Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
It was impossible to say that he didnât care. Rong Yan couldnât calm down with a mother who didnât like him and even hated him. Fortunately, there was the Xiao Family, so his difficulties gradually became unimportant.
âI did. Mother said that I donât have to ask her about my marriage.â He said, âShe wants me to think about it myself and tell Father.â
Noble Consort Ji didnât care about her biological sonâs life and handled it rashly It was reallyâ¦
Everyone couldnât help but sympathize with Rong Yan. Even the Emperor sighed when he thought of Noble Consort Ji proposing marriage for the Crown Prince without saying a word.
All these years, he had never cared much about Rong Yan.
Just now, he asked Noble Consort Ji, âSince youâre so concerned about the Crown Princeâs marriage, what about the Third Prince?â
Noble Consort Jiâs expression instantly turned cold. âYour Majesty can decide for him.â
Alright, he would decide. Anyway, this little girl from his senior sisterâs family was in love with Third Prince. Besides, he was quite willing to be in-laws with his senior sister.
âAlright, I approve.â
The Crown Prince and the Empress had ugly expressions at the same time.
âFather! Think twice!â
âYour Majesty! Think twice!â
The Emperor asked them coldly, âWhy? Do I have to ask you first to make a decision?â
Only then did the Crown Prince and the Empress realize that they had lost their composure and lowered their heads at the same time.
âI wouldnât dare.â
âI wouldnât dare.â
The Emperor asked Rong Yan again, âHave you really thought it through? Your Flexible Printing can benefit all the scholars in the world. I can agree to any of your requests.â
Rong Yan said without hesitation, âThank you for your grace, Father!â
He couldnât hide the smile on his face at all, nor did he want to. Xiaoxiao also grinned, and Xiao Ran and her husbandâs anger turned into relief.
This was great. Originally, they were also having a headache over how to bypass that strange Noble Consort Ji and get the two children engaged. Today could be considered a solution to a huge problem.
Seeing that everyone was happy except the Empress and the Crown Prince, the Emperor felt that he had made a rather wise decision. âIn that case, go back and prepare an official betrothal gift.â
Rong Yanâs reply was especially loud, and his joy was clearly conveyed to everyone present.
There was an interlude at the coming-of-age ceremony, but it was very satisfactory overall. Xiaoxiao was very satisfied that she had successfully pushed out Flexible Printing and obtained a fiance.
Ning Anhui, who had been silent but tense, heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. When he returned, he would tell his parents that they would definitely be very happy for his sister!
When the guests left, Xiaoxiao slipped in front of Grand Secretary Gu. âGrandfather, do you have any plans for dinner? If not, why donât you stay for a meal?â
There were outsiders around just now, so we didnât have a good time eating.
Letâs close the door tonight and have a family banquet?â
Family banquet?
Grand Secretary Gu did not think about it for long. He pondered for a moment and heard Gu Changâan say, âFather, stay.â He nodded readily.
Xiaoxiao rolled up her sleeves happily. âThatâs great. Iâll cook tonight! Donât fight with me!â
Although it sounded a little strange to let the protagonist of the coming-of-age ceremony cook, everyone could tell that Xiaoxiao was really itching to cook, so they allowed her to make a few signature dishes.
Xiaoxiao immediately gave her father a look. âThen Iâll go prepare the dishes. Father, bring Grandpa around to digest his food. Otherwise, Iâll be sad if he canât eat at night!â
The father and son left stiffly. Xiao Ran gave her daughter a thumbs up. âWell done!â
Ning Anhui looked at the faces of the officials during lunch. He didnât eat much at all. He held his stomach and was wondering if he should bid farewell and leave when he heard his considerate sister ask, âBrother, do you want crab roe noodles?â
It sounded delicious!
Nmg Anhui decided to eat before leaving. However, just as he was half-full, Xiaoxiao asked, âBrother, do you want to open a shop in the capital?â
Nmg Anhui realized that he was actually a little tempted, but he still forced himself to regain his rationality. âNo, thatâs not appropriate. Iâm just a country bumpkin. I have no power or influence in the Imperial Capital. Can I do it?â Xiaoxiao pointed at herself. âBrother, whoâs your sister?â
Ning Anhui thought for a moment. âA princess?â
Xiaoxiao raised her eyebrows smugly and asked again, âThen who is my mother?â
Ning Anhui replied, âGeneral Xiao?â
Xiaoxiao asked again, âWhoâs my grandfather?â
Ning An replied, âGrand Secretary Gu!â
Xiaoxiao coughed lightly. âWhoâs my fiance?â
Ning Anhui:â¦
âThe Third Prince.â
Xiaoxiao spread her hands. âAre you stupid not to use so many backers?â
What she said⦠made too much f*cking sense!
Ning Anhui almost got tricked by Xiaoxiao. Based on his many years of experience of being tricked, he thought about it carefully and still insisted. âLet me think again. Let me think.â
Xiaoxiao looked unhurried. âItâs fine. Think about it slowly. Anyway, Iâve already seen the location of the shop. Second Brother, you donât know. Those milk tea shops in the Imperial Capital are not authentic at all. The snacks are either soft or hard. Theyâre not delicious at all.â
âBut these people are actually willing to pay money for those fakes.â
âA shop can earn at least a few hundred taels a month. Itâs a few thousand taels a year. If it grows up, itâll be tens of thousands of taels. From now on, my little nephew wonât have to worry about food, clothes, and studies since he was young. He can even choose a wife when he grows up!â
âAh, right. Second Brother, you know that Eldest Brother is preparing to go on an official career. Second Brother, youâre the pillar of the family who earns moneyâ¦â
Rong Yan couldnât help but laugh when he heard her mumbling hypnotically from the kitchen to send ingredients to Xiaoxiao. It was great that he could hear her mumbling every day from now on.
Yun Er and Yun San made an unbearable expression behind him. Then, they asked, âMaster, youâve finally fallen out with the Yan Family today. Is that good?â
Rong Yan lowered his eyes. âWe canât maintain peace anyway.â
At dinner, Xiaoxiao realized that the atmosphere between Father and
Grandfather was completely different. At night, her mother told her when she came to send her the Gu Familyâs heirloom.
So your father didnât leave the Gu Family out of spite. He blamed himself for only reading sagesâ books and didnât even notice that his mother was seriously ill. He couldnât face his family.â
âAnd your grandfather, in the same guilt, thought that your father had always hated himâ¦â
After the misunderstanding was resolved, the father and son raised their glasses and drank. Grand Secretary Gu, who had always restrained himself, even got himself drunk. The next morning, he set off for court from the Generalâs Residence.
He bumped into his colleagues on the way and was about to greet them when he heard them sayâ
âSigh, have you heard? That new daughter of the Xiao Family is not easy to deal with. In order to curry favor with the Gu Family, she even shamelessly invited Grand Secretary Gu, who doesnât like to socialize, to her coming-of-age ceremony.â
âWho doesnât know that Gu Changâan has long broken up with the Gu Family? Grand Secretary Gu has always treated him as if he doesnât have this son. Itâs insulting to him to go over now!â
âOfficial Zheng, thereâs no need to be so angry. As a woman, she naturally has to think more about her marriage. After all, sheâs from a farmerâs family., she has to have the Gu Family to erase some of her rustic aura⦠Official Chen, are your eyelids cramping?â