Hearing this, Xu Tongdan looked more and more uncomfortable.
Seeing this, Xiaocao understood and blamed herself. It seemed that she reacted too quickly. Why did she become so sensitive now? She shouldn't have asked even though she thought of it. It was obvious that she had originally wanted to find a chance to meet the person in her dream, but something happened and she almost lost her life. Anyone would feel uncomfortable. It was no wonder that she couldn't find out why Xu Tongdan was there.
While Prince Dingbei was recuperating, the Dingbei County Prince's Mansion closed its doors to visitors. In fact, even if it didn't refuse visitors, it would be impossible for Xu Tongdan to meet Mu Bei since Duke Xu's Mansion had no connection with the Dingbei County Prince's Mansion.
During that period, the Wenren family was the only family that frequented the Dingbei County Prince's Mansion. On the day of Wenren Yang's wedding, she knew that Mu Bei went to the Wenren family, and this was the only possibility for Xu Tongdan to see him, so she took people out. It can't be called an "encounter", but she was probably happy to see him from afar. It was the beginning of love, and the thoughts of a little girl were probably just that simple.
Who knows…
If it had been a more sophisticated one, she would probably have given up. After all, she just wanted to meet him, but something like that happened. It was obvious that King Dingbei was "incompatible" with her, so the right thing to do was to stay away from him.
Xu Tongdan obviously didn't have this idea, and of course, Xiaocao didn't think so at all.
However, "You're putting me in a difficult position. I can't get involved in matters like this. But judging from the King of Dingbei himself, he is undoubtedly excellent and should be a good candidate for a husband." Of course, it's hard to say about the old concubine. After all, when there is a conflict of interest with the Mu family, she will choose the Mu family without hesitation and give up others, but this "conflict" may not necessarily happen, right
Xu Tongdan waved her hands quickly, "I know, I know. I definitely won't let you help me. I just wanted to ask about him." After all, marriage is a big deal and it's up to the parents and the matchmaker. If she really likes someone, she should secretly tell her mother to see if there's any possibility. However, her situation... it's better not to tell her.
Xiaocao nodded, "The one-year mourning period for Prince Dingbei is about to end, and his marriage will inevitably be put on the agenda. If you are interested, perhaps you can ask your family to plan something. However, there will probably be a lot of people eyeing the position of Prince Dingbei's successor princess." Xiaocao reminded her rather tactfully. Besides, with the family tradition of the Xu family, the old concubine might dislike it. Xu Tongdan's mother is essentially imprisoned. Will other people devote themselves to her wholeheartedly
Xu Tongdan's smile was a little forced. "I know myself that this is just wishful thinking."
"That may not be the case. What if you two are destined to be together?"
"Then I'll borrow the princess's good words."
Let's not talk about this matter for now. However, since we are talking about the marriage, Xiaocao can't help but care about Xia Bihe's situation. This is also a matter of planning without a mother, but she still has her grandfather and her eldest aunt. In order to have a good image in front of her father-in-law, she should at least do her best. But it seems that things are not going smoothly, otherwise she should have told them.
Xiao Cao asked, and Xia Bihe smiled, a light, soft, warm smile, and a real sense of ease, "I haven't decided yet. It's not because of my family, but mainly because of me. My aunt selected some people and let me choose, but I turned them all down."
She had been unpopular since she was young and had never learned anything seriously. The only thing she could show off now, besides being the granddaughter of the Imperial Envoy, was her face. Her grandfather was old and might retire at any time. By then, how long could a marriage based on her face last? Her looks were ephemeral, and she was not good at pleasing others. She could almost imagine the ending.
The men chosen by her aunt all had good backgrounds, but in fact, they were incompetent and relied on their families. If she had to get married, she would rather find someone who did not have a prominent family background but was capable and motivated. Thinking about herself, she felt that she should not make demands on others. She also knew what her aunt was thinking. She just wanted to use her to gain benefits for her children. She did not want to be a puppet, so it was best not to marry.
"Speaking of which, my great aunt may have been resentful and thought I was too much of a troublemaker. I later went to see my grandfather and talked to him seriously. He didn't force me, but he was worried about my future."
She is a girl and has no share in the family property. If her elders are gone, how will she cope with the situation? Especially since she has a bad relationship with her brothers at home, without her elders, she will probably have no place to stay.
"Then what are your plans, Bihe?" Xiaocao naturally would not persuade her to get married, but she had to find a way to settle down.
Xia Bihe hesitated a little, "Sister Xuan, can I study medicine with you?"
"Study medicine?" Xiaocao was a little surprised.
