The Laid-back Life of a Stepmother

The first night of self-cultivation began with breaking the vow of chastity.

After waking up, Wen Ye reflected deeply, determined not to fall into Xu Yuejia's bewitching trap again tonight.

After finishing her morning routine, Tao Zhi ordered breakfast to be served. The main dish was fried noodles with sauce, accompanied by a variety of steamed and fried snacks, as well as sweet soy milk—all of Wen Ye's favorites.

After breakfast, Wen Ye received a letter from the Wen Family, personally written by Madam Shen. The letter informed her that her younger sister had been chosen as a companion for the princess. A palace eunuch had already delivered the Emperor's oral decree to the Wen Family, finalizing the matter. Her sister would enter the palace next month.

At the end of the letter, Madam Shen asked if Wen Ye wanted to return home before then, as she might miss one of Madam Liu's children's full-month celebrations if she didn't.

Of course, Wen Ye decided to return. She instructed Yun Zhi and Tao Zhi to pack the necessary items and wrote back to Madam Shen, informing her that she would return the day after tomorrow.

Last night, she had been too preoccupied with "admiring" Xu Yuejia's beauty to even ask about this matter.

★

After the morning court session, the Emperor summoned Xu Yuejia to stay behind.

In the Hall of Diligent Governance, the Emperor and Xu Yuejia were discussing the recent "Caiyun Pastry Shop" case when an attendant reported that Prince Wen had requested an audience. The Emperor sighed deeply and said, "What does he want now? Let him in."

Prince Wen, who was more than ten years younger than the Emperor and not yet twenty, entered wearing his princely robes, resembling a young poplar tree that had been abruptly pulled upward. "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty," he said, preparing to kneel.@@novelbin@@

The Emperor waved his hand dismissively. "Enough, no need for formalities. What is it this time?"

"It's nothing major," Prince Wen replied earnestly. "I've been idle lately and wanted to help share Your Majesty's burdens." From the moment he entered, he didn't even glance at Xu Yuejia.

It was Xu Yuejia who had caused him to be scolded by his mother last time, resulting in a month-long ban from the palace.

Hearing this, the Emperor's temple twitched. He knew Prince Wen was up to no good again. He immediately signaled to a young eunuch behind him, who quietly exited the hall. The Emperor asked, "And how do you plan to help me?"

Prince Wen confidently replied, "Last time, I didn't fully understand the situation. This time, if Your Majesty assigns me a new case, I will definitely handle it well."

The Emperor barely listened, asking, "What kind of case do you want to handle?"

Prince Wen, thinking he had a chance, smiled happily. "Of course, the more complex the better. With my abilities, simple cases would be a waste of my talents."

The Emperor was momentarily speechless before finally saying, "Your self-awareness is quite clear."

Prince Wen, missing the sarcasm, replied, "Of course, I am Your Majesty's brother."

The Emperor:

"

At a loss for words, the Emperor gave Xu Yuejia a meaningful look.

Xu Yuejia paused, his eyes shifting briefly to Prince Wen before addressing the Emperor. "Your Majesty, I believe that regardless of the complexity of a case, the purpose is to serve Your Majesty and the Great Jin. Such actions should not be used as a means to showcase one's personal abilities."

Prince Wen's face turned green upon hearing this.

He quickly explained, "Your Majesty, see? Xu Yuejia is deliberately twisting my words. That's not what I meant at all." He simply wanted to help share the Emperor's burdens.

The Emperor, of course, understood. With his younger brother's intelligence, he couldn't grasp deeper implications. He reassured Prince Wen, "I believe Xu Qing did not imply anything. I understand your intentions. However, your mother hasn't been feeling well lately. Shouldn't you go see her?"

Prince Wen immediately grew concerned. "Is Mother ill again?"

The Emperor nodded. "You've finally come to the palace. Go see her first."

"Alright." Although Prince Wen suspected it was another ploy, he couldn't delay when it came to his mother's health. He shot a glare at Xu Yuejia, snorted, and hurriedly left the hall. After he was gone, the Emperor sighed and said to Xu Yuejia, "Thank you for playing the bad guy."

