BSI Chapter 37 Door-to-Door Visit
Chapter 37 Door-to-Door Visit
In the morning, Li Jinglong, accompanied by Li Er and carrying freshly baked pastries, arrived at the Duke of Ying's mansion in the eastern part of the city.
After the servants announced the arrival, Fu Rang came out of the mansion to personally greet him.
"Greetings, Duke Cao!" Fu Rang cupped his hands in greeting, his eyes filled with resentment.
Li Jinglong didn't care at all, after all, he was his future brother-in-law. So he smiled and looked at Fu Rang, who was the same age as Li Fangying and they were classmates at the Imperial Academy.
"Young Master, didn't you go to school today?"
"My elder brother instructed me yesterday to wait for him at home!" Fu Rang replied dryly.
"Brother Fu isn't at home?"
"Since my elder brother is the consort of Princess Shouchun, he naturally has to live in the princess's residence!"
Li Jinglong glanced at Fu Rang. "Good lad, you're trying to put people down with your words. What do you mean by 'Shouchun Princess's consort'? Why don't you just say he's my uncle?"
"Isn't Rang Ge'er sixteen this year?" Li Jinglong suddenly asked.
Fu Rang was a little confused. "What's wrong?"
"I have a niece, also a member of the royal family, fourteen years old, well-educated and polite. I think she and Rang-ge'er are quite suitable. I'll act as matchmaker for you later. I'm sure the Duke of Ying will not refuse!" Li Jinglong said innocently.
Fu Rang stared at Li Jinglong with his mouth agape in disbelief, then paused for a moment, "My marriage is none of Duke Cao's concern!"
Li Jinglong observed Fu Rang's performance and thought to himself, "You little brat, I can't handle you."
"Could it be that you don't think much of my niece? My niece is, after all, a princess. Do you think she's not good enough for you?" Li Jinglong teased.
At this moment, Fu Rang was in a real predicament. Among the imperial relatives, Li Jinglong was the youngest. The only princess whom Li Jinglong could call his niece was from the Jingjiang Prince's lineage.
"Lord Cao is joking! I am merely the youngest son of the Duke's mansion and am not worthy of the Princess!" Fu Rang finally lowered his stance at this moment.
"It's alright! If all else fails, I'll ask His Highness the Crown Prince or His Majesty to grant us a marriage. It's fine!" Li Jinglong said confidently.
Fu Rang cursed inwardly: All I did was hint that you were my sister-in-law's nephew, and now you want me to be your nephew-in-law? Shameless!
"Um... Brother Li, please stop joking! Come in and have some tea first, I'll be here soon!" Fu Rang forced a dry laugh and had no choice but to change the subject, even addressing him as Brother Li.
Li Jinglong smiled and walked into the mansion with a satisfied expression.
Upon entering the main hall, Fu Rang hurriedly ordered his servants to serve tea, running around busily, a far cry from the imposing manner he displayed at the mansion gate.
When Fu Zhong arrived, he looked at Fu Rang with suspicion.
Seeing his elder brother arrive, Fu Rang finally breathed a sigh of relief, cupped his hands in greeting to Li Jinglong, and quickly left.
Li Jinglong smiled and shook his head, guessing that for a long time to come, Fu Rang would have to avoid him!
After leaving the main hall, Fu Rang glared fiercely at it as he walked, muttering under his breath, "Li Jiujiang, you're ruthless!"
"What are you doing here?" Fu Wanqing arrived at the corner of the main hall and saw Fu Rang walking sideways, muttering as he went.
"Huh?" Fu Rang turned around abruptly, saw it was Fu Wanqing, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Sister, what brings you here?"
"My older brother called me here!" Fu Wanqing looked at Fu Rang suspiciously.
"Sister, you go ahead, I'll head back first!" Upon hearing that Fu Wanqing was going to the main hall, Fu Rang immediately prepared to leave.
Watching Fu Rang's departing figure, Fu Wanqing glanced at him a few more times before turning around and walking towards the main hall.
