Chapter 179 - 135:
"Then let’s go take a rest." Xie Ruyu did not insist, she took her sister’s hand and walked towards the backyard of the temple.
Xie Wanqing followed her arrangement.
Since she was here to accompany her sister for the meet-up, they couldn’t just head down the mountain like this.
Samantabhadra Temple, a busy temple in the suburbs of the Capital, occupied a vast area. Its backyard, though not as scenic as the Marquis Mansion gardens, had a unique charm.
However, the weather was too cold, making it unsuitable for garden walks. After a few steps, the sisters were led by a little monk into a special side room designated for nobility to rest.
Inside, the charcoal fire was plentiful. Xie Wanqing untied her cloak, sat down, and said, "I do know a thing or two about Duan Cheng."
"Oh?" Xie Ruyu was somewhat surprised and quickly asked, "Then please tell me, Sister Wanwan, what do you think of him?"
Xie Wanqing recounted everything Ji Chengfeng said that day, then continued, "It’s not unusual for him, at the age of twenty, to have a marriage arrangement. It’s just unclear if he was truly willing."
After all, blind marriages and mute unions were uncommon in this dynasty. Her second uncle was big on rules; he favored Duan Cheng, wishing to recruit him as an ideal son-in-law, yet he still required his daughter to meet and approve before discussing marriage.
Therefore, Duan Cheng’s past engagement with his previous fiancée was likely agreed upon by himself.
Xie Ruyu had also considered this point, and her expression turned a bit unsightly. "Father and Mother only know that his parents passed away early, and he doesn’t have any concubines, but they didn’t expect him to have been betrothed."
With no elders at home, marrying would allow her to take charge, without needing to follow rules in front of a mother-in-law, which naturally was a good thing, but...
After all, he would be her lifelong husband; she feared he might have held other girls in his heart early on, which would be infuriating.
Girls in love with dreams, with parents so affectionate, no matter how sharp or strong Xie Ruyu was in her usual times, she did hold expectations for marriage.
Thinking of being with a future husband like her own parents, hand in hand to grow old together.
In Xie Ruyu’s view, if the future husband already had another girl in his heart, then she would be no different than a second wife.
"Wait for his arrival and observe; if you indeed take issue, then don’t marry," Xie Wanqing reassured her. "Second Uncle will certainly not force this precious jewel to marry someone she doesn’t favor."
With that said, several figures appeared at the door, one being the little monk who led them earlier. Another wore a dark green cape, his hair tied with a jade crown, his tall and slender figure carried a slightly imposing presence. Behind him followed a servant, and seeing the two girls in the room, the man at the door hesitated slightly.
Duan Cheng rushed over after morning court, still shocked by Lu Ziyuan being a Prince. At this moment, seeing his former fiancée, he paused for a moment, then greeted with a bow.
This was the first time Xie Wanqing met Duan Cheng, but not for Xie Ruyu.
Her gaze showed a momentary pause, then she stood up to return the greeting.
Xie Wanqing did not notice anything unusual, she scrutinized Duan Cheng for a few moments.
Quietly thinking indeed he appeared as an exemplary gentleman, no wonder her second uncle, who served as the Renguozijian Sacrificial Officer, would favor him.
The maidservant brought hot tea, and Duan Cheng along with his servant sat and stood respectively.
With two additional men present, Xie Wanqing had to adopt a proper sitting posture.
As the elder sister of Xie Ruyu, although younger than Duan Cheng in age, with no other elders present, she could only take charge in entertaining them.
Testing his knowledge was difficult for her; she prided herself on not having the skill to examine the third place in the imperial examination, so she simply engaged in small talk.
Duan Cheng consistently answered appropriately, displaying proper etiquette, leaving no room for criticism.
Xie Ruyu occasionally chimed in, and surprisingly, the atmosphere turned quite pleasant.
At this moment, Xie Wanqing felt that her young cousin’s first meeting with Mr. Duan seemed satisfactory.
The conversation continued until lunch when monks served vegetarian meals.
It wasn’t proper for two girls to dine with outside men, so Duan Cheng rose and went to the adjacent room.
Taking advantage of the moment, Xie Wanqing smiled and asked her cousin, "How is he?"
"On the day the new top scholars paraded the streets, I stood in the tea house side room and glimpsed him from afar,"
Xie Ruyu didn’t say she liked nor disliked him, she merely stated, "After the meal, if he invites me to talk alone, then he shows interest in me. I would inquire about his previous engagement before making a decision."
Hearing this, Xie Wanqing relaxed and smiled, "It’s good you have a plan."
Her young cousin was always resourceful, planning everything impeccably, with no need for anyone to worry.
Moreover, Duan Cheng, a newly-minted scholar, matched with Miss Xie in talent and looks, family background, was fitting.
Currently, the only objectionable point was merely his previous engagement.