Today everyone stayed at home, quietly waiting for Wang Er and Song Zhe to bring back good news.
Song Prefect also postponed all government affairs today and went to Li Yao's house with his wife. The prefect's wife was very anxious and absent-minded even when chatting.
Song Prefect on the other hand appeared very calm, but Li Yao could still easily see his eagerness from his eyes.
After all, how many parents in this world do not care about their children?
Although Li Yao had never experienced any parental love, after living with these children for so long, she could also feel the mood of the Song couple to some extent.
"Auntie Li!"
Song Zhe's voice suddenly came from outside the gate.
"He's back, he's back!"
The Song couple stood up nervously, while Da Zhuang and He Xiaoya also hurriedly carried Xia Yanran out of the room. Du Xiao Hui walked out directly to stop Song Zhe who had rushed into the yard.
"Song Zhe, why did you come back alone?"
"Sister Xiao Hui, this is bad!" Song Zhe was panting and said, "Brother Wang was caught by someone!"
"What?" Du Xiao Hui was hit by a bolt from the blue. She started to stutter, "He... How could he be caught... No, who caught him?"
Hearing this, the others in the house also came out one after another.
Song Prefect also had no time to ask if Song Zhe had passed the exam. He asked in a deep voice: "What on earth happened?"
Song Zhe told the truth about what had happened. Everyone was at a loss for words after listening.
"This is... catching a son-in-law off the examination roster?" said the prefect’s wife. "I didn't expect such customs even in Yizhou City."
Li Yao's face turned red. What the hell did she mean by customs? It was clearly some rich people's nasty trick to find themselves a good son-in-law!
However, as long as he wasn't caught by bad guys, it shouldn't be a big problem.
"Li Yao, don't worry. This can also be considered a good thing," Song County Magistrate also let down his guard. "Song Zhe, let me ask you, which family did Wang Er get taken to?"
"Ah? I... " Song Zhe scratched his head. "I... I hurried back to report the news and didn't ask."
"You..."
Song Prefect was so angry that his nose was crooked. This son still acted so carelessly when doing things.
"But I saw a pattern on their carriage that looked like this."
Du Xiao Hui quickly took paper and pen for him to draw the pattern. Song Prefect recognized it at a glance, "It's the Zhao family."
"Which Zhao family?" Li Yao asked.
"The Zhao family is a big merchant in Yizhou City, comparable with the Yang Chang family. They also have a sister who is a noble consort, so they can be considered royal relatives," Song Prefect said. "But unlike others, this Zhao family is very low-key in their actions. It's normal that you don't know them, Li Yao."
A noble consort?
Li Yao mulled it over. Since it involved royal relatives, things became more complicated.
However, now that they knew who had taken Wang Er away, it would be easy to find them and ask clearly.
Li Yao asked Da Zhuang to hurry and find a carriage to go to the Zhao residence, preparing to take Wang Er back.
In her mind, marriage concerned one’s happiness for a whole lifetime. It certainly could not be made light of like a game. What’s more, Wang Er already had Du Xiao Hui. How could he be forced to marry Chen Shi Mei?
Worried that Li Yao would escalate matters, Song Prefect also took a carriage to follow her, and asked someone to hurry and inform Liu Yun.
The Zhao family was indeed very rich. Their residence in the east of the city occupied a large area.
However, the surrounding walls and gates were very simple, exuding a faint classical charm, unlike the pretentiousness of other mansions, giving a pretty decent feeling.
But at this moment, the Zhao family mansion’s gates were tightly shut with no gatekeeper at the door. It was also deathly still inside, completely lacking the festive atmosphere of preparing for a wedding.
Du Xiao Hui impatiently knocked on the door, but no one responded even after waiting for a long time, as if there was not a soul inside.
This was very strange. Could they have found the wrong house?
"Song Zhe, are you sure you didn't remember the carriage pattern wrong?”
"Absolutely not," Song Zhe said. "That pattern was very special."
A group of people were stopped outside the closed gate. Song Prefect was desperately thinking of a solution when Li Yao had already walked to the edge of the wall.
"Li Yao, what are you..."
"I'll know what's going on once I get inside and take a look."
Not caring about everyone’s dumbstruck looks, with a leap she grabbed the top of the wall and flipped right into the yard.
