Xue Jiyan nodded slightly, a satisfied smile on his face. He walked out of the room, facing the bright sunshine in the yard, his heart full of anticipation and joy.
At the gate of the marquis' mansion, the carriage and horses were ready. Xue Jiyan helped his mother Hong Yingrong onto the carriage, and he himself rode a horse and led a group of followers to the Weiyuan General's Mansion.
On the street, pedestrians stopped to watch, and discussions arose one after another.
Xue Jiyan rode on the horse with an upright posture and a bright look, attracting envious glances from many passers-by.
Soon, the group arrived at the Weiyuan General's Mansion. The gate of the Ding Mansion was already decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the atmosphere was festive. The Ding family's servants came forward and warmly welcomed Xue Jiyan and his group.
Ding Dayong personally went to the gate and warmly welcomed his future mother-in-law Hong Yingrong and son-in-law Xue Jiyan.
His eyes fell on Xue Jiyan, and seeing this civil official coming on horseback with an upright posture and an elegant demeanor, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy and satisfaction in his heart.
Recalling when his eldest sister, Concubine Shoukang, mentioned his father's engagement with the old marquis, he was worried that this would cause complications and unnecessary disturbances.
However, at this moment, looking at the handsome son-in-law in front of him, the worries in his heart have disappeared, replaced by an increasingly strong love and recognition.
Deep inside the mansion, in her boudoir, Ding Xinwan sat quietly on the embroidered couch, a hint of shyness and anticipation on her face.
Since it was inconvenient to show up in front of the door, she chose to stay inside and spend this special moment with her good sister Qiao Heyuan.
Qiao Heyuan walked gently to Ding Xinwan, held her hand, and had a warm smile in her eyes.
"Sister Wan, today is your big day. This is to add to your makeup. I wish you a happy marriage and many children and grandchildren."
As she spoke, she took out a pair of white marble bowls from an exquisite wooden box and handed them to Ding Xinwan, "This is what my mother picked specially for you."
Ding Xinwan took the bowls and saw that they were engraved with dragon and phoenix patterns, symbolizing good fortune. A warm feeling welled up in her heart, and she said gratefully, "Thank you, Yuan'er, and thank you, Auntie, for your careful selection. This pair of bowls is so beautiful, I will definitely cherish it."
The two smiled at each other. Ding Xinwan gently pulled Qiao Heyuan's hand and asked in a low voice, "Yuan'er, when will you and Doctor Hong be engaged? I see that you two are very much in love, so why not settle this matter as soon as possible?"
When Qiao Heyuan heard this, a blush immediately spread across her face. She lowered her head shyly, twisting the silk handkerchief in her hands, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz: "Sister Wan, why are you talking about me? I... I'm not in a hurry. He's like a piece of wood, all he does all day is study those medical books, how could he understand these things."
Ding Xinwan couldn't help but chuckle at Qiao Heyuan's shy look. She joked, "Although Doctor Hong is obsessed with medicine, I can see clearly his feelings for you. If you're willing, you might as well give him some hints so that he can wake up sooner and propose to you."
Qiao Heyuan felt even more embarrassed by Ding Xinwan's words. She pouted in mock anger and said, "Sister Wan, there you go again. You always try to take advantage of me. I don't want to pay any attention to him. Let him read the medical books however he wants."
Seeing Qiao Heyuan's reaction, Ding Xinwan knew she was shy, so she stopped teasing her. Instead, she gently held her hand and said seriously, "Yuan'er, I'm telling the truth. If you're willing, just give it a try."
After hearing what Ding Xinwan said, Qiao Heyuan knew that she was truly doing this for her own good, so she nodded seriously and said, "Well, Sister Wan, I'll think about it. Thank you for always caring about me."
At this moment, there was a sudden sound of footsteps outside the door, followed by a servant's voice: "Miss, the master asks you to go to the front hall and pay your respects to the old lady of the Marquis' Mansion."
Upon hearing this, Ding Xinwan immediately stood up, straightened her dress, and said to Qiao Heyuan, "Yuan'er, I'm going to the front hall first to pay my respects to the old lady. You wait here, I'll be back soon."
Qiao Heyuan also stood up and nodded with a smile: "Sister Wan, go ahead. I'll be waiting for you here, don't worry."
Ding Xinwan walked out of her boudoir, passed through the corridor, and came to the front hall.
Hong Yingrong had met Ding Xinwan several times before, so she didn't feel awkward meeting her now. Ding Xinwan stepped forward and bowed gracefully, her demeanor revealing the elegance of a lady from a noble family.
However, when her eyes inadvertently swept across Xue Jiyan beside her, an inexplicable shyness surged in her heart.
Thinking back to when they were at the Nancheng porridge stall, she only regarded him as a person in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, and her words and actions were without any scruples.
But now, he was her legitimate future husband. This new identity made her feel a little helpless when facing him. Even the courage to look up at him disappeared without a trace.
Xue Jiyan stood aside and keenly noticed Ding Xinwan's subtle changes. He laughed in his heart, but he also understood that this was a normal reaction of a woman when facing the man she liked.
He didn't interrupt her, but just looked at her with gentle eyes, giving her enough space and time to adapt to this new change.
Ding Xinwan took a deep breath and tried to calm the shyness in her heart.
She knew she couldn't keep hiding like this, after all, they were about to spend their lives together. So, she mustered her courage, slowly raised her head, and met Xue Jiyan's smiling eyes.
The moment their eyes met, they both seemed to read each other's intentions from each other's eyes.
In the front yard, a wide variety of betrothal gifts were neatly arranged. The housekeeper respectfully took the gift list and handed it to Ding Dayong for his review.
Ding Dayong glanced at the gift list, a deep and satisfied smile appeared on his face. He sighed and said, "These betrothal gifts are really priceless. The old lady spent a lot of money. I only have Xinwan, my precious daughter. Once she gets married, all these will follow her into the Marquis' Mansion." His words revealed his deep fatherly love for his daughter.
As he spoke, he waved his hand generously and pointed around, his face filled with pride and open-mindedness: "From now on, this house will also be theirs. I, Ding Dayong's daughter, will not be wronged when she gets married."
Hong Yingrong understood Ding Dayong's deep love for his daughter. The Marquis's Mansion was not coveting the generous dowry, but sincerely hoped that the two beauties could become a match made in heaven, spend their lives together, and grow old together.
Xue Jiyan stepped forward and bowed deeply to his future father-in-law. This action filled Ding Dayong's heart with joy, and he was simply overjoyed.
Then, Xue Jiyan turned to Ding Xinwan and said affectionately, "These betrothal gifts were carefully prepared by my mother for Sister Ding, and I have also prepared a special betrothal gift separately." He smiled, his eyes gleaming with sincerity, "I hope Sister Ding will accept it."
After saying this, he clapped his hands lightly towards the door. As the applause died down, a servant led a sturdy chestnut horse slowly into the yard.
The horse was in high spirits, and seemed to add a touch of warmth and vitality to this festive occasion.
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