Chapter 372 Wedding Invitation

Chapter 372: The Wedding Invitations

Early the next morning, before dawn had even broken, Song Tingzhou put on his crimson official robes and led Chen Zhenlong, dressed in a padded cotton coat, into the palace.

Meng Wan wasn't worried. The new emperor had just ascended the throne, and the sweet potato had appeared by heaven's will, resolving the people's hardships—a blessing for the new sovereign's peaceful and prosperous reign.

Hmm... he could already imagine what the Imperial Observatory would say.

They entered the palace before daybreak and came back by moonlight. Song Tingzhou returned alone, and seeing Meng Wan waiting at the gate wrapped up in a cloak, he frowned—which was rare—and scolded, "It's windy at night. Why are you waiting here?"

Meng Wan hugged his arm, his eyes crinkling in a coaxing smile. "I'd already finished dinner and saw you hadn't returned, so I just came out to check. Here, feel—my hands are still warm."

He put his hand into Song Tingzhou's, and it was indeed warm. Song Tingzhou's brow relaxed, but he still warned, "Next time it's cold, don't wait for me outside."

"Okay, okay."

Meng Wan glanced behind him. "Didn't Chen Zhenlong come back with you?"

Song Tingzhou told Gui Cheng to close the main gate and led Meng Wan back to the main courtyard. "His Majesty sent him to the imperial estate outside the city. He won't be released until after the autumn harvest when the sweet potatoes are harvested."

"Batata" was what they called it in Luzon; in the Yu language it was "zhu shu" (crimson tuber). Because it was a foreign crop, the emperor named it "fan shu" (foreign tuber).

Meng Wan nodded knowingly. "As I expected. He still has two servants staying with us—I'll send them to the estate tomorrow as well."

A crop like the sweet potato, which could rival the potato, was no small thing. True or not, the emperor couldn't possibly let the man leave. He'd be held at the imperial estate for trial planting—if it succeeded, there would be rewards; if it failed, it would be treason.

He knew the sweet potato would succeed, so he was confident. Chen Zhenlong had grown it for a year and had experience—nothing would go wrong.

But for an ordinary person without connections, even getting to see the emperor was uncertain at best.

That was why Meng Wan had called Luo Jining reckless—you needed connections to stay safe, or you could end up executed by strangulation.

The next morning, the palace sent someone—as luck would have it, it was Eunuch Li. He arrived at the door early, his face beaming with smiles. "Meng Fulang, His Majesty has ordered me to escort Chen Zhenlong's two servants from Fuzhou to the imperial estate to attend to him, so he won't feel out of place."

Even if he hadn't come, Meng Wan would have sent the servants himself. He figured that wasn't all—the emperor had surely already issued decrees ordering local officials to protect Chen Zhenlong's family.

Never underestimate the decisiveness of those in power. They never thought like ordinary people.

The emperor wasn't one for women and devoted himself entirely to governance, yet he still selected consorts to balance the court. The empress, as the mother of the nation, was not just the emperor's wife but also his subject. The harem, in some ways, was another battlefield.

These thoughts flickered through his mind without interrupting the polite smile on Meng Wan's face. He invited Eunuch Li in for a cup of hot tea and called over a few children from the Songyun Academy in Lingnan to speak of Li Feifei's current situation.

Li Feifei had done Eunuch Li a huge favor—more than just saving his life. Eunuch Li knew his adoptive mother was doing well in Lingnan, but hearing it from others—especially from a disciple she had personally trained—hit differently.

He held the child's hand warmly, acting like he didn't see the large, unsightly birthmark on his face. "So you're Xie Xue? A good child. One day, you should visit the second house on Sanfu Lane—that's our own place."

Eunuchs could actually purchase property outside the palace, especially high-ranking ones like Eunuch Li. Not only was his property in a prime location, but it also had servants—yet he rarely revealed his home address to outsiders.

The fact that he told Xie Xue this showed he truly regarded the boy as one of his own. Perhaps Li Feifei had mentioned Xie Xue in her letters and asked him to keep an eye on him.

"The Cotton Mill is doing well," Xie Xue, who didn't say much, replied. He had come to Shengjing to teach embroidery, but his own studies weren't complete—he would need to return to Lingnan in the second half of the year.

He didn't have to be the one to come, but he couldn't bear to part with Xue Sheng, so he had volunteered.

The Songyun Academy group had left later than the Changping Charity School and had farther to travel, yet they all arrived around the same time. One reason was the roads; the other was the rubber wheels.

After chatting with Xie Xue for a while, Eunuch Li took his leave—he still carried imperial duties and couldn't stay long.

Meng Wan personally escorted him to the door, treating him with full respect.

As soon as he left, Meng Wan hurried off to find Chu Ci. All matters concerning the cotton mill were handed over to Nie Fulang, and even the rubber wheels were set aside—nothing was more important than their family's big event.

