Chapter 228: Chapter 228

The Princely Heir said, "I’ll go see my parents and let them know."

"Mm, Big Brother, go quickly. Mother sent me here to wait for you and has urged me several times," Li Yuzhu said with a smile.

The Princely Heir went to the back yard, and Princess Consort Luling immediately asked him, "Eldest? How did it go? How did the talk with Eldest Young Master Chai go?"

Prince Luling said, "Can’t you let the boy have a sip of water before asking? Why are you in such a rush?" Check latest chapters at novel•fire.net

"If not this, what should we be anxious about?" Princess Consort Luling glared at Prince Luling. "Quick, pour the boy some water."

"I don’t need water, Father, no need to pour," The Princely Heir gestured with his hand.

"See, the boy said he doesn’t need water," Prince Luling shrugged.

Princess Consort Luling glanced at Prince Luling, unwilling to speak with him.

"Did Eldest Young Master Chai give you a hard time?" Princess Consort Luling asked anxiously.

"No, he agreed," the Princely Heir smiled slightly.

Princess Consort Luling was momentarily stunned, and soon after, joyful beyond measure said, "That’s wonderful! I didn’t expect Eldest Young Master Chai to agree so quickly."

"Eldest, when is the wedding date?" Prince Luling stroked his beard and asked.

He pondered, they have to get some decent furniture made.

When they first moved into the house, they were so poor they didn’t even have extra stools.

Now the family has managed to save some money, so while luxury furniture is beyond their imagination, they could afford to make some regular pieces like the villagers.

The Princely Heir said, "Big Brother Chai said the wedding date is set for the sixteenth of this month."

Prince Luling and Princess Consort Luling looked at him in shock.

"The sixteenth of this month? Today is the fourth, that’s less than half a month..." Princess Consort Luling calculated the days. "Why is it so rushed? Is this his idea?"

The Princely Heir said, "He set the date."

Prince Luling frowned, "I’m afraid there won’t be enough time to make furniture..."

Princess Consort Luling said, "Then buy ready-made ones; Old Three said there are ready-made pieces at the market, and the price is even cheaper."

Prince Luling nodded, "That’s also okay." Convenient.

Princess Consort Luling then asked the Princely Heir, "How much betrothal gift did his family ask for?"

The Princely Heir said, "Big Brother Chai doesn’t want a betrothal gift."

"What? No betrothal gift?" Princess Consort Luling was even more surprised.

Prince Luling also said, "Eldest, did you hear correctly?"

The Princely Heir was speechless, "Father, how could I mishear such an important matter? No, he doesn’t want a betrothal gift; he even offered to give me eight hundred silver, but I refused."

"What’s going on?" Prince Luling was muddled by the pie that fell from the sky.

Princess Consort Luling said, "Their family doesn’t want a betrothal gift, but we can’t just give nothing. Give whatever you can, and make the scale of the wedding feast larger, invite more people; our family has a big courtyard, with enough space to set up a feast for thirty tables."

Prince Luling, loving face-saving, nodded repeatedly, "Very good, very good."

The family of three then discussed the specific details of the wedding feast, and Prince Luling, fearing he’d forget the many things, even wrote them down.

Having discussed everything, the Princely Heir left.

Watching their eldest son walk away, his figure disappearing around the corner of the house, Princess Consort Luling sighed, "It’s really not easy, marrying off a daughter-in-law during the family’s most difficult times."

Prince Luling said, "The most difficult time wasn’t when we were living in the cave? Now we live in a house with beds and quilts, where’s the difficulty?"

Princess Consort Luling didn’t want to argue, glared at him, "How do we marry a daughter-in-law with just thirty silver? You have to find a way."

Prince Luling, least mindful of making a living, shrank back in fear, "Find... find a way? How to find?"

Princess Consort Luling said angrily, "Look at how the children make money, and you make it that way too? Learn from them!"

Prince Luling grimaced, "Eldest farming, Second and Second Girl runs a pastry shop, San Niu gathers herbs, Da Nuan makes sachets, and Old Three fishes for shrimp; I can’t do any of these."

Princess Consort Luling angrily said, "How come you know how to eat?"

"That’s not comparable; that’s something innate," Prince Luling grumbled.

Princess Consort Luling touched her chest in frustration, recalling how she ever fell for this foolish man?

Ah, youth and ignorance!

"Tomorrow morning, go with Second to the market; tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, make more money," Princess Consort Luling said irritably.

"Shouldn’t we be eating dumplings at home for the Dragon Boat Festival? Go to the market?" Prince Luling didn’t want to go out tomorrow.

There would definitely be many people at the market tomorrow, what if everyone laughed at him?

