Chapter 43: Marriage

Chapter 43: Marriage

"That Cui Han, you've seen him when you were little, do you remember?" the family matriarch teased Cheng Yiqiao.

Cheng Yiqiao looked uncomfortable, pouted, saying, "I don't remember."

"It was the one who gave you the crystal ship on your seventh birthday."

Cheng Yiqiao still had no impression, but Cheng Yixin thought for a moment and suddenly realized, "Oh, it's him! I've seen him a few times. He's as elegant as an orchid and sturdy as a jade tree, and very talented. I remember he greatly admired father."

The family matriarch nodded, "Among the children of the Cui family, he is the most steady and outstanding. In terms of capability and reputation, he rivals your second brother."

The Cui family is also a centuries-old clan, even surpassing the Cheng family in ancient times. Although they have slightly declined in the past hundred years, they are still the most suitable match for the Cheng family.

So it's no surprise that the family matriarch has taken a liking to the Cui family.

"When he became the top scholar, he was the same age as your father was back then, truly a prodigy. He has been serving outside the capital for several years and just returned recently. You should meet him when you have the chance and see if he suits your fancy."

At this moment, Cheng Yian suddenly interjected, "Grandmother, what is his character like?"

The family matriarch turned her gaze to her and pondered, "We've inquired about him. He handles people and situations very appropriately. People say he has the demeanor of your father in his youth."

Cheng Yian pretended to be haughty, her face full of disdain, "Really? Not everyone can be compared to father. He might be all show and no substance. After all, it's a lifetime matter. Grandmother should be more careful for sister's sake."

The family matriarch sighed, "You're right. We've sent people to the Cui family to inquire. He is very self-disciplined, having no concubines or maids serving him for over twenty years. His reputation from his post is also excellent. But as you said, some people are not what they seem. Your father will have to carefully consider."

Finally, a crack appeared in the perfect facade.

Cheng Yian asked again, "Grandmother, besides the Cui family, who else has proposed to second sister?"

The family matriarch listed, "There's also the Young Master Wei Shuting from the Marquis of the South City, and Meng Ruchuan from the Military Governor's Office in Sichuan..."

Meng Ruchuan, the son of the Military Governor of Sichuan?

Cheng Yian was surprised.

She knew him well.

In her past life, she had dealings with the Military Governor of Sichuan. Probably because her father and second brother had secretly corresponded with the Military Governor's Office, the Military Governor and his wife were very kind to her. The Military Governor's wife even expressed regret that they couldn't arrange a marriage for their son with her.

Moreover, the young master from the Military Governor's Office was a bright and righteous young man, most loyal.

It's just that his family is a bit far away, and second sister would surely dislike that.

Of course, Cheng Yian had no intention of playing matchmaker, but using this opportunity to sever the marriage ties with Cui Han wasn't a bad idea.

Currently, the family matriarch is very satisfied with Cui Han. If she rashly opposes, it might raise suspicions that she wants to ruin her second sister's good marriage and can't bear to see her happy. She would have to find another way.

Seeing them talk as if she was already betrothed to Cui Han, Cheng Yiqiao got annoyed,

"Grandmother just wants to get rid of me, forcing me to marry. Hmph, it's getting late, I won't keep you company anymore."

She curtsied with her hands tucked in and left the family matriarch's warm chamber in a huff.

The family matriarch pointed at her retreating figure and laughed with Cheng Yixin, "She's shy..."

Seeing this, Cheng Yian excused herself from the family matriarch and followed Cheng Yiqiao out, calling her at the entrance of her courtyard,

"Second sister."

Seeing that she hadn’t returned to her room, Cheng Yiqiao was surprised and said, "Why haven’t you gone back yet? The night breeze is chilly; be careful not to catch a cold."

Cheng Yi'an came forward, holding Rulan’s hand, smiling brightly,

"I’ve been sleeping too much these past few days, so now I can’t fall asleep. I just wanted to chat with my sister for a while."

