Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaolang trembled all over and stamred, "No, no one assigned , I really ca to recognize my relatives."
Zhao Xi’s long lashes fluttered down, her gaze devoid of any warmth as it landed on Wang Xiaolang, "Since you’re here to recognize your relatives, why not go to the Song Mansion? Why did you specifically co to the Divine Soldier Bureau instead? Also, who told you that Song Hao was at the Divine Soldier Bureau?"
As soon as Zhao Xi finished speaking, Wang Xiaolang felt as if Song Yuanbao’s gaze was as sharp as knives, shocking him into a cold sweat again. He clung to Zhao Xi’s leg, refusing to let go, "I inquired about it, I couldn’t find the Song Mansion, so I had to co to the Divine Soldier Bureau instead."
"Then what you said earlier..."
"It’s true, it’s true," Wang Xiaolang hurriedly said, "I didn’t lie, it’s all true, Song Yuanbao is not Song Sanlang’s biological son. His biological parents were killed by Song Sanlang over ten years ago."
Afraid Song Yuanbao would lash him again, Wang Xiaolang mustered the courage to et his gaze and said, "I’m really not lying. If you don’t believe , take back to et your grandparents. Once you et them and the truth is laid bare, everything will be clear."
Zhao Xi’s eyes were deep and dark, "If there is even a half-truth in your words, you know what will happen."
"I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare, this commoner wouldn’t dare," Wang Xiaolang appeared very frightened of the two of them.
Zhao Xi looked silently at Song Yuanbao, signaling for him to make a decision.
Song Yuanbao remained silent, standing motionless in place, not knowing what to think.
"Song Hao," Zhao Xi said, "The truth is still unclear at this mont, calm down, don’t fall into soone else’s trap."
Song Yuanbao gripped the whip tighter and suddenly lifted Wang Xiaolang by the back of his collar.
As he pulled at the wound, Wang Xiaolang cried out in pain, begging for rcy.
Song Yuanbao glared at him fiercely, "What is it you want to do, coming all the way from Ningzhou to the Capital claiming kinship?"
"I am your uncle, of course I want to claim you, my nephew, what else could I want to do?"
"All these years I didn’t even know I had an uncle, and now with your na spread around, you’re in such a hurry to co here, you dare say you have no ulterior motives?"
After speaking, Song Yuanbao kicked Wang Xiaolang in the back.
Caught off guard, Wang Xiaolang staggered forward and fell to the ground, unable to get up.
Afraid of further violence from Song Yuanbao, Zhao Xi quickly called out, "Song Hao, calm down."
Song Yuanbao’s clenched fists trembled, his eyes red to a startling degree.
"If you can’t decide right now, then I’ll take him away first, and we can talk again once you’ve cald down completely."
Song Yuanbao remained silent, clearly not wanting Wang Xiaolang to go to the Song Mansion.
Wen Wan’s due date was nearing, and any stimulus might cause unforeseen events.
His throat bobbed twice, and Song Yuanbao suppressed his anger and said, "I trouble Your Highness."
Zhao Xi looked at him deeply, "Are you really okay?"
Song Yuanbao shook his head, "I won’t die."
Zhao Xi paused for a mont, then said softly, "I don’t want to hear anything about severing ties again, before you say such things, you should consider the extent of harm it causes others."
Song Yuanbao was taken aback, "Your Highness..."
Zhao Xi withdrew her gaze, "I’ll take him away first, you get back ho early, don’t worry your family."
Song Yuanbao watched Zhao Xi’s departing figure, then suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself hard.
——
By the ti Song Yuanbao returned to the mansion, the sun was setting.
His grandfather was in the garden chopping bamboo to make bamboo dragonflies for Jinbao, while his grandmother and Song Jiao chatted about matters related to a girl getting married.
Wen Wan lay on a rocking chair, her belly heavily swollen, nearing full term, while the maid Yun Cai gently massaged her legs.
Song Yuanbao stood at the entrance of the courtyard of Qingteng Residence, hesitating for a long ti without going in.
"Young Master." It wasn’t until Duan Yan’s voice sounded from behind him that he ca to his senses.
Wen Wan in the courtyard also heard the voice and poked her head out, calling softly, "Yuanbao?"
This left Song Yuanbao with no choice but to go in.
He sighed, lifted his leg to step through the courtyard gate, and stood in front of Wen Wan’s rocking chair, but couldn’t bring himself to say "Mother."
"Sit down," Wen Wan waved her hand for Yun Cai to retreat, then sat up straight, supporting her waist as she moved to a stone stool.
Song Yuanbao sat opposite her.
"You don’t look well, did you encounter sothing?" Wen Wan asked softly.
"It’s nothing." Yuanbao shook his head, then lowered his eyelids and stayed silent.