Xu Yuejia, who had just been used as a target, remained calm. "It's nothing. Prince Wen has always disliked me. I'm used to it."

The Emperor was once again at a loss for words. "...Why does that sound a bit sarcastic?"

★

In the main hall of Ningshou Palace, the maid Caizhi was helping Consort Shu apply powder to her face. "Your Highness, that's enough. If you use too much, His Highness might notice the scent."

Consort Shu examined herself in the bronze mirror and, satisfied, agreed. "You're right. My son has a harem full of women. He's more familiar with women's scents than anything else."

After a pause, she turned and added, "Next time, get me a box of unscented powder." Caizhi stifled a laugh and bowed. "Understood."

When Prince Wen rushed from the Hall of Diligent Governance to the inner palace and arrived at Ningshou Palace, Consort Shu was already lying weakly on a soft couch, her face pale.

Prince Wen was so shocked that he nearly tripped at the entrance, while Consort Shu almost broke character.

"Mother, what's wrong?" Prince Wen quickly stepped inside and approached her with concern.

Consort Shu feigned weakness, speaking in a frail voice. "It's nothing. I've just been dreaming about your sister Xinyi lately. I miss her." Although Consort Shu's daughter had not survived, after the Emperor ascended the throne, he posthumously granted her the title "Xinyi."

Mentioning his sister, Prince Wen's anger dissipated. He gently comforted her, "Mother, if you keep dwelling on it, Xinyi's spirit won't rest in peace."

Consort Shu wiped the corner of her eye with a handkerchief and asked, "I heard you went to bother your brother again."

Prince Wen:

"...

I didn't. I just wanted to help him."

Consort Shu bluntly exposed him. "The best way to help your brother is to stay in your palace and expand the royal lineage."

Prince Wen, both angry and helpless, said, "Mother, you underestimate me too."

Consort Shu's eyes welled up with tears as she mournfully whispered, "My Xinyi..."

Prince Wen muttered, "...Here we go again."

Consort Shu heard him but didn't respond. So what if it was the same trick? It worked.

She then spoke seriously, "The second son of the Xu Family has solved countless problems for your brother. As a member of the royal family, you should be kind to such a loyal minister. The Emperor has been more than generous to us. Look at your older brothers—none of them lived as comfortably as you do now.

I understand your intentions, and I'm pleased that you want to help the Emperor. I'm sure he feels the same. But my son, it's not that I underestimate you. Sometimes, one must have a clear understanding of their own abilities. Do what you are capable of."

Prince Wen remained silent, his head bowed.

Consort Shu leisurely sipped her tea, her throat dry from speaking so much.

She wasn't in a hurry. After finishing her tea, she continued, "How about this? I'll go ask the Empress Dowager to help me persuade your brother to assign you a small case. If you succeed, we can discuss further opportunities. Does that sound fair?"

Prince Wen thought it over and realized it was the only option. He reluctantly agreed, "I'll listen to you, Mother."

Consort Shu nodded and gently rubbed her forehead. "I'm tired now. Return to your palace. And remember, don't argue with the second son of the Xu Family in front of your brother again."

You're just a little pup—no match for a wolf from the mountains.

Prince Wen outwardly complied, "I won't do it again," but inwardly he thought, *Xu Yuejia, just you wait.*

★

Wen Ye instructed Tao Zhi to pack two extra bolts of light, vibrant fabric suitable for Wen Ran.

Although Madam Shen would undoubtedly prepare such things, who could ever have enough beautiful clothes? Now that Wen Ye had the means, she wanted to give her family the best.

In addition to the fabric, she also packed some tonics for Concubine Chang.

Once Wen Ran entered the palace, Concubine Chang would be left without companionship. Wen Ye feared she might fall ill from loneliness, so the tonics were meant to nourish her health.

Upon returning to the Wen Family, Wen Ye first went to the main courtyard to see Madam Shen.

