Madam Yao never expected Ji Yunshu to be so unyielding, let alone that she would harbor such an idea.
Was her son not even comparable to a useless cripple?
A towering rage ignited within her instantly, and she shrieked, “Absurd! You have already performed the wedding bows with Heng Ge’er; how can you marry his elder brother? If word of this gets out, wouldn’t our Changxing Houfu become the laughingstock of the entire capital?”
Ji Yunshu sneered. “On my wedding night, my husband is in the bridal chamber with his childhood sweetheart of a cousin. I am already a laughingstock.”
“You are so jealous—”
“Enough.”
Madam Yao was halfway through her sentence when she was suddenly interrupted by the Marquis, who had remained silent until now.
Zhao Yun looked at Madam Yao with a heavy gaze, his expression cold. “A marriage alliance is meant to build a bond, not a blood feud.”
Then, he looked directly at Ji Yunshu and asked, “You should be clear about Shen Ge’er’s situation. Even the Taiyi said it is impossible for him to stand again in this lifetime. When you say you are willing to marry him, is it the truth?”
He had begun to understand. This girl didn’t care for Heng Ge’er at all; her goal had been clear from the start.
Upon discovering her new husband was with another woman, she hadn’t been angry in the least. Instead, she had been calculating at every step, grasping Heng Ge’er’s weakness and constantly provoking him, causing him to lose his reason in his defense of Yao Ruolan.
She had pushed things to the point of breaking the engagement, only to then propose marrying Shen Ge’er.
He had no reason to refuse.
Though it was a bit selfish, Shen Ge’er was no longer young. If he missed out on Ji Yunshu, it would be impossible for him to marry another noble lady of equal status.
Moreover, he knew that this girl had the ability to help Shen Ge’er support the Houfu.
Hearing the Marquis’s question, Ji Yunshu knew this move was a success.
The book mentioned that the Marquis of Changxing doted on his eldest son, born of his legal wife, and insisted on letting him inherit the Houfu even though he was crippled.
Therefore, compared to Zhao Heng, the Marquis would certainly prefer her to marry Zhao Shen.
Ji Yunshu nodded firmly. “I am willing to marry the Shizi.”
As she expected, the Marquis agreed quite readily. “Very well. It is my Zhao family that has wronged you. I promise you that no matter what happens in the future, the title of the Houfu will be passed to Shen Ge’er. If the two of you have no offspring in the future, you may adopt from the clan.”
“Thank you, Father.”
Ji Yunshu liked this promise very much. It meant that Zhao Heng would never have the chance to climb over her head in this lifetime.
Unless he could earn a higher title through his own abilities.
But without the Ji family as his stepping stone, it would be impossible for him to easily establish his career as he did in the novel.
This was for the best; he could spend the rest of his days guarding Yao Ruolan.
Without a “vicious female supporting character” like herself between them, perhaps their tragic romance could turn into a sweet one.
Everyone present was stunned by the Marquis’s words.
Hatred welled up in Zhao Heng’s heart. He had always known his father favored his elder brother, but he never expected his father would go to such lengths for him.
Adopting from the clan if there were no heirs—this completely severed any possibility of him inheriting the title.
With a grim face, he said unwillingly, “Father, you cannot be so partial to Brother. I am your son as well.”
“You are dissatisfied with my decision? Fine, then hand the Yao girl over to the Ji family to deal with.” The Marquis glanced at him and said nonchalantly, “Whether she lives or dies.”
Looking at his father’s cold eyes, Zhao Heng felt as if all the strength had been drained from his body in an instant.
He could tell that if he agreed, Lan’er wouldn’t even need to be sent to the Ji family; his father would take her life directly.
The Marquis said coldly, “You cannot have every good thing in this world. From now on, Yunshu is your sister-in-law. Remember to be respectful to her.”
Having said that, he turned to Ji Yunlan with an apologetic look. “It is my failure to discipline this wretch that has caused Yunshu to suffer. However, when the two families made the engagement, it was originally intended for Shen Ge’er. Since his legs are infirm, today’s ceremony shall be considered as his younger brother bowing in his stead. Tomorrow, I will personally enter the palace to explain things to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. I will not allow a single bit of blame to fall upon the Ji family.”