Upon entering the main hall, Fu Wanqing immediately spotted Li Jinglong sitting in the guest seat, and her smiling face vanished instantly.
"Big brother, did you call me?" Fu Wanqing looked at Fu Zhong, who was sitting in the main seat.
"Little sister, Jiujiang came today to say a few words to you! Please sit here!" After saying this, Fu Zhong got up to leave.
"Big brother!" Fu Wanqing called out to Fu Zhong, "You stay here!"
Fu Zhong glanced at Li Jinglong, who was already looking up at the ceiling, then at his younger sister in front of him, and said, "Little sister, Jiujiang came all the way here to see you today. You two can talk amongst yourselves. I'll go to the backyard first to pay my respects to Mother!"
After saying that, Fu Zhong left the main hall and went to the backyard via the corridor.
Looking at Fu Wanqing, whose skin was as white as snow despite her lack of makeup, Li Jinglong ignored her cold expression and said, "Wanqing, I've come here today to apologize to you!"
Fu Wanqing's shoulders stiffened, her eyes welled up with tears, and she turned to look at Li Jinglong: "Apologize to me?"
"Yes! Wanqing, I was blinded by greed back then, which is why I said such nonsense!" Li Jinglong apologized.
There was no way around it; Li Jinglong had to take responsibility for the trouble caused by the original owner.
"Li Jiujiang, you bastard!" Tears welled up in Fu Wanqing's eyes as she choked back sobs.
"This, Wanqing, is my fault. Please don't cry!" Li Jinglong couldn't stand seeing women's tears, both in his past life and in this one.
The two were in the main hall, one wiping away tears, the other anxiously at a loss. Li Jinglong had plenty of ways to coax a woman, but not now!
If you try to use a little sweet talk, Fu Zhong might just kick you out!
"Wanqing, I know you've suffered, but these past three years haven't been easy for me either." Li Jinglong stood with his hands clasped, gazing into the distance. "You're a good woman, gentle and virtuous, with outstanding looks. Marrying you is a blessing I've accumulated over many lifetimes!"
Seeing that Fu Wanqing's sobs had subsided, Li Jinglong lowered his head and looked at her delicate face, which was still wet with tears: "It's not very convenient to be at your house today, how about we go to Jiming Temple to offer incense together the day after tomorrow?"
Seeing that Fu Wanqing remained unmoved, Li Jinglong continued, "Then it's settled. I'll pick you up early the day after tomorrow!"
"Who wants to go with you?" Fu Wanqing replied somewhat flusteredly, her voice carrying a hint of coquettishness.
"You didn't say you weren't going, did you?" Li Jinglong teased.
"You!" Fu Wanqing gritted her teeth, somewhat unable to withstand Li Jinglong's shameless approach.
Seeing that Fu Wanqing was finally moved, Li Jinglong couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Ancient times were so much better! There weren't so many rules back then. You could easily win a girl's heart by being a little shameless. Unlike in later generations, where the only thing you can use to win a girl's heart is money!"
"It's settled then!" Li Jinglong said firmly, his face tense.
Fu Wanqing remained silent, her gaze fixed on Li Jinglong with a hint of resentment.
About half an hour later, Fu Zhong returned from the backyard. Seeing the state of Li Jinglong and Fu Wanqing, he thought the talks had broken down. Unexpectedly, Li Jinglong said cheerfully, "Brother Fu, please inform the old lady that I would like to take Wanqing to Jiming Temple to offer incense early the day after tomorrow!"
"Jiming Temple? Incense offering?" Fu Zhong was puzzled, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Li Jinglong and Fu Wanqing!
"I haven't agreed yet!" Fu Wanqing said shyly, half-covering her sleeve as she left the main hall.
Fu Zhong stared wide-eyed at Fu Wanqing's retreating figure, then glanced at Li Jinglong a few times, and couldn't help but groan inwardly, "Is this still my little sister?"