Chapter 834: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 834: Stunning but Lonely (3)
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Mo Yan was surprised to hear that the Crown Princess had come. She had never expected such an esteemed visitor.
Liu Tinglan, seeing her reaction, assumed Mo Yan was thrilled and laughed, saying to Xin’er, "Those people were right. Your sister really does have a blessed life. How many girls can have the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess personally come to congratulate them on their coming-of-age ceremony?"
But Xin’er shook her head and explained, "The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are here to represent Xiao Gege’s parents, to propose for him. Otherwise, the engagement would be improper."
The hidden affairs of the Wei Yuan Marquis family only circulated among the upper echelons of society. Liu Tinglan had no access to such information and was unaware of the estrangement between Xiao Ruiyuan and his father. Hearing that the Crown Prince and Princess were proposing on behalf of Xiao Ruiyuan’s parents, she was puzzled. "But where are Xiao Ruiyuan’s parents? For such an important matter as their son’s marriage, shouldn’t they be here themselves, no matter how busy they are?"
Xin’er’s face changed slightly. She looked nervously at Mo Yan.
Not long ago, her father had been furious about this matter, nearly preventing the engagement. He was worried that after her sister married into the Xiao family, she would suffer under Xiao Ruiyuan’s father and stepmother. Mo Yan and Xiao Ruiyuan had spent considerable effort to calm her father, so she was afraid that revealing too much now could cause trouble.
Liu Tinglan immediately sensed there was something hidden and regretted speaking without thinking. She quickly tried to fix her words, "The Crown Prince and Princess coming to propose for Xiao Ruiyuan is an honor that many would envy. It reflects well on your family. Truly, it's a great thing."
Mo Yan didn’t see any reason to hide the truth. People would find out sooner or later, but it wasn’t the right time to explain everything. She said, "Some things are too complicated to explain in a few words. When the time is right, I’ll tell you."
Liu Tinglan relaxed, smiling and nodding.
With the help of Liu Tinglan and Xin’er, Mo Yan changed into a light green "caoyi" (child's ceremonial dress). Her jet-black hair was left loose, carefully combed, and secured with a light green ribbon, flowing smoothly down her back to her waist. There was no ornament in her hair.
Even without makeup, her skin was fair and glowing, and the green dress made her appear even more radiant—like a bud about to bloom, captivating everyone’s gaze.
Mo Yan felt a little embarrassed under their intense scrutiny. "The time is almost up. Let’s hurry and get everything ready to go!"
"Alright, you stay still. We’ll take care of everything," Liu Tinglan and Xin’er reluctantly pulled their gazes away and carefully packed the other three sets of clothes into a tray, ready for later use during the ceremony.
Once everything was packed, and nothing was forgotten, the three of them walked out of the courtyard and made their way to the "East Room" beside the main house.
In the main hall of Mo Yan's house, where ancestors were worshiped, the room was filled with guests who had come to witness the ceremony. As the Crown Prince, Chu Heng naturally sat at the head of the guest table, with the Crown Princess, a dignified and graceful woman, seated beside him.
The Crown Princess, surnamed Liang, wasn’t particularly beautiful, but her regal and refined demeanor drew the attention of everyone who saw her, making her appearance seem secondary.
This wasn’t the first time Crown Princess Liang attended a coming-of-age ceremony, but it was her first time mingling with commoners. After an initial sense of unease, she quickly adjusted, feeling at ease with these people. While their manners might seem rough, they were sincere and genuine. Though filled with curiosity, she kept a respectful distance, not trying to ingratiate herself with anyone.
Part of it may have been due to the fear of her identity as the Crown Princess, but more likely, it was just her nature. She wasn’t one for flattery or scheming. Being around people like this made anyone feel comfortable. Looking at her husband beside her, who seemed so relaxed and content, she began to understand why he enjoyed coming here.
(The End of This Chapter)
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