When Zhuang Hui stepped out, Wang Qiaoru and her son Cui Lang were just leaving Fushou Hall with Zhuang Mingxiang.
They had just paid their respects to Old Madam and were now heading back to Yi’an Hall.
As soon as they stepped out of Fushou Hall’s courtyard gate, Old Madam in the Upper Chamber let out a deep sigh. She held back for a moment but ultimately couldn’t restrain herself: “Madame Zhuang is truly foolish. Marrying Ah Hui off to this Cui Lang—isn’t that just like sticking a fresh flower into a pile of cow dung? And she’s supposed to be her own mother!”
If she weren’t the birth mother, Old Madam would suspect she couldn’t bear to see Zhuang Hui thrive.
Mama Qiao chuckled softly: “Don’t worry, Old Madam. The young lady might not even fancy him?”
Old Madam sighed: “Under normal circumstances, she certainly wouldn’t. But with two incidents happening in a row, I’m afraid she might be frightened into agreeing by Madame Zhuang’s persuasion.”
Mama Qiao weighed her words carefully: “Young Master Cui may not be much to look at, and his family is merely in trade, but his mother, Madam Cui, is a childhood friend of our Madam. Madam probably thinks that if the young lady marries into their family, she’ll have a kind mother-in-law and won’t be mistreated. That’s likely why she wants this match.”
Old Madam: “With the Zhao family as her backing, who would dare bully Ah Hui as long as she doesn’t marry into a higher-ranking household?”
“Even if she’s not our own flesh and blood, she grew up in our household. How the Marquis and I have treated her all these years is plain for all to see. To bully her would be to oppose our Zhao family!”
Mama Qiao privately agreed, but perhaps Madam’s perspective was ultimately limited by her background.
As a servant, however, she could never voice such thoughts aloud.
Instead, Old Madam remarked: “She is ultimately rather short-sighted. Let’s wait and see. Perhaps, as you say, Ah Hui won’t fancy him. But if by chance Ah Hui truly lacks discernment… I can still question her carefully later.”
Mama Qiao smiled: “That’s certainly reasonable!”
…
At the entrance of Yi’an Hall’s courtyard, Zhuang Hui arrived first and then saw Zhuang Mingxiang and Wang Qiaoru walking hand in hand from a distance.
The two were old friends from their maiden days, close in age and equally beautiful in appearance.
Though Zhuang Mingxiang’s first marriage was unfortunate, her remarriage to Marquis Changping was harmonious and blissful, filling her face with a radiant happiness that made her look even younger than her actual age.
Wang Qiaoru, a merchant’s daughter who also married into a merchant family, clearly enjoyed a harmonious married life as well. She appeared slightly older than Zhuang Mingxiang by two or three years, but her face was similarly lit with happiness.
Zhuang Hui did not rush forward to greet them. Standing in place, a faint smile graced her lips. After glancing at Wang Qiaoru, her gaze shifted to the young man of about eighteen or nineteen behind her.
Sons often take after their mothers. Since Wang Qiaoru was beautiful, Cui Lang naturally wasn’t ugly either.
His skin was just a bit darker, and though some called him fat, he was far better off compared to someone like Tang Wei—at most, he could be described as sturdy.
Naturally, he wasn’t as handsome as the effeminate Pei Zizhao, nor as imposing and striking as Zhao Changting, but he certainly wasn’t ugly either. He simply had the looks of an ordinary person!
Zhuang Hui observed him carefully. At the very least, she didn’t find him unpleasant.
Not finding him unpleasant was enough. In these ancient times, marriage was unavoidable, and she couldn’t freely fall in love as in modern times—getting to know the person first and then meeting the family. So, it was better to simply follow her parents’ arrangements; at least they knew the background well.
She had no objections. Now it was up to Cui Lang to decide what he thought.
The person was nearly right in front of her when Zhuang Hui stepped forward to greet them. Before she could even call out, Wang Qiaoru quickly came up and took her hand, saying warmly, “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Ah Hui! You’ve grown even more beautiful!”
Zhuang Hui pursed her lips and smiled shyly. “Aunt Wang.”
“Yes!” Wang Qiaoru responded brightly, but she didn’t let go of Zhuang Hui’s hand. Instead, she led her into Yi’an Hall while saying, “Your mother told me you were sick a few days ago. Look at you—your little face has lost weight. Ah Hui, you’re still young, so you must take care of your health. When you fall ill and lose vitality, you must replenish it quickly.”
“Mm, I will, Aunt Wang.” Wang Qiaoru was enthusiastic, and Zhuang Hui responded obediently.
Once they entered the Upper Chamber and Zhuang Mingxiang sat down, she seemed to suddenly remember something and said to Zhuang Hui, “Oh, right. I said I would show Aunt Wang the coral stone ornament I received this summer, but I forgot to have it moved out of the storehouse in advance. Ah Hui, take someone to bring it out.”
