Madam Yao likely hadn’t expected Ji Yunshu to bring people from the Ji family. Her gaze flickered subtly toward Ji Yunshu before she hurried to explain.
“This foolish boy had a slip of the tongue after a few drinks. Shizi Ji, please do not misunderstand. You know how much our family values this marriage; not a single part of the Three Letters and Six Rituals was missing. How could it possibly be a marriage deception?”
As she spoke, she walked over to Ji Yunshu, taking her hand with an affectionate tone. “You’re far too sensitive, girl. What man doesn’t have a few women attending to him? It’s hardly such a monumental matter. Is it really worth making such a scene?”
Ji Yunshu couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Indeed, the older the ginger, the spicier it was.
With just a few words, Madam Yao had not only minimized Zhao Heng’s behavior but also turned the tables to label her as a jealous wife.
Ji Yunshu pulled her hand away. “Madam, you overstate things. When I came in just now, I heard the Second Master tell this young lady that this was their wedding chamber and nuptial night. I thought the Second Master was marrying someone else today, which is why I thought to ask our elders to come and clarify things. The Second Master also said my position as the primary wife was something this girl had ‘conceded.’ That didn’t sound like a slip of the tongue.”
Madam Yao’s expression froze for a moment, but she quickly forced another smile. “Nonsense spoken by young lovers in private—how can that be taken seriously?”
With that, she beckoned to Zhao Heng. “Heng Ge’er, come over and apologize to your wife. On such a joyous day, you’ve actually committed such an absurdity. Just wait until your father returns and sees how he deals with you.”
Though Zhao Heng was reluctant, he knew he had to follow his mother’s lead. He needed to give Ji Yunshu a way out and move past the situation as quickly as possible.
He stepped forward and bowed to Ji Yunshu. “My words and actions were improper today. Please forgive me.”
Ji Yunshu accepted his bow fully before smiling. “There is no need for such formality, Second Master. Madam is right; this isn’t some monumental matter. It’s just that this young lady climbed into your bed on your wedding night. If we kept her, wouldn’t people say the Changxing Houfu has no rules?”
Seeing that Ji Yunshu still refused to let Yao Ruolan go even after he had humbled himself to apologize, Zhao Heng felt a surge of anger. He was about to speak when Madam Yao grabbed him, whispering in his ear, “Once you inherit the title in the future, can’t you do whatever you want?”
Zhao Heng clenched his fists and endured in silence.
Although Zhao Shen was disabled, he still held the title of Shizi and was the legitimate heir to the Marquis’s residence.
This marriage with the Wu’an Houfu was originally intended for Zhao Shen, and his mother had gone to great lengths to secure it for him instead.
The Dowager Empress and the Wu’an Houfu would not allow their daughter to be wronged, so only by marrying her could he smoothly inherit the title.
After soothing her son, Madam Yao turned back to Ji Yunshu. “It is my fault, really. Ruolan is my niece from my maiden family and was raised by my side since she was a child. She and Heng Ge’er are like biological siblings; who knew she would develop such thoughts? Now, since you cannot tolerate her, I will simply send her away.”
Send her away?
To where?
To let Zhao Heng keep her outside as a mistress, leading her family to ruin step by step, and then marry her back once he held full power?
What a beautiful dream.
Realizing she was still acting too mild, letting this mother and son think they could brush her off, Ji Yunshu said with a beaming smile, “I wouldn’t dare accept such words from you, Mother. But since you’ve said I’m the one who cannot tolerate her, then please hand her over to me. I will find a good place for her.”
Zhao Heng grew wary. “What are you going to do to her?”
Ji Yunshu looked Yao Ruolan up and down, as the girl looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. “With such a face and figure, it would be a waste to let her sit idle. Since she loves seducing men so much…”
Turning to Ji Yunlan, Ji Yunshu spoke with a radiant smile. “Brother, isn’t the military camp in need of someone like this?”
Everyone was stunned.
Were these words a Noble Daughter from a Prestigious Family should say?
