Chapter 49: Tangtang is jealous, the person next door, at a glance, is someone who doesn’t understand…

“What!”

Meng Jun, who was lying on the wall, quickly turned and slid down the ladder, “What is Han uncle doing! The mistress hasn’t returned home yet, what kind of marriage is being discussed?”

Zhidong hid the ladder that was leaning against the wall and lowered his voice, “The servant who came to relay the message said that Han Fushi has set up a screen in the main hall. It seems he wants you to discuss the marriage with Wei Yunruo in person.”

“Zhidong! Don’t make wild guesses.” Zhiqiu frowned deeply, stepping forward to carefully wrap a cloak around Meng Jun’s shoulders, “Where in this great Jin dynasty do unmarried young men discuss their own marriages? Even if Han Fushi is confused, he wouldn’t give such an undignified order.”

Hearing this, Zhidong pouted, “Young master, I’m not just guessing. If not, why would he need to invite you to the main hall? In my opinion, Han Fushi must have received some benefit from Wei Yunruo, otherwise why would he invite someone in when he knows the mistress hasn’t returned?”

“Enough.” Waving his hand to signal the two servants to be quiet, Meng Jun slightly furrowed his brows, “A visitor is still a guest. Let’s go see first before saying anything more.”

In the main hall.

On the red wood silk gauze screen, a misty landscape with a lone fishing boat.

Han Fushi lightly turned the gold bracelet on his wrist, looking with considerable admiration at Wei Yunruo sitting in the lower seat.

As expected of a renowned scholar in the capital.

Not to mention the humble smile in her eyes, just sitting there quietly made her look as elegant as a painting.

Although Madam Meng had not yet returned home, having such a fairy-like figure personally come to propose marriage was considered a beautiful thing for both the Meng family and Meng Jun.

Han Fushi naturally couldn’t easily let go of this big fish. In their conversation, he again quietly urged a servant to go invite Meng Jun once more.

“This child Jiulang has been introverted since he was young.” He had just opened his mouth when light footsteps could be heard approaching from behind the screen.

The two people sitting in the main hall turned their heads at the sound. In the hazy view, they could only see the young man’s wide sleeves floating gracefully, as if a celestial being had fallen from the clouds, yet without a speck of dust.

Wei Yunruo was slightly stunned. It seemed he had grown taller in the few days they hadn’t seen each other.

Thinking of that waist she had glimpsed across the bonfire in Chang Shan Gou, Wei Yunruo’s heart fluttered. She feared that after a while longer, even Qi Yun would not be able to compare in the slightest.

The young man was stunningly beautiful.

Even though she was not one to covet a man’s appearance, at this moment she could hardly contain herself, fearing that she might appear undignified somewhere and cause those beautiful phoenix eyes to show some disdain.

“Young Master Meng.” Wei Yunruo stood up and greeted him, “Since we parted at Chang Shan Gou, I have been busy with court affairs and haven’t had the chance to come and personally congratulate you.”

“Wei Yunruo is too kind.” The young man behind the screen was also courteous, his tone flat, without a trace of joy.

Han Fushi’s eyes darted around, and he quickly joked, “After all, coming from the Hanlin Academy, the etiquette is indeed complete. No wonder people like you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Yunruo’s face immediately warmed by three degrees, “Han Fushi praises me too much. I only hope not to be disliked for being boring.”

“How could that be? I dare not speak for others, but our Jiulang—”

Meng Jun glanced at the smiling Han Fushi, his brow slightly furrowing, “Uncle Han!”

“Look at that, I’ve said too much.” Han Fushi made a gesture of lightly patting his own lips, then pushed his folding fan to block the young man behind the screen, smiling as he said softly to Wei Yunruo sitting in the lower seat, “Jiulang is shy, I was thoughtless in my words.”

He cleared his throat and sat up straight, saying, “Now that my wife-master is not here, after all, it is Jiulang’s own marriage. Why don’t you two discuss it yourselves?”

“I’m afraid that would be improper.” Wei Yunruo cupped her hands, “Young Master Meng is after all a young man, and there are probably some things he cannot say himself. However, today is an auspicious day, which is why I dared to come uninvited.”

“Moreover, in matters of marriage, one should follow the parents’ orders and the matchmaker’s words. Everyone in the capital knows that Han Fushi has been taking care of the Meng family’s affairs all these years, and you are after all an elder.”

Wei Yunruo spoke loudly, nodding towards the screen in acknowledgment, “Why don’t you speak about this marriage first?”

This speech not only elevated Han Fushi’s status but also used etiquette to thoroughly block the young man behind the screen.

“Well……” Han Fushi pretended to ponder for a moment, and seeing that Meng Jun didn’t speak up, he finally began to speak cheerfully, “In my opinion, there’s nothing to fault with this marriage.”

Meng Jun’s heart raced, and he quickly stood up. Before he could speak, a maid rushed in from the courtyard, “Han Fushi, the mistress has returned!”

“Wife-master?” Han Fushi was startled, a flash of struggle passing through his eyes. In an instant, he wiped away tears that had appeared from nowhere with a handkerchief, bowed to Wei Yunruo, and went out to greet her with the help of a servant.

Meng Jun also followed out. Before he could leave the main hall, someone lightly patted his sleeve. Wei Yunruo, who had also stood up, curved her eyes at him and, taking advantage of the crowd, said in a low voice, “Young master, please stay for a moment. The strange poison on Li Ruantang’s body—”

She hesitated, looking around. Meng Jun understood and stopped. As he raised his eyes to the courtyard, he saw Li Ruantang cupping her hands to his mother before striding out.

Eh? When did she arrive?

His scattered attention immediately became a mess with the departure of that figure. He hurriedly took a few steps outside, but with a creak, the main gate of the Meng residence closed tightly.

Han Fushi closely followed behind the tired-faced Meng Xiaozhi, busy ordering servants to brew soup and smiling through tears. Suddenly catching sight of Meng Jun and Wei Yunruo standing together, before Meng Xiaozhi could ask, he quickly explained the situation in a few brief sentences.

“Discussing marriage?” Casually tossing the bundle on her shoulder into Han Fushi’s arms, Meng Xiaozhi clasped her hands behind her back, looking at the young woman who came forward to greet her, “Since Wei Yunruo is from the Hanlin Academy, don’t you know the etiquette for discussing marriage in our great Jin?”

Her face was serious, and she spoke without any regard for face.