After successfully getting rid of Xiao Rui and Xiao Yuan, the siblings who started to pinch her as soon as they entered the door, Xiao Yao played with her nephews for a whole hour and coaxed them to sleep before returning to Yaoyuan Building.
Looking at his daughter's graceful back as she walked away, Tong Mingyu sighed with mixed feelings.
"If I had an outstanding daughter like Ping'an, I wouldn't sigh at all! As long as I dress her up beautifully every day, all my worries will disappear." Li Jiaoying didn't understand why her sister-in-law was worried. She had only heard that some families were worried because their daughters were too ordinary, but she had never heard of any family who was worried about a girl like Ping'an.
"Sister-in-law, you don't know! The Prince of Qi's Mansion has already sent several waves of matchmakers over, and yesterday they made a special trip to lobby my mother-in-law. I see that my mother-in-law is quite interested. If she wasn't afraid that my father-in-law wouldn't allow it, she might have agreed!"
"No matter what, Ping An can't marry that brat. He's so young, but he already has so many maids and concubines in the backyard. He even has the audacity to say that he only took those women in because they looked a bit like Ping An, and he'll send them away the moment Ping An walks in. Ugh! As if anyone likes him. We'd rather support Ping An for the rest of her life than let her marry such a pervert."
Mentioning Yuncan, Li Jiaoying was filled with resentment. She had never seen such a person chasing after their precious Ping An while carrying people into the house one after another. A family that loved their daughter would never fall for such a person!
"But, what about my mother-in-law..." Tong Mingyu said in embarrassment.
"With my father-in-law here, you don't have to worry at all. By the way, have my eldest brother and his family made any progress on their plan to choose a son-in-law? They've been looking for four or five years, and haven't they found a satisfactory candidate yet?"
"Even easier said than done!" Tong Mingyu thought for a moment, shaking her head as she replied weakly. Something seemed strange to her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong. Ever since her family decided to find a husband for Ping'an and Ruyi, the search had been ongoing. Just two years ago, they'd chosen a few decent boys, and Prince Jing's mansion had taken them away again under the guise of recruiting additional guards.
Those families who had originally vowed not to regret their children's selection, all found various excuses to withdraw in order to give their sons a better future. This angered the father-in-law and husband, who called them mean-spirited. King Jing also said that if someone couldn't be trusted with a small test, how could you expect him to take care of Ping An in the future?
Now my father-in-law and my husband have focused their attention on this Spring Examination, hoping to find two people who are knowledgeable, even if they come from poor families, as long as they have good character. As soon as the Spring Examination was over, they got busy.
Tong Mingyu actually likes Tang Hao very much. He is well-educated and well-educated. The only drawback is that his home is far away. If she marries her daughter to him, she may never see him again in her life.
Tang Hao fulfilled his promise and was admitted to the Imperial College last spring. He also became good friends with Xiao Yang and would occasionally visit the Xiao family.
Everyone in the Xiao family had a good impression of him. After a long time, everyone gradually discovered that his motives were not pure. This guy was clearly coming for Xiao Yao!
Xiao Yang questioned him in anger, but he didn't expect that he admitted it very straightforwardly without any unnecessary explanation.
"Ever since I saw your sister for the first time, I decided that I would marry her. The reason I came to Kyoto was to be closer to her." Tang Hao looked at his friend's ashen face and prepared himself to be beaten.
"Our family will not agree to Ping An marrying to Jiangnan." Do you want to dig out the Xiao family's beloved flesh and blood? Grandfather and father will never agree to it no matter what.
"I understood this after I came to Beijing and met your family. My family would never agree to a live-in son-in-law. After the results are announced, I can seek a position closer to Kyoto, just like Third Uncle did in Songjiang. I can also send your sister back to stay for a while every now and then."
It's not you, the Tang family, who are responsible for appointing officials. Why should we listen to your arrangements? Xiao Yang couldn't help but complain in his heart.
"That won't work either. You will have to go back to Jiangnan sooner or later. We don't feel comfortable letting Ping An go to such a far place alone." Xiao Yang still refused to give in. He didn't have the right and was unwilling to agree.
"Whatever promises I make now are empty words, but I still want to say that I will treat your sister well and only marry her for the rest of my life."
Xiao Yang still refused to nod. He said, "You can take a concubine after you marry a wife!" This did not conflict with what he had just said. The men of the Xiao family were particularly serious when it came to Xiao Yao's affairs, and they would not allow any omissions.
"I hope to win you, my good friend, to stand on my side, but it seems that it is not easy!" Although he was very anxious, Tang Hao understood that this matter had to be done slowly and not in a hurry.
His patience is much better than it was six years ago. Even though he was rejected by his best friend and even though the Xiao family increased their precautions against him, it did not stop him from visiting the Xiao family and pursuing Xiao Yao.
Tong Mingyu sighed again at this thought. She had long anticipated that her daughter would be the most troublesome of the four children in the family when it came to marriage. As long as her second son passed the imperial examination, his marriage would be almost certain. However, she and her mother-in-law were somewhat displeased with the man's status, while others were very supportive.
Shangguan Yuhan is a young lady from a declining family. She has excellent medical skills and opened a Shou'an Hall to make a living. Xiao Yang met Shangguan Yuhan when he was taking an injured classmate to the clinic. Gradually, he fell in love with this girl who looked weak but was strong at heart.