Cheng Yiqiao quickly pulled her inside and they both entered the warm pavilion in the eastern secondary chamber.

With the hand warmer and quilts in their arms, the sisters leaned against the kang bed and talked.

Cheng Yiqiao’s room was adorned with crystal decorations, and the shelves were filled with various antiques, such as the jade Guanyin statues she adored, each made of different materials and colors.

Cheng Yi'an marveled, "Second Sister really has an eye for collecting."

Cheng Yiqiao gave her a proud glance, "Actually, your sister isn’t without plans. Over the years, I’ve been going to the market every month to buy clothes and jewelry, only to find that money is becoming less valuable." She pointed to one of the white jade Guanyins,

"See the white jade Guanyin in the middle of the third shelf? I bought it ten years ago for five hundred taels of silver. Now look at the green jade Guanyin below it, which I bought two years ago for fifteen hundred taels. In the antique trade, green jade is less valuable than white jade. If I sold this white jade Guanyin now, with its lustrous texture like sheep fat, it would fetch at least two thousand taels. So, if we really talk about assets, all these treasures in my room are worth quite a bit."

Cheng Yi'an deeply agreed, especially after the turmoil in the Great Jin Dynasty in her previous life, when money became even less valuable.

Unfortunately, such a room full of gold and jade turned to ashes in her previous life.

Thinking of this, Cheng Yi'an felt a deep sorrow in her heart.

After a brief chat, she asked about the main matter,

"Do you have any thoughts on the three candidates today?"

Cheng Yiqiao felt shy in front of the family elder, but when she was alone with her younger sister, she became much more serious.

"I have no impression of Cui Han, but with such character and background, he is indeed a good choice," Cheng Yiqiao said. Marriage is all about finding a suitable match, and the Cui family is quite fitting. "As for the one from the Governor's residence in Sichuan..." Cheng Yiqiao shook her head.

"If I were to marry and move to Yizhou, I would rather not marry at all. I don't want to be so far away from Father."

"As for Wei Shuting..." Cheng Yiqiao paused and didn't continue.

She had played polo with Wei Shuting on a few occasions. He had glanced at her intentionally or unintentionally, and she had caught him a few times. She guessed he had some feelings for her, but since Wei Shuting was Yao Yuzhuang's cousin, Cheng Yiqiao didn't like him much because of that.

Cheng Yian noticed the change in her tone and knew there must be something between her and Wei Shuting.

"No matter their background or family status, character is the most important thing in life. A man with good character can at least offer basic respect, even if he is in a low position. As for those men who talk about love all the time, when they adore you, they treat you like a queen, but when they don't, they can discard you in an instant. Such men are the most unreliable. So, Second Sister, you must find a man with good character."

Cheng Yiqiao smiled bitterly, "We are all in arranged marriages. What we hear about someone's character is just hearsay. Until you live together, you never know if you've married a human or a beast. Some people don't even show their true colors in front of their parents."

Isn't that the truth?

In her past life, Cui Han had been a flawless gentleman, but who knew that beneath his gentle exterior lurked a wolfish ambition?

Cheng Yian considered, "As the saying goes, how one plays polo reflects their true character. Second Sister, why not use the polo match to test these men's character?"

Cheng Yian had thought about it. Spreading a few harmless gossip wouldn't shake Cui Han. She needed to publicly crush his confidence, ruin his reputation, and make him dare not set his sights on the Cheng family again. The polo match would be crowded, and the more chaotic the scene, the better her chance to eliminate Cui Han.

Cheng Yiqiao straightened up and laughed, "That seems too presumptuous, making me seem spoiled and overly dramatic. Besides, they might not be willing to let me pick and choose."

Cheng Yian said, "Some say marriage is a woman's second birth. No amount of caution is too much. It's not worth ruining your life just to meet society's expectations."

Cheng Yiqiao fell silent, unsure of what to do.

"Let's talk about it later, nothing is set in stone yet," Cheng Yian said, stopping at the right point.

