Chapter 302 - 301: Presenting Betrothal Gifts
The Duke Mansion agreed to the marriage between Xie Yunling and Lan Ci, and within two months, Lan Ci was appointed to the Hanlin Academy.
Although it was only a seventh-rank editorial position, everything he had was earned by his own efforts, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had a promising future.
Even though he held an official position, Lan Ci’s salary was not substantial.
Marrying Xie Yunling was undoubtedly a step up for him.
Because of this, some people ridiculed Lan Ci behind his back, saying he was a kept man, no different from a son-in-law living with his wife’s family, and would inevitably be oppressed by Xie Yunling in the future.
The rumors grew increasingly intense, and eventually, some even said Lan Ci was vain and cunning, having schemed to win Miss Xie’s favor.
If he ever gained power in the future, they claimed he would certainly turn his back and not recognize anyone.
Although he didn’t investigate the source of the rumors, Lan Ci was well aware of who was maliciously slandering him behind his back.
He showed little reaction, but Liu Xu was outraged.
Even though there was no blood relation between them, after so many years of companionship, they had long become like family to each other.
She was protective, and could not tolerate others fabricating stories about Lan Ci.
Fortunately, Young General Wei comes from a good family, otherwise, with his petty behavior, he would have long been beaten by others.
Liu Xu angrily said, "No wonder Mrs. Ji is extremely disgusted with the Wei family; this man’s mind is smaller than the eye of a needle, and he likes to scheme behind others’ backs. Isn’t this just the behavior of a petty person?"
Lan Ci didn’t take those words to heart, "I’m fine."
Liu Xu glared at him, "Of course you’re fine, but if the Xie Family starts to take these words seriously and disagrees with your marriage to Miss Xie, you won’t even have time to cry then!"
Nervousness appeared on Lan Ci’s usually indifferent face.
He pressed his thin lips together, "Yun Ling is wise and won’t be disturbed by gossip."
"Just because she isn’t disturbed does not mean her elders won’t be affected."
The Xie Family cherishes Xie Yunling, otherwise, they wouldn’t have let her choose her own husband.
Liu Xu trusts Lan Ci’s character, but that doesn’t mean the Xie Family will trust him unconditionally.
She spoke sincerely, "Gossip is also a weapon, and sometimes its lethality is astonishing, so we cannot let it go unchecked."
Lan Ci originally did not want to take any notice, thinking the rumors would naturally die down over time.
But he had to admit that Liu Xu’s words made sense.
Even if Young General Wei could not come forward to clarify, at least the Xie Family’s elders should know where these words originated.
Once they understand the whole story, the truth will speak for itself, and they can judge accordingly.
Although Lan Ci is naturally indifferent, he holds grudges.
He hasn’t taken extreme measures to counter Young General Wei, afraid the gossip would spread, implicating Xie Yunling.
For a young lady, reputation is very important; he does not wish for Xie Yunling to be harmed.
His long fingers tapped the desk as he contemplated.
After a moment, he asked Liu Xu, "Do you still have contact with Zhao Yuqing?"
Liu Xu helped Zhao Yuqing find out the cause of her mother’s death; it was the doing of Mr. Zhao’s concubine.
And Mr. Zhao, knowing the truth, still planned to promote the concubine.
The evidence she discovered was handed to Zhao Yuqing.
After such a long time without seeing any action from her, Liu Xu wondered if she was plotting something or didn’t want to fall out with Mr. Zhao.
The Zhao Family’s matters were none of her business, so Liu Xu didn’t pay further attention.
But since Young General Wei harbors unspeakable thoughts towards Xie Yunling, occasionally wanting to trip her and Lan Ci up, how could she hold the initiative without contacting Zhao Yuqing?
Liu Xu didn’t know if Zhao Yuqing would turn and speak for the Wei Family in the future.
She also didn’t care.
As long as Zhao Yuqing continued to cooperate for a few more days.
Lan Ci brought up Zhao Yuqing, and Liu Xu understood his intention.
A plan formed in her mind.
