Chapter 48 Riding a Tiger Difficult to Dismount, She Must Marry Whether She Wants To or Not!

"Right, and then there is the Third Young Master. I hear his performance at the academy is quite mediocre, and his tutors are not very fond of him. The Master has also been having terrible headaches about him lately. As it happens, word came from our ancestral home that the family temple needs to be renovated, and they asked the Master if he could dispatch a capable person to oversee the work. I think the Third Young Master would be just right for this! He is the only legitimate son of the manor! Presiding over such a matter will bring boundless merit! The ancestors of the Chi family will surely bless him to grow up strong and steady! Wouldn't you say so, Second Young Miss?"

As those words fell, Chi Guiying's tears could no longer be contained.

Her mother and younger brother were her only remaining kin in this household; she could not depend on a single other soul. Thus, she was truly caught in a dilemma where she was riding a tiger and could not dismount—she had to marry, whether she wished to or not!

Otherwise, her mother would die from a lack of medicine, and her younger brother would be shipped away to the ancestral home. In that case, she would be even more isolated and helpless.

"I will marry! I will marry!"

Chi Guiying clenched her teeth and accepted this repulsive match. The moment she relented, everyone in the courtyard wore a desolate expression.

They had originally hoped that the Master and the Mistress would uphold justice for them, but now the Mistress's life and death were uncertain, the Master was heartless and unrighteous, and the Second Young Miss could hardly protect herself. They were nothing more than drifting, rootless duckweed...

Yet who cared about their lives or deaths?

In any case, Aunt Zhao certainly did not. Hearing that Chi Guiying had conceded, she felt her trip today had not been in vain, so she smiled and added:

"Wonderful, wonderful. I shall convey this good news to the Master. When he hears it, he will be comforted by the Second Young Miss's sensibility. By the way, Lady Guo has been recovering from her illness these days, and it would not do for her to taint your fortune. Therefore, you need only go to her courtyard to pay your respects right before the wedding; you need not visit during the days you are preparing for the marriage."

Chi Guiying's chest heaved as she asked, word by word:

"Must Father bar me even from filial affection?"

Aunt Zhao shrugged, looking completely indifferent. Enraged, Chi Guiying shifted her gaze to the steward standing nearby, but seeing him remain silent, she knew she had completely lost her backing, and thus her heart died a death greater than grief.

"Understood. I shall heed Father's arrangements."

Struggling was useless; she could only submit and let things take their course. Once one was reduced to fish on the chopping block, what was the use of thrashing about?

"Splendid, splendid. The Second Young Miss is intelligent and virtuous; once you are married into the Lu family, you will surely live a good day-to-day life. This concubine will simply pray for you every single day by burning incense and bowing to the Buddha at home."

Pfft! Pray?

Curses would be closer to the truth!

***

After Aunt Zhao left with a smile, Chi Guiying collapsed over the table and wept aloud. Wenxia, the maid behind her, also shed tears. She found this future master-in-law utterly sickening as well.

After all, when he had forced himself upon her in that vile manner, countless people had witnessed it. The only reason she had managed to hold on and survive until today was because she wanted justice. But now, where was any semblance of justice to be found?

Following the Second Young Miss into that marriage, she knew she would undoubtedly become a neglected concubine. At the mere thought of this, desolation washed over her, and she began to wipe away her tears alongside Chi Guiying...

Preparing for a wedding was tedious and troublesome, but that was for Chi Wan's wedding.

As for Chi Guiying's, as long as appearances were barely maintained, no one cared about the minute details.

At the Marquis Haibo Manor, within Jingxin Garden.

Chi Wan and He Lingyi, who had moved in nearly half a month ago, were feeding the fish.

Being the estate of a marquis, these pavilions and terraces were truly extraordinary. Although this garden was the boudoir where Lady Hai had lived decades ago before her marriage, it did not look old in the least; instead, it was filled with the patina and profound weight of time.

Living here, He Lingyi was very happy.

Because from time to time, she could hear old anecdotes about her maternal grandmother. Though she had never had the chance to bask in the affection of this grandmother at her knee, she believed that if her grandmother were still alive, she would certainly ensure that both her mother and she lived well!

Similarly, Chi Wan had also found a sense of belonging in this small courtyard.

Imagining that every flower, tree, blade of grass, and plant here once bore her mother's presence, she felt an unprecedented peace of mind.

"How does Lingyi plan to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival?"

"Hmm, I don't have any good ideas for now. What does Eldest Sister Chi think?"

"I was thinking of making something for my uncle and aunt. They have helped me so much and always put in such painstaking effort, yet I have repeatedly hurt them. I truly don't know how to repay them, so I wanted to ask you to brainstorm some ideas for me."

Hearing her mother's words, He Lingyi fell into deep thought.

In her memories, her impression of the Marquis Haibo Manor was truly sparse, so her foresight was of no use here. However, she knew that the Marquis and his wife lacked nothing; their only emotional knot was the eldest young master, so starting from him might be better.

"Does Eldest Sister Chi know what the Marquis and his wife care about the most?"

***

When this question was asked, Chi Wan thought carefully. "They lack neither fame nor fortune, nor do they lack wealth. They don't lack people around them either. They lack... a daughter-in-law?"

She was going to get married herself, so these days her aunt had been running back and forth handling everything for her; hence, her mind could conjure up nothing else.

Hearing her reply, He Lingyi burst into a soft smile, and the two maids beside them, Xianchun and Fudong, also covered their mouths and chuckled quietly, causing Chi Wan's face to flush red.

"Isn't that true? If there were a daughter-in-law, the household would be lively. In a couple of years, she might even bring my uncle and aunt a grandson or granddaughter, and then they would really have their hands full!"

"My good sister, what you say is true, but for you, a niece, to be scheming to add a daughter-in-law to the Marquis's estate—this... this is simply too bizarre. You haven't even married off yourself yet; if people were to catch wind of such unorthodox thoughts, I fear they would laugh at you again."

"What is there to fear? From childhood until now, have I been laughed at any the less?"

Though meant as a joke, those words stung He Lingyi. She sighed, her heart aching without knowing how to offer comfort, so she could only drop a hint:

"The knot in the hearts of the Marquis and his wife still lies with the Eldest Young Master. If Eldest Sister Chi can cause the Eldest Young Master to let go of his inner obsession, that would please them far more than helping them scout out ten or a hundred daughters-in-law."

Hearing He Lingyi's suggestion, Chi Wan found herself in a fix.

"How could I not know that? But what methods do I have? I cannot restore my eldest cousin's reputation, nor can I restore his official position. When it all comes down to it, it's just words of apology; his ears must be calloused from hearing those by now. It's useless—even smiles are a rare sight from the eldest cousin, as you well know!"

"That is why we must cater to his preferences! To my knowledge, the Eldest Young Master used to be a sword fanatic, rumored to have collected hundreds of renowned swords. If we could find one for him, it might just win a smile from him. What does Eldest Sister Chi think of this?"

At these words, Chi Wan's eyes lit up.

"Oh? This is a wonderful idea! But where are we to find a renowned sword?"

"Far away in the horizon, right before our eyes."

He Lingyi's mysterious expression left Chi Wan puzzled, but she quickly caught on and asked in pleasant surprise, "Are you speaking of the Qiao family?"

"Mm. For generations, the Defense General's Manor has been a family of military generals. Naturally, they see plenty of weapons, and they must have many connections with weapon-forging artisans. Eldest Sister Chi can pay a visit to Lady Qiao the Elder; given how fond she is of you, she will surely tell you everything she knows without holding anything back."