As Cang Xuan set out with cart after cart of betrothal gifts, half of Shengjing City was in an uproar.
There was a reason for this. In recent days, the Prince Qing's Mansion and the Prince Cang's Mansion had been in the limelight in Shengjing City. Not to mention that the second and third young masters of the Prince Qing's Mansion, as well as Princess Fubao, had all participated in the special imperial examination. They had all won first - place in the preliminary exam and smoothly advanced to the palace examination.
Princess Fubao was even rumored to have been taken in as a disciple by Mr. Shanyin, the last in - house disciple he had accepted after Su Yuanyuan of the Marquis of Pingyang's Mansion.
What was even more coincidental was that, according to other candidates who had taken the special imperial examination at the Imperial College, Princess Fubao's real name sounded extremely similar to that of the deceased "wicked girl" Su Yuanyuan of the Marquis of Pingyang's Mansion.
However, this "Su Yuanyuan" was nothing like the other one. Besides being extremely skilled at the zither, she was also very kind - hearted.
In the past two days, she and her adoptive brother, the Prince Cang, had set up a free - clinic shed outside the Huichun Hall in the city. They not only covered the medicine costs for the patients they diagnosed, but also gave out two taels of rice and ten eggs to each patient!
Thanks to this kind deed, within two days, their good names had spread throughout the whole city. Since the common people always saw them together, they naturally thought that they were a perfect match.
The common people had been looking forward to witnessing their wedding, but they never expected that early this morning, the elderly Lady Wang of the Wang family had set off for the Prince Qing's Mansion with a cartload of gifts. Beside her was the most famous matchmaker in Shengjing City.
Some curious commoners stepped forward to ask the matchmaker, and the matchmaker replied with a smile that they were going to the Prince Qing's Mansion to propose marriage on behalf of the second grandson of the Wang family's eldest branch to Princess Fubao. This caused quite a stir. The Prince Cang and Princess Fubao were such a good - looking couple. How could the Wang family try to steal her away?
However, everyone felt relieved when Cang Xuan, dressed in grand attire, set off for the Prince Qing's Mansion with cart after cart of betrothal gifts behind him.
To confirm their suspicions, some commoners chased after Cang Xuan on the road and bravely shouted, "Prince Cang, where are you going?!"
Cang Xuan looked down at the roadside and met many curious eyes. Smiling brightly, he said, "To the Prince Qing's Mansion to propose marriage."
The Prince Cang was really going to the Prince Qing's Mansion to propose marriage!
The common people were extremely excited and immediately spread the news.
What was happening outside soon reached the ears of the Wang family, specifically Wang Chongling and the elderly Lady Wang.
Wang Chongling had been bitten by a poisonous snake and a poisonous scorpion in succession. He had barely been saved by the Imperial Hospital and now couldn't even get up. At this moment, leaning on a cushion, he took the medicine from the maid's hand and sneered hoarsely,
"This move was right. Cang Xuan really does care about that girl very much. Cough, cough, cough."
The elderly Lady Wang actually didn't know why Wang Chongling had asked her to go to the Prince Qing's Mansion to propose marriage specifically at this hour. Having doubts in her heart, she asked,
"The Prince Qing's Mansion and the Prince Cang's Mansion have already formed an alliance. It's only a matter of time before they get married. Why go through this extra trouble and ask me to go and propose marriage?"
Wang Chongling explained, "Humph, these two have been in the limelight in the city with their free - clinic in the past two days. The prestige of the Prince Qing's Mansion and the Prince Cang's Mansion has risen greatly. If we don't stop them, one day the wildfire will spread and they will be able to compete with the aristocratic families, just like the Shu family back then."
"The Prince Qing's Mansion will surely accept Cang Xuan's proposal. After the news of their betrothal spreads, you go into the palace to see the Empress Dowager and cry to her about this. Take this opportunity to impeach Cang Xuan severely. The Empress Dowager has long been dissatisfied with His Majesty for listening to this villain Cang Xuan and using means like divination based on celestial phenomena to make a mess of the court. She will surely intervene."
