Chapter 485 - 452: You Have a Truly Remarkable Father

Chapter 485: Chapter 452: You Have a Truly Remarkable Father

Song Wei still harbors some concerns for him.

At the age of fifteen or sixteen, impulsiveness in matters of love and other affairs often far outweighs reason.

Song Wei did not immediately agree to Song Yuanbao, nor did he outright reject his naive feelings. He spoke with fairness, "Miss Ye is only fourteen, and before she reaches her coming-of-age ceremony, she probably won’t consider marriage. If you truly have feelings for her, wait for another year, and if your heart remains unchanged after that, your mother and I will help you find a matchmaker to propose marriage. How does that sound?"

"It takes another whole year?" Song Yuanbao muttered with a hint of resentment.

Song Wei said, "Whether a decision is right or wrong, neither you nor others can say for sure—time will prove it.

You are now resolutely claiming that you will marry no one but her, based on the mindset and perspective of a fifteen-year-old. Perhaps after a year, with time to reflect, your mentality will mature, and your perspective may change as well.

If at that time you still have no regrets, then it proves that your decision is correct."

In matters of education, whether towards Yuanbao or Jinbao, Song Wei has always taught by example and never adhered to the belief that harsh discipline breeds filial sons.

To date, he has never spoken harshly to Yuanbao, nor has he indulged him excessively due to guilt towards his brother and sister-in-law.

Song Wei’s words have always had a good educational effect.

Originally, Song Yuanbao was very impatient. Hearing his father’s advice, he slowly calmed down, thought for a while, and then bowed his head, "Father, I know I’m wrong. Your guidance is right; I was too impulsive. A year it is, I also want to see whether my choice is truly wrong."

Song Wei asked him, "Not in a hurry to propose marriage now?"

Song Yuanbao shook his head, "Anything that doesn’t withstand the test of time is a counterfeit. I hope to be a genuine Yuanbao, both inside and out. Let this year be a test."

Song Wei smiled and said, "It’s best if you can understand. I’m not stopping you from marrying; you can propose tomorrow if you wish, but some choices can only be made once in a lifetime. If you can’t ensure you won’t regret it decades later, it’s better to spend more time pondering. Remember, calmness will never harm you."

This time, Song Yuanbao truly learned a lesson. Looking at Song Wei, his eyes no longer held resentment but were filled with endless gratitude, "Thank you, Father."

"Go on then," Song Wei said, "I also need to get busy; there’s still a pile of matters at the government office."

Song Yuanbao returned to Zhao Xi’s office, where Zhao Xi was reviewing the Divine Soldier Bureau’s accounts from recent days.

Upon hearing footsteps, Zhao Xi glanced up, "Did you talk to your father?"

"I did," Song Yuanbao sat down, casually picked up a book, his voice revealing no emotions.

Zhao Xi asked again, "When will you go to propose to the Ye Family?"

"Not anytime soon, I’ll wait another year."

Hearing this reply, Zhao Xi was not surprised.

The first impression Song Wei gave him was mature and steady; no matter what he did, he always maintained calmness above all, finishing things smoothly in the end.

Therefore, Zhao Xi had long expected that even if Song Yuanbao was full of passion, Song Wei would not agree to him proposing marriage to the Ye Family immediately.

What genuinely surprised Zhao Xi was Song Yuanbao’s reaction.

Logically, he was full of hope before being denied by his father; his emotions should have been significant, yet he seemed unaffected now.

Zhao Xi, quite puzzled, asked him, "Is it that your father doesn’t allow you to go, or were you just saying it for fun before?"

Song Yuanbao closed the book, his expression serious, "I think my father said something very insightful. He told me that whether a decision made is right or wrong, one’s own words don’t count, nor do others’—time will prove it. So I want to see if a year from now, I will still agree with who I am today, and whether I will continue to stick to my choices."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xi was silent for a few moments, then chuckled, "Minister Song truly knows how to educate children."

No one had ever said such things to Zhao Xi before.

No matter how clever he was, he was still only fifteen, with limited experience. In many things, his perspective was far less comprehensive than that of adults.

Therefore, Song Wei’s words unknowingly taught Zhao Xi a lesson.

Song Yuanbao did not know what Zhao Xi was thinking internally; he curled the book into a tube and weighed it in his palm, "My dad’s way of reasoning is different from others, which is probably why I’ve followed his advice all my life."

Zhao Xi rarely praised, "You have an extraordinary father."

"Indeed." Song Yuanbao suddenly felt proud and straightened his back, "In my heart, no one compares to my dad."

Zhao Xi smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

——

As for Song Yuanbao’s proposal to the Ye Family, it’s considered temporarily resolved.

