A marriage proposal must be carried out with proper ceremony.
Lu Zhuo and Xie Hualou’s wedding was scheduled for the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. The Duke of Yingguo’s Manor had been preparing for the wedding for two months. Even without spare items, the betrothal gifts returned from the Xie family that morning could have been readily used.
Yet the Duchess of Yingguo deliberately avoided those used items. She ordered twice the number of brand-new chests to be brought out, filled them with jewelry, silks, and satins from the storerooms, and tied each chest with bright red ribbons. She and the Duke of Yingguo changed into new attire and set off with great fanfare. Along the way, officials and commoners alike were astonished and curious, wondering which family the Duke of Yingguo’s Manor was visiting to propose in such a short time.
With the crowd of onlookers growing, the Duke of Yingguo leaned toward the carriage window and said to his wife inside, "We’ve caused such a stir. I know you want to show our sincerity to the Cheng’an Marquis’s household, but what if they misunderstand and think we’re forcing them?"
The Duchess of Yingguo could not afford to hesitate any longer.
Her eldest grandson was hanging by a thread. The purpose of a marriage to ward off misfortune was to act swiftly and decisively. If she hesitated, worrying about this and avoiding that, and delayed until her grandson was gone, what would be the point even if the Cheng’an Marquis’s household agreed?
Asking someone to enter such a marriage was inherently impolite. No matter how meticulously she observed the formalities, this act would inevitably provoke resentment from the Cheng’an Marquis’s household.
The Duchess of Yingguo had already made up her mind. If Wei Rao was willing to marry into the family, whether her grandson recovered or not, Wei Rao would be the Lu family’s benefactor. If Wei Rao refused and was criticized for turning her back on someone in dire need, the Duchess would adopt Wei Rao as her honorary granddaughter, protecting and treating her as her own from then on.
The Lu family’s procession and the crowd of onlookers surged into Yongning Lane, where the Cheng’an Marquis’s residence was located.
When the lead carriage came to a steady stop in front of the Cheng’an Marquis’s gate, a buzz of discussion erupted among the crowd.
"Does the Wei family have any unmarried daughters?"
"This is Shou An Jun’s former in-laws, the former family of Li Guiren! The daughter Li Guiren abandoned has never married."
"Ah, is the Lu family here to propose to the Fourth Miss Wei? Surely not?"
"Third Miss Wei seems to be unmarried as well. It must be her—a legitimate daughter of a Marquis. Though the Cheng’an Marquis holds a title, his official rank isn’t high. He’d likely be eager to form ties with the Duke of Yingguo’s Manor."
At that moment, the Cheng’an Marquis, alerted by the commotion at his gate, hurried out with his wife, Guo Shi.
The Duke of Yingguo was the foremost fierce general of the dynasty, esteemed by the emperor and revered by the people. Whenever he visited a household, the host was obliged to welcome him personally.
The couple respectfully invited the Duke and Duchess of Yingguo inside.
Private matters could not be discussed in front of outsiders. Once inside the Wei residence, to avoid any misunderstanding, the Duchess of Yingguo directly stated their purpose to the Cheng’an Marquis: "Our visit today is to propose marriage to Fourth Miss. Due to our family’s unusual circumstances, we apologize for any impropriety and ask for your understanding."
The Cheng’an Marquis was slightly taken aback. The Lu family was seeking his niece?
He did not mean to imply that his niece was unworthy of marrying into the Lu family, but given her tarnished reputation, he and his wife had assumed, upon hearing the servants’ report, that the Lu family had come to propose to their daughter, Wei Chan.
After his initial surprise, a wave of complicated emotions washed over him.No matter what condition Lu Zhuo was currently in, being chosen by the Duchess of Yingguo to become the eldest grandson's wife of the Lu Family was both recognition and honor for her daughter. From a moral standpoint, their family found it difficult to refuse. Earlier, Cheng'an Marquis had been worried that if Lu Zhuo were to die, his young daughter would become a widow—what would become of her then? Now that the misunderstanding had been clarified, Cheng'an Marquis no longer worried about his daughter, but he felt a subtle embarrassment, blaming himself for failing to raise her properly. Her talents and virtues remained unremarkable, so much so that even for a marriage to ward off misfortune, the Lu Family did not think highly of her.
"Rao Rao has always been raised by my mother, so we must consult her on this matter. Duke, Duchess, please wait in the main hall while I send someone to fetch my mother," Cheng'an Marquis said with a serious expression.
The Duchess of Yingguo replied, "Please invite Fourth Miss as well, since this concerns her lifelong destiny."
Thinking of his niece's early wisdom and sensibility, Cheng'an Marquis agreed.
