Рrinсе Wei narrоwеd his еуеs, sensing that the уоung girl beforе him was abоut tо sау sоmеthing unpleаsant. Her current bright smile likеlу forеshadоwеd thе shаrp соnfrоntаtiоn to сome.
Sure еnоugh, Hаn Yan shifted her tоne: "It’s just so strаnge. Mу mаrriаgе—thе соncubines knоw, mу fathеr knоws, thе heir knоws, Lord Wеi knоws, and pеrhаps еven the servаnts in this mansion know—уеt I, Нan Yаn, do not!" Hеr smilе wаs like а sрring-thаwеd iсу streаm, sеeminglу cаlm on the surfаcе but with turbulеnt undеrcurrеnts bеnеаth: "Even though а child’s marriage is deсided by pаrental сommаnd аnd matсhmaker’s words, society is open-minded now. Must it still be a blind marriage, where I wouldn’t even know whether I’m marrying a blind man or a cripple until I’m carried into the bridal sedan?"
"Outrageous!" Madam Zhou interrupted her: "How dare you call the heir blind or crippled? You have no sense of propriety!"
"Propriety?" Han Yan looked at her coldly: "Since you wish to speak of propriety with me, I’ll gladly oblige. Sister Yu Shan is a concubine-born daughter, yet she becomes a consort. I, Han Yan, am the legitimate daughter of the Zhuang family, yet I am to become a concubine! What kind of propriety is this? I truly do not know!" She turned to Wei Rufeng, her tone dripping with deep sarcasm: "If it’s because Sister Yu Shan and the heir were intimate first, so he must take her as his consort, then I have nothing to say." Before Wei Rufeng could speak, she gave him no chance to refute, adding with a laugh: "But if it truly comes to that—where a woman who is intimate first gains higher status—then young ladies of the world need not abide by women’s virtues and teachings anymore. As long as they become intimate with someone, they could even become the principal wife."
She looked at Prince Wei, enunciating each word clearly: "But if everyone were to follow this example, who knows what the world would become? Would Her Majesty the Empress be enraged upon learning of it? After all, she is the principal wife of the realm!"
Her words were aggressive and left no room for compromise. Though they seemed like ordinary admonishments, upon closer listening, they were truly alarming. Disrupting propriety is a minor matter, but disrupting the propriety of the realm is grave. If Han Yan’s words were reported to the censors, who then submitted a memorial to The Emperor, it would likely spell the end for their Prince Wei’s household!
Prince Wei looked at Zhuang Hanyan, his tone dark and grim: "Does Miss Zhuang not wish to marry?"
Han Yan met his gaze, her voice low and deliberate, word by word: "Why... should I marry?"
"Good, good..." Prince Wei repeated the word "good" twice, then turned to Wei Rufeng: "Rufeng, what do you think now?"
Wei Rufeng clearly saw the disdain in Han Yan’s eyes, and his heart felt as if cut by a knife. Suddenly, he was seized by an impulse to destroy the person before him. He wanted to tear her mouth apart, to see if her lips could still utter such piercing words. He wanted to gouge out her eyes, to see if they could still shoot such glaring contempt. He wanted to shatter her composure, her intelligence, her seemingly innocent yet piercingly clear insight!
"Who is it you wish to marry?" he asked darkly, convinced in his heart that Han Yan refused to spare him a glance because of that man who held sway over the court.
Zhuang Shiyang was frantic with anxiety. Han Yan’s rebuttal to Prince Wei made him wish he could seize her and beat her half to death, yet he dared not make any move now. Then he saw Han Yan curl her lips and raise her head proudly."Since the heir wishes to hear it, I shall not conceal it." She declared: "I, Zhuang Hanyan, will never in this life become anyone's concubine!"
The petite figure, with bright eyes and pearly teeth, clearly bore the appearance of a young maiden, yet her composure was astonishingly steady. The deep purple she wore enhanced her noble and striking beauty, like a delicate narcissus flower carrying an overwhelming fragrance.
"The man I marry must have only me for his entire life. No concubines, no maidservants—only me alone in this lifetime!"
As these words fell, the entire hall was shocked!
"What are you saying..." Wei Rufeng seemed unable to believe it: "It is common for men to have multiple wives and concubines. Your demand is likely impossible for any man to meet." Among the sons of prominent families, it was customary to have concubines in their households—some perhaps only one or two, but they were always present. Yet since ancient times, no one had ever heard a woman make such demands of her future husband: to have only her for life. This clearly violated the "jealousy" clause among the seven grounds for divorce. This Zhuang Hanyan was unmistakably a jealous woman who could not tolerate others! Her demand could only be met by the poorest and lowliest of men, for whom marrying a wife was already a blessing earned from a past life, let alone taking concubines. Could she possibly be willing to become a humble peasant's wife?
"If I cannot find such a man in this lifetime, Hanyan would rather remain unmarried forever!"
Madam Zhou stood up, her voice sharp: "What nonsense are you speaking? Where in this world could there be a man who meets your demand?"
Hanyan turned to face her, replying coldly: "Just because Auntie has not encountered such a man does not mean Hanyan will not. I have already said: if I cannot find such a man, Hanyan will remain unmarried for life!"
Having spoken these words, Hanyan felt a sense of relief, as if she had finally expressed everything she had long wished to say. Love was too damaging; if one could avoid it, it was better not to touch it. She had already died once—to trade this hard-won life for the unstable heart of a man seemed hardly worthwhile.
Wei Rufeng glared at her fiercely and said: "These are your words. You had better think carefully."
Hanyan smiled brilliantly: "Today, I ask the heir and Prince Wei to bear witness, for starting tomorrow, the events of today will spread throughout the capital. Hanyan's words are spoken for all under heaven to hear. Any man who cannot meet that condition is not Hanyan's destined match!"
"You may as well prepare to become a nun," Wei Rufeng clenched his fists tightly. In his view, Hanyan's demand was utterly impossible to fulfill. Since it could not be met, Hanyan would remain unmarried her entire life. She would rather stay single forever than be with him. Filled with humiliation, Wei Rufeng snorted coldly: "I hope you will not regret this!"
Hanyan remained unmoved. Prince Wei then also stood and said to Zhuang Shiyang: "Since the Fourth Miss of the Zhuang family is unwilling, let us consider this marriage arrangement void."
Zhuang Shiyang harbored deep hatred for Hanyan but had no choice but to smile ingratiatingly: "Prince Wei, my daughter is young and ignorant. Please do not take her words to heart. I will certainly discipline her later..."
Madam Zhou, concerned only for Zhuang Yushan, quickly asked upon hearing Prince Wei declare the marriage void: "What about Yu'er's matter?"
Wei Rufeng glanced at Hanyan, his tone icy: "This heir will proceed with the marriage. The side consort will enter the household on the eighth day of next month." Having said this, as if unwilling to remain a moment longer, he flicked his sleeve and departed.After Prince Wei and his son had left, Zhuang Shiyang looked coldly at Han Yan. "Go kneel behind the ancestral hall yourself!" Today, she had angered Prince Wei, which in Zhuang Shiyang's eyes was an unforgivable crime, cutting off his path to officialdom. This daughter had grown increasingly audacious lately, both making him somewhat wary and infuriating him greatly. Naturally, he would not let her off lightly now.
Han Yan lowered her eyes and replied obediently, "Yes."
Madam Da Zhou smiled. "Yan'er didn't really do anything wrong today; she just didn't want to agree to her own marriage." Her words only fueled Zhuang Shiyang's rage. "Her marriage is for me to decide! Hmph, refusing to be a concubine—does she really think she's someone important? Whoever I want her to marry, she must marry!"
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