Chapter 47: Forced Marriage

Leaving Lesheng Courtyard, Chi Guiawan felt as though she had been granted a new lease on life.

There were some matters that, if kept constantly in one's heart, would plague a person for a lifetime. She refused to let that happen, which was why she had made this decision. As she walked back, wondering how she should speak to He Lingyi, who shared her courtyard, she happened to see her coming face to face.

With a somewhat embarrassed smile, she walked over and prepared to say a few words, but before she could, she saw He Lingyi looking her up and down with concern, then chiding her affectionately.

"Elder Sister Chi was coming over, yet you didn't even send word. You gave the maids in the courtyard quite a search! How is it? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I just... I just went to see her. Although she was never truly sincere toward me, I have called her mother for many years. To harden my heart completely and ignore her is something I simply cannot do. But this is the very last time. Tomorrow Second Cousin is coming to pick us up, and opportunities to return in the future will be rare. Consider this my final farewell."

Hearing her mother's words, He Lingyi looked at her earnestly.

Seeing her brows relaxed, as if she had finally unburdened a long-held knot in her heart, He Lingyi felt entirely at ease.

"Elder Sister Chi is kind-hearted, so it is no surprise you would do such a thing. However, the Junior Minister's Manor is in great disorder right now. It is still best to take more people with you when going out."

The reason things were so chaotic was that Chi Junjing had used the pretext of preparing for Chi Guiying's wedding to replace the staff from top to bottom. Consequently, a large batch of unfamiliar servants had arrived, and since their backgrounds and temperaments were still unclear, it was wiser to avoid contact with them.

"I know, it won't happen again. By the way, the things in the storeroom haven't been packed up much yet. Let's head back so we can sort them out and be ready to leave tomorrow!"

"Alright."

Chi Guiawan reached out and linked her arm through He Lingyi's, smiling with innocent charm.

He Lingyi had longed for this scene of depending on each other for a long time, so she said no more. No matter what schemes and stratagems lay ahead, as long as her mother was happy in this moment, that was enough.

The two of them returned to their former state of mutual affection.

Looking back, the setting sun over Lesheng Courtyard no longer held its past bustle and prestige. In its place, the Exquisite Courtyard on the western side had leaped up to become the most sought-after place within the Junior Minister's Manor.

True to the old saying: no flower blooms for a hundred days, and mortals carry a thousand sorrows.

For instance, at this very moment, the entire Cloud-Azure Courtyard was shrouded in a gloomy and desolate atmosphere.

Chi Guiying, who had already been gravely ill, fainted in agitation upon hearing that her mother had accidentally fallen against the rockery and was now on the verge of death. When she regained consciousness, she wept and cried out to see Madam Guo.

The maids and old matrons in the courtyard had realized earlier than she did that the heavens in the manor had changed, and thus none of them knew how to offer comfort.

"Second Young Mistress, please stop making a scene," an old servant urged. "Since the Master has already made up his mind, no one can alter it. You should just pack up and prepare to get married. If you keep making a fuss, I fear... none of us in this courtyard will survive."

They knew all too well how Lesheng Courtyard had been cleared out.

Fearing that the next blade would fall upon their own necks, they reasoned that even if they had to suffer the humiliation of following her to marry into the Lu family, it was still better than being sold off to some unknown place to live a miserable life beneath the dignity of man!

Chi Guiying was in the heat of her anger and refused to listen to reason.

With a sharp slap across the face of the advising matron, she cursed viciously, "Fine! You wretched creature, if you want to marry him, go marry him yourself! You unprincipled, ugly thing, you must be itching to leave your husband's family and become a mistress to that Lu dog! Shameless!"

Her words were cutting, yet the old matron was merely one of the innocent victims.

