Chapter 155

Chapter 155

Yesterday, Li Mu's subordinate who was sent to Longquan County returned, bringing news of Lin Sui as well.

Due to the Fang family incident, which had caused quite a stir in the county town, it didn’t take much effort to gather all the details.

Compared to the simple mention of widowhood, Lin Sui’s experiences were truly tragic.

Married off at a young age, only to suffer from his partner’s immoral conduct—he was beaten, causing a miscarriage, and lost the ability to bear children, finally escaping the ordeal with the help of his male cousin and cousin’s wife.

After hearing this, Li Mu felt a sharp pang in his heart. Recalling that delicate, introverted young man, he never imagined he had endured such suffering.

The subordinate also stopped by the porter guild run by Lin Sui’s brother-in-law. People nearby spoke highly of the Cao family’s porter guild, praising the manager as an honest man. When it came to his spouse, Lin Qiu, no one had a bad word to say—they were seen as decent, hardworking people.

After taking in all this information, Li Mu made up his mind to marry this Lin Xiaolang. He went back to discuss it with his mother.

Luo-shi was a gentle, somewhat timid woman. Back in the Li household, her status was only slightly higher than that of a servant, and she never dared meddle in affairs.

Now, though her son had brought her out and she held the title of Dowager Marchioness of the marquis' household, she still hesitated to interfere in her son’s decisions, simply saying, “If you think it’s good, then it’s fine. If it’s inconvenient, you can leave Qing Er with me.”

“Don’t worry, Qing Er likes him very much.”

Li Mu planned to first speak with Lin Sui’s male cousin, as a way of giving Lin Sui a heads-up. If he agreed, Li Mu would bring Lin Sui’s mother, brother, and brother-in-law to the prefectural city to discuss the marriage.

If Lin Sui refused, then the matter would be dropped.

“Chen Qingyan, may I have a word in private?”

Chen Qingyan was wiping his son’s mouth when he heard the request. He looked up, handed the handkerchief to Wang Ying, and followed Li Mu outside.

“What business does the Marquis have with me?”

“I wish to marry Lin Sui as my spouse.”

Chen Qingyan was stunned, his expression frozen as if he didn’t quite understand the words.

“I know this is rather sudden and may seem abrupt, but I am completely sincere. I hope you can help convey this message. If he is also willing, I will begin preparing for the wedding.”

“Marquis, wait a moment. You said you want to marry Lin Sui as your spouse, not as a concubine?”

Li Mu nodded. “That’s right.”

Lin Sui had been married before and couldn’t have children. Even finding an ordinary person would require seeing if the other party was willing—Chen Qingyan wasn’t looking down on his male cousin, but this was how most people were, and even Lin Sui himself thought so.

For Marquis Wuping to suddenly declare he wanted to marry his male cousin as his spouse—how could he not be shocked?

“Marquis, please don’t joke about this. My male cousin is not like other men…”

Li Mu met Chen Qingyan’s eyes steadily. “This Marquis does not joke.”

Chen Qingyan felt a chill down his spine under that intense gaze. “If the Marquis is serious, then I must also explain Lin Sui’s background clearly. After you hear it, you can reconsider…”

“There’s no need. This Marquis already understands Lin Sui’s circumstances.”

Li Mu knew what he was going to say, thinking to himself that the Chen family was quite honest. Most families would have hidden such a “burden” tightly if they could marry him into a marquis’ household, yet here he was actively trying to dissuade him.

Chen Qingyan was shocked once again. Since Marquis Wuping knew Lin Sui couldn’t bear children yet still insisted on marrying him, could it be that he genuinely liked Lin Sui?

In truth, Li Mu didn’t have deep feelings for Lin Sui yet—after all, they hadn’t spent much time together, and with Lin Sui usually avoiding him, they had barely exchanged more than a few words. At most, he felt some fondness and pity for him.

The main reason he wanted to marry Lin Sui was that his daughter liked him, and Lin Sui treated Qing Er with sincerity. When the two were together, Li Mu felt a sense of peace just watching them.

As a child, his father had disliked him, his stepmother showed no care, and though his birth mother was around, he received little affection. He didn’t want his daughter to end up like him—lonely and without companionship.

After hesitating for a while, Chen Qingyan said, “I will discuss this matter with Lin Sui and the family. The Marquis should also think it over carefully. Marriage is no trivial matter. My male cousin has already suffered enough hardship—once was more than enough. He cannot endure it a second time.”

“I understand your concern, but having made this decision, this Marquis has certainly given it careful thought. Please convey this properly to him.” Marquis Wuping cupped his hands in salute and turned to go back inside.

“Qing Er, it’s getting late. We should head back.”

Qing Er had just finished eating the melon. Lin Sui was wiping her hands and face with a damp cloth. The little girl’s face fell when she heard they had to leave, and she got up reluctantly, looking back over her shoulder with every step as she went to Marquis Wuping’s side.

Lin Sui smiled and waved at her. “Come again when you have time.”

Little Qing Er pouted, on the verge of tears. Li Mu quickly picked her up and strode out—any later and she would have started crying.

After they left, Wang Ying asked, “What did the Marquis want to talk to you about just now?”

Chen Qingyan glanced at his male cousin and didn’t hide it, directly repeating Marquis Wuping’s words: “He wants to marry Lin Sui as his spouse.”

Lin Sui was dumbfounded, staring at his male cousin in disbelief and murmuring, “How could that be? Cousin, you must be joking…”

“The Marquis hasn’t gone far. Should I call him back to say it himself?”

Lin Sui’s face flushed bright red, and he quickly shook his head. “No, that’s not necessary!”

Wang Ying excitedly patted Lin Sui. “What did I tell you? The Marquis must have had his eye on you for a while!”