Before Zhuang Hui could respond, Wang Qiaoru hurriedly said, “Lang-ge, go help bring it.”
Thus, Zhuang Hui and Cui Lang both agreed and left the Upper Chamber together.
Yi’an Hall was the main courtyard where the Marquis of Changping and his wife resided, and the compound was extremely large. The storehouse was located near a row of small side rooms behind the Upper Chamber, so after stepping out, Zhuang Hui immediately turned right.
The servants had already received instructions earlier, so they deliberately lagged far behind, leaving only Cui Lang to follow her.
Although this was the first time in two lifetimes, Zhuang Hui felt that matchmaking in ancient times was essentially the same as modern-day blind dates: two complete strangers, sharing the same purpose, engaging in a superficial conversation. The only difference was that in modern times, there could be a second or third meeting, but in ancient times, there was only this one.
If they took a liking to each other, it would basically be settled.
If they didn’t, there would be no next time.
But regardless of which outcome, it was bound to be awkward—not just for her, but for Cui Lang as well.
Yet even if it was awkward, some questions still needed to be asked. So, after turning the corner, Zhuang Hui stopped. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yingtáo and Xiānglí, as well as Cui Lang’s servant, also stop in the distance. Then she turned to face Cui Lang.
Cui Lang wasn’t particularly tall. At 1.65 meters herself, she only needed to slightly lift her chin to see his face. She estimated he was around 1.75 meters.
She suddenly stopped and turned directly to face Cui Lang, looking straight at him. Cui Lang seemed somewhat inexperienced with interacting with girls, taking an unnatural half-step back before lowering his head and asking, “Zhuang… younger sister?”
In truth, they had met before—several times as children, perhaps four or five times.
As they grew older, the distinction between men and women became more pronounced, and they met less frequently, always keeping a distance.
Facing each other directly like this, Zhuang Hui had always known she was beautiful. Among men of similar age who saw her, aside from Zhao Changting, who always seemed to dislike her, some were dazzled, while others had lecherous thoughts at first glance. But those like Cui Lang, who hardly dared to look at her, were not too common.
Zhuang Hui certainly didn’t like those who looked at her with lecherous eyes. But if someone didn’t dare to look at her out of shyness or introversion, that was fine. However, if it was because their heart belonged to someone else and they didn’t want to look, that wouldn’t be good.
What she wanted was an ordinary, normal life—not one filled with a husband, concubines, and a house full of illegitimate children.
“Brother Cui,” Zhuang Hui got straight to the point, “Did you come here today of your own will, or were you forced by Aunt Wang?”
Seemingly caught off guard by her question, Cui Lang paused for a moment before replying, “…Of course, of my own will.”
He still didn’t look up at her.
Zhuang Hui then asked, “If it’s of your own will, did you have someone you liked before?”
Given the social context of ancient times, her question was somewhat unconventional. Cui Lang was genuinely taken aback and finally looked up.
Zhuang Hui smiled lightly and continued, “I don’t, so I’d like to find someone who doesn’t either.”
As she spoke, Zhuang Hui was also observing Cui Lang. She clearly saw the unmistakable admiration in his eyes when she smiled. However, after she finished speaking, Cui Lang seemed to hesitate before shaking his head.
Zhuang Hui felt that his hesitation wasn’t due to being mesmerized by her, so she pressed on, “Brother Cui, I’m serious. If you have someone you like, not only are we unsuitable, but you should also try to pursue her.”
This time, Cui Lang shook his head immediately. “Sister Zhuang, rest assured, I have no one I like.”
Zhuang Hui studied Cui Lang for a moment and saw no signs of dishonesty, so she continued, “Brother Cui, I have one more request.”
Cui Lang replied, “Please go ahead, Sister Zhuang.”
Zhuang Hui said, “What’s in the past is in the past, but from now on, I hope my husband will not take concubines, keep mistresses, or… visit brothels.”
Even if she didn’t love him, she wanted a clean husband and a clean father for her children.
There was no reason for her to be bound to one man for life while he could have a houseful of concubines and children.
After all, given her current status as the stepdaughter of the Changping Marquisate, marrying Cui Lang would be a step down for her, whether in terms of wealth or status. Therefore, she had the right to make demands.
Cui Lang thought the same way. The Cui family was already slightly inferior to the Zhuang family, and compared to the Changping Marquisate, the gap was even wider. So, if Zhuang Hui married him, it would be a step up for him, and she had every right to make demands.
And if he wanted to marry her, he had to agree.
Cui Lang raised his eyes to look at Zhuang Hui. Without a doubt, she was exceptionally beautiful—one could even say she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. This alone gave her ample reason to be demanding.
Cui Lang had indeed come to the Changping Marquisate of his own will. He was already nineteen and needed to marry. Since he had no girl he liked, the opportunity to marry the niece of the Zhuang family and the stepdaughter of the Changping Marquisate was something he was willing to accept.
