Ji Taoyu's expression changed, and he directly knocked Huo Anding on the forehead with his fist.
"What nonsense are you talking!"
"Before I left for the academy, didn't you ask if I wanted to start a family? I think I'm ready now, I want to get married!"
Ji Taoyu pinched Huo Anding's ear: "Do you think you're some celestial being, that you can just pick and choose from all the officials' families just because you feel like getting married?"
"You even have the nerve to pick! Picking the Shen family, no less! What, after suffering a bit outside, you've figured out you want to latch onto a powerful family for a stable life? If you're so good at picking, why not say you want to be a royal consort!"
Huo Anding thought to himself that his sweetheart had told him he wasn't allowed to become a royal consort. Naturally, he didn't voice this thought.
He let Ji Taoyu pinch his ear until it turned red.
Huo Shu, however, remained rational and looked down at him: "Why the Shen family?"
Huo Anding seized the opportunity while his father was speaking to rescue his ear from Ji Taoyu's grip. He stood up:
"Father, Little Father, I'm not joking with you. I like the young master of the Shen family, I want to marry him."
Ji Taoyu saw the certainty in his eyes and then began to piece things together.
His brow furrowed slightly, and he couldn't help but glance at Huo Shu.
"Anding, have you and Young Master Shen met before?"
Huo Anding nodded: "Yes."
Ji Taoyu immediately realized he was serious.
He remembered talking with Huo Shu in the southwest, wondering what kind of person could ever win their Xiao Taohe's heart. He never imagined that person would appear so soon.
He initially wanted to ask how they had met, but on second thought, now wasn't the right time for those details.
Knowing that they were acquainted was enough for now, he decided against asking for specifics.
He said seriously: "Lord Shen and his wife have a very good relationship. They had four children; the first three were all sons. They always wanted a ger or a girl, and finally got their wish with the fourth child."
"The Shen family has only this one ger. Not only are the couple deeply fond of him, but his three older brothers also dote on him immensely. This Young Master Shen is fit to be a royal spouse, his status is extraordinary. If the Shen family had more daughters or gers among their offspring, perhaps it wouldn't be so difficult."
Ji Taoyu had a headache. He didn't know what twist of fate had brought these two together.
"Alright, first, focus on the imperial exams. The Shen family is a scholarly family. If you achieve a ranking in the exams, you might have some standing to propose this marriage."
Huo Anding also knew this matter wasn't easy. Even though he had reached marriageable age and hadn't planned on it at the start of the year, suddenly changing his tune by year's end was certainly baffling to his father.
But his relationship with Shen Qingyue ultimately had to pass the approval of his parents and elders. If his own father didn't agree, then the Shen family certainly wouldn't.
Besides, he had made a promise to Shen Qingyue.
"After the New Year, at the latest after the New Year."
Ji Taoyu's eyes widened: "You brat, you didn't...?"
"No, no, no!"
Before his little father could finish his sentence, Huo Anding understood his implication and quickly interrupted.
"Then what's the rush!"
Huo Anding said: "Little Father, you also know his status is such that he could marry into the royal family. There's still a year until the exams, and things could easily change during that time."
Ji Taoyu's headache intensified.
"You've certainly thought this through."
Ji Taoyu looked at Huo Shu, who had been silent beside him, and angrily pinched his arm: "Look at the good son you've raised. At a time like this, and you don't say a word."
Huo Shu consoled Ji Taoyu, saying: "I understand his worries. If it were you, I would be the same."
"Hmph."
Huo Shu patted his fulang who had slumped over the desk, then turned to Huo Anding: "I haven't had much contact with the Shen family, but your Uncle Duan has dealings with them. However, for such matters, it's better handled by someone closer to the family. A-Pan received some guidance from Shen Zhenyu in the past and has always respected him as a teacher, he might still have some connection. I'll send him a letter and ask him to make some preliminary inquiries on your behalf."
"After the New Year, I have to go to the capital to report to His Majesty on the southwest salt affairs. You will come with me to the capital then."
Huo Anding's eyes lifted, and he bowed respectfully to Huo Shu: "Thank you, Father."
Watching their son leave the study.
Ji Taoyu let out a long sigh. He leaned against Huo Shu and said worriedly: "Can this actually work?"
"I originally also wanted to hold a grandchild sooner, but this kid never showed interest in starting a family. Now that he's finally figured it out, he presents us with such a difficult problem."
Ji Taoyu lamented: "Thank goodness we only have one child. If we had more, I truly don't know how much more troublesome it would be."
Huo Shu ruffled Ji Taoyu's hair: "Since he has set his heart on it, whether it succeeds or not, we can only try for him."
Since Zhao Pan was occupied with his official duties and couldn't return for the New Year, they were unable to discuss the matter together in person.
The couple, Huo Shu and Ji Taoyu, lit a lamp, carefully deliberated over their phrasing, and composed a letter to Zhao Pan. Just as they were about to dispatch a messenger to deliver it, an unexpected turn of events occurred—the letter never needed to be sent.
Zhao Pan had already returned to Tongzhou from Baojing before their letter could even reach him.
Who would have thought that a letter from the capital would arrive first? The Shen family didn't contact the Huo family directly, but also thought of Zhao Pan first, asking him about the Huo family's situation and whether Huo Anding was already betrothed.
Zhao Pan, of course, replied truthfully. Sensing something was amiss, he handled his urgent matters and rushed back to Tongzhou as fast as he could.
Upon returning, he found out he had almost become the middleman for both sides.
After this episode, both sides naturally understood the other's intentions.
Huo Shu and Ji Taoyu never expected that the headache-inducing, seemingly unsolvable problem would resolve itself before they even had to tackle it.
Huo Anding had originally thought that when Shen Qingyue said he would handle his family, it meant he would help persuade them when Huo Anding came to propose. He never imagined Shen Qingyue would have already communicated clearly with his family beforehand.
He felt an indescribable wave of emotion in his heart and wished he could see him immediately.
Thank you for the update!!!
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