The Farm Girl's Charismatic Fortune-Chapter 329 - 325 No More Drama

Their statuses were worlds apart; even being the daughter of a medical clinic’s owner had brought him nothing but humiliation.

Should he accept this marriage proposal?

At this moment, Xuanbao’s words suddenly surfaced in Ruo Shan’s mind.

"Countess Zhaohua is indeed the wife destined for you by fate, Uncle Wu, and destiny cannot be avoided," she had said.

"Brother Xuanyuan said it, he said that in your past life, you broke your neck and legs to earn this encounter with Countess Zhaohua in this life!"

Ruo Shan couldn’t help but laugh; he was genuinely curious how breaking one’s neck and legs could lead to such a fateful encounter.

Seeing a smile on her son’s lips, Granny Lei did not wait for a reply, "Alright, your mother understands."

With those words, she hurried out.

Ruo Shan: "..."

Hold on, what does his mother understand?

He didn’t say anything!

Ruo Shan quickly stood up and chased after her to ask.

Granny Lei was fast, and by the time Ruo Shan stepped over the threshold, she was already running out of the courtyard.

Ruo Shan paused mid-step, thinking that since Xuanbao said it was a fate decided by the heavens, he might as well leave it to destiny!

Whatever his mother knew, let it be.

Ruo Shan withdrew his foot and returned inside to pick up a medical text and continue reading.

In a couple of days, when the appointments for his second and fourth brothers were announced, he planned to return to Shaxi County to open a medical clinic.

Granny Lei went back to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager left the Wuyou Junzhu Mansion in high spirits, heading straight for the Qingping Prince Residence, and then back to the palace.

As the setting sun cast a golden glow, a royal edict sent shock waves throughout the entire Capital City.

The Empress Dowager actually bestowed the marriage of Countess Zhaohua to the fifth son of the Ruo Family!

Because this decree was expedited by the Empress Dowager after court had been adjourned,

many officials were aware of it.

The officials knew, and it happened to be time to return home from court, so once they told their families, many ladies were also informed.

Some people couldn’t understand how a daughter of such high birth from a princely house and a county princess, at that, would marry a commoner.

Others, however, thought that Prince Qingping was far-sighted for choosing to form an alliance with the Ruo Family.

The Ruo Family had produced two top scholars and one general; their rise to prominence was just a matter of time.

Ruo Shan had ranked first in the medical competition, and the Fang Family, as a lineage known for medical expertise, had also paid attention to him.

The head of the Fang Family, learning that Ruo Shan had once been an attendant at Fang’s Medical Clinic and that the relationship between Fang Family and Ruo Shan was now so estranged, was furious!

He had intended for his niece Fang Yingying, a member of a collateral branch, to marry Ruo Shan in order to foster good relations with the Ruo Family.

It was clear to everyone that the Ruo Family was on a rapid ascent.

But before he could act, the Empress Dowager had already bestowed the marriage.

There were no more chances!

Upon learning that the Empress Dowager had decreed a marriage between Ruo Shan and Countess Zhaohua, Fang Yingying was completely stunned.

So, when her niece mentioned a predestined fate, did she mean Countess Zhaohua?

Had he already secured favor with Countess Zhaohua, which is why he had rejected her?

The head of the family had even intended for her to marry him.

Although her mother was not very happy about it, with the family head’s involvement, her mother dared not disagree.

Not only the family head, he also was the master of the Fang Family and held great prestige in the Imperial Medical Bureau; moreover, he was the father of Empress Fang in the palace.

His words were akin to imperial edicts within the Fang Family!

But just when there seemed to be a complete certainty of the two of them being together, she personally went to his door to have him send a matchmaker to propose marriage, yet he outright rejected her!

"So that’s how it is! That’s how it is!" Fang Yingying couldn’t help but lean over the table and weep.

The two maids of Fang Yingying felt it was unfair for their young mistress: "The sincerity of the young mistress has truly been misplaced; it was in vain that she loved him deeply."

"The lady was right; he is an ungrateful cur! The young mistress has been too kind to him over the years for nothing!"

"Without the young mistress, could he have continued working at the clinic? Could he have learned medical skills, won first place, and met a county princess? It’s truly unjust for the young mistress."