As she was leaving, she heard Cheng Yiqiao sigh, "Ah, where can I find a husband like father..."

Cheng Yian smiled without saying a word.

That night, Lu Xusheng didn't come over, but Ming Saozi came to the Cheng residence with several matters to seek her instructions.

She also reported the income and expenses of the past few days.

"Madam, during the days you were away, the silk shop in Jiangnan under the Lu family sent several thousand taels of silver notes. Second Master had Hang take care of this matter..."

Cheng Yian was pleased, "So the account already has over forty thousand taels, we should be able to get through this year."

She also listed the social obligations to various households for Cheng Yian to review, who made some adjustments based on closeness and preferences, and then sent her back.

By the evening of the third day, the Cheng family finally put Cheng Yiqiao's marriage on the agenda.

After dinner, the matriarch kept Cheng Mingyu to discuss the matter of meeting potential suitors.

"The eighth day of the twelfth lunar month is the Laba Festival, the Cui family said they would come to pay respects. They are sincere enough to bring their son to our residence for a meeting. I think it would be good to let the two children meet on this day. If they take a liking to each other, we can finalize it."

Cheng Mingyu looked at his second daughter, who was sitting below in a daze, "Qiao'er, are you willing to meet Cui Han?"

Cheng Yiqiao's previous fiancé was her maternal cousin, a dying wish of her mother. The two children grew up together, and Cheng Yiqiao had feelings for him. When the boy suddenly passed away, Cheng Yiqiao was heartbroken for a long time and lost interest in marriage.

So whether to marry or not, and whom to marry, Cheng Mingyu wanted to leave it up to Cheng Yiqiao.

Cheng Yiqiao said she didn't want to marry, but she couldn't really stay unmarried. She would be twenty after the New Year, and her younger sister was already married. She couldn't stay at home forever, "I'll meet him... but how we meet, can father agree to my way?"

Cheng Mingyu was somewhat surprised, "How do you want to meet?"

Cheng Yiqiao thought it over and felt Cheng Yian's idea was good, so she said, "I don't know much about Cui Han. Meeting once would only allow me to see his appearance and hear his speech, but I can't gauge his character. After all, it's not just the Cui family proposing; there are also the Wei and Meng families. I want to hold a polo match to discreetly observe their character, and choose the one I like."

Before Cheng Mingyu could speak, the matriarch frowned, "Child, this way, it makes our family's daughter seem too frivolous, which is inappropriate. Even princesses don't choose in this manner. If you don't like the Cui family, we can look at other families, no need to make such a big scene."

Cheng Yiqiao got up and moved next to the matriarch, hugging her arm, "I know it's a bit presumptuous, but compared to that bit of reputation, I'd rather use the match to find a man with a compatible personality."

The matriarch looked at Cheng Mingyu, who remained silent in thought.

Cheng Yixin's marriage was her own decision. He Qingyun was his student, and the two had known each other since childhood, developing mutual affection. Both families knew each other well, and He Qingyun was indeed very good to Yixin. Today, he had already secured a fifth-grade academic position for He Qingyun. He Qingyun, a scholar with a talent for painting, was favored by the emperor. After a few years in the Hanlin Academy, he would have the opportunity to enter one of the six ministries as an official, ensuring a lifetime of prosperity for his eldest daughter.

An An had suffered in this matter. Her marriage to Lu Xusheng was forced by the emperor, requested by the fourth branch's old lady, and orchestrated by him without giving her a choice. Fortunately, she and Lu Xusheng seemed to be doing well now.

As for Cheng Yiqiao, why not let her choose for herself when there's an opportunity.

Cheng Mingyu decided to indulge his daughter once more.

"Agreed."

He made the final decision, and the matriarch couldn't argue further.

"Alright, it's better to disappoint thousands of families than to disappoint our own." The happiness of the child is still the most important.

Cheng Yiqiao was very happy, jumping down to hug Cheng Yian, "An An, we can play polo again."