"Your father was sent to buy timber outside the region early this morning," Wen Wan said. "Before he left, he sent a ssage to the family. It might take so ti for him to return."
"I know." Yuanbao’s voice was dispirited, sounding low in energy.
Wen Wan looked at the palm print on his right cheek, lost in thought.
The matter of Wang Xiaolang coming to the Capital to recognize kinship, she had premonitions about it, but she didn’t ntion it. In the past, if there was anything unfavorable, she would prepare in advance, but this ti, she wanted Yuanbao to face it himself.
No one can have a life that’s completely smooth and uneventful. For the first fifteen years, Yuanbao’s life was too smooth, which buried so unfavorable traits deep within him, which he hadn’t shown because nothing had ever challenged him enough to provoke a reaction.
One’s growth cannot be taught through words alone. Even if Song Wei was steady and capable of education, it wouldn’t be as useful as the experience Yuanbao gained when making his own choices and facing failures.
No matter who might have instigated Wang Xiaolang’s actions to drive a wedge between Yuanbao and Song Wei at this critical mont, Yuanbao had to overco this challenge by himself.
Seeing that he wasn’t speaking, Wen Wan smiled and said, "Dinner should be ready soon. Do you want to eat here with or go to eat with your grandparents next door?"
Yuanbao was silent for a long ti before shaking his head, saying, "I’m a bit tired. I’ll go back to my room first, and have Duan Yan bring it to later."
After speaking, Yuanbao stood up neatly.
"Yuanbao." Wen Wan called to him.
Yuanbao paused but didn’t turn back.
Wen Wan’s voice ca from behind, "Rembering the faults of others is exhausting, draining your body and mind. But if you rember the good in others, you’ll find the sky can be higher, the sea wider, and you can go further."
Yuanbao was filled with surprise; he did not understand why Wen Wan was suddenly saying these things to him.
Slowly turning around, he saw the gentle smile on Wen Wan’s elegant face. With curled lips, she said to him, "Go on, it’s ti to eat."
Yuanbao softly acknowledged and quickly disappeared at the courtyard gate.
After bringing Wen Wan into the room, Song Jiao, coming from Rong’an Hall, asked in confusion, "When I ca over just now, I ran into my brother, and he didn’t look quite right, did sothing happen?"
"It’s nothing," Wen Wan replied, "maybe he hasn’t fully recovered from a severe illness."
——
That night, Yuanbao tossed and turned, unable to sleep with countless thoughts swirling in his mind.
He thought about that ti in Ningzhou, when he inadvertently overheard villagers discussing his origins in whispers.
It was then that he learned he wasn’t Song Wei’s biological son and that he should have called Song Wei "Third Uncle."
It’s just that when his parents passed away, it was Third Uncle who raised him as his own.
Perhaps because he had no impression of his biological parents from a young age, he felt closer to Third Uncle and never thought to inquire about his biological parents.
All these years, he had numbed his superfluous emotions until today when Wang Xiaolang ca to acknowledge kinship.
Especially when Wang Xiaolang spoke with such vivid detail about his parents’ death, Yuanbao couldn’t deny the significant emotional upheaval within him.
The more he resisted thinking about it, the more his mind unconsciously returned to that issue.
He thought about asking his grandparents but feared he couldn’t handle the truth. Bottling it up inside made him feel miserable.
After a sleepless night, Yuanbao had heavy dark circles under his eyes. Duan Yan worriedly suggested, "Young master, should I go to the Imperial College and request a leave for you? You’re in no condition to attend classes like this!"
"No need." Yuanbao pulled himself together, left the house, and got into the carriage.
Upon reaching the Imperial College, he saw Eunuch Sanbao standing outside the main gate, holding a small book basket which Yuanbao took to the Divine Soldier Bureau yesterday.
Seeing him, Eunuch Sanbao quickly approached, "Young master, His Highness instructed to deliver this to you."
Inside were a thousand copies of the Ancient Three Forms transcribed.
Yuanbao took them, thanked him, and walked directly through the main gate.
Eunuch Sanbao wondered as he watched Yuanbao’s retreating figure, no wonder His Highness had told him not to provoke Yuanbao before leaving the palace; this young master was indeed peculiar today.
Before class began, Yuanbao handed in his transcribed Ancient Three Forms and was particularly attentive throughout the lesson without losing focus.
During lunch, Lin asked him, "Brother Xiao Yao, did you stay up all night transcribing those thousand copies?"
Yuanbao nodded affirmatively.
"You’re too earnest," Lin said. "It’s just three nas. You could have had a servant do it for you. The scholar wouldn’t actually check each copy. Why push yourself so hard? This deanor doesn’t suit soone as carefree as Young Master Xiao Yao."
Yuanbao, chewing his food, casually replied, "Even Young Master Xiao Yao isn’t almighty. At the very least, there are several teachers above whom I cannot easily offend."
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