Chapter 904 Blind Date
Tao Muzhan took care of everything, picked up Leng Man, and went to a restaurant in Shangshu County.
When they arrived, the blind date had not yet arrived.
Tao Muzhan was smiling, humble and polite.
"It's dinner time and it's getting late. We have to stay overnight in Shangshu County and then return to Beijing tomorrow."
"Inn, my son-in-law has already chosen two guest rooms. Please sleep in the upper room, mother and madam."
Leng Man nodded and smiled slightly.
"Thank you for your concern, my dear son-in-law."
Tao Muzhan lowered his eyebrows.
"My mother is alienated and my son-in-law is terrified."
Leng Man looked around, her tone becoming more anxious.
"Why hasn't Mr. Cheng come yet?"
"He won't break his promise, will he?"
Tao Muzhan gradually felt relieved.
"Don't worry, mother."
"This time, my son-in-law was a little clever and didn't tell him who the blind date was. He just said that he was the same age."
"The only requirement he had for choosing a wife was that she was of similar age."
"He is from a small county, his family is poor, and at this age, he is still unmarried. Hearing that someone is willing to go on a blind date with him, he was overjoyed and absolutely would not break the appointment."
"He must have had something on the way and was delayed."
"Please wait a moment, mother."
Xu Yingyuan then comforted her.
"Don't worry, mother."
"Every failure makes one wiser. The master's arrangement this time will definitely be perfect."
Leng Man smiled again.
"Well, my son-in-law is filial, I am very pleased."
"Having you guys accompany me, chatting and drinking tea makes it less boring. It's much better than the blind date at noon."
Xu Yingyuan picked up the teapot.
"As long as mother is satisfied."
"I will pour you some tea, please accept it, mother."
Not long after, Cheng Dong came to the restaurant, and the waiter followed Xu Yingyuan's instructions and hurried upstairs to inform him.
Xu Yingyuan and his wife left tactfully.
Led by the waiter, Cheng Dong walked up the stairs and came to the private room where Leng Man was.
All the elegant seats on the second floor were reserved by Zhuang Shao, and the only people in the hall were Leng Man and Cheng Dong.
Cheng Dong's pupils were filled with shock.
"You are the one who is dating me?"
Leng Man showed what she thought was the most beautiful smile.
"It is also."
Cheng Dong looked disgusted.
"Is it wrong?"
Leng Man was worried and asked for confirmation.
"Your honorable name is Cheng Dong?"
Cheng Dong nodded.
"Correct."
Leng Man breathed a sigh of relief and smiled again.
"Yes, the person I'm dating is you."
Cheng Dong felt very regretful.
"Ugh."
Leng Man didn't understand what he meant.
"Why is Mr. Cheng sighing?"
She invited warmly.
"Don't stand, please sit down."
Cheng Dong looked pale and sat down reluctantly.
"You are the daughter of the Grand Commandant, the Leng clan of Shengjing, Miss Leng, right?"
Leng Man was stunned and surprised.
"How do you know me?"
Cheng Dong speaks frankly.
"Your affairs have caused a lot of ups and downs. Who in and outside Shengjing doesn't know about it?"
"Many people in my village couldn't sit still and went to the capital to see the excitement. Your portrait was passed from street to street, and almost everyone in my village knew you."
"If I had known that the blind date was you, I would have stayed at home."
Leng Man frowned.
"That's not funny."
"What's wrong with me?"
"Am I not good?"
"Isn't your only requirement for choosing a wife that she be of similar age?"
A hint of disdain flashed across Cheng Dong's eyes.
"That can't be you."
Leng Man was angry.
"you……"
"Why can't it be me?"
"I am the daughter of the Grand Commandant. How can a commoner like you despise me?"
Cheng Dong patiently admitted his mistake to her.
"Miss Leng, I'm really sorry. I'm a country girl, devoted to farming, and not good at speaking. Please forgive me if I've offended you."
He spoke righteously and made his attitude clear.
"I can't go on a blind date with you, and I don't want to marry you, or even marry into your family."
"It's not that I look down on your family background or dislike your character."
"I believe that a wife should be virtuous. If I bring a woman like you home and you keep making trouble all day long, how can I do farm work and live my life?"
Leng Man was indignant and tried to defend herself.
"What do you mean?"
"Why am I not a good wife? Why am I making such a fuss?"
"You don't know me at all, how can you make such a rash conclusion?"
After the argument, she felt much better, and her angry expression turned into one of pride.
"You can marry into my family and no longer have to do farm work. I can support you."
"I am willing to support your whole family. It is not a problem at all."
Cheng Dong did not change his opinion. He first gave examples and then refused.
"I have heard that a prominent person in Shengjing married a wife in his early years. He chose a wealthy family and relied on the influence of his wife's mother's family to develop his family."
"The results of it?"
"Not only did he suffer a lot of injustice, but his mother and sister were also tricked by the lady and expelled from Shengjing. They were secretly killed and their remains are gone."
"Even the nobles are like this when they cling to the powerful, let alone us ordinary people?"
"I definitely can't eat this bowl of soft rice."
"Also, we must not slack off on our farm work."
"We work in the fields not only to support our families, but also to cooperate with Feng Zhengtai and have the honor of raising military rations. How can we abandon it?"
"Let's each take care of ourselves."
"Farewell Miss Leng, we will meet again if we are destined to."
After saying this, he left resolutely without even looking back.
Leng Man was depressed and went to the inn where her beloved daughter and son-in-law were.
Being in Shengjing, where everyone is calling for her to be punished, she dared not go out. It was a rare opportunity for her to leave Beijing for a trip, so it might be a good idea to stroll around and relax.
There are not many permanent residents in Shangshu County, and the place where they stay is far away from the county street and is even more sparsely populated.
After dinner, Xu Yingyuan chose a quiet garden to accompany her mother and stroll around to enjoy the scenery.
Jing Garden was also booked by Zhuang Shao, where mother and daughter could take a walk without being disturbed by outsiders.
Xu Yingyuan pretended to speak out of inspiration.
"I never thought that my mother's stigma would spread so quickly. It was known to almost every household in Shengjing and nearby counties."
Leng Man was depressed and her eyes were bleak.
"It's hard to say, but it's known to the world."
"I'm doomed to fail. Not to mention making the emperor jealous, even if I honestly find someone to marry, no one will want me."
"I have a deep love for the Emperor and a loyal heart for Lord Xu. How could they bear to ruin my reputation? Why are they so heartless and ungrateful?"
"What went wrong to end up like this?"
Xu Yingyuan guided her mother's steps unnoticeably, walked towards the planning place, stopped and sat down.
"Mother, please don't be depressed."
"There is always a way out. You are just in a difficult situation. It is not the end of your rope. There is no other way out."
"As the ancients said, adversity in desperate situations leads to beautiful scenes."
"I believe that my mother will have endless blessings in the future."
Leng Man took her beloved daughter's arm, and even though the night wind was bleak, the mother and daughter felt warm and cozy.
"With you and Bo'er, I will have endless blessings in the future."
Xu Yingyuan looked back at him with warm eyes.
"I'm not referring to myself or my second brother, but I'm saying that mother will definitely find a good match and marry the man of her dreams."
Leng Man lowered her eyes sadly and smiled bitterly to herself.
"You're trying to scare me."
"Who is willing to marry me in this situation?"
After asking the question, an answer came from behind, the tone was firm and unwavering.
"I am willing."
Leng Man turned around and saw who was coming, and was suddenly shocked.
"Lord Jingshan?"