"A marriage between the two families? Are you out of your mind? Apart from Yuan Niang's marriage, who in the family is engaged now—"
Before she could finish the last word, Madam Xu stopped what she was doing, and even the smile on her lips froze on her face.
She looked at Xu Yunci as if incredulous, and seeing the seriousness in his eyes, she tried her best to calm herself down.
After a long while, Madam Xu finally found her voice. She took a deep breath and said, "Second Brother, you must be asking about Jiao Jiao's marriage."
Xu Yunci met Old Madam Xu's gaze and nodded. He subconsciously wanted to look away, but after calming himself down, his eyes became firm as he looked at Old Madam Xu again.
"Yes, it's about my cousin's marriage, the marriage you and Madam Li arranged between the Rongguo Duke's Mansion and the Yunyang Earl's Mansion."
"Grandson has dared to come here today to find out what Grandmother's plans are."
If you just wanted to ask about my plans, there was no need to come in the rain.
Madam Xu's gaze swept across his face, but she did not answer his question: "Second Brother, I know you have always loved your younger siblings. You have helped Jiaojiao with many things since she came to the capital. You don't need to hide this from me, I know everything."
"Although I have stayed in the inner quarters for many years, I am not blind. You are my grandmother's most beloved and valued grandson, and Jiaojiao is my only granddaughter. I love you both equally, without distinction."
"You care so much about Jiaojiao because you treat her like Liu Niang and the others, and you, as the eldest brother, need to worry about her. Including her marriage, are you worried that among the young men in the Xu family, you brothers might choose someone like Si Lang, which would harm her?"
"Just like you worry about Sixth Sister, fearing she'll marry someone as despicable as the heir of the Marquis of Guangping, you can't bear to see Jiaojiao marry the wrong person, can you?"
"No." Xu Yunci's voice was crisp and clear, leaving almost no room for thought.
“Grandmother, I’m not worried about her the way I worry about Sixth Sister. Sixth Sister is my own sister, and as her elder brother, I’m like a father to her. It’s different.”
“My cousin… I came here today to ask my grandmother who she has chosen as her husband.”
Xu Yunci took a deep breath: "I wish to marry my cousin as my new wife, and I hope my grandmother will grant my request."
As she expected, Madam Xu showed no surprise. Perhaps from the moment Xu Yunci brought it up, she realized something was amiss and had a vague suspicion in her heart.
Now that Xu Yunci has brought it up, Old Madam Xu is not only not shocked, she even feels like laughing.
Xu Yunci noticed the slight smile in her eyes and felt puzzled.
Madam Xu said in a calm tone: "Second Brother, have you asked Jiaojiao about her feelings?"
Xu Yunci shook his head: "No, I just wanted to ask my grandmother for permission today. I will talk to my cousin. If she agrees, I will have my mother greet her with the proper formalities."
"The three letters and six rites... Her mother also went through the three letters and six rites to get married. She married into a noble and prestigious earl's family and became the wife of the Earl of Yunyang. But what did she get in the end? What did Jiaojiao, as the eldest daughter of the earl's family, get?"
Madam Xu looked at him with a worried tone: "My nod doesn't count. You will inherit your father's position and become the future Duke. If Jiaojiao agrees, can you guarantee that she won't follow in her mother's footsteps? Can you promise to treat her well for decades to come?"
“She has no brothers, and the entire Yunyang Marquisate has nothing to do with her anymore. Apart from me, her only backer is a nominal county princess title bestowed by the government. She can't help you in your career.”
"Maybe you think she's good now, and you like her, but how long can this liking last? Can you guarantee that you'll remember this day for the rest of your life, the feeling you had when you knelt before me and asked for my hand in marriage?"
"Remembering is useless. In the future, you'll resent her for not giving you what you want, and you'll regret it when you think back to today, having also hurt her. So, do you still want to marry her?"
"think."
Xu Yunci raised her head and looked at Old Madam Xu: "What Grandmother said is something that hasn't happened yet, but it's not necessarily what my cousin and I will have to face."
"I love her alone. If one day I see that the man beside her is not me, I will feel very sad and want to keep her by my side."
"Grandma has witnessed my father and mother's decades-long relationship. Unlike my second and third uncles, I don't have as many feelings for them. I can be content with just one person like my father and mother."
"My grandson's new wife, the wife of the heir of the Rongguo Duke's mansion, the future Duchess, I don't want anything with a noble birth or that can bring me benefits in my career. I just want someone I like, a husband and wife who can live in harmony and mutual respect."
"As for my official career, as a young man, I am naturally capable of competing in the imperial court. Not to mention my noble birth, my Xu family is large and prosperous, and I do not need to rely on marriage to add to our already splendid status."
After Xu Yunci finished speaking, he felt his mouth was dry, but he looked at Old Madam Xu with reluctance. He had finally come to understand his own heart and mustered up the courage to speak his mind. He did not want to give up just like that.
Madam Xu looked away, but after a long while, she felt a lump in her throat for Xu Yunci and finally sighed.
"Alright, you can decide your own affairs. I won't worry about it."
Before Xu Yunci could be happy, Old Madam Xu said quietly, "Don't be too happy yet. I'm listening to Jiaojiao. If Jiaojiao doesn't like you, you should give up on her as soon as possible. If you dare to pester her, don't blame me for not considering the bond between grandmother and grandson."
"Grandson understands."
Xu Yunci was like a young boy with budding romantic feelings. With the permission of Old Madam Xu, he subconsciously searched for Li Shiyue.
She was used to thinking that wherever Old Madam Xu was, Li Shiyue would be there too, and almost forgot that she wasn't there now.
Madam Xu took his expression in stride, picked up her teacup and sniffed the aroma: "Don't bother looking anymore, Jiaojiao is admiring the peach blossoms with Wulang right now."
She saw the frozen smile on Xu Yunci's lips, suppressing her laughter with a hint of warning.
"My agreement doesn't mean I agree to you becoming her son-in-law. Her choice of son-in-law depends on her own approval. If she chooses Wu Lang or Qi Lang, you should give up on that idea as soon as possible."
"Just one thing: you can't force it. You brothers can't let Jiaojiao ruin your relationship."
"It's also my fault. When I made the appointment with Madam Li earlier, it was too rushed, and I didn't finalize the selection."
Madam Xu sighed, and when she looked at Xu Yunci, she seemed about to say something, but seeing the seriousness in his eyes, she swallowed her words.
Fine, let's listen to Jiaojiao's own wishes. As long as she's willing, it doesn't matter who she marries.
If she could truly fall in love, it would be better than her begging Li Shiyue to accept Xu Yunyao. After all, it's her life to live, and she'd feel more at ease if she chose the person herself.
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