Chapter 21: Father's awake! Father doesn't want the baby!

Xiao Wenli felt displeased inside, but his expression remained unchanged; he bowed to Cheng Ru'an and said, "Auntie, greetings."

"Get up quickly, Wenli, how did you come over?" Cheng Ru'an asked gently.

Xiao Ningchen and Xiao Ningxun both rose and clasped their hands toward him.

After Xiao Wenli rose, he bowed to the two brothers and told Cheng Ru'an about his plans to go to the Guozijian.

Cheng Ru'an kept nodding: "Good! Good! Wenli, you're really making progress now. Nanny Liu, go to the accounts office, take two hundred taels of silver notes for him, then go to the storehouse, pick out several sets of clothing that fit him, both cotton and thin, and bring them for him."

"Yes."

Cheng Ru'an thought for a moment and added: "The imperial examination is difficult, studying is not easy; do your best, don't wrong yourself."

"Thank you for your kindness, Auntie; I will remember it, nephew."

Tuan Tuan stared at the unfamiliar youth and asked, "Who are you?"

Cheng Ru'an hurriedly explained: "This is your cousin, Xiao Wenli. Wenli, this is my daughter, Tuan Tuan; you haven't met yet."

"Cousin?" Tuan Tuan ran up to Xiao Wenli, tilted her head back—this brother may not be as handsome as the second and third brothers, but he's not bad! Our brothers are all pretty good-looking, better than Lu Qingjia!

She twitched her nose, leaned in and sniffed hard: "Sugar brother? No sugar scent!"

Xiao Ningxun laughed: "This cousin isn't a brother made of sugar; he's the son of Third Uncle. By seniority, he's also your brother, but since he's not Father's son, we call him cousin."

"Oh!" Tuan Tuan understood: "Cousin! I'm Tuan Tuan, Mother's daughter; you should come play with me more often from now on!"

She turned to Cheng Ru'an: "Mother! What is Cousin going to do?"

"Your cousin studies well; he's going to the best academy in Jingcheng to study and take the exams."

"What's an exam?" Tuan Tuan asked seriously.

"An exam is when many people write the same topic, then the teachers evaluate and assign ranks; those with high ranks move up, those with low ranks have to study again."

"Is it hard?"

"Yes, it's very hard."

Tuan Tuan made an "um" sound, nodded, turned and ran to the table, grabbed a handful of osmanthus candy from the plate, ran back to Xiao Wenli, held the candy high, tiptoed, and handed it to him: "Cousin! Here you go!"

Xiao Wenli froze for a moment, took it, lowered his head to look at those big, bright, carefree eyes—clear and innocent.

Unbidden, his heart stirred; the guard he never lowered melted a little under the candy in his palm, and he whispered, "Thank you."

Cheng Ru'an saw this, her smile deepening: "Nanny Liu has already handed everything to your attendant outside; go now—if anything happens, remember to send someone back to report, and don't wrong yourself."

Xiao Wenli bowed again: "Nephew will remember."

Leaving Quiet Orchid Court, his steps paused, then he entered Defying Frost Pavilion.

Compared to the liveliness of Quiet Orchid Court, Defying Frost Pavilion was quiet.

Side Consort, greetings.

After he reported his purpose, Fang Qingyan smiled slightly: "You've lived in the academy since childhood, endured much hardship; now you're about to succeed, and I'm happy for you too."

"Ah, the Old Madam always favors the main branch; don't take it to heart. One day, when you pass the exams and rise, supporting the gatebeam of the three branches, you'll not disappoint your deceased parents."

"According to propriety, I should have given you a gift to congratulate your academic success."

"It so happened that a few days ago, the Princess Consort found an excuse and actually halved my stipend; moreover, Ningshu has returned, and I, this aunt, have no spare funds, so I cannot prepare a proper congratulatory gift for you."

Having said that, she raised her embroidered handkerchief and gently wiped away the traceless tears on her face.

After listening, Xiao Wenli did not respond, his face showing no ripple.

Fang Qingyan's expression stiffened; the solo performance was hard to continue.

Soft footsteps sounded from the inner room as Haitang and Chuntao helped Xiao Ningshu out.

Her foot still hurt; although supported by a maid, walking was still difficult. Seeing Xiao Wenli, she barely bowed: "Greetings, Cousin."

Xiao Wenli nodded, glanced at her foot, then withdrew his gaze: "Sister, what's this?"

Xiao Ningshu sat slowly: "Cousin, you don't live in the mansion, so you may not know—the Princess Consort picked up a wild bastard and raised him into the mansion's legitimate daughter; the injury on my foot was caused by that wild bastard."

"Wild bastard? Legitimate daughter? Does that refer to the little girl Tuan Tuan just now?"

Although Xiao Wenli didn't grow up in the mansion, he wasn't completely ignorant of the mansion's internal power struggles.

Although he understood what Fang Qingyan and Xiao Ningshu were implying, he didn't want to get involved: "Sister, take good care of yourself; as a student, I should focus on my studies—I won't disturb you. Nephew takes his leave." Having said that, he bowed and turned to leave.

Fang Qingyan watched his retreating back, her face sinking: "What a useless good-for-nothing! All he knows is studying! Even if he became top scholar and an official, without the mansion's support, how far could he go in the bureaucracy?"

"He's like that with everyone; no need to mind him. Mother, what about Second Uncle?"

Fang Qingyan's brows knitted tightly: "Your second uncle should be able to leave the ancestral hall in a couple of days; Mother is worried that the Prince's illness is said to be improving greatly, and he may wake soon. If he truly recovers, and your second uncle still wants to inherit the mansion, there would be no hope."

Xiao Ningshu wore a displeased face: "Mother, Father has always been cold toward me, and now there's that wild bastard; I fear I'll fall even further out of his sight. You need to think of a solution."

Just then, hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor; a servant ran all the way, nearly tripping on the steps, shouting loudly: "The Prince has opened his eyes! The Prince has opened his eyes!"

The sound drifted past Defying Frost Pavilion and floated inward.

Fang Qingyan and Xiao Ningshu glanced at each other, both seeing anxiety and shock on the other's face—so soon?!

Everyone from Quiet Orchid Court and Listening Rain Pavilion sprang into action, heading for Yangzheng Pavilion; the Old Madam hadn't forgotten to order: "Quickly go fetch Guo Taiyi!"

"Father's awake! Father's awake!" Tuan Tuan clapped her little hands, sitting in Xiao Ningxun's arms, happily waving her arms and legs.

The party arrived at Xiao Yuanhang's bedside; the Old Madam gazed at his face: "Yuan'er?"

Xiao Yuanhang's gaze was somewhat vacant, his eyes twitching slightly as he nodded.

Cheng Ru'an's tears spilled over: "Your Highness, you've finally awakened; I've awaited this day for nearly three years."

Xiao Yuanhang slowly turned his head, his gaze landing on his wife's face, then lowered his eyelids.

"Father!" Xiao Ningchen and Xiao Ningxun shouted; Xiao Yuanhang nodded again.

"Father! Father!" Tuan Tuan broke free from the third brother's embrace, lunged to the bedside, wanting to take his hand.

But that large hand shifted slightly inward, avoiding her.

Tuan Tuan froze; tears instantly filled her two big eyes, her small mouth pursed tightly, and her nose tip reddened at once.

She held back again and again, but the tears still fell like broken beads; she flung herself into Cheng Ru'an's arms and wailed: "Father doesn't like me! Mother! I don't want to stay here anymore—Father doesn't want me!"