maidservant

Chapter 78 Li Mao appoints the Ministry of Revenue to refuse Shixun's marriage to Xiaoyue
When Yan Yu heard the news that Tang Wenyao was banished from Kyoto, the haze that had been accumulating in her heart for many years finally dissipated.

In the past few years, the days when she was divorced have been hanging over her like a nightmare, causing her to isolate herself in the farm for a long time.

Now, this heavy shackle has finally been removed, and she gradually has the courage to leave the village. She is also willing to go to the market to buy things and feel the fireworks of life again.

There was a young man with rough and dark skin in Zhuangzi. He was thoughtful and caring towards Yan Yu.

He lost both his parents when he was young, but the hardships of life did not wear away his kindness. Two years ago, he took the initiative to help Gan Qing and Yan Yu with various farm chores, from tilling the soil and sowing to harvesting and drying the crops, doing everything with all his heart and soul.

During the time they spent together, he and Yan Yu fell in love with each other, but Yan Yu was always reluctant to agree to his pursuit because of her inferiority complex and concerns due to her experience of being divorced.

Last time, Yan Yu's brother Yan Lie's patient persuasion had slowly changed her mind. Now, Yan Yu finally decided to let go of the pain of the past, stepped out of the haze, and agreed to the young man's request.

The wedding was held on the farm. There was no grand ceremony and not many guests. There were only a few red wedding stickers and two red candles, but it still seemed warm.

Yunshan was on duty at the pharmacy that day and was too busy to take any time off, so she had to ask Yan Lie to take the carefully prepared gift.

The groom was very polite. During the wedding ceremony, in addition to his elder brother-in-law Yan Lie, he also respectfully bowed to Gan Qing.

"Thanks to you for protecting my wife all these years, I will respect you as my own aunt from now on."

Gan Qing was reluctant to sit in the seat of honor at first, as she felt that she was just a servant and could not bear such a great honor.

"You have been protecting me and accompanying me all these years. I'm afraid you are closer to me than my own sister. Just sit here with peace of mind." Seeing this, Yan Yu's eyes reddened slightly. She took Gan Qing's hand and said, and Gan Qing stopped refusing.

Li Song, mindful of his childhood friendship with Yan Yu, carefully prepared a generous gift. However, although the young man came from a poor family, he was a man of integrity.

"Mr. Li saved my wife back then, which was a great favor. I dare not accept these gifts anymore." Li Song persuaded the young man several times, but he still insisted. Finally, after some roundabout ways, the young man only left some peony seedlings.

"Just leave these peony seedlings. I'll plant them in the yard. When they bloom, I'll always remember Master Li's kindness."

Yan Lie directly stuffed a heavy purse into Yan Yu's hand. Seeing this, the young man hurriedly tried to stop him. But Yan Lie said generously, "This is for my sister's private money. It is her dowry. Don't try to stop me."

This simple yet lively wedding heralds the beginning of Yan Yu's new life.

There was a solemn atmosphere at Li's residence, and the appointment edict was being read aloud.

"The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, hereby decrees: Li Mao is appointed as an official of the Ministry of Revenue, in charge of the grain transport tax revenue from various states to Yezhou, and he holds the rank of Seventh..."

This position may not seem to be of high rank, but it actually carries considerable power, and is responsible for key matters concerning the economic lifeline of a state.

Li Mao was already wealthy, and now with this powerful official position, he naturally became the candidate for son-in-law in the eyes of many families in the capital.

Those noble families who had once been prominent but had fallen into poverty or were in debt to the imperial treasury for various reasons all turned their attention to him. They thought that if they could marry their concubine daughters to Li Mao, it would not only provide a good home for their daughters, but also establish a relationship with Li Mao and provide a chance for the family's revival.

So in the past few days, matchmakers came to Li Mao's mansion one after another, with smiles on their faces, and flattered him to the utmost, praising the talents and virtues of the young ladies from each family.

However, faced with these numerous marriage proposals, Li Mao remained unmoved and politely rejected them one by one.

As everyone was buzzing about Li Mao's rejection of the proposed marriage, he suddenly announced his impending wedding, marrying Song Ayue, a woman who had previously been a brothel owner. This news sent shockwaves through the capital. The noble families, feeling humiliated, had assumed Li Mao would gladly accept their olive branch. Instead, he not only refused but chose a lesser-known woman.

Some court officials also thought that Li Mao's move was too presumptuous. They felt that Li Mao's refusal to marry into aristocratic families was a contempt for the authority of the court and an insult to those who intended to marry into aristocratic families.

"Sir Li, you are just a seventh-rank official from a merchant family. It's a blessing that you are now like this. How dare you slap the faces of the nobles of the family like this? You really don't know how to appreciate it!"

"Your Majesty, Li Mao, an official appointed by the imperial court, is actually marrying a woman from a brothel. This behavior is truly immoral and a disgrace to the imperial court. I urge Your Majesty to punish him severely!"

The accusations from the ministers came to Li Mao like a tide. He tried to clear his name and Song Ayue's, but the voices of the crowd were so loud that he had no time to finish his words.

The emperor summoned him privately and advised him, "Li Mao, I know you value friendship and loyalty, but marrying a wife is a matter of family honor and the court's respect. If that woman truly suits your taste, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take her as a concubine. Please consider this carefully."

In the quiet imperial study, Li Mao was heard saying word by word: "Your Majesty, in my heart, she has long been the only one who will accompany me throughout my life. I will not marry anyone other than Xiaoyue in this life. I really cannot bear to let her down." Then he knelt down and kowtowed.

The emperor looked at the stubborn minister in front of him and thought that if Li Mao really married into a family of corrupt officials in the court that should have been overthrown long ago, it would only encourage the greed for money. Now this is not a bad thing.

He waved his hand and said, "Forget it, forget it. I will pretend I don't know anything about this matter. You can take care of yourself."

Although Xiaoyue did not leave the Li residence, she heard some news from the mother-in-law and was filled with worry and self-blame.

Li Mao's career should have been bright, but if it was ruined because of her, wouldn't she become a burden to Li Mao?

Thinking of this, she quietly packed her bags, intending to leave without saying goodbye late at night. Just as she was about to leave, Li Mao suddenly appeared, stopped her, and asked anxiously, "Xiaoyue, where are you going?"

Xiaoyue's eyes were red, and her voice was filled with tears: "Master, I can't let you delay your future because of me. Let me go, it will be good for you."

"I won't let you go. Believe me, all the troubles outside can be solved!"

After a heart-to-heart talk between the two, Xiaoyue finally gave up her insistence on leaving and said hesitantly, "How about we hold a secret wedding and just invite a few people? That way, maybe we won't get into any more trouble."

Li Mao looked at her, his tears breaking into laughter, and nodded hurriedly: "Okay, then it's settled. Let's set a date quickly."

On the day of the wedding, Zhuque Street gradually became lively as soon as the sky was getting light. It was originally said to be a low-key wedding, but somehow, half of the merchants on Zhuque Street came to congratulate.

They respected Li Mao as a person and were grateful for his care. Since Li Mao graduated from high school, some merchants have even hung Li Mao's portrait in their children's private schools.

The shops on both sides of the street spontaneously hung bright red silk. When the breeze blew, the silk fluttered gently, creating a festive atmosphere.

Seeing this, Li Mao did not refuse the merchant's kindness, so he rode a tall horse, dressed in festive red wedding clothes, and looked radiant.

Xiaoyue sat in the room, listening to the excitement outside. Firecrackers kept popping and children were laughing and playing nearby.

The splendor of this wedding far surpassed the luxurious weddings of those noble ladies in the capital.

(End of this chapter)