Her father was also present, as was Wen Ran, seated at the end. After paying her respects, Wen Ye took a seat beside Wen Ran. Her father spoke a few words before Madam Shen said, "It's not easy for you to return. Go and see your family."

Wen Ye stood and said, "Thank you, Mother."

★

In the courtyard of Fucui Residence, Wen Ye held Wen Ran's hand as they entered. Concubine Chang emerged from the main hall to greet her daughters.

The three of them went inside, dismissing the servants.

Concubine Chang gently patted her younger daughter's head before voicing her concerns. "I wonder if being chosen is a blessing or a curse for your sister..."

Wen Ye comforted her, saying, "Mother, Xiao Mei won't be a princess's companion in the palace for the rest of her life; at most, it'll be three to five years. And once she's in the palace, she'll still be able to return to the mansion for two days each month. Please don't worry too much."

Concubine Chang still felt uneasy, as she had no understanding of the inner workings of the palace.

Wen ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍Ye understood her concern and thus explained, "I've already learned about the situation in the palace from Lord and Madam Shen. As long as Xiao Mei stays within her duties and behaves herself, nothing will happen."

Hearing this, Concubine Chang felt reassured, at least half of her worries alleviated. Although her eldest daughter had been a bit unreliable in matters of marriage, she was always sensible in other aspects. Moreover, this concerned her own sister.

Unlike Concubine Chang, Wen Ran wasn't concerned about entering the palace. Instead, she patted her chest and said, "I'm just afraid that the Emperor will recall the rewards he previously bestowed upon me."

Fortunately, the palace eunuch who came to the mansion only brought a verbal decree and didn't mention the previous rewards.

Concubine Chang was momentarily speechless: "..."

Wen Ye chuckled, "The Emperor isn't as petty as you imagine."

Wen Ran let out a long sigh of relief, feeling a bit shy as she added, "I was just worried, you know."

/

Wen Ye didn't stay for long. After comforting Concubine Chang and her younger sister, it was time for her to leave. Upon hearing this, Wen Ran hurried back to her small room. In her arms, she carried several books, and the maidservant who usually served her carried even more.

Wen Ran handed these books to Wen Ye, saying, "Mother said that the palace will provide all necessary books once I enter. So, Sis, could you take these back for my little nephew, Xuan'er? I've written annotations in them. They might not be very profound, but I've asked the tutor, and they should be sufficient for Xuan'er's initial enlightenment."

Wen Ye accepted the books, raising an eyebrow and smiling, "I'll thank you on behalf of Xuan'er for this thoughtful gift."

Wen Ran blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed, "These are just old books I've used. They can't compare to the rabbit-hair brushes Xuan'er specially prepared."

Before returning to the Duke's Mansion, Wen Ye took a detour to Ju Xian Lou to collect the plum tea and plum-infused pastries she had pre-ordered. She immediately went to the main courtyard upon her return.

Madam Lu knew that Wen Ye had visited the Wen Family today and had expected her to return around 3 PM. To her surprise, Wen Ye appeared in the main courtyard shortly after her afternoon nap.

Madam Lu put down the letter from her elder son, which arrived every five days from the academy, and asked, "It's still early. Why didn't you spend more time with your mother?"

Wen Ye had Tao Zhi bring the food box forward and softly explained, "I noticed that Madam liked the plum tea and plum cakes from Ju Xian Lou, so today, while I was out, I thought I'd bring some back for her."

She had bought two food boxes in total: one for Madam Lu and one for herself. However, when she entered, she only brought one box.

Madam Lu was well aware that the route from the Duke's Mansion to the Wen Family mansion didn't pass by Ju Xian Lou. It was clear that Wen Ye had gone out of her way.

"You are so thoughtful," Madam Lu said, feeling touched. "Next time, don't go through so much trouble."

She knew the rules of Ju Xian Lou well. Even if you pre-ordered, if you didn't pick it up within the specified time, you wouldn't get it. It was likely that Wen Ye had returned so early because of this. Returning to her family home and still thinking of bringing pastries for her, Madam Lu didn't know what to say. Just as she was struggling for words, Duke Xu returned.

