Chapter 929: I Have No Red Thread

Xiao Yuanhang said, "Xiao Er, bring the Princess Consort to the study."

The familiar "yes" never came; he looked up and saw Xiao Er standing dumb as a wooden chicken.

"Xiao Er?"

Xiao Er startled awake, "Here!"

Xiao Yuanhang examined him closely and said, "Bring the Princess Consort."

"Yes!" Xiao Er turned and left.

Xiao Yuanhang watched his back, looking thoughtful.

Soon, Cheng Ru'an came in, "Prince, I heard from Xiao Er that Lord Song asked him to bring a letter back?"

Xiao Yuanhang took the letter from the table and handed it to her, "Miss Song will probably have to stay at our residence permanently from now on."

Cheng Ru'an took it, glanced, and read softly, "A tiger cub from a military family, does the master's residence have orchids?"

She placed the letter on the desk and couldn't help laughing, "Lord Song asks that, truly elegant and also quite obscure."

She thought, "The children have indeed reached the age for discussing marriage."

"If we speak of seniority, of course it's Yuan Er."

"If we speak of martial skill it's Chen Er, and of wit it's Xun Er; I wonder which one Lord Song intends to marry his daughter to?"

The more she thought, the more satisfied she was, "Whichever, Miss Song is gentle and refined; if she can marry into the household, over the long days I will also have a companion."

"Tuan Tuan won't have to run to the Song Residence every day."

Xiao Yuanhang nodded, "Although marriage is a great matter, it should be the parents' command and the matchmaker's words."

"But if the children are willing, future spouses harmonious, raising the tray together, wouldn't that be better?"

"Prince's meaning…" Cheng Ru'an laughed, "You want me to ask the children?"

"No." Xiao Yuanhang shook his head, "Ask Tuan Tuan."

"Tuan Tuan?" Cheng Ru'an looked puzzled, "How does she know the elder brothers' wishes?"

"She doesn't know, but she knows Miss Song's."

Cheng Ru'an suddenly understood, "Prince, so that's the idea!"

She covered her mouth and laughed, "If the young lady doesn't want it, we won't accept Lord Song's proposal."

Xiao Yuanhang nodded, "Exactly."

"If Miss Song has feelings for someone else, she is learned and sensible, and has a half‑master relationship with Tuan Tuan; I, the Prince, should help her happiness rather than force a pair."

Cheng Ru'an's eyes flickered, "Prince seems to know something?"

Xiao Yuanhang smiled faintly, "Tomorrow, you'll know once you ask."

Cheng Ru'an nodded, "Alright."

Xiao Yuanhang paused, "When no one is around, ask; don't do it in front of others."

Cheng Ru'an nodded, "Of course, such a private chamber matter—if someone carelessly spreads it, Miss Song's reputation would be ruined instantly."

"I'll be careful myself, Prince, rest assured."

Xiao Yuanhang pulled his wife closer, "The children should all marry and have offspring; you and I are old now."

Cheng Ru'an whispered, "Prince, you no longer need to campaign, the children are all at the residence, I am already content."

Xiao Yuanhang patted his wife's hand, "When the court affairs are settled, we can follow His Majesty, go out to travel mountains and waters, okay?"

He thought, "Then we must run quickly, lest His Majesty takes the lead and keeps me in Jingcheng."

Cheng Ru'an said softly, "Where you are is my home; wherever we go, as long as I'm with you."

Xiao Yuanhang stood and embraced his wife.

Early the next day, Cheng Ru'an dismissed Liu Grandma and the servants, sitting alone at the couch, watching her daughter.

Tuan Tuan rolled a few times and slowly opened her eyes.

"Awake?"

Tuan Tuan rubbed her eyes, "Mother! I'm not sick, why are you sitting here?"

She remembered clearly: every time she was ill, Mother would guard her like this, but now she's fine!

Cheng Ru'an smiled, helped her up, and while dressing asked, "Tuan Tuan, how is Miss Song?"

"Fine!"

Tuan Tuan grabbed the stretching snowball beside her and inhaled deeply, "Snowball, you smell so good!"

