CHAPTER 346: CHAPTER 336: MU YUANXIU REFUSES GUESTS (2)

Nanny Jiang watched the two of them walk away and smiled with admiration, thinking what a fine couple they made. She wondered if Mr. Li and Mrs. Li would be satisfied, but at least she was.

.

The North Courtyard Main House was lively with conversation.

Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu walked inside together.

Prince Luling immediately beckoned Mu Yuanxiu, smiling, and said, "Yuanxiu, come, come, meet the guests from the Chen Family."

The ones who came were Old Chen and Eldest Chen, father and son.

Li Yuzhu also noticed two jars of good wine placed on the main room’s table, each holding four pounds.

Her keen sense of smell recognized it as her father’s favorite Osmanthus Brew.

In addition, there were several packs of pastries.

Judging by the bakery name printed on the pastry wrapping paper, it was clear these weren’t cheap. These pastries sold in the County Town cost over a hundred coins per pack.

Adding in the cost of the wine, the Chen Family’s gifts cost about four to five hundred coins, truly generous for a wealthy family.

Prince Consort Luling loved all kinds of small pastries, and the gifts hit the mark.

The Chen Family knew how to give gifts.

Mu Yuanxiu stepped forward and paid his respects to the Chen father and son as a junior would to elders, then was called to sit beside Prince Luling.

Li Yuzhu greeted, "Landlord Li, Uncle Li," and went to sit beside Princess Consort Luling.

There were just these few people in the room, no one else.

Old Chen glanced around the main house, praised its elegant arrangement, and complimented Li Yuzhu’s medical skills, saying she could assist in childbirth at such a young age and would be even more remarkable in the future.

This flattered Prince Luling greatly.

He humbly smiled and repeatedly said, "She just has the courage, don’t praise her too much, or she’ll become conceited."

Princess Consort Luling listened, smiling awkwardly.

Upon closer inspection, her smile seemed rather perfunctory.

She whispered to Li Yuzhu, "Quickly find your Third Brother, make sure he’s not seen by these two, tell him to hide."

Li Yuzhu asked in confusion, "Why?"

Princess Consort Luling wouldn’t say, only urging Li Yuzhu to hurry and comply.

Li Yuzhu glanced at the Chen father and son, bewildered, stood up, nodded to the guests, excused herself for other matters, and left.

At the exact moment she stepped out the door, she heard Old Chen shift from praising her to praising Li Xing’an.

Li Yuzhu frowned, what did this mean?

Did she rank lower than Li Xing’an in the eyes of the Chen family?

What did Li Xing’an do to make Old Chen praise him so highly?

Remembering Princess Consort Luling’s admonishment, Li Yuzhu dared not listen further and quickly went to the road outside the house, calling loudly for Li Xing’an in the fields.

Li Xing’an had always been like a brick for the family, needed wherever there was work.

Unlike Second Young Master Li, who was under the special care of both the Second Princess and Great Princess, nor like the eldest, Li Xingmao, who was the head of the household, managing family affairs and fieldwork.

Without fixed tasks, when not hauling fish nets, he was simply idle.

Li Yuzhu stood by the roadside, loudly calling into the fields.

Li Xing’an and Li Xingmao, wearing straw hats, were weeding the seedlings in the field.

Hearing her loud calls, Li Xing’an looked up and replied, "What’s the matter, Little Sister?"

"Urgent matter, come quickly, it’s mother’s order." Li Yuzhu called out loudly.

"Coming, coming." Li Xing’an responded, wiping the sweat off his forehead, and walked briskly towards the road with his hoe.

As he got closer, Li Xing’an asked what he was being summoned for.

"I don’t know either." Li Yuzhu shook her head, "Mother saw the Chen family arriving, told you to hide first."

In the heat, she took Li Xing’an’s straw hat to fan the air.

Li Xing’an was surprised, "The Chen family came?" And what did it mean for him to hide?

He stood on tiptoes, looking towards the house gate, and indeed, the Chen family’s mule cart was parked beside a small tree next to the gate.

.

In the North Courtyard Main House of the Li family.

Prince Luling chatted about everyday matters with the Chen father and son, while Princess Consort Luling listened to the implications in their words.

As she listened, she realized the problem.

The Chen father and son were praising her third son and the Li girls, pointing out that the children were of similar ages, hinting at a marriage proposal!

Princess Consort Luling recalled Mu Yuanxiu’s reminder from yesterday, and the more she thought, the more it all seemed true.

She didn’t favor Miss Chen, but rejecting them directly didn’t seem right either.

If not becoming in-laws, they didn’t have to become enemies.

But thinking of an excuse for refusal was not something she could immediately come up with.

Princess Consort Luling was very anxious.

She kept sending eye signals to Prince Luling, but Prince Luling didn’t notice.

Princess Consort Luling grew so frustrated her face turned pale.

As a companion to the guest, Mu Yuanxiu noticed Princess Consort Luling’s anxiety.

He pointed at the hanging screen in the main hall and said, "Why is this hanging screen a bit crooked?"

Prince Luling and Princess Consort Luling were bewildered by this sudden question.

"What do you mean? I didn’t notice anything," Prince Luling turned to look at the hanging screen in the hall, a gift from the County Magistrate.