Wen Ye greeted him, "Brother."

Duke Xu nodded slightly and then walked directly to Madam Lu, explaining, "General Liu returned to the capital to report duties. We haven't seen each other in years, so today at noon, he invited me and a few other military colleagues to Ju Xian Lou for a few drinks."

This explained why he had returned so late.

Afterward, he noticed the food box with the Ju Xian Lou logo on the table and curiously asked, "Did you also go to Ju Xian Lou today, Madam?"

Madam Lu replied, "No, it was Sister-in-law."

The conversation shifted to Wen Ye, who explained, "Brother, I visited the Wen Family today. On my way back, I remembered that Madam liked the pastries and tea from Ju Xian Lou, and since it was on the way, I went there."

Before she finished, Wen Ye continued, "However, Sister-in-law was only thinking about buying the pastries Madam liked and wasn't aware that Brother was there too."

Duke Xu: "..." He felt there was something unusual about this statement.

Initially, Madam Lu didn't think much of it, but after hearing Wen Ye's words, her gaze shifted to Duke Xu, who was empty-handed, carrying a hint of an undecipherable emotion.

Duke Xu felt a chill run down his spine.

He knew his sister-in-law wasn't up to any good.

Wen Ye concluded, "Madam, since the pastries have been delivered and Brother is back, I won't overstay my welcome."

Madam Lu smiled gently at her, saying, "Go ahead." Wen Ye curtsied gracefully, concluding her visit perfectly.

---

In the West Courtyard, Xu Yuxuan, who had just woken up from his afternoon nap, was playing in the yard. Seeing Wen Ye's figure, he quickly put down the rattan ball and ran over, his eyes fixed on the food box in Yun Zhi's hands.

He bent down and called out, "Mother, yummy~"

He had indeed learned a few things after attending school for a few days. Now, he could already recognize a food box meant for snacks.

Wen Ye lifted the back of his neck, making him stand straight, and asked, "Where's your father?"

Xu Yuxuan's gaze remained on the food box. Only briefly did he look back upon hearing Wen Ye's question, answering, "Father is reading!"

Hearing this, Wen Ye took the food box from Yun Zhi's hands and walked inside, with Xu Yuxuan trailing behind like a little tail.

In the west side study, Xu Yuejia heard footsteps outside and closed the book in front of him. As he made his way around the desk to go out, he met Wen Ye carrying the food box.

He said, "You're back."

Wen Ye replied with an "Mm" and handed him the food box, saying, "These are the pastries I specially brought for my husband."

Xu Yuejia's gaze paused, clearly surprised.

Wen Ye didn't care and took a seat on a nearby stool, resting her cheek on one hand, meeting his gaze with an air of righteousness. As if to say: I'm only responsible for bringing them; the rest is not my concern.

Xu Yuejia thought to himself, *Of course.* That's just her.

During this time, Xu Yuxuan, with Wen Ye's help on his left, climbed onto the stool and sat down. Mimicking Wen Ye's action, he also put his little hand on his cheek and urged Xu Yuejia, "Father, open it quick~"

Xu Yuejia remained silent.

After a while, under the watchful eyes of mother and son, Xu Yuejia lifted the food box lid and took out the various pastries along with a pot of plum tea, arranging them neatly.

Then, he poured tea for the both of them. Wen Ye savored a cup and only then remembered to say, "Husband, do try some."

Xu Yuxuan held a small teacup in one hand and a pastry in the other, nibbling away. He also said, "Father, eat." Then he generously pushed the nearest plate of pastries closer to Xu Yuejia.

Seeing this, Wen Ye's eyes narrowed slightly. How carefree the child was.

"By the way, Xuan'er," Wen Ye said, putting down her plum cake, "your aunt asked me to bring you a gift."

Xu Yuxuan, who recently couldn't bear to hear the word "gift," instantly lost interest in his pastries and shook his head, "Xuan'er doesn't want it."

Wen Ye, however, said, "A gift from an elder cannot be refused."

Xu Yuxuan pouted.