QWAPMP Chapter 110

Chapter 110: The Eunuch’s Little Husband

With the support and financial backing of Yan Ye’s merchant fleet, Yang Qing led his army back. After repelling the enemy forces, he personally led the army with the Third Prince back to the Imperial City.

This war lasted for two years.

After the Third Prince ascended the throne, he also kept his promise, giving Yan Ye the Imperial Merchant title he desired. At the same time, he was also wary of this merchant whose wealth rivaled the nation.

The day before Yan Ye left the Imperial City, the Emperor left the palace to meet him, wishing to make him an imperial son-in-law. Unexpectedly, Yan Ye refused without hesitation the moment he spoke, “I already have a husband at home; having him alone is enough for this life.”

The Emperor frowned. A familiar figure walked in through the door and immediately spoke with a series of cold sarcasm, “I didn’t expect the Third Prince, now the Emperor, still has a penchant for matchmaking.”

“Song Yi!” The Emperor’s pupils contracted. How could he be here? Wasn’t he exiled?

Song Yi still held a grudge against the Third Prince in his heart and said coldly, “This commoner greets Your Majesty.”

“What is this?” the Emperor asked.

Yan Ye said, “This is this commoner’s husband.”

The Emperor looked at Song Yi, then at Yan Ye. The words “Eunuch Song” couldn’t leave his lips.

Moreover, when he looked up at Song Yi, he actually felt a sense of guilt. He waved his hand and said, “Alright, alright. Since you already have a husband, then consider that I said nothing today.”

Song Yi gnashed his teeth and sneered continuously.

The more he laughed, the more the Emperor wanted to leave.

Back then, he was the unfavored Third Prince in the palace. It was Song Yi who helped him and saved him from the First Prince’s hands, which made his father the Emperor realize there was such a prince in the palace.

Returning to the palace, the Emperor unconsciously walked outside the gate of the former Cold Palace. Memories from when he was fifteen years old surfaced bit by bit.

Song Yi handed him a meat bun and asked if he wanted to climb up.

The Emperor’s answer at that time was yes. Song Yi asked again, regardless of the cost.

And his answer to this sentence was a nod.

With just these two sentences, Song Yi chose him among the many princes, but the result was not good!

He was now in the position he desired seven years ago. Did Song Yi help him again?

“Your Majesty, why have you come here?” Yang Qing’s voice suddenly appeared, interrupting the Emperor’s thoughts.

The Emperor pushed open the gate of the Cold Palace. “This is where I used to live. Would you like to come in and take a look with me?”

Whether it was or not, he owed Song Yi.

Yang Qing naturally followed closely behind.

Half a month later, in Nanyang City, when the Yan family hung up the Imperial Merchant plaque, firecrackers resounded throughout the entire street. On this day, all the merchants in Nanyang City brought gifts to congratulate them, and even the County Magistrate of Nanyang County sent someone to deliver gifts.

Various invitation cards were also sent to their home, one after another.

Yan Ye picked out an invitation card from the County Magistrate and stepped into Qingfeng Xuan to look for someone. The house and the area outside were empty, and Yi Ge’er was nowhere to be seen. He asked the servant sweeping outside the courtyard, “Where is your master?”

“Replying to Young Master, the master went out with the Second Madam.”

Yan Ye looked at the invitation card in his hand. This was already the second invitation the County Magistrate had sent him. If he didn’t go again, there would be a third time.

Thinking of this, Yan Ye said softly to the sweeping servant, “If the master returns later and asks where I went, tell him I went to the County Magistrate’s residence for a banquet.”

After instructing the servant, Yan Ye changed into a plain colored robe and took the Yan family carriage to the County Magistrate’s residence.

Ever since Madam Yan was stripped of her management authority, Aunt Liu has been the one in charge in the Yan family’s back courtyard. This time, when Song Yi and Yan Ye returned, besides showing concern for them, Aunt Liu also intentionally or unintentionally brought up the matter of managing the household.

Aunt Liu was very clear in her heart that Song Yi was deeply liked by her son. Therefore, in order to please her son, Aunt Liu planned to let Song Yi manage the household.

Song Yi understood Aunt Liu’s meaning and didn’t immediately refuse. He said with a smile, “I still need to discuss this matter with my husband.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll wait for you to discuss it,” Aunt Liu beamed with joy. When she first learned that Yan Ye was her biological son, the mother and son hadn’t had time to get along before Yan Ye went out to do business as a merchant, leaving for two years.

Over these two years, Aunt Liu’s feelings for Old Master Yan had also faded a lot. She still resented Old Master Yan for not telling her that Yan Ye was her son.

Since her son returned, the smile on her face had not disappeared.

Seeing that her son was busy, she proactively took Song Yi out to relieve boredom.

“Yi Ge’er, quick look, this fan is so exquisite.” Aunt Liu browsed around the dazzling array of accessory shops and finally found something she liked.

