Chapter 10 Come over.
At this moment, the courtyard of Shuying Hall was brightly lit, with wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys.
The old lady was busy at the table, her arms wrapped in a bun, cooking. The sounds of cooking were quite lively.
Granny Liu never expected that this place would be so different from Chong'an Hall. She rushed in headfirst, only to be frightened and run away.
"who?"
Wei Xuan, who was sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, heard the noise.
Granny Liu stood outside the fence, her eyes darting around. "It's nothing. If it's inconvenient for you, young master, I'll come back later."
"The Duke's mansion acts with integrity and cannot tolerate such cover-ups." The old lady glared at Granny Liu.
Granny Liu was a stranger, but the old lady knew at a glance that she was the person brought in by the mistress.
The eldest son went too far by finding a doctor and making the prostitute stand in the rain for her.
Now, this woman still dares to come knocking on our door.
The old lady came out carrying a bowl of soup, looking at the sneaky old man with disdain.
Granny Liu knew she couldn't avoid it, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet, bow forward, place the letter on the edge of the table, and carefully push it in front of Wei Xuan.
"The young lady asked me to pass on a message, saying that she is willing to accept the young master's opinion, and that she will trouble the young master with everything."
"Tell her to rest assured, I'll take care of everything." Wei Xuan nodded politely, a slight smile appearing on his lips.
Ultimately, Wei Xuan still did not want the two of them to get married under such unclear circumstances.
Grandma Liu has retired.
The old lady saw her eldest son smiling, but felt uneasy. "That woman is so reckless. What do she want you to do for her? Her background is unknown. You should stay away from her."
"It's nothing." Wei Xuan tugged at the old lady's sleeve, gesturing for her to sit down, and then fumbled to get some rice.
Since the lunch today was not properly enjoyed, the old lady specially came to Shuying Hall to cook for Wei Xuan and welcome him back after moving to a new courtyard.
By the time this happened, it was already past 7 PM.
The old lady looked at the table full of food but lost her appetite. She pouted and said, "Now you and the second son's woman have endless secrets to tell, and I'm the outsider now?"
"Mother is overthinking it."
Wei Xuan shook his head helplessly and told the old lady his thoughts.
“Ah Zhang’s sudden mention of taking a concubine today was indeed a bit too hasty, but if we directly tell him to postpone it, given his personality, he will definitely react even more strongly.”
Therefore, we will follow the formal procedures and send the marriage certificate to the government office. We will have fifteen days to verify the documents, giving Ah Zhang and the girl more time to consider it carefully.
If any of them is unwilling, they should take back the concubine's book and discuss it later.
If, after fifteen days, their hearts are truly in sync, then let them become husband and wife.
In this way, we are neither hasty nor appear to disrespect the young lady.
"You certainly know how to consider others' feelings." The old lady snorted, her tone softening somewhat, clearly accepting Wei Xuan's idea.
Wei Xuan then ordered the food to be removed and took out pen and ink to write a letter to his concubine.
The concubine's letter had to be written by him as a witness, and then given to Wei Zhang and Xue Lanyi to sign before it could be sent to the government.
Time is of the essence.
The old lady couldn't bear to see Wei Xuan struggling to write, so she got up and helped him grind the ink while carefully examining what her son had written. She couldn't help but frown: "Why would a courtesan like her need the government to provide a dowry of five hundred taels, as well as all these silks, satins, gold and silver ornaments?"
"I'll pay for it."
Wei Xuan had prepared gifts for his younger brother long ago, and was just waiting for him to marry his sweetheart so that he could add more gifts for him.
Moreover, this girl has a troubled past. If the government doesn't take her seriously, she may have a difficult future.
"If their relationship doesn't work out in fifteen days, so be it. If it does, Mother, please don't interfere anymore. Only if the two of them get along well can the Duke's mansion prosper."
The old lady really didn't want this girl to enter the household.
Even the boss is now taking good care of this woman, which shows how capable she is.
Therefore, it would be better to let her go with the second son, so as to cut off her desire to get close to the eldest son.