The elderly Lady Wang frowned, "You're planning to use the Empress Dowager's hand to get rid of Cang Xuan and Su Qing and the others?"
Wang Chongling said, "Just relying on the Empress Dowager's power is naturally not enough."
"Cang Xuan is the chief supervisor of the special imperial examination. If these two families become even more closely related through marriage, then the fact that that girl and the two young men, Su Huaiyuan and Su Huaisheng, won first - place in the special imperial examination can be said to be because Cang Xuan deliberately promoted his future in - laws. All the scholars in the world would be stepping stones for the Prince Qing's Mansion."
Wang Chongling gasped for a while and then continued, "After you enter the palace, I'll send people to stir things up in the city. Those scholars who failed in the special imperial examination will surely rise up and denounce Cang Xuan and the Prince Qing's Mansion."
Wang Chongling sneered. Although he had been detoxified, his face was bloodless. This sneer made him look gloomy, like a ghost climbing out of hell.
"Don't underestimate the power of the candidates. The results of the autumn provincial examination were cancelled because of Lu Chuan's cheating case. They've been harboring resentment for a long time. With just a little instigation, they'll demand justice. At that time, with the pressure from the Empress Dowager and the pressure from so many scholars in the world, I don't believe that His Majesty can still protect this villain Cang Xuan this time. He wants to cultivate his own power to compete with the aristocratic families. It's absolutely impossible!"
"Squeak, squeak, squeak!" Suddenly, there was a strange noise in the room, which startled both Wang Chongling and the elderly Lady Wang. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw a gray shadow flash past the corner of the wall.
Wang Chongling, who had been scared by the poisonous snake and scorpion, immediately screamed in fear, "There's a poisonous insect! Someone, come quickly! Catch and kill that poisonous insect! Hurry!"
The Wang family was in chaos again because of this sudden appearance of a mouse. At Wang Chongling's order, several servants chased a small gray shadow around the courtyard of the mansion with long sticks and rakes.
However, no matter how hard they tried, it was as if the little gray mouse had eyes on its back. It dodged left and right and they just couldn't hit it.
Since Wang Chongling couldn't get up, the elderly Lady Wang had to direct from behind.
"Over there!"
"Over there!"
"A bunch of useless fools! Can't even catch a single mouse! What's the use of the Wang family keeping you! You must kill this little brute today. If anything happens to the master again, I'll wring your necks!"
The little gray mouse led the elderly Lady Wang and the Wang family servants around in circles for a while. As if it had had enough fun, it got into a mouse hole hidden in the bushes and successfully left the Wang family through the winding and narrow cave.
At this time, in the Prince Qing's Mansion.
As soon as Cang Xuan set out, the Prince Qing's Mansion received the news. Not to mention anything else, everyone, including Su Huaiyuan and Su Huaisheng, heaved a sigh of relief.
Madam Mo finally felt at ease, and her impression of Cang Xuan improved even more. She knew that Cang Xuan wouldn't just sit back and watch the Wang family propose marriage to Yuanbao. It was quite considerate of him to come and propose marriage right after the Wang family.
Smiling at Su Yuanyuan, Madam Mo said, "Are you satisfied now? Your Brother Yunjian couldn't wait to come and propose marriage to you after he heard the news."
"Mother! Stop teasing Yuanbao." The young girl said shyly, but her tone was filled with joy.
Madam Mo stroked her hair and said, "Mother and your other elder brothers will go to the main hall to greet the guests first. You should dress up nicely and go to see your Brother Yunjian."
Tapping the tip of her nose, Madam Mo whispered in her ear, "You must dress up beautifully. It would be best if your Brother Yunjian is so captivated by you that he loses his wits and half his life. Only then can mother strive for more benefits for you so that you won't be wronged in the future after you get married."
The young girl's eyes sparkled. "I know, Mother."