Chapter 331

Chapter 331 Women and Infants Hall

People, when criticized, can still stubbornly hold on to their pride, but once the other person becomes gentle, all the grievances start to flood out.

The Third Princess was just like that.

After getting into the carriage, Wei Yu coaxed the child for quite a while before she stopped crying.

The Third Princess was someone who knew when she was wrong and changed accordingly. After crying, she confessed her mistake to Wei Yu.

"I was wrong, Ninth Brother. From now on, I will think thrice before I act… But, what should we do about those children like He An?"

The Third Princess glanced at Wei Yu’s expression. Her silk handkerchief was in a mess from all the wiping, and in her eyes there was compassion, worry, and guilt—except for regret.

She simply had too little experience and her thoughts were too simple. Just because everything was said openly didn’t mean she lacked the courage to bear the responsibility for what she had done.

Wei Yu asked her, “What do you want to do?”

The Third Princess pressed her lips, looked up at him, and tentatively asked, “Ninth Brother, can I send someone to buy a courtyard to accommodate them? But don’t worry, I will arrange for maids to properly teach them. Once they can support themselves, I will let them go!”

Hmm, this time she had thought of a solution.

But her vision wasn’t very grand.

Wei Yu thought for a moment and asked her another question, “Jing’an, do you want to accomplish something great?”

What?

Accomplish something great?

Her?!

The Third Princess was momentarily confused. She didn’t even know why the topic had shifted so quickly!

They were clearly talking about settling the people just a moment ago, right?

“N-Ninth Brother, what great thing do you mean?”

Wei Yu smiled kindly, “Naturally, it’s the great deed of our beautiful and kind-hearted Third Princess establishing the Women and Infants Hall out of compassion for women and children suffering hardships.”

The Third Princess: …

“Women and Infants Hall!”

The greatly shocked Third Princess’ eyes widened.

What was this building for? Hearing the words her Ninth Brother boasted about, she pretty much understood.

But even understanding, she still had to say something.

“Ninth Brother, I have no silver.”

No matter how righteous she sounded, no silver was no silver!

Whether it was building a house, taking in people, or hiring people to teach skills, all aspects required silver—and not a small amount!

The Third Princess now had dominion over her thoughts. She was a small princess without much source of income. Usually spending a few dozen taels wasn’t a big deal, but now her Ninth Brother was asking her to foot the entire bill!!

The Third Princess said righteously, “Ninth Brother, to be honest, over these years I have only saved a little pocket money, mostly given by you and Eighth Brother. I can donate some silver, but if you want me to build the Women and Infants Hall all by myself, that’s definitely not possible!”

“Who said I want you to build it alone?”

Wei Yu tapped her head with a fan, “A great act of benevolence praised by others— even if you want to do it alone, many won’t be willing. Do you think the palace consorts just sit around doing nothing?”

Hmm?

After being tapped, the Third Princess immediately understood. She suddenly exclaimed, “Ah—I see, Ninth Brother, you want the palace consorts to do it!”

Wei Yu was silent, “It’s not what I want; it’s something you couldn’t bear to see, so you talked it over with Noble Consort Rong. Coincidentally, Noble Consort Rong’s birthday is coming soon. If Noble Consort Rong takes the lead, and the palace consorts have the heart, they can all work together to run the Women and Infants Hall. Such a good cause will surely attract many to join in for a good reputation.”

The Third Princess looked at him admiringly, “…Ninth Brother, you’re really amazing.”

These words enlightened her; so this was how one could help others!

Borrowing others’ names and hands to help those you want to help, doing the things you want to do—it was really clever.

Wei Yu lightly shook his fan, giving her a suave look, “Keep it low-key.”

The Third Princess sincerely wanted to help those women and girls suffering hardships. Given the idea from her Ninth Brother, after thinking about it, she also began to consider how to run the Women and Infants Hall.

Seeing her struggle so much, Wei Yu casually said, “Why think so much? If you persuade the palace consorts, they will naturally arrange everything for the Women and Infants Hall. It runs under their name, so no one would let things go wrong inside. They have many capable people at their disposal, much more convenient than you trying to save trouble alone.”

The Third Princess: …

What he said made sense; she had been overthinking.

Looking at Wei Yu hesitantly, she couldn’t help but say, “Ninth Brother, since you left the palace to open your own mansion, I feel your mind has become sharper.”

This time Wei Yu was silent.

“What do you mean my mind has become sharper?!”

Was she praising him for becoming smarter or insulting him for being stupid before?

“No, no, I’m just talking nonsense!”

The Third Princess hurriedly acted innocent to change the subject, “Ninth Brother, since you came up with the Women and Infants Hall idea, will you take responsibility for it?”

“No.” Wei Yu was calm again.

He could do good deeds, but he had already done enough of them; there was no need to intervene at the Women and Infants Hall.

His reputation was already quite high; instead of taking everything upon himself, it was better to let others do it and share the credit.

Besides, something like the Women and Infants Hall would actually work much better if managed by the palace consorts than by himself.

The Third Princess didn’t know what her Ninth Brother was thinking, but hearing his flat refusal, she could only sigh that her Ninth Brother was truly a gentleman and a great man!

He actually gave up such a chance to win people’s hearts so easily!

The Third Princess sighed, “Ninth Brother, you’re truly so good.”

Wei Yu snorted, “Good that you know. People as good as me are rare in this world. Remember to honor me in the future, got it?”

The Third Princess: …

—

Regarding the Women and Infants Hall, the Third Princess kept it in her heart.

Over these years, she had always been raised by Noble Consort Rong, who was kind and relatively gentle to her. If anything happened, the Third Princess basically wouldn’t hide it from her.

But only basically.

After all, the Ninth Brother and her foster mother—of course, she was closer to the Ninth Brother who had cared for her since childhood!

After returning to the palace, the Third Princess followed Wei Yu’s implied instructions. Having seen people selling girls outside the palace today, and feeling pity for the harsh lives of women in this world, she thought it through and decided to open a Women and Infants Hall to shelter women and infants in hardship, and teach them how to earn a living…

The Third Princess wasn’t foolish, especially with prior planning and a good tongue. In the end, she persuaded Noble Consort Rong to agree to propose the Women and Infants Hall to the Empress.

Noble Consort Rong also had a plan, as Wei Yu expected. On her birthday banquet, she mentioned the Women and Infants Hall in front of the palace consorts.

On Noble Consort Rong’s birthday, pitying the difficulties faced by women everywhere and with a kind heart wanting to establish the Women and Infants Hall, how could anyone object to such a good deed?

Thus, the Women and Infants Hall was established with Noble Consort Rong’s proposal, the Empress’s approval, and the tacit consent of the Imperial Consort and others.