Xu Chengzong felt that the servant's words were true, but he was also worried that he might act rashly and embarrass and upset his beloved.
After much deliberation, he approached a friend, asking him to have his sisters inquire about the situation. However, remembering that his beloved was shy and might be embarrassed, he hesitated for a long time before writing a letter to be delivered to her.
He waited anxiously for most of the day, his fan practically spinning in his hand, before his friend finally came over, patted him on the shoulder with pity in his eyes, and sighed, "Brother Xu, be strong."
Xu Chengzong immediately asked, "Didn't she give me a single word, nor did she return the letter to me?"
My friend nodded with deep sorrow, as if he were sharing in my pain.
"Really? Don't lie to me. I'm a real man, I can handle this."
"No, there's nothing there."
Xu Chengzong suddenly burst into laughter, clapped his hands and cheered, then told his servant to see the guest out and happily scurried into the backyard.
The friend, his face contorted with pain, looked at the servant in surprise: "Is your young master perhaps driven mad by unrequited love?"
The servant said he didn't know, and asked, "Would Young Master Qian like to stay for a cup of tea before you leave?"
"What's the point of me drinking tea alone? I'm leaving now, no need to see me off, I know the way."
Despite this, the servant still escorted him to the door, then suddenly jumped up, his face beaming with joy—joy that his monthly pay was about to increase.
The magistrate's wife was exasperated after hearing her son's explanation.
The county is only so big. She had thought about arranging a marriage for her son with a girl from the Meng family, but her son said he didn't want to get married back then, and the Meng family didn't express their dislike in a very subtle way, so the matter was dropped.
But seeing that her son was certain he had won the girl's heart, she couldn't resist his persuasion and decided to ask a matchmaker to go to the Meng family tomorrow to inquire about the matter.
Xu Chengzong couldn't wait and said that it was still daylight and he wanted to go today. The magistrate's wife had no choice but to nod.
The most famous matchmaker in the surrounding villages had been very busy for the past month or two, but when she heard that the county magistrate's wife had specifically asked her to come, she immediately put aside her other matters and came, no matter how unwilling she was.
Hearing that it was a marriage proposal between the county magistrate's son and the daughter of the landlord Meng, the matchmaker was surprised, but she didn't show it on her face. After receiving the money, she began to praise the well-known playboy Xu Chengzong with professional ethics.
The matchmaker rode in the Xu family's sedan chair to the Meng family, but no matter how much she praised Xu Chengzong to the skies, the landlord, his wife, and Meng Fangxu remained expressionless, making her uneasy and worried that she might ruin her reputation.
No, from the moment she heard who the two parties in this deal were, she had a premonition that her reputation was going to be ruined.
Despite her thoughts, she still enthusiastically promoted Xu Chengzong.
Suddenly, a maidservant hurried over and whispered a few words to Madam Meng. The latter's expression collapsed, her brows furrowed, and she exchanged a glance with her husband before leaving temporarily.
She went to her daughter's room, where the latter seemed to have been prepared, sitting upright and immediately calling out "Mother" obediently upon seeing her.
Madam Meng poked her brow, her eyes full of disappointment: "You didn't want Xu Liang, the man your parents chose for you. You insisted on that playboy. Xu Liang is upright, filial, and humble. What kind of person is Xu Chengzong? Have you forgotten how he embarrassed you?"
Meng Liniang went over and hugged her arm, saying cautiously, "Mother, he sent me a letter through Miss Qian today."
When Madam Meng saw the red mark she had made on the woman's brow, she felt sorry for her and gently rubbed it. But upon hearing what she said, her expression changed again: "What did he say?"
He explained what had happened before.
"So you forgive him?" Madam Meng couldn't help but raise her voice.
Meng Liniang nodded, nestled in her arms, and said in a soft but firm voice, "He was indeed reckless before, but I can see that he is already changing."
Madam Meng was shocked: "Li Niang, when did you see him? Don't you care about your reputation?"
"Mother, I only saw him once a month ago."
Meng Liniang beckoned to Qiuju, took the letter, and presented it to Madam Meng. As Madam Meng read it, Meng Liniang whispered, "I envy the relationship between Father and Mother. Scholar Xu is indeed very good, but his goodness comes from his own excellence. Young Master Xu is not as excellent, but he is good to me. Perhaps no other man will ever treat me as well as he has. Mother, you once said that a woman's marriage is a gamble. I have lived a peaceful life for fifteen years, and I want to take this gamble."
After reading the letter, Madam Meng's expression softened slightly, but she was still displeased: "What if he's only after your youth and beauty? How long can you hold out? Ten years, or twenty?"
Meng Liniang hesitated. She knew very little about Xu Chengzong, mostly just what she had heard from others. She was speechless for a moment, and after a long while, she said in a low voice, "But I'm very happy lately, Mother. I've only met him once, but in the past month, I've really been happy. I don't know if this is love, or if I'll regret it later, but I want to try."
Madam Meng was startled and subconsciously touched her forehead, worried that she might have a fever and be talking nonsense.
Meng Liniang raised her eyes, her gaze filled with tears, yet her determination remained unwavering.
Madam Meng remained silent for a long time. She returned to the front hall, called her son out, and questioned him for a long time until it was almost dark. Then she said to the matchmaker, "Tell the magistrate's wife and young master Xu that they will meet at Huiwei Tower at 1:15 am tomorrow."
Outside, on the ginkgo tree, Di Xiu and 001 watched the matchmaker leave and sighed in unison.
001 said sadly, "Judging from this situation, I don't know whether you will undergo tribulation and take human form first, or whether they will achieve enlightenment first."
The two families began to work things out, but Meng Liniang, an unmarried woman, did not participate, even though she was the one directly involved.
In the end, the Meng family relented, saying that if Xu Chengzong passed the county-level imperial examination in April of next year and proved his determination, they would agree to the marriage.
Emperor Xiu and 001: "..."
001: "Should we keep waiting?"
Di Xiu: "Let's go."
They returned to Half Moon Mountain, only to find it bustling with activity. Hu Dayu, who lived next door, came out after hearing the commotion, and the scene looked very familiar.
He used his original form, followed by a mother fox and three cubs who were already rolling around on the ground.
"Sibai, where have you been again? I thought you'd been captured by the demon hunters."
"They went down the mountain to play," he asked. "Did something happen on the mountain?"
"With His Majesty here, what trouble could possibly happen? His Majesty's 100th birthday is approaching, so you'd better prepare some gifts. If His Majesty is in a good mood, he might reward you with something nice."
The mountain demon was revered as "Great King" by the demons of this mountain, as Emperor Xiu knew. Demons lived long lives, usually only celebrating their 100th birthday; a thousand years was indeed a great birthday.
What have you prepared?
Hu Dayu swished his tail and patted the head of a little fox beside him, laughing, "I plan to give my little cub to the King. This little cub has been praised by the King himself for having the potential to become a spirit."
"..."
The mother fox is somewhat intelligent, but she hasn't developed her full intelligence yet and doesn't understand what her husband is saying. However, even if she did, she probably wouldn't care. When foxes grow up, their parents would usually drive them out to live independently.
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