Xu Dongsheng blushed at the question and remained silent for a long time. He must have liked that girl, but when did he start to care about her?
Was it when Zhang Tongsheng blocked her way at the foot of the mountain and spoke to her, or when he was bravely killing snakes in the mountains?
As he thought about it, Xu Dongsheng's lips gradually curled up, and the blush on his face grew deeper.
His skin, which was originally bronze, has now turned a deep reddish-brown.
Having figured out his own feelings, he said,
"If the Third Miss does not mind my humble origins and is willing to marry into a lower social class, Dong Sheng is naturally willing."
Hearing Xu Dongsheng's words, Zhao Jinfang finally felt relieved and patted Xu Dongsheng on the shoulder, saying...
"Talking to you is exhausting, and my heart is in turmoil."
Alright, I'll go reply to them. You should also find a matchmaker here and settle the marriage proposal as soon as possible.
If there's anything you don't understand, just come to my house and find my wife; she'll explain everything clearly to you.
Xu Dongsheng thanked Zhao Jinfeng and respectfully saw the village chief out the door. He returned to the main room, sat down, and unconsciously picked up the bowl that Zhao Jinfeng had used and took a sip of water.
After realizing what was happening, he frowned, wondering what was wrong with him.
I actually drank an old man's leftover water. I patted my cheeks, feeling a bit like I was possessed.
My heart is pounding, and I can't calm down to do anything, so I might as well close the door and go to sleep.
That day, Xu Dongsheng, unusually, did not study. When he woke up, it was already dark. After washing up briefly, he did not eat anything and went back to sleep.
Zhao Minggeng, who was studying at the county school, had no idea that his delicate eldest daughter was about to get engaged.
He was discussing his studies with his classmates the moment he learned that his daughter was getting engaged.
One moment I was marveling at the excellence of my classmates at the county school, and the next I felt like I'd been struck by lightning.
"Mom, say it again. I must have misheard. My daughter is only 13. She's still a child. How could she be engaged?"
"Mother, are you upset that your son hasn't come home to see you lately, and that's why you made up this lie?"
Zhao Minggeng simply couldn't accept the reality that his daughter would soon have a husband, but his mother kept confirming it, and he felt like the heart of an old father was about to break.
When asked which family's brat had been chosen, he searched his memory carefully and finally remembered what Xu Dongsheng looked like.
That kid used to hunt rabbits with him.
After thinking about it for a while,
"If it's that kid, he's alright. He's barely good enough for my daughter."
I wonder if he's still studying. If he can continue taking the imperial examinations, that would be a good match.
Mrs. Huang glared at her son, annoyed.
"Alright, stop dawdling. Go back and tell your dad and the others to ask for leave. I'll wait for you at our shop, and we'll go home together tonight."
When Zhao Minggeng went back and told his fathers about Zhao Qingyan's engagement, the men of the Zhao family were all in an uproar.
Zhao Qingshan and the others clenched their fists, convinced that their younger sister must have been bewitched by some shameless person.
After learning the whole story, and discovering that the betrothed was still Xu Dongsheng, the brothers instantly calmed down.
That kid used to be the one they admired.
He passed the imperial examination at a young age; if it weren't for the family misfortune, he would definitely be a scholar now, or maybe even a provincial graduate.
In any case, it's a joyous occasion, and when I ask the headmaster for leave, he will surely grant it with pleasure.
That evening, all the men of the Zhao family returned from the county town, accompanied by a cartload of groceries.
Early in the morning, Xu Dongsheng, dressed in his best, arrived at the Zhao family home with the official matchmaker and Zhao Jinfeng and his wife.
As soon as the matchmaker entered the door, she began to speak auspicious words, praising Zhao Qingyan and Xu Dongsheng to the skies, even though she had never even met Zhao Qingyan in person.
After hearing her say a series of auspicious words, the Zhao family agreed to the marriage.
The Zhao family all thought that Xu Dongsheng giving a dowry of ten or twenty taels of silver would be considered generous.
Unexpectedly, this young man not only presented a betrothal gift of 200 taels of silver, but also a full-green jadeite bracelet.
He explained that the bracelet was passed down from his ancestors, and the betrothal gifts were prepared when his parents were still alive. He had also earned some money over the years, so the betrothal money had been preserved.
After exchanging their birth dates and times, the fortune teller on the spot predicted a perfect match, a once-in-a-century union, and the marriage was thus settled.
As for the wedding date, it's still a long way off, since Zhao Qingyan is still young and there's no rush for her to get married.
Xu Dongsheng also thought that he should work harder, earn more money, and preferably pass the imperial examination so that he could be worthy of the Zhao family's precious daughter.
The two sides reached a friendly agreement and then began the meal.
The banquet was naturally arranged by the Zhao family.
During the banquet, the Zhao brothers chatted happily with Xu Dongsheng. When asked if he still insisted on reading, Xu Dongsheng said that he had never put down his books.
This delighted the Zhao family. After Zhao Qianci tested the boy with some questions, he felt that the boy was quite knowledgeable.
I had intended to send him to the county school, but considering his family situation, I decided against it.
"Does Dongsheng need to go to the clan school to study?"
Mr. Yun's scholarship is far superior to that of the Hanlin scholars in the capital. If it weren't for the fact that your eldest uncle and several brothers in the family have not yet achieved official rank, we would certainly be studying at the clan school as well.
If Dongsheng has the time, he should go to the clan school and study under Mr. Yun. This will definitely help him in the imperial examinations in the future.
Of course, if you have other plans, we won't insist.
Xu Dongsheng pondered for a moment and said,
"I wonder when Mr. Yun has time each day so I can ask him. In the rest of the time, Dongsheng can do other things."
Yunyou nodded in agreement. He found the young man very pleasing to the eye, and he was naturally happy to have him as his apprentice.
From then on, a young man could often be seen coming to Zhao Qingyan's house, carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers, a hairpin, a pearl flower, or even a piece of cloth.
Strangely, the gifts this kid gave her kept getting more and more expensive, which made Zhao Qingyan feel uneasy.
"Tell me honestly, how do you make money?"
If you keep spending money like this, your wallet will be empty sooner or later. Do you want to be left without rice to cook after we get married?
Xu Dongsheng tucked the pearl hairpin into Zhao Qingyan's hair.
"It's beautiful. Don't worry about the money. Besides copying books, I've also been painting and drawing some pictures to sell lately, and the prices are pretty good. It's enough to support my family."
Besides, I didn't spend all the money.
I also plan to renovate the yard sometime in the future, otherwise it would be too unfair for you to live in that mud-brick house after you get married.”
Zhao Qingyan was unsure how moved she was, but she felt that this young man had a long-term vision.
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