Chapter 023 Setting the Wedding Date

Chapter 023 Setting the Wedding Date

When Ma Ruolan (the elderly lady of Wei Wuhou) said this, Princess Mingrui couldn't help but laugh. To prevent herself from laughing out loud, she picked up her cup and lowered her head to cover her smiling lips.

When she put down the cup, the sound of it clinking against the small porcelain saucer beneath it finally brought Lady Wang back to her senses.

Lady Wang's face turned red.

"Lady Ma, please don't joke with me. How could such a matter be joked about? Did you perhaps get confused and mean to propose marriage for your grandson Xie Jingzhi?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Ruolan felt displeased.

What is so good about Xie Jingzhi? He's just an adopted branch member. The Marquis Mansion hasn't even established a legitimate heir yet because they still hope for a proper son to inherit the title.

Why wouldn't marrying my son be better? She would immediately become the Lady of the Marquisate, and once she bears a legitimate son, we'll establish him as the heir without hesitation. My son may be older, but older men are better at taking care of people!

"As you said, Lady Wang, how could I make a mistake on such a matter?" Ma Ruolan shook her head and said, "Your daughter clearly stated that she can decide this matter herself. By the way, she asked me to tell you that there will be a good outcome, so you should agree."

Lin Yi sneered. At first, he had softened due to Lady Wang's words, but now it seemed that Lin Baozhen was still spoiled. Deciding her own marriage was one thing, but choosing someone only a few years younger than him, like Wei Wuhou, was another.

When Ma Ruolan said this, Lady Wang's mind was torn.

If Lin Baozhen were here, she would definitely question her. Unfortunately, Lin Baozhen left vague words, and now they were pushing for the marriage to proceed.

Lady Wang wanted to nod, but the thought of Wei Wuhou's age prevented her. His age could make him a father to Baozhen!

Lin Yi glanced at his wife and then turned to look at Lady Ma. "Thank you for Wei Wuhou's kindness, but I cannot accept this marriage. Wei Wuhou can call me Brother Lin by age, and I am not worthy of being called his father-in-law."

Upon hearing Lin Yi's refusal, Lady Wang breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how promising Wei Wuhou's future might be, she did not want her daughter to marry him. It was good that her husband refused. She then said:

"Thank you for your kindness, Lady Ma. Baozhen is still young and undisciplined. I wish to keep her for two more years. I must say that I have failed to live up to your affection."

Ma Ruolan never expected that things would reach this point, and these two still refused. They simply disdained the age of her son, but they should also consider whether Miss Lin had any reputation to speak of. Did she really think she was in such high demand?

For Lin Baozhen's birth date and time, Ma Ruolan suppressed her anger. "My son is sincerely seeking marriage. If you agree to this marriage, Lin Yi, my son will speak favorably on your behalf."

Lin Yi was momentarily tempted. After all, he didn't particularly like Lin Baozhen. If this could help him regain his position, it might be a fair deal.

Instead, Lady Wang directly said: "No need. The Changqing Marquis Mansion will also support my husband. If you insist on marrying our Baozhen to the Marquis, then forget it."

Ma Ruolan thought, fortunately, her son was prepared. She didn't want to bring this out, but now she had no choice.

"Lady Wang, please take a look at this." Ma Ruolan had a nanny bring out a box, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of Lady Wang.

"You might change your mind."

Lady Wang opened the box and saw a crimson-colored belly band and a piece of paper inside. Her hand trembled, almost dropping the box.

The red belly band was intricately embroidered with carp playing among lotus flowers. The unfolded lotus leaves had a water droplet, which looked so real that it seemed like actual water. This exquisite embroidery confirmed to Lady Wang that it belonged to her daughter.

How did such a private item end up in the Wei Wuhou Mansion?

Lady Wang felt dizzy and pinched her hand tightly, staring at the belly band with bloodshot eyes.

Princess Mingrui couldn't see anything, but she noticed Lady Wang's flushed cheeks, indicating that the contents were likely Lin Baozhen's personal items or love letters.

Lin Yi, upon seeing the belly band, was equally embarrassed and angry. After several deep breaths, he picked up the paper inside and read it. It contained a woman's birth date and time.

He didn't remember his daughter's birth details well, but he knew that the year and month matched those on the paper.

Lin Yi handed the paper to Lady Wang: "Is this true?"

