Chapter 10 The ancient iron tree has blossomed...

"Miss, Miss, something terrible has happened..."

Xiaoqian was concerned that Tang Xinuan had a poor appetite, so she went to the kitchen to find some appetizers. On her way back, she heard that the manor had begun to arrange a marriage for the heir.

Tang Xinuan is drawing.

She sat in front of the easel, her slender body thin and frail. Her pale yellow shirt had slipped down, revealing most of her fair and delicate shoulders.

There was some red paint smeared on my forehead.

The contrast with her snow-white skin was striking, making her look gorgeous and dazzling.

I'm feeling a bit irritable right now.

She drew a family of four that she imagined.

She had her body and her clothes ready, but she had forgotten what her parents and brother looked like.

Hearing Xiaoqian call her, she frowned and turned around: "What's wrong?"

Xiaoqian stared at her clean, pure face, untouched by any impurities, and found herself unable to say anything.

Tang Xinuan smiled sweetly and said, "Xiaoqian, I dreamt about my brother last night. He said he wanted to take me home."

Xiaoqian found it increasingly difficult to say it.

When the Tang family was struck by misfortune, all children over five years old were executed, so the young lady had no brothers.

They said they were rescued, but there's been no news of them for so many years, who knows...

"Miss, I just heard that the manor is going to arrange a marriage for the young master. The young master asks you to go to the Duke of Wei's manor to propose marriage within three days..."

Tang Xinuan didn't understand what she meant at first. "What are you talking about?"

Xiaoqian sniffed. "The young master is going to marry another woman."

Tang Xinuan suddenly froze.

Xiaoqian gritted her teeth and said, "That means the manor still needs to make some preparations in the next couple of days. Why don't you take advantage of these two days to try and coax the young master, and maybe he'll soften his heart and not marry someone else?"

I felt so sorry for the young lady that tears streamed down my face.

She wiped for a while before she could stop, "After all, the young master dotes on you so much."

In the evening, Xiaoqian helped Tang Xinu take a bath, and then changed into a particularly beautiful strapless long dress.

Then they styled her hair into a very beautiful bun.

Tang Xinuan was already beautiful, but with this makeover, she looked like a fairy descended from heaven.

"Miss, have you remembered everything I told you?"

Tang Xinuan nodded: "I've remembered them all."

Xiaoqian was still worried, so she repeated it twice more.

"Miss, when you meet the prince, you must tell him directly that you want to be his wife and don't want him to marry someone else."

Tang Xinuan nodded seriously, "I've got it."

Xiaoqian then said, "If this won't work, then you should tell him you want a child."

Having a child would prevent her from being belittled, and the life of a young lady would be easier.

Tang Xinuan remembered it all. "Don't worry, I know."

Xiaoqian repeatedly gave her instructions, and only after she was sure there was nothing else to tell her did she take her out.

Stopped by Qingning, Xiaoqian suppressed her anger and said, "Our young lady misses the young master and wants to see him. Lead the way."

Qing Ning smiled and relaxed: "This servant will take Miss Biao there right away."

Chu Yannuo returned early today. Considering that he had to handle the wedding arrangements, the Regent kindly instructed the Minister to reduce his workload.

He has already sent an invitation to Wei Minxian, inviting her to visit his home tomorrow to admire the flowers.

Of course, not in his own name, but in his third sister's name.

I imagine Wei Minxian is aware of this.

The Hall of Diligent Governance.

Zhou Chuanxing had been reviewing memorials for most of the day, and now he was dizzy, exhausted, and his head was spinning.

The plan to resettle 100,000 disaster victims in the northern region has been finalized; we just need to proceed step by step from now on.

With summer approaching, various regions are stepping up their flood prevention measures.

He has already sent people to inspect areas that frequently experience flooding in previous years.

It is essential to take precautions in advance and prepare rescue plans in case of any unexpected disasters.

The Great Zhou Dynasty has not held the imperial examinations for more than ten years, but the provincial examinations will be held again this autumn.

By calculation, the youngest among the last batch of scholars was already nearly thirty years old.

Therefore, the people who participated in this imperial examination were not scholars.

Instead, recommendations from local officials across the country are the primary basis.

The list will be submitted in another month.

Zhou Chuanxing had considered the potential drawbacks of this approach.

But now he is desperate for talent, and this is the only way.

I only hope that local officials will select more truly capable individuals and not disappoint the imperial court.

...

"Second brother, second brother—"

Princess Chaoli called out to Zhou Chuanxing for a long time without getting a response. She suppressed her temper and pushed him away again and again.

What are you thinking about?

Zhou Chuanxing snapped out of his daze and patted the little hand that was pushing him away. "Your harem isn't enough for you, so you're bothering me again."

Chao Li said unhappily, "What's so fun about the harem? It's the same few faces all day long, so boring."

Zhou Chuanxing doted on this younger sister.

She was his own sister, his youngest sister.

Back when he led his troops into battle, she was still a child.

When he returned to the capital, his mother had already passed away. Only this little boy, with tears on his face, rushed down from his horse and called out to his second brother.

"So what do you want to do?"

Chao Li snorted, "I spent so much effort inviting all the noble ladies in the capital a few days ago, hoping to choose a princess for you and Third Brother, but you two are so inconsiderate of me, you didn't even meet me. You've made me lose face."

Zhou Chuanxing tapped her nose helplessly, "Our most noble little princess of the Great Zhou Dynasty, would she lose face?"

Chao Li slapped his large hand away, "Don't try to fool me. Fourth Brother is already engaged and will be married at the end of the year. The Emperor has no son. If you and Third Brother don't hurry up, what will happen when Fourth Brother has a son..."

The Emperor, Zhou Chuanxing, Prince Duan, and Chao Li are all siblings born of the same mother.

The Fourth Prince was born to Consort De.

He was approaching the age of coming of age, the age when he could enter the court and take charge of affairs.

How could Chao Li not be anxious?

"Second brother, why don't you seem to be in a hurry?"

Seeing that she couldn't reason with her second brother, she gave up on getting angry. "Second brother, I want to go out of the palace for a walk."

Zhou Chuanxing instructed, "Bring your bodyguards with you."

He paused for a moment, then said, "I remember you were on very good terms with the third young lady of the Chu family, why don't you go and take a stroll around the Marquis's residence?"

Chao Li's eyes lit up. "Second brother, you've got something going on."

Hearing a girl's name for the first time from the mouth of the ancient iron tree, how could Chao Li not guess the reason?

Zhou Chuanxing rarely smiled, "You know that, yet you still don't go."

Chao Li was delighted. "I'll go, I'll go, but it's too late today. I'll go first thing tomorrow morning. Second brother, wait for my good news."

Zhou Chuxing instructed, "Things haven't been finalized yet, so don't make it too obvious."

"Understood," Chao Li said hurriedly as he left the Hall of Diligent Governance, ordering someone to deliver a letter to Chu Yanqing, who was going to the Marquis's residence to admire the flowers the next morning.

A note from the author:

----------------------

Chao Li: My second brother has finally found a girl he likes.

Thank you for your support, my lovely readers!

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