Chapter 130
Yi Ning came to her senses and followed Old Madam Wei and Wei Ling into the main hall. She knelt before them and said, "Grandmother and Father have taken so much trouble to arrange my marriage. I am very grateful. This matter was caused by me...but I have something to say. I have never met the Second Young Master He. If I marry him rashly like this, it would be the same as marrying my cousin Cheng Lang."
Cheng Lang had long ago told her that the Second Master He was also not a clean man. Yi Ning didn't want to have to deal with a stranger's affair right after her marriage.
Old Madam Wei thought that Yi Ning didn't like the Second Young Master He, so she said gently, "Yining, why don't you meet him first? I'll ask his grandmother to bring him over for tea tomorrow, and you can just hide behind the curtain and watch."
Yi Ning shook her head and said, "Grandma, you misunderstood. It's the two of you who should decide on my marriage. I'm just following your orders." It's not good for any girl to plan her own marriage. But in her case, Yi Ning wanted to give it a try. She even had a dowry guard! "Why don't you let me choose it myself?"
She actually already had a plan in mind. Third Brother had said he would help her, but after so much time had passed, she didn't know if he still kept his word.
In fact, she had already thought about it, having seen so many things in the past few days. Why didn't she think about it——
If she really wanted to marry someone, a stranger like Mr. He, she would have to work through the process of getting along. She had no idea what his character was like, nor how he would view her. Could she conclude that someone was a good person simply because they were described as "gentle and honest"? That was too arbitrary!
It would be better to marry Luo Shenyuan!
After all, he will be the Prime Minister in the future, and there are countless girls who want to marry him. She is taking advantage of him.
If she continued to toss and turn like this, she didn't know when it would end. She didn't want to toss and turn anymore. She just didn't know what Luo Shenyuan was planning now, so she didn't say anything.
Wei Ling sighed, "Forget it! It's your choice. I'll protect you with your father, and your in-laws won't dare do anything to you!"
Yi Ning then stood up and bowed to Wei Ling with a smile, thanking him. Then she whispered, "Father has ordered the servants to keep their mouths shut about what happened to Cousin Cheng Lang today..."
Wei Ling nodded. Even without Yi Ning's advice, Wei Ling would have helped conceal the truth. The Duke of Ying's mansion had a close relationship with the Cheng family. Even if the marriage fell through, Cheng Lang was still Yi Ning's cousin. Wei Ling was planning to go to the Cheng family tomorrow to explain the truth to Old Master Cheng. Cheng Lang's mistress was pregnant, and the prospect of having an heir was a serious matter. Cheng Lang couldn't handle it alone.
Old Lady Wei asked Yining to follow her to the small Buddhist shrine in Jing'an Hall, where the Bodhisattva was enshrined, to burn incense. Chanting the Buddha's name brought peace of mind, and she wanted to help Yining calm down. Yining agreed, holding the old lady's hand, and they returned to Jing'an Hall.
Wei Ling drank a sip of tea, called the steward of Zhigaotang in, and ordered him to call the maids and servants who had been guarding outside one by one to talk.
It was already evening, and the area outside Yujing Hutong, where the Duke of Ying lived, was bustling with activity. Peddlers were setting up stalls, beef shops were carving beef, and the herbal tea stalls had already closed. This season's herbal tea had sold out, and it was time to move on to soy milk. A horse-drawn carriage, surrounded by guards, passed through the downtown area and stopped at the gate of the Duke of Ying's residence.
The entrance to the Duke of England's mansion seemed very quiet, the noise of the downtown area was far away, and the red crepe lanterns under the eaves were already lit at this time, which was the style of a wealthy family.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and a business card was handed out from inside. The guard at the gate saw it and did not dare to neglect it. He immediately clasped his fists and said, "Master Luo, please wait a moment. I will pass the message to you immediately."
Wei Ling was pleasantly surprised to hear that Luo Shenyuan had arrived. If Luo Shenyuan hadn't informed him of the traitor during the Battle of Pingyuan Fort and plotted a counterattack for him, it's doubtful he'd be standing here alive. Furthermore, he'd heard that the Emperor had issued an imperial decree this morning, promoting Luo Shenyuan to the position of Vice Minister of Works for his contributions to flood control through dredging the river and building embankments with wooden stakes.
Wei Ling asked the servant to invite Luo Shenyuan in.
A moment later, he saw Luo Shenyuan slowly walk in and bowed to him: "Duke, long time no see."
He was wearing the court dress of a third-rank civil official: a red silk robe, a large red and white silk sash, a leather belt, and a sash. This made him look tall and straight, with a solemn air.
Luo Shenyuan sat beside Wei Ling, and a servant brought him tea. Wei Ling smiled and said, "I haven't congratulated you yet, but now you're already the Minister of Works. Others at your age would be lucky to be doctors in the six ministries."
"It was also because of my teacher's strong recommendation. Otherwise, with my qualifications, I would have to wait for a few more years." Luo Shenyuan said with a smile.
Although Wei Ling was a military officer, he wasn't some mindless warrior. How could becoming a third-rank official be easy? He was only a few steps away from the cabinet. Of course, he didn't say anything. As he drank his tea, he thought about Yi Ning's marriage and suddenly had an idea.
Yes, he was still worried. Luo Shenyuan was Yi Ning's third brother, and now he was a big shot in the government. It would be better to let him help think of a solution. He should have a lot of ways.
"You've arrived at the perfect time," Wei Ling said. "Ever since the last palace banquet, I've been worried about Yi Ning's marriage. Her grandmother wanted to suggest the second son of the He family, and I wanted to suggest Yi Ning's cousin Cheng Lang. But after all the calculations, neither one seems suitable. Now Yi Ning is stuck in a dilemma, and I don't know what to do."
Wei Ling continued, "You and I have a very close relationship, a lifelong friendship. You're also Yining's third brother. As the saying goes, an elder brother is like a father, so you're considered half of Yining's elder. Why don't you help me with some advice? Do you have any suitable candidates on hand?"
Luo Shenyuan was silent for a moment.
Yes, in the eyes of others, he is Yining's elder brother, and he would never think of being anywhere else. Wei Ling has always treated him as an equal, and regarded him as Yining's half-elder.
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