Zhong Qingkui was dragged along by Xia Houshu for a long distance in a daze. They didn't stop until Xia Houling and the others could no longer be seen.
Zhong Qingkui took a breath and asked: "Where did Guo Kai come from? Is he really the nephew of the third aunt's family? I heard that most of the brothers from the third aunt's family were sent to serve as officials.
He has also made many achievements. Such a family will not raise such timid children, right?"
Xia Houshu didn't know much about the Guo family in Qingzhou, so she didn't comment on the character of the direct descendants of the Guo family. However, she was able to tell Zhong Qingkui a few things about Guo Kai, a descendant of a side branch of the Guo family.
Xia Houshu adjusted his breath, and when he saw no one around him, he explained: "I heard that Guo Kai is a member of the Guo family in Qingzhou. He is the nephew of his third aunt according to his seniority. He has been rejected by his parents since he was a child. Taigong Guo pities him.
, wanted to help, but couldn't stand the quarrels of his biological parents, so he was sent to the third aunt. But only the people in Xiafei Academy knew about this. I was also the third aunt when she told my father and mother later.
I just heard it once. Although the child is young, he has suffered a lot and has a thin skin, so to the outside world we treat him as the third aunt's nephew, so as not to be looked down upon by others."
Zhong Qingkui covered her mouth in surprise and said regretfully: "Why didn't you tell me this earlier? If I had known that his life experience was so pitiful, I wouldn't have said that he didn't eat or anything."
Seeing the self-blame on her face, Xia Houshu quickly comforted her: "You didn't know this in the first place, so I don't blame you for this. I never thought you would run into them, so I didn't warn you in advance, and this is
I can’t say anything about other people’s privacy.”
Zhong Qingkui nodded to express understanding, breathed a long sigh of relief, and said: "It seems that I will still have to control my mouth in the future, otherwise I won't know when I offend others."
Xia Houshu smiled. She felt that Zhong Qingkui should be the most transparent among the five sisters of the Zhong family. If Zhong Lufu was half as smart as her, she would not have such trouble with her family because of her marriage. Thinking of Zhong Lufu
, Xia Houshu couldn't help but tease Zhong Qingkui a few words, and said: "You are really different from what you appear to be. You are very old-fashioned in front of cousin Ruolan and me, and you always act like an adult. But that day
In Prince Zhao's Mansion, weren't you also frightened out of your wits, making your third cousin tremble?"
Zhong Qingkui rolled her eyes and said, "Yes, I am indeed timid. That's because I am young and have never seen anything like that in Prince Zhao's Mansion, but this does not prevent me from seeing things clearly!"
She said it so naturally that Xia Houshu couldn't find the words to refute for a while.
Xia Houshu thought for a while and then deliberately said: "Then you should persuade your third cousin carefully later and tell her what you said to cousin Ruolan and me today. Let her have the ability to go out and make trouble.
What's the point of showing off in front of your own family?"
Zhong Qingkui said with great regret: "Who said I didn't tell her, but she still has to listen!"
This time Xia Houshu really had nothing to say, so he took Zhong Qingkui back to Qingfeng Pavilion to string up the remaining half of the bracelet, and then strung one together for Zhong Lufu. It was almost dark.
After finishing work and just in time for dinner, Zhong Qingkui proposed that she would go home tomorrow.
Xia Houshu and Xia Houling were very surprised. The two siblings looked at each other in tacit understanding and quickly separated.
Xia Houshu thought to himself, why did this little girl have an idea all of a sudden, and I didn't hear her talk about it during the day!
What Xia Houling was thinking was that her fourth cousin was angry because of what she said during the day to defend Guo Kai, so she was in such a hurry to go home, right?
The elders did not think so much. After all, Zhong Qingkui was still a little girl who was not as old as Ji. She had lived in the Yue Kingdom Palace for a while, so no one tried to stop her. Zhong Yuqing also specially prepared half a car of food and fun for her.
Let her take it back.
Xia Houshu lost her playmate and began to think about her father's plan to negotiate a marriage for her.