Da Zhuang and the others were used to this already. When their mother was teaching them martial arts, she did even more amazing stuff. But for the Song couple, this was the first time seeing such a scene. They were so shocked their jaws nearly dropped to the ground.
...
In fact there were people inside the Zhao mansion, but the gates were deliberately shut tight. They didn’t want anyone coming to spoil their plans.
At this time, the current head of the Zhao family Zhao Yan was leading all the men, women and children of the household gathered in the main hall.
There was not a hint of sound outside, but the inside of the hall was festooned with lanterns and decorations, bursting with joy.
Surrounded by a group of women servants, Wang Er had already been delivered before Zhao Yan.
"Elder sir..."
"Hey, don't call me that," Zhao Yan had a benevolent smile that made him look like a harmless, kind-hearted old man. "From now on, you should call me father-in-law."
Wang Er: ...
"Elder sir," Wang Er said with a bitter face, "It's not that I'm unwilling to become your son-in-law, but I already have a marriage agreement."
At this point, this was the only justification Wang Er could think of.
Although he and Du Xiao Hui did not have a formal marriage agreement, their feelings for each other had long been clear, with both sides’ parents tacitly approving.
"A marriage agreement is just an agreement. It can be cancelled before the actual marriage," Zhao Yan said. "You don't need to worry about this. I’ll provide however many taels of silver is needed for calling off the engagement. If you feel you’d lose face, I’ll go and talk to them myself."
Wang Er was so anxious that his forehead was sweating. "But... marriage is an important ritual that has always been decided by the parents. My mother doesn't even know about this now..."
"Now you're lying to me," Zhao Yan said. "As far as I know, Li Yao has always been open-minded about these things, leaving marriage decisions entirely up to you all. So as long as you agree, Li Yao’s side will naturally not be a problem."
Wang Er had never experienced such a situation before, and was reluctant to turn hostile on the spot making things awkward. He was desperately trying to think of how to continue to refuse the Zhao family's kindness, when Zhao Yan had already signaled to the people beside him.
"The auspicious time is here!"
"Please welcome the bride!"
"No, no!"
Wang Er was so anxious that his hands flailed around, but it was useless to try and stop everyone.
Soon, dressed in bridal gown and led by an old woman, the bride took tiny steps as she came onto the stage of the great hall.
Looking at the appearance of the bride, Wang Er was completely dumbfounded.
This bride was way too...small! Though her face was obscured by the traditional red veil, her height didn’t even reach his chest. Her exposed little hands seemed to be only about the size of a seven or eight year old child’s.
Was Elder Zhao's daughter just a child?
"Elder Zhao, dare I ask your daughter’s age?"
"Hmm, she is already seven and a half years old, and she'll turn eight by the end of year.”
Wang Er: ...
"Cough, I know her age is a little young," Zhao Yan said. "However, you just passed the provincial exam to become a promoted scholar. In future, you'll still need to go to the capital to attain the top scholar title. So it is just right. By then when you become the top scholar, my little girl would have come of age."
Wang Er: ...
He had heard of lots of bizarre things, but this was completely unheard of!
This was absolutely impossible! Even without a marriage agreement and a sweetheart, he would never be able to marry a child bride and bring her home!
"Elder Zhao, this is absolutely unacceptable." Wang Er said seriously, "If you still insist on forcing me today, then... then I would rather dash my head dead on that pillar there!"
Hearing him speak such ruthless words, Zhao Yan was momentarily at a loss for what to do.
At this time, the bride in front of Wang Er suddenly tore off her own veil herself, revealing a delicate and fair little face, but her big round eyes glared wildly.
“Wang Shouren, you don’t appreciate kindness at all! I, this princess, am willing to take you as my husband, you should be drowning in tears of gratitude!”
Wang Er had his mouth agape, completely stunned in place.
This little girl actually just called herself a princess?
A princess, an address that could only be used for the emperor’s daughter, how dare she just casually call herself that?
"Hmph, seeing how uncultured you are," the girl said, "Uncle Zhao, just tell him directly who I am."
Zhao Yan was helpless and could only say: "Wang Shouren, the young lady in front of you is actually not my daughter, but my niece. However, she is the current The Sixteenth Princess, that is, the sister of the Prince of Yizhou!"