Сhарter 2: Substitute Вridе
Zhu Yаn wаs grеatly startlеd. Аlthough she wаs a cоnсubinе-bоrn dаughtеr, the Zhu housеhold was well-off, free frоm thе usual innеr-housеhоld squаbblеs. From thе рrinсiраl wife tо the conсubinеs, from hеr brothers to hеr sisters, evеryonе gоt аlоng ехtrеmely wеll, еspесiаlly hеr third sister Zhu Yuаn, with whоm she had thе сlosеst relationshiр.
Upon leаrning this nеws, Zhu Yаn cоuld no longer mаintаin hеr prеviоus lеisurеlу сomроsure. Shе piсked up thе boх аnd hurriеd out, bоrrоwing Nаn Zhеn’s support аs she mounted her horsе.
Just before lеaving, Zhu Yan аdded, “Сhеng Xiаn actually knew that Wang Ruan’er wasn’t pregnant. She Hu Hu was jealous of Wang Ruan’er, mutilated the corpse, and stabbed Wang Ruan’er’s womb several times with a palm-long silver needle. His willingness to confess today is only because he couldn’t hold out any longer, using my words as an excuse to betray his accomplice She Hu Hu. I merely acted as the final ant that broke the riverbank—it was by no means a forced confession. Chief Constable, please do not misunderstand.”
With a faint smile, Zhu Yan rode away.
When she arrived at the Zhu residence, the wedding sedan chairs and ceremonial gifts were lined up outside like a long dragon, but the suonas had stopped playing, the drums and gongs had fallen silent, and the bride was nowhere to be seen.
As she prepared to enter, the old steward and the wedding matron immediately rushed forward, pulling her anxiously into the main hall.
Her mother, Jin Shi, was arguing with the principal wife Ru Shi and her father, Zhu Kuo. Seeing Zhu Yan, Jin Shi lamented, “Third Sister eloped and refused to marry Shen Du, but how could I be willing to let Sixth Sister marry Shen Du either? Never mind that Shen Du and Lai Luozhi are known as the Black and White Kings of Hell—our Sixth Sister is only eighteen this year, young and not very clever, not good-looking either, with no skills besides dealing with the dead and criminals. She’s bound to be disliked by Shen Du, and once she marries him, she’s sure to face misfortune!”
Zhu Yan, who was “not very clever, not good-looking, and had no skills”: “…”
After a long silence, Zhu Yan understood. “Father wants me to marry in Third Sister’s place. But why not Fourth Sister?”
Before Zhu Kuo could explain, Jin Shi pulled her aside and whispered, “Don’t you know your Fourth Sister? She’s foolish, not good-looking, and can’t even recognize a single character. If she were to marry over, she’d surely lose her life.”
Zhu Yan: “…According to what you said, aren’t I just like Fourth Sister?”
Jin Shi looked at Zhu Yan’s delicate face, arched eyebrows, expressive eyes, and soft red lips, and whispered, “I was just making it sound worse…”
Zhu Yan was speechless. Then, with two thuds, the principal wife and her father knelt on the ground. “Yan’er, this marriage wasn’t arranged by your father. Prime Minister Zhang Xingwei specifically requested this match. If it’s ruined, your father would rather lose his official position than have any of you marry into it. But Prime Minister Zhang and Shen Du are, after all, formidable men. If this marriage were entrusted to you and Third Sister, you could surely seek an annulment and escape unscathed. But Third Sister—”
Jin Shi also sighed in regret. “Only when a real crisis hits do we realize that all the daughters in this household who studied have become rigid-minded bookworms, while you and Third Sister, the two who didn’t study properly, are the ones who can handle things. Really, what kind of nonsense is this?”
The two on the ground also wept. “Sixth Sister…”
Zhu Yan, annoyed by the commotion, waved her hand. “Bring the wedding dress.”
The room fell silent. Jin Shi scolded, “You’re really going to marry Shen Du?! Zhu Yan, that Shen Du, that Shen Du…”
Jin Shi, fierce on the outside but fragile within, tears streaming down her face: “Mother only has you, one daughter!”
Zhu Yan hugged her and patted her back.
As for Shen Du, he was the Great Pavilion Commander of the Inner Guard Bureau under Empress Zhou’s command, overseeing investigation, surveillance, and assassination. He was the renowned White King of Hell in Chang’an.
At the sound of his name, clouds scattered by day, and children’s cries ceased at night.
Zhu Yan understood why Jin Shi was worried.The marriage between the Zhu family and Shen Du was arranged entirely by her father's superior, Zhang Xingwei. Zhang Xingwei was upright and had long been at odds with Shen Du. This union was, in all likelihood, Zhang Xingwei's attempt to have the Zhu family monitor Shen Du's every move.
Shen Du was also well aware of Zhang Xingwei's intentions.
Thus, this marriage was akin to sending a rabbit into a tiger's den.
And the Zhu family had few clever rabbits to begin with.
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