You Stole My Husband, So I Seduced Your Son - Chapter 5

The Annex was a tranquil and refreshing place, hardly conducive to diligent study. Living there for too long inevitably led to academic slackness.

Moreover, his classmates had only chosen to stay at the temple because of his family’s poverty; otherwise, they would have long since moved into inns in the city.

Now that Min Rongxue had suddenly arrived, he felt guilty for abandoning his classmates to come to the Annex.

After a moment’s thought, Min Rongxue nodded in agreement. Ji Moyang was a disciplined child, and she never had to worry about his studies. All she could offer him now was a comfortable environment for his studies.

“Very well. It’s only a quarter-hour’s walk to Fuyun Temple, making it convenient for him to come and go morning and evening.”

No sooner had Ji Moyang left the Annex for Fuyun Temple than Zhou Minghai arrived.

Seeing Min Rongxue again, Zhou Minghai finally realized that the woman from his dreams had truly come to the Capital, no longer someone he could only gaze at from afar, forever out of reach.

He surveyed the Annex with the air of an emperor inspecting his domain, reprimanding the servants before turning his attention to Min Rongxue with gentle concern.

“The Hot Spring Villa is only used by the family for a few days in winter. Please settle in comfortably here.”

Min Rongxue nodded, her gratitude tinged with a hint of coldness. “Being close to Fuyun Temple makes it convenient for Mo’er to visit.”

Her tone implied that she wouldn’t have chosen to stay here if not for the location.

In Zhou Minghai’s eyes, Min Rongxue had always been an ethereal goddess, far beyond his reach. Any word from her lips was like a divine revelation, and whether her demeanor was cold or warm, he dared not harbor any expectations.

To be able to speak with Min Rongxue alone in the courtyard was a scene he could only dream of. He had to exert immense self-control to suppress the surging passion in his heart.

“I personally arranged all the living arrangements. Rest assured, everything is brand new. I’m just not sure if it suits your tastes. If there’s anything you’d like changed, please let me know.”

Min Rongxue glanced around. To be honest, compared to the furnishings of her maiden’s chambers, this place was worlds apart, not even a hundred-thousandth as luxurious as her quarters at Prince Guangyang’s Residence.

But since her family had been demoted to commoners and forced to rely on her brother’s support, their current circumstances were already remarkably comfortable.

She nodded faintly. “It’s just a temporary stay. I don’t need to fuss over material possessions.”

The phrase “worldly possessions” instantly made Zhou Minghai feel that his days of hard work had been for nothing.

But wasn’t this exactly who Min Rongxue was?

Transcendent, detached from the world.

What mundane things in this world could possibly catch her eye?

“I noticed a qin among your belongings. I happen to have a friend who’s an exceptional qin maker. I’ll have him…”

“Minghai,” Min Rongxue interrupted him calmly.

Her priority now was to ensure her son had a comfortable learning environment. She cared little about her own well-being, or rather, she didn’t want Zhou Minghai to worry about her too much.

Besides, discussing trivial matters like household chores and daily necessities was utterly vulgar.

“I’m a bit tired,” she said.

Zhou Minghai stared blankly for a moment before stammering, “Then… then you should rest. I’ll come visit you another day.”

He could clearly sense Min Rongxue’s excessive coldness. Perhaps his own enthusiasm had made her uncomfortable.

As Zhou Minghai walked away, he pondered how often he should visit to show his concern without becoming a nuisance to Min Rongxue.

After seeing Zhou Minghai off, Min Rongxue glanced disdainfully at the room’s gaudy decor—red and green bedding, pillows, and cushions—truly vulgar beyond belief.

If not for Zhou Minghai being the only one of her father’s disciples to offer help after she was demoted to commoner status, she wouldn’t have bothered with this incompetent fool.

Her father, a renowned Confucian scholar, had taken Zhou Minghai as his personal disciple. Yet Zhou Minghai only passed the imperial examination at the age of thirty, a disgrace to their lineage.

Rumor had it he was still just a low-ranking official in a green robe!

Sensing her agitation, Min Rongxue quickly began to turn her prayer beads to calm her mind.

At the Zhou Residence on Academy Lane, detailed information about Min Rongxue had already been delivered to Song Xuwan’s desk. The dossier was so thorough it even included Min Rongxue’s birth date and time, leaving Song Xuwan to marvel at the advantages of having two capable elder brothers and their resourceful subordinates.

After carefully reviewing the information, Song Xuwan ordered a carriage to take her straight to Fuyun Temple, with Nanny Yun anxiously following behind.

“Madam, did you find out? Who is it?”

Knowing Nanny Yun’s concern, Song Xuwan didn’t keep her in suspense. She explained the situation plainly and concisely.

“The daughter of the late Grand Academician Min… No wonder she seemed familiar. Zhou Minghai was Grand Academician Min’s most cherished disciple. Min Rongxue was practically his little junior sister, whom he saw every day. Judging by the longing in his letters, this affection must have been planted in his youth.”

A man’s youthful, unrequited love often lingers throughout his life, growing more profound with each passing year.

Nanny Yun’s heart skipped a beat. If Zhou Minghai had been merely infatuated with someone, it might have been a fleeting fancy, not worth dwelling on.

But a longing rooted in childhood? That complicated matters considerably.

“I remember Grand Academician Min’s daughter married Prince Guangyang back then.”

Song Xuwan nodded. She had been too young to be betrothed at the time, only hearing that Prince Zhangwu had rebelled, been defeated, and executed. The court implicated many others, and her father was so busy he didn’t come home for half a month.

When the dust settled, Prince Guangyang had hanged himself to avoid implication, and his family was demoted to commoners and exiled to their ancestral home.

“I heard the Emperor issued an Imperial Edict before the New Year, allowing descendants of those implicated in the Palace Coup to participate in the imperial examinations. Min Rongxue brought her son back to the Capital specifically for this purpose.”

As the son of Prince Guangyang’s consort, Min Rongxue’s son was considered a registered resident of the Capital, making him eligible for the examinations. This was their primary reason for returning to the Capital.

The records described Min Rongxue’s son, Ji Moyang, as exceptionally intelligent, having earned a reputation as a prodigy even during his studies. She was determined to see this young prodigy for herself and assess his true capabilities.

Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will win every battle.

At Fuyun Temple, Ji Moyang was walking with his classmates toward the Library Pavilion. People occasionally stole glances at him, and when their voices grew louder, he could even hear their astonished whispers.

“Is that Ji Moyang? He was only twelve three years ago, yet he wrote such profound essays that even our teacher wept with emotion.”

“Indeed! My master made me memorize the entire piece. I never imagined the author would be so young.”

“Exactly! He’s only fifteen now, yet he’s taking the same imperial examination as us. My chances of becoming Provincial Champion are doomed,” a man in a sapphire-blue Daoist robe lamented.

The group couldn’t help but chuckle. Someone nudged the man in blue, teasing, “Keep dreaming! Even if he didn’t take the exam, you’d still have no chance at the top spot.”

As the whispers behind them faded, Ji Moyang continued walking with his classmates as if the conversation weren’t about him at all.

However, Zu Hongyuan, who was walking beside him, couldn’t resist asking, “Moyang, aren’t you excited? They all recognize you and are praising you. Why don’t you show any reaction at all?”