Chapter 340 Liang Zhu (11)
Chapter 340 Liang Zhu (11)
"It's raining now, why don't we leave a little later?" Ma Wencai said in a serious tone.
"Let's get out of the rain on the boat first. The boat can't move when it rains." Wangyou smiled and pulled Ma Wencai into the cabin.
Ma Tong and Qing Zhu wisely followed the boatman to the other side.
The two talked for a long time in the cabin until dawn, when the rain stopped.
"Stop talking, just stamp it." Ma Wencai was really too talkative. This was the first time she had stayed up all night. She kept repeating the same things. How afraid was she would be kidnapped?
Sure enough, the world fell silent as soon as her lips were sealed. Wangyou was about to back away when Ma Wencai, who had just realized what was happening, grabbed the back of her head and deepened the kiss.
Both were newbies and it was their first time kissing. They stumbled and fell, and it ended with Ma Wencai getting a bite wound on the corner of his mouth from Wangyou.
Of course, Wangyou wasn't much better off; her lips were bright red, and anyone with eyes could tell what she was up to.
"The rain has stopped, you should go back now, I need to go home." Wangyou urged Ma Wencai to leave quickly, her lips aching from biting him.
"Then I'm leaving. Remember to write to me when you get back."
"Okay, let's go." Wangyou waved cheerfully.
"You heartless little thing!" Ma Wencai was furious. Taking advantage of Wangyou's inattention, he kissed her hard before reluctantly leaving.
Not long after, Wangyou returned to her home.
"Father, Mother, I'm back!"
"You've finally decided to come back! Let your father see you. You've lost weight and grown taller." Xie An smiled so much that his face was full of wrinkles when he saw his little girl return.
"My Wangyou has grown up. Are you hungry? I've asked the kitchen to make your favorite dishes." Liu Shi took Wangyou's hand and led her inside.
After meeting her uncle and aunt one by one, Wangyou went to find Xie Daoyun.
"Sister, Wang Ningzhi isn't that great either. Is this marriage really necessary?" Wangyou muttered to Xie Daoyun.
"The marriage was arranged long ago. The Wang and Xie families are old friends. How can we break off the engagement so easily?" Xie Daoyun also had her helplessness.
"But how could Wang Ningzhi be worthy of my sister!" Wangyou said with great reluctance.
"Hey, stop being so childish. How are things going with Ma Wencai?" Xie Daoyun asked with a hint of gossip.
“I’ll wait for her for three years. He promised to marry me within three years,” Wangyou said without any shyness.
Have you spoken to your uncle and aunt yet?
"Not yet."
"Remember to tell your uncle and aunt that the seventh prince in the palace is going to choose a consort." Xie Daoyun reminded Wangyou. Her marriage might not be happy, but her little sister couldn't go into that big melting pot of the palace.
"Thank you, elder sister, I understand." Wangyou had heard about the Seventh Prince, mainly because of the strange phenomena at his birth, and that the Seventh Prince had inadvertently become her shield.
"By the way, sister, if that Wang Ningzhi treats you badly, you must tell me. I'll beat him up for you. Besides, Father said that our Xie family can still afford to raise daughters."
"Okay, I understand." The two sisters talked for a long time, and it was late at night before Wangyou reluctantly left.
The next day, when Wangyou was having breakfast, she told her father and mother about her relationship with Ma Wencai. Her father was so shocked that he dropped his chopsticks on the ground, and her mother was stunned for a long time.
After his initial surprise, Xie An became angry. He hadn't been watching closely enough, and whose pig had eaten up the cabbage he had painstakingly raised.
"Father, Mother, don't be angry. He's very talented, handsome, and proficient in all six arts. I'll introduce him to you when he arrives," Wangyou said with a smile, pretending not to notice their embarrassment.
"Tell me and your mother in detail," Xie An's voice turned a shade colder.
Wangyou wasn't afraid, so she recounted all the little things they had done together over the past three years, and also told them about what she had seen and heard at the academy.
Afterwards, Xie An was still worried, so he went to ask Xie Daoyun, who gave him the assessment that Ma Wencai was a ruthless and ambitious man.
Xie An pondered for a long time in his study, and then sent someone to Hangzhou to inquire.
Staying at home is incredibly relaxing; you can drink tea, listen to music, and go shopping – it's pure bliss.
"Miss, did you forget to write to Young Master Ma?" Qingzhu reminded her carefully.
“He’s no longer at Nishan Academy, so no one will accept my letters.”
"Oh, how did you know, Miss?"
"Of course, it was Father who sent someone to investigate. After I left the academy, he left too. He went to join the army. Judging by the time, his letter should arrive soon. It won't be too late to write to him then," Wangyou said with a smile as she ate a candied fruit.
Xie An acted swiftly. After obtaining Wangyou's consent, he sent a letter directly to Prefect Ma. Upon receiving the letter, Prefect Ma immediately set off with his men, and the two families quickly arranged the marriage.
Xie Anxin was relieved. The Seventh Prince was just a shield. He wanted to marry a daughter of the Xie family. He was dreaming!
Wangyou was unaware of all this. After the engagement, her mother, Liu, began preparing Wangyou's dowry. Her uncle, Liu Yan, also sent many fine things to add to her dowry. As for the wedding dress, Wangyou didn't need to embroider it; there were embroiderers to do it for her.
Of the treasures Ma Wencai seized on his way to quell the rebellion, aside from those handed over to the national treasury and used as military supplies, he sent all the treasures he personally obtained to the Xie family.
After Xie Daoyun got married, Wangyou had nothing to do at all, except to write letters to Ma Wencai from time to time.
As for the wedding preparations, although she is the one who is going to marry, it seems to have little to do with her, because everything is handled by specialists. Even her maids are busier than she is, except for Qingzhu, because Qingzhu is also responsible for Wangyou's daily life.
In the blink of an eye, two years have passed.
In the past two years, Wangyou heard that Zhu Yingtai had married Liang Shanbo as she wished, and Liang Shanbo had become a local official, taking on the heavy responsibility of flood control, and had begun to see results.
"Miss, wake up! Don't sleep anymore, Young Master Ma is here." Qingzhu looked at Wangyou, who was soundly asleep, and quickly woke her up.
"Don't disturb my sleep, no one." Half-asleep, Wangyou waved her hand irritably.
"Stop shouting."
"Young Master Ma... Mr. Ma."
"Let her sleep, I'll wait for her to wake up."
Ma Wencai's actions over the past two years have been recognized by Xie An and Liu Shi, so they didn't obstruct him much and let him in.
Upon hearing this, Qingzhu bowed slightly and left.
Ma Wencai sat at his desk, quietly waiting for Wangyou to wake up. He thought about waiting by the bedside, but since they were in the Xie family home, he had to be careful.
"Qingzhu, fetch some water, I want to wash my face." An hour later, Wangyou finally woke up and called out groggily.
Ma Wencai took the basin of water from Qingzhu, wrung out the towel, and applied it to Wangyou's face.
"Am I still dreaming or am I not fully awake?" After removing the towel, Wangyou wondered if she was seeing things.
"Yes, I'm still dreaming. Did you dream about me?" Ma Wencai asked with a smile.
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