青春期撞上更年期第1部

She was worried that Shao Wanru didn’t know how to choose gifts, so she patted her hand lovingly and remarked, “Too many gifts aren’t necessary. Just pick the best one for her. The Empress Dowager has seen all kinds of good things. The expression of your goodwill is the most important thing. Your painting of maple leaves expresses your kind feelings and has a striking originality. It is the best. Why take the trouble to collect other inferior gifts?”

“Grandma, I want to view more scripts and paintings. Maybe I can do better,” Shao Wanru explained.

“That’s good. I have some. You can take away any of them that takes your fancy.” Rui’an Great Elder Princess nodded approvingly, thinking that Shao Wanru meant to put all paintings’ ideas together to perfect her previous painting.

“I certainly will see the calligraphy and paintings you collected. But, Grandma, please also pay attention to other works of art for me. If you encounter any suitable ones, buy them for me. Later on, pass on a message saying that you are looking for some first-class artworks,” Shao Wanru made an immediate explanation. Anyway, she should first spread this news.

“Okay, I know!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess agreed with a nod.

“Sister.” Shao Yuanhao came out from the door curtain. He has grown up to be an early youth, no longer the profligate boy he used to be. As he saw Shao Wanru, his eyes lit up with joy. He took two steps forward and bowed respectfully to Shao Wanru and Rui’an Great Elder Princess. “Greetings! But why didn’t you take me with you when you went out?”

Shao Wanru smiled. The outlines of his face showed his fine features, which were somewhat different from Shao Wanru’s. He looked handsome. Though his face was still childish, Shao Wanru could tell he would become a man of remarkable presence.

Compared to three years ago, he has not only grown taller but has also been more sensible. He was no longer the little boy who cried with a flood of tears when forced to study three years ago.

“You should concentrate on your study. How could we disturb you?” Shao Wanru said.

“Hao’er, come here and sit next to me!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess said, looking at her beloved grandchildren with a bright smile.

Shao Yuanhao sat beside Rui’an Great Elder Princess and said, “Sister, I’ve been very serious about studying. Even if I went out with you, I wouldn’t delay my study. Before Prince Chen left, he told me to accompany grandma and you if you had to deal with something. Since there are no other men at home, I should be there to support you even if I don’t need to do anything!”

Shao Yuanhao threw back his slim shoulders and promised, feeling that his brother-in-law was right. Shao Yuanhao feared Prince Chen at the beginning, but he now admired him very much. Of course, he changed his attitude through a painful process. Anyway, he didn’t feel like mentioning the insignificant past. As an ignorant and mischievous boy, Shao Yuanhao had done many improper things that he couldn’t bear to think of!

Prince Chen said he must accompany his dear wife though he was sick and weak. Likewise, Shao Yuanhao was also obligated to look after his elder sister as a man, though at such a tender age.

Seeing him display the firm attitude of a mature man, Shao Wanru and Rui’an Great Elder Princess exchanged a glance and couldn’t help smiling in unison.

“Great, Hao’er, study hard, and I’m waiting for you to realize your big ambition,” Shao Wanru said with a smile.

“Sister, don’t worry. I will back you up. If, if Chu Liuchen dares to bully you… I, I will never spare him.”

Shao Yuanhao clenched his fists. Although slightly frightened, he still gritted his teeth with determination to show that he could keep his word.

He was afraid of this scheming brother-in-law, but even so, he must demonstrate his masculinity before his sister, letting her know he could protect her.

Shao Wanru stood up, walked to Shao Yuanhao, and asked softly, “Hao’er, you’ve grown up and are now the Heir of Marquis Xing. But Hao’er, if… I mean, if you lose the title, can you bear it?”

“I don’t care. I’ll be fine if you and my grandma are okay,” Shao Yuanhao said without hesitation.

When he was little and naive, people in the mansion often told him that his Eldest Brother would take charge of this mansion. Everything there had nothing to do with him. Everyone, including his personal servants, kept telling him to eat, drink, and have fun. Having been gradually influenced by what he constantly heard, Shao Yuanhao never took the title of “heir of a duke” as his.

Whenever talking about his parents in the mansion, all the people around him would shake their heads, blaming them for being irresponsible. Tragically, they not only caused Old Madam to lose her son and daughter-in-law, and left him without parents at such a young age. According to these people, Infanta Qinghua, Shao Yuanhao’s mother, was overly self-opinionated and unfilial to Old Madam back then. Later, Infanta Qinghua instigated her husband to leave the mansion, which was the start of the tragedy.

In a word, his parents brought the great calamity upon themselves, while the mansion had been treating them with the utmost tolerance and kindness.

These remarks made Shao Yuanhao very uncomfortable because he had begun to learn some facts about life. He even scolded and beat his servant for this. But even so, they insisted on gossiping about his parents. Even if they didn’t say it before him, they would talk behind his back and intentionally let him hear their conversation.

At that time, he was too young to handle mundane affairs. So, he went straight to tell Old Madam and Madam Jiang, who he thought loved him the most. On the surface, they appeased him and gently reproved the servants who gossiped behind him. After that, these servants stuck to their old way and slandered him secretly with ever-increasing intensity.

