56. Chapter 56 Proposing to Marry
Xiaoxiao tried hard to control her heartbeat. She hurriedly took out the jade pendant and said with a smile, "Brother, I bought you a jade pendant. Come and see if you like it."
Pei Xiuhan walked around the window lattice and entered the room. The room was bright and clean, and the warm sunlight covered the floor. Xiaoxiao had already stood up and came to him.
The girl was wearing a snow-white skirt and no jewelry. She was as clean as the snow on the top of the mountain. Thinking of his outrageous behavior the night before, Pei Xiu Han pursed his thin lips.
Xiaoxiao handed him the jade pendant and said with a smile, "It's rare to see you wearing a jade pendant. I don't know if you like it, brother."
The jade pendant was translucent, soft to the touch, and very beautiful. Seeing that the little girl was always thinking about him, Pei Xiuhan couldn't help but smile. "Brother, I like everything you give me."
Xiaoxiao curled her lips and smiled, "Then I'll put it on my brother."
Pei Xiuhan nodded.
Xiaoxiao moved closer to him, lowered her eyes and put it on him. Because they were so close, Pei Xiu Han could even smell the faint fragrance on her body. With just a stretch of his long arm, he could hold her in his arms.
Xiaoxiao took a step back after tying it. The more she looked at him, the more satisfied she became. When her eyes touched his lips, she couldn't help but lower her eyelashes. "Brother, why are you back so early today?"
Pei Xiuhan didn't come back last night. He was afraid of giving her the impression that he was "too busy", so he returned home after the morning court.
He continued to pretend: "Nothing happened, I just came back."
At noon, the two of them had lunch together. Xiaoxiao was used to taking a nap, so she went to sleep for a while. When she woke up, it was half an hour later.
At this time, Zhong was worried about Mu Wen's marriage. Seeing her unconsciously rubbing her eyebrows, her personal maid, Hong Xing, walked up slowly and helped her massage her head. "Don't worry, Madam. Just take your time to choose. You will always find the right one."
There were several booklets placed on the nanmu table, all of which were from families interested in proposing marriage. The booklets contained not only portraits of young men, but also their experiences and personality traits.
Zhong sighed again. How could she not be anxious? Mu Wen had already had her coming-of-age ceremony, but there was still no idea about her marriage.
In fact, there are quite a lot of families interested in marrying her. After all, Mu Wen is the eldest daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo and Pei Xiuhan's cousin. However, the disadvantages are also obvious. There will be more or less some people who want to curry favor with the rich and powerful. Mu Wen has a soft personality and Zhong is somewhat afraid of her. She will be wronged after the marriage. She chose for a long time but couldn't make up her mind.
She thought about it and asked someone to go to the second room.
When the maid came to the second room, Mu Xi was leaning on a rattan chair listening to the maid reading a storybook to her. There was also another maid fanning her. She closed her eyes and was listening to the storybook with great interest, with a hint of satisfaction on her porcelain-white face.
When summer comes, she doesn't like to move. She stays in the rattan chair all day long, lazy, just like the little white cat that Mu Wen raised.
Only when she saw that her aunt wanted to see her did she bear to leave her rattan chair.
Mu Xi had been an orphan since she was a child, and she had always been very well behaved in front of Zhong. Knowing that Zhong was very particular about rules, she even looked in the mirror before going out to see if there was anything wrong, and then she went out with her maid.
The sun was still very strong outside. Knowing that her master was most afraid of the sun, the maid quickly held up an umbrella. When she came over, she saw the book on the desk at a glance.
Mu Xi's eyes turned slightly, and she had a vague guess in her mind. She called her aunt politely.
Mrs. Zhong smiled and said, "Good boy, please sit down. Auntie is really having a headache, so she called you here to ask about it."
Zhong knew that this girl was always smart and had her own ideas, so she wanted to hear her opinion. "You are about to reach the age of marriage, and it won't be long before marriage is on the agenda. The same is true for Sister Wen. I have been so overwhelmed by the choices for her marriage recently. Does Sister Xi have any good suggestions?"
Mu Xi thought for a moment and said, "Sister has a simple personality. In my opinion, whether or not she comes from a high-class family is not that important. If her family is of low status, the other party will naturally not dare to treat her unfairly. After she marries, she will have the support of the Zhenguo Mansion, so she will not suffer any setbacks. If her family is of high status, the mistress of the house will most likely be difficult to get along with, and there will inevitably be conflicts between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law. Given Sister's personality, if she is wronged, she will definitely endure it silently."