And he couldn’t run fast.

"We don’t have money to marry off a daughter-in-law, and you still think about eating? The children don’t have dumplings, and you’re only thinking about eating?" Princess Consort Luling said angrily.

Just then, a thud sounded from the bedroom.

Guoguo let out a surprised "Ah!".

Princess Consort Luling glanced at Prince Luling, "The kids have been woken up."

Prince Luling followed her into the bedroom, "You talked way more than I did." But he didn’t dare say this out loud.

Jingjing, who was taking an afternoon nap, was still asleep, while Guoguo had woken up first.

Guoguo now can crawl and stand.

Who knows how she slid off the bed, and now she was standing barefoot, holding onto a stool, dragging a book from the table and tossing it onto the floor.

Two books had already been thrown on the floor, and the thudding sound just now was the books hitting the ground.

Along with the books, a scroll of calligraphy also rolled onto the floor, which Prince Luling had just written.

Princess Consort Luling quickly picked Guoguo up and patted her feet, "Guoguo, how did you get down on the floor?"

Guoguo grabbed the calligraphy scroll, smiled, and handed it to Prince Luling, "Words, words."

Prince Luling felt a pang in his heart and quickly took it from her, "Oh dear, my precious granddaughter, this isn’t something to play with. These are words grandpa painstakingly wrote."

He carefully took it from his granddaughter’s hands and meticulously rolled it back up.

Just then, Princess Consort Luling’s eyes suddenly lit up. She said, "Dear, I have an idea. Why don’t you go to the market stall and sell your calligraphy?"

Prince Luling shook his head, "No, no, how much money could that bring in?" It would be embarrassing.

Princess Consort Luling’s face darkened, "You won’t do this, you won’t do that, where does the money come from? If the eldest’s wedding banquet is held disgracefully, I’m not done with you!" she said angrily.

"If back then you had been firm and stood up to the late Emperor, how would the eldest have married into the Xue Family? How would he end up without a wife? How would Guoguo be without a mother? In the end, it’s your fault for the eldest. Now the eldest has found himself a wife, and you’re not even helping a bit. Do you even look like a father?"

Her big, black, and shiny eyes stared straight at Prince Luling, her little mouth pursed, looking angry.

She was nine months old and could say "good" or "bad," "don’t want" or "want."

She could understand many adult words and respond by fetching things for adults.

Princess Consort Luling said angrily, "Look, even Guoguo despises you for being a layabout."

Prince Luling mumbled, "Alright, alright, tomorrow I’ll go to the market with the kids, won’t I?"

If he couldn’t make money, the stubborn woman would give up.

By evening, when the family gathered to have dinner, Prince Luling announced the Princely Heir’s forthcoming wedding news.

The siblings all congratulated the Princely Heir.

The Second Young Master and Third Young Master both had a good impression of Chai Eying, and they laughed, "Miss Chai must be the perfect match for the eldest brother."

The Great Princess detested the Xue Family the most. Ever since the Xue Family came in, she had been at odds with them.

Now that the Xue Family had left, she was overjoyed.

In every way except looks, Chai Eying surpassed the Xue Family, and she could hardly wait for the Princely Heir to quickly marry Chai Eying.

She feared the Princely Heir might have lingering feelings for the Xue Family; if he married a new wife, it would have nothing to do with the Xue Family.

If the Xue Family dared to come back, she would dare to kick them out.

Of course, she believed Chai Eying would also kick out the Xue Family.

"Great, big brother, congratulations," the Great Princess said with a smile.

The Second Princess also laughed and congratulated.

Li Yuzhu smiled and said, "May you have children soon, big brother."

The Princely Heir put on a stern face, "Little girl, you have no shame."

Li Yuzhu spoke seriously, "I’ve seen people in the village say this when they get married."

"Exactly, I’ve heard it too," the Second Princess said as she ate.

The Princely Heir frowned, "What have you all learned? Not learning good things!"

"Eldest, the sisters are right, may you have children soon," Princess Consort Luling laughed.

Chai Family’s son marrying his sister is naturally hoping his sister will have a child soon to raise the family’s prestige.

Just as everyone finished eating, there was the sound of the bell at the kitchen door.

This meant someone was ringing the bell at the residence entrance.

"Who is it? It’s almost dark," Li Xing’an stood up, "I’ll go and see."

It wasn’t dark yet, and the family, to save lamp oil, sat in the courtyard in front of the kitchen, cooling off and chatting idly.

Li Xing’an went over for a while, then returned with Mu Yuanxiu.

He was holding a bundle of zongzi leaves.

Prince Luling was pleased, "Oh, it’s Yuanxiu. Have you eaten?"