Before the holiday, Yin Hui returned to her natal house, coinciding with Yin Yong deciding on the wedding date for Yin Lang and Xie Zhuyi. Several auspicious days were listed on red paper, with the earliest ones in February and March of the following year, and the later ones in June, July, and August.
Yin Yong, with a smile, expressed his desire to marry them as soon as possible. The Xie family, however, was hesitant and preferred a later date. Faced with the dilemma, Yin Hui suggested February, citing concerns about the heat in late summer and the lateness of August.
Yin Yong, likely considering the convenience for his young granddaughter, swiftly made a decision, stating, “Okay, I’ll set it for February. I’ll go talk to the Xie family.”
Yin Hui felt a sense of relief, knowing that her intervention in setting the wedding date ensured the Yin family’s joyous occasion. If it had been scheduled for March, the family might have faced difficulties, and the family of four wouldn’t have been able to participate later.
The following day, Ji Xianxian visited Chengxin Hall. Every time Yin Hui left the mansion, Ji Xianxian would inquire about any updates from outside. Yin Hui shared the news of her younger brother’s upcoming marriage.
Ji Xianxian, not particularly interested in the Yin family’s affairs, brought up another topic, asking, “Tell me, the third sister is eighteen and will be nineteen during the Chinese New Year. Why isn’t our father-in-law in a hurry to find a son-in-law? No matter how much a father loves his daughter, it’s impossible not to consider marriage.”
Yin Hui speculated, “Maybe he hasn’t found the right one yet. The third sister is a dignified princess, so he has to deliberate a lot.”
Ji Xianxian, seemingly unconvinced, asked, “The second sister’s marriage wasn’t deliberated over?”
Yin Hui chose to ignore the question. While it might seem unbelievable to everyone that Wei Ying’s marriage wasn’t arranged at the moment, it would likely be perceived as normal next year.
As for Wei Ying’s marriage, although it was still in the future, the good news of the fourth master Wei Xuan had arrived. His marriage had been directly granted by Emperor Jianlong.
After the defeat and capture of the Khan of the Kingdom of Jin the previous year, the Kingdom of Jin, in an effort to forge an alliance, sent a large number of horses to get the fallen Khan back. However, internal strife erupted as the two princes under him vied for the position of Khan.
The eldest prince, seeking stability, wrote a letter to Emperor Jianlong expressing his wish to form an alliance through marriage. Knowing that Emperor Jianlong did not have a daughter of the right age, he proposed marrying his beautiful eldest daughter to the Kingdom of Wei. He hoped that Emperor Jianlong would choose one of his grandsons of the right age.
Given the geographical proximity of the Kingdom of Jin, the Huns, and the Kingdom of Wei on the border, forming an alliance through marriage would be advantageous for the Kingdom of Wei. While marrying a princess from the Kingdom of Wei to the grassland might be considered a disgrace, no such concerns arose when marrying a princess from the Kingdom of Jin.
Since Emperor Jianlong’s sons were too old and already married, the selection for the marriage had to be made from the Emperor’s grandsons.
The late Crown Prince left only two sons, both of whom were married. On the side of the vassal king, the vassal lands of King Qin and King Dai were too far away from the Kingdom of Jin. After much deliberation, Emperor Jianlong still felt that it would be appropriate to choose King Yan’s son.
Some ministers objected, fearing that King Yan would collude with King Jin.
He just started talking, and was scolded by Emperor Jianlong. King Yan was his own son, and he had defeated the Kingdom of Jin several times. Whoever colluded with the Kingdom of Jin would not be his good son.
Therefore, there was an imperial edict from Emperor Jianlong to marry Princess Jin to Wei Xuan.
The imperial decree was sent to the Yan Palace. King Yan frowned, even if he smiled, it was obviously a forced smile.
Marrying a princess from another country was deemed a disgrace, and it was not considered a respectable match for the grandson of the emperor to marry a woman from the prairie instead of a lady from a prestigious family. Given these societal norms, it was natural for King Yan to display such emotions.
The fourth master, Wei Xuan, was even more furious. He had hoped to participate in the frontier war against the Kingdom of Jin the previous year. Failing that, he certainly hadn’t anticipated being asked to marry a princess from the Kingdom of Jin.
“Why does he want me to marry? There are so many imperial grandchildren,” Wei Xuan muttered in frustration.
King Yan overheard and scolded him, saying, “Your grandfather thinks highly of you and entrusts you with the important matter of marriage. Hurry up, receive the order, and express your gratitude!”
Wei Xuan, with a bitter face, reluctantly accepted his grandfather’s “great love” from afar.
In light of the impending marriages, Wei Yang, Wei Yan, Wei Luo, and the fifth brother Wei Jing all came to congratulate the groom. However, Wei Xun couldn’t hide his disdain, staring at his father with squinted eyes and wearing a smile that looked more like a grimace than a genuine expression.
Eager to strengthen ties with the Kingdom of Wei, the Kingdom of Jin pushed hard, setting the wedding date for November. When the two countries officially exchanged marriage certificates, the eldest son, Wei Yang, displayed the most gratified smile seen in the past few months.
Among the four brothers, Wei Xuan, the fourth brother, was the most threatening, but with this marriage, he could only aspire to be a county king throughout his life.
While Xu Qingwan could sense the changes in her husband, she remained indifferent to the marriage of the fourth master.
As for Ji Xianxian, she eagerly anticipated seeing what the princess of the Kingdom of Jin looked like. Wei Yan, having had experience with a prairie singer, didn’t consider the princess of the prairie to be particularly noteworthy.
In Chengxin Hall, Yin Hui, anticipating such a marriage, continued to lead her own life.
Wei Luo pondered the situation. He was grateful to be a few years older than his fourth brother; otherwise, the responsibility of marrying Princess Jin might have fallen on him. Similar to his own marriage with the Yin family benefiting his father, if the fourth brother married into the Kingdom of Jin, although the father seemed dissatisfied, he was likely secretly pleased.