Chapter 286 287. Do you want to get engaged to me?
"My Lord is joking again."
"It would be nice if I could make the lady smile."
Marquis Changning and Princess Henghuan looked at each other, neither of them losing ground.
On the surface, Marquis Changning had a gentle smile on his face and spoke in a soft and gentle tone, while Princess Henghuan was graceful and amiable, appearing to be in a peaceful and happy mood.
The words were indeed tit-for-tat and tense, and behind the two men it seemed as if a tiger leaped and a dragon soared.
Thanks to Lei Li's eloquent nonsense, Lei Zhouzhou was able to be alone with Lin Zhong as he wished.
Although Lei Li and Princess Henghuan were also watching from a distance in the pavilion in the garden, Lin Zhong and Lei Zhouzhou were only within their sight, but if they lowered their voices, no one could hear what they were saying.
"How have you been these days?"
Lei Zhouzhou noticed at first sight that Lin Zhong had lost some weight, but Lin Zhong kept looking at him and smiling, looking radiant, and all the listlessness disappeared.
“Not very good.”
Lin Zhong didn't want to make Lei Zhouzhou worry, but he didn't dare hide it from her. He told her the truth, "My mother locked me up in the other courtyard. I have enough food and clothing, but I'm not allowed to leave the house. If Zhouzhou and Marquis Changning hadn't come to the mansion today, I don't know when my mother would have let me out."
"Everyone I needed in the courtyard was transferred away by my mother. The doors and windows were locked, and only a few guards were left."
"They are all my mother's people and cannot be bribed. I can't leave even if I want to, and I can't let anyone send a message to you and make you worry about me."
"It's good that you came out."
Lei Zhouzhou said, frowning, "I heard you almost escaped once, but you were hit by an arrow and couldn't escape. Where did the arrow hurt you? Was it serious?"
“Not heavy.”
Lin Zhong shook his head slightly and said, "The arrow hit my left shoulder. The wound wasn't serious, but it was drugged. That's why I couldn't escape and was captured. I'm almost healed after a few days of rest."
"That's good."
Lei Zhouzhou finally felt relieved, and then he asked, "Zhouzhou, how did you know I was shot by an arrow? Mother's rule is very strict, and everyone in the mansion is her people. No one would dare to spread the news of something she doesn't want to say."
"Daddy told me."
"in this way."
Lin Zhong's expression understood.
The Yunliu Department controlled by Marquis Changning is the most well-informed, and with Marquis Changning's means, knowing his current situation is nothing.
"How's Zhou Zhou these days?"
Lin Zhong's eyes were filled with concern, and there was a hint of tea in them. "Mother said that many people have come to the Changning Marquis' Mansion to propose marriage recently, and they are all young talents in Kyoto. I'm really worried that Zhou Zhou will fall in love with someone and leave me behind."
Princess Henghuan is very good at winning people's hearts.
She locked Lin Zhong up and didn't allow him to leave the house, but she specially sent someone to tell him the latest situation of Changning Marquis Mansion, such as how many people went to Changning Marquis Mansion to propose marriage, which young man Lei Zhouzhou met outside, and which young man was pursuing Lei Zhouzhou. All of them were news about her rivals, but there was no news about Lei Zhouzhou herself.
Lin Zhong had no idea what Lei Zhouzhou's reaction was or what Changning Marquis Mansion meant. He was extremely anxious and racked his brains every day to find a way out.
When Lin Zhong used to stick around Lei Zhouzhou, he was like a wolf cub protecting its own flesh. Once he found a rival, even a potential rival, he would secretly squeeze that person and steal Lei Zhouzhou's attention.
He was the best among his peers. Even though those who were not as well-off as him coveted the power of the Marquis of Changning's Mansion, they did not dare to act rashly in front of him.
Aristocratic families of similar level to his would not openly clash with the Duke of Suguo's Mansion over the Changning Marquis Mansion, because the Duke of Suguo's Mansion is more worthy of winning over than the Changning Marquis Mansion, which has a weaker foundation.
But I can’t say for sure if I like this thing.
Lin Zhong himself fell in love with Lei Zhouzhou at first sight. He was afraid that Lei Zhouzhou would suddenly fall in love with someone else when he was not around, and he was also afraid that Lei Zhouzhou would worry if she couldn't see him.
Just as he was worried about Lei Zhouzhou.
Princess Henghuan usually disdains to use dirty tricks, but if she is determined to get rid of Lei Zhouzhou, she will not hesitate at all even if Lei Zhouzhou is from the Changning Marquis Mansion.
As long as things were done perfectly, it didn't matter whether anyone suspected her or not.
Fortunately, his mother had not yet intended to go that far.
When Lin Zhong saw Lei Zhouzhou, who was intact as before, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"I am fine."
Lei Zhouzhou said, "Many people came to my house to ask for marriage, and some pretended to meet me by chance to get close to me, but I found them annoying and didn't want to pay attention to them, so I hid in my house and didn't come out."
"I'm at the mansion painting with Xiao Yuzhu, playing chess and cards with my aunt and the others, growing vegetables and picking fruit with Grandpa and Grandma, and making snacks with Auntie and Uncle Miao... There's so much to do, it's never boring."
"Shu Ge'er and the others sometimes come to see me secretly and tell me some things..."
He paused, feeling that it was a bit inappropriate to say these things. Seeing his hesitant expression, Lin Zhong thought something wrong and became nervous, "What did he say? Was it something bad?" Shu Ge'er and the others wouldn't persuade Zhou Zhou to choose someone else, right?
"You can't say it's bad either."
Lei Zhouzhou shook his head and said, "It means that the wife of Duke Suguo has met with the lady of a certain family again, and that family has received an invitation from the Duke Suguo Mansion, inviting the young man of that family to a flower viewing banquet, saying that you...you seem to be interested in the young lady of that family."
