Yun Wan gripped A Sui’s shoulders, her expression fraught with anxiety.
“A Sui, tell Mother truthfully—where did this pearl come from? What happened to you in the palace?”
If her eyes did not deceive her, this pearl was meticulously carved from mutton fat jade, its color and quality representing the pinnacle of jade craftsmanship, making it priceless beyond measure.
Moreover, the dragon pattern engraved on its surface could only be used by members of the imperial family, or more specifically, by the emperor himself.
Now, such a precious pearl of unknown origin had suddenly appeared on A Sui, filling Yun Wan with unavoidable panic.
This object most likely came from the imperial palace. Items from the court were never allowed to leave the palace grounds, and carrying them out of the palace without permission was a serious crime.
Unexpectedly, A Sui remained calm and pointed at the jade pearl as he truthfully replied, “The Emperor gave this to me.”
These words struck like a thunderbolt.
“The Emperor?!” Yun Wan’s voice rose sharply. “You saw The Emperor?”
“Mother?” A Sui grew somewhat flustered seeing her intense reaction.
He had merely seen The Emperor—why was Mother so tense?
Yun Wan believed her son would not lie. She took a deep breath to calm herself before saying, “Mother was just too surprised. So, A Sui, you truly saw The Emperor? Why did he give you this pearl?”
A Sui had been eager to share the events of the morning with her. Relying on his remarkable memory, he recounted everything in detail.
After listening, Yun Wan gasped. Just from A Sui’s description, she could imagine how turbulent the situation must have been. She never expected her A Sui to have such an eventful experience in just one day.
However, her anxious heart gradually settled, and she let out a long sigh of relief.
So that was how it happened.
It seemed she had worried unnecessarily.
A Sui’s slender eyes held confusion. “I also don’t know why His Majesty bestowed the pearl upon me, but Third Prince cousin has one too—his is black. Did Mother know that?”
Yun Wan shook her head as well. “Mother doesn’t know either. Since The Emperor gave you the pearl, you should keep it safe and make sure not to lose it.”
From A Sui’s account, meeting the emperor seemed to be a mere coincidence, and the jade pearl was likely just casually given to him—not exclusively for him alone.
The emperor’s thoughts were unfathomable. A Sui’s confusion mirrored her own bewilderment from the previous day.
Why would the emperor suddenly take an interest in her sachet?
Recalling the content of A Sui’s story, Yun Wan feared that the morning’s events might have left a shadow on his young heart. She gently comforted him, “That talk about beheading was just to scare you. His Majesty has always been diligent in governance and cares for his people—he wouldn’t randomly chop off heads…”
As she spoke, she paused, her voice gradually fading, tinged with uncertainty.
Because she suddenly remembered a rumor she had once heard: it was said that when the emperor was still the crown prince, he guarded the border for many years, repeatedly defeating the Rong people. However, having killed so many, he accumulated too much ferocity, and after ascending the throne, he had to execute one palace servant daily to vent his baleful energy.
She didn’t know whether this rumor was true or false, but she could no longer continue her earlier reassurance.
Yun Wan lightly brushed past the topic and sighed softly. “In any case, forget what happened this morning. Don’t scare yourself. But remember, once you enter Hongwen Academy, you must not be as reckless as you were today. If you play kickball, be careful not to hurt others, understand?”
She pinched A Sui’s chubby cheek.
A Sui clenched his fist. “Don’t worry, Mother! I’ll try hard to forget. In the future, when I play kickball, I’ll definitely be careful and never hurt anyone!”
Seeing his earnest, spirited demeanor that showed no signs of being frightened, Yun Wan smiled amusedly and lightly tapped his nose.
A Sui giggled as she dodged away, placing the White Jade Pearl into Yun Wan’s hand. “This pearl is so pretty and feels cool to the touch. I want to give it to Mother so you can use it to cool off in the summer!”