This is exactly what Mrs. Zhong is worried about. The mistresses of high-class families are indeed very powerful. After Mu Wen marries into the family, she will inevitably be overwhelmed by the demands. However, if the family status is too low, she is afraid that Mu Wen will be wronged.
There are two people she values at present. One is Yang Zhen, the third place winner in the imperial examination, who is outstanding in talent and handsome, and is now in the Hanlin Academy. The other is Zhao Shen, whose father is the Minister of Rites, and he is also a handsome man.
Seeing Yang Zhen, Mu Xi's delicate brows knitted slightly. She hadn't expected Yang Zhen to dare to propose marriage. She rejected it outright, "This man is a man of deep thoughts and definitely not a good match. Aunt, please be cautious."
Mu Xi briefly recounted how he had confessed his feelings to Mu Wen during the Lantern Festival. In fact, she had even witnessed Yang Zhen courting the King of Qin's daughter.
He must have suffered a setback at the hands of Pei Qin, which is why he chose Mu Wen as his second target.
Mu Xi said tactfully, "I think, with my sister's personality, she needs to find someone who is devoted to her. A man who is too cunning will easily hurt my sister."
Zhong couldn't help but sigh. It's not easy to find someone who is devoted to you.
The person she was most satisfied with was actually her nephew Zhong Yu from her natal family, but unfortunately he and Mu Wen had always treated each other as siblings.
"It would be a good match for her and Zhong Yu if they could get together, but unfortunately, neither of them is interested in each other."
Mu Xi naturally had an impression of Zhong Yu. He was handsome and gentle as jade. What was rare was that he kept himself clean. Mu Xi had never heard of him having an affair with any girl, nor had he seen him visit a brothel.
Mu Xi smiled and said, "If my sister can marry into the Zhong family, it will be a good match indeed. In my opinion, they just haven't thought about it in this way, and it may not be unintentional. Why not let them meet each other in private? Who knows, they might be attracted to each other."
The maid brought a pot of freshly brewed Longjing tea and poured a cup for each of them.
Zhong took the white jade porcelain cup handed to her by the maid and couldn't help but smile when she heard it. "Then let them try to see each other."
Mrs. Zhong took a sip of tea and said slowly, "Don't just talk about Sister Wen. You're not young anymore. Do you have anyone you like?"
Mu Xi's mind suddenly popped up Mo Chuan's face at an inappropriate time. When she accidentally broke into the cabin, she angered Mo Chuan because she didn't know how to restrain herself and was almost strangled to death by him. In order to escape, she even pinched him private parts.
Fortunately, she didn't have to be responsible for the man, otherwise the old man might have relied on her. Mu Xi managed to remain calm, "Of course not. The men in the capital are either not as good-looking as my cousin. I finally found a good-looking one, but he has a bad temper. When I get married in the future, I must choose someone who is both good-looking and obedient."
Mrs. Zhong shook her head in amusement, thinking that no matter how smart she was, she was still a child. "I'm not worried about you. You're born with a smart mind and will adapt well wherever you go. I don't know what kind of person Xiaoxiao will marry in the future."
Xiaoxiao is soft-hearted and too well-behaved. Like Mu Wen, she is easily deceived. Mrs. Zhong is also very worried about her.
Thinking of Xiaoxiao, Mrs. Zhong couldn't help but say a few more words, "Some time ago, I took her to attend Old Madam Zhang's birthday banquet. Actually, I wanted her to show her face in front of the other noble ladies. This girl is quite ambitious and has made a big splash. In the end, no one asked me about her marriage."
Zhong originally thought that since Xiaoxiao performed so well, someone would definitely be interested in her. If the other party wanted to propose marriage, they would definitely ask her about it. Unexpectedly, no one came.
Mu Xi blinked and smiled, "There are rumors out there that Xiaoxiao was carefully selected by my cousin for the emperor. Maybe everyone is worried about this rumor."
Zhong naturally guessed this and couldn't help but sigh, "No one believes the truth, but many people believe the messy rumors."
Speaking of rumors, Pei Xiuhan also realized the seriousness of the problem. In the afternoon, he went to the military camp.
Unexpectedly, as they approached the military camp, they heard a man say, "How did you offend Zhang Li some time ago? Did he really beat you up?"
