Chapter 330: Proposing Marriage

Chapter 330: Proposing Marriage

However, Old Lady Mo understood that Meng Haining was an upright official, and his family had also been suppressed by Emperor Shunwu. For him to present such a dowry was already quite difficult.

It was likely with the help of his clan; otherwise, given Meng Haining's salary, he could not have prepared such a grand dowry.

She was marrying off her daughter, not selling her. The size of the dowry reflected the groom's sincerity, and she would return it along with her daughter's trousseau.

As long as her daughter was treated well, everything else was secondary.

Moreover, Old Lady Mo had long since let go of material possessions. The amount was merely a gesture of goodwill.

If she truly wanted her daughter to enjoy wealth and honor, she could have chosen Tang Mingrui for her.

Tang Mingrui's business was thriving, far more prosperous than Meng Haining.

Old Lady Mo smiled kindly and gently placed the dowry list on the table beside her.

"Lord Meng is very thoughtful."

Meng Haining bowed again. "I am glad if the old lady finds it satisfactory."

He knew that without any objections from Old Lady Mo, his dowry was deemed acceptable.

The matchmaker, perceiving the situation, stepped forward with a smile, introducing herself first.

"Old Lady Mo, gentlemen, I am the official matchmaker of Yun City, known as Matchmaker Liu. Today, I am honored to be invited by Lord County Magistrate to propose marriage to Miss Mo on behalf of the Meng family."

Old Lady Mo returned her smile.

"I am grateful. Please sit down."

Matchmaker Liu did not hesitate and sat down, then began praising Meng Haining as part of her routine.

Old Lady Mo had seen this many times before and let her continue.

After a while, Matchmaker Liu got to the point.

"Since Old Lady Mo has no objections, may I take Miss Mo's birth chart and select an auspicious date for the wedding?"

When it came to the wedding date, Old Lady Mo did not intend to leave it entirely to the matchmaker, as she was in a hurry.

"Could we set the date ourselves?"

This question was phrased as a query but was actually a notification that she intended to set the date herself.

Matchmaker Liu was surprised. In all her years, this was the first time she encountered such a request.

However, she was astute enough to recognize that Old Lady Mo was a decisive person, and her authority was not to be challenged.

Besides, Lord Meng had said that as long as the marriage was agreed upon, the details were flexible. There was no need to ruin their good fortune over formalities.

"Indeed, it is possible. Does the old lady have any specific dates in mind?"

In her spare time, Old Lady Mo had been consulting the almanac and found several suitable dates.

Most importantly, these dates were all before July.

"If this marriage is to proceed, I plan to have Lord Meng marry Han Yue before July."

Old Lady Mo addressed Meng Haining directly, as only his agreement mattered.

Meng Haining did not expect Old Lady Mo to take the initiative on setting the wedding date. Although he did not know her reasons, he trusted her wisdom and believed there must be a reason for her request.

Moreover, he had no habit of prying into others' private matters. For him, the sooner he could marry his beloved, the better.

Meng Haining stood up solemnly. "Old Lady Mo, you are the elder. Your decision stands."

Seeing the parties involved agree, Matchmaker Liu also stood up.

"The old lady is wise. I was about to mention this. This year is a leap year, and only the first half of the year has auspicious dates. The second half is unsuitable for weddings."

Her words pleased both the Mo family and Meng Haining.

Old Lady Mo nodded approvingly and asked, "Since Matchmaker Liu says so, are there any good dates before July this year?"

Matchmaker Liu, experienced in her profession, knew the auspicious dates by heart.

"It is now April. The twenty-sixth of April is an auspicious day, as well as the eighth of May and the twelfth of June..."

Hearing these dates, Old Lady Mo smiled inwardly, as they matched what she had found in the almanac.

Since the matchmaker agreed with her findings, there was no need for further questioning.

Now, they needed to calculate the compatibility of the couple's birth charts to ensure they were not incompatible. If there were no major issues, they could choose a good date to compensate.

Matchmaker Liu had never seen a family so eager to marry off their daughter, but she could see that Lord Meng was also very willing.

Thus, she refrained from offering her opinion and began calculating based on the birth charts provided.

The Mo family and Meng Haining waited quietly for her results.

After a long while, Matchmaker Liu's face lit up with joy as she finished her calculations.

She put down the birth charts and stood up excitedly.

"Congratulations, Lord Meng! Congratulations, Old Lady Mo! The two new people's birth charts are perfectly compatible. They are truly made for each other."

Pausing for a moment, Matchmaker Liu continued with enthusiasm, "In all my years as an official matchmaker, I have never seen such a harmonious combination of birth charts. The union of these two individuals is auspicious in every way. Even without choosing a particularly lucky day, there would be no issues."

At this, everyone present showed signs of joy, and Meng Haining was so excited that he exclaimed 'good' three times.

Of course, the matchmaker's words indeed brought pleasure to everyone present, but Lady Mo still wanted to leave the final decision to Meng Haining. This way, it wouldn't violate any customs, since the ultimate decision on the wedding date would still rest with the groom's family.

"Lady Meng, when do you think it would be appropriate to bring Lady Han Yue into your home?"

Meng Haining wished to marry Mo Han Yue as soon as possible, and his most desired date was the 26th of the fourth month.

However, it was already mid-fourth month, leaving only ten days until that date. Preparing for a wedding so hastily might seem disrespectful to Mo Han Yue.

Moreover, his wedding required the presence of his family elders to officiate, and such short notice would not allow enough time to inform them.

After much consideration, he tentatively asked, "Lady Mo, what do you think about the 12th of the sixth month?"

He had thought through many factors. First, he needed to purchase a residence in Yun City; he couldn't possibly start a family while living in the government compound.

After acquiring the property, he planned to renovate it thoroughly, ensuring that his beloved would live comfortably.

This timing would also allow him to notify his family elders to come and officiate the wedding, giving them ample time for travel without rushing.

In summary, this date was the most suitable.

As long as it was before the seventh month, Lady Mo would have no objections.

"Very well, as Lord Meng has said, the 12th of the sixth month, you will welcome Han Yue into your home."