Chapter 97: The Wedding Tomorrow

With a loud “bang,” the door to the side room was abruptly flung open!

Ren Yue, who had been about to rise from Li Xunshan’s lap, was startled by the noise and instinctively clung tightly to his neck.

Seeing this, Patriarch Ren’s eyes widened like an ox’s, his face flushed with anger. Pointing at the two, he shouted sternly, “You two! This is outrageous!”

At this moment, the two, still holding onto each other, hadn’t yet reacted. Patriarch Ren, fuming, bellowed, “Li Xunshan! How long do you intend to hold her like that?”

The moment the words were out, the two immediately separated. Ren Yue, her face flushed crimson, stood to the side, while Li Xunshan, like a guilty “quail,” lowered his head and stepped forward to bow before Patriarch Ren. “U-Uncle!”

Patriarch Ren clasped his hands behind his back and snorted coldly. “Don’t call me Uncle. I’m not your uncle!”

Nearby, Ren Yue couldn’t hold back and scolded, “Father! We didn’t do anything!”

“Silence!” Patriarch Ren shot her a glare before turning back to Li Xunshan, his voice heavy. “Li Xunshan! You’re supposed to be a scholar. Do you not understand the concept of propriety between men and women?”

Feeling guilty, Li Xunshan nodded and replied, “I do.”

“If you know, then what do you intend to do about it?” Patriarch Ren’s tone rose, his gaze sharpening.

Li Xunshan bowed deeply, his voice filled with sincerity. “I will follow Uncle’s decision!”

“Good!” Patriarch Ren gave Li Xunshan a firm pat on the shoulder and said seriously, “If you’ll listen to me, then you’ll get married tomorrow!”

“M-M-Marry?!” Li Xunshan straightened up abruptly, his face filled with disbelief. “Uncle, you must be joking!”

“Hmm?” Patriarch Ren’s eyes narrowed coldly. “Do you plan to abandon my daughter after taking advantage of her?”

At this, Li Xunshan frantically waved his hands. “No, no, no! My feelings for Yue’er are as clear as the sun and moon. It’s just that, Uncle—”

“Enough!” Patriarch Ren frowned and interrupted, “What’s with the hesitation? If you keep dithering, I won’t let you marry my daughter!”

Stunned and overwhelmed, Li Xunshan could only stammer, “Alright, alright, alright!”

Seeing Li Xunshan so nervous that sweat began to form on his brow, Patriarch Ren burst into hearty laughter. “Good! I’ll go prepare the wedding feast and the bridal chamber!”

With that, Patriarch Ren walked out the door, shutting it behind him as he left.

After a long silence, the once-quiet room stirred slightly. Li Xunshan glanced at Ren Yue and hesitantly said, “Yue’er, Uncle just said we’re getting married tomorrow…”

Ren Yue, her ears tinged with a faint blush, nodded. “I heard.”

Li Xunshan blinked in surprise. “And… what do you think?”

“What’s there to think?” Ren Yue walked over to the table, picked up a teacup, and took a long sip. “If we’re getting married, then so be it.”

…

Outside, in the corridor, Madam Ren lowered her voice as she walked alongside Patriarch Ren. “Patriarch, such an important matter being handled so hastily—won’t many guests miss the chance to be invited?”

“What does it matter?” Patriarch Ren chuckled, making a dismissive gesture. “As long as Mr. Gu can attend Yue’er’s wedding banquet, that’s all that matters!”

Madam Ren quickened her pace to catch up, her brows furrowed slightly. “Even if you want Mr. Gu to attend, you shouldn’t treat our daughter’s marriage like a business deal. Her lifelong happiness isn’t something to toy with.”

Hearing this, Patriarch Ren laughed and retorted, “Tell me, wife, hasn’t Yue’er already set her heart on that kid Li Xunshan?”

Madam Ren thought for a moment before replying, “That seems to be the case.”

“And think about it—why has Xunshan, an orphan with no family, stayed in Gucheng County as a tutor? Why does he take on physical labor at the river at night? Why do you think that is?” Patriarch Ren pressed.

“Xunshan feels that our families are mismatched, so he’s been working hard to save money, hoping to marry Yue’er on his own merit.”

Smack!

Patriarch Ren clapped his hands. “Exactly! This kid is diligent, upright, righteous, and resilient… but he has one flaw—he’s too concerned about family status.”

“He doesn’t realize it’s not my family’s threshold that’s high—it’s the hurdle in his own heart that’s too deep.”

“If we wait for him to overcome that inner hurdle, it might take several more years!”

“And by then, the chance will have gone cold!”

Hearing this, Madam Ren’s furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly. “I see. So, you’re pressing him to marry Yue’er sooner, sparing them the suffering of longing for each other.”

“Madam, you’re as sharp as ever,” Patriarch Ren said with a chuckle, pulling her close and planting a playful kiss on her cheek.

Madam Ren shot him a glare. “You’re so improper! Now hurry up and contact the guests. Even if it’s rushed, our precious daughter’s wedding must be grand and festive. Understood?”

Patriarch Ren bowed slightly, adopting a mock-serious tone. “Yes, Madam’s orders!”

…

By noon, Gu Ning’an sat up from his bed, slid on his shoes, and dispelled the silencing spell he had placed on the side room. Immediately, the sounds of bustling activity outside poured in.

“Good thing I cast that silencing spell, or I wouldn’t have gotten a peaceful rest.”

Earlier that morning, he had already been woken once. He had clearly overheard the words of the military officer and, after Old Man Wen declined the Imperial Preceptor’s invitation on his behalf, he promptly cast the spell to block out external noise and went back to sleep.

With the chaos in Jiangling Prefecture resolved, Gu Ning’an, who hadn’t had a proper rest in a while, intended to make up for all his “lost” sleep, even though he no longer needed sleep to recover his strength.

Creak.

The side room door opened, and a petite maid hurried over, bowing as she spoke, “Mr. Gu, you’re awake… The master instructed me to wait on you. I’ll fetch some water for your washing.”

“No need. Lead the way, and I’ll manage myself,” Gu Ning’an said with a wave of his hand.

The maid nodded and guided him to a semi-open washing area in the rear courtyard.

After washing up on his own, Gu Ning’an couldn’t help but marvel at the standards of a wealthy household.

Even the salt they used for cleaning their teeth was top-grade refined salt.

Returning to the front courtyard alone, he was momentarily taken aback by the scene before him: the entire courtyard was bustling with servants decorating the residence.

Most of the space in the front courtyard was adorned with exquisite red silk drapes, festive lanterns emblazoned with the word “happiness,” and all kinds of meticulously crafted red decorations.

The flowerbeds in the yard had been replaced with vibrant pots of peonies.

In the main hall, where servants were being directed in their work, Patriarch Ren, upon hearing that Gu Ning’an was awake, hurriedly rushed out. Catching sight of Gu Ning’an, he approached with an enthusiastic smile.

“Mr. Gu, how did you sleep last night? Was there anything you found uncomfortable?”

Gu Ning’an clasped his hands in greeting. “Everything was excellent. I’ve troubled Patriarch Ren too much.”

“No trouble at all! No trouble!” Patriarch Ren laughed, quickly changing the subject. Gesturing toward the festive decorations, he asked with a grin, “Mr. Gu, can you guess what this setup is for?”

Gu Ning’an smiled knowingly. “Patriarch Ren is marrying off his daughter?”

“Exactly!” Patriarch Ren nodded. “I’ve decided to have Xunshan and Yue’er marry tomorrow… If Mr. Gu has no urgent matters, please stay another day to join us in the celebration!”