The man had been badly beaten by Zhang Li, his face swollen like a pig's head. The bruises had only just subsided in the past two days. Thinking of Zhang Li's furious look, he shuddered and said, "Why bring him up?"
Another person hooked his neck with a grin and said, "Brother, I'm just curious. How did you violate his taboo? Tell us so that we can all pay attention. He was taken away by General Lu to suppress bandits again. It's obvious that he wants to give him military merit. He might be promoted before Zhang Xiaoxiao enters the palace."
Seeing that his master looked unhappy, Yang Hao felt a little nervous. When he was about to show up and interrupt the two of them, he saw Pei Xiuhan waving his hand.
After the two figures walked away, Pei Xiuhan asked, "Many people in the military camp think Xiaoxiao will enter the palace?"
Yang Hao had also vaguely heard similar rumors and said truthfully, "Miss Xiaoxiao is so beautiful that everyone thinks she's your pawn to seduce the Emperor."
Pei Xiuhan sneered, "Find a chance to clarify."
In the past, he never paid much attention to such trivial matters. Seeing him give such an order, Yang Hao was stunned for a moment. Thinking of his recent series of actions, Yang Hao couldn't help but feel a little frightened. Could it be that the master moved to Suyuexuan not because of the proximity, but for Miss Xiaoxiao?
He didn't dare to guess anymore and quickly retreated.
It would be most appropriate for Yang Hao to come forward and clarify this matter. He has always been Pei Xiuhan's spokesperson, and his words, to some extent, represent Pei Xiuhan's intentions.
Seeing him specifically clarify the matter, everyone was a little confused for a moment. Could it be that Xiaoxiao was really just his savior? Some people also believed that Pei Xiuhan couldn't resist the temptation and took Xiaoxiao in himself, only then clarifying the matter.
In any case, after learning that she would not enter the palace, those ministers who wanted to let their daughters enter the palace all breathed a sigh of relief. They just felt that they had lost a strong competitor, and who knows, their daughters might even have the hope of being crowned queen.
Xiaoxiao didn't know about this. She still lived in Suyuexuan because she was very close to him. Xiaoxiao was very satisfied these days. But when she thought of the dream of being kissed by him, her face would blush and her heart would beat fast for some reason, and she felt like there was a little rabbit in her chest.
The next day, Xiaoxiao received a letter from Mu Xi, asking her to go to Huguo Temple the day after tomorrow.
Zhong was very decisive and went to the Wu'an Marquis Mansion that afternoon to finalize the matter with her sister-in-law. It happened that Zhong Yu had a day off the day after tomorrow and did not need to go to the Imperial College, so the day for the two to meet was set.
In the evening, when Pei Xiuhan returned, Xiaoxiao mentioned the matter, "Sister Wen is going to Huguo Temple to see her tomorrow. Sister Xi and I will go with her."
After she finished speaking, she looked at Pei Xiuhan curiously, with a hint of probing in her black and white eyes, "Brother, have you ever met anyone?"
Pei Xiuhan naturally didn't. Seeing that she actually looked very curious, Pei Xiuhan paused and said, "It's not impossible to meet her once in the future."
???
Xiaoxiao didn't quite understand, but she didn't take it to heart. She had no right to interfere in his future affairs. Seeing that he had never met anyone before, Xiaoxiao felt inexplicably excited.
The next day, Xiaoxiao went to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion early. When she came over, Mu Wen was choosing clothes. She changed several sets in a row, and Mu Xi shook her head. Mu Wen was a little unhappy, "I am the elder sister, why should I listen to you?"
She picked up the skirt she usually wore, but Mu Xi said, "Today is your first meeting. You might fall in love with him at first sight. What if you don't dress beautifully and can't impress him? What will you do?"
Mu Wen bit her lip and felt that what she said made some sense. After all, this was her first time meeting him, and Mu Wen was quite looking forward to it. She hesitated for a moment, and finally dressed as Mu Xi asked.
Normally she seldom dressed up, and her dresses were mostly light pink and white, which made her look very girlish, but more like a child. But today she was wearing a lavender skirt. Her slender waist was less than the size of a hand, and a string of pearls hung around her long neck. She looked bright and charming.
When she came out after changing her clothes, Xiaoxiao and Muxi were stunned. Mu Wen bit her lip, feeling a little uncomfortable. "Doesn't it look good? Then I'll go change. I've never worn such a slim-fitting dress before."
Mu Xi smiled and said, "This is it. I guarantee it will make the other party drop their jaw."