"I may not be smart enough, I may learn slowly, I may not even have any talent, but I will work hard, I..."
"Bihe, don't worry. I didn't say no. I can accept slow learning, but I can't accept giving up halfway, so you have to think it over." Xiaocao's plan is a bit big, so it also needs a lot of manpower. Moreover, she also intends to change the status of "female doctors". Facts have proved that in the current situation where the separation of men and women is more serious, it is indeed more appropriate for women to treat women when they are sick. If Xia Bihe really wants to learn medicine from her, she must have nothing against it.
Xia Bihe was full of joy, "Don't worry, Sister Xuan, I will definitely study hard and won't give up halfway."
"Okay then. I'll give you some introductory medical books for you to read first. Then, go back and discuss with your grandfather whether you can come to Wenrenjia every afternoon. My adoptive father's place is almost a medicine shop now, which will be convenient for you to learn. People around me will go over to help when they have nothing to do. Let's take it slowly."
"Of course. In fact, I have mentioned my idea to my grandfather. I have already been reading medical books at home. It was my grandfather who asked people to find them for me." Xia Bihe was a little happy, but also a little embarrassed.
"That's perfect."
Xu Tongdan, who was standing next to them, was listening to them talking, with a thoughtful look in her eyes, and seemed to be a little moved.
The banquet started soon, with great joy and excitement.
Xiaocao used tea instead of wine to toast the group of distinguished people, and she didn't need to worry about anything else.
When he had time, he went to Wen Renying's place. At this moment, she was guarded by her maid Xiniang.
However, Wen Renying seemed quite comfortable, and didn't seem nervous. Xiaocao smiled and joked a few times, and Wen Renying hummed and hawed in response. In fact, she felt a little nervous, as she couldn't say that she was a "veteran".
In the afternoon, Cheng Wenzheng brought people to welcome the bride. Most of the people who helped him to welcome the bride were his classmates. Compared with the wealth and liveliness of the Wen family, the groom's side actually looked a bit shabby, and in terms of family background, there was a huge difference.
To be honest, even today, many people still don't understand why the Wen family would marry off so many of their daughters to lower ranks.
The people around Cheng Wenzheng were a little reserved, but he seemed open and aboveboard. He had a clear understanding of the conditions of both parties. He agreed to the marriage and should accept everything that came with it. Therefore, he had a very positive attitude. If Miss Wenren married him, it would mean that he was marrying above her station and that Miss Wenren was wronged. He would do his best to give her everything.
In this way, his "breakthrough" along the way has changed many people's views of him. As long as he is excellent, and with the help of the Yue family, which is booming, he will have a promising future.
To be honest, Hua Bochen was a little bit resentful that the Wen family chose a poor man who had just entered the officialdom after breaking off the engagement with the Pingjin Marquis' Mansion. However, when he saw Cheng Wenzheng, who was neither humble nor arrogant, behaved with moderation, and could handle Wen Renyang's "difficulties" with ease, Hua Bochen felt a little complicated.
It was Xiaocao who was in charge at the last minute. Cheng Wenzheng suddenly became a little nervous. It was not because of Xiaocao's identity as a princess, but for some reason...
Cheng Wenzheng bowed respectfully. "Princess Anguo."
"At this moment, I am just standing in front of you as a sister."
"Yes, aunt."
Because of Xiaocao's "heroic act" when she sent Zhen Muyao off to marry, she naturally attracted everyone's attention at this moment. Was she...
"I just have a few words to tell you."
"Aunt, please speak."
"Seventh sister is the youngest child in our eldest house, so it's inevitable that she's been spoiled. Sometimes she may have a bad temper and be a little willful, and even a little out of proportion, but she's not someone who won't listen to advice. When you encounter these things, please be patient, communicate with her more, and teach her more. It's a fact that the environments you lived in before were very different, so it's inevitable that there will be conflicts at the beginning. So, when you encounter problems, talk about them, don't keep them in your heart. They were originally just trivial matters, but because you don't talk about them, the problems may become bigger and bigger, and more and more, so that they can't be reconciled in the end."
"Aunt sister is right. We should keep the documents in mind."
Xiao Cao nodded. "Also, most couples develop feelings slowly after marriage. It is also possible that they have no feelings for each other for their entire lives and just live together. So, if you meet a girl you like in the future, send her back and I will raise her. Don't hurt her."
Cheng Wenzheng was stunned, "No way..."
"Don't say you can't. There is still a long time to come. Things in the world are unpredictable. You just need to remember what I said." Xiaocao's words were quite strong.
Cheng Wenzheng moved his lips and said, "Yes."
