C63

After hearing that Zhou Kuangzheng and Tang Zhi Li had arrived at the He mansion's entrance, Shang Jie became anxious. Zhou Kuangzheng was the uncle of Beicheng, and Tang Zhi Li was the third prince. How could Old Madam He and the others reject him so easily when he personally came to the He mansion to propose marriage? Although they had not entered the palace yet, nor had they come to suppress others with an imperial edict, with their status, even if they were themselves, they would not be offended. As she was thinking this, she stopped Old Madam He when she saw that she was about to lead someone out of the mansion to welcome Tang Zhi Li and Zhou Kuangzheng. "This Tang Zhi Li must be here to propose marriage, but I don't know how Old Madam is going to refuse?"

Madam He and the others went out to welcome them, but stopped and said, "They've already reached the manor's entrance. We can only welcome them in first, we can't just avoid them."

"Old granny, let go of that for now. Just give us Sister Yuan." "As long as you let Elder Sister Yuan go first, regardless of whether it's Tang Zhi Li or Zhou Kuangzheng, they will have nothing to say." Shang Jie anxiously said, "No matter what, we can't let Sister Yuan marry into Northern Cheng Country."

"Old granny, just betroth Sister Yuan to our Brother Yang!" When Madam Anping heard Shang Jie's words, she felt a moment of resentment and went up to stop her from being the first to speak.

Matriarch He was also worried in her heart. If they were to rush over to ask for He Yuan, what would happen to He Min then? He Min was the eldest concubine's eldest daughter, Li Jiayi's direct descendant. Even before she had a chance to get married, she had already promised both He Yuan and He Yi to marry her in the future. Thinking that they couldn't let He Min let them off, she agreed to let He Yuan go. Madam He composed herself and said, "I will naturally not let you all fail today. Sister Min and Sister Yuan will allow one of your families to go with you!" She was about to say more, but Mrs. He and the others had already welcomed Tang Zhi Li and Zhou Kuangzheng into the room.

Tang Zhili and Zhou Quanzheng came to the He manor without any orders, but their identities were there. If they were to propose marriage, it would be difficult for them to refuse. She came to a sudden realization as she quietly waved at the old woman who had followed her to Princess Changchun's residence. She whispered, "Quickly go to the Grand Princess's residence and inform her that Sister Yuan and the rest have returned home today. "Now that Tang Zhili and Zhou Kuangzheng have arrived at the He Mansion, they're all prepared to propose marriage. As the eldest princess is the godmother of Sister Yuan, she has to nod to Fang Xing and ask her to come quickly." Seeing the old woman nod her head and leave, the young mistress hurriedly sent someone to report to He Nian, telling him to return back to the palace as soon as possible.

The He manor was a mess, and Jiang Hua An had received the news that Zhou Quanzheng and Tang Zhi Li had not gone to the inn with the officials of Nanchang and had instead gone straight to the He manor to propose marriage. He hastily arranged for He Yi and He Yuan to board the carriage.

After getting on the carriage, He Yuan supported He Yi and leaned against his body. He touched her forehead and asked: "Big sister Yi, are you feeling better? Are you still unconscious? "

"Much better after getting off the boat." The boat was sailing fast these few days, and He Yi felt sick. He ate less and looked a little haggard. He leaned on He Yuan's shoulder, sighed, and said, "We're finally back. This trip has really been messed up."

Because of the heat, He Yi's face didn't look too good. He Yuan had to lift a corner of the curtain to take a breath of fresh air. He opened it and said, "Eh, the sedan chair over there seems to belong to our Residence of He."

"Let me see!" Upon hearing that it was a sedan chair from the Residence of He, He Yi perked up and hurriedly went over to take a look. "Maybe it's my mother, your mother, and the others who are sitting in a sedan chair to receive us!" Just as she finished speaking, the sedan chair finally stopped. She looked carefully and saw that it was Ning Ruoxue who came out of the sedan. She couldn't help but shout, "It's my mother! It's my mother!"

On the way, Ning Xueluo met Jiang Huaian's group and hurriedly went down the bridge. She said a word of hard work to Jiang Huaian and the rest, and when she saw the curtains open, he showed his little face and called out to her. She couldn't help but lift the curtains, climb into the carriage and congratulate them, "I left March 26, but today is the third day of the seventh month, so I've been gone for more than three months! Let me see, why are you so thin? " As he said that, he pulled He Yuan over to take a look. He nodded and said, "Although Sister Yuan has also lost some weight, she's still quite spirited. Looking at the days, saying that it was about time for them to return, the old ladies and wives in the mansion talked about it every day. We're finally back! "

"You two can leave on an empty palanquin. Let the young mistress and the younger sister sit together in a carriage." Seeing Ning Xueluo get into the carriage and leave for a few months, Jiang Hua An had a lot to say as soon as they met, so he ordered the sedan bearers to leave. He followed behind the carriage with He Shouye and his horse.

