Isn't the girl in this painting Miss Su?
Is the older brother interested in Miss Su?
That's wonderful. My mother entrusted me with organizing today's banquet, so my efforts haven't been in vain.
Xiao Dai suppressed her joy and said calmly, "Brother, don't rush. You practice first. I'll find the person who delivered the sheet music to write the lyrics another day. You can also exchange musical skills while you're at it."
Before Xiao Kang could even find out who had delivered the sheet music, Xiao Dai had already quickly left.
After leaving her older brother's courtyard, Xiao Dai couldn't contain her joy and headed straight for the east courtyard.
"Dair, are you sure you didn't see it wrong? Is the person your eldest brother painted really Miss Su?" Upon hearing the good news from her daughter, Princess Yannan couldn't believe it was true.
“Mother, it’s absolutely true. Today, I accompanied Miss Su to the first hall. The background of that painting is also a scene from the hall. I also asked the maids who were on duty outside the hall today. They said that when my eldest brother came to the flower hall, he walked along the corridor, bypassing the garden.”
"Oh my! Congratulations! The Princess has finally received good news. The young master's love star has been shining brightly!" Aunt Cai, who was standing to the side, was as happy as if she herself was getting married, and she kept congratulating the Princess.
"Congratulations, Your Highness."
"Our royal residence will soon have a joyous occasion."
The head maids in the room beamed with joy and offered their congratulations to the princess.
The princess was overjoyed, her wish to have a grandson finally seeing the light of day.
She said to Aunt Cai, "Take some silver ingots from my private treasury to reward everyone. All the old women and servants in the kitchen and the outer courtyard will receive a reward."
Xiao Dai added, "Auntie said that everyone did their job well at today's banquet without making a single mistake. Big Brother is a reserved person, and things that are still far from being settled should not be revealed to anyone."
The princess looked at her composed daughter with approval in her eyes. She nodded slightly, "Dai'er has thought things through thoroughly. Let's reward her as Miss said."
Aunt Cai accepted the order and left. The princess couldn't wait and grabbed her daughter's hand. "Dai'er, invite Miss Su to the palace again in a few days. I think that girl is dignified and virtuous. She is obviously a girl with excellent upbringing."
"Mother probably doesn't know yet, but Miss Su comes from the capital. Her father was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) and once held the rank of a third-grade official. If it weren't for certain circumstances, her whole family wouldn't have ended up in Yannan, let alone come to Laiyang."
"Mother doesn't care what rank her father holds, as long as she and your elder brother are in love, that's enough. I think the day after tomorrow will be a good day, so you can send a separate invitation to Miss Su."
Seeing her mother's eagerness to hire a matchmaker to arrange a marriage the very next day, Xiao Dai covered her mouth and chuckled.
“Mother, you are too hasty. Miss Su may seem quiet, but she is intelligent and clever. If you are too deliberate, she will feel embarrassed.”
"Yes, yes, yes, Mother was a little too hasty. Your elder brother is willing, but we still need to see if Miss Su is interested. Keep this in mind. Once you find out Miss Su's feelings, Mother will ask the matchmaker to prepare generous gifts and go to the Su family to propose marriage."
The princess was so overjoyed that she lost her sense of proportion only after Xiao Dai reminded her.
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
Xiang Song kept receiving news from various counties that the collection of medicinal herbs was going very smoothly.
These days, Xiao Jingzhao has also been busy; he couldn't just stand by and watch the epidemic strike.
He instructed the government to spread the news of the possible floods this year beyond Yannan, and also ordered the prefectural physician to compile a list of precautions for preventing epidemics after the floods, which was then put into a notice.
He then personally delivered it to Linjiang Academy, asking the headmaster to find a meticulous scholar with good handwriting to copy it.
Su Nan also participated in the copying. Su Han was the oldest in the academy, and he was responsible for proofreading.
Su Yi delivered a stack of accurate notices to the headmaster's study.
Seeing Xiao Jingzhao talking to the headmaster in the study, Su Yi bowed, put down the notice, and left.
When Xiao Jingzhao came out of the headmaster's study, he saw Su Han still standing under the corridor not far away.
Xiao Jingzhao walked over and stopped, his gaze indifferent.
Su Han bowed to him and asked, "Is there an epidemic not far from the capital?"
"Not necessarily, it's better to be prepared."
“She’s fine.” Before Su Yi could ask, Xiao Jingzhao added.
Su Han lowered her eyes. "That's good."
Xiao Jingzhao knew that the Su family was concerned about Jiang Shuyue, so these words were meant to comfort them. In her letter, Jiang Shuyue only mentioned the current situation in the capital and matters related to the epidemic, without saying a single polite word to him.
She didn't send a message to the Su family, presumably because she didn't want to trouble them.
Thinking of this, Xiao Jingzhao felt inexplicably uncomfortable.
Nangong Zeyue is as close to his son as father and son, so what is his relationship with Jiang Shuyue?
Su Yi coughed lightly, and Xiao Jingzhao's thoughts returned to their normal state.
"The autumn examinations are coming up in Yannan soon, so you should prepare well."
In the past, before Yannan and the imperial court broke off relations, scholars who passed the Yannan autumn examination would go to the capital the following year to participate in the imperial examination.
This year is special. Xiao Jingzhao has his own standards for selecting talents. Whether these scholars will go to the capital to take the exam next year depends on the situation later.
After Xiao Jingzhao finished speaking, he turned and left.
Only after leaving the academy did he belatedly realize that he had probably talked too much that day.
Is this a case of loving someone because of their loved ones?
Yes, the Su family treated Sui Sui very well; it was as if he was repaying the Su family's kindness on behalf of his son.
"Master, are we returning to the manor?" Xiangyang asked.
"No, go to the government office."
Upon arriving at the government office, Xiao Jingzhao had someone quickly send out notices regarding epidemic prevention.
Xiao Jingzhao's efforts were not in vain; after the notices about epidemic prevention and precautions were sent out,
When the county governments learned that the prescription came from Yannan, the magistrates of various counties attached great importance to it and copied it down to spread it around. Everyone spread the word and told each other, and it quickly spread throughout the entire Wanling Kingdom.
A few days later, Xiao Jingzhao was handling official business in his study. When he got tired, he took out Sui Sui's portrait to look at it again.
He was willing to work tirelessly, even without sleep, in order to reunite with his son as soon as possible.
The sun shines brightly outside the window.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, and the sky became covered with dark clouds. Large, fluffy clouds drifted over the palace like a thousand horses.
A gust of wind that swept in through the door blew the papers on the desk out the window, scattering them all over the floor.
Xiao Jingzhao put down his pen and ink and hurriedly chased after him.
Xiang Song hadn't returned from sending a message, so Xiang Yang quickly closed the window and went out after him.
The master and servant chased after the papers flying all over the courtyard.
At this moment, a man who looked to be in his early twenties walked in from outside.
The man was dressed in a light green cloud-patterned brocade robe. He had handsome features, a smile on his face, and exuded an air of nobility and elegance, as well as a hint of unruliness.
"Your Highness."
Hearing the shout, Xiao Jingzhao stopped and turned around, waving to the person who came. "Xiangzhi, you finally decided to come back? Help me quickly, there are important things inside, I can't lose a single one."
"What could be more important than me?" Lin Xiangzhi muttered to himself, but his body still dutifully chased after the papers being swept up by the wind.
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