57. Chapter 57 Promise
Hong Xing smiled and unfolded one of the scrolls. The painting showed a young man with handsome features and a gentle temperament. It was the young master Qin who had just come of age.
The man in the other painting had sharp brows and stern features. Although not as handsome and elegant as Young Master Qin, he was extremely manly. The two men had their own strengths and were equally matched.
Hong Xing smiled and said, "I guess there are still some people coming to visit. You can take your time to consider. If you find someone you like, you can let Madam know in advance."
Xiaoxiao finally came to her senses. She said, "Sister, please tell my aunt that I haven't reached marriage age yet and am not considering marriage yet. Please ask her to reject all the offers for me. Thank you for your hard work and concern. I will come to thank you another day."
Hong Xing was a little surprised. She had been in Mrs. Zhong's presence for quite some time and had gotten to know Xiaoxiao quite well. She thought for a moment and offered a few heartfelt words, "Young lady, you should reconsider. You'll be coming of age soon, and you'll have to consider it sooner or later. If you refuse, what if no one dares to propose marriage later? Madam will definitely not let you do that."
Xiaoxiao was about to say something else when she heard her smile as she said, "I understand. You definitely don't want to trouble Madam. We're family, so why should we be so discreet? If Madam were here, she'd definitely be upset to see you being so distant. So, choose carefully. Don't be afraid of the hassle. When I have a suitable album, I'll bring it to you again until you've chosen something you like."
After Hong Xing finished speaking, she bowed to Xiaoxiao and left Prince Yan's Mansion.
Xiaoxiao was a little worried. She vaguely realized that even if she didn't want to get married, she had to come up with a suitable reason to refuse. It was indeed not appropriate to use age as an excuse.
Xiaoxiao has a headache.
At this time, Pei Xiuhan also learned about the marriage proposal. He was originally reviewing memorials, but when he heard the words, the wolf-hair brush in his hand was broken directly, and his eyes became dim.
Unfortunately, he had a lot of things to do and couldn't leave for the time being. Knowing that his aunt would not agree to it without permission, he calmed down to deal with official business.
Xiao Chen didn't learn about this until the evening, when he heard it from his mother. Xiao's mother was in her early forties and she took good care of herself, with almost no wrinkles on her face.
She also has a very good relationship with Xiao's father. They have been married for more than 20 years, and they have had only a few arguments.
Xiao's mother brought up this matter at the dinner table, and she was also speaking up for Xiao Chen's sister.
Xiao Chen's elder sister is seventeen years old this year. Before she got married, she had feelings for Zhou Cheng. Xiao's mother only had this daughter, so she put aside her dignity and asked someone to test Zhou Cheng's attitude, but Zhou Cheng said he had no intention of getting married.
Xiao Chen's sister cried for a long time at that time. Although she is married now, Xiao's mother is still not happy.
Now that she knew Zhou Cheng had sent someone to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, she couldn't help but say, "I thought Zhou Cheng would marry some noble lady after rejecting Yan'er, but after all this time, he's actually set his sights on Zhang Xiaoxiao. Not only does that little girl not have a good family background, her talent isn't the best among the noble ladies, and she only has a pretty face, yet she's actually quite popular. Not only is Zhou Cheng interested in her, but others are also interested in marrying her. You men really only care about looks."
Xiao Chen's grip on the chopsticks tightened unconsciously. He calmly interrupted, "Didn't they say she would enter the palace in the future?"
Mother Xiao said, "Two days ago, the Prince Regent had Yang Hao clarify this rumor, saying that Zhang Xiaoxiao was his savior, and that the prince took pity on her loneliness and brought her back to the palace. He definitely had no intention of forcing her into the palace, and she will never enter the palace in the future."
Thinking of the strange atmosphere between the Regent and Xiaoxiao, Xiao Chen did not feel relieved. Instead, he had an inexplicable bad premonition.
He was silent for a moment before he said, "Mother doesn't like Xiaoxiao?"
The young man was wearing a dark blue brocade robe with a Pisces jade pendant hanging from his waist. He stood straight with a serious look in his calm eyes. The emotion contained in his eyes was so strong that it stunned Xiao's mother.
Her son has always been mature beyond his years. He has been extremely outstanding since he was a child. No matter what he does, his elders don't need to worry about him. Correspondingly, his emotions are also very indifferent. It seems that there is nothing he likes or dislikes. He has an indifferent attitude towards everything. This is the first time that Xiao's mother has seen him care about a girl.