"I don't!"
Lin Zhong swore hastily, "My mother has been keeping me in the courtyard these days, and I haven't been able to see any of the girls or boys. The guard at the gate said that Mrs. Lu and Miss Lu had come to the mansion, but I didn't go to see them, nor did I listen to Miss Lu play the piano."
"Zhou Zhou knows that I don't like listening to the piano, I only like listening to Zhou Zhou playing the flute..."
The voice stopped abruptly.
Lin Zhong realized that his words were ambiguous and stopped immediately. He apologized to Lei Zhouzhou earnestly, "I'm sorry, Zhouzhou. I didn't mean to be disrespectful to you. I meant that your flute sound is beautiful, better than any other music."
"It doesn't matter?"
Lei Zhouzhou was stunned, not understanding why Lin Zhong wanted to apologize to him.
He did have a long flute, which was given to him by Lin Zhong, but because it was difficult to carry, he kept it in the marquis's mansion and only took it out to play occasionally.
Lin Zhong was always there every time he played the flute, or rather, most of the time he played it just because Lin Zhong wanted to listen. Every time he finished playing, Lin Zhong would say it sounded good.
He heard this long flute by chance when he was in Qingmi County. He thought the sound of the flute was thick, deep and pleasant, so he learned to play it.
After arriving in Kyoto, he once heard Shu Ge'er playing the piano and mentioned that he could play the long flute. The next day, Lin Zhong gave him a very good long flute. He liked this long flute very much and did not buy any other flutes.
"Zhou Zhou isn't angry?"
Lin Zhong's tone was quite cautious, and his light-colored eyes studied Lei Zhouzhou's expression. If there was anything wrong, he would immediately apologize.
"Why are you angry?"
Lei Zhouzhou felt even more puzzled. He thought for a moment and said, "Are you afraid that I might misunderstand you and make fun of me?"
Shu Ge'er doesn't like playing the piano in front of people. He only plays it when he feels like it, or when he plays with friends.
For these noble families, playing the piano, dancing or other things to gain others' praise sometimes has the meaning of pleasing or currying favor, just like you praise a young lady for her good singing, but you cannot compare her with a singer who pleases others with her singing.
However, Lei Zhouzhou didn't care about these things because he knew that Lin Zhong didn't mean that.
"no……"
Lin Zhong hesitated for a rare moment, and his voice softened considerably, "Playing the flute... has a rather negative connotation... It's better for Zhou Zhou not to know."
"What does it mean?"
Lei Zhouzhou blinked, his eyes clear and a little naive. "Isn't playing the flute just playing the flute? There are also poems and essays about playing the flute."
For example, the paragraph: "There was a guest playing the flute, singing along with the other party. The sound was mournful, like resentment, like longing, like crying, like complaining, and the lingering sound was endless." Lei Zhouzhou thought it was very well written.
“…”
Lin Zhong blushed, and for a moment he didn't dare look directly at Lei Zhouzhou with his usually frank eyes. He whispered, "It's a bad word anyway, Zhouzhou, don't ask."
"Then how did you know that?"
Lei Zhouzhou's eyes were clear and pure, and he said crisply, "In the book? Which book? I'll go find that book and read it."
"I happened to hear the servants in the mansion mention it, but I don't know what kind of books they are... They're not good books either. Anyway, Zhou Zhou shouldn't read them."
Lin Zhong emphasized it again. Seeing Lei Zhouzhou nod in confusion, he breathed a sigh of relief. The heat on his face also subsided and returned to normal. "I didn't expect Zhouzhou to come to me like this. I'm really sorry to trouble the Marquis of Changning."
"It doesn't matter."
Lei Zhouzhou said, "Father is very happy to help us, and our Marquis' Mansion has indeed never visited the Duke's Mansion alone. This visit is also a courtesy."
"Too."
Lin nodded, "The Marquis of Changning's Mansion and the Duke's Mansion should avoid suspicion. Too much personal relationship will arouse suspicion, and too little personal relationship will be too deliberate."
As he spoke, he suddenly paused, thinking about his mother's behavior in the past few days, and he had some guesses as to why she went to so much trouble, but this was definitely only one of the reasons.
If he bowed his head and got engaged to the young lady from a noble family that his mother liked, that would be what his mother wanted the most. Whether he liked that person or that person liked him was not important to their two families.
What does the marriage of a child matter as long as it can bring enough benefits?
Even though his mother loves him as her youngest son, in front of the Duke Su's Mansion, her own son has to sit at the back of the queue. Isn't that the case with his brother and the Seventh Princess?
They met for the first time on their wedding night, and slowly fell in love after marriage. Now they live in perfect harmony.
If the two people have incompatible personalities, or the couple ends up becoming enemies, it doesn't matter. As long as there is someone to succeed the Duke's Mansion, it's enough. If there is no son, then the grandson can be trained. If there is no grandson, then the great-grandson can be trained.
Lin Zhong suddenly felt a chill in his heart. He knew family was more important than anything else, but he was still a little disappointed by his mother's resoluteness. However, he had already decided to sever ties with the Duke's Mansion for Zhou Zhou's sake. He and his mother were, after all, the same kind of people, willing to sacrifice anything for what they wanted.
His mother is concerned about the Duke Su's Mansion, while he wants to be with Zhou Zhou for the rest of his life.
"Zhou Zhou."
Lin Zhong looked into Lei Zhouzhou's eyes, opened his lips and hesitated, and finally said softly, "No matter what Zhouzhou wants, I will listen to Zhouzhou, as long as Zhouzhou wants me."
"Of course I want you."
Lei Zhouzhou said as a matter of course, "Why else would I come to the Duke's Mansion to look for you? Do you want to get engaged to me?"
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