Chapter 1 "Didn't you say that marrying whom doesn't matter?"...
In the second month of spring, I went to the capital city, to the Meng residence.
The weather warmed up early this year; by the beginning of February, everyone in the mansion had already taken off their fur coats and put on spring clothes.
In the pavilion next to the rockery in the garden, Cui Xintang and Meng Xu had just finished talking.
A gentle breeze rustled the flower branches, mingling with the cheerful laughter of a girl from the other side of the garden, drifting intermittently into my ears.
The warm sun shone down, making one feel drowsy. Meng Xu casually asked, "Isn't the Ministry of Revenue busy these days?"
Cui Xintang glanced at the other end of the garden, then leaned back lazily, draping her long arm over the pavilion railing.
He glanced at Meng Xu, his phoenix eyes holding a half-smile, and said, "What do you think?"
Springtime is the busiest time for the Ministry of Revenue, and it also coincides with the end of last year when the Princess began to implement new policies involving land taxes, which the Ministry of Revenue was the first to bear the brunt of.
Cui Xintang was so busy that he barely had time to breathe. Today, the yamen was closed, and he finally had a day of leisure. Not wanting to stay in the dull Cui residence, he came to the Meng residence to talk to Meng Xu.
The Meng family had a small population. When Lord Meng was transferred to Fengzhou, he took his second son, Meng Zheng, with him. The only masters in the mansion were Madam Meng and her children, Meng Xu and Meng Zheng.
Two years ago, Meng Xu got married, and the household gained another master.
With a simple relationship between master and servant, there are fewer troubles in the household. The master is tolerant, and even the servants in the Meng household are more at ease than those in other households.
For Cui Xintang, he felt more at ease at the Meng residence than at the Cui residence, and it was a rare opportunity for him to relax.
Upon hearing this, Meng Xu smiled knowingly, "The Ministry of Revenue is not at peace right now, so you should be careful."
After saying that, he asked seriously, "You were doing well in the Hanlin Academy, so why were you suddenly transferred to the Ministry of Revenue?"
The two were the same age and passed the imperial examination together two years ago. Cui Xintang was even more outstanding, becoming the third-ranked scholar and entering the Hanlin Academy.
Just six months ago, for some unknown reason, he was suddenly transferred from the Hanlin Academy to the Ministry of Revenue.
The two had studied together since childhood and were close friends, so Cui Xintang had no intention of hiding it from him.
Just as he was about to speak, the girl's voice suddenly drew closer, accompanied by light footsteps, coming from the other side of the artificial hill.
Cui Xintang's gaze followed the girl's voice to the artificial hill. After a moment of distraction, he thought for a moment, but instead of answering Meng Xu's question, he asked, "Has Yuanyuan been betrothed?"
Yuanyuan was the childhood name of Meng Yuanxiao, the only daughter of the Meng family.
Meng Xu said, "My younger sister has just come of age, so there's no rush. However, Mother has been worried about this matter recently. Although she's not in a hurry to get married, it's time to look for a husband."
"But my younger sister is still very impulsive and childlike, as you know. If she marries into another family in the future, she will inevitably suffer because of her personality. How can Mother bear to do that?"
After he finished speaking, he noticed that Cui Xintang was looking absentmindedly at the artificial hill, seemingly lost in thought.
Meng Xu was stunned for a moment, then a thought suddenly stirred in his mind.
He looked at Cui Xintang and said, "You're not young anymore, it's time for you to get married."
Cui Xintang looked away, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Hmm?"
Meng Xu laughed and said, "You'll have to get married sooner or later, so it doesn't matter who you marry. Among the noble ladies in the capital, no one can compare to my little sister in terms of looks. If my little sister marries you, given our relationship, Mother won't have to worry about her suffering after marriage."
After saying that, seeing Cui Xintang smile without saying anything, Meng Xu immediately waved his hand and said to himself, "Let's forget about it."
