The eminent monk spoke in riddles, and with Yan Changfeng’s untrained ears, listening felt no different from not listening at all.
She glanced at Father and saw that he only listened without responding, realizing he too was only half-understanding.
Only Lady Yao, who chanted scriptures daily, seemed to grasp the meaning. “Is the master saying my daughter has been reborn anew?”
Fayin nodded. “It is the appearance of rebirth.”
Yan Changfeng understood the literal meaning but could not comprehend it—how could a person die and be reborn again?
“But what of my daughter’s madness?” Lady Yao was puzzled. “If she has been reborn anew, why has she not yet escaped her suffering?”
Fayin said, “The sins of her past life, the karma unresolved. But if one endures, the clouds will part, and the moon will shine through in time.”
Yan Changfeng roughly understood this: Eldest Sister had been abused to death in her past life, likely driven mad before her death. Even though she had been reborn anew, the madness had not been cured.
This explanation seemed far more reasonable and clarified some points that had remained puzzling.
Yet, with the truth now clear, the shock and sorrow became more palpable. If it had merely been a nightmare, it would not have inflicted such personal pain on Eldest Sister. But all of this was something Eldest Sister had experienced firsthand. The thought that Eldest Sister had been driven to madness and death made Yan Changfeng wish she could fly to Beidu immediately and skin Pei Yu alive.
Master Fayin’s judgment was like an imperial decree, and Nanny Li dared not delay. The next day, she set off north to discuss countermeasures with the Grand Princess.
From the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms to the first frost, the long-awaited letter from the Grand Princess finally arrived.
Yan Changfeng couldn’t resist and opened the letter early while still in Dove Valley.
It read: Since the eldest daughter has an affinity with Buddhism, she should not enter the mundane world of red dust. However, the marriage cannot be abandoned. The second daughter must proceed north immediately.
It seemed Maternal Grandmother hadn’t yet lost her wits. Delighted by the letter, Yan Changfeng galloped back to the Yan residence.
But this letter, which brought such joy to the second daughter in question, was anything but good news in the eyes of her parents.
Yan Chuanxing, heedless of offending his mother-in-law, spoke with great disrespect: “What kind of nonsense is it to have the second daughter substitute for the marriage! I think Her Ladyship has lost her mind!”
Lady Yao opened her mouth to retort, but after considering it, she realized her mother’s decision was indeed unreasonable and swallowed her complaints.
“Mother is likely in a difficult position,” she said, defending her elderly mother with a few fair words. “Her letter makes it clear: publicly, we will claim that Changying has an affinity with Buddhism. I suspect she may even become a disciple of Fayin to conceal her madness. This is the most appropriate course. Given this premise, we have no grounds to refuse the marriage with the Song Guogong Mansion. Besides, it was never explicitly stated that the eldest daughter had to be the one to marry.”
“Why can’t we refuse?” Yan Chuanxing detested the aristocratic obsession with saving face. An engagement was not a marriage—what was there that couldn’t be canceled? “I refuse to believe that refusing this marriage would turn the Song Guogong Mansion into our enemies. At worst, we could offset it with the debt of saving his life. Why should I save someone only to sacrifice both my daughters to him?”
“That’s how we see it, but others don’t know our difficulties,” Lady Yao reasoned with him. “They’ll only think we look down on their family. Changying entering the Buddhist path may sound noble, but anyone with eyes can see it’s just an excuse to refuse the marriage. Besides, having the second daughter substitute may not even be Mother’s idea—it could be the Song Guogong Mansion’s suggestion. If they propose it, how can Mother refuse? Refusing twice in a row—if it were me, I’d certainly hold a grudge.”
"So you mean you agree to let our second daughter take the place in the marriage?" Yan Chuanxing suppressed his anger. "Madam, you probably know better than I do that being a substitute bride will invite ridicule!"
Lady Yao pondered the words in the letter a few more times. "Mother didn't necessarily say it has to be a substitute marriage. If we cancel the engagement and arrange a new one, that could also work."
