Chapter 062
Chapter 62: Proposing in Person
“What happened?” Xia Meng Yan frowned.
Xia Qing Yao sobbed in a low voice, and her maid Nian’er hurried to explain: “The Lu Family sent someone over, saying Lu Rong Fang knows Second Miss refused the match and wants to ask her face to face. Second Madam has always liked this marriage, so she agreed to meet tomorrow at Bright Moon Pavilion.”
Nian’er added, trying to calm her mistress: “Second Miss does not want to go, so Second Madam threatened her by saying she would marry her to a rich merchant in the Capital Suburbs as his secondary wife.”
Xia Qing Yao cried so hard she could barely breathe, and her voice was full of hurt: “Elder sister, please help me think of a way. I do not want to marry Lu Rong Fang, and I don’t want to become a merchant’s secondary wife.”
[Why is my life so hard? I am a legitimate daughter, yet one choice is to be a concubine-born official’s proper wife, and the other is to be a rich man’s secondary wife. I only want a match where we truly care for each other. Why is that so hard.]
Hearing Lu Rong Fang’s name again, Xia Meng Yan did not know what to say.
[If I tell her that a year from now Lu Rong Fang will place in the top three of the next spring’s Palace Examination, will Qing Yao think I am lying to her?]
She chose to speak simply, saying in a steady voice: “Since you don’t want to marry, then tell Lu Rong Fang clearly. As for the secondary-wife threat, don’t worry. Second Aunt is scaring you. She cannot bear to do it.”
[She cannot bear to waste such a fine stepping stone.]
But this thought was something Xia Meng Yan could not say aloud.
Xia Qing Yao wiped her tears. Gratitude filled her eyes as she took Xia Meng Yan’s hand: “Elder sister, can you go with me? If Mother comes along, she will not let me speak at all.”
Xia Meng Yan hesitated for a moment.
Xia Qing Yao pleaded, her voice shaking: “Elder sister, I beg you. Only you can save me now.”
“Alright,” Xia Meng Yan agreed. She also wanted to meet the man Emperor Xuan Ming had praised in her past life.
When Madam Wan heard that Xia Meng Yan would go with them, she nearly pried open her daughter’s head to see if it was filled with grass.
Her daughter’s hard road in marriage, in her mind, was all thanks to Xia Meng Yan.
“You two may go,” Madam Wan said, her tone sharp, “but if Young Master Lu ends up angry with our second branch, tomorrow I will send you to the Capital Suburbs at once.”
She added with cold logic, speaking to herself as much as to them: “That rich merchant is no idle threat. He is wealthier than the Xia Family. With his bride price we can pave the way for your father and your brother, and we will not need to look to the main branch’s face anymore.”
Xia Meng Yan understood the warning was aimed at her, so she answered calmly: “Second Aunt, if you are worried, you can send a trusted nanny with us.”
“Of course someone will go,” Madam Wan replied. She turned and ordered crisply: “Nanny Li, you will accompany Second Miss.”
In Madam Wan’s simple plan, even if they could not form a tie with the Lu Family, they must not offend them. Her daughter was too naive; she did not trust Xia Meng Yan at all.
Nanny Li agreed at once and went to stand by Xia Qing Yao’s side.
Xia Manor was close to Bright Moon Pavilion. About half an hour later, the carriage stopped.
A servant boy standing at the door saw the Xia Family’s carriage and walked up with a smile, saying: “Are you the Xia Family’s Second Miss? I am A’Four, from Young Master Lu’s side. My young master is waiting in a private room on the second floor.”
As he spoke, two young ladies stepped down from the carriage. When he saw one of them wearing a veiled hat and with a slight swell at her belly, he realized at once who she was: the Xia Family’s divorced elder miss with a child.
A’Four bowed with respect, saying: “A’Four greets Miss Xia, the elder miss, and Miss Xia, the second miss.”
Xia Meng Yan wore her veiled hat and nodded slightly: “Lead the way.”
A’Four walked ahead and guided them upstairs.
Inside the room, a man in sky-blue brocade rose at the sound of their steps. He was tall and straight as a pine, his features chiseled and sharp. When he lifted his eyes, the light in them warned others not to take him lightly.
“Young Miss Xia, the second miss…” Lu Rong Fang began to speak, then noticed another young woman behind Xia Qing Yao. Because of the veiled hat he could not see her face, but the slight curve of her belly showed. He guessed her identity in a single breath and cupped his hands: “Miss Xia, the elder miss.”
Xia Qing Yao and Xia Meng Yan returned the greeting.
“Please sit,” Lu Rong Fang said with calm grace, his whole manner gentle and refined. He turned to the doorway and gave orders with ease: “A’Four, replace the tea with flower tea, and bring light snacks.”
A’Four glanced at Xia Meng Yan, then answered and stepped out.
