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With Qin Sheng’s wedding approaching, everyone inevitably talked about this happy event. Under the Empress Dowager’s request, the marriage between the Qin and Lu families had to be completed within two months. Originally, their wedding date was set for the fifty-sixth day after the imperial decree was issued. This date was still a few days away from two months, and it was also close to the New Year. They would practically be entering the new year right after their wedding.
A month had passed since the Empress Dowager’s decree, but the Qin family hadn’t sent a dowry to the Lu family yet. It wasn’t because they didn’t care; on the contrary, they were taking their time out of respect. They were meticulously preparing the dowry, ensuring everything was perfect.
After the Empress Dowager’s decree was issued, the Zhao family returned the betrothal gifts they had previously given. The Qin family couldn’t just take those gifts and give them to the Lu family, it would be too disrespectful. Therefore, they didn’t use the dowry they had prepared for the Zhao family. Many of the items were replaced with things of equal value.
After a month of busy preparation, the dowry was almost ready. They would be able to send it to the Lu family in a few days.
“The items you brought back, pick some to add to the dowry,” Madam Qin said to Qin Silang.
Qin Silang nodded. Among the goods he brought back, some of the furs and gemstones were of the highest quality, perfect for a dowry.
“Mother, Big Brother, Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law, A Sheng, I won’t be able to attend the wedding, nor will I be able to wait to see my nephew or niece born. I’ve decided to leave tomorrow morning with my men.” Qin Silang wiped his face and said. He and his men had rested for a day and a night, that was enough.
As soon as Qin Silang said this, the entire hall fell silent.
“Fourth Brother, you’re still injured,” Qin Sheng was still worried about him.
Qin Silang laughed, “It’s really fine. Didn’t you get a doctor for me? Have him apply some medicine later.”
Madam Qin was heartbroken, “Silang, can’t you wait until after the dowry is sent before leaving? Go meet Little Six’s wife. When your father and your second and third brothers ask about you later, you’ll have something to say.”
“No need, there will be plenty of time in the future. We’re family, we’ll always see each other.” Qin Silang smiled, “Father asked me to come back this trip so I could see the family and make sure you were okay, Mother. Now that I see everyone is safe and well, Father can rest assured, and we can all rest assured.”
The war situation was tense. Two months of heavy snow had already fallen in the north this year. The other tribes had been raiding the south, ferocious and relentless. He had to hurry back.
Qin Heng, Qin Sanlang, and Qin Sheng, the three brothers, didn’t speak, but they all had serious expressions. They could all imagine the dangers involved, even without Silang saying anything. This winter was particularly harsh, with heavy snow blanketing the land. It was already cold in Chang’an, but it would be even colder and harsher in the north. They all wanted to go back to the north to help, but they couldn’t leave.
“Big Brother, why don’t I go with Fourth Brother tomorrow?” Qin Sanlang suggested.
Nie Yunniang, who was standing beside him, heard this and her heart skipped a beat. But she put her hand on her swollen belly and held back the words on the tip of her tongue.
Qin Heng shook his head, rejecting his request. Third Sister-in-law was about to give birth, and her mental state wasn’t very good. Having Sanlang around would be better for her.
Qin Sanlang knew his brother’s anxiety was no less than his, but he had to stay. He had to stay in Chang’an to oversee Little Six’s wedding. Firstly, it was an imperial marriage, they couldn’t be too casual. If they were both gone, and only their mother was there to oversee the wedding, it would be disrespectful to the Empress Dowager. Secondly, their father, Qin Yue, was not here, and the eldest brother was like a father. Big Brother could replace their father. If even Big Brother wasn’t there, it would be disrespectful to the Lu family, and the wedding would definitely be ridiculed.
Qin Sheng also pursed his lips. Thinking about the fact that the wedding was only twenty days away…
“Big Brother, why don’t we talk to the Lu family and move the wedding forward?” Qin Sanlang suggested.
