Chapter 428 - 428. Greeting Father-in-law
At this moment, the Su family was also busy. After learning that their future son-in-law would visit, Su Hanxuan ordered dishes at his family’s restaurant. There was no other way. Su Qing had arrested all the maids and old women in the manor. They had to treat the future son-in-law with a grand reception. Su Hanxuan almost prepared a Manchu Han Imperial Feast. He ordered all the dishes on the restaurant’s menu and even asked the butler to return the roasted lamb to the manor. His father-in-law doted on his son-in-law. He was afraid that he would not treat him well.
When Ji Shuisheng arrived at the entrance of the Su family’s residence with gifts and personal guards, he was just in time for the restaurant to deliver food to the Su residence. What a long line; it dumbfounded the commoners on the street.
Su Hanxuan brought Yang Zhi and the others to pick up Ji Shuisheng at the door. Ji Shuisheng was flattered and quickly got off the horse and took two steps forward. He lifted his shirt and knelt on one knee to greet his future father-in-law.
“Uncle Su, how have you been? I’m here to greet you.”
Ji Shuisheng was also anxious. He had not even married Su Qing yet and had already called himself his son-in-law. Su Hanxuan did not think that his future son-in-law was rude at all. He helped him up with a smile.
“Haha, get up, get up. There’s no need to bow as a family.”
“Brother Shuisheng, you must call me Uncle Yang in the future.”
Yang Zhi’s smile was as bright as the spring breeze. He did not expect that Shuisheng was the son-in-law Brother Su had been searching for so hard. Even storytellers did not dare to make this up. Wasn’t this too much of a coincidence?
Ji Shuisheng’s guards moved the gifts into the courtyard. This was the first time they had met their father-in-law.
Su Hanxuan had always liked Ji Shuisheng, this young man. Now that he knew that the one who had arranged a marriage for his children was General Xiao Heng, he was extremely excited.
General Xiao Heng was a well-known figure in the Great Xia Kingdom. A scholar, a farmer, and a businessman were at the lowest level. Logically speaking, the daughter of a businessman was not qualified to marry an official’s family as the main wife. She was only qualified to be a concubine.
However, General Xiao Heng had given him enough face by choosing her as his wife. It could be seen that he did not have worldly prejudice or care about trifles. He was indeed a man.
Su Qing was forced to change into new clothes by her mother. She put on beaded jade and dressed like a lady, which made her uncomfortable.
The hem of her dress was too narrow, and she had to take small steps when she walked. She was used to taking giant strides, and this graceful walking was too tiring.
The jade beads on her head jingled as she walked, making her extremely annoyed.
The ancient people knew how to torture themselves. How good could this be? Wearing accessories all over her head gave her a headache, and this noise was also annoying!
“Look, you’re still so beautiful.”
Yang Ruxue looked at her daughter, dressed up by her hands, and her eyes were filled with pride. Her daughter was as beautiful as a flower and jade. With just a little dressing up, she was peerless. Yang Ruxue took this opportunity to teach Su Qing the rules.
” When you’re going to be married, you have to act like the head of the household. You have to be dignified without being angry. You have to be well-behaved when you walk, sit, and lie. You have to smile without showing your teeth, and you have to speak elegantly…”
“Mother, mother, I know. I’ll go out and see if Shuisheng is here.”
Su Qing couldn’t listen to her anymore. She felt that her mother had learned from Tang Sanzang’s talkative mouth and was chanting scriptures in her ear. If she lived as her mother said, she might as well not get married!
“You child.”
Before Yang Ruxue could finish, she saw Su Qing pick up her skirt and run out. She chased after her anxiously.
“Put down your dress and walk properly.”
Su Qing’s face was filled with black lines. She put down her dress and looked back at her mother. Under her expectant gaze, she took small steps forward. Oh my god! It was tiring to walk!
No, 1 have to go back to Mo City tomorrow. If I stay at home any longer, I’ll go crazy.
Just as Su Qing was lost in her thoughts, she heard her father’s loud laughter. It sounded like Shuisheng was here. Su Qing picked up the hem of her dress and ran out!
Yang Ruxue stomped her feet anxiously and was deeply depressed. Why couldn’t she teach her daughter well?
“Second Aunt, Qing’er, is a woman. You shouldn’t set the rules for her; you’ll scare her away.”
Luan Hong understood Su Qing’s character too well. If her second aunt set such rules for her, she would have to run away in less than three days.
“If we don’t teach her now, it’ll be too late. If she doesn’t know the rules when she gets married, her future mother-in-law and father-in-law won’t like her.” Yang Ruxue was also doing this for her daughter’s sake. How could a wealthy family allow the mistress of the house to be rude?
“You don’t have to worry about that. Ji Shuisheng’s parents died early, and he only has a grandfather. His grandfather and Qing’er were friends regardless of age; he is already familiar with her personality and wouldn’t make things difficult for her.”
Luan Hong’s eyes were filled with admiration when she talked about Su Qing. No one else in the entire Central Plains was as outstanding as Su Qing. Why would she change for the sake of other people’s opinions?
Yang Ruxue was annoyed that Su Qing couldn’t learn the rules. Su Qing grabbed her dress and ran out of the Inner Residence. As soon as she left the Inner Residence, she saw the handsome Ji Shuisheng.
He was wearing a large cloak with a circle of black mink fur. He walked with giant strides and looked extraordinary.
He had firm and handsome facial features, a smooth chin, thick and handsome eyebrows, thin lips, and a strong yet extraordinary temperament. He was no longer the innocent youth he used to be. Surrounded by his guards, he was like the world’s overlord, exuding a noble aura.
His clear eyes flashed with amazement. This was the first time he saw Su Qing dressed so well. She was as beautiful as a fairy.
She wore a light blue long dress that fit her well, outlining her slender figure. The dark patterns on the dress were gorgeous and noble. The cuffs and hem of the dress were embroidered with golden thread. The dress was not overly extravagant but made Su Qing’s cold temperament even gentler. Her beauty was as dazzling as a noble peony blooming, making people unable to take their eyes off her.
Their gazes intertwined in the air, and neither could bear to look away. Su Hanxuan saw that their relationship was so good, and a gratified smile appeared on his face as he instructed Su Qing,
“Qing’er, go and prepare for your fiance’s welcome.”
According to the Great Xia Kingdom rules, unmarried couples were not allowed to meet. However, Shuisheng and Qing’er had always been together, so this rule had to be broken.
Su Hanxuan had always been pedantic, which was very different from Yang Ruxue. He was proud of his daughter and did not think that she should learn the three obedience and four virtues of a woman. She should not leave or enter the house, smile without showing her teeth, and walk and sit properly. That way, she would not be Su Qing but a puppet.
Su Hanxuan liked his daughter’s current personality very much. Who said a woman could only stay in the backyard for the rest of her life? His daughter could be both civil and martial. Why should she be like those ignorant women and children trapped in a cage for the rest of her life?
After Su Qing left, Su Hanxuan asked Ji Shuisheng,
“Shuisheng, will you still marry another wife after you get married?”
Su Hanxuan felt that his daughter was not the kind of person who would share a man with other women. Although it was customary for men from the Central Plains to have three wives and four concubines, he did not want Ji Shuisheng to have a group of wives and concubines and let Qing’er suffer.
When she heard her father’s question, Su Qing had just left the door and stopped. She also wanted to hear Ji Shuisheng’s heartfelt words..