Cheng Yian, after all, was the mistress of the household and couldn't stay at the Cheng residence indefinitely. That night, she was taken back by Lu Xusheng.

After freshening up and changing into nightclothes, Cheng Yian told Lu Xusheng about the Cui family matter, which reminded Lu Xusheng of the underlying reasons.

"Cui Han's targeting of the Cheng family isn't solely about replacing them; there's also a personal grudge involved."

He learned this from his mother after the Cui family's downfall in his previous life.

Cheng Yian gasped in surprise, "What personal grudge? Tell me quickly!"

Lu Xusheng put down the curtain and lay down beside her.

"Cui Han's mother was born into the Li family of Zhao Commandery, near Hongnong. When your father was famous in his youth, she admired him greatly but never dared to express her feelings because of Princess Minglan. After Princess Minglan's failed attempt to force a marriage, Mrs. Li wanted her elders to arrange a marriage with your father, but the Zheng family preempted her, leaving her resentful."

"Later, she married the head of the Cui family and gave birth to Cui Han. She raised him to emulate your father, constantly pushing him. When Cui Han grew up, she forced him to marry one of your father's daughters."

Cheng Yian was utterly shocked.

So, Cui Han's father sneaking into his daughter-in-law's quarters might have been an act of vengeance against her father.

"But if my father knew about this, he would never have agreed to marry my second sister to the Cui family."

Noticing her cold hands and feet, Lu Xusheng held her close.

"Your father had no idea. This was always Mrs. Cui's secret. It wasn't until her husband was killed in her past life, the Cui family's reputation was ruined, and her son's future was destroyed that she revealed it before committing suicide. The Wang family, who had married their daughter into the Cui family's second branch, witnessed this and quietly told my mother, who then informed me."

Cheng Yian sighed deeply and remained silent for a long moment.

"No matter what, I must teach Cui Han a lesson!"

"Do you need my help?"

"Can you make it to the polo match?"

"I have to go to Xuanfu the day after tomorrow, so I might not be able to make it. Does it have to be that day?"

Cheng Yian said, "It's fine. Qiu Qing can help."

Cheng Yiqiao couldn't openly invite those young gentlemen. Instead, she used the excuse of competing with Shi Feiyan to hold a polo match at the Xu Garden polo field north of the Cheng family estate.

Upon hearing the news, the Cui family immediately sent their son.

The Governor of Sichuan, back in the capital to report, also sent his son.

The Young Master of the South City Marquis's household, Wei Shuting, who was acquainted with the Shi family, was invited by Shi Feiyan through her brother Shi Feiyue.

On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, several groups converged at Xu Garden.

Cheng Yian arrived early, accompanied by several capable maids and five or six guards, including Qiu Qing, to the polo field.

At the carriage park outside the polo field, she finally saw the famous Cui Han.

Seeing the young master of the Cui family surrounded by sycophants, she finally understood why her second sister had chosen him in her previous life.

The young man, dressed in a moon-white robe, was handsome and dignified, his demeanor resembling her father Cheng Mingyu's by seventy to eighty percent.

Cheng Yiqiao had always wanted to find a husband like her father. Seeing Cui Han, how could she not be confused?

What a hypocrite! Today, she would humiliate him and make sure he could never harm another girl again.

Cheng Yian gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and pointed at Cui Han in the distance, instructing Qiu Qing,

"Today, you must come up with a way to publicly humiliate Cui Han."

First, we need to break off this marriage, and then we'll deal with that scoundrel later.

Qiu Qing, who was driving the carriage, held the reins and sized up Cui Han from afar, "What kind of humiliation are we going for, Madam?"

Cheng Yian said with resentment, "The kind that'll make him too ashamed to ever show his face again."

Qiu Qing, who had once been a troublemaker in the military camp, having been around all kinds of men, there wasn't any mischief he hadn't pulled.

He whistled, glanced at Cui Han, and with a smirk, said, "Got it, you'll be satisfied!"