Mother Xiao's heart couldn't help but tremble, and she asked in a lost voice: "Do you like her?"
Father Xiao also glanced at his son. In contrast to Mother Xiao's nervousness and disapproval, there was a hint of interest in his eyes. He had obviously not expected that his son also had a love of beauty.
Xiao Chen avoided answering, only frowned and reminded his mother, "Mother, Xiaoxiao is very good. She has a gentle temperament and a kind heart. Even if she doesn't have a good family background, she is still a good girl. Even if my son likes her, there is nothing wrong with it."
Xiao's mother had never expected him to have such an attitude. Seeing that he dared to teach her a lesson for a girl, Xiao's mother was somewhat annoyed, and her voice turned colder. "No matter what you think, your family will never let you marry her. You are so young. You should study hard in the next two years. When you come of age, your mother will find you a good girl."
Xiao Chen didn't say anything. In fact, he had already guessed his mother's attitude. Even if he had reached adulthood, his mother would never agree. She always valued family background. In her eyes, with Xiaoxiao's status, if he insisted on marrying her, she would probably only be a concubine.
He knew that he couldn't change her mind, so he didn't waste his breath. He put down his chopsticks, stood up, and before leaving, he said calmly, "Son, you're done eating. Father and mother, take your time."
After he left, Xiao's mother couldn't help but tear up, "He must be blaming me for not wanting to eat more."
Father Xiao patted his wife's shoulder and said, "You gave birth to a son, and you don't understand him yet? If he really gets angry so easily, you wouldn't have worried about him in the first place."
Xiao's mother was choked by him, and her sadness inexplicably dissipated.
Xiao Chen was born with indifferent emotions. He didn't like to cry when he was a child. When other children were unhappy, they would cry loudly, but he was different. He always played by himself. When he was pushed down by other children, he would stand up silently. He was very lacking in emotions.
Xiao's mother actually suspected that he had some problems and even consulted the imperial physician.
Knowing that Xiao Chen was not someone who gave up easily, Xiao's father put his arm around her shoulders and said soothingly, "Children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. If you want to be happy forever, just listen to your husband and let them do whatever they want. You always tried to interfere in Yan'er's marriage, but didn't she and Zhou Cheng still end up together?"
Father Xiao sighed and continued, "Family background is certainly important, but it's not the standard by which one should be judged. Even if he marries a woman from a high-class family, what good will that do? Can you really expect her to help Chen'er in his career? You know how proud Chen'er is. How could he possibly rely on others?"
Xiao's mother was somewhat reassured by his words. "It can't be Zhang Xiaoxiao either. She's just a little village girl. Besides, I've seen that girl before. You have no idea how beautiful she is. If your son really marries her, will he still be busy with his studies? He's only a few years old. We have to wait at least two years before we can consider his marriage."
Father Xiao didn't try to persuade her anymore, but instead smiled and said, "Do you really think those who are willing to marry Zhang Xiaoxiao are really just because she is beautiful?"
The reason why Xiao's father was willing to ask for Xiao's mother's hand in marriage was because he valued her innocence. Seeing that she was so naive at her age, he did not despise her, but guided her slowly.
Mother Xiao's heart moved slightly, "What does my husband mean?"
Father Xiao said, "Of course, they value the Regent behind Xiaoxiao. In all these years, when have you ever seen the Regent treat anyone differently? Zhang Xiaoxiao is one of them. Whether she's indebted to the Regent or for some other reason, if we can marry her back home, then in the future, if the Regent has anything to ask of us, as long as this girl is willing to ask, I'm afraid it will be twice as effective with half the effort."
Mother Xiao was a little disapproving. "She's just a little girl, how could she have such a big impact? The prince is not senile, so how can he listen to her?"
Father Xiao laughed and said, "The little yellow-haired girl you mentioned was brought back to the palace by the prince himself. In order to stand up for her, the prince not only punished Princess Anhui, but also disregarded the reputation of the Princess Chang and Princess Yuyang. Do you really think she is just an insignificant little girl?"
Thinking about it carefully, it was true. When the envoy came to pay homage, Xiao's mother also attended the palace banquet and witnessed Pei Xiuhan's protection of Xiaoxiao with her own eyes.
She didn't say anything else.
