Chapter 300 301. Sorry, Zhou Zhou
After the rain, the scenery is beautiful, with thousands of flowers in full bloom.
It was the Spring Equinox in February again, and it was Lei Zhouzhou's 20th birthday. All the prominent families in Kyoto had received invitations before, and were shocked, confused and puzzled.
Not getting married?
The big happy event that has been prepared for half a year is a birthday?
Feeling deeply cheated, the families speechlessly removed the gifts they had prepared and went to the banquet with fake smiles on their faces.
The Duke of Suguo did not come.
Princess Henghuan claimed to be ill and sent a gift, but even the Seventh Princess did not attend the banquet, which made Lin Zhong, who was busy running around in the Changning Marquis Mansion since early morning, feel very embarrassed.
At the banquet, there were musical instruments, clinking glasses, and the guests were in a harmonious atmosphere. It was unknown what they were thinking.
Anyway, the Lei family was sincerely happy.
My younger brother has grown up.
In the eyes of the Lei family, Lei Zhouzhou, who had not yet married, had always been the little kid who followed his brother and father around happily. Now that he was 20 years old and about to get married, he could be considered to have truly grown up and become an adult.
Liu Ye'er and Lei Dashan are old and don't like such lively and polite scenes. They usually don't show up at the banquets in the mansion, but today is Lei Zhouzhou's birthday, and they are very happy. They didn't go back to the backyard until they were tired after half of the banquet.
Before leaving, he said a few words to Lei Zhouzhou, asking him to live a good life.
But the gift was not forgotten for Lei Zhouzhou, and it was given very early. As soon as he got up today, he received the gift from his family.
Liu Ye'er thought that Zhou Zhou was about to get married and have children, so she embroidered a pair of cloth tigers for him while her eyes could still see clearly.
This is the custom in Sanlihe Village. When a younger person in the family gets married, the elders will make a cloth tiger or tiger shoes, tiger hats or other things for children, hoping that the younger person will have many children and a happy marriage.
Lei Dashan carved a peach wood hairpin. He originally wanted to make a bracelet, but then he thought that Zhou Zhou didn't like to wear bracelets, so a peach wood hairpin was better. Zhou Zhou liked it and could use it often.
Lei Jingsheng and Qingzhi gave him a picture album, which contained the scenery they painted when they traveled to various places. Lei Zhouzhou has lived in Kyoto for the past two years and cannot travel far like them, so they made a picture album so that he can also see the scenery of different seasons in different places.
It’s a bit like modern times, when every time you go to a place you buy postcards and send them to your family.
What Lei Shengjiang and Miao Yurui gave Lei Zhouzhou was a fine bow and quiver, which they had found last year and had a master bow maker make with fine materials.
Miao and Zhang Daqiang gave me a quilt with 100 different embroidered characters for "Fu" (meaning "blessings"), symbolizing auspiciousness and joy. Xiao Yuzhu also helped with the embroidery.
Lei Li and Zhou Yi gave a lot of things, as if they were treating birthday gifts as dowries, including jewelry, ornaments, brocade furs, long swords, and large bows... Just reading out the gift list would take quarter of an hour.
Many shop deeds were also transferred to Lei Zhouzhou, including the dividends from the "Yijia" series of stores, and later the real estate and farms that Lei Li bought in Kyoto and other prefectures.
All added together, it was enough to make Lei Zhouzhou one of the richest men in Kyoto.
——Of course, the property dividends and other things were transferred to Lei Shengjiang by Lei Li and his wife when he was just 20 years old and came of age, and they were also gifts.
However, Lei Zhouzhou is younger and has not yet married, so he is spoiled more.
All the gifts received at today's birthday party were from Lei Zhouzhou and were placed in Lei Zhouzhou's private vault in the mansion.