However, he hadn’t expected Zhuang Hui to grow even more beautiful as she matured, which was an unexpected delight for him.
Although she made demands without hesitation, it was actually a good thing. At least it showed she was willing to speak her mind and would be easy to get along with. Besides, he had no intention of taking concubines or keeping mistresses after marrying Zhuang Hui.
Even if he wanted to, his mother likely wouldn’t allow it.
“Sister Zhuang, I promise you,” Cui Lang said solemnly. “If I marry you, I will not take concubines, keep mistresses, or visit brothels.”
What an easy-to-communicate-with young man, and his attitude was good too. Even if it was just empty words for now, if he ever dared to misbehave in the future, she could either divorce him or rely on Xing Yi and Xiānglí by her side, so she wouldn’t have to fear being mistreated!
This was perhaps the benefit of having both a powerful backing and her own wealth and people.
In that case, with all her demands, marrying down was truly better than marrying up or even marrying someone of equal status!
Zhuang Hui smiled with satisfaction and promised in return, “If fate allows it, I will naturally do my best to fulfill my responsibilities.”
They got along well and were both satisfied after their conversation, but on the other side, Wang Qiaoru and Zhuang Mingxiang had different thoughts. On one hand, Wang Qiaoru liked Zhuang Hui—the daughter of her good friend, beautiful and sensible, she had adored her since childhood. On the other hand, Zhuang Hui was well-liked by everyone in the Changping Marquisate, which not only meant she had a strong backing but also proved her ability to navigate social situations. As such, Wang Qiaoru couldn’t find a single flaw in this potential daughter-in-law and only hoped this marriage would come to fruition.
Zhuang Mingxiang, meanwhile, was satisfied with Wang Qiaoru but not entirely pleased with Cui Lang. It wasn’t dissatisfaction with his appearance; rather, she felt her daughter clearly had the opportunity to marry into a better family, yet now she could only marry into a merchant household, which was ultimately a pity.
Thus, while she hoped the marriage would succeed, she also felt conflicted and somewhat reluctant.
As the two chatted idly while waiting, Zhuang Hui and Cui Lang finally returned.
The two young people walked side by side, their expressions relaxed even without smiles, clearly indicating their conversation had gone well.
Wang Qiaoru felt reassured and couldn’t help but rise to greet them, taking Zhuang Hui’s hand and growing fonder of her the more she looked.
However, some topics couldn’t be discussed in front of the children, so she led Zhuang Hui to admire the coral stone bonsai carried by a Cui family servant, praising it effusively.
If Wang Qiaoru could see it, how could Zhuang Mingxiang miss it?
But seeing Wang Qiaoru’s affection for Zhuang Hui, she sighed softly. Well, this will do.
At the very least, it could ensure Ah Hui wouldn’t suffer mistreatment in the Cui family.
…
Wang Qiaoru and her son Cui Lang stayed at Zhuang Mingxiang’s place for the entire afternoon.
However, Zhuang Hui only made a brief appearance before quickly returning, while Cui Lang later spent time playing with Zhao Changrui.
Only Wang Qiaoru and Zhuang Mingxiang chatted the whole time—from discussing how the two young people seemed to have taken a liking to each other, to engagement plans, wedding arrangements, and even nearly speculating on whether Zhuang Hui and Cui Lang’s future children would resemble one parent more than the other.
Although they stopped in time as dusk approached, the two truly enjoyed their afternoon conversation.
Still, entertaining guests all afternoon left Zhuang Mingxiang, who was pregnant, quite exhausted. When Wang Qiaoru and her son were about to leave, she only saw them off to the gate of Yi’an Hall, with Liu Mama representing her to escort them further.
Given that this was likely the future in-laws of the young lady, Liu Mama naturally treated them with respect, accompanying them all the way out of the Second Gate and toward the main entrance.
Unexpectedly, as they neared the main gate, they ran into Zhao Changting returning from his official duties.
“That is our heir,” Liu Mama softly introduced before quickly stepping forward to bow and greet him.
Wang Qiaoru and Cui Lang dared not be negligent and hurriedly followed suit to pay their respects.
Zhao Changting nodded to Liu Mama. As for Wang Qiaoru and Cui Lang behind her, since Liu Mama didn’t specifically introduce them and the mother and son didn’t try to ingratiate themselves, he merely glanced at them without acknowledgment.
But as he lifted his foot to leave, he frowned slightly, shifting his gaze back to rest on Cui Lang.
Cui Lang happened to look up at that moment, and their eyes met. The imposing aura of a military officer was naturally intimidating to a wealthy young master from a merchant family like Cui Lang, so he quickly lowered his head again.
Zhao Changting gave him another glance before turning to leave.
Yet as he walked away, he couldn’t help but think: The look in that man’s eyes was one of unfamiliarity and fear, clearly indicating he didn’t know him. So why did he seem somewhat familiar, as if they had met somewhere before?