The Laid-back Life of a Stepmother

As someone who genuinely cared for the younger generation, Madam Lu couldn't bring herself to act as Wen Ye did.

Children, being sensitive, often needed a bit more consideration.

Madam Lu said, "He's just a little child. How could there be any ulterior motive behind his filial gestures?" She added, "You are Xu Yuxuan's mother. Why do you wrong him like this?" However, Madam Lu's tone lacked conviction towards the end. Despite her verbal defense of Xu Yuxuan, Wen Ye knew that Madam Lu had already begun to believe her suspicions.

Wen Ye poured Madam Lu a cup of plum tea and said, "Alright, sister-in-law, let's not talk about outsiders anymore. Try this plum tea I brought back from Juxian Tower. I'm sure you'll like it."

Madam Lu often felt drowsy after her afternoon nap, no matter how long she slept. She usually needed something sour, like plums, to refresh herself.

The maid, Tao Zhi, had just gone to the kitchen to hurry the preparation of the plums when she unexpectedly ran into Wen Ye not far from the main hall. Madam Lu took a sip of the tea and commented earnestly, "It's indeed good. Is this a new offering from Juxian Tower?" Wen Ye replied, "Yes, they only serve three hundred pots a day. Luckily, Jingxian reminded me to make a reservation early." Otherwise, if they had waited until after lunch to buy it, it would have been too late.

Madam Lu also tried a piece of dried plum cake, which was both sour and sweet, and quite delightful.

Hearing Wen Ye mention 'Jingxian,' Madam Lu asked, "Is this Jingxian the eldest daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites?" Wen Ye confirmed, "That's her."

Madam Lu had some recollection of her and remarked, "She's a good girl. I remember Shuyan has always been close to her." Wen Ye, also nibbling on a piece of plum cake, added, "I got to know Jingxian through Shuyan."

Noticing how Wen Ye referred to Shuyan as 'cousin-in-law' and Jingxian as 'sister,' Madam Lu casually remarked, "The eldest daughter of the Xue Family is already over a year old. Why do you call her 'sister'?"

Wen Ye paused and said, "Sister-in-law, have you forgotten?"

The plum cake was quite delicious, and Madam Lu couldn't resist taking another piece. She asked, "What have I forgotten?" Wen Ye lowered her voice, "I just celebrated my twenty-first birthday not long ago." Madam Lu was momentarily speechless as she faced Wen Ye's fair, round face suddenly leaning closer.

She had indeed forgotten. Wen Ye's usual demeanor made it hard to believe she was only five years younger than Madam Lu. Madam Lu often felt that since Wen Ye married into the family, it was as if she had gained another daughter. The eldest daughter of the Xue Family, Madam Lu recalled, had married a little over a year after her coming-of-age ceremony and now had a child just over a year old. By any calculation, she couldn't be older than twenty-one.

Wen Ye was indeed the eldest among them.

Looking back, Madam Lu had agreed to the marriage between the Xu and Wen families not only because of her younger brother's insistence but also because the two were close in age. The other candidates she had considered were young noblewomen who had just reached marriageable age.

At fifteen or sixteen, they were seven or eight years younger than her brother. Though well-bred, they still carried a certain naivety. Her brother, Xu Yuejia, was even less talkative than his elder brother, and it was clear that he wouldn't have been a good match for those young noblewomen.

In the Great Jin Dynasty, it was rare for women to remain unmarried past the age of twenty. During the initial discussions between the two families, Madam Lu had been informed about Wen Ye's previous engagements. At the time, she had some reservations.

Now, looking back, Madam Lu realized how narrow-minded she had been. Matters of marriage were often beyond a woman's control. The issues had always been with the men's families, and Wen Ye was the one who had been wronged.

Thinking of this, Madam Lu's gaze softened as she looked at Wen Ye. She quickly changed the subject, "Let's not talk about this anymore. Tell me, did anything interesting happen when you went out today?"

Wen Ye noticed the sudden warmth in Madam Lu's eyes and felt a bit strange.

What had Madam Lu imagined that she didn't know about?

Suppressing the odd feeling, Wen Ye replied, "Nothing particularly interesting, but we did run into that failed scholar I caught at the estate. He was finally exiled today."

Madam Lu had heard Duke Xu mention this in passing but didn't know it was happening today. She said, "For such a villain, exile is too light a punishment."

"By the way," Madam Lu suddenly remembered, "I heard that the Emperor is considering selecting a new companion for Princess Changle. Has your younger sister been chosen?"

Wen Ye hadn't received confirmation from Xu Yuejia yet, so she could only say, "My husband mentioned it, but he said the Emperor is still deliberating."

Madam Lu affirmed, "It must be settled. Among Princess Changle's previous companions, one was the niece of your sister-in-law from the Liu Family. According to her sister-in-law, the chosen candidate is a young lady from the Wen Family, which would be your younger sister."

