“Your Highness, the Crown Prince,” Song Fu bowed respectfully. Shen Qianyu raised his hand in a gesture for him to rise.

Since Shen Qianyu had his identity restored, he had been intending to reserve the position of Eastern Palace Minister for Song Fu. However, he hadn’t found a suitable opportunity in recent days. As he happened to have some official business at the Ministry of Personnel these past few days, he sought him out first.

Who would have known that Song Fu would wear such a worried expression today, troubled by something unknown?

Song Fu rose, pausing slightly when he saw Shen Qianyu’s face.

He always felt the Crown Prince bore a striking resemblance to Jiang Yan’s friend, yet upon closer inspection there were subtle differences.

“Your Highness…”

Shen Qianyu laughed openly: “Lord Song’s thoughts are correct. I hope you’ll help me keep this secret.”

Song Fu was slightly surprised, but quickly concealed his astonishment.

The two could be considered old acquaintances, so Song Fu harbored less wariness toward Shen Qianyu. His thin lips parted slightly, and after a moment’s thought he smiled faintly: “It’s about my younger sister at home.”

“Oh? The legitimate young miss of the Song Family?”

Thinking that Song Wan was also indirectly acquainted with the Crown Prince, Song Fu nodded without avoiding the topic.

“The family intends to arrange another marriage for her…”

Shen Qianyu’s eyes widened, and he was about to inquire further when a colleague from the Ministry of Personnel entered from outside.

Upon seeing Song Fu, the man said: “Gentleman Song, there’s a young master surnamed Yang outside looking for you, saying he’s a relative from your household.”

“Yang?”

Song Fu frowned, knowing this person must be Yang Xun.

“Thank you, Lord Li.”

After thanking the messenger, Song Fu walked out of the Ministry of Personnel’s office.

Shen Qianyu exchanged a few pleasantries with Lord Li before losing patience, striding toward the office entrance and following behind Song Fu.

“Your High…”

Shen Qianyu laughed openly, without the slightest awareness of disturbing others: “I shall accompany you outside.”

Song Fu was thoroughly bewildered by this behavior, but he couldn’t dismiss the Crown Prince as he would others, and could only let Shen Qianyu follow.

Upon seeing Yang Xun, he dropped a line saying “Lord Song, attend to your business first, I’m in no hurry,” then walked to another spot at the office entrance.

Though he seemingly gave Song Fu and the other person space to converse, in truth… with slightly raised voices, he could hear their conversation.

This behavior puzzled Song Fu, but he had always believed that as long as one acted uprightly, there was nothing to fear from others knowing, so he let him be.

“Brother Song.”

“I wonder what brings Brother Yang here today?”

Yang Xun pursed his lips slightly, then said: “To be frank, I’ve come today to propose marriage to Brother Song.”

“By rights I should go to the Song residence to meet Lord Song in person, but upon reflection I felt it better to speak with Brother Song first.”

Yang Xun’s voice was gentle and his tone amiable, yet Shen Qianyu found it most disagreeable to hear.

Standing to the side, he knitted his brows, glancing at Yang Xun from head to toe with sidelong eyes.

This person was about the same age as him, but his appearance was truly ordinary, and his entire bearing seemed lukewarm and lacking in vigor. Though his clothing appeared refined, it was not the scholar’s robe commonly worn by literati.

Frowning slightly, Shen Qianyu felt dissatisfied.

This person likely came from a merchant family.

His eyebrow tails arched high, having completely forgotten the fact that he himself had concealed his identity as a traveling merchant for many years.

“I know I’m unworthy of the Song family’s legitimate daughter, but…”

Yang Xun continued with a faint smile: “I thought I should at least try. Since the matter hasn’t been formally settled, if Brother Song is dissatisfied with me, I absolutely won’t pester further.”

He had indeed found Yang Pianzhi’s behavior that day extremely contemptible, and had no particular thoughts about Song Wan. However, upon subsequently hearing what Yang Pianzhi said—that Song Wan had sent away all the servants by Madam Song’s side—he developed some admiration.