The Changning Marquis Mansion has a large warehouse and several private warehouses, including those of Liu Ye'er and Lei Dashan, Lei Li and Zhou Yi, Miao Fulang and Zhang Daqiang, Lei Jingsheng and Qingzhi, Lei Shengjiang and Miao Yurui, and Lei Zhouzhou. When little Yuzhu grows up, she will also have a private warehouse.
Although it is called a private vault, it is actually similar to a collection room. The private vaults of Lei Li and Zhou Yi are almost all luxury goods collected by Lei Li, and there are very few belonging to Zhou Yi.
Because Zhou Yi likes books very much, his collection consists of books, calligraphy and paintings, all of which are placed in the study, so there is no need to put them in a private storage.
After this birthday banquet, Lei Zhouzhou's private treasury could no longer hold the gifts, so the gifts were temporarily placed in the warehouse of the Marquis' Mansion, pending its expansion.
Lin Zhong’s gift doesn’t need to be put into the private vault.
He gave her a jade pendant with two fish that he had carved himself. Although he was not good at embroidering hydrangeas, the jade pendant he carved was lifelike, with two little fish entwined and cuddling with each other. Their bodies were translucent and white, but there was a little red on their eyes, which looked very lively.
Lei Zhouzhou put it on immediately.
At the birthday party, Lei Zhouzhou's friends saw it and looked at them jokingly. Pisces jade pendants come in pairs and are usually used as tokens of love.
Shu Ge'er, who was more protective of his own people, glared at Lin Zhong.
He has always been dissatisfied with Lin Zhong.
It's not that he is dissatisfied with Lin Zhong himself, but he is dissatisfied with the Duke Su's Mansion behind Lin Zhong. Zhou Zhou celebrated his birthday, such a big event, but not even one person showed up. Isn't this a deliberate show of power?
If it's like this before she even gets married, what will it be like after she gets married?
Shuger married a cousin from his mother's family. The cousin was handsome and talented, and they treated each other with respect after marriage.
Or, because Shuger has a good family background, talent and looks, his husband respects him more than he loves him, and his parents-in-law also go along with him in everything.
Shu Ge'er has been pampered since he was a child and has a noble character, but he does not judge people by their family background. He thinks that the Duke of Su's family is of high status but not a good family. His good friend Zhou Zhou has such a good family background, there is no need for him to compromise and be with Lin Zhong. It is better to find a woman with good character and appearance to marry into his wife's family.
Lin Zhong: “…”
He didn't dare to say a word about Shu Ge'er's overt and covert dislike for him.
But he was sure that Zhou Zhou would respond to soft words and not to hard ones. Every time Shu Ge'er targeted him, he would glance at Lei Zhou Zhou with his beautiful light-colored eyes, looking like an angry young wife.
Lei Zhouzhou's heart softened when he was looked at, and he couldn't help but say, "Shu Ge'er..."
"Just protect him."
Shu Ge'er snorted in annoyance and continued, "When will you and Lin Zhong's wedding be held? You know what people in Kyoto say. Everyone thought it would be held in February, but it turned out to be your birthday party."
"The Duke of Su's Mansion has that attitude again, acting so high and mighty, as if we were begging them for help."
As he spoke, he began to sneer unconsciously, "This has put us in a difficult position, and this young master of the Duke of Su's mansion is also in a difficult position."
"There's no rush."
Lei Zhouzhou quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "The wedding has been decided, and it will happen sooner or later. It all depends on what my father and grandpa think. They seem to want it to be held in March?"
"So soon?"
Shu Ge'er and other friends were all shocked, and Shen Qiqi said, "Have you prepared the wedding clothes?"
"alright."
Lei Zhouzhou nodded.
“Isn’t it too hasty?”
Shu Ge'er frowned and suddenly looked at Lin Zhong, wanting to ask him if the Duke Su's Mansion had prepared anything, but seeing that he was even more surprised than them, his brows immediately furrowed even more.
"I haven't told Lin Zhong about this yet."
