Chapter 12: The Persuasion

Mother and son worked in tandem, firmly restraining Shunge’er, keeping everything tightly under their control.

News that Shunge’er had struck up connections with several officials’ sons reached Tingyu Garden. Liu Xin’er was very pleased, as De continuously praised, “Truly worthy of being your father’s eldest son. There’s a difference between a biological son and an adopted one. On the very first day, you were already mingling with the young nobles of the capital. It shows you truly have your father’s bearing.”

She cupped Shunge’er’s face, knowing that he was the future heir to the title; the entire marquis household was destined to be his.

Liu Xin’er held great hopes for Shunge’er and continued with high expectations: “Go and ask Mother if they think because you come from a marquis family and will inherit the title, that’s why they’re trying to win you over?”

No matter the capital’s nobility, her own son was the best!

“Mother doesn’t oppose me going out to play?” Shunge’er asked excitedly.

In the past, when outside, Mother never allowed him to play in the mud with the bare-bottomed children.

Now that he was in the capital... recalling today’s experiences, it was far more entertaining than playing in the mud. No wonder Mother forbade it before.

It turned out that cockfighting, dice games, and singing by beautiful elder sisters were the kinds of games befitting him.

“Of course. These are your future colleagues. Make good relations with them, and do not let that adopted son get the better of you.”

“Then…” Shunge’er stretched out his hand. “Mother, going out with those people costs money. If I have none, they’ll just exclude me.”

“Wha—what?” Liu Xin’er was momentarily stunned.

Then she convinced herself.

That’s right, the young masters outside wore gold and silver, discussed poetry and painting, and spent money like water. True aristocratic families regarded wealth as a mere accessory to broaden their horizons.

Here, take it!

She bit her lip, searched her entire body, and finally made up her mind to hand over a quietly elegant silver butterfly hairpin from her head to Shunge’er. “Just make a name for yourself. Leave the rest to Mother.”

“Mother, Er’Ya wants some too…”

The little maid stammered, coveting the sugary trinkets outside.

But Liu Xin’er frowned and scolded, “You foolish child! It is far more important for your elder brother to succeed. Hurry up and work; feed your younger brothers.”

Er’Ya was small and thin, tears welling in her eyes.

Yet she dared not argue. Finally, she cast an envious glance at Shunge’er’s departing figure before wiping her tears and going around the courtyard to find the brothers who refused to eat properly.

As she searched, she lowered her head, pretending to be a maid.

“Little miss?”

The maid Hui Xue’s round face smiled warmly. Seeing Er’Ya’s tear marks, she gasped softly and quickly crouched down to wipe them away. “Who upset little miss? I’ll get back at them for you.”

“Mother, Mother told me to take care of my brothers.”

“That won’t do. I can’t go against madam, but I can look after the young masters for you.”

“...”

Hui Xue was kind and gentle, soothing Er’Ya and then calming Lin Ge’er and An Ge’er.

With Er’Ya’s reluctant gaze watching her leave with ease, Hui Xue swiftly returned to Dou Hongyan’s courtyard.

Her expression shifted; the cheerful round-faced maid became a gentle and reliable attendant. She bent close to Dou Hongyan’s ear and relayed every scene from Tingyu Garden in detail.

At the end, she added her own assessment of Liu Xin’er: “Mistress, that woman lacks intelligence.”

“Pfft...”

Dou Hongyan knew this well herself.

Her disdain for Liu Xin’er only deepened, losing all will to regard her seriously. Whether it was the scheming yet foolish and shallow Liu Xin’er or the utterly irresponsible Shen Yishu, neither deserved her attention.

Rather than waste time on these two, it was better to focus on how to pacify that person ahead of time...

She bit her lip, feeling troubled. She decided to write a letter, gambling on getting ahead before that person arrived.

Just as the letter was sent, Hui Xue came swiftly and steadily to report, head lowered: “Mistress, Liu Xin’er is making a fuss. She wants to send Shunge’er to the National Academy to study.”