"Our Fang Family should never have taken him as an apprentice in the first place; it was all the second lady’s fault!"

...

The two maids were discussing, but Fang Yingying did not speak.

Her true feelings had, after all, been given in vain!

*

Ruo Family

Madam Liu, He Xinghua, and several sisters-in-law sat together, looking at each other with faces full of surprise.

He Xinghua, "Are we really going to be sisters-in-law to the Commandery Princess?"

A mountain girl like her married the Great General, acquired a niece who is a Commandery Princess, and now a sister-in-law who is a county princess?

Could it be that in the future she might even become related to the Empress?

"Right!" Yichu also sighed deeply.

Madam Liu was the calmest among them, as she already had a daughter who was a Commandery Princess.

Having a sister-in-law who was a county princess, what was impossible about that?

Madam Jiang, "Now the only one left unmarried is the youngest uncle. Who knows what status our little sister-in-law will be."

He Xinghua, "The youngest uncle likes doing business so much, he might even marry the daughter of the richest man, right?"

Yichu smiled, "Very likely!"

That night, the family congratulated Ruo Shan at dinner and then urged Ruo Chuan to quickly find a wife as well.

Ruo Chuan laughed and said, "I’m not in a hurry. It won’t be too late after Fifth Brother gets married."

Ruo Chuan was in charge of their bookstore, paper mill, rouge workshop, and medicinal herb businesses.

He was the one who personally inspected locations whenever they planned to open new bookstores or rouge stores in other cities, so he had become less available at home due to his busy schedule.

Xuanbao was also planning to open a weaving factory, and following that a cloth store. With so much on his plate, how could he have time to get married?

He didn’t even wish to marry. He enjoyed traveling around doing business, relishing the feeling of earning silver.

Although the family was aware that Xuanbao had some knack, predicting things quite accurately, no one inquired about Ruo Xuan or Ruo Chuan’s fated partners.

Peering into the future might have adverse effects on Xuanbao, so no matter what, the family refrained from asking.

Whatever Xuanbao was willing to share, she would naturally say. If she didn’t mention it, they wouldn’t ask.

The next day

The appointments of Ruo Jiang and Ruo Shui were also announced.

The Emperor appointed Ruo Shui as a Compiler in the Hanlin Academy, and Ruo Jiang as an Editor there. They were both sixth-ranked officials, slightly higher than the insignificant seventh rank. And everyone knew that one must serve in the Hanlin Academy before entering the Cabinet. After a few years in the Academy, followed by a provincial assignment to gain experience, their careers would surely soar.

In the decade-plus since the establishment of Xuanyuan Country, not a single official who had come from the Hanlin Academy was of low rank.

They either supported the entire court, or they were spread out across the lands, controlling the fate of a provincial government office.

All were trusted aides of the Emperor!

The most formidable among them was the current Prime Minister.

It came as a surprise to the family that both brothers stayed in the Hanlin Academy.

Nonetheless, it was good, at least the brothers would have each other’s company.

At dinner, the family discussed who would stay in the Capital City and who would return to Shaxi County.

Ruo Jiang and Ruo Shui would stay in the Capital City for their posts.

Madam Liu and Madam Jiang would naturally also stay in the Capital City.

Granny Lei couldn’t get used to the Capital City and wished to return to Shaxi County.

Ruo He, who was a carver, had made a name for himself by selling his work at Bogu Pavilion, with many clients requesting custom carvings through the prestigious store.

To him, it didn’t matter where he lived, but since Granny Lei wanted to return to Shaxi County, he said, "My wife and I will return to Shaxi County with my mother."

A son needed to be by his mother’s side to fulfill his filial duties.

Yichu also preferred Shaxi County. The Capital City might be prosperous, but Shaxi County offered a relaxed lifestyle without the constant obligation of attending flower-viewing banquets and birthday parties at various households.

She enjoyed being behind closed doors, tending to her plants and creating vials upon vials of beautifying skincare products.

Ruo Xuan was troubled; she wanted to return to Shaxi County, but that would mean going back to classes with Master Han, wouldn’t it? She didn’t want to attend classes anymore! She knew it all already!

But staying in the Capital City wasn’t as fun as Shaxi County.

She asked Xuanyuan Que, "Brother Xuanyuan, say, should I stay in the Capital City, or would it be better not to?"