Mid Autumn Talent Performance (1)
T/N: This is the much belated last Friday's chapter. I also have two more sponsored chapters I have to do as well.
Du Yun Han's words made Du Ke and Du Xiao Li both startled inside. However, Du Ke Xin was a pleasant surprise, while Du Xiao Li was just pure shock.
"Father, his Majesty really asked about me?" Du Ke Xin asked with a face full of happiness.
"Yes." Du Yun Han nodded, "His Majesty said your zither skills weren't bad and to let you properly prepare during this time, so that you can perform for everyone during the mid-autumn banquet. Additionally, the other young ladies will also all be preparing their talents at home, so in the following period, the girl's school will be temporarily closed. You all won't need to go to school."
"We don't have to go to school?" When Du Xiao li heard this news, her two eyes lit up. If she didn't have to go to school, then she won't need to see those old-fashioned teachers, and won't need to wait for school to let out in boredom every day. Sometimes, she even wondered, whether or not in the beginning, agreeing to to school was a wrong decision.
Du Yun Han naturally knew what Du Xiao Li was thinking, "Yes, starting from today till mid-autumn, you all won't need to attend class."
"Ha, this news is great!" Du Xiao Li said with a smile.
Du Ke Xin looked to Du Xiao Li's excited appearance and said, "Father, since each family's young miss all have to perform, then what will third sister do?"
Although she and Du Xiao Li have already tore faces at school, but at home, she still would pretend to be a good older sister.
Du Xiao Li also wanted to ask this question, so she didn't bother with Du Ke Xin's unclear intentions for asking this either.
"Xiao Li doesn't need to perform. When his Majesty asked me about Xiao Li's situation, I just told him that she didn't know anything. So his Majesty thus exempted her from performing." Du Yun Han said.
"Father you said this to his Majesty?" Du Ke Xin looked to Du Yun Han in somewhat disbelief. He was that doting of her? Even if this would make him lose face, he didn't care either?
"Alright, other things you don't need to bother with, just properly go prepare your performance. Since you're already bestowed to Ren Wang, then you'll be representing Ren Wang. If you perform well, then once you marry over, he will naturally be good to you. Right now, just go back and prepare." Du Yun Han waved his hand and said.
"Yes. This daughter will withdraw!" Du Ke Xin resentfully glanced at Du Xiao Li, then turned and left Du Yun Han's study.
Du Xiao Li also didn't think that Du Yun Han would say that to the Emperor. Seeing Du Ke Xin angrily glare at herself, she was too lazy to bother, pretending to be nonchalantly looking around the study. Yet, on the wall next to her, she saw Su Su Xin's portrait.
"This is mother's portrait." She walked over, reaching out to touch the paper, as she muttered.
This painter's skills really were impressive, having Su Su Xin's appearance and charm imitated perfectly, like it was really her. It can be seen the painter's understanding and deep feelings towards her.
"This was painted by me." Du Yun Han also walked over, looking to the figure in the painting, his voice somewhat hoarse. "In the beginning, I'd thought that you all died, thus painted this painting. Look, this is you."
Du Yun Han's finger pointed to a certain place in the painting. Du Xiao Li looked over. That was Su Su Xin's abdomen. No wonder she felt it was a bit strange, because that place was slightly protruding, appearing just like a pregnant women. Furthermore, she was also holding the hand of a little boy, appearing to be two three years old, should be Du Xiu Heng.
Then this was their whole family's portrait!
"You and mother's matters, father, can you tell me?" Du Xiao Li touched Su Su Xin's abdomen and asked.
"Sigh, there's no harm in telling you." Du Yun Han let out a sigh, gazing to Su Su Xin's portrait, and began reminiscing the things that happened that year.
Du Yun Han actually was born into an official's family that have been serving as officials for three generations. Just they were all outside officials, and their position wasn't high either. According to the family's expectations, they hoped for him, the eldest di son, be able to take up an official post. But at the time, although he studied intensively, he didn't have too much interest in towards becoming an official. Thus, in his teenage years, he left home to explore the outside world.
(T/N: Outside officials meaning their post was outside of the capital.)
One day, while passing through a mountain range, he got stopped by mountain bandits, not only robbing him of his money, they even wanted his little life. In the crucial moments, an elegant woman in white flew down from the mountains, saving his life by the thread. That woman was Su Su Xin.
Afterwards, the two fell in love and traveled through jianghu together for a long while, experiencing many life and death situations. Their feelings also deepened little by little, to the point of discussing marriage.
But, their feelings didn't receive their family's approval. Especially Su Su Xin's family, very much against her marrying the descendant of an official's family. However Su Su Xin's mind was made, and for this, didn't hesitate to cripple her own martial arts to break away from the clan.
Du Yun Han had the injured Su Su Xin brought back home. Originally, the Du family also didn't agree to them being together, but Du Yun Han used entering officialdom as a condition. If they don't agree, he will cut ties from the family just like Su Su Xin, never to return.
Between the two options, the Du family finally agreed to their marriage, and after Su Su Xin recovered, held their wedding for them. And Du Yun Han also did as promised, taking Su Su Xin to the capital, and participated in the imperial exam, becoming the top scorer among the group.
Because his outward appearance was handsome, in addition to brimming talent, the elegant young man got fancied by the prime minister's youngest daughter, Zhong Mei Qing, letting her own older sister, the Empress at the time, put forward a word to the Emperor, letting the Emperor bestow a marriage for her and Du Yun Han.
Learning that Du Yun Han having already married, with a main wife, the Emperor thus bestowed Zhong Mei Qing as his equal wife.
At the time when the eunuch announced the decree, Du Yun Han didn't plan on accepting the decree, motionlessly kneeling on the ground. He'd vowed to Su Su Xin before, only marrying her alone. She'd sacrificed so much for him, how could he fail her again? Moreover, he'd given all his love to her, how could he accept another woman?
Just when the eunuch was about to get angry, preparing to report back to his Majesty that he was unwilling to accept the decree, Su Su Xin who was kneeling to the side got up and accepted that decree for him.
Although she wasn't willing to share her husband with someone else either, she could also see his heart, seeing him willing to defy the decree for her, so how could she bear for him to lose his future because of her, get thrown in prison, and even lose his life?
Thus, not long after, the Du family added an equal wife.
One was the noble daughter of the prime minister, and one was a woman of the pugilistic world that didn't even have a maiden family. The servants of the manor were all people that watched the wind and set the helm. If not for Du Yun Han protecting, Su Su Xin's days one can well imagine.
Afterwards, Su Su Xin gave birth to a son a few months ahead of Zhong Mei Qing, that was the current Du Xiu Heng, while Zhong Mei Qing gave birth to Du Ke Xin on the tenth month of the following year.