SGEIRS -Chapter 612 The Grand Finale (Part 4)

The birthday banquet had ended, and the guests felt right at home.

Meng Jinyao had spent the whole day entertaining guests. After sending off the last of them with her two sisters-in-law and two nieces-in-law, she was thoroughly exhausted, thinking only of returning to her own courtyard to rest.

“Madam, it seems that the Marquis and the heir have quarreled.”

Suddenly, her senior maid Caiyue spoke urgently. She had been newly promoted to senior maid three years ago, alongside her sister Caiyun. Three years prior, Chunliu and Ningdong had both married on the same day—Chunliu to Fang Xuan, the twin elder brother of Fang Ce, and Ningdong to Fang Ce himself.

Rumor had it that Fang Ce and Ningdong, both food enthusiasts, had fallen in love over sharing good food. Upon learning that Chunliu and Fang Xuan were to be married, they playfully suggested combining celebrations, and everything fell into place. The result: two foodies together had nearly exhausted the wealth of their brothers and sisters-in-law. Eventually, Chunliu became pregnant, and raising a child required money, so they split households, letting the two couples live independently. After all, their appetites were enormous, and they could no longer support them, besides, they were grown and ready to be independent.

Hearing Caiyue, Meng Jinyao paused, then smiled and said, “Caiyue, what nonsense are you talking? How could the Marquis and the heir quarrel?”

Caiyue pointed to the father and son not far away. “Look, Madam, the Marquis and the heir don’t seem quite right.”

Meng Jinyao followed her gesture and saw the two men apparently arguing about something. She hesitated, her first thought not to intervene, but to avoid the pair, letting them resolve it themselves. If she helped her son, her husband would be hard to soothe later that night; if she helped her husband, her son might get so angry he wouldn’t eat—also hard to deal with.

She withdrew her gaze and said, “Let’s go.”

Caiyue was momentarily stunned, then turned to see her mistress walking quickly away, seemingly afraid of being noticed. She hurried after her and asked, “Madam, really not going to intervene?”

Meng Jinyao replied, “This isn’t the first time they’ve done this. Whoever intervenes will just end up unlucky. I won’t invite trouble.”

However, they did notice her. From behind came Gu Xiuheng’s voice: “Mother! Father is bullying me!”

Meng Jinyao cursed under her breath for moving too slowly. She had no choice but to stop and face them. When they approached, she asked with concern, “What’s going on with you two?”

Gu Xiuheng puffed up angrily. “Mother! Father is bullying me! He called me ‘Gu Wanwan’ in front of all these outsiders!”

Meng Jinyao didn’t think it was a big deal, but seeing her son fuming, she shot her husband a reproachful glance. “Husband, really, how could you call your son by his baby name in front of others?”

Gu Jingxi snorted lightly. “If you knew what he said in front of everyone, you’d understand why I couldn’t let anyone announce that ‘Wanwan’ is his baby name.”

Meng Jinyao’s expression changed slightly. “Wanwan, what did you say in front of others?”

Gu Xiuheng hesitated, sheepishly stammering, not daring to speak. He hadn’t realized the consequences at the time, but after his father explained, he understood.

Seeing that he wouldn’t speak, Meng Jinyao didn’t press, instead patiently instructing him: “Wanwan, you can speak freely in front of your father and me. But in front of others, think carefully before you say or do anything. Understand?”

Gu Xiuheng mumbled, “Yes, Mother, I understand.”

Within three days, Meng Jinyao learned exactly what her son had said in front of outsiders during her mother-in-law’s birthday banquet.

By now, word had spread that she was the most formidable woman in the capital: gentle and kind in appearance, but fiercely jealous and intimidating in reality. Even the high-ranking Gu Jingxi feared her, and for years had not dared take a concubine due to her formidable nature.