The maid sent to deliver the message naturally informed Wei Rao and Old Mrs. Wei of the Duke and Duchess of Yingguo's purpose for visiting.
Old Mrs. Wei truly hadn't expected that just after discussing the broken engagement between the Lu and Xie families with her granddaughter, the Lu Family would come seeking her granddaughter's hand in marriage!
But the timing was utterly disrespectful!
What, when Lu Zhuo was hale and hearty, only the widely celebrated Sixth Miss Xie was worthy of him? Now that he was half-dead, and other noble young ladies dared not marry him, the Lu Family remembered her Rao Rao?
If Lu Zhuo's former fiancée had been someone else, it might have been different. But Sixth Miss Xie—the very one whom gossipy girls used to belittle Rao Rao—why should her Rao Rao take over the sickly Lu Zhuo whom Sixth Miss Xie had discarded?
Old Mrs. Wei hoped for Lu Zhuo's recovery, but that had nothing to do with the Lu Family's marriage proposal!
For a moment, Old Mrs. Wei nearly impulsively ordered the maid to drive the Duke and Duchess of Yingguo away.
But age had tempered her impulses. After a brief surge of anger, she calmed down. They were, after all, the Duke and Duchess of Yingguo. Her family could refuse, but they must not handle the situation too harshly—otherwise, how would they maintain their standing in the capital?
"Don't be afraid, Rao Rao. Let's go hear what they have to say. We'll give the Duke of Yingguo face, but Grandmother will never agree to their proposal," Old Mrs. Wei patted Wei Rao's hand, her stance clear.
Wei Rao's mind was in turmoil, filled with too many questions. Given the prestige of the Duke of Yingguo's Manor, even if they couldn't find a noble daughter for a marriage to ward off misfortune, they could surely find a high-ranking family's secondary daughter or a modestly bred beauty. With so many options, why would the Lu Family think of her, with her notorious reputation? Was this an honor or an insult? Moreover, if she refused, wouldn't her reputation worsen further? Was the Lu Family counting on this to force her hand?
Recalling the Duchess of Yingguo's kind smile during the Dragon Boat Festival palace banquet, Wei Rao frowned.
Whether it was kindness or malice, she would find out by meeting them.
Wei Rao kept her thoughts to herself for now, obediently supporting her grandmother as the two made their way unhurriedly to the main hall.
Since they were at home, Wei Rao had only applied moisturizing balm to her face, forgoing the gentle and dignified makeup she usually wore. Without cosmetics, her flawlessly smooth, luminous skin was revealed. Her phoenix eyes shimmered with emotion, and her full lips were the color of the most vibrant flower petals, with a charming lip peak that tempted one to cup her face and indulge in tasting and toying with them.
She kept her head slightly lowered, focused on supporting Old Mrs. Wei, showing no signs of nervousness or shyness despite the two distinguished guests in the hall who had come to propose marriage.
The Duchess of Yingguo was first struck by Wei Rao's stunning beauty.It turned out that the Wei Rao she had seen at the palace banquet was deliberately concealing her talents. Now, upon closer inspection, Wei Rao clearly surpassed Xie Hualou in beauty. The gossip that used to praise Xie Hualou at Wei Rao’s expense was purely born of jealousy.
But what pleased the Duchess of Yingguo the most was Wei Rao’s composure. The young girl must already be aware of their intentions. Only fifteen years old, yet the Duchess couldn’t discern her thoughts—was she happy about the prospect of marrying into the Lu Family, or angry that the Lu Family was disregarding propriety by pressuring her into a Marriage to ward off misfortune for their eldest grandson?
A composed person rarely makes mistakes in their actions, making them highly suitable to be the mistress of the household.
The Duchess of Yingguo glanced contentedly at her husband beside her.
The Duke of Yingguo also looked at his wife, thinking to himself that if their unconscious grandson could truly decide his own fate, knowing that the family had arranged for him to marry such a flower-fairy-like beauty, he would certainly be unwilling to die. No man could bear to abandon such a delicate wife.
“When the Old Viscount was still alive, my husband had the honor of sharing a drink with him. In light of that connection, may I call you sister-in-law?” the Duchess of Yingguo said with a smile to Old Mrs. Wei.
Old Mrs. Wei replied distantly, “I dare not accept such an honor. My late husband was but an ordinary man—how could he be considered a brother to the Duke?”
The Duke of Yingguo chuckled apologetically, “You are too modest. I, Lu, am but a rough man, yet I deeply admired Brother Chongwen’s scholarship.”
