The next day, after breakfast, Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan prepared to leave the mansion and go to the residence of the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

However, just as they reached the second gate, a maid in a pale yellow dress ran over and said, "Your Highness, Your Highness, the Minister of Revenue, Lord Tao, and his wife have arrived."

Shen Wan, “…???”

She and Xie Jingyan were going to Lord Tao's residence, so why are Lord Tao and Madam Tao here?

As the two walked forward, they saw Steward Zhou leading Lord Tao and Madam Tao toward them from afar.

Even though they were far apart, Shen Wan could sense their anxiety.

Just as Shen Wan had guessed, Lord Tao was unable to sleep at night after receiving the visiting card from the Ling Prince's Mansion.

They couldn't fathom why the Ling Prince's Mansion was sending a visiting card to the Tao Mansion. What merit did the Tao Mansion possess to deserve this? Moreover, not only was the Ling Prince visiting, but the pregnant Ling Princess was also going to their residence.

Lord Tao and Madam Tao pondered the visiting card for a long time. Normally, sending a visiting card wouldn't be a bad thing, but good things never come their way. Madam Tao thought that Shen Wan was pregnant, and the Tao residence was too far from the Ling Prince's residence. It was better not to let the Ling Prince's wife travel to their Tao residence. Being pregnant and sitting in a carriage for half a day would ruin her good mood.

These are important people that the Tao family cannot afford to offend, which is why they arrived at the Ling Prince's residence early in the morning.

Steward Zhou led them over, and Shen Wan said, "We have business to attend to at the manor. What brings Lord Tao and Madam Tao to our Lingwang Manor?"

Madam Tao quickly smiled and said, "The Princess Consort is pregnant and should not overexert herself. We can come to the Ling Prince's residence if there is anything we need."

Shen Wan chuckled, "That's different."

...Is there any difference?

Madam Tao did not understand.

She looked at Master Tao, wondering if they were going back to wait for the arrival of Prince Ling and Princess Ling.

Lord Tao looked at Xie Jingyan and said cautiously, "Then...shall we go back and wait for the Prince and Princess?"

Xie Jingyan said, "There's no need for that."

Shen Wan said, "Please, Lord Tao and Madam Tao."

No one in a superior position had ever treated them with such courtesy, and both Lord Tao and his wife were somewhat apprehensive.

In Kyoto, where powerful and wealthy people were everywhere, a fifth-rank official was hardly worth mentioning.

Shen Wan invited them to Moyuxuan, and Lord Tao hurriedly said, "Your Highness and Your Highness, please."

Even if they had a few extra lives, they wouldn't dare walk ahead of Prince Ling and Princess Ling.

Lord Tao has never been before the Emperor, but he has heard plenty of stories about Prince Ling disobeying the Emperor and refusing to respond to the Emperor's summons. How could he dare to be presumptuous in front of Prince Ling?

Shen Wan and Xie Jingyan didn't make things difficult for them. They entered the main hall and invited Lord Tao and his wife to sit down.

As the maid brought over tea, Lord Tao couldn't help but ask, "I wonder why Prince Ling and Princess Ling sent a visiting card to our Tao residence...?"

Shen Wan said, "We sent the visiting card to your residence to ask for the handover of my cousin Yun's eldest daughter."

Lord Tao, "...???"

Mrs. Tao, “…???”

A marriage proposal?

The two exchanged a glance.

Everyone was stunned.

They spent half the night speculating and considering all sorts of possibilities, but they never considered proposing marriage.

Why would it be a marriage proposal?

Although the Yun family is just a merchant family and no one in the court holds an official position, the Yun family is no longer what it used to be. They are no longer a family that the fifth-rank officials could ever hope to reach.

The Yun family's in-laws are the Marquis of Pingyang's Mansion, the Minister of Rites' Mansion, the Prince of Yanping's Mansion, and the Marquis of Xuanping's Mansion, all of whom hold high positions and great power. Why would they be interested in the Tao family?

If they agree to the marriage, won't their daughter become sisters-in-law with Princess Qinghe in the future?