Father Xiao stopped there, "If Chen'er can really marry her, it may not be a blessing for the Xiao family. Don't forget, she is not only the prince's benefactor, even the emperor treats her with special care."
Xiao's mother was completely speechless now.
After Xiao Chen walked out of the Xiao Mansion, he entered the palace. He was not only Pei Jing's study partner, but also Pei Jing's cousin. His face was his proof of entry and exit, and he didn't even need to take out his badge. The guards let him in when they saw him.
Xiao Chen walked all the way to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. When the young eunuch saw him, he bowed and greeted him before going in to report.
When he came over, Pei Jing was painstakingly reading memorials. Recently, in addition to balancing his studies, he also had to review memorials for an hour and a half every night.
Seeing Xiao Chen, he dropped the memorial and leaned back against the dragon throne. His lazy look was about 70% similar to Pei Xiuhan's when he relaxed. "Why are you here at this time?"
Pei Jing and Xiao Chen grew up together, so naturally they had a special bond. Xiao Chen greeted him symbolically and said, "Last time, the emperor wanted to compete with me in horseback archery. Today, I agree to your request."
Pei Jing chuckled and rolled his eyes, his sparkling peach blossom eyes full of interest. "You're not bored, are you? You don't want anything from me?"
Xiao Chen remained silent as always. He looked at him quietly, without any intention of explaining anything. He simply said, "Do you want to compete?"
"Of course we have to compete. It's already dark. Even if we want to compete, we have to wait until tomorrow."
As Pei Jing spoke, he stood up from the dragon throne, stretched himself, walked to Xiao Chen, looked him up and down, and felt that this kid was hiding something from him.
Pei Jing has been practicing horse riding and archery recently, and is about 70% to 80% sure that he can defeat Xiao Chen, so he wants to compete with him.
The last time he proposed it, Xiao Chen refused because it was boring. In this world, apart from the emperor's uncle, only this cousin could remain himself when facing him.
Although he often made his teeth itch with anger, Pei Jing actually admired him. He couldn't help but gossip, "You must have something to ask of me before you agreed, right? Tell me first, what is the bet this time, otherwise I won't agree."
Xiao Chen whispered, "I just want to ask you for a small favor. It won't take more than a quarter of an hour."
Xiao Chen did not say the word "arranged marriage". He always preferred to be cautious in doing things. Before winning, he was too lazy to say a word.
Knowing that he wouldn't reveal it in advance, Pei Jing tutted and waved his hand unhappily, "Get lost."
At this time, the night was gradually getting darker.
It was not known when a light drizzle started to fall from the sky. When Pei Xiuhan got off the carriage, he really saw a familiar figure at the door. The little girl was holding an oil umbrella and looking around. When she saw him, her eyes lit up instantly.
Pei Xiuhan had been suppressing his unhappiness for most of the day, but at this moment, it completely disappeared. As he approached Xiaoxiao, the little girl also ran over carefully, holding up the hem of her skirt.
Pei Xiuhan didn't want to scold her, he just frowned, "Didn't I tell you last time that you don't have to come out to pick me up when it rains?"
Xiaoxiao curled her lips and smiled, "I was worried that there might not be an umbrella in the carriage. Since I didn't have anything to do, I decided to come and wait for my brother."
When Xiaoxiao stayed in the room, she kept thinking about the marriage proposal. She felt quite uneasy, so she simply came out and waited for him.
Pei Xiuhan caught the oil umbrella in her hand. He did not open the other one, but just raised the umbrella in Xiaoxiao's hand. They both held the same umbrella.
The rain wasn't heavy, just a gentle drizzle, barely making a sound as it hit the umbrella. The entire palace seemed quite quiet. Under the light, the swaying shadows of the trees, cast in the rain, took on a hazy beauty.
Xiaoxiao curled her lips and stood obediently beside him. At this moment, her heart was filled with a very strange emotion. She even hoped that time would stop so that she could stand with him forever.
Unfortunately, this road will eventually come to an end.
The two of them arrived at Su Yuexuan unknowingly. On the way, Pei Xiu Han only heard her mention her homework. Seeing that she did not mention proposing marriage, Pei Xiu Han did not find a way to start.
Although he still felt unhappy when he thought about this, Pei Xiuhan was trying hard to control his emotions. He didn't want to scare her.
After returning to Su Yuexuan, Pei Xiuhan sent her to her room, then he put away his umbrella and instructed in a natural tone: "Go and make a pot of tea for my brother."
