Mu Gaoyuan said in disbelief, "Battered open? How is that possible? The main gate of the Marquis’s residence has two layers, reinforced with Xuantie frames. Even if we were attacked by bandits, it could hold for several days. How could it be so easily battered open?"
Shen Ruojin also found it strange.
The gatekeeper wiped his sweat as he explained, "Indeed, it wasn’t easily battered open. Young Prince Qin… he brought over a hundred guards and used a battering ram."
"A… battering ram?"
Mu Gaoyuan could no longer remain seated.
Who in the world uses a battering ram—a weapon for besieging cities and conquering territories—to fetch a bride from his father-in-law’s house?
The title "King of Mischief" truly wasn’t given to him for nothing.
"I’ll go out and take a look. Mother, please speak properly with Ruojin. Ruojin, you’re grown up now and should be more sensible. We can’t let our Marquis’s residence become the laughingstock of all Dijing."
With that, Mu Gaoyuan strode out.
The eldest son of the Marquis had died unexpectedly while on a diplomatic mission beyond the frontier, leaving behind one wife, one concubine, three daughters, and one son. Now, all external affairs of the Mu residence were managed by Mu Gaoyuan alone.
Marquis Mu was anxious, so worried that blisters had formed in his mouth. He had originally thought that shutting the gate tightly would buy some time, but Shen Ruojin was uncooperative, and Young Prince Qin was even harder to deal with. Neither of them was easy to handle.
Shen Ruojin remained silent, sighing inwardly: This Young Prince Qin is rather interesting.
Behind her, Shijian fumed, "How much more sensible does our young lady need to be? If this were three years ago, she would have already chased them for a hundred miles with a sword and cut down that pair of eloping adulterers."
The women of the Marquis’s residence gathered in the front hall fell silent upon hearing this.
Concubine Yun, Mu Yunwei’s birth mother and the concubine of the eldest branch, slipped from her chair and knelt before Old Madame Mu, weeping, "It is all because this lowly concubine failed to teach her daughter properly. Now that a grave mistake has been made, I only beg Second Miss to consider the bigger picture and help the Marquis’s residence overcome this crisis…"
The conversation circled back once again.
Old Madame Mu nodded and said, "That’s right. One must consider the bigger picture. The Shen family must have taught you this as well. Ruojin, if outsiders learn of today’s events, the younger generation of the Marquis’s residence will struggle to secure good marriages. It will also be difficult for you to find another suitable match in the future. Your grandmother has a perfect solution: today, you will take Yunwei’s place and marry into Zhenbei Wangfu…"
Hearing this, Shen Ruojin laughed in anger. "Mu Yunwei eloped with my betrothed, and now you want me to take her place in marriage? What kind of perfect solution is this?"
Listen, just listen—is this even human speech?
Concubine Yun wiped away her tears and chimed in, "Young Prince Qin Lang is known as the most handsome man in Dijing. His father is Zhenbeiwang, who commands the military power of Beijiang and leads an army of three hundred thousand. His mother is the eldest daughter of the Lin family, the wealthiest clan in Jiangnan. He has power, wealth, and a rare, exceptional appearance. If Yunwei hadn’t been foolish and fallen ill, how could such an excellent son-in-law be given to you?"
Shijian retorted, "This Young Prince Qin is the number one playboy in Dijing, a romantic wanderer among countless flowers, with romantic debts stretching for miles. Yet you, Concubine Yun, didn’t mention a word of that!"
Concubine Yun choked for a moment before murmuring softly, "Which noble son isn’t a little passionate?"
Old Madame Mu wore an expression of deep understanding and sighed, "Isn’t that the truth? All noble sons have their wild days when they’re young. Once they marry and have a wife to keep them in check, and after fathering a few children, a man gains responsibilities and naturally becomes steady and dependable."
Shen Ruojin didn't believe a word of it. She narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly and said, "Placing hope in a man becoming steady and responsible after marriage is no better than going to the temple to burn incense."
Concubine Yun replied, "Others who wish for an ideal husband might have to resort to temple prayers, but you, Shen Ruojin, are different. You're no delicate young lady confined to the inner chambers—you have strength and means aplenty. You'll surely be able to keep that young Prince Qin under your thumb. When the time comes, you'll have the final say both inside and outside the manor. Wouldn't that be even more impressive than being a general?"
Concubine Yun, having once been an outside mistress, was indeed skilled—not only in coaxing men but also in persuading young women.
Shen Ruojin had grown up in the General's Mansion. Her maternal grandfather, uncles, and brothers were all generals, and as a child, she often declared, "I want to be a great general too."
Now, as the last remaining bloodline of the Shen family, she could not be allowed to come to harm. Her grandfather would no longer permit her to set foot on the battlefield.