Mu Yuanxiu said, "It looks like the nail on the left side is loose, causing the screen to tilt to the left."

Sometimes human vision is strange; the longer you stare at an object, the more problems you seem to notice.

Prince Luling stared at the screen unblinking for a long time, then said, "Ah, Yuanxiu, now that you mention it, it really does seem a bit crooked."

"This screen, a gift from Lord County Magistrate, looks disrespectful when hung askew. I’ll fix it later," Mu Yuanxiu said.

"You’re such a diligent child," Prince Luling laughed.

Princess Consort Luling couldn’t see where it was tilted, but she didn’t oppose Mu Yuanxiu’s actions.

But with Mu Yuanxiu’s reminder, the Chen family father and son were surprised, "Oh, was this a gift from Lord County Magistrate?"

When Prince Luling resided in the capital, he held a high position where even the Prime Minister tried to curry favor with him. Gifts from an official as low as the County Magistrate did not surprise him.

So, he spoke quite casually.

"Oh, on my eldest son’s wedding banquet day, he had his son send it over. I saw this area was empty, so I hung it up. The inscription above was his. Surprisingly, at such a young age, he has such good handwriting," Prince Luling praised the County Magistrate’s writing.

The Chen family father and son were even more shocked.

It was then that they recalled that the Li Family was rumored to be relatives of the County Magistrate.

Mu Yuanxiu noticed their surprised expressions and said, "Lord County Magistrate wants to propose a marriage for Third Brother Li, so he sent this hanging screen. The screen was made by a cousin of Lord County Magistrate."

Prince Luling was astonished, a marriage proposal from the County Magistrate? Where did this come from?

Princess Consort Luling came to her senses and secretly pinched Prince Luling.

She laughed awkwardly, "Lord County Magistrate is too kind. We’re just distant relatives, why would he bother himself with our son’s marriage? Our son is quite stubborn; who knows if he can catch the eye of Lord County Magistrate’s cousin."

The Chen family father and son were greatly disappointed. So, the Li Family’s third son had already caught the County Magistrate’s attention? What about them then?

Their rustic family’s daughters could hardly compete with the County Magistrate’s cousin.

Luckily, they hadn’t said anything outright, only came to visit Landlord Li out of admiration, and mentioned nothing else. Otherwise, it would have been embarrassing.

The two of them looked dejected, with a hint of wanting to leave immediately.

Old Chen glanced at his eldest son.

Father and son stood up and said they’d invite Prince Luling to their home for a drink another day.

These were just polite words.

Prince Luling joked, "You’re too kind."

Princess Consort Luling said, "Landlord Chen, you really shouldn’t have. My daughter saved your wife, it was just a small effort on her part. She was trained for this. And you’ve already paid the consultation fee, no need to be so extravagant with gifts."

Princess Consort Luling picked up the gifts on the table and returned them to the Chen family father and son.

The wine jars were too heavy; there were two, along with four boxes of pastries, which she couldn’t carry with her two hands.

Mu Yuanxiu went over to help with the remaining items.

The Chen family father and son were taken aback, realizing that the lady of the house thought they were there to thank her for helping with the delivery.

Well, that works too, they thought, so they went along with that story.

Old Chen said, "Ah, Mrs. Li, you don’t know how dangerous it was back then. We were so fortunate to have Miss Li’s help, otherwise..." He shook his head, "I don’t dare imagine."

Princess Consort Luling insisted on not accepting the gift. She already knew from Li Yuzhu that the Chen family had given ten taels of silver as a consultation fee.

That amount wasn’t small, even by the standards of the capital.

She was the one who usually took charge. Since she wouldn’t accept it, neither would Prince Luling.

The marriage proposal went nowhere, and there was no need to send gifts.

Girls sending gifts for no reason could attract gossip.

Old Chen went along with her words, "You all are just too polite."

He exchanged pleasantries and had his son take back the gifts.

After exchanging a few polite remarks, the Chen family father and son took their leave.

Prince Luling politely invited them to stay for lunch, but the two waved it off and left.

Prince Luling called out for Mu Yuanxiu to see them off.

After helping them onto their mule cart and watching it depart, Mu Yuanxiu turned back toward the house.

He hadn’t walked far when a voice called out to him from behind, "Mu Yuanxiu!"

Mu Yuanxiu turned around and smiled at the person approaching, "Third Brother Li." He also glanced at Li Yuzhu who was beside Li Xing’an.

Li Yuzhu, having walked in the sun, had cheeks flushed as if she’d applied rouge.

She was holding a bamboo hat and fanning herself vigorously.

The breeze made her hair strands fly wildly.

Li Xing’an glanced at the departing Chen family’s mule cart and said with a smile, "Mu Yuanxiu, was that just the Chen family you sent off?"

Mu Yuanxiu raised his eyebrows slightly, "Yes."

Li Xing’an smiled and said to Li Yuzhu beside him, "Mu Yuanxiu and the Chen family get along quite well, and by the way, he’s also quite familiar with Chen Danan."

Li Yuzhu didn’t see it, "Is that so?"

"Li Xing’an, you reckless boy, get over here!" Suddenly, an angry shout came from ahead.

Li Xing’an looked up, wondering why the family head was angry?