The Aloof Lord's Mysterious Wife
Chapter 90: Crown Prince Qi’s Marriage Proposal

Chapter 90: Crown Prince Qi’s Marriage Proposal

Before Chu Hanlin and Nanli returned home, news of the proposal had already reached the Chu family.

The betrothal gifts from the Prince Yu’s residence had been delivered.

Qing Feng, dressed in new attire, exuded an extraordinary aura.

As the procession carrying the gifts passed by, stretching as far as the eye could see, many curious onlookers followed to witness the union of two families.

A crowd had gathered at the entrance of Marquis Anyang’s residence, making it difficult for the father and daughter to enter.

However, Qing Feng, with his sharp eyes, immediately commanded the Black Armor Guards to clear a path.

As the they alighted from the carriage, they were taken aback by the grandeur before them.

"Greetings, Marquis, greetings to Miss Chu," Qing Feng respectfully bowed, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

He personally handed the list of gifts to Nanli, saying, "These are the betrothal gifts from Prince Yu to Miss Chu."

Nanli opened the list and her first reaction was that it was quite extensive.

Yuanbao and Chunbao helped her unfold the long scroll, which was densely filled with various items and presents.

She was not adept at accounting, so after glancing at it, her head began to spin. Helplessly, she looked at Qing Feng and asked, "Do we really need so many betrothal gifts?"

"Of course, Prince Yu is not only a Prince of Nine Pearls but also the Grand General of the Northern Plains. These gifts showcase his status and represent his high regard for you," Qing Feng replied earnestly.

At some point, Qing Feng had already regarded Miss Chu as the future princess. Therefore, when Prince Yu prepared these betrothal gifts, he spared no effort to assist, leaving no room for negligence.

Chu Hanlin and Lady Shen couldn’t help but smile upon hearing this.

Qing Feng raised his hand, and a eunuch began to loudly recite the list of gifts: "Fifty thousand taels of silver snowflake, ten thousand taels of gold, a pair of jade-inlaid golden Ruyi, a pair of white jade flower vases, a box of East Sea pearls, a pair of gold hairpins adorned with pearls and precious stones, a pair of pearl-embroidered peony-patterned gold tassels..."

As the voice echoed, people began carrying boxes into the marquis’s residence.

Even the wealthiest person in the household, Chu Shuo, was astonished.

The list of gifts from the Ninth Prince not only included various ornaments and jewelry but also items such as a sandalwood bed and a folding screen depicting the Immortals Crossing the Sea.

It was too much to fit even the spacious front yard.

After finishing the list of gifts, Qing Feng presented a medium-sized wooden box and said, "These are some properties and estates in the capital and its outskirts that Prince Yu has bestowed upon Miss Chu as part of the betrothal gifts."

Chu Shuo couldn’t help but exclaim, "This is not just ’some’ properties!"

The land deeds were so thin that even casually packed, there were dozens of them.

Originally, the five brothers had some reservations about this marriage, but now, seeing the numerous betrothal gifts sent by the Ninth Prince, they were willing to entrust their entire family fortune to Miss Chu.

They exchanged glances and remained silent.

The most convinced was Chu Shuo, who had been managing the accounts since he was ten years old and knew the value of these items.

Even the commoners waiting outside received red envelopes from the palace maids, allowing everyone to share in the joy.

Nanli’s head was now throbbing, and there was little smile left on her face.

Qing Feng was alarmed and quickly asked, "Miss Chu, are these betrothal gifts not to your liking? I can arrange for more to be prepared and sent."

"No, no, no," Nanli waved her hand dismissively.

"It’s just too much. My Qingliang Courtyard’s storage cannot possibly accommodate all of this, and I have no idea how to manage these properties either."

The gifts from her eldest and second brother alone had already occupied most of the storage space.

Qing Feng breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Please rest assured, Miss Chu. Prince Yu has also sent two capable housekeepers to assist with the management. You won’t have to worry about a thing."