Xiaoxiao couldn't help but praise: "It's really beautiful."
Until she got on the carriage, Mu Wen had no idea who she was going to meet today. She only heard her mother say that he had a good family background, excellent character, and first-class appearance. Mu Wen was still quite unsure and couldn't help asking Mu Xi and Xiao Xiao, "Don't you two know who I'm going to meet? This is so strange. We're about to meet, but I don't even know which family he is from." @Light@Kiss@Book@Wood@Exclusive@Organization@
Xiaoxiao already knew it yesterday, but Muxi specifically told her not to tell anyone. She smiled and said, "You'll find out when the time comes. I heard he's a very handsome young man. Sister Wen, don't be stunned when the time comes."
Mu Wen's cheeks felt inexplicably hot, "No way."
Mu Xi said slowly, "I heard that the girl I'm going to meet today is coveted by countless noble ladies in the capital. You must behave well, otherwise if she doesn't like you, people will say that the girl from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion is not good enough."
Mu Wen snorted and turned away. It seemed that she never had a good word to say. When was it Mu Wen's turn to be picked and chosen by others? Even if it didn't work out, it was definitely because she didn't like it.
The carriage made rumbling sounds and moved forward steadily. Mu Wen was full of curiosity about the person she was going to meet.
Seeing that her curiosity and expectations were all aroused, Xiaoxiao couldn't help but smile. Not long after, they arrived at the Huguo Temple.
When they got off the car, a melodious bell sounded from the temple. The birds on the branches were startled and flew away with flapping wings.
The Huguo Temple is shaded by green trees all year round, and the temple is filled with curling incense. The three of them followed Zhong to the Xiahe Garden of the Huguo Temple. The scenery here is extremely beautiful, with small bridges, flowing water, rockery and strange rocks.
Mrs. Zhong pointed to the pavilion opposite and said to Mu Wen, "We'll be waiting for you here. Just go over there and take a good look at it, whether it succeeds or not."
Mu Wen nodded, holding up her skirt, and walked towards the pavilion. Someone was already waiting in the pavilion. Zhong Yu already knew that he would be meeting his cousin today. In his memory, Mu Wen was still a little girl who loved to wipe her tears. When her mother asked him to come over, he just thought it was ridiculous. He turned around when he heard footsteps, and when he saw her, he was stunned.
The girl has a graceful figure and a beautiful face. She doesn't look like a child at all.
Seeing that the two had already started talking, Mrs. Zhong said to Xiaoxiao and Muxi, "It's rare for them to come out. They won't be able to finish their conversation in a short time. You can walk around for a while."
Mu Xi smiled and pulled Xiao Xiao away, "Listen to Auntie, let's go for a walk."
Mrs. Zhong was very particular about rules and liked girls to sit and stand properly. Every time Mu Xi stayed in front of her, she felt her waist ache. After she walked out of her sight, she relaxed and leaned towards Xiaoxiao. Xiaoxiao supported her with a smile on her face.
Mu Xi's maid secretly smiled, but after Mu Xi glared at her, she stood up straight and said with a smile, "Girls, you have nothing to do anyway, why don't you go get a marriage fortune? I heard that the marriage fortunes at Huguo Temple are also very effective."
Xiaoxiao looked at Muxi, who said indifferently, "Then go and take a look."
Xiaoxiao followed Mu Xi into the hall. It was her first time to draw a marriage lot, and she felt inexplicably uneasy. She imitated the girl before her and bowed devoutly before shaking the lot holder. A line of small words was engraved on the lot that fell out: "We will be husband and wife from birth, and we will be together again in life, and we will miss each other forever in death."
When she saw the last line, Xiaoxiao felt a little nervous. She just hoped that the person she cared about could be safe and sound, even if they could not get married.
Seeing her pale face, the young monk glanced at the small words on the fortune stick and thought it was a good one. "Donor, you can go to the front to ask the master to interpret the fortune stick."
Xiaoxiao thanked him, and Muxi had finished drawing. The lot she drew didn't look very good, probably meaning that good things will take time.
Mu Xi didn't care and returned the lot in his hand to the little monk.
"Do you want to untie yours?"
Xiaoxiao understood what he meant. She shook her head and said, "Let's not waste time. Sister Wen will probably be well soon."