Regarding this matter, several months have passed since it was mentioned. First, Xia Houmei personally brought Xu Ruoqian to the door to propose marriage but was rejected. Then everyone spread that Xia Houyuan was interested in Shang Mingchuan, and then because of the incident at Jixian Palace,
Coupled with the farce in Prince Zhao's Mansion, everyone has no intention to pay attention to this, which can be regarded as a series of twists and turns. Now that I am free, I inevitably have to bring up the old things again.
Xia Houyuan had already given up his leave after attending the birthday banquet of Prince Zhao's Mansion. He left early every day and came back late every day, traveling between the western suburbs camp and the Duke's Mansion of the State of Yue. The previous rumors that slandered him have now been revealed by Prince Zhao's Mansion.
His family affairs were covered, so he had the energy to worry about his daughter's marriage again.
On this day, Xia Houshu was called to the study by Xia Houyuan again, saying that he wanted to play chess with her, and promised that if she won the game today, he would be willing to answer her a question.
After a series of events that happened recently, Xia Houshu deeply realized the true meaning of the saying that marriage is not a trivial matter. When a woman marries someone, she must not only look at the other person’s character, ability and knowledge, but also the attitude and style of the other person’s parents and siblings.
Even whether the sisters-in-law get along harmoniously, otherwise they will be like Xu Ruolan, stuck in the mud with both feet and unable to pull them out.
Therefore, she wanted to ask her father what his plan was, whether he really wanted to marry her to Shang Mingchuan, a tsundere who didn't understand the charm.
On the chessboard, Xiahou Yuan was very cautious, but unexpectedly her skills were inferior to others. She made a wrong move and lost every move. She wanted to regret the move, but was rejected by Xiahou Yuan righteously, so she was full of displeasure.
.So much so that when Butler Li came in to report, she was still scratching her head.
Butler Li saluted the two masters and said: "My lord, Prime Minister Wang and the Second Young Master Wang are here for a visit. They are already waiting in the front hall. Do you want to meet him?"
Xia Houyuan proposed the establishment of the Jixian Hall, and the person who had the greatest interest was Wang Chonghou. Although Wang Chonghou did not personally come forward in the last impeachment, as the head of the civil service, he knew without even thinking that his instigation and support were indispensable behind this. At this time, he
Visiting him in person and bringing his son with him makes it unclear what his purpose is.
Xia Houyuan couldn't guess what kind of medicine the other party was selling in the gourd, so he asked Xia Houshu: "Have you and your brother ever interacted with the second son of the Wang family?"
Xia Houshu was preoccupied with the chess game and said without much thought: "My second brother has just met him face to face, and we have no close friendship. I have met him, but he probably doesn't know me. We have different paths and do not seek each other."
Xia Houyuan nodded thoughtfully, his eyes still fixed on the chess game. Although he was already sure of winning this game, he knew that Xia Houshu had always been cunning and used to cheat, so he faced the chess game without raising his head.
Butler Li said: "It is indeed a rare visitor. Do you know what he means?"
Butler Li glanced at Xia Houshu cautiously and continued to report back: "I heard from Prime Minister Wang that he wants to propose marriage for the second son of the Wang family."
"Proposing a marriage?" Xia Houyuan, who was still thinking about the chess game, was suddenly stunned, and even the hand holding the chess piece was frozen in mid-air. He and Wang Chonghou had different opinions in the court. Which kind of marriage did he propose?
After a long while, Xia Houyuan seemed to finally react, and then he slowly dropped a chess piece on the chessboard. His expression was complicated, as if he was thinking about something.
Xia Houshu was also stunned. She looked at the stone that her father had just dropped and knew that the outcome was decided. She had no chance to ask questions. But the most important thing now was not whether her father should betroth her to Shang Ming.
Chuan, but the Wang family father and son who suddenly came to ask for marriage.
There are only three girls among the younger generation in the Yue Kingdom Palace. The eldest daughter Xia Houqi has already married Han Tingyu, the young lord of Jinfeng City. The second daughter Xia Houchun has married He Ziyan, the third son of the Qiao family in the Taiwei Palace. Now there is only one girl like Xia Houshu.