Gu Jingxi’s reputation for being henpecked was also widely known. Even Emperor Jingwen couldn’t help teasing him, saying: “Minister Gu, would you like me to grant you two concubines? Even if Madam Gu is jealous, she wouldn’t dare refuse if they’re my gifts.”

Gu Jingxi wanted to refuse, but couldn’t slight the emperor. So he knelt, following through on his fear of his wife: “Your Majesty, please spare me tonight. I wish to go home for dinner.”

Emperor Jingwen laughed heartily. “Minister Gu, I never expected you to be so henpecked. Well, Madam Gu may be fierce, but I hear she is kind and charitable. Truly, an excellent woman.”

Gu Jingxi nodded repeatedly, agreeing.

Recently, Meng Jinyao had been consulted by other wives on techniques for controlling one’s husband. Though she claimed she didn’t control her husband and that he wasn’t truly henpecked—that it was all childish exaggeration—no one believed her. She had no solution.

That day, Meng Jinyao went to the academy to pick up her son. Thinking of her fearsome reputation, she decided to pick up her husband as well, so the three of them could return home together.

At dismissal time, officials gradually left their offices.

When Gu Jingxi emerged, he saw a maid holding a rake filled with candied hawthorn sticks, while his son called out: “Selling candied hawthorns! Fair to all, five wen per stick! Not sweet? Free!”

His subordinates queued up to buy them.

Nearby, his wife watched with exasperation. If he weren’t her own son, she would have run off long ago, ignoring this mischievous child.

Gu Jingxi pretended not to notice, quickly approaching Meng Jinyao. “A-Yao, what is Gu Wanwan doing?”

Meng Jinyao replied: “I came to pick up our son, planning to meet you too. Along the way, we saw a candied hawthorn vendor. Our son, feeling rich, bought up all their sticks, then set up a stall here. The vendor sells them for three wen each; he charges five, saying transporting them required labor.”

She pinched her forehead in mild frustration. “When I asked why he chose the Ministry of Personnel, he said only these people would willingly pay. Don’t you think he has the potential to be a cunning merchant?”

A child selling candied hawthorns was clearly playing. But the subordinates, seeing the minister’s son, would happily spend a little silver—just five wen—to play along and curry favor.

Gu Jingxi twitched at the corner of his mouth, gritting his teeth. “This mischievous boy… I wonder who he takes after.”

Meng Jinyao glanced at him, her tone soft yet pointed: “I’d say he takes after you. You were a handful as a child, even skipping school to learn fortune-telling. Other stories I won’t mention—you know yourself. Like father, like son. Just accept it.”

Gu Jingxi froze, recalling his own past antics. He fell silent, feeling a sense of helpless resignation.

Before long, all the candied hawthorns were sold.

Gu Xiuheng ran up to his parents, a bag of silver in hand, smiling brightly: “Father, Mother, I earned money! Now we can go to the old man and have him make us a pair of clay figurines!”

Gu Jingxi was taken aback. “We’ve already given you silver before. You can afford a pair of clay figurines.”

Gu Xiuheng shook his head, smiling. “It’s different. Buying gifts with the silver you gave me isn’t the same as buying with silver I earned myself.”

His parents were stunned. Seeing his bright, slightly proud smile, they felt a warm surge of emotion—Wanwan had grown up. As for how he had tricked the officials earlier, that could be patiently taught at home.

Gu Jingxi ruffled his son’s hair gently. “Wanwan, good boy. Which old man makes these figurines? Let’s go find him now.”

Holding his father’s hand with his left and his mother’s with his right, Gu Xiuheng happily marched to the figurine stall.

The artisan was a man past fifty, highly skilled. He sculpted clay figures of Gu Jingxi and Meng Jinyao. Seeing Gu Xiuheng’s charm, he gifted the boy a figurine for free. The three clay figures were neatly displayed together, so lifelike it warmed the heart.

The sun set, casting a soft orange glow over the land.

The family of three strolled along the street, faces radiating happiness, their shadows stretched long in the evening light…