"Why did you let it go?" Cui Xintang asked.
“I can’t betray my younger sister, nor can I betray you. You are the eldest grandson of the Cui family, and your future wife must be able to uphold the family’s reputation. How can my younger sister’s personality be up to such an important task?” Meng Xu said.
"As for your second uncle's son, I think he's quite good. He has a good temperament and is studying at the Imperial Academy. He might even pass the imperial examination next year. Plus, he's a better match for my younger sister in terms of age."
"..." Cui Xintang said, "I'd better forget about my second brother. My second aunt is not someone you can easily get along with."
"But why can't I?" he chuckled and asked. "Didn't you say that it doesn't matter who I marry? Why not marry someone I know well? That would save me a lot of trouble. As for what you're talking about, there are other ways to deal with it in the future."
Upon hearing this, Meng Xu was surprised and asked, "Are you serious?"
“Hmm,” Cui Xintang said expressionlessly, “My mother has been urging me to go on blind dates lately, and I have nowhere to hide. So I just went along with her wishes and I can finally have some peace and quiet.”
As they spoke, the girl's laughter grew closer, and soon her clear voice came from the direction of the artificial hill, "Is Big Brother in the pavilion?"
The servant said, "Miss, the eldest young master is discussing matters with Young Master Cui in the pavilion. Shall I inform him for you?"
The girl seemed somewhat surprised, her voice filled with delight, "Brother Tang is here too?"
"yes."
Inside the pavilion, Meng Xu stared at Cui Xintang for a moment, then suddenly smiled and, without waiting for the servant to come and report, called out, "It's alright, come on over!"
"Big brother!" the girl called out, and quickly ran over, lifting her skirt as she went around the artificial hill.
Upon entering and seeing Cui Xintang, she first sweetly called out "Brother Tang," then ran to Meng Xu's side and pestered him, asking, "Big brother, you promised to give me the storybook, it's been several days, but you still haven't given it to me!"
Meng Xu glanced at Cui Xintang across from him and laughed, "I did try to find it for you, but I couldn't get it. Your brother Tang does have some connections, though. Instead of bothering me, you should ask your brother Tang for help."
Meng Yuanxiao's eyes lit up, and she immediately ran around the stone table to Cui Xintang, grabbing his sleeve. "Brother Tang, you haven't come for so long, I've missed you so much!"
“Hmm,” Cui Xintang smiled, showing a rare moment of patience. “I’ve been too busy at the yamen lately and haven’t had time to come over.”
“I understand,” Meng Yuanxiao said, not caring about that. She asked impatiently, “It’s that popular novel in the capital recently, the one that’s so hard to find. Brother Tang, could you get me a copy?”
"No, I want two books!"
Cui Xintang glanced down at the sleeve that she was holding and raised an eyebrow.
Meng Yuanxiao shook his sleeve and pleaded, "Brother Tang, please! I've already boasted to Mingyue and the others that I could definitely get it. If I can't, they'll definitely laugh at me!"
Her pretty little face was full of eagerness, and her round almond-shaped eyes blinked. Cui Xintang couldn't help but want to tease her.
He asked, "If I get it for you, how will Yuanyuan thank me?"
Meng Yuanxiao blinked. She knew it. Brother Tang was still as stingy as ever. Every time she got something out of him, he would always find a way to make up for it.
However, saving face in front of her girlfriends was more important. She rolled her eyes and was about to speak when Meng Xu spoke first.
"If you get it for Yuanyuan, she doesn't need to thank me, I will thank you."
After saying that, he said to Meng Yuanxiao, "Alright, I'll accept on behalf of your brother Tang."
Meng Yuanxiao was in a good mood when he heard him say again, "I still have something to say to your brother Tang. Have you finished your homework? I'll check it later."
Meng Yuanxiao's pretty face immediately fell. She subconsciously looked at Cui Xintang, but Cui Xintang just smiled at her and then glanced at Meng Xu, the meaning of which was self-evident.
