Taking her into his tent, he incurred the wrath of a powerful and mad minister, from which he could

Zong Xian stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the depths of the courtyard, his voice unreadable.

"What I think is not important. What is important is that the emperor has made up his mind and is just waiting for the General of the Northern Garrison to return to the capital with Princess Jianing. The imperial decree to bestow the marriage will be issued soon."

"Your mother ultimately hopes that you can find a woman who truly loves you, so that you can live a harmonious and peaceful life together."

Zong Xian said calmly, "Compared to what I like, being able to come in handy is the true value of a wife."

Upon hearing this, Madam Zong was startled and couldn't help but look up at him.

In Zong Xian's view, a principal wife is not a matter of love or dislike. As long as she can solidify the foundation of the Prime Minister's mansion and keep the court in check, it doesn't matter if she is a woman he has never met and has no feelings for.

If others saw their son prioritizing the clan and the court, they would surely be comforted, but the old lady's heart was heavy, and she could not feel any joy.

She gazed silently at her second son standing before her, a deep sense of melancholy hidden in her eyes.

She didn't know when it started, but the child who used to cling to her side when she was little, with innocent and gentle eyes, had completely disappeared.

Now, Zong Xian stands tall and straight, able to shoulder the heavy burden of the Zong family on his own. His eyes are filled with shrewd calculations and strategic planning, and not a trace of innocence can be found in them anymore.

He grew stronger and stronger, but also more and more...unapproachable.

She was worried that his long-term suppression of his temperament was like a bowstring stretched to its limit, and she was afraid that one day it would backfire and become uncontrollable.

The old lady sighed softly and said tactfully, "Power and future prospects are certainly important, but one cannot spend one's life calculating only the pros and cons. Tying yourself to the balance of power in the court will be too torturous in the long run."

Zong Xian said, "Being in this position, one cannot do as one pleases. Besides, I don't feel any suffering; Mother is overthinking it."

"So, Mingyi is just a temporary comfort to you?"

When he thought of that young woman, Zong Xian couldn't help but recall her stubborn, tearful eyes. He hadn't seen her for several days.

Zong Xian lowered his eyes, his tone subtly changing: "She is different, of course."

The old lady noticed the barely perceptible concern in his eyes and softened her tone, saying, "She's been with you since you returned to the manor, following you without any official status. It's not quite right for her to do that."

"Why not make her a concubine first, so she has a title? Then, when Princess Jianing marries into the household, we can find a suitable opportunity to formally make her a maidservant."

To everyone's surprise, Zong Xian immediately frowned, a hint of disapproval flashing in his eyes.

"It would be too unfair to her to be a concubine."

Before the old lady could say anything more, Zong Xian had already said, "Let's leave it at that for now, there's no rush to determine their identities."

The old lady was taken aback, but then she understood what he was thinking.

In the end, a concubine was no different from an ordinary maid in the mansion, with a low status. Although he always weighed the pros and cons, he still felt a bit sorry for that girl.

The old lady felt a mix of emotions, and a sense of indescribable relief welled up within her.

One moment she was worried that her son had turned into a heartless monster, the next she realized that he still had some humanity.

The old lady breathed a sigh of relief. "Fine, then so be it."

...

Today is Mingyi's birthday. Yuegui secretly made a bowl of longevity noodles with Granny Feng and the others.

When the longevity noodles were brought in, Mingyi froze on the spot.

Yuegui, thinking she was too happy to speak, smiled and said, "Today is the young lady's birthday, have you forgotten?"

Mingyi hadn't forgotten, but she knew in her heart that this was the original owner Ji Mingyi's birthday, her own day, and she would have to wait until tomorrow.

It was only a one-day difference, and there was no need to reject the servants' good intentions. Mingyi smiled and said, "You're very kind."

Then, she glanced at the sky outside the window. It was so late, and A-Qing hadn't appeared yet. Zong Xian must still be busy with official duties and hadn't thought of her.

Not having to go to Songhe Garden to face that person was a relief for her. She reached out to take the bamboo chopsticks to eat the noodles, but Yuegui snatched them away.

"Oh dear, young lady, don't be in such a hurry. Make a wish first, then you can eat."

Mingyi said "Oh," clasped her hands together, made a wish in her heart, and then Yuegui returned the chopsticks to her.

