Jin Mingzhu stood in the doorway, one foot inside and the other outside.
The elderly woman beamed at her and took her hand, leading her back into the room. Seeing Xu Yao’s cold expression, she shook her head repeatedly. “All right, there’s no need to give me that look. I’m only thinking of what’s best for your family! Prince Shun’s Residence is ancient history, and the Qing dynasty fell long ago. What’s the point of bringing up princes and princess consorts now? Just look at the life you’re living! I watched Mingzhu grow up, and I was even the one who helped arrange her engagement to the Lu family. Times have changed. Do you know what kind of position the Xie family holds now? If you ask me, being able to marry into that family would be a blessing earned through generations of good deeds!”
What she said was actually true, so Mingzhu invited her to sit down.
Xu Yao was still upset. Sitting to one side, her eyes reddened with anger. “The Qing dynasty may have fallen, and the prince and princess consort may be gone, but Mingzhu was raised in my household! Even if she never marries, I won’t let her marry that sickly man!”
Matchmaker Zhao leaned across the table and patted her hand. “Yes, yes, I understand how you feel. Don’t get angry just yet. Listen to me. At least let me finish what I have to say.”
From their conversation, Mingzhu had already figured out what was happening.
There was only one sickly young master in the Xie family, and that was Xie Fengxi’s elder brother, Xie Qinglin.
Back when Prince Shun’s Residence still had dealings with the Xie family, she had known the entire household. The Xie family’s ancestors had served as officials in the imperial court. In this generation, the family had four sons. The eldest died shortly after birth, the second died during the war, and the third, Xie Qinglin, had been frail and sickly since childhood. The fourth son, Xie Fengxi, was born afterward and was constantly causing trouble.
Almost every year, rumors circulated that Xie Qinglin was on the verge of death. The fact that he had survived into his twenties was practically a miracle.
Jin Mingzhu thought back carefully. Later, Xie Fengxi had been the only one left in the Xie residence. Xie Qinglin really hadn’t survived more than a few years.
If she married into the family, she would probably become a young widow before long.
Matchmaker Zhao was still explaining things to Xu Yao. “You know that the young masters of the Xie family haven’t exactly been blessed with good fortune. That’s why the family consulted a master fortune-teller. He said they needed to find someone with exceptionally good fortune to counteract their bad luck. At first, they weren’t asking about Mingzhu. You know that other Jin family, don’t you…?”
She pointed toward the south, in the direction of Jin Shuyao’s residence.
Xu Yao gave a contemptuous snort, but Matchmaker Zhao continued, “The master said the most suitable person would be someone of noble birth. Naturally, the Xie family thought of the princesses from the former royal households. There are only two Jin families like that in North City. Neither of the two young ladies from that family was willing, and both refused. That’s why I recommended Mingzhu. There’s no need for you to be upset. The Xie family has already said that if Mingzhu can bring some good fortune into the household and their third young master recovers, both families will benefit. They certainly won’t mistreat her. And if he doesn’t recover, then that’s simply fate. Either way, your family will receive generous compensation.”
Xu Yao rolled her eyes. “Thank you for thinking of us, but our Mingzhu isn’t fortunate enough for such an opportunity.”
In her previous life, the Xie family had also come to propose marriage, and Xu Yao had rejected them in exactly the same way.
At the time, Mingzhu had been completely devoted to Lu Mingshu. She hadn’t given the proposal a second thought and had simply followed Lu Mingshu when he ran away from home.
Jin Mingzhu couldn’t help feeling emotional as she recalled the past. She entered the room and looked around. Jin Tianjiao was sitting nearby, doing needlework. Seeing that Xu Yu and Xiaofeng weren’t there, Mingzhu personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to Matchmaker Zhao. “Please have some tea.”
The elderly woman hurriedly accepted it. “Why am I so determined to recommend Mingzhu? First, because I’ve always been fond of the girl. Second, do you remember when she was little and got run over by a horse-drawn carriage? It happened right in the middle of the marketplace! There were so many people, horses, and carriages around. We all saw her disappear beneath that carriage with our own eyes. Yet when it passed over her, she didn’t have a single injury! Didn’t someone tell her fortune back then? They said Mingzhu was destined for wealth and prosperity. Even if everyone else in the world was starving, Heaven would still make sure she had food to eat. They said she’d have one full bowl to eat and another tucked away for later! You may have forgotten, but I remember those words perfectly. That’s exactly what the fortune-teller said! See? Isn’t that proof of her good fortune? If she really can overcome the Xie family’s misfortunes, wouldn’t everyone be happy?”
The fortune-telling incident had indeed happened. Mingzhu suddenly found it amusing. The Xie family believed so strongly in fate that they even trusted such predictions.
Xu Yao said, “And what if she can’t overcome their misfortunes? What if they accuse her of bringing death to her husband? How is she supposed to marry again after that?”