With Meng Xu around, he couldn't do her homework for her.
Meng Yuanxiao curled her lip and snorted, "Fine, if you don't want to help, then don't."
However, she didn't forget to flatter him, "I knew Brother Tang was the best! In a few days I'll be going out to play with Mingyue and the others, Brother Tang, hurry up!"
After saying that, he took his maid Hongshao and ran away in a flash.
In the pavilion behind him, Meng Xu waited until his younger sister's figure disappeared before turning his gaze back to his friend, and said suspiciously, "Why do I get the feeling that you've been plotting something all along?"
Cui Xintang paused, glanced at him, and said calmly, "No."
Two days later, Cui Xintang indeed brought the storybook. He didn't come in person, but asked Meng Xu to deliver it to Meng Yuanxiao.
Meng Yuanxiao was overjoyed and sent invitations to her girlfriends early the next morning, inviting them to come over and have fun.
Once everyone had arrived, she pulled out the two storybooks in front of everyone and said proudly, "See? I knew I wasn't lying to you, right? Here are two!"
None of the girls present had one, and when they saw the storybook on the table, they immediately became envious and started chattering around it.
Meng Yuanxiao was being fawned over, his back ramrod straight, his smugness barely concealed.
She pointed to the words on the storybook, "Look, there's even the scholar under the elm tree's autograph! You can't buy this anywhere else!"
The girls were filled with envy again, and some were jealous, making a few sour remarks.
Meng Yuanxiao was secretly pleased and didn't argue with her. She handed one of the storybooks to her friends and said, "I'm not a stingy person. You can borrow this one."
The girls were naturally happy to read it first, and Meng Yuanxiao took another book and stretched out her arm to hand it to Zhang Mingyue.
"Mingyue, this is for you."
Her chin practically touched the roof, and Zhang Mingyue rolled her eyes blatantly. "I don't care, you can take it and see for yourself!"
Meng Yuanxiao wasn't annoyed. He took the storybook back and thought to himself, "If you don't care, I'm reluctant to give it to you!"
Because of these two storybooks, Meng Yuanxiao was quite the star among her girlfriends today.
She was so happy yesterday that she didn't have time to read the storybook. After seeing her friends off, she hid in her room and started reading the storybook.
He was so engrossed in reading that he forgot to eat and sleep. At night, he would secretly light a lamp in his bedside tent and stay up all night to continue reading the storybook.
She naturally woke up late the next day, and by the time Hongshao woke her up, the sun was already high in the sky.
Meng Yuanxiao was still sleepy and turned over to go back to sleep, but Hongshao quickly shook her awake, "Miss, Madam Cui is here, and she wants you to come and pay your respects!"
Meng Yuanxiao rubbed his eyes and sat up, still a little dazed. "Which Madam Cui?"
“Who else could it be but Madam Cui? Of course, it’s the mother of the eldest son of the Cui family!” Hong Shao said. “Madam Cui has been here for a while now. If you don’t go over soon, it will be impolite, Miss.”
Meng Yuanxiao regained some of her senses, but couldn't help being surprised.
Although Brother Tang often visits their Meng residence, this is only a private relationship between Brother Tang and her elder brother. The Cui family and the Meng family do not have much contact. Why did Madam Cui come here in person?
However, since they had come, she, as a junior, should pay her respects. Besides, she hadn't yet thanked Brother Tang for the storybook.
Meng Yuanxiao quickly got out of bed, washed up, and went to his mother Feng's courtyard.
When she arrived, Madam Feng was talking to Madam Wu in the hall. When she saw her come in, Madam Feng smiled and said, "Come here quickly and greet your Aunt Cui."
Meng Yuanxiao greeted her with a sweet smile, "Aunt Cui," and Madam Wu smiled and extended her hand to her, "Yuanyuan, come sit here with Aunt Cui."