"Okay, that's it."
Whispers were already being heard in the yard, and everyone was sighing that Wen Renying was really lucky. The other sisters of the Wen family, whether married or not, were extremely envious. Even the eldest sister Wen Renhui felt a little sour in her heart.
Naturally, word of this spread quickly, and more people became envious and jealous.
Having a sister like this means she is much more reliable than having any brothers. Of course, Xiaocao has the confidence to say this.
As for why she treats Jianshu and Cheng Wenzheng differently, it is understandable if you think about it. Jianshu and Cheng Wenzheng are completely different. The relationship between Jianshu and Zhen Muyao is also different from that between Cheng Wenzheng and Wen Renying. The requirements she has for Jianshu are indeed a bit unrealistic when applied to others.
Inside the room, the maid relayed Xiaocao's words to Wen Renying. Wen Renying, who had always been in a good mood, suddenly burst into tears, "Fourth sister..."
"Don't cry, girl. Be careful not to ruin your makeup." The bridesmaid consoled her while carefully wiping her tears. "You should be happy. Having a sister like this to protect you is something many people would never beg for."
"Yes, my fourth sister is the best." Wen Renying tried hard to control her emotions.
The veil was covered, leaving only a patch of red in front of Wen Renying.
When Wenren Taibo and Han said goodbye, they were all very proper. There were some things that should and should not be said, and even some things that were unexpected, Xiaocao had already said them for them.
Wen Renxu was not there, so it was Wen Renyang who carried Wen Renying out on his back, and he would be the first person to send her off. Xiaocao would not go, because according to her current status, if she showed up at the Cheng family, she would be suspected of using her power to bully others.
As Wen Renying was taken away, the guests at the Wen family's place also began to disperse.
Many people pulled Xiaocao to say that she was a good sister, making them all envious and jealous. Xiaocao smiled and said, since she has the ability, isn't it her duty to protect her family? That's right, it's not just Wen Renying.
The closest person stayed behind. Wenren Hui pulled Xiaocao, somewhat "persistently", like a child. At this moment, he did not look like Han at all. Besides, there was Wenren Xi next to him, looking at Xiaocao with "resentment".
Xiao Cao was also amused, and it took some effort to coax the girl back to her senses. Both of them are pregnant now, so they need to take good care of themselves when they go back.
Prince Wei still stayed until the very end, and even though Han was disgusted with him, he still shamelessly refused to leave. Before leaving, Xiao Cao found some time to say some "secrets" to him.
The first thing mentioned was the fact that Xu Tongdan liked Mu Bei. Originally, this was a private matter for a girl, and even Wei Tingyu was not suitable to tell him. However, when Xu Tongdan was injured, her purpose was still unknown. Xiaocao knew that he had specially checked it, and telling him now could be regarded as getting a result.
“I hope she gets what she wants.”
Wei Tingyu's face flashed a strange look. Xuan'er didn't know what King Dingbei was thinking. If she knew... No, Xuan'er would never know. And Mu Bei, if he knew that Xuan'er had "matched" him, I wonder how he would react. Wei Shizi had some malice in his heart and wanted to tell Mu Bei about this, but after thinking about it, he decided not to.
"There are quite a few who have ulterior motives, but in the end, there is only one successor to the Dingbei King's wife. This one may not have any ulterior motives when she went."
"Yes, there are not so many perfect things in the world, but there are differences in closeness. Emotionally, I naturally tend to be more interested in the person who cares more about me. Even if it doesn't work out, I hope she can be fine."
Wei Tingyu pulled Xiaocao's hand and said, "Xuan'er is perfect to me."
Xiao Cao rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, there's one more thing I should have told you last time."
"What's the matter?" Wei Tingyu stroked the grass with his fingertips.
"Li Ruoshui, she and I have the same background." Even though there were only two of them, Xiaocao lowered her voice a bit.
Wei Tingyu was startled, obviously a little surprised, but then he thought that this would explain her incompatibility. "Were all her poems stolen?"
"Yes, we also have a splendid ancient culture. In terms of poetry, it was quite prosperous in certain dynasties in history, and many splendid chapters appeared. I don't know much about this aspect, but many of them are still familiar to me. Li Ruoshui must have made special efforts in this aspect. She only changed a few years ago, so her situation is slightly different from mine."
"In this case, I'm not surprised that Xuan'er hates her so much." Wei Tingyu knew Xiaocao's personality very well. Except for some people she met in her job, and those who touched her bottom line, she rarely showed emotions to irrelevant people, let alone hated them. Li Ruoshui was the only exception he had seen. Now that everything was clear, it was not surprising. "Xuan'er doesn't want her to bring out those poems again, right?"