Waiting in the boudoir...
The more Xia Houshu thought about it, the angrier he became. He threw the sweaty chess pieces back into the white porcelain chess box. He looked at Xia Houyuan, then at Butler Li, and asked: "Steward Li, what did you just say? Who is coming?
Proposing marriage? Proposing marriage for whom?"
Butler Li had no choice but to repeat it again: "Prime Minister Wang and his legitimate son came here to propose marriage. He said that he wanted to marry you as the eldest daughter-in-law of the Wang family. The prime minister has a high position and the slaves did not dare to make any independent decisions. He invited them to drink tea in the front hall.
, I came back to report to the Duke and the girl."
"The legitimate son?" Xia Houshu stood up angrily, "Are you sure he is the legitimate son?"
"Exactly." Butler Li replied, "I specifically read the greeting card, and my name is Wang Yukun."
"He? Why should he?"
If a scumbag who is worse than a pig comes to propose marriage to her, it is simply insulting her!
But what should she do to wash away this "shame"?
Xia Houshu anxiously walked around the study for several times, finally stopped and looked at Xia Houyuan who said nothing, and said angrily: "Father, I don't care what methods you use, you will never agree to this marriage. It's best to get them together immediately."
Drive him out, otherwise my daughter would rather become a nun and become a sister-in-law!"
Anyway, she once practiced cultivation at Boyun Temple for nearly eight years and formed many good relationships. Now that she returns, Master and all the sisters will be kind to her.
Xia Houyuan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly laughed when he heard this, and said warmly: "My father has arranged this matter, so you can just go back to your room and stay in peace." After saying that, he put the remaining chess pieces back in his other hand.
In the box, he stood up and said to Butler Li, "Let's go to the front and have a look."
What does "own arrangement" mean? Is he still thinking about betrothing himself to Shang Mingchuan? Or is there another candidate?
Looking at his father's back walking away gracefully, Xia Houshu was a little confused. Then he thought that his father was going to see the Wang family and his son, so he chased after him and shouted: "Father! You haven't promised me yet!"
Xia Houyuan waved his hand to signal her not to make too much noise, which would damage her image as a lady, and then went to the front hall with Butler Li.
Xia Houshu was so angry that he stamped his feet, but he had no choice but to continue walking in circles in the study.
Yun Xi, who was sitting at the door, heard the sound and ran over quickly. Looking at Xia Houshu, he asked anxiously: "Girl, what happened? What did you ask the Duke to promise you?"
Xia Houshu looked at her and suddenly remembered the kind words Yun Xi had said to the Wang family's young master before. He couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed and cursed: "It's all your fault for being such a crow-mouthed person. You just say whatever you say!"
Yun Xi was confused. He didn't know what he said wrongly to make his girl unhappy. Full of doubts, he quickly followed her wishes and begged for mercy: "My good girl, if I did something wrong, you
Just tell me directly and I'll change it, but don't make yourself angry."
Xia Houshu laughed out loud at her teasing, and his anger subsided a lot. He said, "Didn't you praise me before that the second young master of the Wang family is both talented and beautiful, and he is one of the best among men? Now, he's here to propose marriage!"
"
Yun Xi was about to congratulate him when he suddenly thought of something and said hurriedly: "But didn't you say that the second son of the Wang family has bad morals?"
Xia Houshu snorted coldly, stamped his feet and said angrily: "The toad wants to eat swan meat, but he doesn't first evaluate whether he is worthy of it!"
Yun Xi nodded like a fool. After hearing those confusing things about the Wang family's legitimate son, she also felt that the Wang family's son was not worthy of her own girl. But the problem was that now that the Wang family had come to propose marriage, how could she refuse?
Yun Xi thought about it secretly for a long time, but to no avail, and then asked: "Does the girl have any countermeasures?"
"Not yet, but we must not fulfill their wish!" Xia Houshu shook his head, looked at the door and said firmly, "Let's go! Let's go ahead and have a look too!"