Wen Ye remembered this sister from the Liu Family, one of Madam Lu's close friends who had come to celebrate her birthday. She was from the same clan as Wen Ye's second sister-in-law and was the fourth young mistress of the Academy of Hanlin Scholars. One of Princess Changle's companions was her sister-in-law's daughter.

Seeing Wen Ye's hesitation, Madam Lu reassured her, "Don't worry. Your sister from the Liu Family said that while her sister-in-law isn't the most pleasant person, her niece is easy to get along with. It's a case of a good sprout from a bad bamboo. Your younger sister is there to be Princess Changle's companion, not to marry into their family. There won't be any issues."

"As for the situation in the palace, it's quite simple. Let me explain..."

Wen Ye smiled and interrupted, "Sister-in-law, my husband has already told me about this."

Madam Lu was genuinely surprised, "Xu Yuejia talks to you about these things?"

Though the palace dynamics were straightforward, explaining them still required some effort. Madam Lu couldn't quite imagine her brother discussing palace affairs with his wife.

Wen Ye nodded and then added, "My husband explained it briefly, but there are some details I'm still unclear about. Could you explain it to me again?" Xu Yuejia wasn't one to share trivial gossip, so perhaps she could uncover some interesting tidbits from Madam Lu.

Hearing this, Madam Lu understood. It seemed her brother had only explained the basic relationships to Wen Ye, leaving out the intricacies of alliances and rivalries.

Madam Lu shared what she could, "The palace situation is quite simple. Aside from Consort Shu staying by Empress Dowager's side, most of the late Emperor's concubines reside in the summer palace. Only a few, along with Consort Shu, live in Ningshou Palace. Since the Emperor ascended the throne, there hasn't been a selection of new concubines, so the imperial harem is quite small."

Wen Ye asked, "Is Consort Shu the mother of Prince Wen?"

Madam Lu lowered her voice, "Consort Shu was close to Empress Dowager back then. The Emperor's eventual success... half of it was due to the efforts of Consort Shu's family." The late Emperor had disliked the Emperor, his legitimate son, and deliberately married him to a woman from a less prominent family to suppress him.

Madam Lu continued, "Though Empress Dowager is from Duke Wei's Mansion, her relationship with her family is strained. In the future, if you encounter anyone from Duke Wei's Mansion, there's no need to go out of your way to be friendly. Just treat them normally."

Wen Ye immediately asked, "Why is that?" She was eager to know.

Madam Lu pursed her lips, "This matter isn't something to be spread around."

Wen Ye tugged at her sleeve, "Sister-in-law~"

Madam Lu couldn't resist her pleading and finally said, "I'll tell you today, but after hearing it, you must keep it to yourself."

Wen Ye sincerely promised, "I'm very tight-lipped, and I never talk in my sleep."

Madam Lu was once again left speechless.

But in the end, she leaned in and whispered, "Back then, Duke Wei's Mansion saw the Emperor's precarious situation and considered switching sides to support the Ninth Prince. If Consort Shu hadn't intervened on behalf of Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager might have fallen victim to her own brother's schemes."

After the Emperor ascended the throne, he didn't purge Duke Wei's Mansion but chose to handle the matter coldly, preserving some dignity for both sides.@@novelbin@@

Wen Ye suddenly understood, "No wonder the Emperor dotes on Prince Wen, his half-brother."

Madam Lu added, "Prince Wen is Consort Shu's only child now. The Emperor is a filial son, and out of respect for Empress Dowager, he naturally treats them well."

Moreover, Prince Wen's temperament posed no threat.

Madam Lu occasionally couldn't help but marvel. She had met Consort Shu a few times and found it hard to believe that such a wise and gentle woman could have a son like...

Madam Lu didn't know how to describe him, but it wasn't exactly flattering.

After filling her stomach with tales of the late Emperor's harem from Madam Lu, Wen Ye returned to the west courtyard feeling satisfied.

However, before leaving the main courtyard, she quietly left the rabbit-hair brush that Xue Jingxian had given to Xu Yuxuan and whispered to Madam Lu to remember to place it in Xu Yuxuan's school bag.

This guy thought he could escape by staying in the main courtyard?

★

After digesting all the gossip, Wen Ye still had one thing on her mind. Though she didn’t feel it herself, compared to the ladies she had recently befriended, she was indeed a bit older.

Wen Ye went straight to the inner chamber and sat in front of the dressing table, staring repeatedly at the woman in the bronze mirror whose beauty remained as striking as the first time they met.

Setting aside her own bias about her appearance, she still looked stunning.

However, her skin seemed a bit dry. Wen Ye leaned closer and rubbed the sides of her nose with her fingertips before calling for Tao Zhi to bring her the facial cream. The cream was something Wen Ye had personally prepared after consulting a physician and considering her own skin condition.

