A few days later, Ye Mingyue returned from his matchmaking meeting, shaking his head vigorously.
“You should have seen her! She’s almost as tall as I am! We had nothing in common. Absolutely nothing!”
It was precisely because of Miss Jiang’s height that she had been excluded from the list of candidates for imperial consort selection. Had she been of average height, Lord Jiang would never have agreed to arrange a matchmaking meeting with the Ye family.
Ye Mingde was furious and gave his younger brother a stern lecture.
“When choosing a wife, virtue comes first. Miss Jiang is both attractive and of good character. She hasn’t looked down on you, yet you’re the one turning your nose up at her? Ye Mingyue, what kind of young lady do you want to marry?”
“I don’t want to get married yet. A man should establish his career before starting a family. I need to accomplish something first before thinking about marriage.”
Ye Mingyue began making shameless excuses.
“Doesn’t Big Brother always say that a man should stand tall and have the ability to shelter his family from life’s hardships? Right now, I have nothing. I’m merely a xiucai, so I’m hardly worthy of Miss Jiang. How about this, Big Brother? Let me head south and try my hand at business. Who knows? In a couple of years, you might have the richest man in the country for a younger brother!”
His eyes sparkled as he gazed expectantly at Ye Mingde.
Even the usually good-tempered Ye Mingde couldn’t resist smacking his younger brother a few times.
“Don’t even think about it! Father and Mother have passed away, and your birth mother is no longer with us either. I’m your eldest brother, so you must listen to my arrangements. Starting tomorrow, you’re forbidden from going out and fooling around. Stay home and study properly. It doesn’t matter if you don’t fancy Miss Jiang. You won’t be allowed out until you’ve passed the provincial examination and earned the rank of juren!”
This time, Ye Mingde was genuinely angry.
When Ye Wanning arrived with some sweet rice cakes, she discovered that the door had actually been locked, leaving only a narrow gap through which the servants could deliver meals.
“Little Sister, you have to save me! Big Brother is being completely unreasonable! I’m already a grown man. Why does he still treat me like a child?”
Ye Mingyue simply couldn’t understand it.
“In other families, the legitimate sons pursue careers at court while the concubine-born sons manage the family businesses and earn money. Why does Big Brother have to be so strict with me?”
“Big Brother is afraid he won’t be able to answer to Father and Mother if he doesn’t look after you properly. Second Brother, do you really want to go into business that badly?”
Ye Wanning slipped the sweet rice cakes through the gap.
“Of course! I was born to travel far and wide. How could I possibly spend my whole life confined to one little corner of the world?”
Ye Mingyue had wonderful hopes and aspirations for his future.
“My dear sister, Big Brother listens to you more than anyone else. Please go and persuade him. I’m hopeless when it comes to studying! No amount of effort will turn me into a scholar. Studying isn’t the path I want to take, so tell him to stop forcing me!”
He had set his heart on learning how to do business and had absolutely no interest in pursuing scholarly studies.
Ye Wanning knew that her Second Brother was intelligent, too.
In her previous life, he had actually performed quite well in the imperial examinations, but that had been because difficult circumstances had left him with little choice.
Becoming a high-ranking official certainly brought greater prestige and status, but what about one’s interests?
A person only lived once.
Should they live according to their own wishes, or force themselves to pursue success and distinction?
Ye Wanning quickly found her answer.
She went to speak with Big Brother, but he was still furious and refused to see anyone.
She decided to wait until he had calmed down before bringing up Second Brother’s situation again.
Before she could do so, however, Ye Wanning and her younger sisters received an invitation from Miss Jiang.
Ye Wanning couldn’t understand the Jiang family’s intentions, so she went to consult her eldest sister-in-law.
Madam Lin explained, “When I met Madam Jiang, I hadn’t even had the chance to convey Second Brother’s feelings before she began praising you sisters. She said her eldest daughter was already married and that this was the only daughter she still had at home. The girl had grown up without any companions her own age, so she wanted to invite you over for a visit. After Madam Jiang put it that way, I simply couldn’t bring myself to say what I’d intended.”
Lord Jiang served in the Imperial Censorate and had quite a few students and protégés.
Maintaining ties with such a family would be beneficial to the Ye family.
Even if the two families couldn’t become related through marriage, there was no harm in maintaining friendly relations.
Ye Wanning understood her sister-in-law’s intentions.
The following day, she took her younger sisters to visit the Jiang residence.
They had barely stepped down from their carriage when they found one of Madam Jiang’s senior attendants waiting to receive them.
“Our young lady has been looking forward to your arrival since early this morning! You must be Eldest Miss Ye, aren’t you? No wonder you’re known as the most beautiful woman in the capital! Even an old servant like me can’t help but be delighted at the sight of you.”
After praising Ye Wanning, Nanny Wang turned her attention to the other two Ye sisters and showered them with compliments as well.
When they reached the main courtyard, Madam Jiang and Jiang Si were already waiting for them.
Madam Jiang had refined, dignified features and an imposing presence. At a glance, one could tell that she was the mistress of a prominent household.
Jiang Si was indeed very tall, standing more than half a head taller than Ye Wanning.
However, she had delicate, pleasing features and fair skin.
Upon seeing Ye Wanning and her sisters, she greeted them with a perfectly proper bow.
