Luoyang Brocade

Lu Qian's reaction was beyond Lu Hong's surprise.

Did he think that he could impress Ling Jingshu with just some simple words? Ling Jingshu even rejected him outright, so how could she fall in love with Lu Qian who was two years younger than her and can't match her in any way?

Lu Hong frowned, and reminded in a deep voice: "If Cousin Shu rejects you, you can't keep pestering her." The two brothers grew up together, and he knew Lu Qian's stubborn temper very well.

Lu Qian raised his eyebrows, and smiled confidently: "Cousin Shu will not reject me."

Lu Hong: "..."

Where did he get his confidence?

Lu Qian didn't say any more, turned and left.

Lu Hong stood there for a long time, motionless. Regret and pain overflowed his handsome face.

...

Old Lady Ling's birthday banquet was held for three consecutive days.

After the birthday banquet, everyone in the Ling Mansion was exhausted. However, there were still many follow-up things to do, and the female relatives still had no leisure.

The chores in the inner house were divided among several daughters-in-law. Although Sun, the eldest daughter-in-law of the house, had returned to the mansion, she was only staying for a while and will return to the capital. So she didn't like to meddle in this trivial matter. She spent leisurely time talking with Old Lady Ling and Madan Ling every day.

Madam Li and the others were not so lucky. They were busy counting the congratulatory gifts, warehousing, keeping accounts, accounting for the expenses of the birthday banquet, etc., all these were enough to cause headaches.

Ling Jingshu has been busy for several days, and she was also a little tired. Fortunately, after sternly rejecting Lu Hong that day, Lu Hong never appeared in front of her again, which finally made her feel much better.

"Sister Shu, come to Gu gu."(1)

Madam Ling waved kindly, signalling Ling Jingshu to come forward. No matter how reluctant Ling Jingshu was, she had no choice but to step forward and softly greet her aunt.

Lu An sat beside Ling Shi, and his eyes naturally fell on her.

Like being stared at by a greedy and vicious snake, her whole body tensed up and stiffened immediately. This was completely a subconscious reaction of the body, no matter how calm and serene Ling Jingshu was, she couldn't control it.

Ling Jingshu calmed down and saluted Lu An: "I have seen my Gu fu."(2)

Lu An smiled and asked kindly and casually: "Sister Shu, I heard from your Gu gu that you are good at growing famous peonies. You have planted them all before. Which species? Tell me."

His eyes secretly and swiftly flicked across Ling Jingshu's pretty face and slim figure.

Since Lu An arrived at Ling's house, he has been busy with socializing, and rarely stayed in the inner house on weekdays. Ling Jingshu deliberately avoided him as well. It was the first time that the two of them were so close and talked alone.

Her stomach kept churning, and the nauseating feeling came again.

It was stronger than Lu Hong's finger touching her.

Ling Jingshu forced herself to suppress the feeling of nausea, her pretty face turned pale slightly, and her expression was still calm: "Gu gu must be exaggerating. In fact, I just have nothing to do to pass the time." 

"You girl, you just don't like to take credit. I have already accompanied your Gu fu to the peony garden and showed him all the peonies you planted. Your Gu fu is full of praise!" 

Ling smiled and pulled Ling Jingshu's slender and cool arm: " However, girls don't want those false names. We can all see how clever you are!" 

In the past two days, Ling asked twice in private, and Lu Qian's attitude was very firm. He liked Ling Jingshu he won't marry unless he marries her.

This was the son born by Madam Ling and no one knew his stubbornness better than her. So she reluctantly pondered about this marriage. Ling Jingshu was two years older than Lu Qian, and the age difference was not too big. It would be appropriate to settle the marriage first and wait a few years before getting married...

Thinking of this, Ling's eyes on Ling Jingshu became more intimate.

"My Gu gu is praising so much, this niece feels really ashamed." Ling Jingshu lowered her head pretending to be shy and moved closer to Ling's side naturally.

She hated this couple. However, it was better to be close to Madam Ling than to be close to Lu An.

Madam Ling said with a pleasant smile: "When a family talks, there is no need to hide it, and there is no need to be hypocritical. Your Gu gu really likes you!" 

After speaking, she looked at Fifth Master Ling again and made a joke that was half-true and half-false: "Fifth Brother, Sister Shu and I hit it off very much, and I like her very much. Let Sister Shu be my daughter-in-law!" 

Fifth Master Ling didn't take it seriously and said with a casual smile: "Okay, then we have a deal."

If the Ling family really intends to get married, Lu Hong was outstanding in learning and good in appearance, and he was the eldest son of the Lu family, such a good marriage will not humiliate Ling Jingshu.

Ling Jingshu's heart sank.

Damn you Lu Hong! (3)

She had already rejected him categorically and mercilessly, but he even begged Ling to propose a marriage for him...

However, the marriage of children was a big matter after all, so it doesn't count if such a joke was said casually. Madam Ling was just testing Fifth Master Ling's reaction. 

The topic was quickly changed: "Da Sao (4), when are you and Elder brother planning to return to the Capital? "

Sun replied with a smile: "I would like to stay longer. However, the master is busy with affairs in the Ministry of Industry, and he only took a two-month long vacation, and we have to spend a lot of time on the road. So, we will stay for a few more days, and then we have to pack our luggage and start our journey. "

Madam Ling was quite regretful: "I thought I could spend a few more days with my elder brother and Da Sao" "

At this time, the mountains were high and the water was far away, and the journey was very inconvenient. Jizhou and Luoyang were thousands of miles away, and it was very inconvenient to move around. After this time, they didn't know when they will meet in the future, it can be after the year of the monkey. 

