Chapter 65:
How could one directly go to someone’s door to ask for their young lady’s hand in marriage? Isn’t that too hasty and rushed?
Prominent families propose marriage to show importance; at the very least, they have a familiar madam visit first to test the waters. Once both sides tacitly understand and are prepared, they invite an official matchmaker to formally mention the marriage, and finally…
Pei Yuqing slightly lowered his eyes and said, “I am no longer young, and I have admired Wanwan for a long time. I do not wish to waste more years.”
These words struck Princess Duanyang right in the heart.
You do know you are no longer young!
Now he admits it readily, that he has admired Miss Xie for a long time, yet last time he was still stubborn and unwilling to marry.
…I don’t know what happened to change his mind.
Princess Duanyang wanted to scold her son a few more times, but seeing him with lowered eyes, ashamed to fully reveal his feelings, how could she bear to refuse.
She said, “Should we call your father back? We will accompany you together?”
Pei Yuqing said, “No need.”
He was going to ask for their young lady’s hand; if his parents went along, it would be too formal.
Combined with his mother’s identity, it would seem like forcing the marriage.
Princess Duanyang understood this too. She thought for a moment and said, “In that case, go ahead. If Xie Shu does not agree, then as your mother, I will enter the palace and have your imperial uncle grant you an Imperial Marriage Grant.”
Her son had finally relented and was willing to take a wife. Forget a marquis’s estate young lady; even if it were a princess from the imperial palace, as his mother, she would make sure he got his wish.
Pei Yuqing pondered for a moment and said, “This matter is not urgent for now.”
Unless absolutely necessary, he did not wish to force the marriage with an Imperial Decree.
Even if it came to that, he would first discuss it with that young lady in advance.
………..
Xie Shu knew that Duke Pei’s Mansion Young Lord had a close private friendship with his own eldest son, so he was quite surprised when he received the invitation from the other party.
If the invitation had not clearly stated his name and his wife’s, Xie Shu would have thought it was for his eldest son.
He and Young Lord Pei were a generation apart, had met face-to-face only a couple of times, were not very familiar, and could not be called close friends. The other had not entered officialdom either, so it could not be official business.
Yet the other party had come specifically to visit him and his wife.
What could it be about?
Xie Shu thought of the events from some time ago…
Madam Zheng heard the whole story, combined it with her daughter returning early in the morning and saying those mysterious words, and knew exactly what was going on.
She irritably said, “A young master who is not yet married solemnly sent an invitation to request an audience with you and me. What else could it be for?”
Perhaps men are naturally slow-witted about such matters. Xie Shu had not thought in that direction at all; only after his wife’s guidance did he suddenly realize.
He felt as if enlightenment had struck.
He was stunned for a moment, then said with an ugly expression, “He is more than ten years older than our Wanwan, isn’t he?”
“Not quite more than ten,” Madam Zheng’s expression was also somewhat complicated, “Exactly eleven years.”
She herself had married at sixteen, given birth to her eldest son at eighteen, nursed her health for several years, and gave birth to her youngest daughter at twenty-two. This year she was thirty-eight.
…In other words, if this marriage happened, her future son-in-law would be exactly eleven years younger than her.
The age difference was indeed quite large.
“No! Absolutely not!” Xie Shu waved his hands repeatedly, dissatisfied. “Even two or three more years and he could have fathered Wanwan. How does he have the face to entertain such thoughts!”
Among current noble young masters, many understood matters of men and women by thirteen or fourteen. Xie Shu’s words were not without reason.
Madam Zheng hesitated somewhat: “Don’t they say older men know how to dote on people? Besides, last time I saw him, he looked no more than twenty and I believed it. His appearance is extremely handsome, his temperament mild and courteous. Just in terms of looks, he matches our Wanwan well.”
No matter how mischievous one’s own child is, they are still a good child.
Pei Yuqing’s refined, immortal-like features and outstanding bearing became, in Madam Zheng’s mouth, “matches well.”
Xie Shu inwardly agreed with his wife’s words. He had seen Pei Yuqing a few times and had sighed then that he was indeed raised by the imperial eldest princess—elegant and noble through and through, not like an ordinary man.
The couple was discussing how to respond when a servant came to report before noon.
Duke Pei’s Mansion Young Lord had arrived.
………..
Pei Yuqing was welcomed into the Xie Residence Reception Hall by a servant.
It was exactly the hall where Xie Wanning had been alone with Lu Ziyan some time ago.
What a coincidence—he knew about this too.
As soon as he entered, Pei Yuqing observed the hall’s layout and unconsciously began wondering what that young lady had said to Lu Ziyan here, that their engagement was called off the next day.
They had stayed inside for a full hour, the door tightly closed…
Pei Yuqing suddenly came back to himself. He pinched the space between his brows and smiled bitterly to himself.
Indeed, human greed can be infinitely magnified.
At first, he only wanted to watch her from afar, as long as she lived happily.
Later, by chance, she saw him for the first time. After just a few words, he began to uncontrollably want to get close to her.
He had deliberately spread the news of Lu Ziyan’s concubine, letting it reach her ears— was it really just to inform her and not keep her in the dark?
Later, when that concubine became pregnant, he clearly knew…
But he had no intention of explaining for Lu Ziyan.
He was not a saint and could not be without selfish desires.
He had done it on purpose—every step on purpose.
But so what? It was all Lu Ziyan asking for it; no one forced him.
Pei Yuqing slightly closed his eyes, a curve slowly hooking at the corner of his lips. Now they were to discuss the marriage proposal.
He could not be jealous; the past was the past. For the rest of her life, there would only be him.
When Xie Shu and Madam Zheng crossed the threshold, they saw the youth sitting upright in the chair, pure and jade-like. Both were stunned for an instant.
Their own eldest son had good looks, among the top young masters of the capital’s prominent families, but the one before them…
Pei Yuqing heard the sound and opened his eyes. Seeing the arrivals, he hurriedly stood, cupped his hands in salute, and said, “Changqing pays respects to Marquis Xie and Madam Xie.”
“Young Lord Pei is too courteous.” Xie Shu made a gesture to support him and exchanged a few polite words with a smile.
After they were seated, he instructed the servants to serve tea.
A sip of warm tea down his throat finally steadied his mind. Xie Shu said, “I wonder what brings Young Lord Pei to visit today?”
Guesses were guesses, but he still had to ask.
Pei Yuqing, who had just sat down, stood again upon hearing this, cupped his hands, and said straightforwardly, “This junior has admired your estate’s eldest young lady for a long time. I have come today for the matter of asking for her hand in marriage. If I can have my wish granted, I will surely cherish and love her, treat her as a treasure, and from now on, not let her suffer the slightest grievance. Please, Marquis and Madam, grant us this.”
Xie Shu was still holding his teacup. At the moment the words fell, he nearly spilled the tea in his hand. He carefully set down the jade cup and said with an ugly expression, “My eldest young lady is sixteen this year. May I ask Young Lord Pei’s noble age?”
The future father-in-law’s question was not polite at all. Pei Yuqing’s face flushed slightly as he said, “Twenty-seven.”
Dear ones on Xiaoxiang are so fierce! Yesterday I thought there was no hope, but in one day you sent over two hundred Xiaoxiang tickets, reaching ninth on the backend’s Xiaoxiang ticket list~~~
Since we’re on it, let’s not let it drop, okay? Keep going, three more days, hold steady~~~ Will update another chapter later~~
