Chapter 48: The Marriage is Initially Settled (Additional Chapter)

  Thank you Beibei for the pink tickets that don't make me sad and Ding Xiaodong's reward, thank you for your support to Shallow...

  "Isn't your grandfather now proactively writing letters to your mother?" Qingjin comforted Junshi, who was in low spirits.

  Upon hearing Qingjin mention this, Junshi immediately snapped out of her sentimental state, "Yes, speaking of which, Mother has something else to discuss with you!"

  "What does mother want to discuss with me?"

  "It's like this, your cousin is coming to the capital. Your great-uncle said in his letter that your cousin has grown up now and he doesn't want him to stay with him in Lingnan. He hopes your cousin can come to the capital to take a look around. If your cousin wants to be an official, let him stay in the capital and let me take care of this nephew more often...and also hope that I can find a suitable marriage for your cousin..." When she said the last sentence, Madame Jun looked at Qingjin with deep meaning in her eyes.

  "Does Mother mean for me to marry my cousin?" Qing Jin asked with a hint of realization, seeing the look in Jun Shi's eyes.

  Upon hearing Qingjin's words, Junshi nodded, "Jin'er, this time Mother is being selfish. Your maternal grandfather's household now only has your maternal grandfather and your cousin, two people. Although your maternal grandfather was appointed as the General of the Imperial Guard by the previous emperor, and your cousin isn't a nobody either... but once the ruler changes, so do the officials. The Jun family is currently sparse in manpower, and no one is serving in the imperial court, making it difficult to find a suitable marriage arrangement. Therefore, Mother hopes that you can marry into your maternal grandfather's household, which would also be a way for me to show filial piety to your maternal grandfather... I think when your maternal grandfather sent the letter, he must have had this idea in mind too. However, since the Jun family is currently... and your maternal grandfather values face so much, he definitely wouldn't bring it up himself. But as his daughter... and with an uncle like yours who is so extraordinary, your cousin must be a refined and elegant person too. Although Mother hasn't seen your cousin in years, every year there are letters sent from Lingnan..."

  "As for marriage, it's the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words. Jing'er had said before that she would listen to her mother about everything." Before Junshi could continue speaking, Qingjing agreed with his words.

  "Really, Jiner, you don't object..."

  "Mother, don't worry, my daughter won't feel wronged. Besides, marrying someone is just that, and Tabo is Qingjin's uncle. If Qingjin marries Tabo, then when the time comes, Tabo will have a woman he likes, and my daughter will be his niece. She definitely won't mistreat my daughter. Moreover, as you said, Father only married one wife, Grandmother, and Uncle also only had one wife, Auntie. And Tabo is Uncle's son, so maybe he inherited the genes of Grandfather and Uncle!" Qingjin said with a hint of shyness in her voice.

  "Since it's a family gathering, brother's son will definitely follow his brother...". Mr. Jun looked at Qing Jin's rarely seen little daughter and said with some teasing in his eyes.

  Qing Jin saw the playful glint in Jun Shi's eyes, and pretended to be shy, lowering her head. The completely shy expression of a young girl retreated, replaced by a calm and clear gaze.

  She didn't actually expect anything. She would agree to the marriage with the Jun family only because she also urgently needed this marriage at this time, to avoid what was about to happen. The previous plans weren't made for nothing, after all, they were meant to secure a marriage as soon as possible.

  Moreover, as she said to Jun Shi, marrying her cousin would mean that even if he fell in love with another woman in the future, he would never abandon his wife for a concubine. This was already a good outcome. As long as she didn't marry into the imperial family, who she married didn't matter! And being able to marry her cousin was probably the best choice of all. So Qing Jin lowered her head, letting Jun Shi think that her current behavior was just an expression of embarrassment and shyness.

  On the other side, Jun saw Qingjin like this and was very satisfied, extremely excited. "Then I'll write a letter to your maternal grandfather now, telling him about you and your cousin's engagement."

  Upon hearing Jun's words, Qingjin's face turned black with anger, and she suppressed the coldness in her eyes, putting on a bashful expression once again. She lifted her head and reminded in a soft voice: "Mother, you haven't told Grandmother and Father yet!"

  "Right, right, I should have told your grandparents first. Look at me, I'm so excited! I'll go tell your grandmother now." After saying that, she was about to rush out with the maid by her side.

  Qing Jin hastily stood up, "The daughter also took the mandarin duck back with her."

  "Alright, you go back with Yuanyang first, I think I'll be talking with your grandmother for a long time..."

  Two people went out together and parted at the gate of Jun's courtyard, Jun took the maid to Shen's courtyard, Qingjin took Yuanyang back to her own courtyard.

  "Miss, do you really want to marry Young Master Biao?" Yuanyang finally couldn't help but ask as she saw Junshi's disappearing figure.

  "Parents' orders, matchmakers' words." Qingjin spat out these eight words.

  When Yuanyang heard Qingjin's words, she also understood the meaning of her own daughter and stopped talking, quietly following behind Qingjin.

  Mr. Jun stayed in Mr. Shen's room for the whole afternoon and didn't come out with a smile until it was almost dark, beaming with joy, obviously Mr. Shen had agreed to this marriage.

