deltrittennovels Chapter 216 Invitation
Chapter 216 Invitation
Everything at Fusheng Newspaper was ready, and Mao Zheng asked Pei Rujing when it would open for business.
Pei Rujing specifically had someone check and confirmed that three days from now would be an auspicious day, so she set it for three days from now.
Wen Zongji returned from his shift. Pei Rujing asked, "Are you attending the opening ceremony of the Fusheng Newspaper?"
Wen Zongji shook his head: "I'll leave the newspaper office to my wife's management, so I won't show my face."
Pei Rujing didn't insist, and said, resting her chin on her hand, "Then I'll invite Mother to participate."
This is Pei Rujing's first time attending an opening ceremony, after all. How could she not invite someone of importance to be befit the status of a county princess?
Wen Zongji laughed: "It's just the opening of a newspaper office, is it really necessary to trouble my mother-in-law?"
"Since Mother has nothing to do at the Princess's residence anyway, she might as well go shopping to relax."
That's all arranged.
Pei Rujing said, "If it weren't inappropriate, I would have also invited the Crown Prince and Changning to come."
Wen Zongji's lips twitched: "It's definitely not appropriate."
Wen Zongji was in charge of the Beijing Gazette Office, but the Beijing Gazette Office was subordinate to the Crown Prince, meaning that the Crown Prince was the head of the Beijing Gazette Office.
Sending the crown prince to the newspaper's opening ceremony is no different from killing the game outright.
"By the way, I've already invited your younger sister to join the newspaper."
"Did your younger sister agree?"
Pei Rujing nodded.
Wen Zongji pondered, "Since it's an invitation, my lady should at least show some sincerity."
Pei Rujing tilted her head to look at him: "What do you mean?"
"My lady, you can write a formal invitation to my younger sister, inviting her to be an editor at the Floating Life Newspaper."
Pei Rujing suddenly realized: "You're worried that she'll be harassed by the Duke of Zhao's mansion, aren't you?"
Wen Zongji smiled and said, "My wife is very clever."
Pei Rujing said to her, "I already asked her, and she said she could handle it herself."
"Whether she can handle it herself or not, sending her an invitation will give her more confidence."
Pei Rujing nodded: "Alright, I'll write it now and have it sent to the Duke of Zhao's residence first thing tomorrow morning... By the way, are you really planning to let your younger sister stay at the Duke of Zhao's residence like this?"
Pei Rujing didn't believe that Zhao Hongrong could change his ways. His current behaving himself was just because he had some concerns. But no one can pretend forever; there will always be a time when he can't keep up the act anymore.
Wen Zongji looked at her and said, "My lady, are you implying something?"
"Zhao Hongrong is not a good match."
"How many men in this world are truly good matches? Most couples just make do."
Pei Rujing shrugged: "I was just mentioning it. If you, as the older brother, don't care, I won't interfere."
Wen Zongji gently pinched her nose: "Neither Father nor my elder brother said anything. What can I, as a half-brother, do? Besides, some things require my younger sister to make her own decision."
Wen Zongji has always respected the fate of others, so if Wen Shuxuan wants to change things, he can help her.
Pei Rujing nodded without saying anything.
......
The Duke of Zhao's Mansion
After breakfast, Duke Zhao and his son Zhao Hongrong went to their shifts, while Wen Shuxuan went to Song Shi's place to help her with miscellaneous tasks.
The Duke's mansion has more than a hundred people. The purchase, meals, monthly allowances and other miscellaneous matters for so many people are all small things, but they are too trivial and time-consuming.
Madam Song put down the account book, her eyes flickered slightly as she looked at Wen Shuxuan, and said, "Shuxuan, Rou'er is not young anymore. It's not good that Hongrong has no legitimate son. You should make some plans."
Wen Shuxuan's expression remained unchanged: "Yes, Mother-in-law."
"Has Hongrong been sleeping in the main room lately? Should we get a doctor to take a look at you?"
This clearly indicates that they suspect Wen Shuxuan has some health problem.
Wen Shuxuan said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Mother-in-law. It would be best to show it to all the concubines in the courtyard as well, since we haven't heard anything from them in the past few years."
She wasn't the only one who wasn't pregnant.
Madam Song's face stiffened for a moment, then she said, "Alright, take a look at them all."
It definitely couldn't be her son's problem.
Afterwards, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law calmed down and focused on handling their chores.
A moment later, a maid entered and said respectfully, "Madam, Lady of the Heir Apparent, Princess Anhe has sent a letter to Lady of the Heir Apparent."
Wen Shuxuan was taken aback and took the letter from the maid.
Song's gaze fell on the envelope, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes. She smiled and said, "Shuxuan, quickly see what the county princess wrote to you."
His words immediately dissuaded Wen Shuxuan from going back to her room to read the letter.
Despite her displeasure, Wen Shuxuan opened the envelope and read the letter word by word, feeling a surge of warmth in her heart.
Unexpectedly, after she said she could handle it herself, Pei Rujing thoughtfully sent her an invitation, giving her more confidence to discuss the matter with the Song family.
Wen Shuxuan handed the letter to Song Shi, whose gaze had been fixed on her, and said, "The county magistrate wants to open a newspaper and has me work as an editor who reviews manuscripts."
Song took the letter and read it carefully, then frowned deeply: "Does this editor need to go to the newspaper office every day?"
Wen Shuxuan nodded.
"How can this be? You are the wife of the heir of the Duke of Zhao's mansion. How can you show your face in public?"
Wen Shuxuan explained, "Mother-in-law, a newspaper isn't an ordinary shop. We don't need to be in the public eye; we just stay there proofreading articles. Do you think that if a county princess can do it, my daughter-in-law can't?"
Madam Song's face stiffened: "That's not what I meant. It's just that there are so many things in the household that need your attention, we can't do without you. Why don't you let the county princess find someone else?"
Wen Shuxuan remained unfazed: "My husband told me yesterday to spend more time with my third brother and sister-in-law. The county princess personally wrote the invitation, which shows her great sincerity. If I refuse, my third brother will probably be unhappy."
Song was immediately conflicted.
She didn't actually want Wen Shuxuan to escape her control.
But her son's future was of paramount importance.
Wen Shuxuan then added, "Why don't we wait for my father-in-law and husband to return and ask for their opinion?"
Of all the Duke's mansions, the Song family cared most about Duke Zhao and Zhao Hongrong.
The most sensible person in the manor is Duke Zhao, and Wen Shuxuan believes that Duke Zhao will agree.
Once the Duke of Zhao agrees, the Song family will have no choice but to agree, no matter how unwilling they are.
As for other matters, Song would naturally not need to let the Duke of Zhao and his son know, but when it came to Pei Rujing, Song dared not hide it at all.
So, despite her reluctance, Mrs. Song agreed: "Okay, we'll talk about it when they get back."
After saying that, Madam Song looked at Wen Shuxuan with a complicated expression: "The county princess personally wrote a letter to invite you, it seems that you two have a good relationship."
Wen Shuxuan said gently, "It's probably because my second sister is still young."
She readily admitted that she was able to catch Pei Rujing's eye thanks to Wen Zongji.
Madam Song sighed inwardly. She really needed to change her attitude towards Wen Shuxuan a little. No matter what, with Princess Anhe around, Wen Shuxuan had a powerful backer.
It has to be a legitimate son!
Song decided to send someone to fetch a doctor soon; they couldn't delay any longer.