would understand that Pei Rujing's feelings at this moment could be summed up in one sentence—Damn it, you got me!

……

Yunguangyuan, Inner Room

Wen Zongji was reviewing the detailed plan for the storytelling competition that Mao Zheng had sent him.

Seeing Pei Rujing walk in, he asked, "Miss Zuo, have you come up with any good ideas for the county princess?"

Pei Rujing walked over and sat down next to Wen Zongji: "Thirty female judges are enough."

Wen Zongji was stunned: "So fast?"

"Zuo San just went around asking around at the mahjong club and found enough people."

The women who could join mahjong clubs were all skilled at playing mahjong; in other words, they were all people who enjoyed having fun.

And storytelling, such a common way to relax and relieve boredom, is something they certainly wouldn't miss.

When Zuo Mingxuan asked around, she found that out of ten people, seven or eight had read storybooks, and quite a few of them had their own favorite storybook authors.

There was no need to look anywhere else; a mahjong club was enough to meet Pei Rujing's needs.

Wen Zongji noticed that Pei Rujing was in a bad mood, so he put down what he was holding, sat down next to her, and put his arm around her: "What's wrong? You've seen enough people, but you're still not happy?"

Pei Rujing leaned against Wen Zongji's chest: "I just feel like Zuo San has changed."

People always change.

“It’s different,” Pei Rujing said. “We used to be playful, and the mahjong club was formed because we wanted to find people to play mahjong with. But as the mahjong club grew, Zuo San changed a lot… I can’t say a lot. At other times, she seems the same, but at least in the mahjong club, she gives me a different feeling.”

Wen Zongji roughly understood Pei Rujing's meaning: "Since its establishment, the mahjong club has always been managed by Miss Zuo, who has devoted her heart and soul to it. It's like raising a child, watching her grow little by little, so naturally she will grow as well."

Pei Rujing pouted: "Then doesn't that mean I'm the only one who hasn't changed?"

The county magistrate is unhappy.

How could she allow herself to fall behind Zuo Mingxuan!

Wen Zongji chuckled: "These things can't be compared. Everyone has their own choices. As long as the county princess is happy, that's all that matters."

Pei Rujing looked up at him: "But I'm not happy right now."

We promised to hold hands and walk together, but you left me standing there!

Pei Rujing suffered a moment of psychological imbalance.

"Yeah?"

Wen Zongji raised an eyebrow, then swept Pei Rujing up in his arms: "Then I'll make the county princess happy—"

At times like this, there's no need to say much; just distract Pei Rujing.

Half an hour later

Wen Zongji came out of the bathhouse and saw Granny Feng guarding the door.

"Is there something you need, Granny?"

After Wen Zongji and Pei Rujing fooled around for a while, the county princess was in a better mood, and Wen Zongji could only go into the bathhouse to relieve himself.

Granny Feng forced herself to approach and said, "Young master, you and the county princess have been married for several months now, is it because you haven't consummated your marriage yet...?"

Although the two are now only one step away from consummating their marriage, the difference between whether they have taken that step and whether they have completed it is too great.

During this time, Wen Zongji noticed that Granny Feng seemed hesitant to speak, and wondered what it was about.

Fortunately, Wen Zongji had made preparations in advance.

He calmly said, "I cherish the County Princess. Having missed our wedding night, I would like to find a special time to consummate our marriage."

"What does the son-in-law mean?"

"The county princess's birthday is on the eighth day of the fifth lunar month!"

Granny Feng understood and breathed a sigh of relief: "The young master is so thoughtful."

As long as you have the intention, that's enough.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Wen Zongji seems to be doing well right now, with a gentle nature and a kind attitude towards Pei Rujing.

However, if he repeatedly refuses to consummate the marriage with Pei Rujing, people will always suspect that there is something wrong with him.

No matter how well he performs, he's still a thorn in someone's side.

After all, a dignified Princess of Anhe County cannot live a life of widowhood forever!