Madam Tao felt like she was dreaming. Under her sleeves, she pinched her index finger with her thumb.

pain.

I'm not dreaming.

But Madam Tao was still somewhat skeptical. She looked at Shen Wan and said, "How could the Yun family possibly take a liking to my daughter?"

Shen Wan really didn't know how her second cousin had taken a liking to Miss Tao. She didn't have a chance to ask, so she said, "Don't worry, Madam Tao, my second cousin is of good character. I can vouch for that."

When choosing a son-in-law, family background, talent, and appearance should all be considered, but character should be the most important factor.

If you marry a person of bad character, no matter how good they are in other aspects, it's useless.

Madam Tao said, "Although I have never met Young Master Yun, I believe that someone who can get the help of Prince Ling and Princess Ling to act as matchmakers must be quite good."

Shen Wan smiled and said, "So, Lord Tao and Madam Tao have agreed to betroth their daughter to my second cousin?"

Lord Tao and Lady Tao exchanged a glance.

I don't know whether I should agree immediately.

They didn't know anything about Young Master Yun's character, and they agreed to the marriage without even asking around. It was too hasty. But the matchmaker for Young Master Yun was Prince Ling and Princess Ling. If they didn't agree, and this got out, I'm afraid no one would dare to ask for their daughter's hand in marriage in the future.

Lord Tao said, "It is my daughter's good fortune that the Yun family has taken a liking to her. Moreover, Princess Ling helped my daughter out of a predicament before, and she has been kind to her. However, I don't understand why the Yun family, whose betrothal partners are all of higher status, would take a liking to me, the daughter of a mere fifth-rank official..."

They insist on finding out why the Yun family likes their daughter before agreeing to the marriage.

A daughter's marriage is a major event in her life, so it's normal for parents not to take it lightly. If they had just agreed to the marriage, Shen Wan would have looked down on it.

Shen Wan smiled and said, "Is this the only doubt you and Madam Tao have?"

...I dare not have any more than that.

Mrs. Tao nodded.

Shen Wan then asked, "Has Madam Tao seen the jewelry that Princess Shouchun took a liking to, which belongs to Miss Tao?"

Weren't we talking about marriage? Why did we suddenly switch to jewelry?

Madam Tao didn't understand why Shen Wan had changed the subject, but she still answered truthfully, "I've met her."

Shen Wan asked, "Does Madam Tao know who gave that set of jewelry to the eldest daughter of your household?"

Madam Tao shook her head. "My daughter said it was a friend who couldn't go to Jinbaoge to pick up the jewelry set because she was away from the capital, so she gave her the receipt and asked her to pick it up on her behalf."

Shen Wan smiled and said, "That's not wrong. Back then, my second cousin went to the Wei family in the Northwest to discuss a horse deal for the imperial court, and he really couldn't get the jewelry."

Mrs. Tao, “…!!!”

That set of jewelry belongs to Young Master Yun?!

Because the jewelry was so beautiful, she didn't think much of it and assumed that her daughter's friend was a girl. It turned out to be the second young master of the Yun family.

Mrs. Tao was so embarrassed that she couldn't sit still on the stool.

How can a young lady from a respectable family have private dealings with men outside the home?

If Young Master Yun is too busy to retrieve the jewelry himself, he can send a servant or even ask Princess Ling for help. It's not her daughter's place at all.

Even if Madam Tao was foolish, she should have known that the jewelry was a gift for her daughter.

She accepted such valuable jewelry, which shows that her daughter likes Young Master Yun.

If she had known that pressing the matter would lead to this, Madam Tao would have wished she hadn't brought her mouth at all.

Shen Wan looked at Yin Shuang, who then brought out a brocade box.

Inside the brocade box was a pair of double fish pendants.

This is the engagement gift that Shen Wan chose for her second cousin.

Shen Wan picked up one of the pieces and handed it to Madam Tao.

Madam Tao, suppressing the burning sensation on her face, stood up and accepted the jade pendant.

Regarding the other piece, Shen Wan instructed Haitang, "Send this jade pendant to the Yun family."