High-class maid

"Why are you throwing your old tantrum again? Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. If he likes it, just let him be!" the Emperor said nonchalantly.

"Hmph, I'm only doing this for his own good! He's young and impetuous, full of youthful vigor, only concerned with love and romance, clearly unaware of..."

"My mind is made up. I will never marry anyone but Xing'er in this life." Song Wenyang interrupted Song Yanjiang and strode in.

"Good boy, you're responsible!"

The Emperor praised Song Wenyang loudly, almost applauding him.

"No, no," Song Wenyang said modestly, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

"Did you anticipate that the Shen family would come to your residence, and deliberately have the Emperor keep me at the palace?" Song Yanjiang was so angry that he glared at them. This little fox! He should have known that the Emperor keeping him here was not for any good!

"The matter is sudden, and leaving you in the palace is a last resort. Your son has become the top scholar, and the Shen family will come to congratulate you out of courtesy and reason. Rather than worrying that you might say something wrong due to your emotional state, it is better to let you calm down in the palace first."

Song Wenyang explained with a smile, "That look is exactly like the old fox eating grapes up there!"

"Alright, alright, I'll invite that woman to the palace the day after tomorrow. If she passes my test of character, I'll grant you a marriage. Old Song, you come along the day after tomorrow too." The Emperor acted as a peacemaker.

"I'm not going! If I hadn't come home early, I wouldn't have known my future in-laws were coming! My son was afraid I'd ruin his good time, so he actually ordered someone to send me to the palace!"

Song Yanjiang grew angrier the more he thought about it, and simply started throwing a tantrum.

Song Wenyang touched his nose sheepishly. It was no wonder Song Yanjiang was so angry; anyone would be angry in his shoes.

The Emperor waved to Song Wenyang, signaling him to wait outside the hall. Then he stepped down from the throne, put his hand on Song Yanjiang's shoulder, and said meaningfully, "..."

"Old Song, can you bear to let your son follow in our footsteps?"

"But he shouldn't have kept it from me! Even you know, and I was still kept in the dark!"

It turns out that Song Yanjiang was jealous of himself.

"He only wanted me to grant him the marriage. Not long ago, he even lied to me that he liked men. Have you forgotten?" The Emperor coaxed Song Yanjiang gently.

Song Yanjiang remained silent, only sulking.

"Alright, alright, weren't we the same when we were young? I didn't marry the woman I loved, which led to Yue'er's untimely death at a young age, leaving Yang'er alone in the world to face many hardships. Do you want Wen Yang to follow in our footsteps?"

Seeing that he was still angry, the emperor tried to appeal to his emotions.

"Then I will wait with the Emperor in the palace the day after tomorrow. If she is of bad character, I will not allow it, unless he disowns me as his father!"

Song Yanjiang remained defiant, but he was already thinking about what clothes to wear tomorrow.

"Good." The Emperor breathed a sigh of relief.

While his own biological father's feelings were important, Song Yanjiang's stepfather's feelings were equally important. After all, on the surface, he was still Song Wenyang's father, so of course he had to appease that little brat.

A short while later, Song Yanjiang and Song Wenyang walked out of the palace one after the other. Knowing that he was in the wrong, Song Wenyang did not dare to speak to his father, but instead diligently held up the curtain for him.

The next day, Zhang Yuzhu came to Jinxiufang. She looked at Shen Xing'er with a gossipy expression, making Shen Xing'er feel very uncomfortable.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?" Shen Xing'er asked shyly, touching her face.

"Tell me, what are you hiding from me?" Zhang Yuzhu asked seriously, as if she wouldn't give up until she heard it from her own mouth.

"What could I possibly be hiding from you? What's wrong with you? Why are you acting so strangely?" Shen Xing'er asked, puzzled.

"You're still trying to fool me? I heard from my grandmother that the Emperor is going to bestow a marriage upon you!" Zhang Yuzhu pouted.

Shen Xing'er's face flushed red instantly, and then she asked...

"I... I didn't mean to hide it from you, it's just that it concerns my reputation, that's why not many people know. How did Pearl find out?"

"Grandmother asked me to tell you that you will be going to the palace with her tomorrow. Here, these are the clothes and jewelry that Grandmother prepared for you." Zhang Yuzhu gestured with her lips, and Shen Xing'er then noticed the box and bag on the table.

"Go to the palace? Me? To see the Emperor? Me?" Shen Xing'er was incredulous. Why would the Emperor suddenly want to see her?

"Yes, don't be afraid. I'll be by your side tomorrow. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me quietly. Grandma will come with us too." Zhang Yuzhu blinked, reassuring Shen Xing'er.

Even after Zhang Yuzhu left, Shen Xing'er was still in a daze. Why did the Emperor suddenly summon her? Did Song Wenyang ask the Emperor to grant him a marriage?

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Wang woke Shen Xing'er up.

"Xing'er, come and take a bath." Wang's voice rang out from outside the door.

"Mom, who takes a bath so early in the morning? I'm not going to." Shen Xing'er turned over and pulled the blanket over her head again.

"Silly girl, you're going to the palace today, so you need to bathe and burn incense! Get up quickly, the princess's carriage will be here to pick you up soon!"

Oh right! We have to go to the palace today!

Shen Xing'er sat up abruptly. By the time she had finished getting ready, it was already broad daylight. Just then, the people from the Princess's residence, as if they could read minds, knocked on the door.

"Xing'er, if there's anything you don't understand, just ask Yuzhu. If you're afraid of saying the wrong thing, try not to say anything. Even if you don't say anything, you can't say anything wrong, understand?" Madam Wang looked at her daughter standing in front of her and gave her a worried instruction.

"Don't worry, Mother, I know." Shen Xing'er nodded, calming herself down.

The jewelry on her head was a bit heavy, making her feel uncomfortable for a moment.

Looking at her daughter dressed in fine clothes, Wang saw that although her daughter was still four months away from reaching adulthood, she was already as tall as her.

Now, dressed in a crimson dress, her complexion appeared even more rosy and fair. A white jade necklace adorned her fair neck, and a matching hair ornament graced her forehead. Her made-up face was charming, and Wang couldn't help but feel her eyes well up with tears.

"Let's go, don't embarrass our family." Shen Kun waved his hand and closed the door.

"Going to the palace is a joyous occasion, why are you standing at the gate crying? If others see us, who knows what they'll say about us," Shen Kun said softly.

"I... I'm happy because my daughter is so promising, but I also feel that I'm not promising enough to give her a better future," Wang said, laughing and crying at the same time.

"You'll make Xing'er sad again if she hears this. It's good that our daughter is doing well. What we need to do now is to be neither arrogant nor humble, and not embarrass our daughter. Hurry up and get ready, the shop should open soon," Shen Kun coaxed.

Wang nodded, realizing she had been a bit narrow-minded. She ate a few bites of food and then went to the shop with Shen Kun.

Before she could even react, another piece of good news came her way.