Chapter 828: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 828: The Coming-of-Age Ceremony and the Establishment of the Academy (1)
In the past, Chu Heng looked down on Mo Yan, thinking that she wasn’t worthy of Xiao Ruiyuan. He felt that Mo Yan’s humble origins and lack of experience in a prestigious family’s nurturing would make it difficult for her to adapt to the many aspects of such a family. Over time, he worried that the couple might encounter conflicts.
Although Chu Heng’s opinion of Mo Yan changed later, accepting her as his future sister-in-law, his concerns still lingered. This was part of the reason why he had arranged for Xiao Ruiyuan to bring two wet nurses back with him.
Moreover, the Wei Yuan Marquis’s residence didn’t have any elders who truly considered Xiao Ruiyuan’s well-being. As for the Mo family’s marriage proposal, it was something Chu Heng had entrusted to his wife, the Crown Princess, to handle.
The Crown Princess was virtuous and had been grateful to Xiao Ruiyuan for supporting her husband over the years. She truly regarded him as a younger brother and made sure everything was arranged meticulously. All Xiao Ruiyuan needed to do was bring the proposal letter and gifts and go with the matchmaker to the Mo family.
However, while the initial ceremonies were relatively simple, the follow-up customs would be much more complicated. It wouldn’t be practical to keep troubling the Crown Princess for every detail, especially since she was in charge of the entire Crown Prince’s residence, where her days were far from leisurely.
Considering all these factors, Chu Heng decided to send two wet nurses who were skilled at managing daily affairs to Xiao Ruiyuan, demonstrating his thoughtful intentions.
Xiao Ruiyuan accepted the gesture, not solely out of concern for Mo Yan’s ability to handle the trivial matters, but because he himself found them tiresome. He knew Mo Yan would also prefer it. With the experienced wet nurses around, they could both have an easier time and more time to spend together, which was always a good thing.
Chu Heng, who thought he was only looking out for his cousin, didn’t know Xiao Ruiyuan’s true intentions. If he did, he would surely regret sending those two wet nurses.
The two cousins discussed the details of the proposal ceremony to be held on the third day of the third lunar month, and eventually, the conversation turned to Xiao Ruiqing and Princess Ruining.
"You’ve done nothing wrong by following the old Marquis’s last wishes, but as long as Xiao Ruiqing is alive, Xiao Xiong and Wei Shi won’t give up. This time, they’ve worked tirelessly to connect with Princess Ruining, and with my father’s attitude, you must be cautious," Chu Heng reminded Xiao Ruiyuan seriously.
When Xiao Ruiyuan first let Xiao Ruiqing off, Chu Heng had felt uneasy. However, he respected the late Marquis and understood Xiao Ruiyuan’s predicament. If it had been him in that position, he too would have struggled. That’s why he didn’t speak out back then.
Xiao Ruiyuan nodded. "There are people watching over Xiao Ruiqing, so he won’t be able to stir up much trouble. The problem is with the Emperor and Princess Ruining."
Previously, when Emperor Hui'an learned of Xiao Ruiyuan’s affection for Mo Yan, he had shown interest in arranging a marriage for him, something that had always puzzled Xiao Ruiyuan. Now, there seemed to be signs of elevating Xiao Ruiqing once again, which made him uneasy.
Before, Xiao Ruiyuan had used Xiao Ruiqing’s life-and-death threat to deter Xiao Xiong and Wei Shi from pushing for a marriage between Xiao Ruiqing and Princess Ruining. But now, with the Emperor’s ambiguous attitude, it was unclear how things would play out. If Xiao Ruiqing gained favor with Princess Ruining, it would lead to endless trouble. For the sake of future peace, Xiao Ruiyuan couldn’t allow Xiao Ruiqing to leave the ancestral tomb alive.
Chu Heng’s face darkened as he recalled the Emperor’s proposal on New Year’s Eve. "Princess Ruining is easy to handle, but father’s intentions are hard to predict. Be extra careful! In any case, prepare for the worst. Just focus on keeping an eye on Xiao Ruiqing, and leave the rest to me."
Xiao Ruiyuan stood solemnly and clasped his fists in gratitude. "I deeply appreciate it, Brother Chu."
Chu Heng stepped forward, giving his shoulder a hearty slap and laughing. "You call me ‘Brother Chu,’ how could I stand by and let you suffer? No matter what, we’re the closest of brothers."
Xiao Ruiyuan’s expression softened, silently thankful to have such a brother. Even though they had different roles as ruler and subject, their brotherly bond would never fade.
(The End of This Chapter)
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