Chapter 1459: Seeking Marriage at the Duke Mansion Gate
Chapter 1459: Chapter 1459: Seeking Marriage at the Duke Mansion Gate
The Duke Dingguo and others were at the door of the small study, and when they saw Song Zhiyuan coming, they raised their eyes with a smile.
"Yunzhi is late, isn’t it?"
Song Zhiyuan raised his hand and said, "My little daughter returned to her mother’s home to say goodbye, and I waited for her to leave before coming out of the mansion, delaying for a while. But rest assured, I brought you the good one."
As he spoke, he looked at his servant Fu Quan behind him, who smiled and handed over a packet of rare tea leaves. The young servant beside Duke Dingguo accepted it and presented it to the master.
The Duke Dingguo glanced at it, saying, "Yunzhi is thoughtful. This year’s exquisite Wuyi Big Red Robe is said to be of very scarce production. Besides those offered as tribute, the price is twice as high as in previous years, yet still unavailable on the market."
"As long as you don’t mind."
The Duke Dingguo gave a faint laugh, "How could I disdain such fine goods? Wouldn’t I be a fool? Please, come in."
He shifted aside, leading Song Zhiyuan into the study, then the servants offered tea, pastries, and fruits, and quietly retreated.
Song Zhiyuan admired a piece of calligraphy hanging on the wall, saying, "The cursive script by Chang Hai Jushi is truly exceptional, like flying phoenixes and wandering dragons, wild and unrestrained, quite remarkable."
The Duke Dingguo stroked his beard and said, "Only you scholars can appreciate it. To me, they’re just a bunch of chaotic worms."
Song Zhiyuan’s expression twitched, "You’re being modest."
"I’m not, you stop talking nonsense, I’m just speaking the truth," said Duke Dingguo, pointing at the words, "Look at these writings, they hardly resemble characters. Without some culture or scholarship, one can’t tell what’s been written."
"If that’s so, why do you hang it here?" Song Zhiyuan asked in a disgruntled tone.
The Duke Dingguo chuckled, "Warriors like to feign understanding the most, hanging it here makes it seem like I’m cultured, right?"
Song Zhiyuan: "..."
You are the Duke, whatever you say is correct!
I have no words!
The two sat down at the intricately arranged gongfu tea table in the study, each picking up a thin Four Gentlemen porcelain teacup to sip the fragrant brew lightly.
"This time visiting for a disturbance, I still need to ask you for something," Song Zhiyuan began to state his intention.
The Duke Dingguo raised his eyebrows and said, "Using the word ’ask,’ is there something difficult? Tell me first, and I’ll consider it."
"It’s not really a hard thing, just a happy event. You see, the two of us have already arranged the engagement, the children are a year older after the New Year, and in our estate, we haven’t had any grand celebrations for a long time. How about this, after the New Year, we look for an auspicious day, let the two children accomplish the major event?" Song Zhiyuan said with a smiling tone, "I’ve been waiting quite a while for the recognition gift I prepared for my daughter-in-law."
The Duke Dingguo’s face darkened for a moment, saying, "We agreed at the engagement to let my Sixth Daughter stay an extra two years. The vast Duke Mansion only has this one little daughter to stay by my side and enjoy our company. Yunzhi is already eager to take her, that’s unreasonable."
"That’s not how it should be said, a girl grows up, keeping her longer will just make her resentful, right?"
"Not at all, if she’s willing, I’m willing to keep her at home for life."
Song Zhiyuan laughed heartily and poured him a cup of tea, smoothing things over: "You’re acting like a child with me. How about this, when good news arrives with my son passing the examinations, I’ll have the Director of the Imperial Observatory choose a propitious day for us, alright? This way, when Sixth Daughter gets married, it will reflect well on her."
The Duke Dingguo squinted at him: "You certainly have confidence in your son."
Song Zhiyuan laughed speechlessly: "I’m just anxious to drink this wife tea, and perhaps I’m also a bit confident."