"Your father asked the Imperial Observatory to calculate an auspicious date—how about the eighteenth of the second month for your wedding?" The biggest event after the new year was Chu Ci's wedding. Chang Jinhua had also departed from her hometown and would arrive early next month.

Meng Wan thought she was making things difficult for herself—she might as well have stayed for the new year—but Chang Jinhua truly missed home and insisted on spending the new year there before coming.

Chu Ci had grown taller again, now carrying the steady bearing of a grown man. His temperament was strangely reminiscent of Song Tingzhou.

He raised his hands in sign language, his expression gentle and shy. "Whatever Father says."

Meng Wan smiled. "No seeing A Xun before the wedding. He's staying at your Uncle Ge's house, with Nanny Jin accompanying him. I've prepared the eastern courtyard for you—take a look and see if anything's missing?"

Chu Ci shook his head. He looked at the brand-new furniture in the room and the various arrangements throughout the house, a thousand emotions welling up in his chest. His signing was slow. "Everything is wonderful. Thank you for all your trouble."

"Brother! Did you see the screen I painted for you? Isn't it pretty?" A Yan burst in and hugged him. It was just after breakfast, before he left for the Zheng family for his studies. He pointed at the screen he'd painted with immature brushstrokes—a magpie perched on a blossoming plum branch, symbolizing joy.

Chu Ci ruffled his younger brother's hair, thanked him solemnly, praised his artwork lavishly, and personally walked him out to send him off to school.

That evening, when Song Tingzhou returned, the whole family sat together writing wedding invitations. A Yan and Chu Ci's calligraphy was rejected by Meng Wan and eliminated. In the end, Meng Wan and Song Tingzhou did the writing while the two boys and Xue Sheng sealed the envelopes. Zhifan, Zhimao, Zhusha, and Zhu Yan were in the outer room stuffing red envelopes—crates upon crates of copper coins piled on the floor, filled envelopes tossed into baskets.

The betrothal ceremonies—proposal, name inquiry, auspicious divination, and date selection—had all been handled simply. The distance made some simplifications unavoidable. But the formal betrothal gifts and the wedding procession itself were of utmost importance, and Meng Wan was determined to make them grand.

Meng Wan had deliberately arranged for A Xun to depart from the Ge family for good reason. Shengjing was rife with gossip, and Song Tingzhou held a high official position. Though Chu Ci was only their adopted son and couldn't speak, he could still marry the daughter of a minor official.

If A Xun were to marry in as an ordinary physician, people would inevitably talk. While their family didn't care, it would be better to avoid the gossip altogether, lest A Xun suffer unfair treatment outside.

Ge Quan was trusted by the emperor—a newly risen favorite of the Son of Heaven—and no one could trace his background. Having A Xun marry from his household as a distant nephew gave him a fitting identity that wouldn't invite criticism.

Meng Wan lowered his eyes to write invitations, saying, "I had Lanyue start on A Xun's wedding attire before the new year. The embroidery is already finished—I'll send it over to the Ge residence along with the other garments in a few days."

A Xun could barely manage simple mending. Having him make his own wedding robes was out of the question—given Song Tingzhou's rank, his son's wedding required embroidered phoenix ceremonial robes, which was far beyond A Xun's skill.

As for the seasonal clothing and brocade quilts a groom should prepare, Meng Wan had already instructed Lanyue to begin work on those as part of A Xun's trousseau.

Huang Ye sat on an embroidered stool nearby, holding a long list and reporting to Meng Wan. "Thirty chefs from restaurants, twenty pastry masters. Tables and chairs are rented from the restaurants, and we've borrowed thirty servants from Nie Fulang's household. For the eight delicacies—sea cucumber, bear paw, and shark fin are all stocked in our kitchen. Bird's nest and wine are plentiful in the storeroom. Pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, and fish have been purchased since before the new year—all live, kept at Muquan Estate. Next month, before the wedding, I'll have the estate workers slaughter and transport them. The greenhouses on the estate are also growing various vegetables."

A Yan, listening to this long list, felt his head spin. He hugged one of the new cotton dolls from the mill and stole a moment of laziness.

"Leave the restaurant and purchasing matters to Gui Qian and Gui Cheng. In a couple of days, go to the estate yourself and have your Brother Xuesheng accompany you. Better to overprepare than to come up short." Meng Wan snatched the cotton doll from A Yan and played with it himself for a moment. A Yan looked at his father with indignation he dared not voice, hoping he would advocate for him.

Song Tingzhou met his gaze, then lowered his head and continued writing the invitation Meng Wan hadn't finished.

A Yan: "..."

Huang Ye was entirely absorbed in his ledger. He calculated his schedule and decided to check Lanyue's shop first thing tomorrow morning—if all was well, he'd head straight to the estate.

The next morning, Xue Sheng accompanied Huang Ye to Lanyue's small shop. The front door had been closed for several days, though regular customers occasionally came to the back door to pick up their orders.

After the new year, the shop's staff had essentially stopped taking other commissions—everyone was working on items for Chu Ci and A Xun's wedding.