He had a lot to say to Ning Xueluo, about the day of the competition, about the way things had been on the road, about the sights of the Northern Kingdom, and so on. He also said that He Yuan had taken care of him during the past few days because of his seasickness. He Yuan then asked about the situation of the people in the mansion before they left. The three of them chatted as the carriage arrived at the Residence of He.

Ning Xueluo's carriage's curtain was lifted just now, and when she heard the matriarch's voice outside, she said, "Young Mistress and Big Sis are back, the mansion's going to explode. The old lady came out to take a look a few times, so we have to go inside quickly." He came up to help them down and greeted them.

When He Yi and He Yuan saw that the sedan chair belonging to the Residence of Marquis Anping and the sedan chair belonging to the General's Estate had stopped at the entrance of the Residence, they smiled and said, "Today, the Residence is quite lively. Madam Shang Shu, Madam Anping and Madam General's Lady have all come to the Residence of He. Could it be that you know that we're coming back today, and are here to join in on the fun? "

"That's right!" Ning Ruoxue vaguely answered him, because seeing the steward's anxious face, she pulled him over and whispered, "Didn't you say we can discuss the marriage when I get back from taking big sister? Could it be that someone else has come to your house? "

The steward wanted to avoid congratulating the others, so when He Yuan heard her, she lowered her voice and said, "Once Young Mistress has left, the estate will welcome Lord Zhou and the Third Prince to the North State. They are currently serving tea in the hall. "That Lord Zhou's mouth is really sharp. As long as he mentions the Third Prince that Miss Yuan gave to them and the sincerity in his words, the old lady would be unable to refute him. She would only say that we'll discuss it when Miss Yuan returns."

While they were talking, the lady had already rushed out when she heard the news. She pulled He Yuan over to take a closer look and muttered something to him. Then she saw He Ci, Jiang Hua An, and the others dismount from their horses and rush over to meet him. She read the message again and said a few words in a messy voice. He hurriedly said, "The hall will be full of people right now. Sister Yuan and Sister Yi don't need to go in immediately to see the old lady and the young lady. They can only go in after they've washed themselves." Only after seeing them walk away did he say to Ning Ruoxue that Matriarch He had already promised Madam Shang's grandson, Tao Lingjie, and so on.

Ning Ruoxue let out a sigh of relief when she heard Tao Lingjie's words. She pulled her elder sister and asked, "I heard that Third Prince of Beicheng came. No one in this hall can afford to offend him. I wonder who Sister Yuan will give it to? "

"I'm in a hurry!" When the lady saw Jiang Huanan enter the hall behind her, she turned around and said, "It was all thanks to you protecting Sister Yuan and the others this time. The old lady said that she would thank you very much!"

At this time, the main hall of the He Estate was bustling with noise and excitement. Zhou Quheng said to Old Madam He, "After the alliance between the north and south, there was a mutual exchange and there was even an embroidery meeting. The people became more harmonious with each other. Our Emperor, the Queen of the North and the North, thought of friendship between the two countries, but might as well form a family of a few women and promote relations between the two countries as well. Because this time, seeing that the Lady Yuan is generous, clever and intelligent, and our Third Prince has an old relationship with a pair of good karma, so I thought about it. "I'm just afraid that others will not show their sincerity by coming here, so instead, I came here personally with Your Highness to propose marriage. I hope the old lady can grant my wish!"

Zhou Kuangzheng raised the matter of marriage to the level of friendship between the two countries, and it was not easy for Mrs. He to refuse. Before she could say anything, Shang Jie rushed to say, "Lord Zhou, you were just a step too late. Old lady just betrothed Sister Yuan to our Hua An. Many people here can bear witness to this."

When Madam Anping saw that Shang Jie had snatched the contestant away, she was unwilling to admit defeat. She hurriedly said, "Why did I hear that the Old Granny betrothed Sister Yuan to our Brother Yang!?"

"Since both families are so vague, naturally, Miss Yuan has yet to officially marry them." Zhou Kuangzheng was extremely cunning, and then he smiled and said: "Your Highness and Miss Yuan originally knew each other. The two are equally talented. Here, I hope the two ladies can fulfill my wish! " As he spoke, he stood up and bowed towards the wife of the Marquis of Anping, Shang Jie.

"You don't dare to accept it!" Mrs. Anping had no choice but to stand up and return the gesture. As the saying goes, don't hit a smiling person with your hand. He was muttering in his heart, but he couldn't say anything bad. However, he heard someone report, "Miss Yuan and Lady Yi have returned. After washing up, they will come to see the old lady and his wife."

"It's good that you're back!" Matriarch He heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the two of them enter. She smiled and said, "It's all thanks to Young General Jiang's escort that Sister Yi, Sister Yuan, has been able to keep her company all this time."

Jiang Hua An was naturally amiable, and after he saw everyone in the hall one by one, he sat down next to Shang Jie. However, he raised his head and said to Zhou Kuangzheng and Tang Zhi Li: "Since Lord Zhou and His Highness have come to our Nanchang, why not present the tablet to the Emperor? "If someone came to the Residence of He in such a hurry, he would say that the He Residence had colluded with the State of Beichang on their own. This crime is not something that they can bear."

