Chapter 7: Blind Date

Upon hearing these words, her eyes reddened, and she felt tears welling up. Ding Hao quickly comforted her, saying: "Mother, please do not say any more. A son does not despise his mother for her looks, and a dog does not disdain a poor home. You gave me this body and this life, and that is the greatest kindness. Shouldn't a man like me earn his own fortune through hard work? Shouldn't I use my own abilities to ensure that my mother enjoys her later years in comfort? To complain that my parents gave me life but did not bestow upon me wealth and honor is the mark of the most unambitious of men"

Xue Liang was standing to one side, holding a dark, heavy object in his hand. The room was simple, lacking tables and chairs, and apart from a bed in the corner, there was nothing else, leaving him with no place to set down the object he was holding. After helping his mother apply the medicine, Ding Hao turned his head and couldn't help but ask, "Zhu Er, what are you holding in your hand?"

Ding Hao did not respond. He flicked his wrist and raised the whip, producing a loud crack that echoed like thunder. A hint of a cold smile appeared at the corner of his lips: "A gentleman does not leave a grudge unavenged..."

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Ding Tingxun pondered for a long time and decided to drown his shame in alcohol. He expressed to Li Yuchang his intention to form a marriage alliance. Li Yuchang, however, was unaware of the true nature of the second young master of the Ding family. Every time he visited Bazhou, he was always in a hurry. Ding Chengye was a handsome and talented individual, and he had always responded appropriately in front of Li Yuchang, displaying elegance and courtesy, which greatly impressed him. Moreover, although the Ding family was not as wealthy or powerful as the Tang family, they could still be considered a suitable match. His sister's husband had died early, and now the Tang family was led by his nephew. As an uncle, it was only natural for him to be concerned about the marriage of his niece. Thus, he nonchalantly agreed to the proposal, arranging a date for the two young people to meet in Bazhou City. If they found each other agreeable, they could later seek the Tang family's approval for the marriage.

Xue Liang blinked and said, "How can one say that? With our Second Young Master’s background and appearance, is there anything that is not possible?"

Yan Jiu chased after the car, anxiously instructing: "Hurry, hurry, quickly take the Second Young Master to Baifeng Building. Today is a good day for the Second Young Master’s blind date, and the young lady is the eldest daughter of the Tang family from the Northwest. If you delay, I will skin you alive when you return!"

Ding Hao's lips curled slightly as he gently said, "Blind dates do not guarantee marriage. To truly become a couple is not that easy..."

However, given the influence of the Ding family, it is quite difficult to find a suitable family in Bazhou, and even if one is found, there may not be any eligible daughters available for marriage. Even if a daughter were to marry into the Ding family, she might not be able to rein in their wild son, who is like a runaway horse. However, if it were the Tang family... that would be a different matter. In terms of wealth and power, the Tang family far surpasses the Ding family. If they could truly establish a connection through marriage, the Ding family's position in the northwest would certainly be as stable as Mount Tai, and wouldn't the eldest daughter of the Tang family be able to manage her wayward son?

Yang was momentarily taken aback, then lightly spat and said: "You child, the flesh that fell from your mother, do you still feel embarrassed? Alas, it is true, I didn't realize how tall you have grown. If you were from an ordinary family, you would already be expected to have a wife, but you... it is all because your mother has burdened you."

Ding Tingxun has unraveled the intricate relationships among the Tang, Li, and Cheng families. He has also heard that the young lady of the Tang family remains unmarried, which inevitably stirs his thoughts. His most beloved second son, Ding Chengye, is approaching the age of twenty, yet he is vastly different from his elder brother's composed and serious demeanor. Instead, he spends his days engaging in cockfighting and other frivolous activities, often lingering in places of ill repute, which truly troubles Ding Tingxun. He has been contemplating arranging a marriage for his second son, hoping that once married, he might become more mature and responsible.

Li Yuchang is a wealthy salt merchant with a very prosperous family business. His brother-in-law, Tang Baiquan, is even more remarkable. The Tang family is one of the most prominent and affluent families in the entire Northwest region, with wealth rivaling that of a nation. The Tang family is related by marriage to General Cheng Shixiong of Guangyuan, who is the uncle of Tang Yanyan. This time, Tang Yanyan is representing the Tang family to celebrate her uncle's mother’s seventieth birthday.

Ding Tingxun is a landowner and gentry with status and accomplishments. Engaging in commerce has already somewhat diminished his status. Moreover, as he has grown older, he inevitably finds it difficult to leave his homeland. He does not wish to manage the trade of goods beyond his fields. Therefore, he has always entrusted the salt quota to this friend, allowing him to take people to transport the salt out and then utilize his established commercial network to distribute it for sale in various markets.

