Chapter 80: Marriage Rope
Xiao Yuan's stern expression finally changed. He leaned forward slightly, with his wrists casually resting on the small table.
"Master, when do you think we can arrange it..."
Before he finished speaking, hurried footsteps were heard in the courtyard. Soon, Ling Chenyi pushed the door and walked in. He glanced at the expressions of the master and servant in the room and smiled.
"I rushed here as soon as I got the news, but I didn't expect you to already know."
There was a stove lit in the room. Ling Chenyi walked over to warm his frozen body before taking off his cloak and giving it to Qing'an to put away.
Ling Chenyi came, and Qing'an stopped talking nonsense and went out directly. Ling Chenyi sat down opposite Xiao Yuan with his hands on the heater.
"Tomorrow's engagement ceremony is the best time. The Shen family values reputation and loves their daughter. If they knew about Zhang Yeyang's family affairs, they would be angry and cancel the engagement."
The room is full of guests, so this is a good time to reveal the truth.
Xiao Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly, but he shook his head, "Not tomorrow."
He naturally thought of what Ling Chenyi thought of. Although the timing was good, it was absolutely not possible.
Ling Chenyi raised his eyebrows and instantly understood what he was thinking, "Are you worried that there will be too many people watching the ceremony tomorrow, and Zhang Yeyang's family affairs will be exposed on the spot, which will affect the reputation of the Shen Mansion and Shen Anan?"
He chuckled, "Xiao Yuan, why didn't I realize you were such a considerate and affectionate person before."
Xiao Yuan glanced at him coldly without saying anything.
That woman was stubborn and obstinate, with a proud character. How could she accept so many people's strange looks, and the shame she brought to the Shen family, becoming a laughing stock?
"There are plenty of opportunities. You don't have to wait until tomorrow."
Ling Chenyi nodded upon hearing this, and leaned back lazily, "If tomorrow won't work, then today is the only time left. I'm afraid it's too late to make arrangements now, right?"
Xiao Yuan did not answer, his dark eyes dim in the silent night. After a long while, he asked calmly, "I heard that there is a Yue Lao Temple on the outskirts of the city. It is very popular, and many believers go there to pray for a marriage for three lifetimes."
Ling Chenyi raised his eyebrows, "It seems to be the case. I heard my younger sister mention it a few days ago."
Xiao Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, turned his head to look at the sky outside, and suddenly stood up.
"What are you doing?" Ling Chenyi asked.
"The Imperial Observatory."
——
Shen Mansion, Begonia Garden.
After several days of sleepless nights, now that the dust has settled, Shen Anan can finally have a good sleep. However, before she wakes up completely, Mo Xiang pulls her out of bed.
"girl."
"Speak." Shen Anan pulled the quilt up to cover her head, her voice hoarse and lazy.
Mo Xiang was somewhat helpless, "Just now the maid passed on the news that Master Zhang invited you to go out for a visit."
Hearing this, Shen Anan frowned and poked her head out from under the quilt. "It's so cold, where are we going to swim?"
"It's sunny today, so it's not too cold. I heard from the maid that Master Zhang said there's a Yue Lao Temple on the outskirts of the city, and it's very effective. If we hang a marriage rope on the ancient tree in the temple before getting engaged, we'll have a smooth life and a loving couple."
Shen Anan frowned, "He's so young. He's superstitious."
Mo Xiang smiled and said, "It's better to believe it. We are not in the capital, so the young lady doesn't know. I have asked around and it is said that both common people and high-ranking officials have been there to tie the knot of marriage."
Being young and reckless is the right age to act recklessly. Do we have to wait until we are old to do those childish and impulsive things?
"Master Zhang must have heard something, so he is anxious to go with the girl. Do you want to go?"
If she didn't want to go, she would find a reason to refuse.
"Go ahead. You've already asked me to go. How can I not go?" After all, they will be husband and wife in the future. They should cooperate in all the fun things that couples should do.
Although those things she had never done seemed childish now, they were things she had never been able to obtain even if she had shouted at the top of her lungs.
She suddenly remembered her previous life. Shen Anan took a long breath and shook her head vigorously, getting rid of the haze. Those things would never happen again.
She was brooding over it back then, and now others are trying their best to have it with her, isn't it?
Mo Xiang helped her get up and wash. Although there was sunshine today, it was still very cold in the coldest time of the year. Mo Ran also prepared a hand warmer for Shen Anan to hold.
After putting on a thick cloak, Shen Anan stepped out of the door.
On the archway corridor, Mo Xiang said in surprise, "Miss, look at that person in front of you. Is he Zhusheng, who is beside the eldest master?"
The boy ran very fast, holding something in his arms, and looked very anxious.
Shen Anan gave Mo Xiang a look, and Mo Xiang immediately called out to Zhu An, "What are you doing in such a hurry?"
Zhu An gathered the things in his arms and bowed to Shen Anan, "Miss."
When Shen Anan got closer, she realized that what he was holding in his arms seemed to be a small food box.
"Where does the food come from?" Shen Anan asked, but he already had a guess in his mind.
Zhu An pursed his lips, a little embarrassed, "Yes... Miss Lin sent someone to bring the cake to you. You asked me to hurry up, fearing that it would be too cold and not tasty."
“…”
Shen Anan was silent for a moment, then nodded, “Well, then you should go back quickly.”
