Chapter 291: Marriage Proposal

On the second day.

After everyone had finished their breakfast, they went about their respective tasks.

Some worked in the fields, while others went to their jobs.

A group of women gathered together to sew shoe soles.

It was at this moment that Fei Yanchen arrived with a grand procession for the marriage proposal.

Though Fei Yanchen had intended to come with his original appearance, Shen Yu’an couldn’t help but worry.

Last night, when he had left, Shen Yu’an had already altered his appearance for Fei Yanchen.

But even with this change, Fei Yanchen still stood there with an imposing and handsome presence, a remarkable young man.

So, the few women who had gathered under the tree to mend shoe soles were immediately drawn to the sight.

“It looks like a marriage proposal, doesn’t it?”

“They’ve brought so many things. Have you heard which girl from our village they’ve chosen?”

The women shook their heads. They couldn’t think of any girl from their village who had been matched with such an impressive family.

A few of them stood up, giving up on their shoes. They picked up their belongings and followed at a distance.

They observed the people in front of them as they made their way to the farthest corner of the village.

As they went further, the number of households decreased until only the families of Shen and Zhang remained.

The women’s eyes widened.

Could it be that they’ve come to propose to one of the girls from the Shen family?

However, when did this happen? It’s surprising that not a whisper of it reached our ears.

Just then, the matchmaker, Wang, who had visited a few days ago, returned.

As soon as she arrived, she was taken aback by the lively scene ahead.

Even in the county, such grandeur was seldom seen, and Wang, the matchmaker, couldn’t resist her curiosity.

She grabbed a woman nearby and asked with a smile, “Hey, sister, where is this marriage proposal procession headed?”

The woman she had grabbed didn’t recognize her but shared her speculation, saying, “We’re also curious, but judging by the direction they’re heading, it’s likely for one of the Shen family’s girls at the end of the village.”

“Those Shen family girls are truly blessed. In my entire life, I’ve only seen such a grand display once. What a spectacle!”

Wang, the matchmaker, was left stunned on the spot.

Shen girl?

But could it be the Shen girl she knew?

The woman Wang had grabbed for questioning had been relieved to have someone to talk to but was now surprised by her reaction.

“Sister, what’s wrong with you?”

Wang, the matchmaker, regained her composure and forced a smile.

“The Shen girl you mentioned, which one are you talking about?”

The woman sighed and explained, “There’s only one Shen family in our village, and they arrived here just last year.”

“You can say that she’s pretty lucky.”

Wang, the matchmaker, replied half-heartedly, “Yes, she’s quite lucky.” What a mess this has become.

Wang, the matchmaker, wished she could turn and leave, but the thought of the situation with the Fang family made her stay.

At the very least, she needed to gather information and report back properly.

Because everything had been discussed the previous night, the Shen family members were all waiting at home, anticipating Fei Yanchen’s arrival.

Fei’s parents were on their way to the western border, so the adults from both families couldn’t meet in person.

However, Fei Yanchen had made all the preparations meticulously, and the Shen family had no reason to raise any objections.

The women from behind saw that these people had indeed stopped in front of the Shen family’s gate.

One by one, the boxes were opened, revealing various gold and silver ornaments, headdresses, jewelry, fabrics, and agate. The sparkling treasures dazzled the onlookers.

Although the Shen family was astonished, they managed to support each other and maintain their composure.

All of this was the result of Fei Yanchen’s statement the previous day that Shen Yu’an should be made to endure a bit of hardship first.

Well, if they weren’t willing to make some sacrifices, how else could they afford all this?

But the villagers who had come to watch the commotion from behind weren’t as composed.

My, my, only a wealthy noble could afford to be this extravagant.

Fei Yanchen had given them plenty of face, and seeing so many envious onlookers, Grandma Shen was also delighted. Even her spirits had improved significantly.

Song Shi invited Fei Yanchen inside, saying, “Come on in.”

Fei Yanchen had come today for the purpose of proposing, and he had already discussed everything with the Shen family, so everything proceeded smoothly.

News of someone coming to propose to the Shen family quickly spread throughout the entire village.

Although everyone was envious to the point of gritting their teeth, they could tell from the lavish gifts that the Shen family was truly going to prosper.

As the Shen family members met people on the street, they were congratulated, and subtly, people tried to find out which family was seeking to marry Shen Yu’an.

Song Shi, of course, wouldn’t divulge that information and gave vague responses.

Seeing that they couldn’t extract any information, the villagers had to let it go.

One of the main reasons was that on the day of Fei Yanchen’s proposal, all the men carrying the gifts were strong and robust, making them seem not easily approachable.

After he left, these men were left at the Shen family’s residence.

Fortunately, the Shen family had purchased an adjacent house and expanded their yard after buying  a land, so these men have a place for them to stay. Otherwise, it might have been difficult to find accommodations for them.

With Shen Yu’an halfway in his hands, Fei Yanchen was satisfied. After bidding farewell the next day, he departed.

He had arrived lightly and departed in the same manner.

However, he took Shen Sanlang with him, which made Shen Sanlang extremely happy. Fei Xi remained behind to follow Shen Yu’an’s orders.

The news of Shen Yu’an’s engagement naturally reached the Fang family.

On that day, Wang, the matchmaker, watched the entire process outside the Shen family’s home and carefully observed the groom from head to toe.

The man seemed god-like, and there was indeed a noticeable difference between him and the young men from the Fang family.

However, the most critical factor was that the girl had already been promised to someone else, and no matter how much Fang Chun liked her, there was nothing he could do.

When Wang, the matchmaker, told the Fang family about this, they were all at a loss for words.

Just a short while ago, they had discovered their daughter’s feelings for the eldest son of the Shen family.

After thinking it over, Fang’s parents believed that the eldest son of the Shen family was a good match, and if their daughter could marry into that family, it would be a good match.

Conveniently, the Shen family had also assisted Fang Nian, so they decided to send Fang Chun to the Shen family to express their gratitude.

In reality, it was also a way to inquire if the eldest son of the Shen family had already been engaged.

The outcome was quite satisfactory; both parties were fond of each other, and they were just waiting for the formalities to be completed.

Surprisingly, before the Shen family’s matchmaker arrived, Fang Chun, using his position as the elder brother, found a matchmaker and visited the Shen family the next day.

This left the Fang family bewildered. They knew about Fang Nian’s situation, but what was going on with Fang Chun?

However, Fang Chun was reluctant to say much, and the Fang family could only assume that Fang Chun had fallen in love with the Shen family girl at first sight.

Fang’s parents had learned a bit about Shen Yu’an from Fang Nian and knew she was a good girl.

If they could arrange a match, that would be a good thing, so they let Fang Chun do as he wished.

But before much time had passed, news of the Shen family girl’s engagement came through.

Wang, the matchmaker, delivered the news and quickly found a reason to leave.

The others watched Fang Chun, not knowing how to comfort him.

Fang’s father could only say dryly, “There are plenty of good girls in this world. Once your sister’s marriage is settled, your mother will find you a match.”

Fang Chun didn’t respond and walked away with a somewhat desolate expression.