Chapter 922: Chapter 922 - 922 Matchmaking

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“Yes, I ate at your second uncle’s place before coming here,” Mr. Gu said.

Gu Chengrui nodded and asked Qiuxiang to serve them tea and fruit. He then inquired about their business.

Only then did he learn that, thanks to Gu Wanning and his own rise in status, their business was thriving. They had replaced their medium-sized ships with larger ones and even ventured into sea transport.

Their primary purpose for this visit was to deliver sea goods to the capital.

Gu Chengrui listened attentively and offered a reminder, “It’s excellent that business is going well. However, we must maintain a low profile to avoid causing trouble for the Empress or inviting schemes against us.”

“Don’t worry,” Mr. Gu reassured him. “After the past ups and downs, I’ve learned my limits. Earning enough for retirement is more important than anything else.”

He then took out a golden longevity lock and handed it to Gu Chengrui. “Please pass this on to Wanning for the Second Prince.”

“Speaking of the palace, we heard the Princess of the Northern Continent has also become a concubine. Is the Empress affected?”

“With two princes securing her position and the Emperor being a nostalgic person, Wanning’s status hasn’t been significantly impacted.”

“That’s a relief.”

After a pleasant conversation, Gu Chengrui and his father said their goodbyes. Gu Chengrui instructed Niu Fugui to prepare a cart of fruits for them and bid them goodbye.

Upon Niu Fugui’s return, Gu Chengrui asked him to visit the government offices to inquire about houses.

Surprisingly, they found a two-story house in the western part of the city. Despite its good location, it was in a state of disrepair, hence the lack of buyers.

Other than this, there were no other available houses in the eastern or western sections of the city.

Gu Chengrui informed his family of the news.

Mr. Gu visited the house and, after some deliberation, decided to purchase it. He then spent an additional 3,000 taels of silver on repairs.

Gu Chengrui was relieved. As long as they kept their distance, peaceful coexistence was possible.

A month later, the construction masters chosen by Zhou Huaiming arrived in the capital, along with officials from the Ministry of Works.

They diligently studied the books until the end of the year, gaining a basic understanding but still lacking intricate details.

However, the combined knowledge and experience of the masters significantly improved their progress.

On a visit before the new year to deliver festival gifts, Mingyu asked Zhou Ying, “Do you have any unmarried cousins studying medicine with Chengrui right now?”

Zhou Ying responded, “Yes, what’s the matter?”

“It seems someone’s interested in him,” Mingyu said. “I heard he doesn’t plan to take the general exams next year.”

“That’s correct,” Zhou Ying confirmed. “He didn’t perform well in the provincial exam, so he decided to pursue medicine.”

“My imperial grandmother wants to arrange a marriage for one of my stepsisters. Could you introduce them?”

“But your stepsister is the young miss of the Imperial Residence of King An,” Zhou Ying pointed out. “Why is she interested in Chengxi? He is the son of a concubine, you know.”

“I know,” Mingyu replied. “Speaking of which, her situation isn’t much better. Although she grew up by my imperial grandmother’s side, her mother was a servant who had climbed onto her master’s bed without permission and passed away when my step-sister was born.

“Therefore, she isn’t considered highly.

“My imperial grandmother doesn’t aim for a high-ranking marriage, just someone from a decent family who can support her.”

“That’s somewhat similar to my background,” Zhou Ying commented.

“But her treatment differs. Although her father didn’t favor her, she was still raised by my imperial grandmother.”