Chapter 132: The New Mistress

Chapter 132

The New Mistress

Song Ren noticed the girl furrowing her brow like a child who wasn’t getting her way, so he tried to calm her down.

“I never said I’d let this slide. If you rush in like that, you’ll only cause trouble for yourself. Who are you to them that they should believe you? Worse, they might accuse you of eavesdropping.”

An Le frowned. She’s a princess—who would dare accuse her of anything? Probably only this dense man standing in front of her who didn’t seem to know who she was.

“Enough with the lectures. Just tell me how you plan to defend Sister Nie,”

The princess demanded, arms crossed and clearly upset. Song Ren couldn’t help but smile at her fierce stance.

“Soon enough, someone will report all this to my father. Just wait and see—my father will protect my sister-in-law,”

Song Ren said confidently. An Le raised her eyebrows, looking at him with some skeptical. The Hou, so stuck in his ways, would really defend Sister Nie? He had previously expressed his distaste for her in many ways. She wasn’t convinced he’d go out of his way to protect his unfavored daughter-in-law.

“And if the Hou does nothing, will you let me call you a turtle?”

An Le challenged. Song Ren wasn’t angry; instead, he smiled and asked calmly,

“And what if my father does stand up for her as I said?”

“Hah, if the Hou really protects Sister Nie, then that’s only right and just. What else would I need to say?”

Song Ren chuckled at her brashness, but he wasn’t offended. He then invited her to return to the event.

“It’s nearly time for the event to start. Let’s head back inside.”

Xu Shi had noticed that the princess had been gone for a while and, with the event about to begin, she was growing concerned. When she saw her second son approached, she was about to ask him to gather people to search for the princess, but then, she saw a familiar slender figure walking in behind him. Delighted, she spoke up.

“Oh, Your Highness, you’ve arrived just in time. I was about to send someone to invite you in.”

Song Ren thought he had misheard his mother. He turned to look behind him, but aside from the young girl trailing him, there was no one else. An Le burst into giggles at his confused reaction—this second young master was far too amusing.

Song Ren looked at her and back at his mother, his face remained impassive as he clasped his hands and bowed.

“I have been discourteous. Please, Your Highness, punish me as you see fit.”

An Le, amused, smiled with satisfaction.

“You know your mistake, then. I was wondering how long you planned to lecture me.”

Xu Shi was shocked at the exchange, wondering if her second son had somehow offended the princess without realizing it. She hurriedly began apologizing on his behalf. Seeing that the elder woman was distressed, An Le stopped teasing and helped her up gently, preventing Xu Shi from kneeling.

“Please, don’t worry, Auntie. I was only teasing him.”

Xu Shi was relieved but still expressed her gratitude repeatedly. Meanwhile, An Le glanced at Song Ren, but he kept his head lowered, his expression unreadable.

As Nie Shuang followed the Hou around while he showed off his grandchildren, she couldn’t help but notice the groups of people casting glances her way and whispering. It was obvious they were gossiping, but she paid no attention. She had endured worse when she first married into the Hou Manor. Even the Hou seemed aware of the stares and quietly called Butler Wang over to give him instructions. Butler Wang nodded and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

The Hou was not used to carrying children, so he awkwardly held Bao Bao, who was quite chubby and heavy. As he walked, Bao Bao’s body slowly slipped down, forcing him to cling tightly to his grandfather’s luxurious robes, crumpling them in the process. The grandfather, with his injured leg, had difficulty walking, but he endured it for the sake of showing off. Both grandfather and grandson looked rather clumsy, but the Hou, driven by pride, did not utter a single complaint. He tirelessly carried his eldest grandson around, greeting guests one after another.

To make matters worse, Bao Bao, with his handsome, plump cheeks, became the target of every adult who pinched his face until he looked grumpy. Several times, Da Ge was on the verge of protesting, but each time, he caught his mother’s warning glance, forcing him to stay calm and composed. However, his small mouth pouted so much that it could almost hold a paintbrush. Meanwhile, Bei Bei and Xiao Hua Hua were luckier; their wet nurses stood behind the Hou, sparing them from the crowd. Bei Bei looked around without much interest, eventually yawning widely. Xiao Hua Hua, on the other hand, smiled at everyone who made eye contact, melting the hearts of onlookers. The elders, charmed by her smile, quickly handed over their jewelry, making Xiao San scramble to collect all the hairpins, rings, and bracelets of jade and gold. So, Xiao Hua Hua beamed even more.

After the children had greeted the guests to their satisfaction, the Hou, now thoroughly pleased with the attention he received, returned to his seat. As the event neared its start, Princess An Le resumed her seat in the position of honor. Butler Wang, having received instructions earlier, quickly returned to report to the Hou, his efficiency honed from years of serving the noble household. He whispered into the Hou’s ear, and as he listened, the Hou’s expression darkened. His sharp gaze flickered to Nie Shuang and then scanned the crowd. This only confirmed Nie Shuang’s suspicions that the gossip circulating among the guests must be about her, though she remained unfazed, confident that others would handle the issue on her behalf.

Once all the guests were seated, the Hou stood up to give his thanks to Princess An Le and everyone in attendance on his birthday. He encouraged them to enjoy the festivities before announcing that he had something important to declare. This piqued everyone’s curiosity, and they leaned in to listen. Clearing his throat, the Hou began,

“This year, my wife and I are getting on in age, and it’s time for us to step back and rest. My daughter-in-law, Nie Shuang, is an admirable and intelligent woman. From now on, she will be the new mistress of Yong An Hou Manor and will oversee all internal affairs of the household.”

Nie Shuang, who had been sitting quietly, was surprised and looked up at the Hou. He met her gaze, smiling slightly, and nodded to her slightly before taking his seat again. A murmur of astonishment rippled through the crowd as people exchanged glances and began discussing. The Hou, however, calmly picked up his chopsticks and signaled everyone to begin the meal.At a nearby table sat Master Chen and his family. The two households had long been close, and they were soon to be even more closely connected through marriage. Originally, they intended to announce the engagement between Song Ren and Chen Yuelan today, but the Hou had made no mention of it. Master Chen had been engrossed in conversation with his official colleagues earlier and had missed the gossip circulating among the women. Now, he wore a perplexed expression, wondering about the Hou’s intentions. Could there be changes to the agreement they had made? Even as others at the table began to eat, Master Chen remained deep in thought until Chen Furen nudged him, bringing him back to the present. The couple exchanged glances, both with much on their minds but knowing that it was not yet the right time to speak.