Yang Shi did not expect her son to say such heartfelt words, and her heart was filled with both emotion and comfort. Ding Hao tore a strip from the bed sheet beside his bed, helped Yang Shi sit down, gently pushed her hair aside, applied the wound ointment for her, and then carefully wrapped the cloth strip. Yang Shi held her son's hand, feeling a sense of peace and happiness in her heart. After this illness, her son finally became enlightened and was no longer always dazed; her son had grown up, which was undoubtedly the greatest satisfaction for a mother.

The head of the Ding family, Ding Tingxun, has recently arrived in the city to meet an old friend. This old friend, surnamed Li, is named Li Yuchang and is a prominent salt merchant. The Ding family possesses vast fields, producing countless grains, which are sold to the border troops in the northwest. As the border troops do not have sufficient silver to make payments, they issue salt permits, authorized by the government, allowing him to return to the inland salt factories to collect salt as a substitute for grain payment

This mother, in the heart of Ding Hao today, feels no blood connection. This Xue Liang, who is not a brother in the sense of brotherly affection, also appears to Ding Hao today as nothing more than an unrelated passerby. He has inherited the memories of the original Ding Hao, yet he has not inherited his emotions. However, he can clearly feel that a deep bond of maternal love and brotherly affection is rising anew in the depths of his heart

Xue Liang chuckled foolishly and said: "The roe deer, if it is a pity to throw it away, I picked it up, and it has only been scorched on the outside; the inside is still fragrant"

Hearing this, Ding Tingxun was overjoyed and did not return to his residence that day. Instead, he accompanied Li Yuchang to drink and entertain guests. It was not until the evening that he hurriedly wrote a letter, asking someone to take it back to his residence, instructing Ding Chengye to rush to Bazhou City early the next morning to host a welcoming banquet for Uncle Li at Baifeng Building, and to arrange for his son to meet Miss Tang.

The two have collaborated for many years, and their friendship is profound. Now, they are not only business partners but have also formed a familial bond. Ding Tingxun originally intended to invite his old friend to stay at his residence, but was politely declined by Li Yuchang. When Ding Tingxun inquired in surprise, he learned that Li Yuchang's niece, Tang Yanyan, had accompanied him to Bazhou City this time. After handling some business affairs in Bazhou City, Li Yuchang was to send her to Guangyuan.

Xue Liang shook the reins, and the carriage sped away. He seemed unsteady as he leaned closer to Ding Hao, whispering softly: "Is the second young master going on a blind date today? How pitiful, that young lady from the Tang family will be ruined for life..."

Alright, come, you sit too, let us... eat roe deer meat

When the sun was high in the sky and Yan Jiu was anxiously pacing like an ant on a hot pan beside the prepared carriage, Ding Chengye finally arrived, getting onto the carriage with a lackluster demeanor

Mother, you should try this; it is fragrant.

Yang and his son, along with Xue Liang, supported each other as they slowly returned to the small side room where Ding Hao and Xue Liang lived together. The lively young girl Qing had also sent over some gold wound medicine. A small light, as big as a bean star, was lit. Yang said anxiously: "Son, hurry and lie down, let your mother take a look at your injuries and apply some medicine for you"

Ding Hao grasped his belt, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and said: "Mother, there's no need for that. In a little while, Brother Daliang and I will just apply some medicine to each other and it will be fine."

He suddenly felt that, in this world, he was not entirely without possessions

Upon reading the letter, Ding Er Shao was extremely displeased. He had encountered many young ladies from wealthy families, but few were truly beautiful, and there were plenty with bad tempers. He had heard that the Tang family was even more powerful than his own Ding family, which made him even less inclined to marry a little ancestor who would disrupt his carefree life. However, he dared not defy his father's orders. Early in the morning, he appeared visibly irritable, and his maids and servants were subjected to both beatings and scoldings, causing those who attended to him to not dare to breathe a word.

Xue Liang sat by the kang holding a piece of dark venison, while Ding Hao tore off a leg from the deer. Although the outside was charred, the meat inside was indeed very tender, with a faint wisp of steam rising.

As for his second son, Ding Chengye, he is indeed a ne'er-do-well and a wastrel, yet his appearance is extraordinarily handsome. With clear brows and bright eyes, red lips and white teeth, anyone who does not know his background would surely praise him as a refined young gentleman upon seeing his outwardly splendid visage

"Ah," Yang, holding her son's hand, took a bite of the fragrant roe deer meat, slowly chewing it. Tears gradually gathered in her eyes, and she quickly turned her head away under the pretext, quietly wiping away the tears from her cheeks. Then she turned back, looking at her son and Xue Liang, who were heartily chewing the roe deer meat, and a joyful smile blossomed on her face.