The noodles were warm and delicious, but a lingering sense of loneliness settled over me.

She thought of her family members who hadn't appeared in her dreams for a long time.

And then, I couldn't help but think of Xie Huaiyu.

In the past, Xie Huaiyu would accompany her at this time, and then magically produce the prepared birthday gifts, asking her if she liked them. The next day, he would take her out of the city to relax and have fun, allowing her to temporarily forget the sorrow in her heart.

Just as I was feeling sad, a melodious and clear opera tune suddenly came from outside.

Mingyi's attention was instantly drawn to the window. She turned to look out the window and asked in confusion, "What's that noise outside?"

Granny Feng's eyes held a hint of amusement as she said mysteriously, "Why don't you go out and take a look, young lady, and you'll find out?"

Mingyi suppressed her curiosity and stepped out of the house.

Two lanterns illuminated a corner of the courtyard, where two women dressed in traditional opera costumes with flowing sleeves were singing a tune.

Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be two maids, Ning Shuang and Ning Xue.

The two were singing Huangmei Opera, which Mingyi had always loved to listen to.

The servants noticed that Mingyi had been looking downcast lately, so they secretly planned to arrange a special program for her birthday, hoping to cheer her up.

Ji Mingzhe is not here; he has returned to Bailu Academy to study.

Yuegui brought a soft chair from inside the house and placed it neatly in a sheltered spot under the eaves. Mingyi sat down, and a light smile gradually appeared on his face.

After the song ended, Ning Shuang gathered her water sleeves, curtsied, and said with a smile, "If you tire of the songs, my sister and I can also tell stories. We can recount ancient and modern tales, as well as anecdotes from the streets!"

Outside the courtyard wall, Zong Xian stood deep in the shadows of the flowers, his casual clothes hidden in the deep night.

The footsteps that were about to step into the courtyard gate stopped in their tracks.

In the past, Shuangxu Garden was always quiet, and it was rare to see such lively and bustling activity.

Chang Yu, standing behind her, suddenly remembered something. "Today seems to be Miss's birthday. Granny Feng came to see me a couple of days ago, asking to borrow a theatrical costume. I suppose the servants have prepared some entertainment to amuse her. Why don't you go in and join the fun, Second Master?"

Zong Xian stood with his hands behind his back, without saying a word.

This entire mansion was his territory, and she belonged to him, yet at this moment, she felt a sudden urge to rashly intrude and disrupt this peace.

It was as if the world inside didn't belong to him.

After waiting for a while without seeing any movement from his master, Chang Yu said again, "Miss will surely be happy to see you."

A mocking smile flickered across Zong Xian's lips. "Are you sure she'd be happy to see me?"

Chang Yu immediately realized he had said the wrong thing, and quickly lowered his head and lightly slapped his mouth.

The people in Shuangxu Garden were unaware that Zong Xian was outside.

At this moment, Granny Feng said, "Today is the young lady's birthday. The young lady is the most important person. Whatever the young lady requests, as long as it is within the servants' ability, we will do our best to fulfill her wishes!"

Mingyi thought for a moment and asked, "Among you, is there anyone who knows wood carving?"

Caixia stepped forward, curtsied, and said, "My father is a carpenter, and I have been exposed to the craft since childhood. I have learned some basic carving skills from him. If you don't mind my limited skills, you can let me give it a try."

Mingyi's brows relaxed: "It's not difficult. I want a rabbit."

As she spoke, she instructed Yuegui to bring out the zodiac wood carving that Xie Huaiyu had given her before, and pointed it out to Caixia.

"Just follow this design. I was born in the Year of the Rabbit, and I'm only missing the rabbit piece from the complete zodiac set."

Several servants, including Granny Feng, curiously gathered around to take a look. The wooden animal carvings had smooth, lively lines and vivid expressions, making them incredibly lifelike.

Caixia hesitated and said, "My skills are poor, I'm afraid they won't meet your requirements, Miss..."

Granny Feng asked, "Young lady, who made these zodiac animal wood carvings? The craftsmanship is truly excellent!"

Before Mingyi could answer, Yuegui proudly said, "These are all gifts from the young master to you. He is very good at making these little trinkets. In previous years, he would personally carve items and send them over for every festival."

Zong Xian, who was in the shadows of the courtyard wall, heard the conversation clearly, and his aura instantly turned cold.