Nearly half a month had passed, and Bai Zheng hardly ever set foot in her home. Bai Yinan didn't mind this at all, but only Lin Shi took the time to scold Bai Zheng.
When Bai Zheng heard Lin Shi's words like "it's not proper for an unmarried girl to be out and about all day. If she's recognized, it'll invite gossip", she didn't bother to explain much.
She simply brought up the names of Feng Linyuan and Song Yiqing, and repeatedly assured Lin Shi that she would behave herself. Only then did Lin Shi let it go.
After appeasing Lin Shi, Bai Zheng got even busier, leaving early and returning late for several days in a row.
She had to negotiate with the farmers in the villages outside the city about farming the fields, and also sent people to find craftsmen who were good at growing flowers and plants to learn about their cultivation.
When she had some free time, she would go to check on the progress of the craftsmen's decoration in the shops.
After arranging all these things, by the time Bai Zheng could catch a breath, it was already fully spring in March.
The grass was growing and the orioles were flying. It was the perfect time to plant flowers and plants.
Under Bai Zheng's instruction, the five - hundred - mu of fertile land began to be plowed, and the flower seedlings of roses, jasmines, and gardenias that Bai Zheng had purchased, as well as green plants like aloe vera, mint, and basil, were planted.
During this period, there were kind - hearted farmers who advised her that the entire five - hundred - mu of fields shouldn't all be used to plant these "useless" things. She should plant some grain as well.
But Bai Zheng just smiled slightly and ignored these words.
In contrast, because of Song Yiqing's instructions, the craftsmen in the Song Kiln were much more obedient. They just buried their heads and improved the porcelain firing according to Bai Zheng's requirements, and the finished products satisfied Bai Zheng.
After more than half a month of failures, the forging furnace also gradually got on the right track and produced products that met Bai Zheng's satisfaction.
As for Song Yiqing, with Bai Zheng's help, he successfully opened his first paper shop.
Because of the commotion caused by the auction at the Jizhen Tower, people in Yongding had long been looking forward to this paper shop.
Therefore, the paper shop had a good business as soon as it opened, which reduced Song Yiqing's resentment towards Bai Zheng a bit.
So much so that several times when Bai Zheng went to visit Feng Linyuan and bumped into him, he would kindly greet her and say, "If you encounter any troubles in the kiln, just let me know."
Bai Zheng could only keep saying yes.
It seemed that seeing the results of her hard work, even though she hadn't had a break for more than a month, Bai Zheng still got up early and returned late every day, full of energy.
She didn't even notice that a group of outsiders had come to Yongding City, and there were many more people coming and going in her own mansion.
One morning after breakfast, Bai Zheng, as usual, pulled Qing Shao and Zhu Ling, dressed in men's clothing, bypassed the back courtyard, and was about to go out through the back door as she did every day.
Now that the sun was getting warmer and the sky was getting brighter earlier, the people in the back courtyard got up early.
Bai Zheng was already used to meeting the cook who went shopping and came back with a basket of ingredients at this time.
But today, seeing cartloads of vegetables, poultry, and meat being pulled into the mansion through the back door, Bai Zheng was completely stunned.
"Miss, don't you think there have been a lot more people coming and going in our mansion these days?" Zhu Ling looked around and whispered.
Hearing this, Bai Zheng looked around and only then noticed that there were many people in the mansion whom she had never seen before. Immediately, she became very suspicious.
What had happened in the mansion?
She walked a few steps towards the inner courtyard and grabbed a strange - looking maid who was wiping the stone piers by the corridor and asked, "Sister, what are you all busy with?"
The maid glanced at her sideways. Obviously, she didn't recognize Bai Zheng in men's clothing and said impatiently, "Can't you see what I'm busy with? Can't you see I'm wiping the stone piers?"
Bai Zheng smiled awkwardly and said, "I didn't mean that. I'm just wondering. Usually, you only wipe these stone piers once every three or five days. Why do you wipe them every day recently? Has something happened in the mansion?"
Only then did the maid look up and take another serious look at Bai Zheng. She smiled and said, "I didn't expect that the young master is actually from the Bai Mansion. I was blind. But since the young master is from the Bai Mansion, how come you don't know about the great happy event in the Bai Mansion today?"
"Great happy event?" Bai Zheng blinked blankly. "What great happy event?"
The maid raised her head and said clearly, "Naturally, it's the great happy event that the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion is coming to propose marriage for Miss Bai today!"
Bai Zheng was stunned.
The Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion? Feng Linyuan!
Bai Zheng was shocked.
Feng Linyuan was coming to propose marriage today!
The maid's voice continued, "I heard that the Marquis of Dingyuan attaches great importance to Miss Bai. He has invited many distinguished guests.
Master Bai has been busy for several days for this. Today, he even prepared a sedan chair and specially went to the General's Mansion to invite Old Lady Bai.
It has to be said that Miss Bai has really good luck. Although she will have to be a widow a few years after marrying the Marquis of Dingyuan, if she gives birth to a young marquis, then in the future, all that huge family fortune... Hey, young master? Where are you in such a hurry to go?"
At this time, Bai Zheng, who had left the maid behind and ran back to her room out of breath, only had one question in her mind.
Who could tell her why everyone in the Bai Mansion knew that Feng Linyuan was coming to propose marriage today, but no one had informed her?
"Sister, you have to hurry up. The Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion is here to propose marriage!" Bai Nianming said happily outside the door.
"Got it!" Bai Zheng replied impatiently.
Since the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion had always only had one main wife and had no habit of taking concubines, and had been on military campaigns all year round, the family had always been sparsely populated. Now, there was only Feng Linyuan left.
But when proposing marriage, it was necessary to invite elders to show respect. Therefore, Feng Linyuan specially invited two very prestigious elders in Yongding City to come with him.
One was Prince Feng Yu, the King of Wen, whom even Feng Linche had to call Uncle Wang. The other was the tutor of Feng Linche, the Old Duke Zhou of the Duke Zhou's Mansion.
These two were both well - respected figures in Yongding City. For a while, the previously unknown Bai Mansion became the center of attention.
Not to mention the long list of betrothal gifts from the Marquis of Dingyuan's Mansion, which made Bai Zheng's grandmother, He Shi, who had been specially invited, stare in disbelief.
"Zheng'er pays respects to grandmother. I greet the Princess of Wen, the Old Lady Zhou, and all the other ladies."
As Bai Zheng stepped into the main hall of the Bai Mansion, she saw He Shi chatting happily with several ladies, and there were a few familiar - looking ladies following along to join in the fun.
Lin Shi was standing beside them, smiling. It could be seen that although she was a bit nervous and uncomfortable, there was also an obvious and uncontrollable joy in her discomfort.
"Zheng'er has finally come." When He Shi saw Bai Zheng, there was a flash of surprise in her cloudy old eyes, and she said in a flat tone.
Bai Zheng obediently lowered her head and said, "I've kept grandmother waiting."
"Girls are usually shy on such occasions. It's normal for them to come out a bit late..." Before the Old Lady Zhou could finish her smiling words, she heard He Shi speak.
"You're about to get married. How can you still be so ignorant?"