"Yes." The servant said and ran away as if he had greased his feet.
Mo Xiang chuckled twice, "It seems that the eldest master treasures the cakes sent by Miss Lin so much that he specially sent Zhu An, who runs the fastest, to pick them up."
Shen Anan curled her lips and said in a calm voice, "There is no food or cakes in the house, but what big brother treasures is not cakes."
Mo Xiang blinked, "Although the two haven't met in these days, I heard from the mansion that they have been sending letters to each other all the time. I guess..."
She didn't finish her words. It was always against the rules to make up stories about the master behind his back.
Shen Anan smiled, with a gentle look in her eyes.
It is not possible to develop deep feelings in such a short time, but the eldest brother does one thing very well: no matter he loves or not, he never wastes other people's feelings, let alone treats them with indifference.
When Shen Anan was leaving the house, the old woman from the Lin family got on the carriage and left with something in her arms. The distance was a bit far, so Shen Anan didn't see clearly what her elder brother gave back to Miss Lin.
But as long as there is give and take, and the two of you work together to maintain it, life will not be boring and difficult.
The carriage had been waiting for a long time. Shen Anan got on the carriage and asked Mo Xiang, "Where is Master Zhang?"
"Master Zhang said there is no need to wait for him. He has already gone to the Yue Lao Temple to ask for the marriage rope. The weather is cold, so when the girl arrives, she can just hang it up."
"Yeah." Shen Anan leaned against the wall of the car. There was a heater in the small car, so she didn't feel cold at all. After a while, she felt drowsy again.
In the cold winter, not many people come to Yue Lao Temple.
The ancient trees in the courtyard were hung with red marriage ropes, swaying back and forth in the cold wind. Some of them were even blown to the ground, scattered everywhere.
There was only an old monk guarding the temple.
No one picks up the red strings that carry the love between men and women, and they are just left to flutter in the wind. Some have even been trampled into the mud by pilgrims, making it impossible to tell their original color.
"Chen Yi, do you think these things are really useful?"
Xiao Yuan was dressed in a dark brocade robe and a white cloak draped over his broad and tall figure. He looked very noble, but his eyes and brows were cold.
He stood under the ancient tree, looking up at the red ribbons all over the tree, his dark eyes dark and unclear.
Ling Chenyi sneered, "You may have been tortured to death by Shen Anan. If that were true, how could there be such crazy men and women in the world? If that was the way to get what they wanted, wouldn't those people come to ask for it?"
Xiao Yuan pursed his lips and walked towards the temple without saying a word.
Ling Chenyi was stunned for a moment, and immediately followed, "You don't really want to try it, do you?"
"What if it's true?" Even if it's one in ten thousand.
Xiao Yuan stopped at the threshold, looked at the large stone carving of the amiable Yue Lao statue inside, then glanced back at Ling Chenyi.
At this moment, there happened to be a couple kneeling on the ground, praying, and a feeling of horror crept straight up Ling Chenyi's back.
Xiao Yuan was really driven crazy by Shen Anan!
"If I ask for it in advance, then what they ask for later will not count."
Ling Chenyi was speechless.
He had even forgotten the purpose of instigating Zhang Yeyang to come here today.
"That's right. Regardless of whether it's true or not, we can't leave hidden dangers in our hearts and let others get there first."
He took out a few silver coins from his pocket and handed them to Xiao Yuan, saying jokingly, "Go and try it. Even if it's true, Yue Lao will have to take care of your bad relationship first."
Xiao Yuan took it and walked in.
He imitated the couple just now and handed the silver to the old monk. After thinking for a while, he took out a gold ingot from his arms and handed it to the old monk.
The more gifts you give, the less blame you will feel!
The old monk was stunned for a moment, then looked up at Xiao Yuan. He was startled by his cold expression and asked, "Sir, are you alone?"
"Um."
The old monk frowned and said, "But it takes two people to ask for the marriage rope together."
After he finished speaking, he suddenly saw Ling Chenyi standing outside the door. His old eyes widened and his expression changed several times.
How come two such handsome young men...
How could Yue Lao bless such a person who has no regard for moral principles?
Before he could finish thinking about the mess in his head, Xiao Yuan interrupted him coldly, "My wife is busy and can't be free today. It's the same for me alone."
As he spoke, he stuffed another gold ingot into the old monk's hand, which made Ling Chenyi's mouth twitch.
If you spend so much money on the statue of Yue Lao, you should get some feedback.
"Oh." The old monk came back to his senses, a little surprised, "Then please start, I will write for you."
Xiao Yuan nodded indifferently, imitating the steps of the man and woman just now, walked to the cushion, half-knelt down and burned incense.
Ling Chenyi looked at his back and suddenly felt a little sad. At this moment, he had an unprecedented urge to kill the scholar directly.
After burning incense, the old monk asked for the two people's names and birth dates, and wrote them on the marriage rope.
Xiao Yuan held the marriage rope with their names written on it, and suddenly he felt dazed for a moment, as if this scene had happened before, and that strong feeling came over him again.
"Donor, donor." The old monk called out a few times before Xiao Yuan turned around and tightened the red rope in his hand.
"Are ancient trees effective?" he asked without thinking.
The old monk smiled and said, "Donor, please hang it higher. If the two of you are in love, you will get what you want."
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