Ji Yunlan cupped his hands. “I shall trouble the Marquis, then.”
Seeing that Ji Yunlan showed no sign of disdain toward Shen Ge’er, the Marquis was also pleased. “Shizi, please see Yunshu back to the bridal chamber. I will send someone to inform Shen Ge’er immediately.”
Since it was a sudden turn of events, Ji Yunshu knew this was to allow the siblings to speak privately, so the two of them excused themselves and went out.
Madam Yao clutched her handkerchief tightly, her face pale, not daring to speak.
She never expected that a single lapse in judgment—indulging her son and niece—would bring about such consequences.
The title was gone, and the noble-born daughter-in-law was gone.
The future she had planned for her son was ruined.
Ji Yunshu.
She lowered her head, concealing her cold, poisonous gaze beneath her eyelids.
Ji Yunshu didn’t know that Madam Yao hated her to death, but even if she did, she wouldn’t care.
The identity she had transmigrated into meant they were destined to be enemies.
She walked side-by-side with Ji Yunlan through the courtyard. The red light from the lanterns illuminated the surroundings; it wasn’t bright, but it was enough to see clearly.
Having resolved her major concern, Ji Yunshu felt lighthearted.
Although the start of this transmigration was a bit messy, fortunately, she had arrived in time to avoid marrying Zhao Heng.
She had even traded for a better marriage.
The partner was not only disabled but also short-lived.
Just thinking about a future life with no man—only a house, money, and shops—made her incredibly satisfied.
Ji Yunlan hesitated for a long while. It wasn’t until they reached a rockery and he dismissed the followers a bit further away that he asked, “A-Shu, do you… really want to marry Zhao Shen?”
Ji Yunshu understood what he wanted to say. Organizing her thoughts, she said, “Brother, you saw it yourself. That woman is the apple of Zhao Heng’s eye. How could he possibly wrong her by letting her remain a concubine forever? In his heart, both I and the Ji family are nothing more than stepping stones.”
Ji Yunlan naturally understood this point. It was because of this that he felt even more distressed for his sister. “If he wants to protect that woman, we have a reason to break the engagement. Why must you wrong yourself? Father and Aunt would surely stand up for you.”
Ji Yunshu tilted her head and smiled at him. “Brother, I really like Zhao Shen, which is why I want to marry him.”
She knew that besides this reason, no matter what she said, Ji Yunlan would view her marriage to Zhao Shen as a compromise.
But she truly felt Zhao Shen was an excellent candidate.
“He used to be very good. Grandfather once said he was a heaven-sent genius, outstanding in both literary and military pursuits. But now… what do you like about him?”
“He’s handsome. I saw him once at the suburban villa the year before last. That face—let alone the men in the capital, there isn’t a single woman who can compare to him.”
In the original owner’s memory, that fleeting glimpse was truly unforgettable.
Ji Yunlan took a deep breath. “How can you marry someone just for their face?”
“Then what else? He has family status, he has ability, and he has excellent character, talent, and looks. Although his legs are ruined, it doesn’t actually affect much. At most, I’ll just have to put in a bit more effort when we share the marriage bed?”
She couldn’t exactly say she liked that he was short-lived so she could be a free and easy widow later.
Ji Yunlan was not yet married. Once he realized what his sister was implying, his face turned red all the way to his neck. He stiffened his handsome face and scolded, “You’re a young lady, what kind of nonsense are you talking?”
Ji Yunshu found his reaction quite amusing. She deliberately spun around in front of him, showing off her bright red wedding gown. “Brother, I’m married now. I’m not a little girl anymore.”
Ji Yunlan: “…”
Reflected in the red light of the lanterns, he saw a sparkle in his sister’s eyes—a joy that hadn’t been there when she was preparing for the wedding before.
The worry in his heart suddenly vanished. If it was truly someone his sister liked, then marrying him might not be so bad after all.