  In the evening, when Qingjin's father, Gu Huaili, arrived, Junshi told him about this matter. When Gu Huaili heard Junshi's words, he originally had some hesitation, but after hearing that Shen Shi had already agreed, he also nodded in agreement to this matter.

  The next day, early in the morning, Junshi called Qingjin and told him about it, then wrote a letter and sent it out.

  Half a month later, Jun received a reply from Lingnan. Qingjin's maternal grandfather also agreed to this matter, and Qingjin's cousin had set off, bringing with him the betrothal gift.

  From now on, Qingjin's marriage can be considered verbally settled, and it only waits for her uncle to arrive in the capital, exchange gifts with both families, before it is formally settled.

  Anji Marquis Mansion

  In Su's room, Song nurse combed open the black hair at the back of Su's head. The soft and smooth hair slipped through her fingers, and Song nurse couldn't help but praise: "The quality of the lady's black hair is so smooth that it makes people love to touch."

  Su heard the nurse's words, smiled lightly, grabbed a handful of hair, stroked it gently, and then looked at herself in the copper mirror for a few moments before speaking, "Still smooth? I'm old now."

  "The young lady is still so young, how can you be old, madam?" Song Nainai muttered.

  "I heard that the other day, Auntie called Eldest Sister to her room and they talked about something for an entire afternoon?" Madam Su asked, changing the subject.

  Upon hearing Su's words, the wet nurse's expression immediately turned serious and she began to speak: "This humble servant has some knowledge, I heard that previously when Old Madam left Banruo Temple, she ran into Shuijingchen Dashi, a disciple of Kongwu Dashi. I don't know what Shuijingchen Dashi said to Old Madam, but after Old Madam returned, she ordered someone to summon Eldest Madam to her quarters and told Eldest Madam to arrange for Second Young Miss's engagement as soon as possible..."

  "Oh, is that really the case? So, big sister was taking Qingjin's niece around recently, jumping up and down, just to find a marriage for Qingjin's niece?"

  "Yes, madam," replied Nanny Song respectfully.

  "If I'm not mistaken, Qingjin's niece shouldn't be in a hurry to get engaged yet. Is it just because of what that monk said that you're suddenly in a rush to find a suitable family for her?" Madam Su frowned.

  "The old lady believes in Buddhism, you're not unaware of it."

  "Which family in the capital will she end up with?" Su Shi asked casually while carefully examining herself in the copper mirror.

  "It's not from the capital." Song Nainai replied beside her after hearing Su Shi's words.

  "Not in the capital, does Eldest Sister plan to marry her daughter off outside of the capital?" Su Shi turned around and asked the wet nurse.

  "Madam was right, this person is indeed not from the capital. Madam, take another guess which family the old madam has arranged for the second young lady?"

  Upon hearing the nurse's words, Su Shi turned her head around, "The places outside the capital city are vast, how would I know that Eldest Sister would... wait a minute, you're saying that Eldest Sister married off her precious daughter to somewhere outside the capital?"

  The wet nurse smiled and nodded silently.

  Su's eyebrows furrowed, the current Anji Marquis Manor has somewhat declined, but it doesn't have to marry its own daughter out of the capital city. With Eldest Sister's temperament, not marrying her daughter into a high-ranking family is already considered letting go, and she would still be willing to let her precious daughter marry out of the capital to suffer, that definitely won't happen. Su's mind turned quickly, asking Song Nainai in an odd tone: "Eldest Sister wouldn't marry Qingjin niece to her own natal family, would she?"

  "What a wise lady!"

  "Really, you're saying that Eldest Sister promised her daughter to her natal family's nephew?"

  "The old slave has already sent someone to investigate and it's absolutely true, the old lady and the master have both nodded in agreement." Song Nainai said with certainty upon hearing Su Shi's words.

  Upon hearing Song's decisive tone, Su was silent for a moment before sighing and saying: "That older sister really didn't choose badly for Qingjin's niece."

  Song Nainiang heard Su's words and felt somewhat disapproving in her heart, unable to help but speak out: "What's good about that? Deep emotions don't guarantee longevity. The master only married the mistress once, yet he lost his wife in middle age and his son in old age...and then there was the mistress' brother...both husband and wife were gone, leaving behind only an elderly father and a young child. It's not as good as those families with many wives and concubines..."

  "How dare you! Who do you think you are talking like that..." Su suddenly shouted loudly at Song's words.

  Upon hearing Su's rebuke, Song Nainai hastily knelt down and only then realized that she had spoken too much.

  Seeing Song nurse kneeling, Su also collected a severe tone, "Nurse, you are my personal person, need to know that some words should be said, and some words cannot be said. The reason for the wall has ears is not unknown to you. If your words today are transmitted to Sister-in-law's ears, do you think Sister-in-law can easily forgive? Moreover, which woman does not seek a lifelong partner? It's just that there is no such fate. To say that Sister-in-law's father and brother are also extremely difficult to get, but some people have bad luck. However, the words you said today, if you say them in front of me, it's okay, but once you leave this door, you must not say these words to a third person. Otherwise, when Sister-in-law hears about it, even I won't be able to protect you. Do you understand?"

  Upon hearing Su's words, Song Nainai thought of Madame Jun and couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat on her back. She hastily opened her mouth: "This servant knows now, and will never again speak such words, thank you, madam, for reminding me."