Seeing the belly band had already occupied Lady Wang's mind. Now, she reluctantly looked at the paper and confirmed that the birth details were indeed Lin Baozhen's.

Lady Wang's face turned pale. She knew she had spoiled Lin Baozhen too much, but never imagined such behavior.

Even with premonitions, one shouldn't act like this! Lady Wang's lips trembled, "Sir..."

Seeing Lady Wang's reaction, Lin Yi understood everything. The birth details were genuine, and the belly band was likely Lin Baozhen's personal item.

Lin Yi closed his eyes tightly, then opened them with clarity.

With a loud snap, he closed the box. "Burn it."

Ma Ruolan wanted to say something, but the nanny held her back. Ma Ruolan wriggled in her seat but remained silent.

Lin Yi gritted his teeth and said: "I have seen Lady Ma's sincerity. Since the Marquis is sincere in his proposal, what right do I have to refuse?"

Ma Ruolan was overjoyed and leaned forward eagerly. "Yes, yes, the Marquis is sincere. Once they are married, the entire Marquis Mansion will be under Lin Baozhen's control."

Lady Wang quickly grabbed her husband's hand, her eyes filled with panic. "Sir..."

Lin Yi looked at his wife coldly, silencing her. "Who else can Baozhen marry besides Wei Wuhou? Even though the box will be burned, its contents remain valid."

Since Lin Baozhen's marriage to Xie Yuan was settled, he needed to maximize the benefits, ensuring Wei Wuhou would protect his position.

Lin Yi addressed Ma Ruolan: "Does your earlier promise still hold, that Wei Wuhou will speak on my behalf?"

Ma Ruolan nodded vigorously. "Of course, we are now family and should support each other."

Thinking of Wei Wuhou's age, Lady Wang couldn't help but sob. "Can't we..."

If possible, she still hoped her daughter would marry Xie Yuan's son, not Xie Yuan himself.

Her daughter wasn't from a humble background, needing to marry into a wealthy family to change her fate. Her daughter already had good fortune.

Lin Yi gripped Lady Wang's hand, causing her to cry out in pain, suppressing her words.

"Sir..."

"Wang Shi, this matter has already been decided; there is no need for further discussion."

Upon hearing these words, Wang Shi seemed to age ten years in an instant. She never expected her daughter, after being so selective, would end up marrying such an old man. Her eyes stung, and she could only use her handkerchief to wipe the corners of her eyes.

Lin Yi said to Princess Mingrui, "Regarding today's matter, I beg Princess Mingrui to keep it confidential for the sake of my daughter's reputation. I am deeply grateful."

Princess Mingrui took a sip from her cup, "I came here today merely to act as a matchmaker for Second Miss Lin. Other matters were just for entertainment. However, if the proposal succeeds, it might be best for both families to choose the same wedding date."

The best way to ensure Princess Mingrui's silence was to let her proposal succeed. Thus, Old Lady Ma smiled and said:

"Princess Mingrui is acting as a matchmaker for a young man who, although currently without official status, excels in poetry and literature. After passing the autumn examinations, he will surely be named on the imperial list. In my opinion, it would be a double blessing for both of your precious daughters to marry today."

Hearing the description of the young man, Lin Yi suddenly thought of one person: Fu Jiaze.

This sudden feeling was subtle, causing Lin Yi to unconsciously frown.

Princess Mingrui put down her teacup, "The young man I mentioned should be familiar to you both. It is Master Fu Jiaze."

Lin Yi's expression turned blank, while Wang Shi abruptly stopped her actions.

She suddenly remembered her daughter's premonition.

"Fu Jiaze is talented but fated to die young. Even if he passes the autumn examination this year, he can only become a county magistrate in some remote place."

"He will die early, never having touched me."

Such a marriage for Lin Yingxue would indeed be an excellent match!

"Yes." "No."

Lin Yi and Wang Shi had opposite responses.

Previously, Lin Yi had prevented Wang Shi from speaking, but now it was Wang Shi's turn to quickly say, "Master Fu's family background may not be high, but their morals are upright, and he possesses considerable talent. He is a perfect match for Yingxue. Moreover, she would be his principal wife, fulfilling her wish. This would also show that our Lin family acts fairly."

For Wang Shi, the most important thing was that Fu Jiaze would fail in the examinations and die young, making him a suitable match for Lin Yingxue.

Lin Yi's brow furrowed tightly, "I still feel it's inappropriate."

