After hearing what the Xu family father and son said, Zheng Boyuan's somewhat anxious heart finally calmed down.

That evening, Xu Zhi and Zheng Boyuan had to rush back to Hexi, a journey that would take nearly two hours. They simply couldn't stop now, so Zhang Zhaoci reluctantly saw Xu Zhi off onto the carriage parked outside the second gate.

Watching the carriage leave the courtyard, Zhang Zhaoci sighed and said sadly to Granny Lu, "Alright, the child has been completely set free. How high and how far she flies in the future is up to her."

Granny Lu smiled and said, "I think our Ninth Miss is a child who can fly very high. Ninth Miss has lofty aspirations and a strong will. She will always be able to do what she wants to do well."

Zhang Zhaoci sighed, said nothing more, and turned to walk somewhat forlornly towards the backyard. How could she not know that if she wanted her child to succeed, this was a necessary step? She was doing this for the child's own good, but she was always reluctant, unwilling to let her child suffer, unwilling to let her child be tired, afraid of this and that. Now that her child had taken this step, all she, as a mother, could do was stand behind her child and watch silently.

When Xu Zhi returned to her parents' home, Xu Ru and Xu Quan had to prepare their belongings and take the children back with them.

Xu Gui felt uneasy; she had been thinking about Lu Mingzhang for the past few days.

She didn't think Lu Mingzhang was joking. What would she do if Lu Mingzhang really went to her house to propose marriage?

Xu Gui naturally knew that her sisters were all preparing to find husbands and get married, but what if Lu Mingzhang really sent someone to propose marriage to her family?

Xu Gui felt she couldn't pretend this hadn't happened. After thinking it over for several days, she made up her mind and one afternoon went to the courtyard where Xu Di and Li Yuexi were staying to ask Xu Di some questions.

Xu Di was somewhat surprised by Xu Gui's visit. To be honest, of all his younger sisters, Xu Yao left the deepest impression on him. It was because of what Xu Yao had done that Xu Di had pulled her out of that mess. Otherwise, Xu Yao would have really fallen into that bottomless quagmire.

Although Xu Yao's actions were despised by people of this era, Xu Di admired her unwavering determination and appreciated the young girl's ability to let go of what she had done.

Xu Di only remembered Xu Gui's appearance because she was not very noticeable, and he didn't have a deep impression of her.

When her sister-in-law came over, Li Yuexi naturally gave her a warm welcome. When she heard Xu Gui say that she had something to discuss with Xu Di, Li Yuexi smiled and said, "You two siblings can talk here. I'll go to the kitchen to see what we're having for dinner."

Xu Gui opened the door and told Xu Di about her encounter with Lu Mingzhang on the day of Xu Zhi's wedding. Then she told Xu Di about her mother's relationship with the Duke of Ningguo's mansion and how she and Lu Mingzhang had known each other since childhood.

Xu Di remained silent for a long time after hearing Xu Gui's words. Xu Gui said somewhat embarrassedly, "Big brother, I came to you because I wanted to ask you for advice. Big brother knows a lot of the guards at Yanmen Pass. Could you help me find out about Lu Mingzhang?"

Xu Di said, "It's not a big deal to inquire, but Sixth Sister, Lu Mingzhang is a local illegitimate son of the Duke of Ningguo's family, while you are the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Yongning's family. If he wants to marry you, do you really want to marry him?"

Xu Gui said, "Elder brother, the marriages of the sisters in the manor have been delayed for a long time. Now there are many things going on in the capital, and if we are not careful, we will cause trouble for the family. The Ningguo Duke's manor has always been one to stay out of things. Moreover, Lu Mingzhang is currently in Hexi. If he is willing to marry me, I will marry him and come to Hexi with him."

Xu Di shook his head and said, "Sixth Sister, marriage is not a child's play. You can't agree to marry someone just because they want to."

Upon hearing Xu Di's words, Xu Gui blushed with embarrassment. After stammering for a while, she said, "Big brother, he and I have known each other since childhood. My mother and the second mistress of their household are cousins. With this relationship, I can always gain a foothold in the Ningguo Duke's mansion."

Xu Di shook his head and said, "Sixth Sister, you misunderstood. I'm not saying you're not good enough for the young master of the Ningguo Duke's Mansion. I just think that when a girl is looking for a husband, it's not just about the family's reputation, but most importantly, it's about marrying someone she likes who can also love her. Sixth Sister, finding a husband is not an easy thing for a girl."

Xu Gui said, "Big brother, I'm sorry, but I've thought about it for a long time and Lu Mingzhang is the most suitable marriage partner. Although we sisters are from the Yongning Marquis's family, the Yongning Marquis is only our great-uncle. My mother's family has now returned to their ancestral home. Most importantly, my father has no official rank and is just a minor official in the Six Ministries. If we sisters want to have a good life in the future, we must not marry into a high-ranking family."

Xu Di said, "But we are sisters after all, and we brothers are also our sisters' support."

Xu Gui gently shook her head and said, "Big brother, although that's true, you can't rely on your family for everything after you get married. I've thought about it, and I'll find someone decent to marry, and then the two of us can live a good life together. Grandmother once said that it's not easy for a woman to get married. Sometimes it's just a one-time deal. But no one can predict what life will be like after marriage. Big brother, we sisters can't compare to our eldest sister and fourth sister."

Xu Di said, "But I know Lu Mingzhang is much older than you. He must be twenty years old this year."

Xu Gui said, "He's six years older than me, which isn't that old. He's like an older brother. Finding a good husband for a girl is like gambling. You just have to bet on it. If you keep picking and choosing, who knows if you'll miss out on the most suitable one?"

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