Matchmaker Zhao took a sip of tea and hurriedly set down her cup. “Honestly, why do you always think about the worst possible outcome? Why don’t you consider the benefits? Doesn’t Xu Yu want to attend military academy? He’s almost twenty, isn’t he? It’s about time he got married too. How much money do you think all that will cost? Do you honestly believe that little government allowance you receive will be enough? If Mingzhu marries into the Xie family, do you think they’ll neglect the rest of you? You’ll have good food, fine clothes, and money in your hands. That’s what really matters! Why worry about everything else?”
Her words struck directly at Xu Yao’s deepest concerns.
Embarrassed and furious, Xu Yao abruptly stood up. “Do you really look down on my son and me that much? Do you think we have to sell off one of our girls just to survive?”
Mingzhu knew her temper well and quickly stopped her, pressing her back into her seat. “Nobody said anything like that. Don’t get worked up…”
Just then, the door was pushed open.
Xu Yu entered with Jin Xiaofeng on his back. He looked every bit as angry as Xu Yao, his expression cold as he stared at Matchmaker Zhao. “Madam, you really underestimate us. Please leave. We’re not interested in marrying into such a distinguished family. Whoever wants this marriage can have it.”
Xiaofeng lay obediently against his back, her eyes half-closed. She appeared to be getting sleepy.
Seeing how angry he was, Mingzhu felt a touch of warmth in her heart.
This stepbrother of hers had exactly the same temperament as his mother. Both were sharp-tongued but softhearted. She hurried forward to help him put Xiaofeng down. The little girl was genuinely exhausted and immediately buried herself in Xu Yao’s arms, calling out a soft, sleepy “Mama.”
Xu Yao gathered the child into her arms and prepared to take her to bed. “Exactly. That’s the end of this matter. Please leave…”
Jin Mingzhu had already been considering the proposal for quite some time. Having suffered heartbreak in her previous life, she naturally no longer placed much importance on romantic relationships. She hadn’t intended to marry at all in this lifetime. However, although she had returned to the age of eighteen, her outlook was no longer that of an eighteen-year-old girl.
Back then, she hadn’t understood Xu Yao’s difficulties. Now she did, and she didn’t want her family to endure those hardships all over again.
In her previous life, Mingzhu had suffered greatly for Lu Mingshu. She had started a business from nothing and traveled a long, difficult road from poverty to becoming the wealthiest person in North City. This time, she wanted to reach that point much sooner. There was nothing particularly wrong with the Xie family. If she married into their household, she could use their influence to establish Zhengliang Medicinal Cuisine once again.
Matchmaker Zhao rose to leave, but she was still unwilling to give up. She kept looking at Mingzhu. “Mingzhu, you know I’m genuinely thinking of what’s best for you. Why don’t you give it a little more thought?”
Jin Mingzhu followed behind her. “There’s no need to think about it. I agree to this marriage. I’m willing to marry into the Xie family. Please go back and tell them exactly that. I don’t care whether it’s an auspicious marriage intended to cure someone. As long as they make proper arrangements for my family and prepare a generous betrothal gift, that’s enough.”
Matchmaker Zhao was overjoyed. “Wonderful, wonderful! Then let me tell you a little more about the groom…”
Before she could finish, Mingzhu waved her hand impatiently. “It doesn’t matter. There’s no need.”
The moment those words left her mouth, Xu Yao rushed over. “Jin Mingzhu!”
She was still holding Xiaofeng’s hand, and her eyes were wide with anger. She looked ready to explode, but Jin Mingzhu remained unmoved. “I’ve thought it through carefully. It doesn’t matter who I marry. Let’s leave it at that.”
Xu Yao stepped forward and gave her a shove. “What kind of tantrum are you throwing? Are you still upset over Lu Mingshu? We may not have fish and meat at every meal, but I’ve managed to keep all of you fed! Have I ever let you go hungry or left you without clothes? Why would you degrade yourself like this?”
Xu Yu was equally stunned, staring at Mingzhu angrily.
Jin Mingzhu stopped Xu Yao and turned to give Matchmaker Zhao a nod. “Madam, please go back for now. I’ll discuss this with my family first.”
Matchmaker Zhao had practically given up hope, so hearing Mingzhu express her willingness was more than enough. She hurried toward the door. “All right, then! Discuss it properly among yourselves. I’ll come back tomorrow!”
Xu Yao was so furious that she stamped her feet and tried to chase after the matchmaker, but Mingzhu stopped her.
“I really have thought this through,” Jin Mingzhu said, closing the door behind her. “It’s not because of Lu Mingshu, and it’s not because I’m upset. I want to open a pharmacy and go into business, but I don’t have the capital. That’s why I think marrying into the Xie family would be a good idea. It would save me a great deal of effort. Marriage is a small matter. Don’t make too much of it.”