Having been insulted so blatantly, the matron naturally lost face, and tears burst from her eyes as she retorted, "Second Young Mistress is truly cruel! If I had not followed you to Snow-Containing Pavilion, how could I have met this impending disaster? It is bad enough that my husband's family now despises me for losing my virtue, but how can you still tear at my raw wounds like this? Shameless I may be, but I have only this one wretched life left anyway. What about you, Second Young Mistress? Do you truly believe you can still expect a good ending? You lost your chastity before marriage, and the only Madam who could stand up for you is now on the verge of perishing. Think about it for yourself—if you refuse to marry into the Lu family, what other path to survival do you have?"

Driven to desperation, the matron held nothing back in her retort.

Chi Guiying spluttered "You, you, you!" for ages, but before she could punish the matron, an announcement echoed from outside.

"Concubine Zhao has arrived! The Steward has arrived!"

Concurbine Zhao!

How dare she still show her face here?!

If not for her, her mother would never have come to this pass!

Yet her mother's life and death remained unknown, and here was Concubine Zhao parading about as if she were already the mistress of the house, wearing an expression of utter triumph. Chi Guiying was consumed by hatred, yet she was powerless to act.

Concurbine Zhao clearly no longer regarded this Second Young Mistress, who had been "discarded" by the Chi family, with any respect. As if afraid Chi Guiying might miss it, she deliberately flashed the string of sandalwood prayer beads on her wrist.

At the sight of them, Chi Guiying froze.

Those were the Master's most treasured possessions, items her mother had begged for repeatedly without success, yet they had been slipped onto Concubine Zhao's wrist with such effortless ease. One could only imagine how immense her favor currently was!

Noticing the dread in Chi Guiying's eyes, Concubine Zhao slowly seated herself and stated the purpose of her visit.

"Second Young Mistress, if you ask me, you are truly unfortunate. To be dealt a husband's family like the Lu clan is indeed a grievance. But there are some things you, shut away in the boudoir, may not understand. The Master has received word that after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lady Lu is to be elevated in rank. This is a supreme honor! If she can manage to bear a son in half a year's time, he will be a legitimate imperial prince. Your marriage may seem a bit of a grievance now, but your prospects in the future will be boundless! You can count on one hand the people in the entire Bianzhou city who will be an imperial prince's maternal aunt!"

With that, she gestured toward the bridal robes laid out on the table and continued with a smile.

"Therefore, the Master has only agreed to the Lu family's proposal out of tough-hearted concern for your own good. The betrothal gifts they sent will all be included in your dowry to take with you, and whatever the Master originally promised you still stands. Furthermore, he is adding another five thousand taels as a token of the Junior Minister's Manor's affection for you. Second Young Mistress, this dowry is by no means meager. You should content yourself and prepare for the wedding in peace."

Listening to these words, Chi Guiying choked back the tears welling in her eyes, refusing to let them fall.

That profligate scoundrel who had violated her—she was actually being forced to marry him! And that venomous old hag would be her mother-in-law in the future!

Was there still any justice left in this world?

Chi Guiying shook with rage, yet she was incapable of any unruly retaliation. Through clenched teeth, she spat out, "And what if I refuse to obey?"

"Ah, Madam Guo's medicines are being supplied continuously, and you know how exorbitant they are. It is precisely because the Master cares so much about the Second Young Mistress's marriage that he has taken such pains. But if you refuse to marry, the Master will no longer be able to force you, nor will he have the heart to concern himself with the inner courtyard any longer. When that time comes... Madam Guo's medicines might not be able to be replenished."

"You are using my mother's life to threaten me?! Concubine Zhao, she is the rightful mistress of the Junior Minister's Manor! She is my father's pillow-companion!" Chi Guiying shouted in agitation.

"I never said she wasn't. I know very well that a mere concubine like me cannot call the shots in this manor, which is why I am also praying that Madam will rest comfortably and recover, am I not?"

Concubine Zhao was a master at feigning innocence—a trick Chi Guiying herself had frequently employed in the past.

Now that the tables were turned, she realized how utterly sickening that expression was, and bitter regret flooded her soul.