When Ling said this, Old Lady Ling also felt a little sad. She was already seventy this year, and she only hoped that her children and grandchildren will be around her knees. But once the birthday is over, each of them will go their separate ways.......

After everyone bid farewell, Old Lady Ling deliberately kept back Madam Ling to speak to her alone.

"Ah Hui, did you really mean what you said to the Fifth child just now? Have you discussed it with your husband? "

Madam Ling nodded with a smile: "I don't dare to talk about such a big event without his permission. I had discussed it with the master a long time ago, and the master had a very good impression of sister Shu, and he is very much in favour of marrying the Ling family. "

Old lady Ling breathed a sigh of relief, with a smile on her brows and eyes: "Since my Nu xu (5) also favours this marriage, there is nothing wrong with it, and it is also a happy event for the two families to become in-laws. "

Madam Ling coughed, with a slightly embarrassed look on her face, and lowered her voice, "Being married is indeed a happy event. However, this matter is somewhat different from what I said before. "

Old lady Ling was taken aback, and asked suspiciously: "What's the difference? "

"The person I want to propose marriage to is not Ah Hong," Ling's expression became more and more awkward, but she had to reveal the truth: "It's Ah Qian!" "

Old lady Ling: "..."

She heard it right!

Old lady Ling couldn't believe her ears: "Ah Hui, what did you say? Aren't you proposing marriage to Ah Hong? "

"I asked Ah Hong, he wants to concentrate on his studies and doesn't want to get married early. I thought, let's let this marriage go." Ling smiled wryly and sighed: "I never thought that Ah Qian would say that he likes sister Shu, and made a fuss asking me to propose marriage..."

"What nonsense!" Old Lady Ling finally recovered from the shock, and blurted out: "Ah Hong hasn't engaged yet, how can it be his turn."

Not to mention, from the old lady's point of view, Lu Qian was still a child who hasn't grown up. How do you know what love is and what marriage is?

Ling sighed again: "Yeah, I scolded him like that at the time. But he was so stubborn as if obsessed, and he said that he would not marry anyone other than her in this life. If I didn't propose marriage for him, he will die alone... He said a lot of stupid things. Fortunately, he told me in private, if his father found out, he would be furious!"

"I've been thinking about it for the past two days, Ah Qian has been weak since he was a child, and his temperament is more self-willed and arrogant. It would be a good thing if he married Sister Shu, who is two years older. Firstly, he will get what he wanted, and secondly, Sister Shu is careful and calm, so she can take more care of him in the future."

Old Lady Ling calmed down, thought for a moment, and said slowly: "It makes sense for you to think so. However, in this way, sister Shu will inevitably be wronged. She will have to wait a few years before she gets married." 

Lu Qian was only twelve years old, and with that frail body, they have to wait until at least he was sixteen years old before they can get married. In this way, Ling Jingshu would have to wait until she was eighteen to get married, and her youth was wasted in vain.

Ling Jingshu was gentle and docile since she was a child, and the old lady Ling liked her the most. The old lady Ling hesitated when she thought that Ling Jingshu would not marry until she was an old girl.

"Mother, I understand what you said." Madam Ling held the hand of old lady Ling, pleading softly: "I also know, this is wronging sister Shu. But Ah Qian is determined to marry her, and he will only marry her. I couldn't resist his temper, so I had the audacity to open my mouth to Mother. As long as Mother is willing to nod, I guess Fifth Brother will not refuse."

Old Madam Ling frowned and pondered, with a look of hesitation.

Sister Shu was the Sun nu (6) and Ah Qian was the wai sun (7). The flesh on the palm of your hand and the back are the same, and it was not a good feeling to wrong one side.

Seeing that Old Lady Ling did not refuse, Madam Ling was determined and said sincerely: "Mother, I am sister Shu's direct Gu gu, so I will naturally cherish her in my heart. In the future, when sister Shu marries the Lu family, I will definitely treat her well, and never let her be wronged in the slightest."

The old lady Ling finally sighed: "That's all! Since you have this heart, I will make the decision and agree first. On the Fifth's side, let me tell him."

As she spoke, she said seriously, "Ah Hui, don't forget what you said today. You must treat Sister Shu well in the future, and don't let her be wronged." 

Seeing that Old Lady Ling had been persuaded, Ling's heart ached. Both happy and excited, she replied without hesitation: "Mother, if you still don't feel at ease, I swear here. If there is something wrong with Sister Shu in the future, I will be struck by lightning and die a bad death." 

Old Lady Ling gave her daughter a reproachful look: "Why do you make such a poisonous oath? As long as you have the heart. …"

1. Father's sister. From now on I will try to write the Chinese name for a relationship because the English translation is not nuanced enough. 

2. Paternal aunt's husband

3. Poor Lu Hong taking the pot for his brother T/N

4. Wife of your eldest brother

5. Husband of my daughter

6. Daughter of my son

7. Son of my daughter. 

T/N English translation of these terms means grandchildren but in Chinese, they are different when it comes to whether the child is from a son or a daughter. I find this interesting because the same is true for so many other Asian cultures including mine. The daughter's grandchildren are not considered to be the family's grandchildren because a daughter gets married to another family.