The man could not approach, so he carefully picked up the little girl whose voice was as soft and gentle as her sound.
A milky scent wafted towards him, and the man choked up.
He finally understood why his wife could not let go. He wouldn't have either.
The next day, in the Ministry of Justice, Shen Yunxuan looked at Shi Lang, the Minister of Justice, who was unusually spirited and elated, and asked with some surprise, "Minister Shi, what has happened to make you so happy?"
Shi Lang smiled respectfully and replied, "Replying to Your Excellency, yesterday my wife adopted a child from our clan."
Shen Yunxuan nodded. He knew Shi Lang was already twenty-five and had no children. He and Madam Shi had a very good relationship. Lord Shi had worn himself out accompanying Shi Lang to the northern city and seemed unable to conceive. However, Lord Shi did not want to take concubines, so they had been delaying. This was a good thing.
"That's good news. I'll come to your mansion for a drink one day," Shen Yunxuan said.
Shi Lang quickly replied, "Thank you, Your Excellency. Your subordinate will eagerly await Your Excellency's arrival."
Shen Yunxuan nodded with a smile.
Looking at the dossier in his hand, he couldn't help but rub his forehead. Shi Lang, standing beside him, asked, "Lord Shen, what's wrong?"
Shen Yunxuan sighed but said nothing. After all, some things simply couldn't be said.
For example, the Empress had secretly left the capital, and the person now sitting in her place was merely the Empress impersonated by Feng Ling'er.
Shi Lang was so captivated by the little girl brought back by Madam Xiao Min that he didn't notice anything unusual about Shen Yunxuan.
Xue Xingyue lived very comfortably in the Shi mansion. The Shi mansion didn't have many people; besides Shi Lang and Madam Shi, Xiao Min, there was only her, the new young mistress.
Although it wasn't comparable to the imperial palace, everything from food, clothing, to daily necessities was the best.
"Miss, Madam wishes to see you." The maid Cui Ying walked over and picked up Xue Xingyue. Not only the masters liked her, but none of the servants in the mansion disliked this little mistress.
Not to mention that she was cute and loved by all, her behavior was also truly convincing. A child of such a young age who didn't cry or fuss was exceptionally easy and effortless to care for.
What's more, she knew how to win people over with money. Within a day, the maids in the room were already won over by this young mistress.
"Mother..." Xue Xingyue took her short little legs to Xiao Min's front.
Xiao Min's face bloomed with a smile as she looked at Xue Xingyue, "My child, my child..."
"Mother..."
Xue Xingyue quickened her pace and ran to Xiao Min. Xiao Min picked her up with one arm, "My child, I feel unwell if I don't see you for a day."
"Mother, have you eaten?" Xue Xingyue asked.
Xiao Min replied, "Not yet, I was waiting for my child. My child, I have chosen a few names for you, see which one you like?"
"Mother, can you call me Xingyue?"
Xiao Min was surprised, "Does my child like this name?"
Xue Xingyue nodded, "Yes, I hope Mother will grant my wish."
"Mother will definitely grant it." Xiao Min thought, how difficult could a name be?
However, she never imagined that a name could indeed be very difficult.
"Madam, this name is absolutely unacceptable." Shi Lang refused.
Xiao Min did not understand and asked, "My lord, since it is not acceptable, shouldn't you give me a reason? You just say no, and it's no?"
Shi Lang knew that if he didn't give a reason, Madam Xiao Min would likely not give up. "Madam, you may not know, but the current princess is named Xue Xingyue."
Xiao Min was taken aback, and then said, "Just because the current princess has this name, my child cannot have it?"
"Madam, do you wish to invite trouble upon yourself?" Shi Lang looked at Xiao Min and asked word by word.
Xiao Min sighed and said with disappointment, "I thought my lord, as a fourth-rank official, was already above others, but I did not expect there to be something even my lord fears."
"Madam..." How could Shi Lang not hear the disappointment in Xiao Min's voice?
"My lord, I have traveled north and south with you, been to the coldest northern cities, and to the warm Jiangnan. I thought my lord would feel the same as me, but I never expected that my lord could not even meet my most basic request. In that case, what is the point of being the Minister of Justice?"
"Xiao Min..." Shi Lang looked at Xiao Min with surprise.
Xiao Min turned away and said dejectedly, "I know I have committed a transgression, so I request to go to the temple."
"Madam..." Shi Lang murmured as he watched her departing figure.
When Xue Xingyue woke up and found that Xiao Min hadn't called her, she couldn't help but ask Cui Ying, "Sister Cui Ying, Mother didn't call me?"
Cui Ying hesitated to speak when she heard this. Seeing this, Xue Xingyue pressed on, "Sister Cui Ying, did something happen?"
Cui Ying smiled, "Miss worries too much, nothing happened."
"Cui Ying, do you know that you are really bad at lying, because when you lie, your eyes always look at the ground?" Xue Xingyue said slowly.
Cui Ying was startled and bit her lower lip. "Replying to Miss, it's not that I won't say, but Madam told me not to say."
Xue Xingyue frowned, "What exactly happened? It seems quite serious?"
Cui Ying nodded, "Miss, you may not know, but Madam had a big argument with my lord last night, and now she has moved to the temple and insists on not returning."
"Why did Mother and Father argue?" Xue Xingyue asked.
Cui Ying hesitated again, and Xue Xingyue said, "Speak, I won't blame you."
Cui Ying then said, "I also heard from other sisters. It seems to be about Miss's name."
"My name? How could my name cause them to argue?" Xue Xingyue was somewhat disbelieving.
Upon hearing this, Cui Ying stepped forward and whispered, "I heard that it's because the name Madam chose for Miss shares a character with the name of a princess in the palace."
Xue Xingyue was taken aback and asked, "Is it not allowed? Can't I share a character with the princess?"
Cui Ying replied, "Of course, Miss cannot. Her Highness the Princess is a celestial being, how can we compare to her?"
Perhaps feeling that she had said too much, Cui Ying quickly corrected herself, "Miss, please don't listen to my ramblings. You are also a celestial being, the apple of Madam and my lord's eye."
"Take me to find Mother," Xue Xingyue said quickly, something having occurred to her.
Cui Ying said, "Miss, it's better not to go. Madam didn't want me to tell you, for fear that you would overthink."
"I must go, it's trouble I caused, and I need to solve it myself."
Cui Ying was startled, then nodded, "Alright, I will take you there."
Xue Xingyue arrived at the temple. In the dim candlelight, Xiao Min was kneeling there, devoutly.
"Mother..." Xue Xingyue couldn't help but speak.
Xiao Min opened her eyes and said with a hint of self-mockery, "I must be hallucinating, to think my child has come."
"Mother..."
Xiao Min's body trembled. This voice was not a hallucination; it was too clear. She slowly turned around and saw the small figure illuminated in the dim candlelight.