In Mother Han’s view, her unfilial son simply had no brain.

“Eldest Miss Lin was betrothed to the Crown Prince. There are plenty of fine young ladies in the capital—why should our family involve ourselves in this trouble?”

“How is it trouble? At the time, Eldest Miss Lin fell ill and the General’s Manor proactively proposed breaking the engagement. Didn’t the Emperor even express approval of the General’s Manor?”

After Eldest Miss Lin dissolved her engagement with the Crown Prince, who was still Prince Wei at the time, the General’s Manor old matriarch’s adoptive grandson Cheng Shu was promoted from an ordinary guard to Company Commander, fully demonstrating the Emperor’s attitude toward the General’s Manor.

Mother Han remained unmoved: “You only think about the Emperor not holding it against us—but what about the Crown Prince?”

If the Crown Prince was magnanimous it would be fine, but if he was petty, he might very well look unfavorably upon whoever married Eldest Miss Lin.

Though this was only a possibility, why should the Minister’s Manor take such a risk?

“The Crown Prince is a generous person—”

Mother Han was unwilling to listen: “You need say no more. In any case, I don’t agree.”

“Mother—” Han Baocheng’s eyes were full of disappointment.

Mother Han looked away, not letting herself soften.

Even if Eldest Miss Lin had been betrothed to someone else, she could consider it. But that was the Crown Prince—in the future he would be Emperor. What if he held a grudge against the Minister’s Manor because of Eldest Miss Lin? What would the Minister’s Manor do then?

“Your son understands. Mother, please rest well.” After Han Baocheng finished speaking, he silently walked out.

Watching her son’s dejected departing figure, Mother Han sighed deeply.

Han Baocheng didn’t return to his room but instead left the Minister’s Manor and arranged to drink with Yang Zhe.

Seeing him drink cup after cup, Yang Zhe held his wine cup and asked: “Does Brother Han have troubles on his mind?”

Han Baocheng set down his wine cup. The slight intoxication didn’t cloud his mind but instead gave him courage.

Looking at Yang Zhe’s refined and handsome face, he spoke: “Brother Yang, I’d like to ask you for a favor.”

“Brother Han, please speak.” Yang Zhe’s tone was mild.

Han Baocheng gripped the wine cup on the table tightly: “My family once sought to marry Eldest Miss Lin. You know this.”

Yang Zhe nodded.

“Now she still awaits marriage, and I… I still want to marry her.”

Yang Zhe’s eyes flickered slightly: “What does Brother Han need me to do?”

“I want to entreat Brother Yang to sound out the Crown Prince’s feelings, to see if he would mind.” Han Baocheng steeled himself and stated his plan: “If the Crown Prince shows no displeasure, I hope to ask him to find a matchmaker of appropriate status to facilitate this marriage.”

Han Baocheng placing his last hope in the Crown Prince wasn’t purely impulsive.

When the Crown Prince was still Prince Wei, because Yang Zhe had a good private friendship with the Crown Prince, he as Yang Zhe’s good friend had considerable contact with the Crown Prince and could see he was a generous person.

Pursuing desired results always carried risk. Understanding the Crown Prince’s character as he did, Eldest Miss Lin was worth the attempt.

Being timid and hesitant carried no risk, but he would miss the young lady he liked. He didn’t want to regret in old age why he hadn’t made more effort.

“I’ll help Brother Han ask.” Yang Zhe agreed in one breath.

Han Baocheng raised his cup: “Many thanks, Brother Yang.”

Yang Zhe smiled faintly: “Between us, saying such things is too formal.”

Soon Yang Zhe found an opportunity to mention this matter to the Crown Prince: “Brother Han is honest and straightforward. When his family initially took a liking to Eldest Miss Lin with intentions of discussing marriage, he took it to heart. Now seeing Eldest Miss Lin still awaiting marriage, he wants to seek her hand but faces strong opposition from his family.”

Hearing Yang Zhe mention Lin Chan, the Crown Prince was momentarily dazed.

It had been a long time since he’d heard anyone mention Eldest Miss Lin. Thinking back now, his betrothal to Eldest Miss Lin seemed as distant as a past life.

“Has Eldest Miss Lin’s illness recovered?”