"Leave this matter to me to resolve; better that you find time to see Yun Ling, have an open and honest conversation, and build trust to prevent others from stirring things up in the future."
Lan Ci said, "That won’t affect us."
He looked assured, making Liu Xu feel as though she had been fed a piece of dog food.
She didn’t continue the topic, instead placing a list of gifts on the table, "Here’s the betrothal list, see if there’s anything else needed."
After more than a decade in business, Liu Xu’s family was very well-off.
Not wanting Xie Yunling to be wronged, she bought a three-entry house in the capital for Lan Ci and Xie Yunling.
On their wedding day, the young couple could move in immediately.
As for herself, she would continue living in her original home.
In addition, she had prepared all the necessities that other families would have for a bride, too.
Though it could not compare to the grandeur of a noble family, compared to a modest official’s family, what she offered was already quite generous.
Lan Ci felt very guilty, "So much silver, I don’t know when I can pay it all back."
His salary was minimal.
Even if he sold paintings and calligraphy to earn money, repaying everything would be difficult.
Liu Xu raised an eyebrow, "You’ll have to protect me in the future; don’t think about such things."
For the time being, it appeared she was giving a lot for Lan Ci.
But she was not without gain.
Lan Ci has always been very protective of her; even before coming to the capital, whenever she was harassed by troublemakers, Lan Ci was always the first to stand up for her.
When she encountered business problems, although he didn’t understand commerce, he would accompany her and try to find solutions.
Liu Xu had no kin here; to her, Lan Ci was like her own brother, her family.
Now Lan Ci is to marry, and marry a very good girl at that, so she is happy to spend freely.
To take a step back, through Lan Ci, she was able to meet the noble people of the Duke Mansion.
Mrs. Ji even wanted to collaborate with her in business, and the things she invested had already returned to her manifold.
"Once you’re married, I’ll head to the border, and meanwhile, you help me keep an eye on my shops in the capital. If anything unusual comes up, write to me."
They have never been apart for all these years.
To Lan Ci, it was no exaggeration to call Liu Xu his own sister.
She planned to go to the border, and the journey was long; he couldn’t feel entirely at ease.
"Is it for business?"
"Yes, Mrs. Ji wrote to me."
Lan Ci knew how reliable Mrs. Ji was; she often recited a few sentences each time she met with Yun Ling.
Hearing there was a letter from her, Lan Ci felt much more at ease.
"Take plenty of people when you go; you must be careful about safety."
Liu Xu understood all these.
She enjoyed making money but had to ensure she was alive to spend it.
She avoided unsafe places.
With the betrothal list settled, Liu Xu, as the elder, went to the Duke Mansion for Lan Ci to discuss the marriage arrangements.
As expected, affected by rumors, Princess An He was even more unfriendly towards her.
If it weren’t for Lady Guan’s constant efforts to lighten the mood, the scene might have become unbearably awkward.
To reassure the elders of the Duke Mansion, Liu Xu presented a handwritten letter from Zhao Yuqing.
In the letter, the entire story was clearly laid out.
Mrs. Guan, upon reading it, was furious and eager to confront the Wei Family.
Not only did the Wei man harbor wrongful intentions, but he also sought to ruin Yun Ling’s marriage.
Did he not know how important marriage is to a woman?
Or did he care nothing for anyone’s will, willing to employ any means to satisfy his own desires?
If he succeeded, Yun Ling’s life would be ruined!
Liu Xu didn’t conceal anything and informed Lady Guan of Young General Wei’s previous encounters with her and Lan Ci.
If they had any concerns and decided to cancel the marriage, Liu Xu could understand.
Since they were to be in-laws, it was better to be honest with each other.
Such matters were about mutual consent; if one party wanted to withdraw, the engagement could be broken.
Once all the details were clarified, Mrs. Guan’s uneasiness was entirely dispelled.
This was someone both Ah Zhen and Mingzhu approved of, someone worth trusting.
"Madam Liu, ten days later is an auspicious day, at that time, bring the matchmaker and come to offer the betrothal gifts."