"Work what!" Yan Chuanxing absolutely refused to agree. "Master Fayin already said that Changying had died once, which shows that the Pei family is like a den of tigers and wolves. Eldest Sister barely escaped with her life, and now you want to send our second daughter to her death?"
"Then you go and tell Mother!" Lady Yao didn't want to argue anymore. She also struggled with this dilemma, yet she had to consider her mother's position. Torn between both sides, her heart felt as if it were being ripped in two.
At this point in the argument, Yan Changfeng felt it was time to interject. First, she gently patted her mother's back, then pulled her father's arm to make him sit down. "Shouldn't you also hear my opinion? I don't see any problem with this."
Both Yan Chuanxing and his wife looked up at her simultaneously, this time united in their response. "What do you know? How can you say there's no problem!"
Yan Changfeng thought to herself, isn't it just those shameful, unspeakable affairs between men and women? She had read plenty of storybooks, including all sorts of twisted, wicked, and forbidden texts—what was the big deal?
She patted her sturdy arm and declared with great bravado, "There really isn't a problem! Eldest Sister couldn't hurt a fly, but I can wield a blade and cut people down. What do I have to fear from him?"
Both parents were left speechless.
"I want to see just what kind of bastard Pei Yu is—whether he has three heads and six arms, or if he married some demoness of a concubine. The better for me to take a few extra swings at him, otherwise it wouldn't be enough to vent my anger."
Well, it seemed she was planning to go seek revenge.
"Nonsense!" Yan Chuanxing glared at his daughter in exasperation. "If you kill him, do you think you'll survive?"
Yan Changfeng thought her father underestimated her. She had a perfectly good brain—would she really seek revenge in a way that required trading her life for his?
But she didn't argue with her father about that. Instead, she appealed to reason and emotion. "Father, Mother, I'm not just acting recklessly. I've thought this through carefully. Look, sooner or later, Maternal Grandmother is bound to marry me off to Beidu to become some nobleman's esteemed wife. Am I cut out for that? Besides, I don't want to. Since I'll have to marry someone anyway, and it'll be a burden on whichever family I marry into, why not just go along with Maternal Grandmother's wishes? Marrying Pei Yu isn't without its benefits. At the very least, the title of Wife of the Heir Apparent of the Duke of Song carries weight—I could secure some advantages for our family. Moreover, Pei Yu is a scoundrel, but I'm not one to suffer in silence. If I cause constant trouble in the household, they'll surely grow tired of me. Then I can rightfully seek a divorce. That way, I'll have gained some benefits and secured my freedom for the rest of my life, and Maternal Grandmother won't have anything to say about it. Isn't that a win-win situation?"
Her parents, having lived most of their lives, had never heard of such a perilous and thrilling "win-win" scenario. For a moment, they didn't even know where to begin criticizing.
"If you both think this makes sense, then I'll take it as your agreement," Yan Changfeng declared unilaterally, approving her own marriage.
"Stop spouting such ridiculous nonsense!" Yan Chuanxing was so angry he resorted to crude language in front of his wife.
"Then give me some nonsense that makes no sense!" Yan Changfeng switched to challenging when reasoning failed. "What else can we do? Can you persuade Maternal Grandmother, or can you decide to break off the engagement? Even if the engagement is broken, what good does offending the Song Guogong Mansion do for me? When I marry into Beidu in the future, no matter which family it is, the Song Guogong Mansion can make life difficult for me. In a place like Beidu, a higher official can crush you to death. If you can stand in a high position, don’t suffer in a place where you’re looked down upon—do you understand or not!"
How could Yan Chuanxing not understand? As a mere merchant, he had plenty of money but lacked dignity in status. Yet his mother-in-law insisted on marrying both daughters into Beidu’s nobility—too high to reach, too low to settle for. With a temper like his second daughter’s, where could she find a peaceful life?
But no matter how reasonable the argument, he couldn’t convince himself with the logic that since neither option was good, he might as well choose a noble scoundrel.