Xiaoxiao didn't think much about it, just thinking he was thirsty, she obediently responded and ran to make tea.
Pei Xiuhan came to her desk. Every time he came here before, he would take a look at the calligraphy she practiced. Today, he really found the portraits of Zhou Cheng and Qin Jie on it.
The two faces in the album were so displeasing to him that if the fire in his eyes could burn, the album would have been burned to ashes long ago.
When Xiaoxiao came over with the teacup, she realized that he was holding the picture album that Hong Xing had sent. She felt a little guilty for no reason and quickly handed the cup to Pei Xiuhan, "Brother, drink it."
Pei Xiuhan was still holding the picture album. He raised his eyebrows, gave a questioning look, and leaned against the desk.
Xiaoxiao unconsciously explained, "This was sent by my aunt Hong Xing. She said they want to propose to me."
When Xiaoxiao said the last two words, her voice was as soft as a mosquito, and her little face turned red unconsciously. Pei Xiuhan had not taken these two people seriously at first. After all, in his heart, neither of them was capable. The reason why he felt unhappy was that he was angry at their audacity. The person he liked actually dared to compete with him.
Seeing the little girl showing a shy expression, Pei Xiuhan's expression became tense, and his tone also carried a subtle nervousness, "Are there any you like?"
Xiaoxiao quickly shook her head, "No! Brother, I'm still young."
"Yes, she's still young." Pei Xiuhan wanted to retract his previous statement right after he agreed. He cleared his throat and said, "She's not too young actually. She can consider marriage at this age. It's appropriate to get married after she reaches the age of 15."
Xiaoxiao thought he had favored one of the two, and fearing he might agree, she quickly said, "I really don't want to think about it right now."
Pei Xiuhan then realized that she hadn't even looked at Zhou Cheng and Qin Jie.
Before he could say anything, he heard the little girl quickly add, "I don't think I'm ready yet. My previous birthday was randomly chosen by grandma based on my height. I don't even know when I'll be a 15-year-old. Getting married is too far away for me. Brother, didn't you say that I would always be your little girl? Do you want me to get married after only two days?"
For the first time, Pei Xiuhan experienced what it meant to shoot himself in the foot. He half bent down and rubbed Xiaoxiao's head. At this moment, his expression was indescribably gentle.
"My brother meant that you could be carefree forever in front of me, like a child, without any worries or concerns. You could do whatever you wanted. No matter what you did wrong or what you wanted to do, I would always be there to support you."
Xiaoxiao felt warm in her heart and couldn't say anything else for a moment. She just thought he was so nice. How could there be such a nice person in the world?
Xiaoxiao was deeply moved, but she could only take advantage of his soft heart. She said firmly: "Then I don't want to get married now, and I don't want to think about getting married. Do you support me, brother?"
Xiaoxiao looked at him eagerly, with a hint of pity in her bright eyes.
After meeting the little girl's clear eyes, Pei Xiuhan was defeated. In his deep eyes, there was a feeling that Xiaoxiao could not understand. He pressed his teeth against the back of his teeth and smiled, "Then don't consider it. Brother will wait until you grow up."
Xiaoxiao curled her lips, the worry in her eyes finally dissipating. She said with some distress, "I was just wondering how to refuse my aunt."
Pei Xiuhan was an expert at handling this, and he immediately spoke frankly, "Neither of these two is a good match. Zhou Cheng is not only old, but also has blood on his hands. To have risen to the position of Jinyiwei Commander at such a young age, he's naturally scheming and manipulative. He's unscrupulous in his dealings, and even if he marries a wife, he might not treat her well."
Pei Xiuhan had long forgotten that it was he who promoted Zhou Cheng. What he valued at the beginning was his cunning and scheming, but now this has become a weakness for attacking him.
Xiaoxiao took note of it carefully, "Where is Master Qin?"
"Him?" Pei Xiuhan sneered, his tone tinged with disdain. "Everyone says he's incredibly talented, but he's actually just a piece of paper. His essay in the last imperial examination was all empty talk. If the court had really implemented his suggestions, it would have been a complete mess. He's just a bit clever and well-read, and he only stands out among the younger generation."
After hearing this, Xiaoxiao frowned, feeling that it would be inappropriate to use his words to reject the Zhong family.
Before she could continue to worry, she heard Pei Xiuhan say, "I will help you reject your aunt's request. You don't have to worry about it."