The Empress Dowager issued an edict demanding that the Qin and Lu families must marry within two months. If the marriage couldn’t be postponed, could it be brought forward instead? After a few interactions, Qin Sanlang discovered that the Lu family was not unreasonable. If he talked to them nicely, there should be no problem, right?
As long as A Sheng successfully marries, his eldest brother and A Sheng can head north to provide support. If Yunniang also gives birth in this half month, the three brothers can set off together…
Regardless, getting married early would mean at least two people from their family could go north to support, greatly easing the pressure on their father.
Qin Heng pondered for a moment and asked Madam Qin, “Mother, what do you think?”
Madam Qin nodded and said, “We can give it a try. But let’s make it clear, if the Lu family agrees, it shows their reasonableness. We, the Qin family, cannot neglect proper etiquette just because of the time constraint. We should observe all the necessary customs for the wedding.”
Qin Heng said, “That’s for sure.” They were not the kind of people who would act rudely.
Qin Sheng also nodded solemnly.
“Poor A Li.” Madam Qin sighed. She was very satisfied with Lu Songli, her future daughter-in-law.
Thinking of Lu Songli, Madam Qin couldn’t help but remember the pills her youngest son brought back a few days ago, claiming they were given by his future daughter-in-law. After taking them, she did feel much better these past few days. Firstly, she slept more soundly at night, not as lightly as before, easily startled awake. Also, her breathing was smoother, without the feeling of chest tightness and shortness of breath.
Upon hearing this, Qin Sheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Qin Heng and the others were somewhat surprised. They didn’t expect Lu Songli to help them in such a significant way. Their future sister-in-law was indeed very good.
Madam Qin had been in poor health, falling ill from time to time, which had always been a headache for the Qin family. Unexpectedly, the pills she sent over actually worked for their mother. It seemed she had some special encounters, but they wondered if these pills could be supplied continuously?
…
The next day, the Qin family bid farewell to Qin Silang together.
On the sixth day of the twelfth month, a good day for marriage.
Early in the morning, the Qin family came to propose to the Lu family. Madam Qin and Qin Heng personally led Qin Sheng, accompanied by a matchmaker.
The Lu family knew that for the past month, the Qin family had been preparing for the engagement. They had exchanged items of the same level or even higher value for the betrothal gifts returned by the Zhao family. It was not easy given the short time and heavy task, so there was nothing surprising about it.
Therefore, the Qin family’s betrothal gifts seemed to be modest on the surface, without any outstanding features, but there was much more beneath the surface.
Upon closer inspection, one would find that the value of the entire set of betrothal gifts was thirty percent higher than what was given to the Zhao family. It was worth noting that Zhao Yutan was the eldest daughter of a third-rank official, and her dowry amounted to fifty thousand taels. Naturally, the value of the betrothal gifts from the Qin family could not be too far off.
Lu Songli was currently just the second daughter of a fifth-rank imperial censor. Even if the Qin family had directly used the betrothal gifts returned by the Zhao family to propose, it would have been acceptable. But the Qin family did not do that.
Now that the Qin family had presented the betrothal gifts, it was a subtle way of showing off.
Among all the betrothal gifts, Lu Songli’s favorite was the first three pieces of fur. A piece of snow fox fur, a muskrat fur, and a sable fur. Especially the sable fur, with its light and long narrow fur of soft brown color, interspersed with evenly distributed silver-white hairs, it was the top-grade sable fur.
Lu Songli gently caressed it.
“Do you like it?” Qin Sheng asked.
Lu Songli nodded. These three furs were the highest quality furs she had ever seen.
The winter here is particularly cold, even colder than in later generations. This is likely due to the low levels of carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, there are very few measures to keep warm. In the middle of winter, you can forget about things like down jackets, cotton coats, or wool-cashmere blend overcoats. The few furs that the Qin family sent over would definitely make very warm and beautiful clothes.
Qin Sheng silently took note.