Chapter 542 The Wedding
Qiao Qinghe nodded in understanding, then turned to Qiao Yuanyao and Qiao Ning and instructed, "You two should go back to your rooms and rest. If you intend to wander around the temple, you must be accompanied by someone and not act alone. Do you understand?"
"Understood." Qiao Ning obediently agreed, and Qiao Yuanyao also nodded with a smile, "Don't worry, Aunt, I will take good care of Qiao Ning."
Madam Wen also said to the young man, "You've accompanied us for so long, you must be tired. Why don't you go back to your room and rest?"
The man nodded and said, "Yes."
The three bowed and withdrew, leaving Li Sanqi staring expectantly at the two. He quickly declared, "I'm not tired, I don't need to rest. I want to hear what you have to say."
Madam Wen poked Li Sanqi's forehead with her finger, annoyed. "You're such a clever little devil."
This means not objecting.
Madam Wen looked at Qiao Qinghe, seeking her opinion.
Qiao Qinghe naturally had no reason to object.
The three entered the room, sat down in turn, and a maid served tea and snacks before leaving.
After obtaining permission from Qiao Qinghe and Li Sanqi, Madam Wen dismissed the other servants, leaving only the three of them in the room.
Madam Wen then said, "Old Madam, you should have guessed why I invited you to offer incense today, right?"
Qiao Qinghe didn't pretend to be confused and nodded, saying, "I guessed it. However, in front of Princess Huaiyang, I must make this clear: my Qiao Ning will not become anyone's concubine."
Madam Wen quickly smiled and reassured her, "I never said I wanted your Qiao Ning to be a concubine."
Qiao Qinghe was taken aback. "So what you mean..."
Madam Wen asked with a smile, "What do you think of my Wen Jue?"
Qiao Qinghe was taken aback. "Wen Jue is...?"
Madam Wen quickly slapped her forehead and said embarrassedly, "Look at me, I didn't even think of introducing you to her."
"Wenjue is my youngest son."
"Sigh, speaking of which, this child has had a hard life."
Madam Wen sighed and said sadly, "This child's birth mother was originally my personal maid. Later, she was promoted to concubine and gave birth to this child at great risk, but she died in childbirth."
"So I took the child in and raised him. When he was five years old, I sent him back to my parents' home to be raised."
"I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me, but I don't want this child to develop ambitions in the Marquis's mansion and compete with my eldest son."
"Fortunately, this child is also very considerate. He has never cried or made a fuss since he was a baby. He was also very sensible when he was at my parents' home. He was literate and skilled in martial arts, and he did not slack off in anything."
"At the age of fifteen, I began to fight alongside my father and brothers, and at the age of eighteen, I was awarded the title of Zhongwu Colonel for my service."
At this point, Madam Wen sighed deeply again, "This child should have had a bright future, but when he was twenty years old, he injured his leg while protecting my elder brother during an enemy attack, and has been crippled ever since."
"The marriage that was originally agreed upon was also called off."
"Seven years have passed in the blink of an eye. I had to persuade him to return to the capital after much pleading and persuasion."
At this point, Madam Wen smiled sheepishly, "As you know, I took a liking to Qiao Ning the first time I saw her. I originally intended to make her a concubine for my eldest grandson. But you said your child doesn't want to be a concubine. That's when I thought of my youngest son."
"I'm not bragging, but apart from having a leg problem and being a little older, my youngest son is perfect in every way."
"Filial, sensible, and caring."
"I genuinely like Qiao Ning; she seems like a lucky girl."
"So, Madam, you mean you want to ask Qiao Ning to marry your youngest son?"
Qiao Qinghe twitched her lips and said with difficulty, "One is twenty-seven years old, and the other is only thirteen... Hmm! Isn't the age difference a bit too big?"
Madam Wen said dismissively, "What's the big deal? Older men are more caring. Besides, it's only a few years' difference. Haven't you seen those old men in their seventies or eighties remarrying girls who are teenagers? This is nothing!"
Qiao Qinghe chuckled dryly, "That's true."
"But Qiao Ning is still young, why should she wait until she comes of age to get married? But Young Master Wen is not young anymore, I'm afraid he can't wait that long, can he?"
This is what it means to politely decline.
Madam Wen naturally understood, but she still insisted, "Oh, what's the big deal? I know what you're worried about. At worst, we can enter the family sooner and consummate the marriage a couple of years later. It's not something that can't be discussed."
"But……"
Qiao Qinghe wanted to find an excuse, but before she could speak, Madam Wen's face darkened. "Madam Qinghe is making all sorts of excuses. Could it be that you dislike my Wen Jue because he is a cripple?"
Seeing that the atmosphere was about to become tense, Li Sanqi, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up.
"Oh dear, oh dear, we were just having a good time discussing the marriage, why are you in such a hurry, Grandmother?"
Li Sanqi approached with a grin, placed a cup of tea in Madam Wen's hands, and said, "Grandmother, you must be thirsty after saying so much. Please have some water."
Then she looked at Qiao Qinghe and asked with a stern face, "Does the old lady dislike my uncle?"
As she spoke, she winked at Qiao Qinghe.
Qiao Qinghe quickly waved her hand, "No way."
"Young Master Wen is handsome and skilled in both literature and martial arts. He is young enough to fight on the battlefield, truly a hero among men."
"Moreover, Young Master Wen comes from a noble family and has a distinguished status."
"My daughter Qiao Ning is merely the daughter of a merchant."
"To be favored by the Madam and have her agree to the marriage is truly an honor for our Qiao family."
Madam Wen's expression softened slightly, and she was about to nod when Qiao Qinghe continued, "But the age difference between these two is really too great."
Madam Wen's face darkened again.
Seeing that she was about to get angry, Li Sanqi quickly said, "Grandmother, Madam, haven't you ever thought about marrying Yuanyao to my uncle?"
Both of them were taken aback and looked at Li Sanqi.
Li Sanqi smiled and continued, "Yuanyao is twenty-three this year, and your uncle is twenty-seven. Isn't that just right?"
Madam Wen's face darkened. "Is this a matter of age?"
She liked Qiao Ning as a person, which is why she didn't mind Qiao Qinghe's reputation and Qiao Ning's background, and was willing to let Qiao Ning enter their Yongchang Marquis's mansion.
Does she really think she could accept any other woman from the Qiao family?
Don't they realize how old this Qiao family girl is?
Qiao Qinghe was also a little embarrassed. She knew her own family's situation. Not to mention that Qiao Yuanyao was already past the age of marriage, it was normal for Madam Wen to look down on her after the incidents that happened a couple of years ago.
Seeing this situation, Li Sanqi was immediately at a loss. "Why don't you ask the person involved what they think?"
Li Sanqi looked at Qiao Qinghe and said, "Madam, please don't refuse my maternal grandmother right away. What if Miss Qiao Ning doesn't mind that my uncle is too old?"
Qiao Qinghe smiled awkwardly, "The princess is right."
Li Sanqi grabbed Madam Wen's hand and shook it again, "Grandmother, you can't deny the possibility that my uncle might take a liking to Yuanyao, can you?"
Madam Wen twitched her lips but did not deny it.
Soon, the two elderly ladies returned to their respective rooms and called their younger relatives to ask for their opinions.
"What do you think of that Miss Qiao?" Madam Wen asked bluntly. "I'd like to ask for her hand in marriage for you. Do you like her?"
Wen Jue was startled, and immediately blurted out a refusal, "Mother, how old is that little girl? I could be her father! No, absolutely not!"
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