Chapter 323: Chapter 278 Bestow Marriage
"Li Ang, that kid," Li Hui casually picked up a Crystal Dragon and Phoenix Cake made from rice flour from the fruit plate. He tossed it into his mouth, his words muffled as he continued, "is quite excellent."
This was the Yue King Mansion within Furong Garden. Though called a mansion, it was more like an estate, boasting a well-organized layout, numerous pavilions, vast lakes, and elegant forests. Moreover, to prepare for the Prince’s grand wedding in a few months, the entire mansion was constantly under renovation, the sounds of axes, saws, chisels, and drills unceasing. Only this side hall offered some quiet.
Sitting across the table, browsing through Li Hui’s wedding gift return list, Li Leqing paused slightly. "Mm."
"Exceptional abilities, outstanding talents, compassionate and righteous, and most importantly, a good character." Li Hui glanced at his sister’s expression and continued with a smile, "A subordinate of mine recently went to Yizhou on assignment. He wrote back saying the common people there praise Mr. Li profusely. He treats poor families, charging only a symbolic few cents. For particularly difficult cases, he sometimes even pays for their medicine out of his own pocket and gives them some meat, eggs, and rice. Even now, people still go to his old family home every day to sweep the dust and fallen leaves from the front."
"Mm..." Li Leqing was still seriously studying the gift return list—this was a wedding for the Prince, where guests of varying distances, closeness, and status required different return gifts.
"I heard that when he first arrived in Chang’an, he was utterly destitute, even reluctant to buy a horse. Later, he entered the Academic Palace as the top scorer, and many court Ministers wanted to propose marriage alliances," Li Hui continued, "including several high-ranking Ministers of fourth-rank or higher, and members of our Imperial Family. If it had been any other young man from the countryside, hearing he could marry into the families of Assistant Ministers or Dukes, he would have been overjoyed beyond measure. Instead, he rejected them all, citing his young age as the reason. He remains unfazed by favor or disgrace, indifferent to power and status."
"..." Li Leqing looked up from the thick list, glanced at Li Hui, and silently continued to flip through the pages.
"But now, considering his age, it’s about time to discuss his marriage." Seeing that his sister was unmoved, Li Hui leisurely continued, "Marriage is decided by the parents’ command and the matchmaker’s word. His parents are both deceased, and the only elder in his family is a distant relative. As for his teacher... you probably know, his teacher’s identity is rather sensitive, so he can’t step in to arrange a marriage for him. Such a fine young man. He recently resolved the Suzhou Water Poison crisis for the Yu Country, performing a great service to the people. It would be a shame if he ended up ignoring worldly affairs and devoting himself solely to Natural Science, remaining unmarried for life like Dr. Gongsun Lin."
"Brother!" Li Leqing closed the list helplessly. "What are you trying to say?"
"I wasn’t trying to say anything." Li Hui looked innocent, rubbing pastry crumbs from his hands. "It’s just that I heard from a friend at a banquet a few days ago that many families of nobles and Ministers have daughters and nieces of marriageable age. The best candidates for marriage are, naturally, the talented young men from the Academic Palace. Their family is preparing to buy a residence in Golden City Square for their daughter, hoping to become neighbors with Li Ang’s house. By seeing each other frequently, they hope to foster a relationship."
Li Leqing asked reflexively, "Who? Which family?"
"The Imperial Family. Your Nineteenth Uncle’s family."
"Nineteenth Uncle..." Li Leqing recalled for a moment and said, her mouth agape in astonishment, "His family has one son and two daughters. The younger daughter is only eight, so that’s impossible. The older daughter... she’s already twenty-eight!"
"Ahem, twenty-eight by nominal age." Li Hui coughed awkwardly. "You know what our Imperial Family’s image is like among the common people. The Five Families and Seven Hopes are unwilling to form marriage alliances with us. Promising young talents, on the other hand, don’t want to marry a princess because they wouldn’t be able to become high-ranking Ministers in the future. Academic Palace Disciples are the most suitable candidates."
"That’s too..." Li Leqing pursed her lips and remained silent.
