Zheng Boyuan was quietly lost in thought. Xu Rao and Zhang Zhaoci, sitting next to him, looked at each other anxiously. Zhang Zhaoci even regretted it a little. Calling someone to his house and asking him to marry his daughter would seem absurd to anyone. But now, if this matter wasn't resolved quickly, who knew what kind of troubles awaited his daughter?

After much thought, Zheng Boyuan remembered that every time he went back home, his younger sister would talk to him about the Xu family's daughter. He felt that the Xu family's daughter was a kind person, and that such a person would not treat his younger sister badly after marrying her into the family.

If I marry Xu Zhi, there will be someone in my family who can stand behind me, someone who can help me plan for my sister's future. It's not appropriate for a grown man like me to arrange a suitable marriage for my sister, but it's different for my wife.

Having considered all the pros and cons, Zheng Boyuan finally found a reason why he thought this marriage was a good one. He said somewhat shyly, "Uncle Xu, I would like to meet Miss Xu. Is that alright?"

Xu Rao listened, looked at Zhang Zhaoci, and saw that Zhang Zhaoci was also looking at him with a look of surprise.

Zhang Zhaoci said, "Wait a moment, I'll call Xiao Jiu over right away."

Zhang Zhaoci didn't send anyone to the backyard. After Zheng Boyuan arrived, no one was left to serve Xu Rao in his study. In Xu Rao and Zhang Zhaoci's view, this was an extremely confidential matter, concerning Xu Zhi's reputation. In this world, a girl's reputation being damaged was truly a matter of life and death.

When Zhang Zhaoci went to the backyard, he saw Xu Zhi sitting upright in front of the kang table, illuminated by the glass lamp on the kang table. She was holding an embroidery hoop in her hand, but she hadn't made a stitch for a long time. She was looking down, and he didn't know what she was thinking.

Zhang Zhaoci stood at the door and softly called out, "Xiao Jiu," which startled Xu Zhi so much that she dropped the embroidery hoop she was holding onto the table.

Seeing her child so frightened, like a startled bird, Zhang Zhaoci felt as if her heart was being torn apart. Such a beautiful girl should have been cherished and loved, and after secretly sharing her little secrets with a boy she liked who also liked her, they could have lived happily together. But what happened now?

Zhang Zhaoci was terrified. Even if Zheng Boyuan married Xu Zhi, he would look down on Xu Zhi because of what happened tonight.

You see, at this time, even if the woman is interested in the man, she will ask a middleman to go to the man's house to subtly inform him. If the man is interested in the woman, he will ask a matchmaker to come and propose marriage. Who would do something like this, directly inviting the man to their house and asking him to decide whether or not to marry their daughter?

Thinking of this, Zhang Zhaoci was overcome with grief, and her eyes instantly reddened. Seeing Zhang Zhaoci's appearance, Xu Zhi quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears while saying, "Mother, what's wrong? Why are you crying? It's nothing serious. Even if it's not going to work out, I'll cut my hair and become a nun. Wherever you and Father go in the future, I'll stay at the nunnery there. Can't we still be together?"

Zhang Zhaoci knew that Xu Zhi was just trying to cheer her up. She took the handkerchief from Xu Zhi's hand, wiped her own tears, and said, "What are you saying? Cutting your hair and becoming a nun? Do you think you can run around the world like a nun? Don't say things like that again. I came here to tell you that the Zheng family boy wants to meet you and have a good chat."

After hearing her mother's words, Xu Zhi was at a loss for what to do.

The Xu family members didn't like having servants in their rooms. They usually had a few maids clean the house and wait on the outside. If anything happened, they would call someone in to serve them. Xu Zhi usually stayed in her room by herself.

Zhang Zhaoci said, "Hurry up, comb your hair and change your clothes. Come with me to the study in the front to talk."

Xu Zhi grabbed Zhang Zhaoci's hand and said, "Mother, no need, I'll just go over like this."

Zhang Zhaoci looked at her. She wore a casual dress and a slightly worn jacket. Her hair was simply tied up with a hairpin inlaid with a pearl the size of a peanut. She looked refreshing and approachable.

Zhang Zhaoci nodded, then pulled Xu Zhi forward. Two maids serving outside wanted to follow, but Xu Zhi said, "I'm going to the study in front with my mother to say a few words. You don't need to follow."

The mother and daughter left Zhang Zhaoci's courtyard and hurried towards the study in the front yard.

After leaving Xu Zhi's courtyard, you have to pass through Xu Rao and Zhang Zhaoci's courtyard, then Lu Mama's separate courtyard, and then go through the hanging flower gate to reach the front yard.

As we passed by Granny Lu's courtyard, Granny Lu happened to be coming out with two maids. The lanterns at the gate were fairly bright, and Granny Lu had sharp eyesight. Seeing Zhang Zhaoci and Xu Zhi, she called out to them and asked, "What are you doing so late?"

Zhang Zhaoci took Lu Mama's hand, told the two maids to go back to the courtyard first, and then told Lu Mama about what had happened that night.

Upon hearing this, Granny Lu's face changed drastically, and she said, "Are you all foolish? How could you do such a thing?"

Zhang Zhaoci said with a bitter face, "Granny, there's really no other way. The matter is urgent. We can't wait until tomorrow for the Third Prince's people to find out we're back and come to our door to talk about this, can we?"

Granny Lu pondered for a long time, making Xu Zhi's palms sweat. She was even considering cutting her hair and becoming a nun, because she couldn't let her parents and Zheng Boyuan get into trouble.

Granny Lu said, "I'll go with you. Although this matter is urgent, we still need to plan it from the beginning. We can't let anyone find fault with us."

Granny Lu sent her two maids back to their courtyard, and then went to the study in the front yard with Zhang Zhaoci and Xu Zhi.

Upon seeing Zheng Boyuan, Granny Lu asked, "Young Master Zheng, did anyone notice you when you entered the courtyard?"

Xu Rao was also cautious and had someone secretly bring Zheng Boyuan in through the back gate, just in case the Third Prince's men discovered him. Although Ganzhou City was not large, Xu Rao knew very well that the princes all had representatives here.

Zheng Boyuan said, "It should be that no one noticed."

Zheng Boyuan had also undergone special operations training, so he was well aware of whether anyone was watching him.

Granny Lu nodded and said, "Now that things have come to this, let me first say what I think. We can't just say that about the marriage between the two children. I met Zheng's mother back then."

Zhang Zhaoci thought for a moment and said, "I've met the Chen family's younger sister before, but we haven't really spoken much."

Granny Lu said, "Then say that you were very close to the wife of the heir of the Marquis of Pingxi back then, and that you arranged this marriage between your children."