The marriage of his eldest daughter was absurd, and the second daughter's marriage was equally absurd, causing Lin Yi great distress.

Moreover, he knew Fu Jiaze was truly a handsome young man, likely to pass the imperial examinations. Marrying Lin Yingxue to him would be too good for that ungrateful daughter.

Ma Ruolan, eager to finalize the marriage, hurriedly said, "This is a double celebration. If Second Miss Lin also finds a good match, the people will see that Lord Lin acts fairly and remembers to find a good marriage for this concubine-born daughter."

Wang Shi added, "As you said, Yingxue doesn't attend flower-viewing banquets and rarely meets outsiders, so few people propose. Now that a young man has come forward, we should fulfill her mother's wishes. This way, others will think we've done our part."

Perhaps due to too many events, Lin Yi felt a bit overwhelmed. Hearing Princess Mingrui say, "From Master Fu's conditions, he is a perfect match for your second daughter. No one can say otherwise."

Hadn't he himself thought Fu Jiaze and Lin Yingxue were a good match?

Lin Yi finally said, "Fine."

The buzzing in his ears ceased, and Lin Yi felt a twinge of regret. But Old Lady Ma's voice boomed, "This is truly a double celebration! I've already chosen the wedding date. Princess, do the Fu family have a preferred date?"

"October fifteenth."

"Yes, yes!" The old lady's voice was excited, "That's the date. This year is auspicious, with few suitable dates for weddings. I chose this date, so it will be a double celebration!"

Old Lady Ma looked thrilled, Wang Shi was overjoyed, and even Princess Mingrui wore a faint smile.

Lin Yi closed his eyes, thinking that since everyone agreed it was a good match, it must be so.

The Lin residence, usually shrouded in gloom due to the presence of the Jinyiwei, finally saw some cheer today because of these two happy events.

However, once the two groups proposing marriage left, both Lin Yi and Wang Shi felt uneasy.

One believed Lin Baozhen shouldn't marry Wei Wuhou, while the other thought Lin Yingxue shouldn't marry Fu Jiaze.

But the exchange of birth charts had sealed the sisters' marriages.

Ma Ruolan, clutching the birth charts, hurriedly left the Lin residence to prepare for her son's wedding.

/

Her urgency was simple: she needed to arrange the marriage immediately.

Princess Mingrui's lips curled slightly, thinking of how Old Lady Ma's eagerness reminded her of Xie Yuan's marriage scandal from years ago. Many in the capital had forgotten about it, but with Xie Yuan's marriage, it would resurface.

There would be more excitement in the capital.

Princess Mingrui slowly left the mansion, expecting to wait before seeing anyone. Instead, she met Fu Jiaze directly.

Seeing Fu Jiaze, Princess Mingrui raised an eyebrow. Wei Wuhou's side was burning with eagerness, and here Fu Jiaze was, eager to marry. With less than ten days until the autumn examinations, she expected to see Qin Yuanting, not Fu Jiaze.

Today, Fu Jiaze wore new clothes, enhancing his already striking appearance.

Princess Mingrui noticed young girls constantly glancing at Fu Jiaze.

"The autumn examinations are imminent, yet you prioritize your marriage over your studies," she said. "Is your uncle jumping out of his skin?"

Indeed, Uncle Fu Bin kept hinting about his studies, suggesting that Fu Heng could handle the wedding preparations if he was busy, or Qin Yuanting could help.

Fu Jiaze wanted to see the marriage finalized personally, saying, "I wanted to see it with my own eyes. If Second Miss Lin could leave the house, she would also want to witness it."

Princess Mingrui's wrinkles smoothed out, "Good. Such a significant life event deserves careful planning and seriousness. Fortunately, marriage and the imperial examinations are equally important. Otherwise, your uncle would be worried sick." She then took something out from her sleeve, "Here is Second Miss Lin's birth chart."

Fu Jiaze opened the birth chart, and Princess Mingrui asked, "Are the characters correct?"

Fu Jiaze nodded, feeling a great weight lifted from his heart. At this moment, he could truly confirm that the marriage was set, allowing him to focus on his exams with peace of mind, leaving all other matters to his family.

Fu Jiaze solemnly bowed to Princess Mingrui: "Thank you for your efforts, Princess. My mother has also arrived in the capital. She obtained this recipe by chance during her travels; it is excellent for nourishing one's complexion. However, the ingredients are rare and suitable only for personal use."

