Chapter 598 - 221: Relatives Arrive
Chapter 598: Chapter 221: Relatives Arrive
Xu Su Ying patted her hand. "You don’t need to do anything. Stay out of this; I’ll find someone else to handle it."
Who could Xu Su Ying find?
Naturally, it was Xu Shiling.
He was her biological older brother, so she didn’t stand on ceremony with him at all.
After finding Xu Shiling, she explained her plan and asked him to intercept the letters to prevent the news of her being alive from leaking out early.
Xu Shiling had no reason to refuse and immediately ordered his servants to get it done. Turning his head, he couldn’t help but pat his younger sister’s shoulder. "Only you could come up with such a sneaky scheme."
"It wasn’t just me. Qing’er thought of it, too."
"She’s truly the child you raised. She has the exact same temperament as you."
"Shiling, I’ll take that as a compliment."
While Xu Su Ying went to find Xu Shiling, Chen Wanqing and Sheng Saya stayed at home chatting.
De’an wasn’t at home; he had been chased back to the Prefecture School by Xu Su Ying. According to Xu Su Ying’s wishes, until he passed the exam to become a scholar, it was best for De’an to stay at the Prefecture School. Otherwise, she truly couldn’t stand her clueless son. Even Yao’an had gone to the private school.
Only Chen Wanqing and Sheng Saya were left at home. When Sheng Saya was about to leave, Chen Wanqing asked her to stay for a meal.
This was Kaiyan’s first time visiting the Chen’s home after the engagement, so it was only proper to keep her for a meal.
The two of them were happily chatting about domestic matters when a maid hurried in. "Miss, someone from your hometown is here!"
Although Chen Wanqing didn’t know who the visitor was, she figured it probably wasn’t her grandfather, grandmother, or Chen Lin. Thinking about it again, it was already October. The codonopsis and Danshen she had planted were likely ready for harvest, so she had a guess.
She and Sheng Saya stood up and went to the door together to welcome the guests. As they walked, Chen Wanqing introduced Sheng Saya to matters concerning her hometown.
"My father was born to my grandfather’s first wife, so his relationship with my current grandmother is quite strained. My father is the eldest of three brothers. Uncle Bai married into his wife’s family years ago, and I also have a younger uncle..."
Before she could finish speaking, she saw the people being ushered in by the maid. It was none other than Chen Bai and Li’an.
Seeing the two of them, Chen Wanqing’s face lit up with joy. She quickly stepped forward and approached them. "Uncle Bai, Li’an, why didn’t you send a letter before coming to the Prefecture? I could have sent someone to the city gates to pick you up."
Chen Bai and Li’an looked completely travel-worn. Both of them were frugal people, and they likely hadn’t spent much money along the way. Both appeared equally haggard and disheveled.
Seeing a brightly dressed young lady with the elegant demeanor of a noblewoman beside Chen Wanqing, the two of them were stunned and felt a bit at a loss.
Chen Wanqing hurriedly introduced her. "This is Mr. Sheng’s daughter. She got engaged to De’an the day before yesterday."
Sheng Saya wasn’t shy at all and greeted them with natural grace.
Chen Bai and Li’an, two rural men, were completely dumbfounded upon hearing the words "Lord Prefect." How could they think of anything else?
They hurriedly returned the greeting, but as country folk, their way of returning a courtesy was simply cupping their hands. Furthermore, their awkwardness made the gesture look clumsy and rather comical.
Sheng Saya didn’t laugh at them. Instead, she took a step back in polite deference, avoiding their bow. Then she said to Chen Wanqing, "Wanqing, since Uncle Bai and your cousin have arrived, I’ll head back first. I’ll come find you to chat when I have some free time."
Chen Wanqing naturally nodded and walked Sheng Saya out, while instructing the maid to lead Uncle Bai and Li’an to the reception hall.
Uncle Bai hurriedly waved his hands. "Don’t mind us. See De’an’s fiancée off first."
Sheng Saya said her goodbyes again, and Chen Bai and Li’an returned the courtesy. After this exchange of pleasantries, Sheng Saya left the Chen’s home.
When Chen Wanqing returned from seeing Sheng Saya off, she found Chen Bai and Li’an sitting in the reception hall, slowly sipping tea.
After a cup of tea settled in their stomachs, the two finally regained their composure. Just as Chen Wanqing entered, they eagerly asked, "Your father frequently writes home. With such a huge matter like De’an getting engaged to the Lord Prefect’s daughter, why hasn’t he mentioned it?"
Chen Wanqing sat down in the lower seat and explained. "This happened rather suddenly, and it wasn’t appropriate to talk about it before it was finalized. The main thing is that we come from a humble background, yet we unexpectedly married into a prominent family. If word got out before things were set in stone and it ended up falling through, wouldn’t we have become a laughingstock?"
She then added with a bright smile, "When my father returned from the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office the day before yesterday, he said that securing a daughter-in-law like this was a blessing from our ancestors. He stayed up late writing letters to you and Li’an, asking you to find some time to burn some ingot paper money at the ancestral graves to pay respects to our forefathers. Since you and Li’an have arrived at the Prefecture now, you definitely haven’t received those two letters. Once you return, my father will surely remind you again."