"Alright, I can't argue with you," the old lady scolded. "Don't just think about other people's business. Get some rest tonight, you need to go see a doctor for your eyes tomorrow morning."
Tomorrow, Wei Xuan's eyes will be restored to sight.
The old lady was happier than anything else. "It's late, don't make a fuss. I'll take your concubine's letter to the second son."
She picked up the concubine's letter and suddenly noticed the letter next to Wei Xuan's elbow.
The five characters "To the eldest son, Junjian" on the envelope were very elegant.
I've heard that in brothels, prostitutes often cultivate beautiful handwriting to enhance their social standing.
The more beautiful the calligraphy, the more it proves her ill intentions.
The old lady casually snatched Xue Lanyi's letter, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it into the stream outside the fence.
The letter, filled with countless secrets, was caught in a whirlpool, spinning endlessly, stumbling and struggling, unable to find a way out...
On the other side, the concubine's letter was quickly delivered to Qingyang of Chong'an Hall.
Qingyang, however, could not find his master.
The crown prince had never disappeared for two hours without explaining anything before.
The affairs inside and outside the mansion were piling up like mountains, and Qingyang searched the entire mansion for them.
Finally, they found the person in the bamboo forest behind the mountain, a place the prince never set foot in.
Night had fallen, and the endless expanse of green bamboo swayed in the wind, casting dappled shadows, while the rustling of leaves drifted near and far.
A silver light streaked through the secluded forest, and wherever it passed, a swathe of green bamboo fell down with a crash.
The moment Qingyang stepped into the center of the vortex, the soft sword suddenly shot straight at his throat, its killing intent overwhelming him.
Wei Zhang shifted his form and appeared beside him, his eyes alert like a wolf's.
"Your Highness!" Qingyang bowed deeply.
He remembered the prince saying that martial arts skills are too sharp and easily reveal weaknesses, so he had not wielded a sword for at least three years.
There seems to be a lot of hostility today...
Qingyang glanced at Wei Zhang out of the corner of his eye.
Seeing bamboo leaves falling around him, and small red rashes appearing where the leaves touched him.
I don't understand why the prince would deliberately run into his wound when he clearly can't touch bamboo.
Qingyang didn't dare to say much, but presented the concubine application to Wei Zhang, saying, "This is the concubine application drafted by the eldest son. The old lady personally delivered it. Please have the young master review it and sign it."
Wei Zhang sheathed his sword, glanced at it briefly, and signed his name without asking any further questions.
Qingyang began to have doubts.
Even he could see that someone wanted to delay taking a concubine, which is why he came up with the concubine book.
The prince surrendered so easily?
"May I ask, Your Highness, are all matters concerning taking a concubine tomorrow to be postponed?"
"As usual," Wei Zhang said calmly. "I want to see a verified concubine's marriage certificate by tomorrow morning."
"this……"
The marriage certificate had to go through the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites, and the official time limit was fifteen days.
Checking household registrations, keeping records, and affixing seals can't be done in a short time.
"The Vice Minister Lu, who is in charge of this matter at the Ministry of Revenue, is currently on leave in his hometown."
“He can take a long break.” Wei Zhang put on his black fox fur cloak and left the bamboo forest.
The fox fur coat was thrown aside, stirring up gusts of cold wind.
Qingyang wiped away a bead of cold sweat.
It seems the Crown Prince intends to use this as a pretext to complete all the procedures for taking a concubine tomorrow.
Once the concubine's certificate is stamped by the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites, and then displayed to everyone at tomorrow's banquet, Miss Xue's identity will be impossible to change in this lifetime.
With less than five hours until the banquet the next day, Qingyang was so anxious that he left the mansion that very night.
Wei Zhang's mind calmed down considerably, and he returned to Chong'an Hall.
At the second watch of the night, the moonlight seemed much dimmer than usual, and the courtyard was pitch black and unclear.
The surroundings were unusually quiet, with only the rustling of cicadas.