"As her cousin and a friend, I naturally hope that Cousin Xiang Yun can find a good husband like Li Ang," Li Hui remarked, glancing again at his sister’s expression. "However, as a certain someone’s older brother, I’d rather my own sister get her wish."
"Brother!" Li Leqing’s face reddened, and she slapped the list down onto the table in annoyance.
"I didn’t say which sister, did I? What are you getting so worked up about?" Li Hui laughed heartily. "At the start of the year, I wonder who it was, eagerly flipping through the newspaper for any news related to Suzhou as soon as it was delivered. And just today, I wonder who it was that saw Li Ang step onto the stage and was so nervous she almost bit through her lip."
Li Leqing waved her fists in embarrassment while Li Hui agilely dodged and laughed. "If someone continues to hide their feelings this way, be careful, another girl might step in first. There are more than one or two girls in the audience who have their eyes on Li Ang. Don’t end up crying and begging Father to arrange an imperial marriage from the Heavenly Family as an emergency rescue."
"I’m not talking to you anymore! I’m going to see Sister-in-law." Unable to win the argument with Li Hui, Li Leqing pouted and quickened her steps, pushing open the door. As soon as she was outside, she covered her cheeks with her hands to hide her blush.
An imperial marriage... No, no, no, what am I thinking! I first became friends with Cui Qiao, and only then did I get to know Li Ang. If that... then wouldn’t I become... that would be too...
Li Leqing’s thoughts were a tangled mess, and she quickened her pace unconsciously.
Meanwhile, Li Hui watched the door swing shut with the breeze, shook his head with a smile, and sighed. After this wedding, he didn’t know if he could still remain in Chang’an, or if the Ministers in court who supported his elder brother would continue to cause trouble. His sister’s health had always been poor. If she could marry a good Doctor, he would be more at ease, even if he had to leave Chang’an.
"Sigh..." Only a soft sigh remained in the luxurious room.
---
CREAK.
The carriage stopped in the rear courtyard of the Minister of the Ministry of Industry’s Mansion. Li Leqing hopped down and, familiar with the way, followed a Maid from the Minister’s Mansion who led her to the boudoir of the Minister of the Ministry of Industry’s legitimate daughter—her future sister-in-law.
"Leqing, you’re here." Yan Xuan, the future Princess Yue, was being attended by Maids as she tried on one set of jewelry after another, selecting her attire for the wedding day. Seeing Li Leqing arrive, Yan Xuan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She dismissed the Maids and servants, and the two future sisters-in-law sat down for a casual chat.
"...I just came from Furong Garden. The construction there is progressing rapidly and should be completed in a month. It’s just that the trees by the lake are a bit sparse, so we might need to transport a few more from Lingnan. Sister-in-law, what kind of trees do you prefer?"
"These days, with the Academic Palace tournament, everyone is too distracted to focus on their studies. Dr. Wang Wenlun even scolded students sleeping in class, saying they had no ambition to be sleeping at their age..."
"Yesterday, the palace invited the Faith Cultivation Cardinal from Taihao Mountain to the Great Ming Palace to give a lecture on Haotian Sect teachings. Father and Mom hope the Cardinal can attend your wedding with my fourth brother and, ideally, officiate it according to the customs of Taihao Mountain..."
Li Leqing and Yan Xuan chatted about various things. This daughter of the Minister of the Ministry of Industry was gentle and even more good-tempered than Leqing, making their conversation very pleasant.
Yan Xuan listened with a smile, but suddenly her brow furrowed, and she instinctively leaned back into her chair.
"Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?" Li Leqing asked reflexively. "Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, it’s just that planning the wedding recently has left me a bit tired," Yan Xuan replied gently. She then rubbed her shoulders, glanced at her palms and the back of her hands with a hint of confusion, and finally lowered them.
Out of their line of sight, a dark red line silently snaked along the blood vessels beneath Yan Xuan’s skin, then vanished.
Downstairs from the boudoir, a plainly dressed Maid, as if sensing something, stopped sweeping. She glanced up at the ceiling and, while pretending to adjust her hairpin, subtly manipulated a steel needle hidden in her hair.
Ya Jiu’s needle.
Everything was proceeding according to plan.