Snowball let out a meow, clearly enjoying it.

Xiao Feifei stopped working, circling nearby and squeaking loudly.

Tuan Tuan set down the snowball and lifted Xiao Feifei.

Cheng Ru'an then asked, "When you play with younger brother Zhu Lin, what is Miss Song doing?"

"Miss Song? She sits with second uncle, drinking tea and chatting!"

Cheng Ru'an's hand paused, "Xiao Er?"

Tuan Tuan stroked Xiao Feifei's big tail, "Yes! Miss Song loves listening to second uncle's battlefield stories!"

"Mother, once she even cried listening!"

She set down Xiao Feifei, then picked up the little gold collar and looped it around her neck, "I talked to second uncle for a long time, Miss Song is timid, tell him not to tell scary things."

She looked down at the little gold collar on her neck, "Mother, if Miss Song sees the little gold, would she be scared?"

Cheng Ru'an laughed and shook her head, "Better not let her see it; the girls in Jingcheng are probably only you who aren't afraid."

She dressed her daughter, then held her at the dressing table, took a comb and brushed her hair, while slowly asking,

"These days at the Song Residence, did you grow more when memorizing poems or when playing with younger brother Zhu Lin?"

Tuan Tuan looked at herself in the mirror, "Of course it's when I play! I can recite the poem after two readings!"

"My Tuan Tuan is really clever! Then when you were playing, was Miss Song always having tea and chatting with Xiao Er?"

"Right!"

"They always sit together chatting, and Sister Huaping is also there! But she always stands far away."

"Huaping?" Cheng Ru'an remembered, "Oh, that's Miss Song's maid."

"Your second uncle…" she thought, wondering how to ask.

"When he's with Miss Song, is there any difference from usual?"

Tuan Tuan tilted her little head and thought seriously, "Indeed it's different."

"Where is it different?"

"When Sister Song looks at second uncle, her face turns red! But when she talks to me, her face doesn't turn red!"

"Second uncle… right! He stutters when he talks to Sister Song!"

Cheng Ru'an's face was full of surprise: "Your second uncle stutters?"

"Yes! Just like this," Tuan Tuan imitated perfectly, "Song, Miss Song." After finishing, she giggled loudly.

Cheng Ru'an finally understood, never having imagined that Miss Song's heart actually belonged to Xiao Er!

Obviously Xiao Er also has feelings for her.

She picked up a pearl hairpin and inserted it into her daughter's hair, and looking at the delicately made Xiao Tuanzi, she couldn't help but laugh.

Tuan Tuan asked curiously, "Mother, what are you laughing at?"

Cheng Ru'an barely managed to hold back her laugh: "Mother is laughing because how come I didn't see before that my little Tuan Tuan can actually pull a red thread for someone!"

"Pull a red thread?" Tuan Tuan blinked her big eyes, "I don't have a red thread, Mother, how could I pull one?"

Cheng Ru'an smiled and took her little hand: "Come, let's go have breakfast together, and then, when people from the Song Residence arrive, I'll have your second uncle accompany you!"

"Alright!" Tuan Tuan hopped and skipped out of the bedroom together with her mother.

That night, Cheng Ru'an tucked the sleeping daughter in, went to the study, and told Prince Ning the matter in full detail.

Xiao Yuanhang laughed heartily: "I told you Xiao Er's complexion was off yesterday, just as I thought!"

Cheng Ru'an's brows slightly furrowed: "But Prince, although Xiao Er is already the General Huaihua and has a residence and fertile fields, he still comes from a Prince's Mansion family guard."

"With Miss Song's status… it's a mismatch of families and households."

"Miss Song, a two‑generation Imperial Teacher, is the head of the Upright Scholars."

"I worry, if he is unwilling to marry into this family, what shall we do?"

"What about the Prince's Mansion family guard?" Xiao Yuanhang raised an eyebrow: "Xiao Er has fought on the battlefield, bled in combat, also protects Tuan Tuan traveling far and wide, unafraid of hardship, truly a hero!"

"Status mismatch? Then this Prince will make their families match!"