Chapter 147: The Grandchildren’s Favorite

Chapter 147

The Grandchildren’s Favorite

When the Hou and Xu Shi heard the royal decree, they could hardly believe their ears. A royal marriage! With Princess An Le!

When did these two start liking each other?!

The couple could only exchange glances. After Eunuch Gao finished reading the decree, Song Ren expressed his gratitude and didn’t forget to offer a customary gift to Eunuch Gao. Luckily, Princess An Le had informed him personally the day before; otherwise, he might have been just as shocked as his parents were at that moment. Once Eunuch Gao left, they immediately questioned their son.

"A’Ren, what’s going on? Why did His Majesty grant you and Princess An Le a royal marriage?"

Xu Shi spoke first. Although she was thrilled about this unexpectedly favorable match, she was worried there might be more to the story that she didn’t know. She and the Hou had been away in Huangjing City for several months. Could it be that her seemingly quiet and obedient second son had secretly done something behind their backs?

Song Ren, understanding his mother’s thoughts, chuckled.

"Mother, don’t worry. This royal marriage wasn’t because of me. The real reason lies with Eldest Brother."

He then proceeded to explain everything to his parents.

"Before going off to war, Eldest Brother came to see me in the capital. He asked if I was willing to marry Yuelan."

When he mentioned his eldest brother and Chen Yuelan, the Hou’s expression turned guilty. It was his own actions that had caused such complications for their family.

"I told Eldest Brother I was willing to marry her, but he insisted on doing everything in his power to prevent me from sacrificing myself like that. He said that after winning this war, he would request a royal marriage on my behalf. But since I didn’t have anyone in mind, I refused. I never imagined that Eldest Brother would ask His Majesty to choose a bride for me."

This part was true, so Song Ren decided to share it. He didn’t want his parents to be shocked to learn that the princess herself had requested him from the Emperor. He continued with his story.

"While Eldest Brother was negotiating horse trade deals in Xi Region, he caught the eye of the princess of that region. Thanks to that, he was able to secure the deal for horses in exchange for tea at a favorable rate. After he returned, Xi Region sent a proposal to strengthen ties by marrying their princess as his principal wife."

Xu Shi and the Hou were alarmed. They feared that their daughter-in-law, whom they had just welcomed back, might leave again. The two elders immediately objected.

"No, no. Your brother already has a wife. How could he take another?!"

Song Ren laughed at their reaction.

"His Majesty understood this as well, so he decided to have the Xi princess marry me instead...But for some unknown reason...His Majesty suddenly changed his mind...Perhaps it’s because Princess An Le is close to Sister-in-law."

At this point, Song Ren blushed. The Hou and Xu Shi recalled that Princess An Le had indeed visited Nie Shuang at the manor the day before and had spoken with Song Ren for quite some time. It could very well have been the Emperor’s decision. Princess An Le was his most beloved daughter, and the Yong An Hou Manor was known for their loyalty. Song Ren was also an outstanding young man, so the Emperor likely trusted them to have the princess marry into the Hou Manor.

"And does Princess An Le agree to this marriage?"

Xu Shi continued to question anxiously. Although Princess An Le was an adorable young girl, she had a willful nature. If she wasn’t agreeable, she could very well throw a tantrum. Song Ren scratched his cheek and answered his mother.

“I’m not sure about that, Mother, but if she didn’t agree, there wouldn’t have been a royal decree.”

Seeing the slight smile on Song Ren’s face, Xu Shi knew her son was fond of the princess. This was a stark contrast to when the Hou had arranged his marriage to Chen Yuelan. Back then, Song Ren had seemed indifferent, as if the person who was marrying was not him, and it didn’t matter whether the marriage happened or not. Now, Xu Shi felt relieved. How fortunate it was that the marriage between the Song and Chen families didn’t occur. Who knew what might have happened? While they were talking, Nie Shuang had the children brought out. Xiao Hua Hua was particularly attached to her grandmother, and every day around this time, her grandmother would visit her. Today, everyone had been preoccupied discussing the royal marriage, and no one had yet gone to see the grandchildren. Xiao Hua Hua, speaking in her childlike way, had already asked her mother several times. So, Nie Shuang brought them out.