Xu Yao hadn’t expected Mingzhu to have such ambitions. She was stunned. “You’re a young woman! Why are you thinking about so many things? What business do you need to run? Just let Xu Yu handle that sort of thing. The Xie family may look glorious from the outside, but if you really marry that sickly man, won’t you be jumping straight into a pit of fire?”
“Why assume it’s a pit of fire? Right now, I, Jin Mingzhu, am penniless. I have absolutely nothing. What could they possibly want from me? This is a good opportunity. Matchmaker Zhao wasn’t wrong. What’s important is making sure our family can live comfortably. You know as well as I do that we need money before we can live a good life, don’t we?”
Her words left Xu Yao speechless.
Of course she knew that. Back then, hadn’t she done all sorts of things for money just to raise her child? If she hadn’t entered Prince Shun’s Residence, where she had finally been treated like a human being, when would she ever have experienced a decent life?
The reasoning made sense, but she had made a promise to Old Jin. No matter what, she didn’t want Mingzhu marrying into the Xie family as an auspicious bride meant to ward off illness.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t change Mingzhu’s mind. She could only look at her with a complicated expression.
Meanwhile, after leaving the Jin residence, Matchmaker Zhao hurried toward the main street with quick, small steps. She was practically floating with happiness, humming a little tune as she walked. When people greeted her along the way, she smiled and told them she was busy. Then she quickly climbed into a car and headed for the Xie residence.
Upon arriving at the Xie residence, she went straight to the rear courtyard.
Madam Xie was wearing a forehead band and reclining on a heated kang bed, suffering from a headache.
The moment Matchmaker Zhao entered, she began offering congratulations. “Congratulations, Madam! Wonderful news! The marriage has been agreed upon!”
Madam Xie was still holding her head, but when she heard the announcement, she immediately sat upright. “Really?”
Matchmaker Zhao nodded repeatedly. “Of course! With your family’s wealth and standing, how could they possibly refuse? Tomorrow, you can arrange the preliminary engagement ceremony. Once the betrothal gifts are delivered, the wedding can take place! I can’t speak for anyone else, but you know Miss Mingzhu of the Jin family. Ever since she was little, she’s escaped danger time and time again. Even the master fortune-teller in the south of the city said she was blessed with extraordinary good fortune. Not only that, but she has the bearing of someone destined for nobility! He said that the fortune she would otherwise have received through her parents had all been transformed into blessings and prosperity within her own destiny. She’s definitely a lucky girl! Perhaps the moment she enters your household, the Third Young Master will recover!”
Madam Xie was delighted. Even when the matchmaker mentioned her third son, she didn’t pay much attention. “Qinglin has always been in poor health. We’ve already stopped hoping for that. It’s Fengxi who causes trouble every single day and never gives us a moment’s peace! His father said we should hurry up and find him a wife to keep him under control. I was thinking that if we’re going to choose a daughter-in-law, we should find someone blessed with good fortune…”
Once Madam Xie started talking, she tended to ramble. As she chatted with Matchmaker Zhao about her worries, she instructed a maid to bring some reward money and see the matchmaker out.
The smile on Matchmaker Zhao’s face froze.
When Madam Xie had first mentioned arranging a marriage, she had gone on at length about the family’s misfortunes and spent most of the conversation talking about her third son. Naturally, Matchmaker Zhao had assumed the marriage was intended for the Third Young Master!
She considered mentioning the misunderstanding, but just then, the maid arrived with the money. Matchmaker Zhao accepted it.
Although the Fourth Young Master was a little tyrant and a notorious troublemaker, his health was far better than that of the Third Young Master. There was no reason for Jin Mingzhu to object to such a marriage. Once she told Mingzhu the truth, the girl would probably thank her instead, wouldn’t she?
With that thought, Matchmaker Zhao decided it wasn’t worth worrying about and left cheerfully.
Madam Xie had been worried sick over her youngest son these past few days. Now that his marriage had been settled, she finally felt somewhat reassured and headed toward the side rooms.
The door to the side room was open. Madam Xie left her maid behind and went straight to find her youngest son.
The Xie family’s fourth son, Xie Fengxi, had just received a vicious beating from his father, leaving his backside badly bruised. He was currently lying on his stomach in his room, eating grapes. There was still a bruise near the corner of his eye, but despite having to lie facedown, he seemed perfectly comfortable, spitting grape skins high into the air.
Such a beautiful face, yet there were bruises in several places. Madam Xie sighed as she approached him. “Fengxi, didn’t you say that as long as I could bring Princess Mingzhu of the Jin family home as your wife, you’d stop getting into fights? Well, your mother has already sent someone to arrange the marriage, and she’s agreed!”
Xie Fengxi had just picked up another grape.
When he unexpectedly heard that Jin Mingzhu had agreed to the marriage, the smile on his face instantly froze.
How could she possibly agree to marry him?
That was impossible.
The grape slipped from his fingertips, dropped onto the floor with a soft patter, and rolled away.