The cream was green in color and had a hydrating effect similar to modern-day face masks.

The previous jar had run out, so Tao Zhi brought a new one and asked, "Madam, shall I apply it for you?"

Wen Ye declined, "No need, I’ll do it myself later. Let’s have dinner first."

Xu Yuxuan was staying in the main courtyard today, and Xu Yuejia hadn’t shown up at this hour, so it was unlikely he would return. Wen Ye dined alone.

Tonight, Wen Ye wasn’t planning to read any novels. Instead, she decided to indulge in a full-body skincare routine. She admitted she had some natural beauty, but compared to Madam Lu, she still fell short.

Her natural attributes were what they were, and there was no changing them. If she didn’t take good care of herself, there might come a day when Madam Lu would grow tired of her.

At Xu hour (7-9 PM), Xu Yuejia returned to the mansion.

He went straight to the west courtyard, where Yun Zhi greeted him with a curtsy at the door.

Xu Yuejia stepped into the hall and noticed the empty study on the west side. He turned to her and asked, "Where is Madam?"

Yun Zhi lowered her eyes and replied, "Madam is in her room."

Xu Yuejia nodded and headed toward the inner chamber.

He pushed open the door to the inner chamber, his gaze sweeping from the dressing table to the bed, only to be met with the sight of a green face.

Xu Yuejia paused in his steps.

There sat Wen Ye, cross-legged in the center of the bed, her arms resting naturally on her knees.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Wen Ye slowly opened her eyes and said calmly, "You’ve returned earlier than usual today, my lord."

Xu Yuejia was momentarily speechless at her almost meditative tone. After a moment, he asked, "What is that on your face?"

Wen Ye replied, "Facial cream. My skin has been a bit dry lately, so I’m hydrating it."

Xu Yuejia said nothing more, only adding, "I’ll go wash up."

Wen Ye: "...Oh."

She seemed to have forgotten something.

Wen Ye suddenly felt conflicted. By the time Xu Yuejia returned from the side chamber, she had already washed off the facial cream but remained seated in a meditative pose.

Xu Yuejia approached and asked, "Are you planning to sit like this all night?"

Wen Ye slowly uncrossed her legs and scooted further into the bed, saying seriously, "Well, my lord, I’ve decided to go to bed early and wake up early for a month to cultivate my mind and body."

Xu Yuejia raised an eyebrow, "Can you endure it?"

Wen Ye: "..."

It was precisely because she wasn’t sure that she felt conflicted.

Xu Yuejia sat down, pulled up his own blanket, and without looking at her, said, "I have no objections."

Wen Ye glanced at his face, which today exuded a cold, restrained aura she hadn’t seen in a while. The words she had been about to say were swallowed back. Instead, she amended, "But starting from... tomorrow night."

Xu Yuejia replied indifferently, "As you wish."

A moment later, Wen Ye tugged at the hem of Xu Yuejia’s sleeping robe, thinking regretfully, "Beauty is truly a distraction." She had even taken a milk and flower petal bath earlier, preparing for a good night’s sleep, but now Xu Yuejia was reaping the benefits.

The next morning, the red sun hung high in the sky.

Xu Yuxuan sat on a small stool, staring at the rabbit-hair brush he had pulled out of his book bag, his eyes wide and dazed.

How could there still be one?!

At that moment, Xu Baili walked in with a cup of tea and leisurely sat down across from him, glancing at the desk. He asked casually, "What’s the matter?"

Xu Yuxuan pouted as he looked at the rabbit-hair brush, which was both the same and different from yesterday’s. "It’s all broken!"

Xu Baili raised an eyebrow, "What’s wrong? Why don’t you tell me about it?"

Using his limited vocabulary, Xu Yuxuan stumbled through the story of the "rabbit-hair brush incident," finally resting his chin on his hands and frowning, "Yuxuan is so pitiful."

Xu Baili, seemingly unsurprised, said, "Indeed, your father was wrong in this matter."

Xu Yuxuan nodded vigorously from head to toe, "Yes!"

"In that case, we won’t practice holding the brush today. How about we play a word recognition game instead?"

Xu Yuxuan nodded repeatedly, adding, "Teacher is the best!"

Xu Baili accepted the compliment and said, "Then you must listen to me carefully and study hard from now on."

Xu Yuxuan’s eyes sparkled, "Okay!"

Xu Baili pulled out an introductory book and said, "Let’s begin."

Xu Yuxuan put on a well-behaved expression. Xu Baili would never tell his student that the box of rabbit-hair brushes had been his suggestion to his sworn brother.

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‍Xu family had many descendants, and in this regard, Xu Baili believed he had more experience than Xu Yuejia.

Yuxuan: *Crying internally*