Chapter 754 - 528: The Mu Family’s Daughter

Chapter 754: Chapter 528: The Mu Family’s Daughter

The family returned to the city in a lively manner, with Second Aunt holding onto Zhou Ying all the way, even Jiang Hu was sent to another carriage.

Second Aunt, Xiaoxue, along with Sisi and Xiaomi, surrounded Zhou Ying, both advising and asking questions.

Jiang Hu and Jiang Wei were accompanying the future in-laws and fiancée. Although they weren’t very familiar with the Capital City, being hosts, they couldn’t let the in-laws feel neglected soon after arriving.

Liu Ze was holding his son and riding with Wei Ziang in another carriage, nearly forgotten as brothers.

Liu Ze looked at Wei Ziang, who was observing the scenery outside the carriage, and asked curiously, "With the wedding date approaching, aren’t you nervous at all?"

Looking at his leisurely demeanor, it seemed as if the person about to be married wasn’t him.

In the neighboring carriage, Xiao Wei had been nervous ever since they left Quan County.

Wei Ziang withdrew his gaze and smiled back, asking, "Brother Ze, were you nervous back then?"

Liu Ze nodded candidly, "Of course I was nervous. I couldn’t sleep at all the night before the wedding."

"Wasn’t that excitement rather than nervousness?"

After all, Liu Ze, like him, had been yearning for years before finally marrying the beauty.

"Both," Liu Ze smiled widely at the memory of those days, "You’ll understand when the time comes. You definitely won’t be as calm and composed as you are now."

Wei Ziang just smiled without refuting.

Where had Brother Ze seen his calm composure? He was just good at pretending.

Since the moment Xiaomi agreed, he hadn’t been calm, constantly in a slightly exhilarated state.

Others thought too highly of him to assume he could remain composed at such times.

The carriage passed through the somewhat unfamiliar streets and finally stopped at the gates of Nongzheng Marquisate.

Butler Zhang had been waiting at the entrance with a team, rushing forward as soon as the carriage returned.

Over the years, the household staff had been replaced cleanly, but the butler remained the same one brought in by the emperor to manage trivial tasks when they first arrived in the Capital City.

The other servants were changed because they didn’t want everything to be under the emperor’s watchful eye.

Keeping Butler Zhang was also to avoid dealing too absolutely and arousing the emperor’s suspicion, especially since they were now residing in the Marquisate.

Next year, when father and mother leave the Capital City, Jiang Yu will need to prepare to return to his residence, so who the butler was wouldn’t matter much.

"Marquis and Madam, you’re finally back. The eldest young master just arrived home too, and went to change into court attire."

Butler Zhang reached out to assist, but Jiang Hu jumped down himself: "Back so soon? Prepare some hot water and tea first, it’s quite cold in the Capital City, might be slightly unsettling for the in-laws."

Having spent years in Quan County, the coldest time there was similar to the deep autumn in the Capital City, and it was much shorter.

"All prepared, guest rooms are tidied up too. The young madam worried that the future princely heir’s wife might not be used to it, so specially arranged her room in the fourth lady’s courtyard."

Xiaomi’s courtyard wasn’t small and could easily accommodate two people.

"As long as everything’s arranged, Xiaomi, take Qiu Rong back to rest. Qiu Rong’s room is in your courtyard."

"Got it, Yingying Sister already informed me, don’t worry, Dad."

Mu Qiurong, Jiang Wei’s fiancée, an ordinary fisherman’s daughter, also the only daughter in her family.

It’s said her mom was injured during her birth, preventing further children, and her grandparents resented her mom for only giving birth to a daughter, forcing their family of three out early.

Fortunately, Mu Qiurong’s father was a man of integrity, he didn’t abandon her for only having a daughter and unable to have more.

He himself went to sea for fishing, with her mom taking care of the child at home, gradually improving their life from initially working on others’ boats to now owning two of their own fishing vessels.

How Mu Qiurong met Jiang Wei was even more dramatic.

Originally, Mu Qiurong got engaged at fifteen to a wealthy family in town, but the day before marriage, her fiancée accidentally drowned after drinking.

Given that they lived by the sea, nearly everyone could swim, Mu Qiurong’s fiancée was especially skilled, reportedly adept at swimming through waves since childhood.

But how did an experienced swimmer drown in his own backyard’s small pond?

Words quickly spread that Mu Qiurong carried a curse against husbands, causing anyone engaged to her to meet a tragic end.

A blossoming girl thwarted by rumors, reaching seventeen or eighteen without any matchmaker visiting.

Her parents were anxious, even considering buying a man to prevent their daughter from being lonely forever.

At this time, Jiang Wei came knocking.

Don’t misunderstand, Jiang Wei didn’t know about the Mu family’s situation, he was simply looking to learn more about carpenter work after a year with nothing personally demanding attention in the fields.

Knowing that his brother and sister wished to venture into the sea one day, he considered gaining some firsthand experience first.

Thus, he planned to find a fishing boat to venture into the sea, it seemed a good idea to practice fishing skills as he’d eventually need to fish himself.

Meanwhile, Mu Qiurong’s father happened to be the best fisherman for miles around.

Sometimes, fate works in mysterious ways.

Mu’s parents were troubled about their daughter’s marriageability when a young man showed up seeking skills.

Although he was there to learn fishing, he was the only young man visiting in years!

Especially considering his interaction with their daughter, without even a hint of aversion.

Of course, the most crucial point was, despite being an heir apparent, he was a slim, dark-skinned youth due to long-time fieldwork and a small stature from the womb.

Despite being twenty years old now, Jiang Wei’s tall and thin, with dark skin, didn’t at all look like an heir apparent.

The Mu family naturally wouldn’t have guessed, they cautiously told Jiang Wei about their daughter’s ’curse’, he expressed disbelief.

A cow hoofprint filled with water could drown a person, let alone a pond.

Moreover, Mu Qiurong’s former fiancée fell into the pond after drinking.

In Jiang Wei’s view, the ’curse’ was likely fabricated by the former fiancée’s family, losing a son made them less inclined to allow Mu family’s daughter to live well.

Seeing Jiang Yu’s completely different perspective, the explanation assuaged years of concerns.

Thus, Mu’s parents began to intentionally facilitate between Jiang Wei and their daughter.

To be fair, had they known Jiang Wei was an heir apparent, they’d probably never have entertained such notions, but they were unaware back then.

Jiang Wei and Mu Qiurong, of similar age, frequently interacting, naturally grew to understand and feel affectionate towards each other over the year or two.

Upon learning of his sister and brother’s upcoming wedding in the Capital City, he rushed to inform parents about his situation with Mu Qiurong.

As for the Mu family’s initial shock, that’s another story to tell.