High-class maid

"This is your family matter, it has nothing to do with me, you can go back." Shen Kun turned around and stopped looking at Shen Zhiyuan.

"Brother, no matter how bad she is, she's still our mother! How can you be so heartless?" Shen Zhiyuan walked up to Shen Kun and said with great sorrow.

“We already made it clear when we separated the family: you go your own way, and I'll go mine. In other words, if I were the one seriously ill right now, would you be willing to lend me money?”

Shen Kun stared intently at Shen Zhiyuan, his gaze seemingly trying to see right through him.

Shen Zhiyuan felt a little guilty under his gaze. He asked himself, if it were Shen Kun who was suffering from the strange disease, he would probably be avoiding him as much as possible, so why would he go near him?

However, he didn't admit what he truly thought; he stubbornly said something against his conscience.

“Why wouldn’t I lend you money? Why would I lend it? If you were the one who was sick, I would naturally offer you the money with both hands. You are my elder brother! In this world, besides Mother, you are my only remaining family.”

Shen Zhiyuan played the emotional card.

“Even an ordinary family wouldn’t earn three hundred taels of silver in their entire life. I gave you more than three hundred taels, and now you’re telling me you’ve spent it all? Do I look like a sucker?” Shen Kun said.

"She's your mother! Aren't you afraid the world will laugh at you?" Shen Zhiyuan said, looking at Shen Kun in disbelief.

"Is she really my mother?" Shen Kun asked, enunciating each word clearly.

Shen Zhiyuan's eyes widened. Did he know everything? When did he find out?

"What... what do you mean?" Shen Zhiyuan asked, trembling.

“You should know what I mean. I have given you so much money over the years. My child died before birth because of the Pang family’s mistreatment. I have already repaid the debt of gratitude for raising me.”

"Who spread this rumor? Brother, you actually believe other people's nonsense? They just can't stand to see us doing well!" Shen Zhiyuan refused to admit it, insisting that it was someone else spreading the rumor.

“You enjoy the money I give you while looking down on me as a servant of the Minister’s mansion. Brother, I’ve been in the Minister’s mansion all these years, and I haven’t been a pushover. I’ve already found out the truth of the matter.”

Shen Kun walked up to Shen Zhiyuan's ear and whispered something.

Shen Zhiyuan shivered, but he was still unwilling to give up and stubbornly said...

"Brother, no matter what the truth is, you are my dear brother in my heart. If Mother dies, you will be my only family in this world!"

He was determined to get close to Shen Kun. Now that his family had settled in the capital, they could even afford to hire maids!

Looking at himself, he has failed time and time again, his wife is infertile, and his mother is now seriously ill. If his mother dies, there will really be no one to take care of him!

Shen Zhiyuan is a giant baby. He can't imagine how he would live without anyone taking care of him. Therefore, he can give up on the Pang family, but he must climb up to Shen Kun!

"You can leave now. I'll pretend you were never here today. If you dare to come again, I'll kick you out."

Shen Kun lost his patience. He was exhausted after a long day and was starving.

"Brother! I walked for a whole day to get to the capital. Can you bear to make me walk back? At least let your younger brother have a meal."

Shen Zhiyuan started playing the victim.

"Aren't you leaving yet?" Shen Kun turned around and glared at Shen Zhiyuan.

Shen Zhiyuan's legs went weak from his glare, and he almost knelt down.

Helpless, he could only leave reluctantly, turning back every few steps.

"Hmph, they really are heartless. Once they have money, they don't care about us poor relatives anymore! Just wait, I'll be back tomorrow." Shen Zhiyuan muttered resentfully as he walked away.

Shen Kun had no idea what he was thinking. He dragged his tired body and walked heavily into the kitchen.

"Husband, have some rice first." Wang ladled a bowl of porridge for him from the pot.

“Madam Pang is seriously ill, and Shen Zhiyuan came to me to borrow money and also wants to stay at our house,” Shen Kun said.

“I know. He told me this afternoon that he wouldn’t leave even if I asked him to, and he insisted on seeing you before he would give up.”

"I didn't lend him the money and kicked him out. Was I a bit heartless?" Shen Kun asked.

"Why do you think that way, sir?" Wang asked in return.

She couldn't comment, after all, Shen Kun had treated Pang Shi as his own mother for decades, and now that he suddenly heard that she was seriously ill, he must have felt terrible.

"It's alright, I've given her more than enough. How her condition develops is up to fate, and I have a clear conscience." Shen Kun shook his head, picked up the bowl, and drank.

Wang didn't respond. She only felt hatred when Pang was mentioned, so why would she care about her illness? Besides, Pang had her own son and daughter-in-law by her side, so she wouldn't bother with her.

She understood that Shen Kun needed a few more days to process this.

The next day, Shen Kun instructed Wang to lock the door and not to let Shen Zhiyuan in, then went to the shop with a heavy heart.

At this moment in the palace, the emperor looked at Song Wenyang, who had come to pay his respects for three consecutive days, and helplessly rubbed his forehead. How come he never noticed how annoying this child was before?

"What brings you here today? Is the task I gave you too easy? Have you finished it all?" the emperor asked.

Yes, Song Wenyang has now begun to serve in the court. In order to train him, the emperor specially arranged for him to follow the Minister of Revenue. This is a unique favor bestowed upon the top scholar of this dynasty, since previous top scholars all started from the sixth rank.

"Your Majesty's words are law; surely you haven't forgotten your promise to this humble subject?" Song Wenyang asked.

"Oh? What is it that makes Scholar Song bother me again and again?" the Emperor asked, feigning ignorance.

"Didn't Your Majesty intend to bestow a marriage upon me? Why is there no further news after I saw her that day?" Song Wenyang asked.

"Oh, so that's what you came for. I thought you came to check on my health." The Emperor stroked his non-existent beard and teased.

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, and your body is naturally immune to all poisons. I am very relieved," Song Wenyang said, resorting to his usual shameless act.

"Hahaha, I'm not teasing you anymore. I've already investigated that girl's family background. She's not even old yet, and you're already in such a hurry?"

The Emperor looked at Song Wenyang as if she were worthless and felt a little like hitting him. What kind of women weren't there in the world? Why did he have to take a fancy to her?

But then I thought, this is his son with Yue'er, a romantic like him! But his son is stronger than him, daring to love and hate.

"But once we're engaged, I can openly go see Xing'er," Song Wenyang muttered softly.

"I know you can't wait, but Lin and her mother-in-law haven't been dead for a year yet, and you're still in mourning. How can you get engaged?"

Song Wenyang was taken aback. Oh right, how could he have forgotten about this? He was now nominally the eldest son of the Song family. If he got engaged, what would others say about him?

However, he doesn't care.

"It's alright, I don't care. Once Xing'er is of marriageable age, please grant us a marriage," Song Wenyang said.

He wanted the Emperor to grant Xing'er a marriage, so that no one would dare to look down on Xing'er in the future, and anyone who dared to bring up Xing'er's identity would be questioning the Emperor's decision.