Chapter 552: My Son Can Marry Into Your Family
Chapter 552: Chapter 552: My Son Can Marry Into Your Family
Shen Ningning hurried forward and grabbed his sleeve. "Get up! What are you doing?"
’We’re not really getting married. How could Lu Shaoyuan just make a vow like that for my sake?’
’Does he not care about his own life?’
However, Lu Shaoyuan remained kneeling, steady as a rock.
Before Xie Suzhi could even process what was happening, Mrs. Meng’s hearty laughter rang out from the side.
"Excellent! He should be kneeling!"
Even the matchmaker was shocked.
In all her years as a matchmaker, this was the first time she had ever seen a young master kneel before his future father-in-law while his own mother clapped with glee.
It seemed Mrs. Meng was truly beyond pleased with this marriage match.
Mrs. Meng beamed. "Ningning, just let him kneel. If you ask me, how else can we show our sincerity?"
With that, she turned to Xie Suzhi.
"Chancellor Xie, my husband has some urgent and tricky official business today, so he was unable to come. Otherwise, he would have accompanied us."
"Ningning is a child we’ve watched grow up. It is my son’s good fortune to be able to marry her into our family."
"Prime Minister, if you are not at ease, it’s no problem for my son to marry into your family instead. But as for Ningning’s dowry and all the wedding preparations, the Lu family will cover everything!"
She gently patted her chest with a hand adorned with a pigeon’s-egg-sized emerald.
She had an air of boundless generosity.
The matchmaker was too stunned to speak.
Originally, it should have been her job to guide the two families toward a happy union and finalize the engagement.
But Mrs. Meng was so excited that there was simply no room for her to speak.
’And to offer her own son to marry into the bride’s family... just how fond must she be of this future daughter-in-law?’
Shen Ningning was extremely embarrassed, feeling too guilty to even lift her head.
"Aunt Meng..." ’If she knew we were only pretending to get married, how could I ever face her after such kindness?’
However, to everyone else, Shen Ningning’s demeanor simply looked like the bashfulness of a young maiden.
Even Xie Suzhi felt too embarrassed to object.
He pressed his thin lips together. "This..."
Lu Shaoyuan spoke to Xie Suzhi with great solemnity. "The day Ningning and I confirmed our feelings for each other, I immediately informed all my relatives and friends."
"Uncle Xie, the Lu family has been loyal and upright for generations. Our family tree, going back eighteen generations, is clearly recorded, and there isn’t a single person who has ever committed a crime."
"I have been well-read since childhood. Although I was a bit mischievous, I have completely corrected my ways. I have no other bad habits. When Ningning marries me, I will obey her in all matters."
"If I fail, may I be struck by lightning!" Lu Shaoyuan’s voice was firm and resolute.
Shen Ningning grew anxious. ’Why is he getting addicted to making these vows?’
She gave him a push. "Stop talking!"
Lu Shaoyuan looked at her with pleading eyes. "I really do want to marry you."
"Even so, you don’t have to keep making deadly vows." Shen Ningning glared with her beautiful eyes, and Lu Shaoyuan obediently lowered his head.
Mrs. Meng, Xie Suzhi, and the others took in the entire scene.
The matchmaker finally found a chance to speak.
She quickly flicked her handkerchief and chimed in with a supportive laugh.
"Second Young Master Lu already dotes on the Princess so much, deferring to her in everything. After they are married, who knows how perfectly harmonious they will be? Their story will surely become a celebrated tale."
Mrs. Meng also stifled a laugh. "My silly son. I hope the Prime Minister isn’t laughing at him."
Xie Suzhi was silent for a long time.
"Father..." Xie Mingxu gently touched his shoulder, wanting to signal him not to agree so hastily.
Unexpectedly, Xie Suzhi looked at Shen Ningning instead.
"Ningning, Father is asking you, do you truly wish to marry into the Lu Residence?"
Shen Ningning met her father’s wise and profound eyes, and her heart suddenly turned ice-cold, as if snow had just fallen within it.
It felt as if something was caught in her throat, making it difficult to speak.
After a long moment, she finally nodded. "Yes."
Xie Mingxu frowned. Disregarding the others present, he immediately asked, "If that’s true, little sister, why did you hesitate?"
Shen Ningning took a deep breath.
’I have no choice now. I can only do my utmost to make this happen.’
"Brother, I wasn’t hesitating. I just didn’t know the best and most proper way to persuade you and Father to agree to my marriage."