“Young Master Lu, don’t trouble yourself. I only came to accompany my second sister,” Xia Meng Yan said as she removed her veiled hat.
Lu Rong Fang had already heard the stories about the Xia Family’s out-of-the-ordinary elder miss: before marriage she dared to confess in public to the Marquis of Ping’an; after catching him passing a token in secret to the Huo Family’s legitimate daughter, she decisively divorced with her child. Seeing her today, he had to admit she was indeed different.
Finding him studying her, Xia Meng Yan frowned a little and spoke to her sister instead, saying with restraint: “Second sister, I will wait over there.”
She took Chun Yue and sat by the window to drink tea.
From the moment Xia Qing Yao saw Lu Rong Fang, she kept her head lowered. Hearing Xia Meng Yan’s words, she finally raised her face with shy courage, asking softly: “Young Master Lu, you asked to see me. What did you want to say?”
She had not expected Lu Rong Fang to be so outstanding. He had a graceful air, a clear, elegant face, and gentle manners. Other than being concubine-born, everything about him seemed good.
“Second Miss Xia, my mother passed along the Xia Family’s message, and I already know it,” Lu Rong Fang said. His voice was warm, and his attitude was sincere. “I invited you today to apologize in person. I did not know about the talk of marriage between our families. I only learned that my father was punished afterward and realized they had done wrong. On behalf of the Lu Family, I apologize to Second Miss Xia.”
Xia Qing Yao had tried to guess what kind of person he was, but she had not expected him to be this considerate.
She waved her hands quickly, saying in a rush: “Young Master Lu, you are too polite. The Lu Family only asked someone to make inquiries. We did not expect things to blow up like this. The Xia Family did not wish for this either.”
Lu Rong Fang smiled lightly as he lifted the tea cup: “As long as we clear things up, it will be good for both houses to keep normal relations with no hard feelings.”
“Of course there are no hard feelings. Please rest assured, Young Master Lu. When I return I will explain to my mother,” Xia Qing Yao said. Her brows and eyes curved as she smiled, bright and pretty.
Lu Rong Fang raised his cup as if he had not noticed. From the corner of his eye he glanced toward the woman by the window.
A soft breeze came through. Cherry blossoms from somewhere afar drifted with it and fell at the window. The woman’s brows and eyes were like a painting. Her curled lashes tilted up, as if to catch a petal.
Lu Rong Fang’s heart trembled. He saw Xia Meng Yan lift a petal, bring it under her nose, and take a gentle breath. The faint scent broke through the air and seemed to reach him.
“Young Master Lu,” Xia Qing Yao called.
Lu Rong Fang pulled his gaze back without a trace, then said evenly: “Second Miss Xia, may I speak with Elder Miss Xia alone for a moment? After all, she was also harmed by this matter.”
Xia Qing Yao’s fingers tightened around her handkerchief, but the smile on her face stayed: “Alright. I will step outside to look around.”
Hearing her own name, Xia Meng Yan was puzzled. This was their first meeting. It had not reached the point of speaking alone. She kept her tone cool, saying: “There is no need. If you have something to say, please say it here.”
Xia Qing Yao glanced apologetically at Lu Rong Fang. Seeing him frown, she hurried to smooth things over, saying in a rush: “I just happen to need to buy a few things. You can talk. I will be right back.”
She spoke and left at once with Nanny Li, not waiting for Xia Meng Yan’s reply.
“Young Master Lu, you do not need to apologize to me,” Xia Meng Yan began, keeping her distance. “I already heard what you said. You did not know about the matter…”
“Elder Miss Xia,” Lu Rong Fang gently cut her off. He walked to the window, lifted a cherry petal, and held it in front of her, asking with a small smile: “Do you like cherry blossoms?”
Xia Meng Yan did not understand his intent. She rose and took a step back, asking in a steady voice: “What is it you want to say, Young Master Lu?”
She had a good impression of him, but that did not mean she wished to be alone with him.
Lu Rong Fang smiled faintly and spoke words that shocked her: “Elder Miss Xia, you cannot stay in the Xia Family forever. Why not take this chance and marry me.”
Marry him?
Xia Meng Yan’s eyes widened in surprise.
Lu Rong Fang kept speaking in a calm tone: “You should know my situation in the Lu Family. Though I was born of a concubine, my father has great hopes for me. The academy’s dean has read my essays. If nothing goes wrong, I will pass the Spring Imperial Examination next year.”
He continued with clear confidence: “By then, the people coming to propose to the Lu Family will be far more than now. Elder Miss Xia, would you consider making an early engagement with me?”
Xia Meng Yan narrowed her eyes.
[He is sure he will pass next spring, yet he proposes to me right now?]
She asked bluntly, her voice cool: “Young Master Lu, what is it you want from me?”