In the evening, when Song Wei returned home, he mentioned this to Wen Wan, who heard that he reasoned with Yuanbao and couldn’t help but laugh, "Fortunately, the boy listened; otherwise, if he kept opposing us, this matter would be difficult to handle."

Song Wei said, "Yuanbao is not a willful child."

At most, he’s at an age where some inevitable impulses occur, but as long as parents guide him well, he won’t make any big mistakes.

...

After resolving issues with the third house, it’s time for the second house.

Wen Wan remembered the matter when the second sister-in-law came to visit during the day, so she slowly sat down and said to Song Wei, "Song Jiao has reached the age of discussing marriage. Have you thought about who to marry her to?"

Song Wei was silent for a while before speaking, "Last year’s new Advanced Scholars included a few young talents who have yet to marry. One of them is Liang Jun. He is of good character and acts prudently, quite suitable for Song Jiao. However, in marriage, while parental orders and matchmaking are important, we must also consider the child’s own views. Find a time to have her come over to gauge her thoughts, and if she’s interested, arrange a viewing banquet so they can meet and understand each other."

Wen Wan agreed and instructed the servants to fetch Song Jiao the next day, and Song Qi clamored to come along.

The weather was good, so Wen Wan asked Yun Cai to set a table in the pavilion in the garden with some exquisite food prepared on it.

As soon as the sister duo arrived, they were taken to the garden.

Song Qi was completely attracted by the delicacies on the table, sitting down and diving right into the food.

Song Jiao, however, sensed that their third aunt had summoned them for more than just a casual gathering.

"Third Aunt, is there something you want to discuss?" Song Jiao didn’t touch her chopsticks, her eyes looking toward Wen Wan seated opposite.

Wen Wan smiled and said, "Aren’t you hungry? Have something to eat first."

Song Jiao had no choice but to pick up her chopsticks. She wasn’t gluttonous, and after eating a little, she set them down.

Seeing her wipe her mouth, Wen Wan faced the lotus pond ahead and said softly, "Jiaojiao, do you remember that your third aunt once asked you a question?"

Song Jiao didn’t react immediately, "I’m not sure which aspect Third Aunt is referring to?"

Wen Wan said, "I once asked you what kind of husband you’d like to choose. You were young then, so it’s normal to be undecided, but so much time has passed now. Have you thought it over?"

Discussing this topic again made Song Jiao’s cheeks feel hot, and she bit her lip, "If Third Aunt insists on me saying it, of course, I’d like to marry into a prestigious family and become a wealthy Young Madam. But in reality, it’s not me choosing people, it’s people choosing me. So, if marriage talks are on the agenda, I’ll leave the arrangements to Third Aunt, as I trust your judgment."

Wen Wan deliberately probed, "You’ve been in the Capital for so long, haven’t you had anyone in mind?"

Song Jiao’s smile faded from the corners of her lips, "What girl doesn’t dream of romance? If I said I hadn’t, it’d be a lie. However, I can distinguish what’s a dream and what’s reality."

She spoke cryptically, but Wen Wan understood; she was referring to Eldest Prince Zhao Xi.

Unexpectedly, a small chance encounter had captured her heart for so long.

Unfortunately, there was more than one obstacle in her path, not just family status.

If Song Wei were not Emperor Guangxi’s niece’s husband, or if Song Jiao and Zhao Xi did not have generational differences, Emperor Guangxi might select Song Jiao as a woman for the Eldest Prince to win over Song Wei.

Song Qi was eating when she heard Song Jiao’s words and immediately became gossipy, looking towards Song Jiao, "Sis, you have someone you fancy? Who is it? Do I know them?"

Feeling embarrassed, Song Jiao responded softly to her sister, "Even if I said it, you wouldn’t know."

"If you don’t tell me, of course, I won’t know." Song Qi was relentless, scheming to get to the bottom of it.

Song Jiao had no plans to confess, so she didn’t respond to Song Qi further.

Song Qi, not giving up, looked to Wen Wan, "Third Aunt, see how Sis doesn’t treat us as family. Such things are hidden away, what’s the big deal?"

Wen Wan said, "Everyone has the right to not disclose their privacy to others; there’s nothing worth complaining about."

After speaking, she looked at Song Jiao again, "Your Third Uncle helped keep an eye out, and there are a few of last year’s new Advanced Scholars who have yet to marry. This candidate has good looks and character, is gentle by nature, and acts prudently. If Jiaojiao thinks it’s acceptable, then when the weather warms up thoroughly, I’ll arrange a banquet to bring him to our residence."

Song Jiao, having spent time with Wen Wan, knew her third uncle and aunt well, understanding that these two would never push her into a pit of fire, so she felt particularly at ease, "I have no issues. If Third Aunt thinks it’s good, then it’s good."