Do you know: I should be fat and you should be thin!

Zhou Ning is gone!

The Sheng family members were ashen-faced.

"I'll see him off!" Sheng Changbai stood up, bowed, and followed.

The matter is not resolved. The Liang family wants both Minglan and Molan, but refuses to take Molan alone, which will be a big problem for the future reputation of their daughter.

Even if Mo Lan were given to Zhou Ning as a concubine, it wouldn't solve the problem of reputation; it would only solve one issue.

"My God, why is my life so miserable! When will that vixen Lin Qinshuang stop harming my children?" Wang Ruofu started crying again, hugging Hualan.

The old lady had a headache and sighed, "Stop crying! I won't be able to close my eyes in peace until I've paid off my debts to my children. In that case, I'll swallow my pride and go to the Liang family."

Minglan felt even more guilty, as she had ultimately implicated her grandmother.

Outside the Sheng Mansion!

"Brother, I'm so sorry!" Zhou Ning apologized.

Sheng Changbai shook his head and said, "You haven't wronged me. When are you planning to go to the Yu family?"

Zhou Ning checked the time; it was still early. He said, "It's still early today, I'd like to go now."

Sheng Changbai instructed, "The Yu family is a distinguished household, and the proper etiquette must not be neglected."

"Brother, we part tonight, and I don't know when we'll meet again," Zhou Ning said with emotion.

Sheng Changbai laughed and said, "When officials from the capital are appointed as county magistrates, their terms are generally three years. By then, my term as a junior official will be over, and you may be transferred back to the capital. We will meet again someday. It's just that if you leave, you will miss my wedding banquet."

Zhou Ning laughed and said, "I sneaked back to drink it!"

Sheng Changbai rebuked, "Nonsense! A county magistrate cannot leave his jurisdiction without approval during his term of office. Do I need to teach you that?"

"You jest, brother. I'll go find a matchmaker to visit you now. Brother, you should take care of your family matters. Two days later, at Fanlou!"

"Zhong Huai and I will both come to see you off!"

......

The Yu family residence!

Grand Tutor Yu, Grandmother Yu, Yu Yanran's father, and stepmother were all receiving guests in the hall.

Because Zhou Ning hired a top-notch matchmaker, who brought a live goose as a gift, to propose marriage.

Yu Yanran's father and stepmother had long wanted to kick her out of the house to make room for their second daughter, Yan Hong.

Upon learning that he was the newly appointed top scholar, how could he refuse? The couple kept persuading Grand Tutor Yu.

Grandma Yu was very satisfied and urged the old tutor to accept the gift.

Grand Tutor Yu said, "What do you know? He needs to have his coming-of-age ceremony earlier than planned, that's the proper way. But he's about to leave the capital, it's too rushed."

The matchmaker, with her silver tongue, embellished Zhou Ning's reply, and everyone finally accepted it.

Then the matchmaker began asking the woman's name and birth date, asking Zhou Ning to bring back a divination to determine her fortune.

Zhou Ning didn't believe in this at all, but he went to Yuqing Temple as a formality and got a very good result!

After receiving an auspicious divination result, he informed Grand Tutor Yu and presented gifts, formally confirming the marriage and exchanging engagement letters.

On the first day, I only had time to get to this point and complete the "one book, three rites" ritual.

The following day, Zhou Ning delivered the betrothal gifts to the Yu residence. The gifts were in accordance with the regulations of the Great Zhou Dynasty, including gold, silver, silk, and other precious materials. A document detailing the betrothal gifts was also sent along with the gifts.

Afterwards, Zhou Ning set a wedding date and sent someone to inform Grand Tutor Yu, who then gave his consent. From then on, of the three letters and six rites, only one letter (the letter of welcome) and one rite (the personal welcoming ceremony) remained.

Last day before heading to Beijing!

Fanlou Private Room!

"Thank you for seeing me off, my two elder brothers!" Zhou Ning said, offering tea instead of wine.

Sheng Changbai said, "The journey is long and arduous, be careful and come back soon." The two hugged.

Gu Tingye laughed and said, "Pengqi, I'm not like Changbai. He needs to enter the palace. I'll go to Tianchang County to see you another day."

"Since you've come, brother, I'll certainly welcome you with open arms. In that case, you might be able to attend my wedding!" Zhou Ning said with a smile.