“I heard she’s fully recovered.”

“That’s good.” The Crown Prince smiled with relief. “Eldest Miss Lin is a fine young lady. If she could be joined in marriage with Baocheng, it would be a good thing.”

“Unfortunately, his family won’t agree.”

“Because of the broken engagement with me?” The Crown Prince didn’t need much thought to understand the crux of the matter. He sighed: “To speak of it, breaking the engagement when Eldest Miss Lin was gravely ill has always made me feel guilty. If she missed a good match because of me, I would feel even more uneasy.”

He had felt some regret about breaking the engagement with Eldest Miss Lin, but if Yang Zhe hadn’t mentioned it today, these past months he hadn’t even paid attention to Eldest Miss Lin’s condition. If he became displeased because Eldest Miss Lin was discussing marriage with someone else, how would he differ from that elder brother of his?

Thinking this, the Crown Prince developed the idea of facilitating a match between Han Baocheng and Eldest Miss Lin.

If all those manors held the same attitude as the Han family of the Minister’s Manor, causing Eldest Miss Lin to remain unwed because no one dared seek her hand, wouldn’t people always think of him?

Such a situation was uncomfortable just to contemplate.

The Crown Prince quickly had an idea: “How about this—I’ll have my teacher go ask Minister Han’s intentions. If the Han and Lin families are willing, have my teacher serve as matchmaker.”

The teacher the Crown Prince mentioned was originally the Prince’s Manor Chief Administrator and instructor, named Chen Fuli. The Crown Prince had always treated him with the courtesy due a teacher. With his status stepping forward as matchmaker, it would undoubtedly carry great weight and fully demonstrate the Crown Prince’s intent.

When Han Baocheng heard this news from Yang Zhe, he couldn’t suppress his excitement: “The Crown Prince truly said this?”

Yang Zhe extracted his sleeve from his tight grip and said with a laugh: “In such a matter, would the Crown Prince deceive you?”

“Many thanks, Brother Yang!” Han Baocheng bowed deeply.

“It’s the Crown Prince who is benevolent—I contributed little effort.” Yang Zhe avoided the courtesy and reminded: “Brother Han had best inform your grandfather first.”

“Yes, I’ll go tell Grandfather right away. Another day I’ll properly treat Brother Yang to drinks.”

Han Baocheng bid farewell to Yang Zhe and hurried to Taoranzhai to buy a roast chicken, carrying it back to the Minister’s Manor.

It happened to be a rest day, so Minister Han was rarely at home at this time.

“Grandfather, your grandson brought you dishes to go with wine.” Han Baocheng set the oil-paper-wrapped roast chicken on the table with a beaming smile.

He had the kind of handsome features with large eyes and thick brows that made him very likeable to elders when he smiled. Seeing his eldest grandson’s brilliant smile, Minister Han couldn’t help but curve his lips: “Roast chicken from Taoranzhai? Baocheng knows how to care for your grandfather. Come, come, let us grandfather and grandson have a couple drinks.”

The grandfather and grandson ate roast chicken and drank wine, adding a dish of crispy fragrant peanuts.

Han Baocheng saw the moment was right and grinned: “Grandfather, the Crown Prince wants to facilitate a match between your grandson and Eldest Miss Lin. What do you think?”

“Pfft—” Minister Han spat out a mouthful of wine and stared at his grandson: “What did you say?”

“It’s just that the Crown Prince suddenly felt your grandson and Eldest Miss Lin are a talented scholar and beautiful lady, quite well-matched, and wanted to facilitate our marriage—”

“After a few cups you’re talking drunk nonsense. Go, go, go, hurry back to your room.” Minister Han didn’t believe a single word and shooed his grandson away like a fly.

The next day after court, Minister Han encountered Chen Fuli.

“Master Chen is inviting me to drink?” Though Minister Han found it unexpected, his face revealed nothing: “That’s wonderful—I was just worried about having no drinking companion.”

Though Chen Fuli’s official rank wasn’t high, he had instructed the Crown Prince and naturally couldn’t be offended.

Wait, the Crown Prince?

Looking at Chen Fuli’s smiling face, Minister Han suddenly recalled what his grandson had said.