Chapter 705 - 478: Pleasant Cooperation
Jiang Yu walked ahead with his hands behind his back, slightly bowed in contemplation, and Wei Ziang saw this and did not disturb him.
Even though his brother walked past the place where their father and younger brother were, he simply gestured to the younger brother who was about to shout to keep silent.
He then quickly walked over to tell the two about Miss Yingying’s arrival and the news she brought.
Jiang Yu was still unaware of what surprised his father and younger brother, immersed in his thoughts, he was seriously considering whether the marriage between him and Miss Yingying was possible.
Whether Wei Ziang was the long-missing fiancé that Miss Yingying mentioned was not something he was concerned about.
Just like Miss Yingying said, their betrothal was already annulled and canceled when the young gentleman could not be found, and even the tokens had been returned.
So even if it might be Wei Ziang, it was not really a big deal.
What he was genuinely thinking about now was the matter of marriage itself.
Although his parents had not urged him, he was indeed not young anymore, and sometimes he could see his parents secretly anxious.
But as he had been in Anning Village and truly had no thoughts, the matter was repeatedly delayed.
Earlier, he reminded Wei Ziang that upon arriving in Capital City, regardless of whether he was the young general with great achievements or Xiaomi, the daughter of the farming minister, both were unmarried and of marriageable age, inevitably attracting attention.
Unexpectedly, as it turns out, the situation first fell upon himself.
Jiang Yu had been walking outside for almost half an hour, and when he came to his senses, he found it was already noon. Upon asking those who accompanied him, it turned out that Wei Ziang had long returned home with his father and younger brother.
Regarding himself, he had been wandering around all this time.
He chuckled helplessly, unexpectedly realizing that what he thought was only a moment of pondering ended up consuming so much time.
At this moment, Jiang Yu, having sorted out his thoughts, knew what he should do.
Indeed, Uncle Liu had already helped him by presenting the best option before him, leaving it up to him to decide whether he was willing to accept it.
With his mind made up, naturally, he felt no longer conflicted.
Turning to go home, there was still some time before lunch, so he asked where Miss Yingying was.
When he arrived, he happened to see Xiaomi in the room talking to Miss Yingying.
Seeing his brother approaching, Xiaomi knew he specifically came over and must have something to say to Sister Yingying, so she wisely left, temporarily granting them space.
After all, being unmarried, the doors and windows were open; Xiaomi went outside to the courtyard.
Yingying also sat solemnly by the table; she was no longer an ignorant little girl and certainly not as clueless as she might appear.
It was clear that Jiang Yu had come for serious matters.
Besides this matter, they seemed to have no other topics to discuss for now.
At least not yet.
Looking at Miss Yingying batting her large eyes at him, Jiang Yu cleared his throat and decided to speak first.
"Miss Yingying, you yourself previously mentioned you did not want to marry just anyone. What does this mean now?"
Yingying smiled slightly: "It’s not just anyone; I’ve thought this through carefully."
This answer did not surprise Jiang Yu, as he had long known.
This question was originally just to open up the topic.
"I also want to ask you one more thing, if..."
"Oh, seeing how you are, you’ve clearly made up your mind and are in favor of us getting married. Why be so formal? My father’s surname is Zhou, and I am Zhou Ying. Just call me Yingying."
Jiang Yu was interrupted before he finished speaking and was given her real name outright.
He was taken aback and shook his head helplessly, already knowing her name for a long time, but they had not been that familiar until now.
But since she said so, he wasn’t pretentious either.
"Yingying, if the young gentleman from the Duke’s family returns, what would you do?"
After all, the other party is the young gentleman from the Duke’s family and the sole heir.
Compared to him, who had long expressed not wanting to inherit the title, the other party was clearly a better choice.
The most important factor was that there was once a betrothal between them.
But Yingying shook her head without hesitation: "Let him come back. The old man would be happier, but my betrothal with him was long broken. Even if he returned, I wouldn’t marry him."
In one respect, Yingying was not lying.
If she were to marry Jiang Yu, it would be the best choice at present and the only voluntary choice after careful thought.
She had interacted with the Jiang family several times before, and despite the numerous siblings, their family relations were harmonious, especially as Uncle Jiang was now a Marquis and shared deep affection with Aunt Jiang.
Her own parents were childhood friends, admired each other in their youth, yet their backyard was full of concubines and illegitimate children.
As a child, she often saw her mother weep secretly, not understanding then, but realizing later that it was mostly because her father favored certain concubines.
Though reluctant to admit, these memories indeed affected her and made her fearful of marriage.
Even childhood friends and young lovers turned out this way, so those united by parental or matchmaker’s decree, how might they fare?
But the Jiang family was an exception.
Ordinary families with wealth often sought a concubine, yet despite having money and status, the Jiang family did not have ten or eight concubines, which was normal.
But the truth was they didn’t, the two head of the household maintained deep affection, inseparable.
The sons of the Jiang family were never found in brothels or pleasure houses; they quietly went about their own matters.
These things she learned from her mother, who knew about her fears, and thus never forced her into marriage, specifically researching the Jiang family’s situation.
As to why she looked into the Jiang family, naturally, it was because last year’s end, while accompanying her father to Capital City, she coincidentally met her father’s old schoolmate, Liu Hongcai Major Liu.
In her mother’s words, when the upper beam is upright, the lower beam typically won’t be crooked. The Jiang family elders are dedicated, so the younger generation, influenced by this, are not philanderers.
Though this may not be absolute, at least as everyone sees presently, the two young gents from the Jiang family indeed are upright people, disliking those debauched and depraved.
This is the reason she personally came looking.
As for her childhood betrothal, not only is it hard to find the person, even if found, who knows what he has become after so many years.
She definitely wouldn’t marry an entirely unfamiliar person.
These were Zhou Ying’s considerations.
And upon hearing Zhou Ying’s firm response, Jiang Yu was somewhat relieved, and he smiled slightly.
"If so, then here’s to our happy cooperation."
Zhou Ying’s eyes lit up.
"Great, here’s to our happy cooperation!"