“Grandma...Grandma...”

Seeing Xu Shi, Xiao Hua Hua called out, smiling brightly. This made the Hou envious of his wife. He loved and doted on Xiao Hua Hua in every way, yet why didn’t his first and only granddaughter call out for him like that? When he looked over at his two grandsons, Bao Bao and Bei Bei were both yelling noisily, calling for their second uncle. Suddenly, the Hou felt a pang of sadness. For the first time, he truly felt like no one needed him.

“My sweet Xiao Hua Hua, did you miss Grandma? Come here and let Grandma hold you. You’re such a precious child.”

Upon seeing her granddaughter, Xu Shi forgot everything else. Xiao Hua Hua was very affectionate, stretching her arms out and launching herself into her grandmother’s embrace. Xu Shi’s heart, which had been feeling dry and weary, was softened by the child’s gentle nature. Every time she held Xiao Hua Hua, the girl would nestle into her chest comfortably, sometimes hugging her neck or resting on her shoulder. Xu Shi knew exactly how to care for children, and because of her attentiveness, Xiao Hua Hua adored her.

Today, Bao Bao had a scrape on his face from falling. He was an incredibly active child. Even Xiao Tong, who had been caring for him since birth, could hardly keep up with him. Earlier that morning, when the children were out for a walk in the garden, Bao Bao had tried to jump into the lotus pond in the blink of an eye. Luckily, Xiao Tong managed to grab him in time, but the chubby boy still screamed and struggled, determined to get into the water. Xiao Tong and the wet nurses had to distract him with something else. They barely had a moment to catch their breath before Bao Bao was toddling off again, falling and rolling around until his clothes were filthy. Nie Shuang wanted the children to get some exercise, but the ones who ended up exhausted were the caregivers.

“Young Furen, I didn’t do a good job watching the eldest young master. He came back with another scrape.”

Xiao Tong returned to report to her mistress with a guilty expression, as she hadn’t been able to stop Bao Bao from falling. But Nie Shuang only laughed.

“This mischievous one is very energetic, isn’t he? Just be careful not to let him play in dangerous areas. A few bumps and bruises are fine.”

Even though Nie Shuang spoke so lightly, Xiao Tong still felt uneasy. After all, the eldest young master was the Hou’s pride and joy.

“Xiao Tong, don’t worry too much. I’m not blaming you for this.”

Nie Shuang pulled Bao Bao over to inspect him and saw a faint scratch on his face. It looked like he had been scraped by a tree branch. Lately, she hadn’t been able to walk around easily, so she hadn’t gone out to watch the children play. Without his mother supervising, Bao Bao became even more mischievous and wouldn’t listen to anyone.

"Bao Bao, Sister Xiao Tong has been taking care of you since you were little. Even when Mother isn’t around, you must listen to her, understand?"

Bao Bao made a silly face at his mother, hoping that if he could make her laugh, he wouldn’t be scolded. But Nie Shuang wasn’t going to let it slide. She gave his chubby bottom a light pat.

"Do you understand what I’m teaching you?"

"Ai..."

Bao Bao responded. Despite being the eldest, he still refused to speak, while Xiao Hua Hua had already started talking before her older brother. She could say more words, too. She loved to chat with the adults and often mimicked what they said, though not very clearly. Sometimes, she was so amusing, making everyone find her adorable. Bei Bei, on the other hand, was still the dignified young gentleman who only spoke to his mother. Although he was capable of speaking, he rarely said more than necessary.

The Hou noticed the scratch on Da Ge’s face and frowned.

"What happened to Bao Bao’s face?"

Xiao Tong looked worried, so Nie Shuang quickly answered,

"He was just being rambunctious this morning and fell into a bush. It’s nothing serious, really."The Hou nodded in acknowledgment, glancing at his little grandson, whose face now bore scratches like cat whiskers, feeling pleased. A boy should be a bit mischievous, after all. In his heart, he wished they would grow up faster so he could have a role in teaching them martial arts. Hmph! By then, both Da Ge and Bei Bei would surely see their grandfather as a true hero.