Chapter 862: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 862: A Twist in Fate—A Proposal at the Door (4)
By afternoon, the two of them returned with their baskets full—one with an assortment of fresh flowers and the other with different kinds of mushrooms. However, as soon as they reached the foot of the mountain, they noticed a familiar carriage parked outside the gate. It was the Liu family’s carriage.
Mo Yan’s eyes flickered with worry, fearing that the Du family was causing trouble again, prompting Master and Madam Liu to seek refuge at her home.
Liu Tinglan also thought the same, and without saying another word to Mo Yan, she hurriedly pushed open the gate and rushed inside.
Mo Yan quickly followed, only to find that the only person in the hall was the Liu family’s coachman. Neither Master Liu nor Madam Liu had arrived.
The coachman stood up as soon as he saw Liu Tinglan, quickly greeting her. "Miss, the master and madam sent me to bring you home. They’re waiting for you. Please pack up and come with me right away."
Hearing this, Liu Tinglan realized that her initial guess had been wrong. If the Du family had caused trouble, her parents would have prevented her from leaving, not rushed to bring her back home.
She breathed a sigh of relief and, not asking why her parents were in such a hurry, said to Mo Yan, "Yan Yan, my parents are eager for me to go back, so something important must have happened at home. I’ll go now, and once things are settled, I’ll come over to visit you again."
Mo Yan did not insist on keeping her, understanding the situation. "You go ahead, and if anything comes up, send a message. Don’t bear it all alone like before."
"Yes, with you, the princess, supporting me, I won’t do anything foolish like that again!" Liu Tinglan winked playfully and agreed.
However, Mo Yan was still uneasy. After Liu Tinglan left, she released Mao Mao from her space and instructed it to keep an eye on the Liu family’s movements. If anything seemed amiss, it should come back to inform her.
Previously, she had not sent Mao Mao to watch over the Liu and Du families when they broke off the engagement, underestimating Du Wencai’s shamelessness and thinking that Liu family could handle it. But she would not make the same mistake again.
As for the Du family, the gossip still hadn't died down, and if she acted rashly, it could easily be blamed on the Liu family, sparking new rumors. So she chose to wait for the right opportunity to deal with Du Wencai properly.
Soon, Mao Mao returned, and after Xue Tuanzi translated, Mo Yan quickly learned the reason behind Liu Tinglan’s hasty return. It turned out that Shen Ji had come to the Liu family to propose marriage!
Though it wasn’t exactly a formal proposal—there were no matchmakers present—Shen Ji had come to gauge Master Liu and Madam Liu’s opinion. If they agreed, he planned to formally ask for Liu Tinglan’s hand in marriage once the results of the civil examination were announced.
Shen Ji had no concerns about the rumors surrounding the Liu and Du families. Last year, he had already inquired about Du Wencai’s character from the neighbors and discovered that not only was the Du family a bad match, but Du Wencai himself was also a man of shallow and selfish character.
Although he was aware that the Du family was a poor match for the Liu family, Shen Ji was more concerned about the possibility of Liu Tinglan being affected by the slanderous gossip. He was deeply impressed by Liu Tinglan’s dignity and had grown fond of her, so he finally gathered the courage to express his desire to marry her.
When Mo Yan learned that Master Liu and Madam Liu had not agreed immediately but instead had hurriedly sent Liu Tinglan back, she understood their reasoning. The Liu family had initially hoped to find a son-in-law by inviting a man of less-than-exceptional talent and character, like Du Wencai, to marry into the family. After the fallout with Du Wencai, their thoughts would certainly be clouded, and they would be more cautious than before.
Though the Liu and Du families were of equal standing, having Shen Ji, an only son, marry into the Liu family was unrealistic. Shen Ji was highly accomplished and well-regarded, while Liu Tinglan’s reputation had been tarnished by the rumors. Master Liu and Madam Liu had already been stung by previous events and were understandably wary of making a rash decision.
However, Mo Yan was optimistic about Shen Ji. Seeing him stand up in such a difficult moment to ask for Liu Tinglan’s hand, she believed he truly loved her, disregarding the gossip.
Yet, she was concerned that Shen Ji’s parents might oppose the marriage, which could spoil this promising union.
After thinking for a moment, Mo Yan decided to send Mao Mao once more, this time to Shen Ji’s hometown to assess his family’s character. If they were anything like Hong Shi, Niu Shi, or Mo Yongxi—insufferable personalities—then Mo Yan would have to reconsider this match carefully.
(End of Chapter)
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