Wei Zhang was sensitive and easily noticed something was amiss, but he couldn't immediately figure out what was wrong.
He slowed his pace, and as he passed the side room corridor, Granny Liu came to greet him.
"Is the young master looking for the young lady? She is feeling tired and went to bed early tonight."
Grandma Liu lit the lanterns under the eaves, and the courtyard instantly regained its former brightness.
In the past, the prince was busy with official duties and would occasionally go to the courtyard house late at night.
Fearing that he might stumble and fall, the girl learned the craft of making lanterns from Granny Liu and made two large and bright corridor lanterns.
Regardless of whether the young master went or not, the young lady instructed Granny Liu to keep the lamps lit every day.
The girl didn't mention it tonight, so Granny Liu didn't order it either.
Wei Zhang glanced at the lantern above his head; it was a plain-colored net without any decoration.
It was neither pretty nor exquisite; it was just extremely bright.
As far as the eye could see, everything was crystal clear.
"Although the girl's lamp is plain, once you get used to it, you won't be able to live without it," Granny Liu said with a smile.
Wei Zhang frowned slightly. "Move the lamp away. It's blocking the way."
"this……"
No more words were spoken in the corridor.
Just a door away, Xue Lanyi lay on the couch, not asleep.
She knew it the moment Wei Zhang stepped into Chong'an Hall.
She gripped the pillow tightly with her fingertips, listening to his footsteps approaching and receding, listening to his voice, which was chillingly cold.
What are you still waiting for?
Where no one could see, a tear silently slid down Xue Lanyi's cheek, ran down her nose, and soaked the soft pillow...
The next day, Wei Zhang got up early to run errands.
Xue Lanyi lay silently on the couch, neither getting up to prepare breakfast nor wanting to celebrate his birthday.
After breakfast time, the matchmaker wearing a big red flower in her hair suddenly burst in, followed by a line of maids carrying hairpins and clothes.
"Today is a special day for you, young lady. Others would kill for it. Why are you so lazy and not moving?"
Xue Lanyi was bewildered.
The matchmaker warmly helped the person up to wash and then pushed them to the dressing table.
"The Vice Minister of Revenue just personally delivered the letter of consort to the Duke's mansion. Now that all the guests have arrived, they are waiting for you to go to the main hall to perform the ceremony. After that, you will be the legitimate concubine of the heir apparent!"
The somber mood in the room was broken by the matchmaker's enthusiastic voice, and the atmosphere suddenly became cheerful.
The maids surrounded Xue Lanyi, helping her with her hair and clothes.
A small sedan chair was parked in the courtyard, and firecrackers were set off.
Xue Lanyi felt as if she were in a dream.
Wasn't the process supposed to take fifteen days to complete?
Even if the process changes midway, Wei Zhang still wants to take her into his family today. Under the same roof, why didn't he even mention it?
But thinking about it, it makes sense.
Throughout the entire process, he informed his elder brother, the matriarch, and the guests about taking a concubine, but he never mentioned it to Xue Lanyi, the person directly involved...
Xue Lanyi felt no joy, but everything was beyond her control.
She was pushed into the sedan chair by the crowd and carried from Chong'an Hall to the living room.
"Since it's already a done deal, young lady, don't be upset anymore. At least you've gotten what you wanted," Granny Liu advised her from outside the window.
As a servant, one should know how to comfort oneself.
Otherwise, if he appears before the nobles looking so unwilling, it would be tantamount to publicly humiliating the prince, and he might end up in serious trouble.
Granny Liu took out a small bronze mirror from her sleeve and handed it to Xue Lanyi.
"Look, young lady, the clothes the young master chose suit you so well. They're clearly carefully selected and tailor-made. This is a testament to his thoughtfulness!"
Xue Lanyi came to her senses and saw herself in the mirror.
With gold hairpins and jade hairpins, a pale yellow dress with gold thread trim, and pearl embellishments on the lapel, the outfit is both gorgeous and lively, making it a very eye-catching look.
At this time, the mansion was filled with guests, and as they passed through the pavilions and corridors, they attracted a lot of attention.