The two of them took their maid back to the Xiahe Garden, which was the back garden of the Huguo Temple. People could enjoy the lotus here in summer. There were seven pavilions built here. When they approached Mrs. Zhong, they saw Mu Wen and Zhong Yu walking side by side from a distance.
Both of them looked a little embarrassed. Zhong Yu's ears turned red and he felt a little uncomfortable. After he got closer, he greeted Zhong politely.
Mrs. Zhong always felt that there was a chance between the two of them, and her expression couldn't help but relax.
Xiaoxiao blinked and looked at Muwen. Muwen twisted her hands together and looked a little shy. Guessing that she might be willing, Xiaoxiao smiled.
Mu Wen was the first friend she met after coming to the capital. Xiaoxiao sincerely hoped that she could be happy.
Xiaoxiao didn't know that her troubles were about to follow.
After returning to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, Zhong asked Mu Wen whether she agreed to the marriage. If she agreed, she would arrange it for them. Mu Wen stamped her feet and ran away with a red face. No one knew what Zhong Yu said to her in the pavilion that made her so embarrassed.
Her attitude clearly showed that she agreed. Zhong felt relieved and felt that the huge stone pressing on her heart had finally been removed.
She was feeling happy, but another happy event came to her. The lady of the Zhao family came to her and asked about Xiaoxiao in every possible way.
It turned out that Yang Hao's words of clarification had spread throughout the capital, and the ladies of various mansions had also heard about it. Seeing that the Regent had no intention of letting Xiaoxiao enter the palace, some people started to set their sights on Xiaoxiao.
Mrs. Zhao came today for the sake of her second legitimate son. Ever since the second son Zhao saw Xiaoxiao's true face at the palace banquet, he has been obsessed with her. Seeing that the Regent had no intention of letting her enter the palace, he was very restless and immediately went to his mother for help.
Mrs. Zhao had also seen Xiaoxiao, and she felt that the girl was too beautiful and pure. If she were to marry her, her son's heart would surely be seduced by her. She had always hoped that her son could marry a virtuous and capable woman who could encourage him to make progress, but she could not resist her son's nagging.
She nodded then. She came here just to get some information and explain her purpose.
After Mrs. Zhong sent Madam Zhao away, her eyes still full of smiles, she said to the nanny, "Today is such a good day. I don't have to worry about Wen's affairs anymore. Xiaoxiao also has good news. Today is the Zhao residence, and tomorrow there will definitely be young men from other residences. Go and sort out the news about Master Zhao and send it to Xiaoxiao later to see if she likes it."
"Forget it, let's not send him off yet. I've met Zhao Er. He's neither good at literature nor martial arts, and he only has a face that appeals to young girls. What if Xiaoxiao falls in love with his face and is willing to marry him? Wouldn't that be unfair to her? Let's see if there's anyone suitable."
The nanny agreed respectfully.
The next day, two more people arrived. One of them was the commander of the Imperial Guard, Zhou Cheng. He was 28 years old, young but already held great power. He had been highly regarded by the late emperor, a true genius.
The other one has just come of age. Although his status is not as high as Zhou Cheng's, he is also a genius and very handsome. Either of these two is extremely outstanding.
Mrs. Zhong smiled from ear to ear. "Send their portraits to Xiaoxiao and see if she likes any of them. If she does, I can give her a reply."
Xiaoxiao was grinding ink at this time. When the maid came over, she put down the ink stick in her hand and welcomed the person in with a smile.
This maidservant was Zhong's personal maidservant. Xiaoxiao had seen her many times. Hong Xing always had a smile on her face. "I came here today on Madam's orders to deliver a picture album to the young lady. The young lady has no mother, so those who are interested in proposing marriage to you have all gone to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. These two young men are both interested in marrying you. If you are interested, I will ask Madam Guo to reply to the letter and have someone formally propose marriage."
Xiaoxiao's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment she thought she had misheard.
"Propose to me?"
Hong Xing couldn't help but smile. "Yes, young lady, you are stunningly beautiful, and you play the guzheng to perfection. It's no exaggeration to say that you are extremely talented. There are definitely many young men in the capital who would like to marry you. In the past, everyone just thought you were going to enter the palace, and no one dared to propose. Now that Lord Yang has helped to dispel the rumors, I'm afraid more and more people will want to marry you."
Xiaoxiao was confused by what she heard, but her big watery eyes still couldn't hide her shock.
Hong Xing smiled and said, "These two are both outstanding people, both are very handsome. Come and take a look, young lady."
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