The shopkeeper saw that the customer was looking at the shop’s expensive white jade fan and hurriedly introduced it with a smile, “Madam, you truly have excellent taste. This fan is made of white jade, and the craftsmanship is exquisitely detailed… You won’t find a second one in the entire Nanyang City.”

Song Yi automatically ignored the shopkeeper’s words, took the white jade fan Aunt Liu handed him, and examined it carefully. The fan felt delicate, cool, and comfortable to the touch. It was quite good. He nodded gently towards Aunt Liu.

Aunt Liu saw that he didn’t dislike it and immediately asked the shopkeeper for the price.

Seeing that the two were dressed in a way that suggested wealth or nobility, the shopkeeper intended to raise the price. Just as he was about to hold up three fingers, he heard a clear and cold voice say faintly, “Ten taels.”

The shopkeeper’s smile stiffened slightly, “Young Master, your price is not appropriate, this fan…”

Hearing that the shopkeeper still wanted to talk it up, Song Yi pulled Aunt Liu’s sleeve and winked at her.

Aunt Liu saw this, understood, and said with a smile, “Just ten taels of silver. If you don’t sell, we’ll leave.”

Seeing that the shopkeeper was still hesitant, Aunt Liu continued, “Shopkeeper, it’s not that I’m boasting, but my son often does business outside as a merchant. What good things haven’t I seen? The reason I want to buy this fan today is just for novelty.”

“Oh dear, Madam, what are you saying? Ten taels it is, ten taels. I hope Madam will patronize my humble business often in the future.”

“Easy to say. If there are any more novel items, this Madam will come again.”

Aunt Liu paid the silver and immediately handed the fan to Song Yi. Only after leaving the shop did she say jokingly, “Such a beautiful fan should be worn by a ge’er like you.”

“Thank you, Auntie.” Just as Song Yi accepted the fan, a clear voice came from behind, “Wait, you can’t buy this fan, I saw it first.”

Aunt Liu’s brows immediately furrowed. She looked up to see who spoke and found it was a young ge’er. However, the young ge’er’s status was not simple; he had servant boys attending to him both in front and behind.

Song Yi turned around, slightly lifted his eyelids, opened his lips, and chuckled lightly, “Apologies, this is mine.”

“How much silver did you buy it for? I’ll pay more.” The young ge’er wrinkled his nose, his gaze arrogant and rude.

Song Yi played with the fan in his hand, a smile on his lips. Things were different now. Even if the young ge’er in front of him was not ordinary, he wasn’t someone he couldn’t afford to offend.

Just as Song Yi was about to say he wouldn’t sell, a woman’s voice urgently shouted, “Sell, we’ll sell, how much silver are you planning to add?”

A disheveled woman squeezed in front of the young ge’er, her eyes shining, and said excitedly, “I’m his mother. How much silver is this Young Master willing to add?”

Seeing that this beggar-like old woman was about to touch him, the young ge’er curled his lip in disgust and took a step back. “I’ll pay twenty taels of silver for this fan.”

“Twenty taels?” The woman, Little Song Shi, widened her eyes. Hearing so much silver, she became even more excited. “Twenty taels it is, twenty taels.”

With that, she turned back to snatch the fan from Song Yi’s hand. “Quick, give me the fan.”

Aunt Liu wanted to step forward to stop this woman who had suddenly rushed out, but before she could act, Song Yi straightened and tilted his body, dodging Little Song Shi’s outstretched hand. “In broad daylight, are you trying to forcibly seize something?”

The young ge’er heard this, frowned and looked at the woman. Didn’t this beggar say she was his mother?

Little Song Shi put her hands on her hips, “What seizing? I am your mother. How can taking your things be called seizing? Hurry up, give me the thing.”

With these twenty taels, they wouldn’t have to be driven back to the countryside by their daughter-in-law.

When Aunt Liu heard this, she carefully examined the woman’s appearance. The woman had an ordinary appearance, with a harsh face. She couldn’t see any resemblance between her and Yi Ge’er at all.

Could it be this woman was talking nonsense?

Song Yi never expected to run into Little Song Shi in the county town. Seeing her disheveled and ragged appearance, he couldn’t help but laugh. “My parents died young. Where would I get a mother? You, a beggar, shouldn’t just claim anyone as your son.”

Hearing that Song Yi didn’t admit to being her ge’er, Little Song Shi immediately became anxious. “You jinx, you’ve gotten bold. Running off with a wild man is one thing, but you dare to not even acknowledge your own mother.”

Her words were truly unpleasant. A ge’er’s reputation was just as important as a woman’s. Aunt Liu stepped forward, stood in front of Song Yi, raised her hand high, and slapped with a sharp sound.

Little Song Shi’s head was knocked to the side, her left cheek red.

“Presumptuous! Is the Yan family’s master someone you can slander?” Aunt Liu said with a cold, severe voice, her eyes fierce.

Little Song Shi was stunned by the slap. The young ge’er heard Aunt Liu reveal her identity, and his previously disdainful gaze softened slightly.

He had heard his father mention the Yan family; they were one of the few people in the county town his father couldn’t afford to offend.