"I’ve known Lu Shaoyuan since we were children, and I am clear on his character. My saying I want to marry him is a decision made after careful consideration, not a momentary impulse."
Xu Jingxi’s doubtful gaze swept back and forth between Lu Shaoyuan and Shen Ningning.
’Is that really so?’
He still remembered how on the day of the Matchmaker Festival, Shen Ningning had been reluctant to even sit in the same boat as Lu Shaoyuan.
After hearing this, Xie Suzhi grew even more silent.
The old father’s face was filled with helplessness and reluctance.
’His precious daughter, whom he’d only had by his side for a few years, and now he has to marry her off already?’
Second Master Xie could see what was on his elder brother’s mind.
He took the initiative to speak politely to Mrs. Meng. "Since the two children’s hearts are aligned, we as elders naturally have no reason to stand in their way."
"It’s just that Ningning is still young. If she were to marry so early, my elder brother, who has only this one daughter, would likely be unable to part with her."
"How about..."
Mrs. Meng answered swiftly, "How about letting them live in the Xie family’s home after the wedding?"
Second Master Xie was stunned.
’That’s an option?’
Mrs. Meng said with a smile, "Before we came, Shao Yuan discussed it with me. He completely respects Ningning’s decision."
"After the wedding, she doesn’t have to live with her in-laws. She can live wherever she wants. I will personally add four mansions, three mountain villas, and two orchards to Ningning’s dowry. Wherever she likes to live is fine."
Xie Mingxu spoke coldly, "So you would accept them living separately?"
Mrs. Meng was suddenly taken aback.
But Lu Shaoyuan nodded quickly. "Yes."
Mrs. Meng: ...
’This foolish son of hers, isn’t his infatuation going a bit too far?’
’If the husband and wife don’t live together, how will they nurture their relationship? How will they expand the family line and give her adorable grandchildren!’
Shen Ningning knew that if things were really like that, and word got out, it would seem like she had no regard for Lu Shaoyuan at all.
’How would others mock him?’
Mrs. Meng and Lu Shaoyuan had come with such sincerity; she couldn’t push her luck too far.
"How could we live apart after marriage? Once we’re married, we’re one family." She glanced at Lu Shaoyuan, who looked overwhelmed by the favor.
Hearing this, Xie Suzhi felt a slight pang in his heart.
’It seems my daughter has made up her mind.’
"Since it has come to this, Mrs. Meng, please have someone send over the betrothal gift list on another day. We will match it and prepare a dowry list. Also, please remember to send over the card with Second Young Master Lu’s birth details."
Mrs. Meng’s face lit up with joy. "We brought it today!"
She beckoned, and a maidservant immediately entered with a thick booklet.
Xie Suzhi opened it and glanced through a couple of pages. Even for a man like him, who had weathered the ups and downs of the court for many years and always remained unflappable, he was still shaken when he saw this betrothal gift list—no, this betrothal gift book.
Mrs. Meng’s wealth was truly enough to rival a nation’s.
For Shen Ningning’s betrothal gifts this time, the list of head ornaments alone took up more than a dozen pages.
It included everything, from small items like her dining spoons and chopsticks, which were to be inlaid with gold and jade, to large items like the new beds purchased for her, numbering in the hundreds of varied pieces.
Shen Ningning glanced at it, her beautiful eyes widening.
She quietly pulled Lu Shaoyuan aside, her hushed voice laced with anxiety.
"We’re only pretending to get married, but what Aunt Meng is giving is real gold and silver! Didn’t I say we just needed to put on a show? Why didn’t you try to talk her down? Did you empty out your family’s entire coffers for this?"
But Lu Shaoyuan just smiled. "This is nothing. My mother said all of this will belong to us and our children in the future."
After saying that, he suddenly realized his mistake.
’He and Shen Ningning probably wouldn’t have children. In this lifetime, just being able to win her heart and have her willing to stay by his side would be a victory in itself.’
Lu Shaoyuan quickly corrected himself. "It’s all yours. Don’t be polite."
Shen Ningning rubbed the bridge of her nose.
’Forget it. When their marriage agreement is dissolved in three years, she would return all of these things in full.’
Just as the two of them were talking, Xu Jingxi suddenly appeared behind them like a ghost.
"What secrets are you two whispering about? Is it something you have to say behind everyone’s backs?"
Shen Ningning quickly laughed and gave a vague response, while Lu Shaoyuan followed with a dry laugh, trying to smooth things over.
Looking at their reactions, Xu Jingxi felt that something was not quite right.