After the initial shock wore off, Lin Sui lowered his head. “I am no longer pure, and I can’t have children. He doesn’t know about this, does he?”

Chen Qingyan said, “The Marquis knows. He must have had someone look into your background.”

“He knows and still…”

Wang Ying said, “A great man isn't bothered by trivial matters. A man like the Marquis is naturally different from ordinary men!”

Chen Qingyan also nodded. “He said he doesn’t know if you’re willing. If you are, he will begin preparing for the wedding.”

“I’m not sure what to do either. We should go back and discuss it with Aunt and Fourth Aunt.”

On the way back, Lin Sui couldn’t shake the feeling that it was unreal, as if he were dreaming. A year ago, he was suffering hardships in the county town; a year later, he came to the prefectural city and caught the eye of Marquis Wuping. Even storybooks wouldn’t dare write something like this.

During dinner that evening, Chen Qingyan explained the matter to the elders.

Li Shi and Fang Ling were also astonished, never expecting two unrelated people to have such a connection.

Li Shi didn’t dare make the decision, but Fang Ling took Lin Sui’s hand and asked, “Sui Er, are you willing?”

After thinking for a moment, Lin Sui nodded. “I am willing. With my condition, even a common laborer might not want to marry me. Unless I remain unmarried for life, this is the best choice I could hope for.”

In ancient times, women and young men were different from modern times—if they didn’t marry, they couldn’t even be buried in the family grave. Besides, he couldn’t rely on his male cousin and cousin’s wife forever.

Wang Ying nodded nearby. Lin Sui had truly grown up, understanding how to weigh pros and cons.

In truth, Lin Sui didn’t necessarily have strong feelings for Marquis Wuping either, but the benefits of marrying into the marquis’ household were clear.

First, his status would change—no one would dare bully him again.

Second, though Lin Sui couldn’t bear children, he adores children. Marrying into the marquis’ household would make him Qing Er’s father in name, allowing them to interact more naturally and properly.

Thirdly, as Lin Sui said, unless she doesn't marry again, it would be difficult to find a husband of such noble status and position.

After weighing the pros and cons, this is indeed a great match.

Chen Qingyan said, "I will write a letter to Longquan County to inform my aunt and cousin Lin Qiu. If they both agree, we will discuss your marriage with Marquis Wuping."

Lin Sui stood up and bowed to Wang Ying and Chen Qingyan, "I'll abide by whatever my sister-in-law and cousin decide."

Wang Ying quickly held her hand, "We're all family here, no need for that. I think Marquis Wuping is a good man. After all this time together, he has never spoken inappropriately and handles matters efficiently. He is a man you can build a life with."

Just like the saying from a TV drama in my past life, my cousin-in-law's good days are still ahead!

Everyone was delighted that Lin Sui had found such a good match.

*

In the blink of an eye, it was September. The weather grew cooler day by day.

The ice in the shop wasn't selling at all now. Wang Ying harvested all the wheat from the experimental field and planted vegetables instead, which would be ready to pick and sell in another month.

Lately, it was as if Liu Changyi and Marquis Wuping had a standing agreement, sending gifts over frequently.

Sometimes it was food, other times toys for the children. They sometimes sent toys for the children, knowing that pleasing Qing Yun and Lin Sui, who both doted on Yuanbao, was a way to please Wang Ying.

Early this morning, the Liu family sent over a large basket of honeyed tangerines.

Transporting these was no easy task—first by water to Laizhou Port, then transported post-haste by horse to Jizhou Prefecture. The round trip took nearly a month, and by the time the tangerines arrived, their skins had dried out. Even in this condition, they were impossible to find in the prefecture.

The person delivering the gifts was Liu Yang, the steward of the Liu family, a portly middle-aged man who always wore a smile and could get along with anyone.

"These tangerines were originally meant for the capital. Coincidentally, our Second Uncle managed to acquire two baskets while handling business in Laizhou. One basket was shared among our relatives to enjoy, and the other was sent to you for the ladies to taste."

Li Shi smiled warmly and said, "This is too generous. We could never finish such a large basket. Are you sure you wouldn't like us to send some back?"

Liu Yang chuckled, "If you can’t finish them, you can share them with friends and relatives. They're a rare treat, perfect for impressing guests."

"True. Please convey our thanks to the in-laws for remembering us."

"Certainly, I will definitely pass on your message."

Right after Liu Yang left, someone from the military camp showed up, delivering a large wild boar.

The boar was hunted by soldiers during a bandit suppression operation in the mountains. It was bled on the spot, and the soldiers at the camp boiled water and removed its hair to make it easier for the family to prepare.

Wild boar in ancient times tasted better than domestic pigs because common people couldn’t afford to feed pigs with grain. Most raised their pigs near latrines, where the animals ate waste and forage. As a result, domestic pigs rarely grew beyond a hundred jin (about 110 pounds), and their meat had a strong, gamey smell.

Although wild boar also had a distinct flavor, since they foraged in the mountains, their diet was better, making their meat much milder.

Occasionally, when hunters sold wild boar meat on the streets, it sold for fifty wen per jin.

Such a large boar couldn’t be finished in one go. Wang Ying specifically reserved a few cuts of rib meat and stored them in the experimental field to freeze, saving them for making dumplings during the New Year.

Along with the boar, a message was delivered: Qing Er had been missing Lin Sui terribly lately, and the old madam wished to invite Lin Sui for a visit.

Lin Sui grew extremely nervous upon hearing this and sought help from her sister-in-law.

Wang Ying said, "Since the old madam has invited you, you should go. Haven’t you been saying you miss Qing Er too? I’ll accompany you tomorrow."