"If possible, I wouldn't want to."
"That's not a difficult task. Leave it to me."
Xiao Cao nodded, "But there's no need to dirty your hands for someone like that."
Wei Tingyu laughed. It seemed that he was no longer as good as before in Xuan'er's eyes. "Not yet." But if she didn't leave, her chance to go out would be over. And since what was written in Pingjin Marquis Mansion could be prevented from being circulated forever.
In this way, Xiaocao will not ask any more questions.
"Did the people in Xuan'er's previous place have no scruples about matters between men and women?" Wei Tingyu asked hesitantly.
Xiao Cao was startled. "Yes, there are not so many restrictions. Before marriage, men and women can interact normally. If they are compatible, they will get together, and if they are not, they will separate. As long as they are not messing around with several people at the same time, there is no problem. Of course, even if some people are messing around, at most they will be talked about by others, which is not a big deal. If they mess around after marriage, it is not allowed according to the law, but it is not a serious matter, so naturally some people don't take it seriously. In short, it is indeed much freer than here, especially for women. There is no question of having to be chaste before marriage. It mainly depends on the individual. - Why did Tingyu suddenly ask this?"
"Li Ruoshui flirted with people everywhere and had intimate contact with different men. She seemed to like them very much. I was just a little surprised."
Xiaocao was surprised, "Is there such a thing? How brave of you." Do you know how to adapt to local customs? He challenges the secular world on his own. Does he think he is not dying fast enough
"I think she seems to be taking in all the people she likes, like an emperor, enjoying the blessing of having many wives."
Xiao Cao immediately understood Li Ruoshui's mentality. A classmate once whispered in her ear, "A woman travels through time and opens a harem?!" Haha! "It's hysterical. She thinks she has that kind of charm, so she'll just have fun." When the fun is over, maybe she'll be lucky enough to go back.
Seeing that Xiaocao was in a bad mood, Wei Tingyu stopped arguing with this issue.
"The situation is the same for Prince Heng's concubine Kou." Xiaocao blurted out.
"There's more?" Wei Tingyu was a little shocked. Who could tell him what was going on
Seeing his reaction, Xiao Cao found it a little funny. "The others should be gone, at least I didn't find them. What Concubine Kou took out was too obvious. Anyone with a discerning eye would know what it was as long as they heard about it. After all, it's too common. In comparison, there's no bad feeling towards her. Even if she made a lot of money, it was her ability.
However, I guess she is not from the same place as us. Li Ruoshui must know about her problem, but Concubine Kou did not react to Li Ruoshui. Li Ruoshui did not hesitate to take out those poems. Maybe she had already tested Concubine Kou. One of them was open and the other was hidden, so they did not affect each other. "
"So Xuan'er is still more skilled. Don't you know all of them, Xuan'er?"
"That's not the case. Concubine Kou is obviously out of place, not only because of the things she brought out, but also because she herself is full of disharmony, and she is somewhat out of tune with everything around her. Of course, those who don't know about this would at most think that her words and actions are a bit strange, and would not think too much about it. If it weren't for Li Ruoshui's poetry, I'm afraid it would be difficult to find out. Before, I thought she was well integrated with the present in other aspects. Speaking of which, the two of them should have doubts about me. If they knew how I treated some diseases, I'm afraid they would not just be suspicious."
"Even if they know, what can they do? Do they dare to shout it out?" If they really could threaten Xuan'er, Wei Tingyu would not mind killing them. It was not a difficult thing to do.
"So, I don't really care. I hope to carry forward the medical skills and pass them on."
"Xuan'er, just do what you want. Don't worry too much. I will always stand behind you."
"Tingyu, thank you." Apart from these two words, Xiaocao didn't know what else to say.
"There's no need for these two words between us. But if you really want to thank me, why don't we set the wedding date as soon as possible?"
Xiao Cao looked at him with a smile, "Let's put things aside. Don't think about the wedding date for now."
Although it was expected, Master Wei was still a little disappointed, "Xuan'er, I lied to you before, it was indeed my fault, I admit my mistake, I accept the punishment, but can this time not be too long, it was three years before, can we limit the time to three years?"
"Let's talk about it later." Xiaocao kept smiling.
Prince Wei was at his wit's end, and looked extremely depressed.
"Okay, you should go back." Xiao Cao walked to the back of the wheelchair, turned around half a circle, pushed it out, handed it to Wen Xin who was waiting outside, and waved to him, "Master Wei, take care, I won't see you off."
What can Prince Wei do? He can only accept the reality and wait.