However, Chunling and Changshun's wedding was a little later, after Xu Yunyao's marriage and Xu Lingqing's marriage. After all, Li Shiyue loved Chunling, and there was no reason for her to get married before her master.
Doing that would be slapping someone in the face.
Xu Yunyao's marriage was arranged with the Zhang family at the end of this month, and the date is fast approaching.
The decorations were set up at the fourth branch of the household. Apart from Xu Yunbo, who was at the military camp in the western suburbs, and the Crown Princess, who was in Chonghua Palace, everyone else came back to help and join in the fun.
Even Xu Lingwan, though she didn't return in person, still prepared generous gifts and brought the good news of her engagement.
The letter was filled with sincere greetings to Madam Xu. It was probably because she had watched the child grow up since he was a child. Even though Madam Xu didn't like the second branch of the family, she couldn't help but tear up.
He said "good" several times, looked at Xinzai carefully again, and said, "This brat has finally become sensible. It seems she's doing quite well back home."
The atmosphere inside the pavilion was unusually quiet. Madam Yang and Madam Zhou did not speak, but looked at each other.
Sitting between the two, Lady Wei lowered her eyes and remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.
"Who is A-Wan's betrothed to? How old is she this year? Who else is in her family?"
Madam Xu looked at Li Shiyue. She was old and some of the handwriting on the letter was not very clear to her.
Li Shiyue showed no impatience, took the letter, pointed to a line on it and murmured, "It's a scholar from my hometown, a bit older than Awan, but he's kind and honest, and he has a younger brother and sister-in-law."
"He's a teacher at a college back in his hometown. His family isn't wealthy, but they're not poor either, so please don't worry. This marriage was arranged by the second matriarch. They looked him over carefully for a long time, and even the second aunt is very satisfied."
Listening to Li Shiyue's explanation, Old Madam Xu gradually felt relieved. She then turned to ask Zhou Shi how the preparations were going, since the time between Xu Yunyao and Xu Lingqing's weddings was not far off.
Xu Yunyao wasn't really keen on getting married yet, but the Zhang family wasn't willing to wait any longer. Besides, Zhou Shi genuinely liked the Zhang family's daughter, and there was also the Zhang family's reputation.
No one knows what method was used, but Xu Yunyao had no objections to the marriage and instead cooperated fully.
Even if Xu Lingwan had made mistakes before, she had gone through these experiences. After all, she was raised by Old Madam Xu. Even if Old Madam Xu couldn't like the second branch of the family because of her parents' feelings, she still had a lot to do with her.
But the bond of watching her grow up together still exists, and the chances of seeing Xu Lingwan return to the capital one day are probably very slim.
"The auspicious day has been set for the day after tomorrow. Our family will go to the Zhang family to propose marriage."
Madam Yang smiled slightly and looked at Li Shiyue, who was sitting next to Old Madam Xu: "Second Brother is the eldest son in the family. Yan Yan will also go to the Zhang family with him to ask for a marriage proposal on behalf of Fourth Brother, so that Fourth Brother won't be too lonely."
The fact that Xu Yunci and Li Shiyue, a married couple, both came forward signifies that the Rongguo Mansion attaches great importance to the marriage between the two families, and also represents the prestige of the fourth branch of the family.
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhou almost burst out laughing. Her face lit up with joy as she said, "In that case, we'll have to trouble Erlang and Yan Yan a lot to help Silang out."
"There's no need for thanks, Aunt, you're too kind. My cousin told me that we must go, not only to make the Zhang family feel that our Duke's Mansion is well-mannered, but also to let people see that my fourth cousin has the Duke's Mansion behind him. Although he still needs to gain experience in the court, we still can't neglect anything we should do."
Li Shiyue smiled and looked up, her gaze sweeping around. She was indeed saying Xu Yunci's exact words. Moreover, on the day Xu Lingqing and the Yang family got engaged, neither Xu Yunci nor Li Shiyue would abandon Xu Yunyao.
After returning to Tongxintang, Li Shiyue carefully organized and compared all the items she needed for the day she proposed to the Zhang family.
Any orange items among the betrothal gifts that were not of good quality or had a dull color were all picked out.
On the day she went to the Zhang family, she got up exceptionally early. Today, Li Shiyue's hair was not simply adorned with pearl hairpins, but rather with a set of pure gold headdress.
Although it was pure gold, it had a bright luster, and paired with her royal blue clothes, she stepped out of the sedan chair and stopped beside Xu Yunci.
The gates of the Zhang family's mansion were tightly closed. Apart from the crowds of people watching the show on both sides of the street, who were there to see the excitement and also to try and win some reward money.
Li Shiyue stood to Xu Yunci's right, while Xu Yunyao, dressed in new clothes, stood to his other side.
His dark eyes stared at the closed gates of the mansion, his expression unchanged, but he was actually extremely nervous inside.
Xu Yunci and Li Shiyue exchanged a glance, and the couple stepped forward together. Facing the closed gates, Xu Yunci said loudly, "Xu Yunci, the eldest son of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion, and his wife, the Princess of Yichang County, have come to your mansion to arrange a marriage between my cousin Xu Yunyao and a lady from your Zhang family."
Before he finished speaking, Xu Yunyao took two or three steps forward and stood a little ahead of Xu Yunci, clasping his hands in a salute. He did not move an inch even though the gate of the mansion was not opened.
Xu Yunci's loud voice carried through the tightly closed gate to the gatekeeper. Although the crowd quieted down behind the gate, they could still faintly hear the gatekeeper shouting messages.
Before the time it takes to drink a cup of tea was over, the tightly closed gates of the mansion opened! A middle-aged man dressed as a steward stepped out, smiling as he descended the steps and bowed to Xu Yunci: "Master Zhang, you are granted permission—to invite the ghost guest from the Rongguo Duke's mansion into the mansion—"
The first to be invited was Xu Yunyao, who was standing at the front, and then he hurried over to lead Li Shiyue and Xu Yunci inside.
They led the way inside and stopped at the main hall. The elders of the Zhang family sat on wooden chairs on both sides, but the Zhang family's daughter was nowhere to be seen.
That makes sense, though. There are many people here today, and most of them are men from outside the family. Since the wedding hasn't taken place yet, the Zhang family's daughter doesn't need to show her face today.
Next, several loads of betrothal gifts were carried in. The head of the Zhang family was the elder brother of the Zhang family's daughter, and sitting on the other side was the Zhang family's daughter's sister-in-law.
General Zhang managed to restrain himself somewhat, but he couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear.
The Zhang family matriarch's face beamed with joy, and she could hardly contain her greedy gaze.
It seems that the heir of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion truly values this cousin, as he not only prepared the best items but also paid meticulous attention to etiquette.
After today, anyone who mentions that the Zhang family's pharmacy is not clean, or that there are unscrupulous imperial physicians, or who wants to smear the Zhang family, should think twice about what the Duke of Rongguo's mansion meant.
Vanity is also a psychological need to be valued, and the Zhang family's behavior in this regard is quite obvious.
Although the marriage between the two families had been arranged long ago, I am just going through the motions today. As for etiquette, the Rongguo Duke's Mansion is more than capable. Even if someone else were to come, they would be impeccable in this regard. They even expressed some envy towards the Zhang family.
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