Chapter 335 Proposing Marriage
The entire Zhenguo Duke's mansion was bustling with activity and operating in an orderly manner in preparation for Meng Xingjiang's marriage proposal.
Zhou Congxian kept his word and visited Minister Li's residence in person just three days later.
When he returned, he brought back the betrothal letter written by Madam Li herself.
Meng Yushan looked at the thin birth chart, his hands trembling with excitement.
Meanwhile, Meng Shilan and Meng Xingjiang, carrying the gift list compiled by Zhou Congxian, began to shop around.
The carefully selected betrothal gifts were sent back to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
Each item embodies the sincerity and expectations of the Meng family.
He Ran stayed in the mansion, unaware of these things, but seeing Meng Shilan busy every day with a smile on her face, she vaguely guessed what was going on.
She stayed in her embroidery room, her cheeks flushed, and the needle and thread in her hands seemed to carry a touch of sweet warmth.
That day, after finishing her work, Meng Shilan made a special trip to the He family.
He Ran was embroidering a picture of mandarin ducks playing in the water, and it was already half finished.
The pair of mandarin ducks lay neck to neck on the blue waves, their intimate posture lifelike.
Meng Shilan asked in surprise, "When did you learn this skill?"
Feeling embarrassed by her gaze, He Ran quickly hid the embroidery hoop behind his back.
"I...I don't know how. The embroiderer did it. She left me two stitches, so I guess I did it myself..."
"Shi Lan, don't tell your brother."
She turned around and threatened her again.
Meng Shilan chuckled. He Ran grew up on the frontier and was highly skilled in martial arts.
She is already a woman of great talent; so what if she doesn't know needlework?
In the future, we can hire a few embroiderers at home and have them do the embroidery.
Meng Shilan took her hand, sat down beside her, took out an exquisite brocade box from his bosom, and handed it to her.
"This is……"
"Open it and take a look."
He Ran hesitated for a moment, then took it and gently opened it.
Inside the brocade box lay a fine piece of warm jade.
The jade is warm and smooth, delicate and translucent, and gleams with a soft halo under light.
"This is too valuable, I cannot accept it."
He Ran quickly tried to return the box.
Don't refuse.
Meng Shilan held her hand and said softly.
"This isn't a gift from me."
"It was given to my future sister-in-law in advance on behalf of my brother."
"How heartbroken he would be if you didn't accept it."
Her words were cleverly worded, yet tinged with a hint of mischief.
He Ran's face instantly turned as red as if it were about to bleed.
She lowered her head, clutching the brocade box, her fingers turning slightly white, but in the end, she did not refuse it again.
Looking at her shy and charming appearance, Meng Shilan felt both happy and moved.
She thought of herself.
She recalled how, as a concubine, she was carried into the Duke of England's mansion through the back door in a small sedan chair.
There were no Three Letters and Six Rites.
She did not marry him through proper channels.
There is no happiness like this, being cherished and treated with such reverence by the whole family.
Between her and Zhou Congxian lay a blood feud, a chasm of social status, and societal prejudice.
The journey has been fraught with peril, like walking on thin ice.
But He Ran and her brother had such a smooth and fulfilling life.
very nice.
Her eyes were slightly moist.
"Shi Lan, what's wrong?"
He Ran noticed her emotions and asked with some concern.
"nothing."
Meng Shilan shook her head, sniffed, and a smile returned to her face.
"I'm just happy for you and my brother."
She held He Ran's hand, her gaze utterly sincere.
"Ranran, from now on, we are a real family."
“If my brother does anything wrong, just tell me and I will discipline him for you.”
He Ran was amused by her words, and the tension and shyness in his heart dissipated considerably.
She nodded emphatically, her eyes filled with the most beautiful hopes for the future.
...
Everything is ready, except for the east wind.
The tenth day of the first lunar month was an auspicious day calculated by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.
Suitable for: marriage, betrothal, and asking for a name.
On this day, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.
The gates of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion were wide open early in the morning.
Meng Xingjiang was dressed in a brand-new royal blue brocade robe, his hair tied up high with a jade crown, making him look heroic and extraordinary, yet revealing an undisguised nervousness.
He stood in the courtyard, pacing back and forth, occasionally straightening his clothes.
Zhou Congxian stood to the side with his hands behind his back, finding his appearance somewhat amusing.
"It's just a marriage proposal, not a battle. Why are you so nervous?"
Meng Xingjiang glared at him.
"What do you know! This is much more tense than going to the battlefield!"
Zhou Congxian raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying.
He thought that if it were him proposing to Shi Lan, he would probably be a hundred times more nervous than Meng Xingjiang.
Before long, a magnificent carriage stopped in front of the mansion gate.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and stepping out was none other than Madam Li, the wife of the Minister of Personnel.
Meng Yushan personally came out to greet them.
"Thank you for your trouble, Madam Li."
"Lord Meng, you flatter me."
Madam Li curtsied and smiled kindly, "It is my honor to be able to act as matchmaker for such a perfect couple as Young Master Meng and Miss He."
The group welcomed Madam Li into the main hall.
The servants carried gift boxes covered with red silk, following behind.
The long queue stretched from the gate of the mansion all the way to the end of the street, attracting passersby to stop and marvel.
The marriage proposal by the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was even more grand than that of an ordinary family's wedding.
This sincerity was seen by half of the people in the capital.
Meng Shilan stood under the eaves, looking at the endless dowry, her brother's tall yet nervous back, and the gratified smile on her grandfather's face.
She turned her head and looked at Zhou Congxian beside her.
He was looking at her too.
In the sunlight, his eyes were as deep as the sea, filled with a gentle, tender smile.
He didn't say anything, but simply reached out and gently took her hand.
His palms were warm and dry, filled with a reassuring power.
Meng Shilan's heart suddenly settled down.
yes.
The past suffering is over.
The happiness of the future has only just begun.
Their path may be more difficult than others.
But as long as they hold each other's hands tightly like this.
There is nothing that cannot be overcome.
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