Knowing that Zhou Ning planned to hold his coming-of-age ceremony early in Tianchang County and marry the eldest daughter of the Yu family there, the two congratulated him and sent him the prepared gifts.

"Zhong Huai, has your mistress been discovered?" Sheng Changbai asked with concern.

Gu Tingye said bitterly, "Rong'er was playful and ran away. Manniang went out to look for her, but both of them were caught by Father. Fortunately, I returned in time and managed to save them."

"Brother, do you really think Rong'er was just being playful? A one-year-old child can't even walk steadily yet, how could she have opened the door latch and run a mile away?" Zhou Ning reminded him.

Gu Tingye frowned. The wet nurse also told him that Zhu Manniang had deliberately exposed him, but he just refused to believe it.

He had no future, and his family treated him this way; Zhu Manniang was his only solace.

"Let's not talk about my troubles. What about you? Changbai, your fourth daughter's affair is the talk of the town. How is it going?" Gu Tingye looked at Sheng Changbai.

In other words, the three of them must have a good relationship; otherwise, talking about other people's private affairs like this would have caused a falling out long ago.

But the three of them were used to it and treated each other as confidants.

Sheng Changbai sighed, "Grandmother personally went to the Liang family to finalize the deal. The Liang family will be visiting this month. It's hardly a joyous occasion, and it's too unfair to Pengqi."

"Hmm? How so?" Gu Tingye asked curiously.

Is there any gossip?

Sheng Changbai looked at Zhou Ning. This matter was not honorable. Whether or not to speak out was up to him. A gentleman is careful with his words and should not gossip about others.

Zhou Ning wasn't embarrassed and told Mo Lan about his engagement.

"So, Pengqi lost the fourth daughter of the Sheng family, but married the eldest daughter of the Yu family. That's a good thing! Come on, let's have a toast!" Gu Tingye said with a smile.

Sheng Changbai had to enter the palace tomorrow, so he couldn't drink too much and returned first.

"Second Brother Gu, do you still have the paper I gave you?" Zhou Ning asked.

Gu Tingye said, "It's here. I always carry it with me. Manniang keeps asking me what it is, but I've always kept it a secret."

Zhou Ning thought for a moment and said, "Being transferred out of the capital was unexpected. I told you to wait until you had the imperial physician before taking a look, but now you should take a look ahead of time."

Gu Tingye was excited; he had been itching to get started for a long time. He immediately took out the paper from his pocket and opened it!

"Deliberately exposed, mother and daughter were captured. Marriage negotiations were thwarted, ruined by a mistress. Her father died of anger, and she was driven out of the Gu family..."

"Impossible, this is impossible!" Gu Tingye refused to believe it!

The first thing came true completely, but what happened next frightened him even more; he was afraid it was real.

Zhou Ning said, "What's impossible? Let me ask you, didn't I write this beforehand? Only the first event has occurred so far, and I've specified mother and daughter, not mother and son. If you don't believe me, you can find a marriage partner; I think the Sheng family is quite good. Let's see if your mistress will cause trouble. Changbai is on good terms with us; knowing you did this to verify something, he certainly won't turn against you. But what happens after that, because you saw it beforehand, will be uncertain, and things might not turn out the way they did. I have to leave tomorrow morning, so I'll go back to my residence to make arrangements. You must remain calm! Farewell!"

Gu Tingye, still shaken, waved his hand and, after a long while, decided to try to find his relatives, so he burned the paper on the spot!

After returning to his residence, Zhou Ning promoted Xiao Zhu, the most meticulous of the four personal maids, from personal maid to head maid.

She was made the highest-ranking of all the female servants, able to command all servants, including her personal maids, and was responsible only to Zhou Ning.

"While I'm away, the house is in your care. If you get tired, just send a message and I'll have Xiaoqing and the others come and relieve you," Zhou Ning said.

Xiao Zhu was a little disappointed that she couldn't go, but when she heard that they could take turns, she nodded and said, "Don't worry, sir, I'll take good care of the house."

The Great Zhou Dynasty had a rule that officials were not allowed to ask shopkeepers or commoners to carry goods when they went to or left office, nor were they allowed to borrow carts or oxen from the common people. Zhou Ning then bought a horse-drawn carriage.

The next day, at the crack of dawn, two carriages set off from Bianliang.

......