Seeing Song Fu remain silent, Yang Xun continued: “Both my parents have passed away, and I have no concubines in my household. If Miss Song would consent to marry down, everything in the family can be entrusted to her.”

“I have considerable land holdings. Though Miss Song might not be able to live as she does at the Song residence if she marries down, I can definitely ensure she’ll want for neither food nor clothing.”

The Yang family’s assets truly couldn’t compare to the Song and Jiang families, these noble houses of generations, but among the locals they were a renowned clan of considerable standing.

Moreover, with Yang family affairs now entirely in his hands, Song Wan would become the mistress of the household upon marriage.

He had heard of Song Wan’s temperament and capabilities, which were extremely rare to him.

If Song Wan married him, it would only benefit the Yang family.

As for whether she was remarrying, merchant families like the Yang clan paid it no mind at all. Such matters only concerned the great noble families in the capital; once in Jiangnan, who would know her identity and background?

Yang Xun said: “I hope Brother Song will give it due consideration. Whether it succeeds or not…”

He extended the礼物 gift he was carrying toward Song Fu: “This is but a small token of my sincerity.”

Song Fu lowered his eyes, making no immediate response.

This was also his first time encountering such a matter.

The Yang family’s status was too low, but for Song Wan this wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

Though Yang Xun’s humble origins would mean some grievances for Wan’er if she married him, by the same token the Yang family was very easy to control. Even Wan’er herself would have no problem controlling the entire Yang clan.

The only question was whether Wan’er would be inclined toward the Yang family.

“I understand. Allow me to consider this matter.”

Taking the gift from Yang Xun’s hands, Song Fu responded blandly.

Shen Qianyu, standing to the side, widened his eyes, feeling that Song Fu wasn’t as sincere toward Song Wan as he had imagined.

Such a family and he was still saying he’d consider it?

A lowly merchant family—what was there to consider?

Shen Qianyu’s expression darkened slightly as his gaze swept over Yang Xun again with harsh scrutiny.

Not only was this man’s family background inappropriate, his appearance was extremely ordinary. Thrown into a crowd, one could probably lose sight of him in the blink of an eye. Such a person probably hadn’t read many books either—could he possibly have anything in common to discuss with Song Wan?

He’d probably barely read any books and likely couldn’t even recognize many characters.

Shen Qianyu stood to the side with a gloomy expression, shaking his head inwardly.

This person was truly unworthy—how could he possibly be fit to be the husband of the Emperor’s teacher?

As soon as Yang Xun left, Shen Qianyu walked to Song Fu’s side with a serious expression: “This person wishes to seek the Song family’s legitimate daughter in marriage?”

Song Fu felt somewhat awkward, momentarily unsure how to respond to the Crown Prince.

A match between the Song family’s legitimate daughter and the Yang family was indeed quite inappropriate.

Just as he was pondering how to phrase his response, Song Fu heard Shen Qianyu say: “This family’s status is truly too low. If Miss Song were to marry such a person, in the future when she returns to the capital she would have to bow and kneel to others, and in all interactions with family relatives she would be beneath them.”

Song Fu hadn’t considered this aspect, but now that Shen Qianyu mentioned it, he realized the impropriety.

Indeed it was so. In the future, whether Song Yao or Song Nian, or even Song Zhao, none would marry into merchant commoner families.

For Wan’er as their elder legitimate sister to have to bow to them…

The thought that had just arisen instantly faded. Song Fu said: “Indeed I was careless. Looking at it this way, it would be better to let Wan’er marry into the Su family.”

“The Su family?”

Shen Qianyu wondered to himself when another Su family had appeared.

“It’s my siblings’ maternal clan.”

Shen Qianyu’s brow furrowed tightly: “The son of Lord Su Qian?”

“Precisely.”

Su Qian’s son seemed impeccable. After a long while, Shen Qianyu slowly exhaled a sentence: “The family background is fairly suitable.”