Thinking that if he offended someone he would be lectured by his father, the young ge’er’s interest in the fan lessened considerably. “Since this fan is what you saw first, this young master will not take what someone else likes. Let’s go.”

Song Yi raised an eyebrow. Did this young ge’er suddenly give up competing with him because of what Auntie said?

“No, you can’t go! Didn’t you say twenty taels? You haven’t given the silver yet.” Little Song Shi quickly pulled the young ge’er’s sleeve, reaching out for the money.

“Get lost, don’t touch me.” The young ge’er looked at her with disgust. The servant boy nearby hurriedly pushed Little Song Shi away, not letting her touch their young master again.

Little Song Shi continued to insist on the twenty taels of silver. The young ge’er said angrily with a laugh, “This young master isn’t buying the fan anymore. Do I still have to give you silver?”

“You clearly said you wanted to buy it just now. No, you must give the silver,” Little Song Shi said, being unreasonable.

The young ge’er saw this, glanced at the servant boy, who understood his look and stepped forward to push away Little Song Shi, who was still trying to grab him.

They left in a huff, leaving behind the furious Little Song Shi. “It’s all your fault, you jinx! If you hadn’t given the fan to someone else, would they have not given the silver?”

With that, she wanted to raise her hand to hit Song Yi, but her raised hand was caught by Aunt Liu.

This time, Song Yi didn’t wait for Aunt Liu to act, but instead slapped Little Song Shi across the face first.

Now, both sides of Little Song Shi’s face were equally red, symmetrical.

Song Yi met Little Song Shi’s blazing eyes and said calmly, “Do you still think this is Song Family Village?”

Little Song Shi said, “You dare to hit your own mother? I’ll skin you alive.”

“Crazy old woman, if you dare to say another unpleasant word about Yi Ge’er, believe it or not, I’ll give you another slap?” Aunt Liu said with a smile, but her eyes were threatening.

Little Song Shi’s voice paused. She looked up at Aunt Liu, remembering the burning pain on her face, and also seeing Song Yi’s clothing and appearance. Her attitude immediately changed, and her voice became pitiful. “Yi Ge’er, I am your mother! Don’t you want to recognize your mother? Mother was just muddled with anger just now.”

Song Yi looked at her for two seconds and said in a very calm voice, “You sold me a long time ago. We are no longer mother and son.”

“You were born by me after ten months of pregnancy. How are we not mother and son?” Little Song Shi tried to grab Song Yi’s hand but he dodged away. She immediately looked at Aunt Liu again and forced a smile. “Madam, you said my ge’er is the Yan family’s master. Then who are you?”

Aunt Liu smiled and glanced at Song Yi, then said softly, “I am his mother-in-law.”

Little Song Shi’s eyes flickered. This time she tried to grab Aunt Liu’s hand, “Then do you know that when my ge’er was nine years old…”

“He was sold by you when he was nine years old,” Song Yi interrupted, quickly taking Aunt Liu’s hand. He knew Little Song Shi wanted to mention the matter of him entering the palace at nine. Aunt Liu and the others didn’t know about this yet, and Song Yi didn’t want her to know about it on the street.

If someone with ill intentions were to hear it, they might secretly mock his husband using this matter.

“At that time, the family had no food and really couldn’t afford to raise three children!” Little Song Shi defended herself, forgetting that she was blinded by money back then.

As soon as she heard that sending a child into the palace to become a eunuch could get her two taels of silver, she sent Song Yi away without hesitation.

Aunt Liu had disliked Little Song Shi from the start. Hearing her try to gain sympathy, she sneered, “If you couldn’t afford to raise him, you sold the child. Now that you see the child is doing well, you want to recognize him again? I just heard you cursing Yi Ge’er.”

Little Song Shi was speechless. She wanted to argue again, “I was just anxious. I cherish this child more than anything.”

Song Yi listened to Little Song Shi for a while, then lowered his eyes. “The ge’er you cherish is not me. I no longer need your cherishing.” He had his husband and Auntie.

Aunt Liu said, “Well said. Yi Ge’er doesn’t lack people who cherish him now. As for you, don’t pester him anymore.”

Just at this moment, a carriage with the Yan family’s mark drove past from the main road and stopped behind them. The carriage curtain was lifted, revealing a face very familiar to Song Yi.

Aunt Liu was the first to say excitedly, “Yan Ye, why are you here?”

Before Song Yi could speak, his hand was first wrapped in a pair of warm and generous palms. He didn’t need to say anything; the man in front of him was gentle and considerate towards him.

Yan Ye nodded towards Aunt Liu and smiled, greeting her, “Auntie.”

Although Yan Ye had recognized Aunt Liu, his official identity was still the legitimate eldest son of the Yan family.

Little Song Shi saw Song Yi and the man who got off the carriage being so intimate and immediately guessed that he was her son-in-law. She was about to say a few words but was stopped by two servants before she could get close to the carriage.

After Yan Ye helped Aunt Liu into the carriage, he then proceeded to help Song Yi.