Jingsi Residence.

Right now, Yan Sanhe’s head was buzzing. She couldn’t hear any words, and her vision was filled with double images.

Propose marriage?

Pei Mingting?

Pei Mingting?

Propose marriage?

Steward Xie looked at the dazed young woman before him, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Although this Miss Yan’s face was rather sour, she spoke little, her temperament was cold, and her family background was thin…

But somehow, he felt like a fresh flower had been stuck in cow dung!

Yet clearly the one proposing was Young Master Pei—Pei Yu’s only legitimate son, the heir to the Hundred Medicine Hall.

Steward Xie pinched himself hard. “Miss, about this matter, what do you think…”

“Go call Pei Mingting here for me.”

Yan Sanhe finally returned to her senses.

…

When Pei Mingting entered Jingsi Residence again, his bearing was completely different—quite righteous and confident, as if returning to his own home.

Tangyuan came out to greet him. “Master Pei?”

“Where’s Miss?”

“Inside!”

“Mm!”

Pei Mingting walked forward a few steps, then stopped to look at Tangyuan.

Actually, this maid looked much more agreeable than Li Buyan. At least in the future when he and Sanhe quarreled, she wouldn’t hold a sword to his neck.

Mm!

This person must be part of the dowry to the Pei family.

Pei Mingting entered the main hall. His sweetheart sat facing south, her dark eyes looking at him indifferently.

No matter how he looked, she was pleasing to the eye!

Pei Mingting’s spirits lifted immediately, smiling to show his neat white teeth.

“Sanhe, what did you call me here for?”

“Pei Mingting, are you idle?”

See, she’s shocked, isn’t she?

No wonder she’s shocked. With my Young Master Pei’s excellent qualifications, any woman I set my sights on would doubt herself.

“Not idle at all—I’ve been busy to death these past few days.”

Lord Pei glanced at her. “Sanhe, Matchmaker Wang is the capital’s most famous matchmaker. There’s no thread she can’t tie, no bridge she can’t build. To invite her, I visited three times.”

Yan Sanhe’s feelings were complex. “So you’re serious?”

“Who would fake their own marriage?”

Pei Xiao stepped forward, his eyes full of tender affection. “Yan Sanhe, when it comes to marrying you, I, Pei Mingting, am truer than pure gold.”

“You…”

“Don’t rush to speak. Listen to three things I want to tell you first.”

Pei Xiao held up one finger. “This first thing—I’ve been promoted. From Right Chancellor to Left Chancellor.”

Yan Sanhe: “Is there a difference?”

“Of course!”

Lord Pei looked extremely proud. “Now in the entire Bureau of Buddhist Registry, I’m in charge.”

“And then?”

“And then, I’ve become the youngest fifth-rank official in the capital, with limitless future prospects.”

These words Pei Xiao had carefully considered and practiced many times in his mind.

“Sanhe, from now on you’ll be a proper official’s wife. In a few years, when my position rises higher, I can request an imperial title for you. For the rest of your life, you can hold your head high in front of anyone.”

Remarkable, Lord Pei!

Yan Sanhe was speechless.

Pei Xiao held up a second finger.

“I’m my father’s legitimate eldest son. Although there’s a concubine-born son after me, and although I know nothing about medicine, my father said the family business will still be passed to me.”

Pei Xiao continued, “The Pei family’s Hundred Medicine Hall—besides the capital, we have forty-eight branch shops throughout the Hua Kingdom.”

Mm, your Pei family is wealthy and powerful!

“People eat grains and cereals, so illness and pain are inevitable. We can’t say we earn gold by the bushel, but having fine food and drink for this lifetime is no problem at all.

Most importantly, we don’t need to beg others for medical treatment—others come begging us.”

Yan Sanhe understood now—official wife status gave her position, owning Hundred Medicine Hall gave her money.

With position and money, what reason did she have to refuse?

Pei Xiao smiled and held up a third finger.

“I’m not a womanizer. Visiting the pleasure quarters and listening to songs—that’s all just social performance, not to be taken seriously.

As long as I have you, forget concubines, mistresses, or secondary wives—they can all step aside. I’ll be faithful to you alone.”

The more Pei Xiao thought about it, the more delighted he felt.

“In the future, we’ll have a son or daughter. The boy will continue the family line, the girl we’ll find a good family for. This life will be both solid and satisfying.”

Yan Sanhe: “…”

Indeed satisfying—he’d even thought of the next generation.

“Finally, I must add one more point.”

This time Pei Xiao pointed at himself.

“My appearance is exceptional, my bearing outstanding, and my heart holds great righteousness and great love. Forget the capital—in the entire Hua Kingdom, you couldn’t find another with a lantern. Yan Sanhe, you’re so fortunate.”

Thank you so much!

Yan Sanhe’s gaze passed over the outstanding Lord Pei to look at Steward Xie standing outside the threshold, ears perked up eavesdropping.

“Steward Xie, how many people came from the Pei family?”

“In response to Miss Yan, just Young Master Pei and Matchmaker Wang—two people.”

Two?

Yan Sanhe instantly understood what was happening—this person had concealed it from his parents and elders, sneaking over on his own.

In marriages of prominent families, everything must be weighed on a scale.

How many pounds the man’s side weighs, how many pounds the woman’s side weighs—when the weights are similar, that’s a proper match and the marriage can succeed.

An orphan girl and the Pei family—the difference was more than a hundred thousand miles. This forced Pei Mingting to take the approach of acting first and reporting later.

Understanding this, Yan Sanhe looked at Pei Xiao with different eyes.

Foolish, yes. Arrogant, yes. But his heart was sincere.

To sincerity, Yan Sanhe responded with sincerity.

She smiled faintly. “Pei Mingting, have you heard these four words: ‘qi da fei ou’?”

I was prepared for you to use that excuse!

Pei Xiao smiled dismissively.

“My calligraphy isn’t as good as yours, painting even less so, and I’m not even half as clever. What ‘qi da fei ou’?”

So this foolish boy thought of it that way. Yan Sanhe had no choice but to bring out her trump card.

“Marriage is a major matter—parents’ orders, matchmaker’s words, only then is it not privately arranged. Correct?”

“Correct, which is why I brought a matchmaker.”

“Parents’ orders come first, matchmaker’s words come after. Correct?”

“This…”

“Though I, Yan Sanhe, am an orphan girl, I’m not someone casual.”

Yan Sanhe’s gaze fixed sharply on him. “If you truly wish to marry me, have your elders come forward with a matchmaker, choose an auspicious day, bring proper visiting cards, and come again.”

Pei Xiao frowned. “Sanhe, must we do it this way?”

“We absolutely must!”

Yan Sanhe’s tone was exceptionally firm.

“At that time, whether I accept or not, I’ll give you an answer on the spot. Tangyuan, see Young Master Pei out.”

“Wait!”

Pei Xiao hadn’t gotten a word from Yan Sanhe yet—how could he leave?

“Sanhe, at least give me some hint—what are your thoughts on this matter?”

If I spoke my thoughts, I’m afraid they’d chill your heart.

“This hand of mine has touched the dead before, and will continue to touch them in the future.”

Yan Sanhe extended her hand.

“If you wish to hold hands with me and grow old together, you must first consider whether you dare grasp this hand. That’s the hint I’m giving you.”