Shao Yuanhao was puzzled about this situation in the past, but now he understood everything.

All this was because all the people in Marquis Xing’s Mansion took malicious pleasure in seeing him in misfortune. Deep in his heart, Shao Yuanhao didn’t want at all to be the heir of the duke of Marquis Xing’s Mansion.

“Sister, the position of the heir of the duke is of little significance. I don’t care whether I have it or not,” Shao Yuanhao said in all seriousness with a straight face.

Looking at this pair of grandchildren, Rui’an Great Elder Princess was on the verge of crying and turned away from them to wipe her eyes with a handkerchief. Like Shao Yuanhao, she also took the Marquis Xing’s Mansion title lightly. After so many years of trouble, she simply couldn’t bear to see the second branch of Marquis Xing’s Mansion get the title that initially belonged to her daughter and son-in-law.

If it hadn’t been for the second branch, her daughter and son-in-law wouldn’t have been forced to leave the capital. All the tragedies wouldn’t have happened.

Fortunately, both Shao Wanru and Shao Yuanhao were sensible. Lucky for Rui’an Great Elder Princess, her granddaughter had come back and helped her bring Hao’er to her mansion. Now that she could bring him up in person, these people in the Marquis Xing’s Mansion could no longer harm his healthy growth.

Her two grandchildren had a close blood relationship with masters in the Marquis Xing’s Mansion, so she couldn’t understand why these people were so partial and treated them harshly.

“Zhuozhuo, Hao’er doesn’t care about this title of nobility, and I don’t care about it either. Do what you want to do!” Rui’an Great Elder Princess wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, turned around, and said with a bright smile.

Shao Wanru pulled Shao Yuanhao to sit down beside Rui’an Great Elder Princess. With her other hand on her grandmother, she said, “Grandma, rest assured!”

She fluttered her long eyelashes twice, secretly hiding the sharp light in her eyes. They didn’t have to give up this title, but Shao Wanru wanted to know how the people she cared about looked at it. Since no one cared, she had a plan in her heart.

If some people believed she and her grandma cared most about the title of nobility of Marquis Xing’s Mansion, they would be terribly disappointed!

It would be great if someone took this title as a trump card…

“Rui’an Great Elder Princess is collecting calligraphy and paintings?” Zhao Xiran looked at Madam Zhao in astonishment and asked.

Madam Zhao lowered her head, twisted her handkerchief, and shook her head. “Your father had inquired about it. Rui’an Great Elder Princess is gathering artistic works for Princess Chen.”

“Why does Princess Chen need those things? For the Empress Dowager’s birthday?” Zhao Xiran asked in confusion, “If so, she should have made preparations early. Her Majesty’s birthday is just around the corner. Why would she suddenly think of collecting them? Wouldn’t it be too hasty?”

“Your father wanted to know… if it was because of… that?” Madam Zhao said, drawing a half circle in the air with one hand. It was the entire Marquis Xing’s Mansion that she was referring to.

“It can’t be. Princess Chen hasn’t returned here. How could she suddenly do such a thing?” Zhao Xiran whispered.

She had asked all servants to leave, so only she and her mother were in the room. Today, Madam Zhao came to visit her daughter.

Shao Hua’an couldn’t sit still here and ordered two servants to carry him to the study in the front yard.

The condition of his injuries was stable. He just needed to recuperate. Since he was grievously wounded, he would have to lie in bed for at least a few months. Besides, he was no longer able to ride a horse.

“Haven’t you gotten any information from your husband?” Seeing her daughter make no progress, Madam Zhao asked discontentedly. Her question sounded like a disgruntled reproach.

“Mother, if I knew, why didn’t I tell you and father?” Even her mother couldn’t understand her. Zhao Xiran was annoyed. “I accepted this marriage to help my father. Haven’t I done well enough?”

After that, she cried with grievance. Thinking of the baby she lost, she felt sadness welling up.

It was true that she married into the Marquis Xing’s Mansion with ulterior motives. Nevertheless, she also wanted wholeheartedly to have a happy life with Shao Hua’an. It never entered her mind that she would get into this terrible state. In the past, she was ambitious and arrogant, believing she could earn a good living no matter what.

Unexpectedly, she suffered setbacks soon after marrying into the mansion. Bad things happened one after another. She was at a loss for how she could change her fate.

When Zhao Xiran got married, she didn’t expect this mansion to be on the decline, especially at such a fast speed.

Tears showered down Zhao Xiran’s cheeks. In a hurry, Madam Zhao appeased her. “I’m so sorry. I was very worried. Your father failed to handle things well, and now he has to rely on you. He is afraid that the Emperor will know about it. Not only can’t he save his life, but all the people in our mansion may also be put to death. Your father has no choice!”

Speaking of this, Madame Zhao also burst out crying.

“Xiran, we’ve been hard on you. I’m sorry you have to go through so many annoying things in the Marquis Xing’s Mansion. I would never have agreed to this marriage if I had known this earlier. How I wish I hadn’t listened to you and your father.”