"Steward Huang, you've come!" Lanyue set down her work when she saw Huang Ye and handed him a list. "Everything on here is ready. A few small odds and ends are still being finished—they'll be done within three days. I'll have someone deliver them directly to the Song residence."

Each task completed brought Huang Ye a measure of relief. He smiled and handed over several wedding invitations. "Then I'll leave it to all of you. When the day comes, please come and join us for the wedding feast."

Everyone naturally agreed.

The wedding garments were precious, so Huang Ye personally delivered them to the Ge residence. Afterward, he and Xue Sheng left the city together for Muquan Estate.

The weather was cold, so there was no serious work on the estate—everyone was occupied feeding the master's chickens, ducks, and sheep. When Huang Ye arrived, he found the estate head, Yu Geer, for a talk, and soon everyone on the estate knew the news.

A youth in a black cotton-padded jacket, who had been cutting grass for the cattle, overheard the villagers' chatter. He swiftly hoisted the dried grass onto his shoulder and strode off with long steps.

"Hey, Dong Li, you done with the grass?"

The youth, now a head taller and leaner thanks to regular meals, didn't look back. "No more cutting."

Xue Sheng had never been to Muquan Manor before. While Huang Ye tended to business, he wandered around. As a martial artist with keen ears and sharp eyes, Xue Sheng quickly noticed someone watching him. He turned to see a youth with bright, clear eyes, in a black cotton jacket, with a few dried grass strands stubbornly stuck to his shoulder.

Xue Sheng watched for a bit before realizing the youth wasn't looking at him, but at Huang Ye, who was talking to the estate head nearby.

With a slight frown, he retreated without a change in expression, and found a tenant farmer to fish for information about the youth.

"Dong Li? He's got no parents—he's a lone wolf, feed himself, and he's set."

"He owns no land, and he's not a tenant either."

"He used to live with his second uncle, eating irregularly—sometimes full, sometimes starving. Now he works for Yu Geer, built himself a thatched hut, and lives independently."

The more Xue Sheng heard, the deeper the creases between his brows became.

"Xuesheng, let's head back!" Huang Ye called from a distance.

Dong Li finally tore his gaze from Huang Ye and looked at the other man running over—plain-faced, in his thirties, with a slim waist and a neat, agile build.

The two seemed very affectionate with each other...

The youth pursed his lips tightly, secretly trailing them, and watched until the carriage left the manor.

That was all he could do—just stand there and watch.

Suddenly, a man jumped off the moving carriage, heedless of the speed, landed lightly, and ran quickly to stop in front of Dong Li.

"He could marry a seventh-rank official, or at the very least, there are the imperial candidates this year."

Xue Sheng said this casually, without any disdain or displeasure, just stating a fact plainly.

And that, more than anything, pricked the youth's pride.

Dong Li clenched his fists tightly at his sides. "I will..." strive to be worthy of him.

He didn't say it out loud—what good would it do? Not everything in this world is gained by mere words.

Dong Li fell silent. He didn't watch the man's retreating back, but turned and went home, packed his things, and went to Yu Geer's to say goodbye.

"You want to leave Muquan Manor? Dong Li, you're still young. Life out there isn't as easy as you think," Dong Mu advised.

Dong Li's mind was made up. "I know. But I still have to go."

In terms of family rank, Yu Geer was considered Dong Li's sister-in-law. She said, rubbing her forehead in frustration. "Go where?"

Dong Li didn't seem to be acting on impulse—this was clearly something he'd planned for a while. Today's events had simply pushed him to act sooner. "I heard Meng Fulang has a guest from Fuzhou who goes to sea all year round. I want to go too."

Yu Geer was surprised. "You're going to Fuzhou?"

"No, I'm going to Weihai."

—

"Why send me an invitation at a time like this? We're busy at home!" Meng Wan grumbled, pinching the invitation in his hand and tossing it onto the table with a slap.

Fang Jin Rong held an identical invitation. "What's the big deal? Just turn it down." He wasn't afraid of offending anyone—worst case, they could have Ge Quan removed from his post in the capital.

Meng Wan was irritated. "If it were any ordinary family, I'd decline without a second thought. But this is from Princess Qin herself. Prince Qin's fief is in Changping—we can't just not show up."

"Prince Qin? You mean the Emperor's second brother?" Fang Jin Rong hadn't heard of the others, but he knew of Prince Qin. As Meng Wan said, his fief was in Changping, and their families were all within his territory—offending him would be unwise.

Meng Wan was thinking even further ahead. When the late Emperor was alive, he had banished Prince Qin from the capital over the Wu family affair, cutting off any ambition he might have had for the throne.

Before the new Emperor ascended, he recalled Prince Qin to the capital under the pretext of mourning the late Emperor, and even now, after the New Year, he still wouldn't let Prince Qin's family leave. Prince Qin was beside himself with anxiety. This banquet hosted by Princess Qin was bound to be fraught with hidden agendas—the very thought of it was exhausting.