After the meal, Qi Heng had no excuse to stay longer. Jiang Nian saw him to the door.
"Nian Nian, will you marry me?"
Qi Heng reached out, his slender fingers gently hooking hers, the tips of his ears red as blood. Jiang Nian was utterly astonished—he was usually cold and stern, when had he ever been so innocent? Then it occurred to her that he was only nineteen now, precisely at the age of budding affection and pure devotion.
Qi Heng looked up at her, his eyes full of hope. Jiang Nian gazed back calmly, without a trace of shyness. He immediately deflated—she hadn’t been moved by him at all. Even if she wasn’t moved, how could she not feel the slightest embarrassment when a man held her hand?
"Jiang Nian." Qi Heng’s chest felt tight as he lifted their joined hands. "I’ve held your hand—I must take responsibility."
His tone was utterly serious. Jiang Nian pressed her lips together and smiled. "Holding your hand feels like my left hand holding my right—what responsibility is there to take?"
Qi Heng’s face darkened. "Jiang Nian!" he gritted out.
Jiang Nian looked up, studying him intently. Suddenly, she wondered: after she passed away in her previous life, had he grieved for her? Or had he happily married a new wife and forgotten all about her?
Qi Heng blushed under her gaze. "Nian Nian, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Go away!" Jiang Nian pushed him out the door with a cold expression. Caught off guard, Qi Heng stumbled outside. As he turned around, the door slammed shut with a "bang."
"Jiang Nian!" Qi Heng knocked on the door. "I haven’t finished speaking!"
When Jiang Nian returned to her room, Jiang Sui praised her. "You’re so brave, kicking the Prefect’s second son out of the house."
"Let’s wash up and go to bed," Jiang Nian said, her mood too sour for conversation.
Qi Manor.
Qi Heng trudged listlessly through the door, where the entire Qi family watched him eagerly.
"Second Brother, did Second Sister-in-Law agree to marry you today?"
"No need to ask," Qi Mo said, nudging Qi Xun. "If she had agreed, would he look so dejected?"
Madam Qi slumped into a chair, her face pale. "What are we going to do? The wedding is next month! If the Crown Prince finds out we deceived him, will he behead us in a rage?"
"I don’t want to die," Liu Shi, the eldest daughter-in-law, sobbed behind her hand. "Maybe we should go beg Jiang Nian."
Madam Qi looked anxiously at Prefect Qi. "Husband, think of something! If all else fails, we’ll force the Jiang Family—she’ll have to marry whether she wants to or not!"
"Mother!" Qi Heng’s face flushed with anger. "I won’t force her."
"Not force her?" Madam Qi sneered. "Then do you have a way to make her marry willingly?"
Prefect Qi studied his second son with a puzzled expression. "It doesn’t make sense. With my son’s handsome face and strong build, how could that girl not be the least bit moved?"
He leaned closer to his son and whispered in his ear, "Did you try to seduce her? Like holding her hand, or putting an arm around her waist?"
Qi Heng turned his head and stared at him, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You know quite a lot, old man."
"Ahem!" Prefect Qi coughed awkwardly. "Brat, I’m only doing this for you."
"I held her hand."
Prefect Qi leaned in eagerly, asking how his daughter-in-law had reacted. Qi Heng snorted lightly and said:
"She said it felt like her left hand holding her right—no feeling at all."
"You’re useless!" Prefect Qi returned to his seat with a blank expression. "It seems your father will have to step in."
Qi Xun was greatly astonished and asked his father, "Even Second Brother with his handsome looks couldn't capture Second Sister-in-law's heart, and you, an old man…"
Qi Xun shot him a meaningful glance, which infuriated Prefect Qi so much that he picked up a teacup and threw it at him.
"You brat! How dare you spout such nonsense!"
"Father! Don't hit me!" Qi Xun covered his head with both hands and dodged, but Prefect Qi was still fuming and looked around for something else to grab. Qi Xun cried out for mercy, begging piteously.
"Serves you right!" Qi Mo gloated on the side.
After disciplining his son, Prefect Qi returned to his study and wrote something down. Early the next morning, he went to the Jiang Family with the written document.
Jiang Nian was summoned to meet him alone. Prefect Qi took out the letter and handed it to her. "Child, take a look. If you agree to marry into the Qi Family, I promise to fulfill all these conditions."
Puzzled, Jiang Nian took the letter and looked down at it, stunned.
After Jiang Nian and Qi Heng married, everyone in the manor must obey her commands. Anyone who disobeys will be expelled from the manor.
If Jiang Nian no longer wishes to stay with Qi Heng, she can divorce him at any time and will be given ten thousand taels of gold and a hundred acres of fertile land.
No one may demand anything of Jiang Nian. She may do as she pleases. Anyone who dares to bully her will be expelled from the manor, including her own sons.
Jiang Nian thought she must be seeing things. She rubbed her eyes and stared at the document again. She recognized every character, but put together, they seemed incomprehensible.
"You would drive away your own son for me?" Jiang Nian shook her head. "Lord Qi, there's no need to test me like this. I won't marry."
Prefect Qi declared righteously, "The lives of my entire Qi Family are at stake. Driving someone out is nothing compared to that—at least they'd still be alive."
Jiang Nian was speechless. Based on her understanding of her father-in-law from her previous life, this was exactly the kind of thing Prefect Qi would do.
Prefect Qi assured her, "This bears my seal. A promise is a promise, and this commitment will always be valid!"
Jiang Nian's eyes lit up. If she married and then divorced, she could obtain ten thousand taels of gold and a hundred acres of fertile land. The promise of a future emperor was as weighty as gold—the temptation was too great to resist.
Jiang Nian held the commitment letter with both hands to return it to him, reluctant to let go. "Please give me some more time to consider."
"Alright." Prefect Qi reached for the letter, but when he tugged, it didn't move. Jiang Nian gave an ingratiating smile, her fingers tightly gripping the paper.
Prefect Qi laughed heartily and released his grip. "Child, is this promise enough to win your heart?"
Jiang Nian nodded quickly. "It very much appeals to me."
Especially the ten thousand taels of gold and hundred acres of fertile land.
"Hahaha!" Prefect Qi threw his head back and laughed. This girl was interesting and would be a good match for his dull second son.
"Then will you marry my son?"
Jiang Nian pointed at the commitment letter. "Add one more clause: protect my Jiang Family's safety for a lifetime."
"Good, that's only right!" Prefect Qi asked the Jiang Family for pen and paper and added the clause.
Jiang Nian asked again to confirm, "Will this commitment letter be valid no matter what happens in the future?"
"Yes." Prefect Qi nodded.
Jiang Nian's heart raced. "What if you later renege on this commitment?"
"Then may I live in poverty and come to a bad end." Prefect Qi believed in fate and would not curse lightly.
Jiang Nian leaned closer to him and whispered, "Lord Qi, if you keep your promise, you will have an emperor's destiny in the future. If you break your promise, you will live in poverty for the rest of your life."
"Don't talk nonsense!" Prefect Qi nervously glanced around. Seeing no one nearby, he leaned in and scolded her in a low voice.
"You dare speak such words that warrant execution of nine generations? Have you no regard for your life?"
"I won't say it anymore." Jiang Nian blinked, covering her mouth with her hand.
Prefect Qi had been deeply affected by Jiang Nian's remark about imperial destiny. He remained in an excited state all day, contemplating how the world was currently unstable and war could break out at any moment. If he were to raise an army at this opportune time… The more Prefect Qi thought about it, the more agitated he became. He immediately summoned several trusted advisors to his study in the Prefectural Residence to discuss his grand ambitions.