Xiaoxiao couldn't help but hug him happily, "Brother, why are you so nice?"
Pei Xiuhan's heartbeat quickened. His throat tightened a little with the gentle beauty in his arms. He tried his best to maintain the demeanor of a brother and said with a smile, "Brother has many good qualities. When you grow up and want to find a husband, you must follow my standards. You can't be worse than me, understand?"
Xiaoxiao was so happy that she couldn't help hugging him. She was very restrained and only hugged him for a moment before letting go. When she heard his words, the happiness in her heart faded a little.
She couldn't help but feel depressed. Couldn't she just not look for someone? She didn't think there was anyone better than Brother Pei. Even if there was, she didn't want to marry him.
She felt that being able to see him every day like this was already very satisfying, and Xiaoxiao was not greedy at all.
The last few days have been the happiest days for her since she came to Beijing. She doesn't have to worry about her brother who is far away on the battlefield, nor does she have to worry about Brother Pei marrying Gu Zhen into the palace at any time. Xiaoxiao cherishes the present days very much.
Pei Xiuhan was sensitive to her emotions and instantly fell down. He knocked her head with a little displeasure, "Little girl? What's with that expression on your face? Isn't your brother worthy of being regarded as a standard?"
Xiaoxiao's eyes finally lit up with a smile. She wrinkled her nose and said, "No, I'm not. I just think that if I were to use my brother as my standard, I probably wouldn't be able to get married in my lifetime. How could anyone in this world be better than my brother?"
Pei Xiuhan couldn't help but tut a sound and scratched her straight little nose, "Slippery tongue."
He glanced at her sideways and jokingly said, "Then just marry my brother."
Xiaoxiao's heart skipped a beat. At that moment, her brain nearly stopped functioning. She tried very hard to make a face, "Brother, your joke is not funny at all."
Even when she was making faces, her expression was still extremely serious. This sentence obviously scared her, which was why she didn't look happy at all. Pei Xiu Han sighed unconsciously in his heart.
"You knew it was a joke, but you didn't even laugh. You're embarrassing me. Is marrying me really that unacceptable?"
Xiaoxiao guessed he was joking, and she quickly shook her head, "Of course not. Brother is such a good man, there must be many noble ladies who would love to marry you."
Pei Xiuhan just pinched her little face and said, "What does it have to do with me if they want to get married? I have to want to marry them. Let's make a deal. When I'm thirty, if there's still no one I want to marry, and you don't want to marry either, then we can just live together."
His tone was very nonchalant, and what he said sounded like a casual suggestion, but no one knew that he was actually a little nervous. It was the first time in his life that he felt nervous when facing someone.
Xiaoxiao thought she had misheard or was hallucinating, and she subconsciously held her breath.
Seeing that she didn't say anything, Pei Xiuhan thought she didn't want to agree, and immediately knocked her head in displeasure, "Little girl, is it so unacceptable to live with your brother?"
After being knocked, Xiaoxiao finally felt the reality. She curled her lips and shook her head quickly, "No! I promised my brother!"
Xiaoxiao was so happy that for a moment, she even wanted to run into the rain and run a few laps. She really wanted to make a pinky promise with him, but she was afraid that he would go back on his word or think it was childish.
A medley of emotions mixed together, leaving her feeling both anxious and happy. She couldn't help but count on her fingers, her lips curling unconsciously as she finished. Just three more years of perseverance and they could start living together. It couldn't be better!
Seeing the little girl's eyes sparkling, she obviously did not reject the suggestion. Pei Xiuhan finally smiled. He has always been good at cutting the Gordian knot, but this is the first time he has tried to boil a frog in warm water.
He rolled up the album and put it away, not intending to let her look at it again.
"It's getting late. Go to bed early and leave this to me."
He stood up straight after he finished speaking, ready to leave with the album. The little girl didn't even have a portrait of him, so naturally, she couldn't have one for anyone else either.
The old man's mind is very narrow.
Xiaoxiao didn't know what he was thinking. She glanced at the album in his hand and breathed a sigh of relief.
She had been thinking about how to deal with it. It was somewhat inappropriate for a little girl like her to have a picture album of a man from another world. Since she didn't intend to agree, she shouldn't keep the album.
Seeing Brother Pei take it away, Xiaoxiao just felt that he was very thoughtful.
What a good brother!
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