Chapter 196: The Lucky Man

Chapter 196

The Lucky Man

Since Nie Shuang and the children left, the Yong An Hou Manor had become rather quiet. Only Princess An Le and Song Ren remained, living in the newly renovated Feng Yang Quarters after their marriage. The two younger brothers, Song Huo and Song Bai, stayed in their own quarters. Even though they hadn’t formally had the guan ceremony or the coming-of-age ceremony, they were considered young men and didn’t interact much with their sister-in-law. With little to do at home, An Le often went to oversee the business at the tea house. Initially, everyone was a bit tense around her, but once they grew accustomed to her, they realized that the princess was kind-hearted, albeit a bit direct.

Liu Qiulian and Zhang Liyong, being around the same age as An Le, got along well with her. An Le never looked down on them, even though both had once been courtesans sold to become concubines of General Song. Liu Qiulian skillfully managed the affairs at the tea house and often offered advice whenever An Le struggled with the bookkeeping. Zhang Liyong, on the other hand, trained the maids in etiquette and tea brewing. She often played the zither and brewed tea, creating a harmonious atmosphere between the three women.

“Miss Zhang! Why do I feel like you look so familiar? Don’t you have relatives in the palace?”

An Le asked while sipping tea in a private room, staring at Zhang Liyong as she played the zither. Zhang Liyong stopped and responded with a smile,

“Your Highness, I come from a lowly background. How could I have any relatives in such a grand place like the royal palace?”

An Le squinted, feeling that the beautiful face before her was indeed familiar, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t place it. She dismissed her suspicions and continued to listen to the music.

Growing up, An Le had never been forced to do anything and didn’t have any particular interests other than enjoying herself. Now, seeing how hardworking the women at the tea house were, diligently earning their livelihood and doing their responsibilities without fail, she couldn’t help but reflect on herself.

If not for her status as a princess, An Le realized she wouldn’t be considered particularly capable. She had lived a life of indulgence, enjoying herself without contributing anything of value. In contrast, Liu Qiulian and Zhang Liyong, despite having no family support and not relying on marriage, managed to make a living for themselves. It was something to be proud of.

Even Sister Nie, as the wife of a General, had managed to expand her business empire. Initially, people had looked down on her for being the daughter of a merchant’s concubine, but she had risen to become the First Rank Lady. The General not only loved her deeply but also greatly respected her. If Sister Nie said left, the General wouldn’t dare go right. It was clear that with perseverance and intellect, one’s birthright didn’t matter.

With this realization, An Le took her responsibilities at the tea house seriously. In her free time, she practiced playing the zither with Zhang Liyong, hoping that one day, when she visited the palace and played for her father, he would be pleasantly surprised.

Even the Emperor noticed the change in her.

“An Le, ever since you started helping your Sister Nie with the business, I think that you’ve grown much more mature.”

Hearing praise from her father, An Le beamed with joy.

“At first, I didn’t understand anything about commerce—it was quite frustrating—but once I started to grasp it, I found it enjoyable. I never realized that with good management, business could be a true path to wealth. No wonder when people at the Hou Manor didn’t accept Sister Nie, she didn’t care at all. If I had the ability to generate wealth like she does, what would the Yong An Hou Manor’s fortune even mean to me?”

Upon hearing his daughter’s words, the Emperor felt a deep affection for her. It was the first time he saw her eyes sparkle with interest in something other than mischievous antics. His heart warmed. If she had begun to mature in her thoughts, he wouldn’t have to worry about her as much. He chuckled joyfully and listened as the princess recounted stories from the tea house without tiring, sometimes about the small staff working there, other times gossip from the upper echelons of society. Before they knew it, time had passed quickly.

"Ah, it’s already this late? Father, I must take my leave now."

The Emperor watched as his daughter gracefully exited the palace hall and then ordered servants to send her favorite foods and items to the Yong An Hou Manor. Seeing her married and happy filled him with even greater satisfaction toward his imperial son-in-law, and he contemplated granting him a higher rank and title as a reward.

That evening, An Le was still not in bed. She sat writing a letter to Sister Nie, reporting on the progress of the tea house and recounting various happenings in the capital. Even when Song Ren entered the room, she remained focused on her work.