Lei Zhouzhou spoke first, stopping Shu Ge'er from attacking Lin Zhong in time, and then said to Lin Zhong, "My father just thinks the weather in March is good, and the specific date has not been decided yet. I thought that after we pick out a few good days, we can choose together."
"good!"
Lin Zhong quickly agreed, his eyes and eyebrows smiling, and he was a little embarrassed. "Of course I'll see to Zhou Zhou. Whatever date Zhou Zhou thinks is best is fine. I originally thought... it would take quite some time before we could decide."
When he was pursuing Lei Zhouzhou, Lei Zhouzhou said that they had to be at least 20 years old to get married. Consummating the marriage before that might endanger their lives.
Lin Zhong naturally believed Lei Zhouzhou, but this illness was truly bizarre. How could a disease that resulted in death during marriage be fatal? Besides, Zhouzhou had always been in good health.
Lin Zhong was really worried and asked Zhou Zhou carefully, but Zhou Zhou didn't quite understand what the disease was. He became even more cautious and was afraid that being too close would be bad for Zhou Zhou. Several times Zhou Zhou wanted to kiss him, but he made excuses to avoid her with tact and regret.
He gradually understood the way of doing things of Marquis Changning, and guessed that Marquis Changning probably told Zhou Zhou to prevent him, and he felt relieved.
He likes Zhou Zhou and definitely wants to do something more intimate with her, but he is definitely not with Zhou Zhou just to do these things.
He would rather his whole life remain the same as it is now, just being able to see Zhou Zhou and talk to him, than for Zhou Zhou to have any hidden illness.
However, Lin Zhong would certainly be happier if he could marry Zhou Zhou, be closer to him, and have his own children with him.
"What about the Duke Su's Mansion?"
Shu Ge'er said coldly, "This matter is not up to you alone. Could it be that you are so cruel as to leave the Duke's Mansion and stop being your prince?"
The heir of the Duke of Suguo’s Mansion has not yet been decided.
Since the New Year, there have been rumors in Kyoto that the Duke of Suguo's Mansion wants to make Lin Zhong the crown prince to inherit the title.
This news was most likely true. Princess Henghuan had once privately lamented to the Censor's wife that her eldest son, Lin Qing, was the commander of the Jingdu Guards. If he inherited the title, he would probably be feared by others. Her youngest son, Lin Zhong, was fine, but unfortunately...
What a pity?
Unfortunately, he got involved with Lei Zhouzhou from the Changning Marquis Mansion. The Suguo Mansion, with its strict and serious family tradition, has always disliked heresy.
Lin Qing is of course very good.
But he was already the commander of the Kyoto Guard and held great power. It was impossible for him to serve as the Minister of Revenue. If he inherited the title of Duke of Suguo, he would have to choose between giving up the position of commander or the position of Minister of Revenue.
This is not cost-effective for the Duke of Yusu's Mansion. Moreover, Princess Henghuan has always loved her youngest son, so it is most appropriate to give him the position of crown prince. She can also use the title to force him to break up with Lei Zhouzhou.
"Sorry, Zhou Zhou."
After the banquet, Lin Zhong took the opportunity to send Lei Zhouzhou back to Qiufeng Courtyard to apologize to him and confess his feelings, "Today, it is me, Duke Su, who has been disrespectful. But no matter what my mother and father think, I only recognize Zhouzhou. If they don't want me to marry you, I will marry into your family, okay?"
"OK."
Lei Zhouzhou nodded.
Lin Zhong smiled and held his hand tenderly, placing it on his chest. "Actually, I don't want Zhou Zhou to marry into the Duke's Mansion either. Mother doesn't like Zhou Zhou, and I don't want her to embarrass her. I also don't want you to compromise with Mother because of me."
"I'll talk to mom and dad, Zhou Zhou, just don't worry."
"I trust you."
Lei Zhouzhou answered seriously, "I will also tell my father and dad that if you don't want to live in the Marquis' Mansion after we get married, we can move out and buy a house to live in."
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