Yun Wan inwardly scoffed, having no desire to use anything belonging to The Emperor. “I appreciate your kindness, A Sui, but this was bestowed upon you by The Emperor and cannot be lightly given away.”
“Not even to Mother?”
“No.”
“Alright then.”
A Sui looked somewhat disappointed.
………
In the deep silence of night, Yun Wan found it difficult to sleep.
After tossing and turning in bed for quite some time, until she faintly heard the night watchman’s drum from beyond the wall, she simply got up.
Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders as she casually draped an outer garment and sat alone on the round stool beside the candle stand.
In the candlelight, she opened her palm to reveal a purple jade thumb ring resting there. Intricate and elaborate patterns were carved both inside and out, its color rich and full, appearing both luxurious and mysterious.
A soft sigh escaped her lips.
Were it not for the Jade Pearl that A Sui had brought back, Yun Wan might have almost forgotten about this thumb ring.
Several days later, when Yun Wan had some free time, she arranged to take A Sui out to purchase some writing materials.
Upon learning they would be leaving the estate, A Sui was particularly excited, as in his four short years of life, he had rarely had the opportunity to venture outside.
Thus, he woke up early in the morning and stayed close to Yun Wan’s side, clearly filled with anticipation.
After the morning meal, mother and son changed into suitable outdoor clothing and, accompanied by servants, went out to take a carriage.
When they reached the west gate, a carriage was already waiting outside. Upon closer inspection, however, it wasn’t the carriage typically used by the women of the estate for outings, but rather a more spacious and luxurious black carriage.
Just as Yun Wan was feeling puzzled, a hand lifted the satin curtain, revealing Lu Yuanduo’s face.
“The carriage from the rear courtyard is broken. Get in, I’ll give you a ride.”
Yun Wan, holding A Sui’s hand, hesitated and said, “We might delay your important matters. It’s better not to trouble you. We’ll wait for the carriage to be repaired.”
Lu Yuanduo didn’t press further but instead stated, “The axle of that carriage is broken. I’m afraid it won’t be fixed for several hours. Are you sure you want to wait?”
Waiting for several hours would likely mean it would be dark by then.
A Sui asked curiously, “Uncle, Mother and I are going to Zhuangyuan Street. Is it on your way as well?”
Today, he wore his hair half-tied, without a crown, secured with a hair ribbon. Dressed in a light green round-collar robe and deer-skin short boots, he looked every bit the young master from a wealthy, distinguished family.
Lu Yuanduo nodded. “It’s just a slight detour. It won’t cause any delay.”
Zhuangyuan Street, as the name implied, was a street that had once produced a top scholar in the imperial examinations. Moreover, with most shops on either side selling books and writing materials, it attracted many scholars who naturally aspired to succeed in the exams. Over time, as more people referred to it as such, the authorities officially adopted the name ‘Zhuangyuan Street.’
Seeing this, Yun Wan stopped hesitating and nodded slightly. “In that case, we’ll trouble you.”
The carriage interior was spacious, laid with soft carpets. A square table was placed in the center, and a bookshelf half a person’s height stood in the corner.
Lu Yuanduo poured tea for the mother and son, then took a bag of silver from the bookshelf.
Holding the money bag in one hand, he reached out and offered it to Yun Wan.
?
Yun Wan gave him a puzzled look.
Lu Yuanduo explained, “Although the bookstores and ink shops on Zhuangyuan Street have good quality items, their prices are also high. Use this money for any expenses there.”
Noting her furrowed brow, he added, “This is the allowance the clan provides for every Lu family child starting their education. I forgot to mention it to you earlier.”
Since it was funded by the clan, there was no reason not to accept it.
Yun Wan didn’t overthink it and turned to instruct her son: “A Sui, take it.”
A Sui nodded, took the money pouch from Lu Yuanduo’s hands, and held it close to his chest.
He didn’t forget to express his gratitude, smiling at the man across from him: “Thank you, Uncle!”
Lu Yuanduo couldn’t help but ruffle his hair.