Qin Shi firmly opposed the idea when she learned about it. Why would the grandson with the greatest potential for success in the family marry a female doctor? Tong Mingyu also wasn't optimistic about the match. Xiao Yao, posing as a medicine buyer and interacting with Shangguan Yuhan several times, was the first to side with the third brother. It's no wonder she had a huge influence within the Xiao family. Following her lead, the old marquis and Xiao Jingkang also gradually changed their minds.
Tong Mingyu, knowing that the matter was a foregone conclusion, had wanted to propose marriage for a long time. It was Xiao Yang himself who said that it would not be too late to propose marriage after he gained academic achievement, so everyone was now waiting for the day when the results were announced. Xiao Yang was waiting to propose marriage after he gained academic achievement, and Tang Hao was waiting to visit the Xiao family after he gained academic achievement and to test the opinions of the elders of the Xiao family.
In the imperial study, the emperor and Prince Jing were also evaluating this year's candidates.
"There are some really good ones. The one that surprised me the most is the grandson of Marquis Xiao. I didn't expect that such a family of military generals would have such a learned person." The emperor felt that he had underestimated the Xiao family before.
"This Tang Hao is better." King Jing said pertinently after looking at Tang Hao's answer sheet again and again. This person is his son's number one rival in love. Except for one identity, he is no worse than his son in any way.
"Oh! Really? Ruoxuan hasn't chosen a suitable husband yet. If he is really good, I will send someone to investigate thoroughly and then let them meet. If Ruoxuan has no objection, he will be the seventh prince consort." The emperor was very worried about his spoiled little daughter, and he hoped that someone would take over his place as soon as possible so that he could live in fear for the remaining decades.
King Jing's expression brightened instantly, the corners of his mouth twitched, and his brows furrowed. Was he pushing the kid from the Tang family into a fire pit?
Prince Jing had originally intended to remind the Emperor that Tang Hao was a talented person and should be sent to where he was most needed, perhaps in the north or back to the south. But with his son unwilling to marry and not in Kyoto, he had no choice but to repeatedly intervene to prevent his future daughter-in-law from being snatched away. The previous recruitment of guards and this recommendation of Tang Hao were both desperate measures he had come up with.
Now that my son is back, what happens next depends on him. If he still hesitates, there is nothing I can do and I will not help him anymore.
"Isn't there a Qionglin Banquet after the palace examination? Ah Chen has also returned to the capital. Let the Queen invite some more ladies. We can try to help more couples get married at this banquet.
How about announcing to the public that I will grant marriages to anyone who finds a successful matchmaking at this banquet? "Maybe because the princes and princesses have all reached marriageable age in recent years, the Emperor is now very fond of matchmaking. Every year he issues decrees to grant marriages, and every year he holds various banquets in the palace or at his villa. Unfortunately, these banquets always lack excitement, and everyone later figured out the reason.
The man said, "The Crown Prince of Jing is not in Kyoto, and he will not come to attend the wedding even if the Ninth Prince gets married. The Emperor's unmarried sons are not old enough to attend such gatherings."
Xiao Yao never shows up among the young ladies. In some occasions where girls have to be sent, Xiao Yuan will come alone. Princess Yian has never appeared either. The "Four Beauties of Kyoto" and "The Most Talented Woman" selected from the rest of the people are not convincing at all. Although no one says it out loud, they are unwilling to admit such a result in their hearts.
"Since the Emperor has such an intention, then order all the young men and young ladies to attend. I've heard rumors that our palace banquets are becoming less and less worthy of their reputation, with claims that the most beautiful woman refuses to attend, and that there are no longer any outstanding individuals among the royal children. This time, let them all attend. I'm really curious to see just how beautiful the most beautiful woman really is."
Empress Dowager Han entered with dignified demeanor. She had come today to ask the Emperor to decree that the Xiao family's most beautiful woman be given to the grandson of Duke Han. Ever since Yun Yichen and his companions had seen Xiao Yao through the window of a restaurant on their last trip back to Beijing, he hadn't forgotten her. Not only had he been causing trouble at home, but after the Xiao family had rejected his matchmaker, he had actually gone to the Empress Dowager to complain.
He spread rumors that the Xiao family saw that the Han Guo Mansion was no longer the same as before, and actually used the excuse of finding a son-in-law for their granddaughter to refuse to let Xiao Yao marry him. He also said that the old Marquis Xiao despised him for his incompetence, and spoke in a contemptuous and unfriendly tone.
If we were to say what Empress Dowager Han cares about most now, it is that someone openly dislikes the Han family. Moreover, she later thought that the reason why her son caught the Han family was probably related to the Xiao family father and son.
Queen Mother Han wanted to take this opportunity to give the Xiao family a warning.
How could a thirteen-year-old girl be more famous than the Royal Princess and the Miss Han? Didn't my brother's grandson really want to marry that girl? I should take this opportunity to help him. She would suffer if she entered the Han family. No one would care if a beautiful girl was tortured for a few years.
"The Qionglin Banquet is held specifically for newly promoted Jinshi. From what you said, it sounds like a blind date. If you want to hold such a banquet, you can only do it another day."
It seemed that the Queen Mother was targeting her future daughter-in-law. That was too much, so King Jing quickly spoke out to stop her.
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