Song Si took Song Wan Yue and Gu Yi downstairs, and after enquiring about the shopkeeper took the carriage straight to a nearby jewellery shop.
Only then did Song Wan Yue ask, “Big brother, what’s going on?”
Song Si didn’t hide in front of them, his mouth grinning to the back of his head, “What else could be going on? You’ll soon have a sister-in-law!”
Song Wan Yue’s eyes widened, “Are you saying that the Duke of Ding has promised his granddaughter to you?”
Song Si nodded with a grin, “Duke Ding originally wanted Old Mr Xu to testify and let me hire a matchmaker to settle the marriage, but I didn’t want to aggravate Miss Xiao so much and said I would wait until the results of the exams came out, so Duke Ding let me leave a token of affection.”
“Good, big brother ……”, Song Wangyue admired, “You’ve made a sister-in-law out of shopping at the Western Market, you’re good enough.”
Song Si’s mouth grinned even wider, “Later you guys help me pick out a good one, make sure you pick the most chic one that represents my heart.”
“We’ll take care of it.”
The carriage stopped in front of the jewellery shop, several people got off the carriage and went straight inside, Song Wan Yue and Gu Yi in the front, Song Si in the back, after entering, looked at the counters one by one, Gu Yi pointed to a gold hairpin with magnolia flowers, “This one is good.”
Song Si also thought it was good, not only was the symbolism good, but it was also very much in line with Miss Xiao’s nature, so she immediately asked the man to take it out and asked for the price.
“One thousand taels.”
Without saying a word, Song Si took out the silver ticket and bought it, asking the mate to put it into the jewellery box for him, holding it in his hand as he walked out without looking back, “You two go back to the inn and wait for me, I’ll be back soon.”
As the words left his mouth, he was already out of the jewellery shop.
Song Wan Yue also wanted to go out, but was pulled by Gu Yi, let the fellows take out a butterfly gold hairpin from the counter, this gold hairpin is more exquisite than the one seen in the capital city, not only the butterfly wings are as thin as cicada wings, even the eyes are beautiful.
Gu Yi told Song Wan Yue to stand still and took the gold hairpin and put it on her head. The gold hairpin emitted a golden light under the sunlight, which made Song Wan Yue’s face more and more fair and pink.
“Beautiful.”
He had never seen a young girl of eight or nine years old wear the gold hairpin so beautifully, as if it was tailor-made for Song Wangyue.
“It’s too heavy.”
Song Wan Yue reached out to take it off, but Gu Yi took her hand and helped her take it off and put it back into the jewellery box, “Put it away for now after you buy it, you won’t be too heavy if you wear it again in a few years.”
“Then let’s buy it again in a few years.”
Song Wan Yue really didn’t want Gu Yi to buy her any more jewellery, not to mention the ones she was given when she was engaged to be married, and she didn’t know how long she would wear the several boxes of beaded flowers at home.
“In a few years’ time, there may not be anything so nice.”
Gu Yi asked the mate to fill them up for him.
“My lord, this gold hairpin costs three thousand taels.”
The mate thought about it and gave the price upfront, both of them looked like children still, and three thousand taels was not a small amount.
Gu Yi took out a 10,000 taels silver ticket and placed it on the counter. The man’s eyes widened instantly and it took him a while to react, he hurriedly took the silver ticket and handed it to the shopkeeper, asking him to double-check its authenticity, and returned with another 5,000 taels and another 2,000 taels, handing it respectfully to Gu Yi together with the jewellery box.
Gu Yi casually took the silver ticket and the jewellery box in his hand and led Song Wan Yue out of the shop.
……
When they arrived at the Ding Guo Gong gate and got off the carriage, Song Si collected her emotions, straightened her clothes, took her jewellery and walked towards the door with a steady step.
The butler had been waiting at the door and greeted him when he saw him get off the carriage, “Sir Song, please.”
“Thank you.”
The steward took him back to the parlour, where Duke Ding and Old Mr Xu were chatting animatedly when they saw him return and stopped the conversation.
Song Si bowed and then respectfully opened the jewellery box, “I come from a peasant family, I don’t have anything special on me, this gold hairpin is something I bought at the jewellery shop just now, to give to Miss Xiao as a token of affection.”
The Duke of Ding took it happily and deliberately held it up in front of Old Mr Xu for him to look at as well, before handing it over to the housekeeper, “Go and give it to Yao’er.”
The housekeeper answered, carefully took the jewellery box and held it in his hand, sending it over to Xiao Yao.
Song Si’s gaze followed him until she could no longer see him, then she withdrew it and saw that both Duke Ding and Old Mr Xu were looking at her, and her face suddenly reddened.
The Duke of Ding laughed happily, “Old man, today is a good day, you have to stay in the mansion for a drink anyway.”
“I’m afraid I can’t today, another day, when Song Si is in high school and is betrothed to Miss Xiao, I will definitely come to the house to ask for a drink.”
“It’s a deal, if old sir doesn’t come then, I’ll come to your door and ask you personally.”
……
The Duke of Ding personally saw the two of them off to the outside, and before they reached the gate, the housekeeper came after them with a handkerchief in his hand, “Sir Song, Miss Yao’er said to give you this handkerchief, so that you can take it and use it first, and when her arm is well, she will embroider a few more for Sir Song.”
The handkerchief was white, with the word Yao’er embroidered on one corner in a beautiful style.
Song Si took it and recited it silently in his mind a few times, unable to resist a silly smile on his face.
The Duke of Ding saw it in his eyes and burst out laughing again, “Now that you have recognised the door, if you have anything to do, just come straight over.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“You’re welcome, you’re now my prospective grandson-in-law, a family does not speak of two families.”
“Yes, Song Si, since you’ve become a relative, don’t be polite, just come to the Duke of State directly if you have any problems.”
Old Mr Xu had a point to make, the people behind Zhang Huai had not hurt Song Si today, they would certainly not rest in peace, if they had the backing of the State Duke, the people behind Zhang Huai should weigh in.
“I will remember.”
……
“Great grandfather ……”
Xu Ling’er walked around anxiously in front of Old Mr. Xu’s courtyard door, and when she saw him coming from afar, she immediately trotted up to meet him and assisted him, “Where are you going, I’ve been waiting for you for a good half day.”
“Something wrong?”
“I heard something today, that student called Song Si is in trouble, I rushed back to tell you, but I didn’t expect you to be in the house.”
“It has been settled.”
Old Mr. Xu was so happy that his voice took on a bit of lightness, “Not only is Song Si fine, he has even settled a marriage with Miss Xiao of the Ding Guo Mansion.”
“What?”
Xu Ling’er’s voice jerked up uncontrollably, “He, he’s betrothed?”
Old Mr. Xu had thought of marrying Xu Ling’er to Song Si, but he hadn’t said it out loud.
Seeing this girl’s reaction like this, it couldn’t be that she also had a few thoughts about Song Si, could it?
Thinking of this, his voice sank slightly, “Ling’er, what is your reaction to this?”