Dai Hanbo was suddenly taken aback.
"Chu Zhaowei and Chu Renzhi were babbling on that day, looking as pained as anything, those two calves who wouldn’t shy away from any misdeed. When have they ever felt sorry for anyone?"
There was something fishy about this situation, something off!
"Second Sister, you go write the invitation. I need to step out for a bit!"
"Third Brother, where are you going?" Dai Hanmi asked anxiously.
"Never mind that. You just write the invitation. The day after tomorrow, no, make it tomorrow, let’s have them come over to pick plums and make plum cakes!" Dai Hanbo said, then quickly donned his cloak and left.
Dai Hanmi paused for a moment, then joyfully went to find the Marchioness, "Mother, it’s a great success!"
The Marchioness was about forty-five years old and maintained herself quite well, but now the family matriarch was ill, and attending to her by the bedside had considerably worn her out.
"You mean your Third Brother has chosen one of them?"
"Yes, he has chosen one, but the issue is that the other party is a bit young."
"A younger age is not a problem. Even if she’s brought home now, the marriage cannot be consummated just yet. We have to wait until your grandmother’s health improves. As for your Third Brother’s temperament, he’s quite stubborn and doesn’t care about looks; he insists on scholarly talent!"
The Marchioness paused, "Whose daughter is it again?"
"The legitimate daughter of the second branch of the Yun Family, Yun Jinnian!"
"Her?" Mrs. Han frowned. "The reputation of the old lady from the Yun Family isn’t too good, is it?"
While the Marchioness did not know the specifics, she always had a strange feeling about the Yun Family.
"Mother, an old lady will take care of an old lady, and Yun Jinnian is Yun Jinnian. Besides, do you know who her maternal grandfather is?"
"Divine Doctor Han Xuzi. Last year, the Emperor even had someone welcome him into the palace right at the city gates, that Divine Doctor Han!"
At this, the Marchioness also found herself at a loss for words.
"That, that, that..."
"Mother, don’t worry, I know what to do!" Dai Hanmi reassured the Marchioness.
She also went to inform her sister-in-law, Mrs. Lu of the Zhuangyong Marquis Residence’s Princely Heir, about the small banquet planned for the following day.
The invited girls were those who had done well in the poetry composition that day.
Miss Hu Shuiling from the Count Xuanping Residence, Miss Ruan Wanrong from the Minister of War Residence, and Miss Chen Danyan, granddaughter of Elder Chen, as well as Yun Jinnian.
Among them, both Hu Shuiling and Ruan Wanrong were over fourteen years old and about to come of age. Chen Danyan was thirteen, a year older than Yun Jinnian.
The Crown Princess Mrs. Lu nodded in agreement, "It’s right for my sister to make such a decision. Don’t worry, I will have someone pick the plum blossoms, and the dishes and everything else will be prepared well!"
"Thank you so much, sister-in-law!"
"Where have I put in as much effort as Mother? The Grandmother is so confused by illness, she cannot recognize anyone, only Mother!"
Not even her own sons, she recognized only this daughter-in-law.
It showed just how good the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship was!
"It will be alright once we invite the Divine Doctor Han over!" Dai Hanmi said, placing all her hopes on Yun Jinnian.
Dai Hanbo left the Zhuangyong Marquis Residence and headed straight for Prince Rui Residence.
Chu Zhaowei and Chu Renzhi, neither of whom respected the other, would often head to Prince Rui Residence to scrounge food and drink, as well as to receive the occasional thrashing.
Upon arrival at Prince Rui Residence, he indeed found Chu Zhaowei and Chu Renzhi indulging in drinks and merry-making.
"Oh-ho, if it isn’t Little Third!" Chu Zhaowei said, winking and making faces at Dai Hanbo.
Dai Hanbo had intended to ask questions, but for some reason, he felt a strange compulsion and ended up asking nothing.
"Little Third, what brings you here?" Chu Zhaowei asked, pouring a cup of wine and handing it to Dai Hanbo.
"I was feeling stifled at home, so I came over!"
"Heh, I heard that your family had a flower viewing banquet today. So, have you seen the Fourth Miss Yun of the Yun Family yet?" Chu Zhaowei asked gravely.
Chu Renzhi was also very curious.
They couldn’t go to Yun Family and couldn’t sneak into Han Residence either, which was really causing concern.
"They were in the inner courtyard, and I was in the outer courtyard, I didn’t see them. And even if I did, I wouldn’t recognize them!" Dai Hanbo said, feeling inexplicably guilty.
Chu Zhaowei nodded, "You make sense. Do you think, she will go to study at Songshan Academy this year?"