Jiang Mian gave a bitter smile. Just as Mo Lan thought, he was fortunate to have been raised by his grandfather, but unfortunate that the affection between father and son was gone. All that remained was face-saving and his father's forced forbearance, because he could not leave the Jiang family, otherwise he would be nothing.
Jiang Mian didn't want to continue this topic, so he directly turned to the Song and Wang families.
"Although the Wang and Song families sent people to investigate in secret, and they knew that the two disappeared within the territory of Ye County, they could only beg me because they couldn't find any evidence. They said they wanted to see the two people alive or dead."
"And then you left?" Mo Lan looked at Jiang Mian, raising an eyebrow.
“They know the chances are slim, and what they’re doing is just an attitude; we don’t need to pay attention to them,” Jiang Mian said, placing the brewed tea in front of Mo Lan. “It’s cold, so I added red dates and ginger; it’s good for warming up.”
Mo Lan: "..."
Jiang Mian looked at Mo Lan's speechless expression and smiled helplessly, "I know you don't like these things mixed in with your tea, but look at how cold and snowy it is outside. Drinking something warm is good for your health."
Mo Lan picked up the teacup and smelled it. The aroma of the tea was mixed with a faint scent of jujube and ginger. To be honest, she was a little hesitant to take a sip. But seeing that Jiang Mian meant well and under his earnest gaze, Mo Lan took a small sip. The taste of the fruit and flower tea wasn't so unpleasant.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're a warm-hearted man? If you get married in the future, you'll definitely be a good husband." Mo Lan put down her teacup and couldn't help but praise her.
"Unfortunately, I haven't found a spouse yet."
"That must mean your standards are too high, and you look down on ordinary girls."
"Is that so? I don't think I'm difficult. I just want to find a confidante, a woman with whom I can talk about anything and everything, from ancient times to the present."
It has to be said that his parents have made things difficult for him a lot over the past few years because of his marriage.
He disliked the women his mother chose for him because she wasn't looking out for him, but rather to help her own family; they were all her nieces. He also couldn't accept the women his father chose for him, as they were all arranged marriages through his connections, with none of them considering his preferences or his happiness.
Thinking of this, Jiang Mian shook his head speechlessly. For some reason, his gaze towards Mo Lan carried a hint of grievance.
In the vast Jiang family mansion, apart from a few close subordinates, there wasn't a single relative with whom he could speak the truth.
Mo Lan knew a little about the Jiang family's affairs. It is said that even an upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes, and as an outsider, it was indeed not appropriate for her to interfere.
"Don't prestigious families always emphasize matching social status? Besides, many noble ladies study music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and recite the Four Books and Five Classics at home. Finding a wife with a strong scholarly atmosphere shouldn't be difficult for you."
“If my grandfather were still alive, it wouldn’t be difficult, but now…” Jiang Mian looked at Mo Lan, his tone bitter, “Now, I’d like to cast aside all social status and just find a soulmate!”
Mo Lan looked at Jiang Mian, then awkwardly touched her nose; she wasn't good at giving advice.
"Ahem... You are the magistrate of our county, so finding a beautiful wife to keep you company won't be difficult. You can inquire privately about the noble ladies from scholarly families, find your target, and then ask an official matchmaker to propose marriage. I think no father-in-law would be unwilling to accept such an excellent son-in-law as you."
My goodness, she did her best!
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