Xue Lanyi quickly put on her veil.
But she was already very beautiful, even without makeup. Today, with her rosy cheeks and delicate eyebrows, she was so stunning that even with her face half-covered, she still drew attention.
"I think the young lady's looks are no less than those of those noble ladies. Many people are openly and secretly eyeing her," Granny Liu whispered in her ear.
Xue Lanyi put her hand to her lips, signaling Granny Liu to be quiet.
Her mind was in turmoil; she hadn't figured out how to deal with the situation yet, and now she felt that the gazes directed at her from all around were rather strange.
She took a deep breath to clear her mind and observed her surroundings.
Suddenly, she spotted a young man in purple robes in the crowd, looking at her with worried eyes.
She looked at him in surprise, but he avoided her gaze and disappeared into the crowd.
"Does Mother recognize that person?"
Like the eldest son, the young man in purple robes exuded a sense of premature aging and dejection.
Granny Liu naturally didn't recognize the guests from the Duke's mansion, but she overheard the old women in the kitchen discussing it last night. She said that at this banquet, the Duke's son not only invited powerful and influential figures of the current dynasty, but also some of the more fallen aristocratic families of the previous dynasty.
Even the families of the traitors who participated in the reforms back then were invited.
"That young man looks like Master Zhou Yu. Have you heard that during the previous dynasty, there were six talented men under the late Crown Prince who advocated for reforms?"
Xue Lanyi nodded.
There's no need to inquire about this matter; everyone in Dayong knows about this sensational event from the previous dynasty, and it remains a topic of conversation among the common people even today.
Five years ago, the former crown prince and six talented young men from prominent families were in their prime, enjoying unparalleled success.
Perhaps due to excessive pride, he openly proposed in the court to abolish the system of lowly status and change the inheritance of titles from a perpetual system to a system of succession by demotion, which caused a great uproar in the court.
After the reform failed, the former princelings were accused of having ulterior motives and plotting a rebellion.
That night, a fire broke out out of nowhere and burned everything in the Eastern Palace to the ground.
The other six were military generals who suffered broken backs, historians who burned their records, strategists who cut off their tongues, and physicians who lost fingers... Although none of them died, they all had the most unforgettable endings, including their families falling into ruin and never being used by the court again.
Xue Lanyi looked at the three hunched-over young men in the crowd, who were nothing like the other dignified young masters from noble families.
Xue Lanyi guessed that the three of them, along with the eldest son and Princess Zhaoyang, were five of the six people.
Why did Wei Zhang invite them here?
Xue Lanyi was filled with doubts. Before she knew it, she had been escorted to the entrance of the main hall by the matchmaker.
"What are you standing there for, young lady? The young master is waiting for you." The matchmaker interrupted Xue Lanyi's thoughts.
She looked up, just as a gentle breeze blew by.
The light, thin skirt fluttered, its gold threads shimmering like twinkling stars.
She was glowing, as bright as the clear sky after the rain.
Wei Zhang stood in the shadow of the plaque in the main hall, his gaze lingering for a moment before he nodded and said, "Come here."
"Miss, quickly go and sign your name on the concubine's document, and everything will be settled." The matchmaker pushed her to Wei Zhang's side.
Without a second thought, she buried her face in Wei Zhang's chest, her lipstick smearing onto his clothes.
Despite the noisy lobby, Wei Zhang still managed to catch a whiff of her unique fragrance.
At the same time, a sweet taste filled my mouth.
Wei Zhang's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he moved the concubine's petition from the table in front of her. "Sign it."
Everything was perfect: the seals of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Rites, as well as Wei Zhang's signature and his fingerprint.
As long as Xue Lanyi presses her fingerprint again, the two of them will be bound together for life.
She had waited three years for the result, and now it was her turn to make the final decision.
Hundreds of congratulatory eyes fell on her.
Should she go with the flow?
Does she still want him?
Xue Lanyi's hand, which was pressing on the cinnabar, trembled...
A note from the author:
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