Chapter 152: Leaping Fish - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter
Chapter 152: Leaping Fish
The conversation was as good as none at all, as there was no specific mention of who it was. There was still a glimmer of hope.
"Hehe, as you say, Eunuch."
"Well then, this servant will take his leave. I'll come again to ask for a cup of wedding wine on the day of the grand wedding between the princess and your household's young master."
"Of course, of course. Eunuch, please take care."
After the eunuch left, Wen Jingsong staggered a few steps. Wen Mengsheng hurriedly stepped forward to support his trembling father, expressing concern.
"Father, save me. If I truly become Princess Changlin's son-in-law, wouldn't my son's future be completely ruined? Moreover, that princess is already old enough to be my mother. To have me enter the mansion and become that servant son-in-law, I'd rather die."
At the mention of death, Wen Jingsong's pupils trembled. He grabbed Wen Mengsheng's hand and angrily scolded, "You brat, making such a fuss over such a small matter. How will you ever bear the burden of the Wen family in the future?"
Wen Xinglu remained silent, his eyes pleading as he looked towards Wen Jingsong.
Unlike with Wen Yuwei, he genuinely cared about this nephew. In terms of ability and talent, he surpassed his own son by a few notches. He had even hoped for him to achieve top honors in the upcoming imperial examinations, but now...
"Both of you, don't worry. Since the princess hasn't specified who the groom will be, there's still room for maneuver. Let me discuss this matter with Duke of Zhengguo first before making any decisions."
"Father, I'll go with you!" Wen Mengsheng urged anxiously.
If only he had known earlier that he should have stayed home on the Lantern Festival night and not shown his face before her, it would have been much better. It was like drawing water with a bamboo basket, digging a pit for himself to jump into.
"No need. You stay at home and rest with Xinglu. I'll talk about it when I come back."
After saying this, he handed over the troublesome imperial decree to the steward, instructing him to handle it properly, and went alone to the Duke of Wei's mansion.
At this moment, Wen Mengsheng finally understood the meaning behind Princess Changlin's words last night. Even before anything substantial happened, his relationship with his cousin Wen Xinglu was already in jeopardy. As they looked at each other, both were on guard.
At the Duke of Wei's mansion...
When Wen Jingsong was escorted to the study by the servants, he coincidentally encountered Lord Liang discussing the final details of the marriage proposal with the Duke of Wei's family.
At this moment, Wen Jingsong couldn't care less about his dignity. Right in front of the eldest son of the Wei family and Lord Liang, he knelt down before the Duke of Wei, tearfully pleading, "Your Excellency, save me."
The eldest son of the Wei family and Lord Liang were both shocked, not knowing what had happened. Only the Duke of Wei remained calm as he picked up the teacup on the table, stirring the tea leaves slowly.
"What do you mean by this, Lord Wen? How can my father save you?"
"Your Excellency, you may not know. His Majesty has decreed that my son is to marry Princess Changlin. If this is true, then his future will be completely ruined."
The law is ironclad: a son-in-law cannot hold an official position. Wen Jingsong's worry was understandable. With only one son, if he lost this hope of entering the court, it would truly be a dead end.
"Father, this..." The eldest son of the Wei family had been on good terms with Wen Jingsong and intended to intercede for him. However, before he could speak, the Duke of Wei interrupted.
"Lord Wen, His Majesty's decree did not specify that your own son is to marry. Don't you still have a nephew in your household? The solution is right in front of you. Why bother coming to me for help?"
Wen Jingsong had laid out a good plan: he didn't want to harm his own son and wanted to protect his nephew. Unfortunately, such good fortune was rare in the world, and even if it existed, it might not fall to the Wen family.
Upon hearing this from Duke of Wei, Wen Jingsong's heart sank halfway. "This solution... my nephew has not yet been introduced to you, Your Excellency Duke, but he is indeed a rare talent..."
He wanted to negotiate a way out for him, but Duke of Wei interrupted him again. "You're just afraid that he will harbor resentment towards you and seek revenge. But Lord Wen, who in the court doesn't have a few rivals? I deserve this, and you don't?"
"Duke, please calm down. It's just... It's a pity for my nephew's talent and abilities."
"You're too softhearted. Unfortunately, the road to the court is not easy. Sometimes being too softhearted can lead others to step on you. The marriage decree is a great thing for the Wen family. Prince Jiu has been wanting an opportunity to get close to Princess Changlin. If you can persuade your nephew to become this son-in-law, and through years of close relationship, let the Grand Princess and Prince Jiu collaborate, I guarantee that once Prince Jiu ascends to the throne, he will make an exception and allow him to enter the court as an official directly into the cabinet. How about that?"
Duke of Wei did not persuade, knowing that this marriage decree was imperative.
Compared to Wen Mengsheng, who wanted to fight for a way out, Wen Xinglu might be more capable of achieving this task.
Leaping over the dragon gate, his path to wealth and honor depended on a single thought.
After hearing this, Wen Jingsong collapsed and knelt on the ground, pondering the possibilities of this matter.
Minister Liang, who was listening nearby, was sweating coldly. Duke of Wei's strategy was indeed formidable.
From a tragic event, it unexpectedly turned into a great piece of news. Truly admirable.
Before the teacup was emptied, Wen Jingsong had already figured it out. After respectfully thanking Duke of Weiguo, he got up and returned home.
"Where were we just now?"
"Ah, we were talking about..."
In the study, the three continued their previous conversation, as if Wen Jingsong had never come.
But at this moment, the Wen family was in turmoil.
Wen Jingsong recounted Duke of Wei's words to Wen Xinglu, who heard them. He staggered for a moment, then burst into laughter with tears of despair in his eyes.
He should have known that his uncle would never give up such a great opportunity for him, just as his sister wouldn't. Wen Mengsheng, hearing that he had a way out, naturally stood with his father and 'kindly advised, "Cousin, this plan is very good. If you become the son-in-law, it's just a strategy to conceal your abilities. With your talents, you can surely make the Princess wholeheartedly devoted to you. What can't you obtain then? Besides, Duke of Weiguo has promised that once Prince Jiu succeeds in his great enterprise, you will also be able to serve the country, right?"
"Really? Then why don't you go?"
"You! Duke of Wei specifically named you. Naturally, it's you. Cousin, just accept your fate."
Wen Mengsheng, who had heard too much about Princess Changlin's romantic affairs, felt nauseous at the thought of her male concubines in the backyard. It was impossible to be humiliated. If not humiliating oneself, one must humiliate others, even if that person was a cousin.
With such a cold-hearted nature, Wen Xinglu shed two lines of tears. Looking into Wen Jingsong's eyes, there was only a glimmer of hope left. "Uncle, do you think like them too?"
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