When Zhou Kuangzheng saw Jiang Hua An arrive, he already knew that it would be difficult to proceed with the marriage proposal. Hearing his words, his heart was in turmoil. He had been in a hurry to go to the He Mansion earlier, but had forgotten to avoid the suspicion. Speaking of which, even if he and Tang Zhili were to go to the Residence of He, they would have to ask the officials to accompany them. They might even have to deliver a post to them first. Fortunately, the relationship between the north and south was progressing day by day. As long as they entered the palace tomorrow and made a clear statement in front of the Emperor of Nanchang, they could predict that they would not leave any clues behind. As he thought about it, he laughed, "It's already shilling for the entourage to report to the palace. They will only see us tomorrow." After saying that, he paused and looked at Jiang Hua An, "Since His Highness is not able to forget about Miss He Yuan, I will accompany him to come and propose marriage. If this matter succeeds, the relationship between the North and the South will naturally improve. "Since the general is also happy to see such a happy event, I would like to ask him to help me out with a few words."

Good my ass, Zhou Kuangzheng, we also came to ask for your hand in marriage, but you want us to achieve your good deed, how dare you! Shang Jie cursed in her heart, but her face didn't show any anger, so she only pursed her lips. The steward then said, "The Grand Princess is here!"

In terms of brothers, the eldest princess was the younger sister of the emperor of Nanchang, but in terms of seniority, she was even more senior than Tang Zhili. Shang Jie secretly heaved a sigh of relief as she hurriedly followed Old Madam He and the others out, waiting for an opportunity to pass a message to the Grand Princess.

Everyone came to welcome the Grand Princess, and even Zhou Quanzheng and Tang Zhi Li had no choice but to stand up and meet her. After a while, they sat back down, and each of the girls offered their own cups of tea, and after a round of tea, the Grand Princess laughed and said: "Because Sister Yuan is my goddaughter, and has doted on her for all these years. Even though it's not my own, I won't let the other party off if the other party is in the wrong. "

"The He Residence is a place where everyone is treated with poetry. It's only natural that you find a suitable marriage for the young lady." The marquis smiled and replied, "With the Grand Princess watching over us right now, it would be even more appropriate."

Old Madam He also laughed. "Speaking of which, which one of these sisters here isn't in love with you in every way possible? Naturally, he had to properly betroth them to someone else. "Now there are too many people in the clan to choose!" After saying that, everyone laughed.

Seeing that the Grand Princess had arrived, the young mistress was prepared to speak up for the wedding of the Grand Princess. She then heaved a sigh of relief. He quickly ordered his wife to see if they had finished washing up. After that, he asked them to come into the hall to meet everyone.

As soon as he finished bathing, her little girl, Lingzhi, brushed her hair and said, "Lady Lin looks a little taller on this trip, but she has lost a little bit of weight. We have already decided on a kiss. You should take good care of her."

"Ah, who did you promise me?" When He Yi heard this, he turned pale with fright. The comb in his hand fell to the ground. He then grabbed the Lingzhi and said, "Quickly tell me about it."

"I just heard the news from the corner of the hall. The young lady has already promised Shang Shu Manor's young master Jie. This is a good marriage. " Lingzhi giggled and said, "Lady, you sure have a proud face when you return to Northern Cheng State to participate in the Embroidery Meet. The person still hasn't returned, and he's already knocking on the door as a suitor. "

When He Yi heard that he had been betrothed to Tao Lingjie, but he wasn't picky about it. For a moment, he couldn't differentiate between joy and sadness. He only asked in a daze, "Who did Sister Yuan marry?"

"I heard that Miss Min had promised Young Master An of the General's Estate, while Miss Yuan had promised Young Master Yang of the House of Anping." Lingzhi bent over to pick up the comb from the ground and said, "Miss Min is fourteen years old this year, after the new year you can pass. "Since Miss Yuan is still young, it's only natural that you'll have to wait a few more years."

As soon as He Yi heard that there was no time to be tired, he hurriedly went to find He Yuan, who had just finished washing up. He said, "Sister Yuan, something bad happened, we've all been promised someone. You've been promised to Song Shaoyang! "

"Oh, no?" He Yuan had been certain that Jiang Hua An would have a way to set him down, but when he heard this, he turned pale with fright: "Where did you get this news from?"

"The news that Lingzhi just heard." He Yi pouted and said, "I'm only 12 years old, yet I already married someone. How hateful!"

"Let me ask!" He Yuan stomped his feet and said, "It's impossible for him to marry Shaoyang." As she said that, she saw her wife come to invite them into the hall. She quickly pulled up a congratulatory gesture and followed her into the hall, but before she could enter, she heard Old Madam He's voice, "There's no other way. I can only let Sister Yuan choose one of her own."