Ye Wanning led her younger sisters in returning the greeting.
Having been carefully taught by their mother since childhood, the Ye sisters were all well-versed in etiquette and proper conduct.
Out of the corner of her eye, Ye Wanning noticed Madam Jiang letting out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief.
“I’ve heard so many people praise the young ladies of the Ye family. Now that I’ve met you today, I can see that every one of you is as lovely as a flower,” Madam Jiang said politely.
In truth, she hadn’t wanted Ye Mingyue as her son-in-law.
Unfortunately, her daughter had taken a liking to him.
Fortunately, the Ye daughters appeared upright and well-mannered, every inch the respectable young ladies they ought to be.
“Sister Jiang is lovely as well. I’ve long heard of Madam’s excellent reputation, and meeting you today has shown me that the praise is well deserved,” Ye Wanning replied.
Her bearing was graceful and composed, and her voice was gentle and pleasant.
The more Madam Jiang observed her, the more she liked her.
At the same time, she couldn’t help feeling bewildered.
With such a stunning beauty before him, how could Zhou Yu possibly prefer someone like Xu Zhuling?
Madam Jiang had many questions, but since these were another family’s private affairs, she couldn’t very well ask.
Instead, she found an excuse and withdrew, leaving the young ladies to themselves.
Only then did Jiang Si finally have the opportunity to speak freely.
She instructed the servants to bring out the gifts she had prepared: boxes of rouge.
“I’ve seen you and your younger sisters from a distance at banquets before, but I wasn’t sure what you liked. These are just a little token of my appreciation.”
Ye Wanning glanced at the rouge and was surprised to discover that it had been purchased from her own shop.
Business at her cosmetics shop had been booming recently, and the finest rouge had to be ordered in advance.
Clearly, Jiang Si had put considerable thought into choosing these gifts.
Ye Wanyu and her sister were delighted.
They had been dressing rather simply for quite some time, but they were young ladies in the bloom of youth, and naturally, they enjoyed making themselves beautiful.
Ye Wanyu, being straightforward by nature, held up a box of rouge and asked, “Sister Jiang, what do you like about my Second Brother? He’s a decent person, I’ll give him that, but he’s nothing like the people in your family.”
At those words, Jiang Si blushed so deeply that her entire face turned crimson.
“Wanyu.”
Ye Wanning gave her younger sister a warning glance.
Still, she was curious about the answer herself.
“Second… Second Brother Ye is a good person.”
Jiang Si twisted her handkerchief nervously, her cheeks burning.
Ever since she was little, she had been much taller than other girls her age.
Once, when someone had mocked her for her height, Ye Mingyue had stepped forward and argued with those who were making fun of her.
Her parents loved her dearly, but even they occasionally sighed in private, wishing she hadn’t grown quite so tall.
She had heard countless words of reassurance from her family.
But then, Ye Mingyue had stood before the people mocking her and declared:
“What’s wrong with being tall? Tall people can pick more persimmons from the trees than everyone else! You mock a young lady for being tall, but you’re just a bunch of short little runts yourselves! Just because you can’t grow as tall as she can, you make fun of her? And you call yourselves men!”
It had been such a small incident.
Yet Jiang Si had never forgotten it.
The words a good person could encompass so many things.
Ye Wanyu wanted to ask more questions, but Ye Wanning stopped her.
Young ladies were easily embarrassed, and Jiang Si clearly couldn’t bear such persistent questioning.
They had come as guests, not as interrogators questioning a criminal.
Jiang Si was well-read and knowledgeable.
Whenever Ye Wanyu or Ye Wanhua had a question, she could always offer an answer or two.
As the time to return home approached, Jiang Si gently pulled Ye Wanning aside.
“Eldest Sister, could I trouble you to pass along a message for me?”
“What is it?”
“Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. I know that Second Brother Ye dislikes all the cumbersome rules and formalities that come with being a scholar. He should be free to do what he wants and pursue what he truly enjoys.”
Jiang Si continued, “Perhaps Second Brother Ye and I simply weren’t fated to be together. Even so, I wish him a lifetime of happiness. My father may be old-fashioned, but he was willing to set aside his principles for my sake. That should show that the Jiang family isn’t nearly as harsh and frightening as the rumors make us out to be.”
Tears glistened in Jiang Si’s eyes.
Ye Wanning had originally assumed that Jiang Si wanted to win their favor so that the sisters would persuade Second Brother to reconsider the marriage.
It turned out that she had been too narrow-minded.
She readily agreed.
“Don’t worry, Sister Jiang. I’ll make sure to convey your words exactly as you’ve said them.”
Jiang Si smiled gratefully.
“I knew Second Brother Ye’s family would be wonderful people, too. Come, I’ll see you out.”
It was getting late.
Jiang Si accompanied Ye Wanning and her sisters to the entrance of the residence.
They had barely come to a stop when they saw Xie Bohuai dismount from his horse.
Jiang Si greeted him naturally.
“Lord Xie.”
Only after Xie Bohuai had entered the residence did she turn to explain to Ye Wanning.
“Lord Xie used to be my father’s student. He occasionally comes to visit my father and elder brother.”
She paused, then added, “Actually, he’s quite a good person. He’s not nearly as frightening as the rumors make him out to be.”