They had long known that Miss Chu’s heart was not set on domestic affairs, so they made all the necessary preparations.

Qing Feng beckoned, and two housekeepers stepped forward to pay their respects.

A gentle smile appeared on Nanli’s face, and she allowed the housekeepers to rise.

These were the people chosen by Ye Siheng, and they were trustworthy.

She no longer needed to worry about such matters.

After exchanging name cards, the marriage was officially settled, but the timing of the wedding banquet still needed to be discussed.

There was no rush for Nanli, who had only returned to her family’s residence two or three months ago.

The Dowager and Chu Hanlin naturally wanted her to stay at home a little longer.

Nanli, in particular, had no urgency.

At fifteen years old, there was no need for her to rush into marriage and childbirth.

However, it was said that the envoy from the Kingdom of Qi had returned to the inn in a fit of anger and had sent an urgent message back to Qi.

As for the Kingdom of Jiang, Emperor Muwu, upon learning of the true and false princess incident, was at a loss as to how to evaluate it.

After careful consideration, Emperor Muwu decided to keep this matter hidden and not pursue Jiang’s breach of trust.

At this critical juncture, with tensions between Mu and Qi already becoming serious, they naturally couldn’t afford to fall out with the State of Jiang.

Jiang was a small border country in the southwest.

For hundreds of years, any country that attempted to attack Jiang had returned empty-handed, often with heavy casualties, as the Xuanyuan royal family possessed profound witchcraft.

Over time, Jiang and the Xuanyuan royal family had become shrouded in a mysterious aura.

However, in this generation, the Xuanyuan royal family only had Xuanyuan Cang as their sole heir.

He was already approaching twenty-five years old and exceptionally handsome.

Upon a piece of silk, there lay a translucent and sparkling pearl, occasionally infused with fragments of ethereal essence.

The luminous starlight within the pearl grew brighter and brighter.

"The shattered remnants of my aunt’s soul must have caused her immense pain," Xuanyuan Cang murmured, a touch of tenderness flickering in his eyes.

"It’s truth. However, the princess’s soul within the spirit pearl is nearly repaired, and it is time to select a suitable individual," Cao Mammy respectfully replied, her hands crossed before her.

During the time when the capital Mu Country thrived, the princess entrusted the spirit pearl to her, to be brought back to the borderlands.

Thus, even if the princess’s body perished and her soul shattered, she could still undergo the technique of reincarnation, allowing her to be reborn anew.

Xuanyuan Cang nodded and instructed the palace attendants to bring forth the chosen women. There were a total of four.

They were young and beautiful, at first glance bearing a resemblance to Xuanyuan Qingyue.

With the corner of their eyes, they glances at Xuanyuan Cang furtively, their countenances blushing with shyness.

Since three years ago, they had been selected to enter the palace, destined to become the future ruler of a nation.

However, as Xuanyuan Cang kept delaying the matter, they had all thought they had lost this opportunity.

Little did they expect to receive the summons today.

"Lift your heads," Xuanyuan Cang spoke slowly.

The women complied, their cheeks flushed, their eyes filled with affectionate gazes.

Upon seeing this, Xuanyuan Cang couldn’t help but feel repulsed.

It was Cao Mammy who suggested, "Sovereign, why not choose this young lady?"

Xuanyuan Cang observed her and saw that she possessed the most striking resemblance to his aunt, both in appearance and temperament.

He nodded slightly, "Indeed, her."

The other three women were taken aback.

What was this?

Was the selection of a queen to be decided by an old maid?!

One of the women couldn’t accept it and protested,

"Sovereign, this is unfair! Are you choosing the queen, or is it this maid who is choosing the queen?"

Xuanyuan Cang narrowed his eyes, a glint of coldness shining through.

Leaning lazily against his throne, exuding an aura of authority without anger, he uttered, "Slap her."

Immediately, a palace attendant stepped forward and delivered a few slaps to the protesting woman.

The remaining two women dared not even breathe heavily in the face of such a scene.