Yuanyuan is Meng Yuanxiao's childhood name. Apart from the elders in the family, only Brother Tang and Zhang Mingyue call her that.
Aunt Cui even called her "Yuanyuan".
Meng Yuanxiao didn't dwell on this; naturally, she could be closer to Tang-gege's mother.
She obediently sat down at Madam Cui's feet, looked up happily and said, "Aunt Cui, my friends are all so envious of the two storybooks that Brother Tang gave me!"
Mrs. Wu asked with a smile, "Really?"
Meng Yuanxiao nodded happily, her bright almond-shaped eyes curving into a smile. "Yes, they don't have any, only I do. Aunt Cui, please help me thank Brother Tang."
Wu said, "Since it was your brother Tang who helped you, you should find a time another day to thank him in person."
Meng Yuanxiao thought for a moment, "Alright, then when I see Brother Tang, I will thank him in person."
After asking her a few more questions, Wu continued talking to Feng.
Meng Yuanxiao was finding the conversation rather dull and was getting bored when, unexpectedly, his stomach started rumbling.
She hadn't eaten breakfast, so she hadn't felt hungry before, but now she felt a little hungry.
Madam Feng and Madam Wu also heard this, and they stopped talking and looked at her.
Meng Yuanxiao was extremely embarrassed and wished she could disappear into the ground. Madam Feng smiled and playfully scolded her, "Sleeping in again, aren't you?"
Meng Yuanxiao said awkwardly, "Mother, I was tired from playing with Mingyue and the others yesterday, so I got up late today."
Madam Feng smiled and said to Madam Wu, "My little daughter is spoiled by her two older brothers and is still not settled. I hope Madam Cui will forgive her."
Mrs. Wu smiled and said, "A young girl should be lively."
The two chatted and laughed for a few more minutes, and then Madam Feng said, "Alright, go ahead and have someone check what food is left in the kitchen."
Meng Yuanxiao felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He immediately got up, bid farewell to the two elders, and happily left Feng's room to talk to his sister-in-law.
A note from the author:
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Another novel in this column, "The Seizure of the Beauty," is currently in draft form. It's a story of forceful acquisition and fierce competition, and I'll update it once I've collected enough chapters for more. Feel free to add it to your favorites! I also have a pre-order novel, "The Empress Who Humiliated the Cold and Aloof Prince," which you're also welcome to add to your favorites!
Synopsis of "Stealing the Beauty":
[A naive beauty and a scheming prince, a battle of wits and strength, a fierce and chaotic struggle.]
Zhou Yuan was an adopted daughter of the Cao family, and she lived with her fiancé Cao Changqing.
Cao Changqing was exceptionally talented and famous at a young age, and he treated her with the utmost gentleness.
Zhou Yuan was overjoyed to accompany her fiancé to the capital to take the imperial examination, eagerly awaiting his triumphant marriage after he passed with flying colors. However, everything changed after they arrived in the capital.
The day she caught her fiancé having an affair, Shen Qingyan held her in his arms. He wiped the tears from her lips and whispered in her ear, "The most useless thing in the world is crying. He's found another woman, and you can fall in love with someone else too. Isn't that wonderful?"
***
Shen Qingyan hated one person intensely and had been searching for her for a long time.
When he was at his lowest point, she betrayed him and trampled him underfoot.
When they met again, she had completely forgotten him and abandoned him once more.
This selfish person, one day, came to him for the sake of her beloved. Shen Qingyan scoffed and decided to use this opportunity to keep her by his side.
He proceeded cautiously, but to his surprise, she repeatedly said, "Your Highness's great kindness will surely be repaid by Brother Changqing in the future. My marriage to Brother Changqing was arranged by our parents and the matchmaker..."
Look, he was clearly helping her, but she's trying to absolve herself of all responsibility.
Shen Qingyan sneered, his anger rising even higher. "What, Yuan'er wants to marry him, but wants me to be the one who can't see the light of day?"
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