The fresh scent of zhao jiao filled the room as Song Ren, still damp from a bath and wearing only a white inner garment that exposed his collarbone and firm chest, approached and sat behind his wife. His voice was soft as he asked,

"What are you up to, Le Le?"

When alone, they often called each other by these intimate names. Without looking up, An Le replied,

"I’m writing a letter to Sister Nie. Don’t distract me, or my handwriting won’t be neat."

Song Ren smiled and leaned over to peek at what she was writing.

"My wife is so talented. You tell stories so wonderfully, you should be a storyteller."

An Le grinned, feeling a little proud of herself. Song Ren simply sat beside her, contentedly watching as she focused on her letter. He loved the determined gleam in her eyes. Though some said she was mischievous and outspoken, he found her utterly adorable. Her brush strokes reflected her impatient nature—though her handwriting wasn’t beautiful, it wasn’t unpleasant either. Secretly, the young official from the Ministry of Rites wondered if he should teach his wife calligraphy. Luckily, he kept this thought to himself, knowing she would be angry if he said it aloud.

Once An Le finished her letter, she placed the brush down and puffed her cheeks as she blew on the paper to dry it.

"It’s late now. You should get some rest. Leave the letter here, and I’ll put it in an envelope once it’s dry. Tomorrow, I’ll have it sent when I go to the office."

Hearing her husband’s words made An Le yawn; she was indeed feeling tired. She set the paper down and placed a paperweight on it. Before she could stand up, her husband, who had already risen, scooped her up into his arms. She gasped in surprise and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her cheeks turning a soft pink.

"A’Ren! Put me down! I’ll fall!"

"If I don’t let go, how could you fall?"

Song Ren chuckled softly but didn’t set her down. He carried her to the bed and gently laid her down. An Le looked up at him, quickly covering her eyes when she saw him starting to take off his clothes.

“Wh..Wh...What are you taking your clothes off for!? Didn’t you say for me to go to sleep!?”

Song Ren smiled, pulling her hands away from her face. His handsome features leaned in so close that their noses almost touched.

“Le Le, I just want to hold you. I have to work early tomorrow, so I won’t keep you up long.”

An Le couldn’t help but soften at his pleading look. Having such a handsome husband was both a blessing and a curse—she could never refuse him. Seeing her nod, Song Ren quickly pulled her into his embrace and kissed her softly. Her lips were so delicate, her skin smooth and sweetly fragrant like a child’s. As their lips moved against each other, a growing warmth spread through them, both drawn into the kiss as though trying to breathe each other in. By now, An Le had some experience in such matters and liked to tease him playfully. Her soft hands roamed mischievously over his body, making Song Ren groan deeply in his throat. He broke the kiss and gazed at her with a mock warning in his eyes.

“Le Le, are you trying to make your husband lose control?”

His voice was hoarse, his handsome face flushed all the way to his ears. An Le giggled at his reaction, bold like a young calf unafraid of a tiger. She playfully beckoned him with her finger in challenge.

Song Ren smirked at her, edging closer. An Le pushed him onto his back and climbed atop his lean waist, both of them staring at each other with amusement.

“I’m staying on top,”

An Le declared to her husband, who looked back at her with anticipation.

“Go ahead,”

Song Ren replied easily, his sharp eyes twinkling, lips curved in a smile. His long, dark hair spread across the pillow, and his strong, muscular body exuded masculine allure. Truly, he was a handsome man. Suddenly, An Le felt shy and, to hide it, started tickling him instead. Her small hands danced teasingly over his body, drawing laughter and playful struggling. The room filled with the sounds of their laughter and movement until it died down and shifted to heavy breaths and moans of pleasure. After their spring night together, Song Ren rose to clean up his exhausted wife, who had fallen asleep from fatigue. He then went to read the letter she had left on the table.

As he skimmed through the contents, a smile played on his lips. He paused momentarily when he saw she had written about him, her husband:

I used to think he was boring, but now that we’re together, I’ve grown to like him more and more each day. Being with him makes me so happy—I never feel bored at all...

When Song Ren read that part of the letter, he couldn’t hold back his smile. He carefully placed the letter back in its envelope, extinguished the lantern, and returned to bed, wrapping his arms around his wife. At that moment, he felt like the luckiest man in the world.The following month, An Le sent another letter to Nie Shuang, this time bringing good news—An Le was pregnant!