Favoring a Hidden Mistress? Engagement Broken-Chapter 67 - 65

How can one directly go to propose marriage to a girl? Isn’t this too hasty and abrupt?

When prominent families discuss marriage, to show importance, at the very least, they invite familiar madams over to explore the idea. Once both sides are tacitly prepared, then they can have official matchmakers formally propose the marriage. Finally...

Pei Yuqing lowered his eyes slightly and said, "I am not young anymore, and I have admired Wanwan for a long time. I don’t want to squander any more time."

These words touched the heart of Princess Duan Yang.

So, you also know that you’re no longer young!

Now you admit it willingly; you’ve admired Miss Xie for a long time, yet last time you stubbornly refused to marry.

... Who knows what happened to make him change his mind.

Princess Duan Yang was inclined to scold her son a few more times, but seeing him with downcast eyes, awkwardly shy about expressing his feelings, how could she bear not to agree?

She said, "Do you want me to call your father back and accompany you there together?"

Pei Yuqing said, "No need."

He was going to propose marriage to the girl; if parents go along, it would be too formal.

Combining with the mother’s status, it might seem like forcing the marriage.

Princess Duan Yang understood that too. She thought for a moment and said, "Since that’s the case, go ahead. If Xie Shu doesn’t agree, then I will make a trip to the palace and have your royal uncle grant you marriage."

Her son had finally relented and was willing to marry; whether it was a Marquis’s daughter or even a Princess from the palace, as a mother, she had to fulfill her son’s wishes.

Pei Yuqing contemplated for a few moments and said, "No rush on this matter."

Unless absolutely necessary, he didn’t wish the imperial decree to force the marriage.

Even if that had to be done, he should discuss it with the girl in advance.

......

Xie Shu knew of the friendship between the Duke Pei Mansion’s princely heir and his eldest son, so when he received the visiting card from the other, he was quite surprised.

Had it not been for the card clearly bearing both his and his wife’s names, Xie Shu would’ve thought it was for his eldest son.

He was a generation apart from Heir Pei, having seen him only twice and being not very familiar, no private interaction, nor did the other hold office so it couldn’t be official business.

Yet, they specially visited him and his wife.

What could it be?

Xie Shu recalled the past few days...

Mrs. Zheng heard the explanation, and combined with their daughter’s mysterious talk early in the morning upon returning, there’s nothing she couldn’t understand.

She responded with displeasure, "He, an unmarried man, solemnly sent a visiting card to meet you and me; what else could it be about?"

Perhaps men are naturally slow on such matters. Xie Shu hadn’t thought about it that way. Only after his wife’s prompting did he suddenly realize.

It was like a revelation.

Feeling stunned for a moment, his expression darkened. "He’s a good ten years older than our Wanwan, isn’t he?"

"Not exactly ten plus years," Mrs. Zheng’s expression was a bit complex, "He’s exactly eleven years older."

She herself married at sixteen, gave birth to her eldest son at eighteen, and after a few years of nurturing her health, she bore her youngest daughter at twenty-two, and is thirty-eight this year.

...Which means, if this marriage happens, her future son-in-law will only be eleven years younger than her.

The difference is indeed quite big.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Xie Shu waved his hand repeatedly in dissatisfaction, "He’s old enough to be Wanwan’s father by a couple more years. How can he have such thoughts shamelessly?"

Currently, among noble young men, many are aware of social affairs by the age of thirteen or fourteen, and Xie Shu’s words are not without reason. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Mrs. Zheng hesitated, "Don’t they say older men know how to care for people? Besides, when I saw him last, though he looks barely twenty, I’d believe it. His appearance is extremely handsome, and his temperament is gentle and polite. Just based on looks, he matches our Wanwan quite well."

No matter how troublesome our children might be, they’re still good children.

Pei Yuqing’s appearance, as elegant as an immortal, coupled with extraordinary demeanor, in Mrs. Zheng’s eyes, became ’Indeed a suitable match’.

Xie Shu inwardly agreed with his wife’s words. He had also seen Pei Yuqing a few times and had marveled that he indeed was the kind of child raised by the legitimate eldest princess of the Royal Family, possessing a refined elegance that doesn’t appear worldly.

As the couple discussed and deliberated on how to cope with the situation.

Before Noon, a servant came to report.

The Duke Pei Mansion’s young master had arrived.

......

Pei Yuqing was welcomed into the reception hall by the Xie Residence’s servant.

This was precisely the hall where Xie Wanqing and Lu Ziyuan spent alone time recently.

Coincidentally, he was aware of this incident too.

Upon entering, Pei Yuqing took in the layout of the room and inadvertently started imagining what the girl and Lu Ziyuan talked about here, resulting in their marriage proposal being withdrawn the next day.

They were in here for a full hour, with the doors securely closed...

Pei Yuqing suddenly came to his senses, pinching his brow, and smiled bitterly.

Indeed, human greed can be infinitely magnified.

Initially, he only wanted to watch her from afar, as long as she was joyful, that’s enough.

Later, by chance, they met for the first time, exchanged just a few words, and he began to uncontrollably want to get close to her.

Was releasing the news about Lu Ziyuan nurturing a mistress a deliberate attempt to inform her, so as not to keep her in the dark?

Later when the mistress became pregnant, he obviously knew...

Yet he had no intention of explaining for Lu Ziyuan.

He wasn’t a saint, hence he couldn’t be devoid of personal desires.

He did it deliberately, every step was deliberate.

But so what, everything was Lu Ziyuan’s own doing, no one forced him to act this way.

Pei Yuqing slightly closed his eyes, and his lips curled into a gentle smile, now they are discussing marriage.

He couldn’t indulge in jealousy anymore, what’s past is past, the rest of the life will only have him alone.

When Xie Shu and Mrs. Zheng stepped in, they saw a young man as pure as jade seated on a chair, and both were taken aback.

Their eldest son was already quite handsome, considered the top among the prominent young men of Capital City. But this one...

Pei Yuqing opened his eyes upon hearing movement, quickly stood up, and cupped his hands to greet, "Changqing greets Marquis Xie and Madam Xie."

"Heir Pei, you are too courteous," Xie Shu gestured politely and exchanged a few pleasantries.

Once seated, he instructed the servants to serve tea.

A sip of warm tea provided some peace of mind, Xie Shu said, "I wonder what brings Heir Pei here today?"

The guess is a guess, but the question should still be asked.

Pei Yuqing had just seated himself, he rose again at the question, cupped his hands, and said frankly, "I have long admired Miss Xie. I have come to propose marriage. If my wish is granted, I will cherish and love her, treat her as a treasure, and ensure she suffers no grievance. I humbly seek Marquis and Madam’s consent."

Xie Shu was still holding the teacup. As soon as Pei Yuqing finished speaking, he nearly spilled the tea. He carefully put down the Jade Cup, his expression sour, "Our eldest daughter is sixteen. May I ask how old Heir Pei is this year?"

With the future father-in-law’s question being direct, Pei Yuqing’s face revealed slight awkwardness. He replied, "Twenty-seven."