Becoming the young consort of Zhenbei Wangfu would indeed allow the Shen family to regain its standing more quickly than marrying a Jieyuan, or even a Zhuangyuan.
But what Shen Ruojin sought was not merely authority over the inner household or immediate wealth and status.
Since Pei Jing had broken the engagement first, she no longer needed to abide by her mother's wishes.
She would change her groom, and she would have both power and wealth.
One day, she would seek repayment for the blood debt owed to the Shen family.
Thinking this, Shen Ruojin slowly said, "In that case, it might not be entirely impossible."
Old Madame Mu and Concubine Yun exchanged a glance, thinking they had finally persuaded Shen Ruojin, and immediately instructed the maids, "Don't just stand there! Hurry and help the Second Young Lady tidy her appearance. Where's the bridal veil, the red bridal veil?"
Nanny Li went to fetch the red bridal veil embroidered with twin lotus blossoms and stepped forward to place it on Shen Ruojin.
Shen Ruojin raised her hand. "Wait."
Old Madame Mu's nerves tightened instantly, though she forced a smile on her face. "If you have anything else to say, Ruojin, speak freely. Your grandmother is listening."
Shen Ruojin hinted meaningfully, "Today, I am changing grooms to preserve the reputation of the Marquis's household. Having made such a great sacrifice, shouldn't everyone present offer some compensation?"
Old Madame Mu suppressed her heartache and said, "We'll allocate half of the dowry originally prepared for Yun Wei to you."
"Old Madame!" Concubine Yun grew anxious upon hearing this.
If half of Yun Wei's dowry was given to Shen Ruojin, what would become of Yun Wei? Pei Jing was now merely a commoner, a poor scholar who couldn't even afford a house. Wouldn't Yun Wei suffer if she followed him?
Shen Ruojin replied indifferently, "Only half more?"
"Fine, all of it! All of it goes to you, is that acceptable?" Old Madame Mu steeled herself and glared at Concubine Yun to silence her. Was now the time to worry about money?
If they dragged this out any longer, the entire Marquis's household would be utterly disgraced. How could they maintain their standing in the capital?
Shen Ruojin did not respond, only offering a faint smile.
"I will add another ten percent—no, thirty percent—to the Second Young Lady's dowry!"
Madam Sun, the widowed wife of the eldest branch, had initially wanted to stay out of the matter, but she still had a younger daughter waiting to be married. She immediately spoke up to express her stance.
Shen Ruojin remained unhurried, slowly saying, "I've spoken quite a bit just now and am rather thirsty. Where is the tea?"
"The tea is here, Young Lady. Please have some." Shijian promptly brought over a cup of tea.
Shen Ruojin leisurely sipped her tea, watching as the women of the Marquis's household grew increasingly frantic yet could do nothing about her.
In the main hall, the women of the Marquis's household were deeply conflicted, agonizing over how much silver they would have to part with to satisfy Shen Ruojin.
Outside the hall, the battering ram proved unstoppable—no gate nor person could bar the path of Young Prince Qin.
The guards and servants of the marquis’ estate were utterly defenseless, forced into retreat by the well-trained royal guards until they were drenched in sweat.
Autumn dusk arrived early, the evening glow spilling across the courtyard, illuminating the vibrant red silk and celebratory characters that adorned the estate. Before the hall, flowers bloomed in splendid clusters, and the bridegroom in crimson wedding robes strode through the opulent display.
He was just twenty years of age, tall and graceful in bearing, with an exceptionally handsome face. His left hand rested behind his back, while his right hand toyed with a priceless Babaliuli Xiuqiu, occasionally spinning it swiftly on his fingertip. With a leisurely gait, he moved through the crowd, his captivating peach-blossom eyes holding a hint of affection even without a smile. Every guest present, regardless of age or gender, could not help but flush with warmth, and the radiant sunset seemed to pale in comparison the moment he appeared.
Guests gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves: "Truly, he lives up to the name of the unruly Young Prince Qin!"
"Strange things happen every year, but this year is especially full of them! Blasting open the bride’s family’s gate to fetch the bride—this is truly a first in my life, a first indeed!"
"Don’t laugh so loudly, have some pity for Linyanghou—the man is so anxious he’s on the verge of tears…"
Though they spoke these words, the guests only laughed even louder.
Mu Gaoyuan paced anxiously, trying to block and persuade: "Young Prince, you must not do this, Young Prince…"
Qin Lang casually tossed the Babaliuli Xiuqiu into the air, and amid the gasps of the crowd, caught it without even looking up, balancing it on a single fingertip and spinning it playfully.
Young Prince Qin glanced at Linyanghou, a faint, ambiguous smile on his lips. "I don’t care if the person is ill, has fled, or is dead. Alive, I must see them; dead, I must see the body."