Ji Yunlan was also startled by his sister’s words. He frowned, not understanding her intent.
She was just a woman. Even if she wasn’t sent away and stayed in the house, there would be plenty of ways to deal with her later. Why ruin her own reputation by saying such things in public?
Yao Ruolan had never expected that her momentary grief—clinging to her cousin and preventing him from going to the wedding chamber—would lead things to this point.
She pitifully tugged at Zhao Heng’s sleeve, her voice trembling with panic and despair as she cried out, “Cousin…”
Her voice was so mournful it would make anyone feel pity.
Hearing this, Zhao Heng forgot everything else. He shielded Yao Ruolan behind him and glared fiercely at Ji Yunshu. “You’re dreaming! That is absolutely impossible!”
Ji Yunshu felt a sense of relief. It was good that he still had a Love-Obsessed Mind.
She said aggrievedly, “It was Madam who said she would send the girl away. Why are you losing your temper at me? Who knows if she’s clean or not; if we sent her to the military camp, I’d be afraid of the soldiers catching a disease.”
Madam Yao: “…”
She had only said she would send her away; she never said she would send her to that kind of place.
Now Ji Yunlan could see it—his sister was deliberately provoking Zhao Heng.
And Zhao Heng, just as Ji Yunshu intended, was completely infuriated. “Ruolan is my woman! If you dare touch her, I will never let you off!”
His expression was hideous, his tone ruthless.
Ji Yunlan pulled his sister behind him. “A daughter of the Ji family will not suffer such insult. Since things are this way, this marriage is off.”
Previously, he hadn’t understood his sister’s intentions. Thinking she would have to live in the Marquis’s residence, he had remained silent, held back by his concerns for her future. Now, it was clear she didn’t want this marriage at all.
Hearing Ji Yunlan’s words, Madam Yao felt things were going south. However, she didn’t truly believe the Ji family would call off the marriage.
The bride had already entered the Marquis’s residence in an eight-man sedan chair. How could a marriage be so easily cancelled?
“Shizi, please calm your anger. Yunshu has already married in. If the marriage is cancelled now, how can she show her face in the future? And what of the other daughters of the Ji family? How will they marry?”
Ji Yunlan was not intimidated at all. With a cold, detached face, he said, “Madam, you need not worry. The Ji family can afford to support its daughters.”
Looking at the tall, upright figure standing in front of her, Ji Yunshu couldn’t help but be moved.
What she was doing would affect the reputation of the entire clan; in this era, it was considered shocking. Yet her brother had stood in front of her without hesitation.
Having pushed things far enough, Ji Yunshu tugged at her brother’s sleeve and revealed her ultimate goal.
“I remember that when Grandfather made the engagement, it was with the Chang Xing Hou Shizi, Zhao Shen. I want to marry him. Is that alright?”
Ji Yunlan looked at her in shock, unable to fathom how she could have such a thought.
“A Shu, Zhao Shen…” He shook his head. “If you don’t want to marry Zhao Heng, we will cancel the marriage. Your brother will take care of you for the rest of your life.”
Ji Yunshu smiled. “I know. But I want to marry the Shizi. He is so handsome. I remember when we were little, he even bought me hawthorn candies.”
She tried her best to think of Zhao Shen’s good points, pretending to like him to convince Ji Yunlan.
Cancelling the marriage completely involved too much. On the surface, it would look like she was ending it over Zhao Heng’s temporary absurdity. No one would believe Yao Ruolan actually threatened her status; it would look more like she was using her family’s power to bully others.
A reputation for being jealous would make the future marriages of all Ji family girls difficult.
Because her mother had died young, she had essentially been raised by the Dowager Empress. Therefore, this would also cause people to question the Dowager Empress’s character.
Ji Yunlan said nothing. Compared to Zhao Heng, Zhao Shen was far superior in terms of birth, appearance, ability, and character.
But Zhao Shen was now a disabled man.
How could he let his sister swallow her pride and marry a disabled man just for the sake of the family’s reputation?