Princess Mingrui waved her hand, uninterested: "There's no need for that recipe. I've been taking the Yangrong Pills from Zhaixing Pavilion recently, and they work wonderfully."

Fu Jiaze still handed the recipe to Princess Mingrui: "Then Princess, you should definitely try this recipe. My mother said that the Yangrong Pills were developed based on this one."

Princess Mingrui, who had been languid, suddenly perked up at this: "Is Zhaixing Pavilion your mother's business?" She looked Fu Jiaze up and down, noting his simple attire. "You really do hide things well. If you had revealed this earlier, you might have already married Miss Lin."

Fu Jiaze smiled: "Even if Zhaixing Pavilion is successful, it cannot compare to the prestige of the Weiwu Marquis Mansion. I doubt Miss Lin would look favorably upon me."

Fu Jiaze had met Lin Baozhen a few days ago, and she had looked at him with a mix of resentment and pity.

Fu Jiaze did not understand why Lin Baozhen felt this way, but judging from her pity, it was clear she did not see him as a suitable match.

Princess Mingrui: "Sometimes, I really don't understand these young girls. Why would they want to marry someone old enough to be their father?"

Fu Jiaze couldn't understand it either, and when the news spread throughout the capital, everyone was bewildered as to why the Lin family's eldest daughter would marry the nearly forty-year-old Wei Wuhou.

The news eventually reached the Changqing Hou Mansion, leaving Old Lady Luo stunned.

Old Lady Luo, accustomed to a life of luxury, had always been plump. Now, in her old age, her face was covered in jiggling flesh. "Your father, that black-hearted man, actually betrothed you to Wei Wuhou!"

Held in Old Lady Luo's arms, Lin Baozhen was still in shock, more so because Lin Yingxue was going to marry Fu Jiaze.

Lin Baozhen murmured: "Did something go wrong? How could Fu Jiaze marry Lin Yingxue?"

"Yes, yes, something must be wrong," Old Lady Luo nodded vigorously, then realized what Lin Baozhen had said. "My dear, we're talking about your marriage. Who cares about Lin Yingxue?"

"No, no, my marriage isn't the issue. It's Lin Yingxue's situation that's wrong. How can she become someone's wife? How can Fu Jiaze marry her?"

In her dreams, Fu Jiaze was her husband. Even if she had woken up and decided not to marry him, he shouldn't have married so quickly, let alone to Lin Yingxue!

And Lin Yingxue? Her mother had promised to make her a concubine, planning to keep her as Xie Jingzhi's concubine, watching her suffer for life. But now, she was marrying Fu Jiaze.

Lin Baozhen said: "I need to ask him."

Old Lady Luo grabbed Lin Baozhen's hand, her expression urgent, worried that her granddaughter didn't grasp the severity of the situation.

"My dear, forget about Fu Jiaze. The important thing is your marriage. Your father, that black-hearted man, betrothed you to Wei Wuhou for his own future! He's old enough to be your father! And your mother, that useless woman, didn't even stop him. She couldn't stop him from taking Wen Hui as a concubine back then, and now she can't stop him from betrothing you to an old man."

Everyone in the Changqing Hou Mansion was indignant, even blaming Xie Yuan for daring to propose to their precious daughter.

Except for one person who wasn't concerned about Lin Baozhen's plight—Changqing's heir, Wang Zifan.

Wang Zifan clenched his fists, his expression filled with sorrow, but it was for Lin Yingxue's marriage: "Wasn't Fu Jiaze supposed to marry Baozhen? Why did he propose to Yingxue? He must be after her beauty. How can Yingxue be happy with him?"

When Wang Zifan said this, everyone in the Changqing Hou Mansion remembered who Fu Jiaze was. Lin Baozhen bit her lip, thinking of Lin Yingxue's beauty, her heart aching. In her dreams, she had tried to develop feelings for Fu Jiaze, but he seemed like a cold stone, impossible to warm.

Such a person would value Lin Yingxue's beauty.

Wang Zifan continued: "In my opinion, Baozhen should marry Fu Jiaze, and Yingxue can be my concubine!"

Wang Zifan's mother twitched her lips. She was the calmest in the entire mansion, as she didn't particularly favor Lin Baozhen. She patted her son's shoulder: "Both Baozhen's and Second Miss Lin's marriages are settled. One proposal came from the Wei Wuhou Mansion's matriarch, and the other from Princess Mingrui. The marriage contracts have been exchanged, and the wedding dates are set!"