The Marquis Mansion's Elite Class-Chapter 266

Xu Wan nodded in frustration and said, "No, I've actually never held an older child. Jin Cheng and the others are too heavy for me to carry."

Lady Wei was amused by her words. "What's the point of holding those naughty boys? When Xinglu was little, he was always clinging to me, demanding to be carried. And he never stayed still—wriggling around was such a chore."

Xu Wan could easily picture the scene—it did sound exhausting.

Madam Shen, a close friend of the Crown Princess, quietly slipped away to speak with her while Xu Wan and Lady Wei chatted. Before long, the Crown Princess looked up with a smile and beckoned them over.

Madam He exclaimed excitedly, "Madam Shen truly works wonders! Quick, sister, the Crown Princess must be giving you permission to hold the Little Princess!"

"Ah? What?" Xu Wan was bewildered as she was gently nudged forward.

The Crown Princess was soothing the Little Princess, explaining that Xu Wan would hold her to ease the child's shyness. When Xu Wan approached, she carefully handed the baby over. "One hand supports her shoulders, the other under her waist and hips…"

Xu Wan took the Little Princess with a sense of wonder.

"She really is so soft," she murmured, playfully teasing the little girl. The baby stared at her with wide, dark eyes, letting out soft coos before suddenly breaking into a grin.

"She smiled! She smiled!" The nursemaids gasped in surprise. "The Little Princess is usually so wary of strangers, yet she isn't afraid of Madam Zong at all!"

Flattered by this rare honor, Xu Wan felt even more delighted and curious. She leaned down to keep coaxing smiles from the Little Princess.

The Crown Princess chuckled softly. "If not for you, this child would never have been conceived. Xu Wan, you are the greatest benefactor to His Highness, myself… and the Little Princess."

Xu Wan grinned. "Your Highness flatters me. The Little Princess is simply clever, choosing to be reborn early into the Eastern Palace as your daughter."

Then she bent down again and whispered to the baby in her arms, "Little Princess, you will be so, so happy."

The Crown Princess, touched by her tenderness, couldn't help but ask, "Do you love children very much?"

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Xu Wan nodded cheerfully. "Of course! That’s why, even though the manor is overrun with mischievous kids and it gives me a headache sometimes, it still feels lively—like a real home."

The Crown Princess laughed. "No wonder you’ve taught them all so well—it comes from genuine affection. Before, so many renowned tutors in the Capital City couldn’t handle them, leaving their families utterly exasperated."

Xu Wan smiled modestly. "It’s not just my doing."

Her ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‍words carried a hidden meaning—the Crown Prince often sent them debate topics and study guides. Though His Highness wasn’t physically present at the Marquis Manor, he was still one of the key instructors for their "elite class."

The Crown Princess understood and nodded in agreement.

When Xu Wan returned the Little Princess, she lowered her voice and asked, "Your Highness, why is His Highness in such a hurry lately?"

The Crown Princess met her gaze, her smile unwavering. "I never interfere in His Highness’s affairs. If he chooses not to speak of it, I do not ask."

Xu Wan chuckled, realizing she wouldn’t get an answer, and began to step back.

But then the Crown Princess lifted her eyes, her expression earnest. "His Highness is a very, very, very good man. He would never harm them—you needn’t worry."

Xu Wan nodded gratefully. "Thank you for your reassurance, Your Highness."

Though she had always believed the Crown Prince meant no harm to the children, his recent behavior had unsettled her. Now, with the Crown Princess’s assurance, she could finally set her mind at ease.

Meanwhile, as night fell, the four young troublemakers dashed through the crowd in glowing outfits, shouting as they ran:

"I’m the brightest!"

"My light is the biggest!"

"Mine is the radiance of the God of Literature!"

"Well, mine is the brilliance of Zhuge Liang reborn!"

Zong Wenxiu: "…"

Even though he wasn’t wearing the same ridiculous attire and kept his distance, he still cringed with secondhand embarrassment. Why did he feel awkward just by association?

The four little rascals, brimming with unshakable confidence, lit up the entire scene. Children of all ages were either chasing after them or dancing around them, filling the air with laughter and excited screams.

The commotion was so lively it felt like New Year’s celebrations.

The palace hadn’t seen such excitement in ages—their noise carried far and wide. The Emperor and his ministers, who had been watching a slow-paced dance performance in the distance, found the music dull in comparison.

"What’s happening outside? Has something occurred?" the Emperor asked, setting down his wine cup.

A eunuch replied, "Your Majesty, it’s the children of several noble families playing. They’re wearing clothes that glow in the dark, and all the other children are dancing along. Would Your Majesty like to summon them for a closer look?"

The Crown Prince’s lashes flickered slightly. He interjected, "Since their clothes glow in the dark, bringing them indoors would make them invisible."

The Emperor chuckled. "Ah, true enough. Let’s go see these glowing garments for ourselves—look how happy the children are!"

With that, they rose and approached, ordering most of the lanterns along the way to be extinguished. As they drew nearer, they saw four radiant children dancing wildly—no formal steps, just pure joy. The other children held hands, laughing and twirling, while maids and servants clapped along, turning the scene into something akin to a bonfire celebration on the grasslands.

The Emperor, long confined to the palace, hadn’t witnessed such exuberance in years. He smiled approvingly. "Marvelous, truly marvelous. These children know how to have fun. Whose families do they belong to?"

The eunuch answered, "Young Master Wei Xinglu of Censor Wei’s household, Young Master Shen Yibai of Minister Shen’s household, Young Master He Zheng of Minister He’s household, and… Young Master Zong Jincheng of Yangyuan Marquis Manor, the son of the younger Marquis Zong."

As soon as the words left the eunuch’s mouth, the Emperor and all the ministers turned their gazes toward the Crown Prince. The rumors about the two of them in the Capital City had never been addressed by His Highness.

The Emperor remarked lightly, "Heng’er, I heard you once had a falling-out with Zong Zhao. Why are you now so close to his son? I was told that during the recent dance hall incident, the Zong family sought your help first."

When a noble family’s child was in trouble, their first instinct wasn’t to report it to the authorities but to turn to the Crown Prince—anyone would find that suspicious.

The Crown Prince replied calmly, "Father, children are blameless. How could I hold Zong Zhao’s grievances against his son? As for the dance hall matter, Zong Jincheng had already invoked the Marquis Manor’s name, yet the culprits remained unafraid. The Zong family suspected deeper schemes at play, so they came to me."

"I see. That does sound reasonable. Still… is that boy truly Zong Zhao’s son?" The Emperor chuckled.

The ministers stiffened, impressed by the Emperor’s boldness. The question they’d all been too afraid to ask had finally been voiced—now they could sit back and enjoy the drama.

The Crown Prince smiled faintly, neither submissive nor overbearing. "Father, you’re putting me in a difficult position. Whether the child is Zong Zhao’s or not… that’s a question only Zong Zhao can answer."

The Emperor waved a hand, laughing. "Enough, enough. These are the Zong family’s private affairs. If I press any further, even the Old Marquis’s dignity will be at stake."

The ministers chuckled quietly among themselves.