Chongwen was the courtesy name of Wei Rao’s grandfather. Fortunately, the Lu Family’s steward was capable and had quickly uncovered this detail, allowing the Duke to say this without blushing.
Old Mrs. Wei glanced at the Duke but refrained from exposing the fabrication further.
Seeing Old Mrs. Wei’s attitude soften slightly, the Duchess seized the opportunity to take over the conversation. “Sister-in-law, the Duke is a blunt man, and I lack refinement and eloquence. We’ve come to disturb you in the middle of the day, so I’ll speak plainly. My eldest grandson, Lu Zhuo, is gravely ill and unconscious. I’ve tried every remedy, and now our only hope is a Marriage to ward off misfortune to save his life…”
Thinking of her grandson, the Duchess didn’t need to feign pity—her tears flowed naturally.
As someone who had also lost loved ones, Old Mrs. Wei couldn’t bear to watch this. She turned her head away and interrupted the Duchess, “I’ve heard about your family’s situation. I, too, have prayed to the Bodhisattva for the Young Lord to overcome this crisis safely. But I cannot grant your request. Rao’er is the apple of my eye. No matter how others slander or defame her, in my eyes as her grandmother, she is the best. If you had come to propose a marriage a year ago, I would have wept with joy. But what is this now? Is my Rao’er inferior to some peony-talented maiden that she must settle for what others have rejected?”
At this point, Old Mrs. Wei’s eyes also reddened.
Observing mourning is proper, but in the Lu Family’s situation, even if the Xie Family had disregarded the mourning period to marry their sixth daughter into the Lu Family, outsiders would only praise the Xie Family for their righteousness. The Xie Family refused in the end because they couldn’t bear to risk their sixth daughter or let her become a widow. The Xie Mansion was fortunate to have the Old Grand Tutor’s passing coincide with this, preserving their reputation.
But what about her Rao’er? Because of those prejudices, even if she were to marry now for the Marriage to ward off misfortune, she would gain no praise. Outsiders would say Rao’er had stumbled into good fortune by seizing this opportunity, that if Lu Zhuo weren’t critically ill, Rao’er would never have been considered. If Lu Zhuo survived, such gossip would only multiply. If Lu Zhuo died, Rao’er would suffer as a widow; if she didn’t observe widowhood, she would be condemned mercilessly.No matter what she does, it's a loss—why should this be?
It's all the fault of the Duke and Duchess of Yingguo! If they hadn't come, Rao Rao wouldn't have to face such a dilemma!
"Have you ever considered Rao Rao's position? Both acceptance and refusal are traps—how do you expect her to live afterward?" Old Mrs. Wei slammed the table, glaring resentfully at the Duchess of Yingguo as she demanded, "Do you think just because Rao Rao's reputation is already tarnished, she won't mind you splashing more mud on her?"
"Grandmother, please don't say that."
Wei Rao knelt before Old Mrs. Wei with her head bowed. She hadn't intended to cry, but her grandmother's tears moved her, and she could no longer hold back her own.
Old Mrs. Wei held her granddaughter's head, weeping as she asked the Duchess of Yingguo, "Is your grandson a treasure, while my granddaughter is mere grass?"
Her sobs grew uncontrollable. Cheng'an Marquis and Guo Shi quickly knelt beside them, pleading in unison.
The Duchess of Yingguo shook her head through her own tears. "It's not like that, not what you think. I don't look down on Rao Rao—I adore her too much! I love her beauty, her chivalrous spirit, her magnanimity, and the fact that she has a marquis for an uncle. Everyone told me I couldn't find a noble lady for Shoucheng's marriage to ward off misfortune. They all urged me to marry him to a girl from a humble family, but I refused to believe it! My Shoucheng is a treasure, one of a kind in this world. Even if he's gravely ill, I must find him a true noble lady, a girl worthy of him."
Old Mrs. Wei looked up in shock, while Wei Rao stared at the Duchess of Yingguo in disbelief.
Wiping her eyes, the Duchess of Yingguo addressed Wei Rao directly: "Why are noble ladies valued? Because their upbringing is assured—everyone believes girls from noble families possess virtuous character. For those I haven't met, outsiders can only judge by reputation. But I've seen Rao Rao, witnessed her goodness. So no matter what rumors spread, in my heart, Rao Rao is a true noble lady—a pearl who would never disgrace my grandson."
The continuous stream of tears rolling down the elderly woman's face made everyone present feel she spoke sincerely, not just using pretty words to coax Wei Rao into marriage.
Hearing such sincerity from the Duchess of Yingguo eased Old Mrs. Wei's heart, but...
"Grandmother, I want to marry him."
A pair of small hands suddenly grasped her aged ones, speaking before she could.
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