The First Madam instructed the servants to clear away the dishes before Marshal Li Xiao finally spoke.
“Guests will be arriving at the house in a few days. Shen Xiong and Meng Yong have sent word that they’ll be bringing the women of their families this time. Wanrong, you’ll be in charge of entertaining them.”
Xiao Wanrong nodded slightly. “Don’t worry, Master. I’ll make all the necessary arrangements.”
Li Xiao patted her hand and continued, “There’s no need for me to explain why they’re bringing the women. You all understand. Except for Fourth Brother, who is already engaged, the three of you are also at an age to marry. Although everything may appear peaceful on the surface right now, sooner or later the country will be unified. If war can be avoided through marriage alliances, that would be the best possible outcome.”
Li Juechen appeared calm and composed, but his palms were sweating. The dining room lights cast sharp shadows across his well-defined features. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “Father…”
Li Xiao raised a hand, cutting him off.
“Third Son, you’re twenty-five this year, aren’t you? It’s time you settled down and started a family for the Li family. When I was your age, you had already been born.”
Li Xiao’s sharp gaze then swept over Li Yuzhang and Li Yuanzhou.
“And as for the two of you, I don’t care how many women you keep outside. Your principal wives must come from respectable, prestigious families. Understood?”
Li Juechen slowly raised his head and met his father’s eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed several times as he struggled to suppress the emotions surging within him.
“Father, I…”
Xiao Wanrong frowned and interrupted him again. “Third Son, listen to your father’s arrangements.”
Li Xiao gave Li Juechen a warning look before turning toward the other children.
“A few days from now, after the military parade, the family will host a ball. All of you had better prepare yourselves. Before the end of this year, every one of you must be married—including Baozhu.”
With that, Li Xiao looked around at everyone. Not a single person spoke.
He waved his hand. “All right. I’ve said what needed to be said. You may go. Third Son, stay behind.”
Li Juechen remained seated.
Soon, only the three members of the family were left in the dining room.
Li Xiao spoke first. “Third Son, your mother and I can turn a blind eye to the woman you keep outside. Even if you want to bring her into the household as a concubine, that’s entirely up to you. But among the women from the Shen and Meng families this time, you must choose one to be your principal wife.”
Li Juechen’s heart sank at those words.
In truth, he had already guessed when his father first spoke that his parents probably knew about Tang Lichu’s existence. Now that things had come to this, there was no point in hiding her anymore.
So he simply gave up trying to conceal anything and relaxed completely.
“Father, Mother, I don’t want to marry a woman I don’t love.”
Xiao Wanrong let out a cold laugh.
“Unfortunately, the woman you love is only a maid. Do you really think she is worthy of your status? Your father has already agreed to let you take her as a concubine. What more do you want?”
Li Juechen knew that if he dared to say another word, he might never see that “little ingrate” again.
He could only nod.
“Since it makes no difference whom I marry, then I’ll leave the arrangements to Mother.”
He agreed far too readily, but this was not the outcome Xiao Wanrong wanted. He was her only remaining son, and as his mother, she wanted him to be happy.
“Third Son, marriages have always been arranged by parents and matchmakers. You are the legitimate son of the Li family. Your principal wife must have a noble background. Otherwise, what will people think of you?”
Li Juechen gave a helpless smile.
“Have I not already agreed? What else do you want me to do? There are still many matters at the military camp. If Father and Mother have nothing else to instruct me on, I’ll take my leave.”
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked toward the door.
Watching him leave, Li Xiao angrily slammed his hand against the table, making the cups and teaware rattle.
“Look at the way he behaves! He’s completely out of control. Tomorrow, you go and find that woman and send her away. As long as she remains in Beiping, Third Son’s heart will never settle down. Favoring a concubine over one’s wife has always been something people condemn. That woman is trouble. She absolutely cannot stay!”
After leaving the Marshal’s residence, Li Juechen drove alone to the small Western-style house.
After dinner, Tang Lichu was taking a leisurely walk in the courtyard to aid her digestion.
For the past few days, she had deliberately kept herself busy, pretending to have one thing after another to do. She simply wanted to distract herself so she wouldn’t think about that man.
She didn’t know when it had happened, but she had begun to cherish every bit of tenderness he had shown her.
Perhaps it had been after she fell, when he had carpeted the entire house with soft rugs.
Or perhaps it had been when he noticed how much she loved writing and painting and filled her desk with numerous expensive writing brushes.
The seemingly insignificant things that arrogant man did might be trivial to others, but to her, they were the only care and concern that anyone else in the world, besides her mother, showed her.
Li Juechen strode inside with a dark expression.
Without saying a word, he hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her straight back to the bedroom.
Tang Lichu remained silent the entire time. She didn’t even seem to think of resisting, simply allowing him to do as he pleased.
Once they reached the bedroom, Li Juechen set her down on the bed and stood there, breathing heavily without saying a word.
Tang Lichu couldn’t help curving her lips into a smile. Deliberately teasing him, she said, “Brother Chen, are you out of strength already? You’re tired just from carrying me this far? Am I really that heavy?”
Hearing her soft, sweet voice, the man who had arrived brimming with anger couldn’t help but shudder.
“You heartless little thing. We haven’t seen each other for so many days, and you didn’t even send someone to look for me?”
Tang Lichu shyly defended herself, “When Third Master is busy, how could I dare disturb you? You’ll naturally come see me when you have time. Even if I went looking for you, wouldn’t you still be too busy?”
Li Juechen suddenly pinched the soft flesh of her cheek and said through gritted teeth, “If you don’t come looking for me, I’ll think you don’t care about me!”
Tang Lichu frowned from the pain and whimpered, “That hurts! Third Master, let go!”
Her usual voice was already enough to make a man weak in the knees, let alone now, when she was speaking in such a soft and coquettish tone.
Li Juechen could no longer suppress the emotions surging within him.
He leaned forward, pressed her onto the bed, and without hesitation lowered his head to kiss the lips he had been longing for.
This kiss was unlike his usual gentle ones.
Tang Lichu barely had time to react before his breath enveloped her, leaving her completely overwhelmed.
Li Juechen kissed her passionately, alternating between gentle bites and lingering kisses, as though he wanted to consume even her soul. Their lips remained entwined for a long while before he finally loosened his embrace.
He lifted himself slightly and gazed down at her increasingly alluring face, flushed with shyness.
Unable to resist, he raised a hand and gently touched her slightly swollen lips. His voice carried an unmistakable trace of desire and restraint.
“Chuchu… would you be willing to become my woman?”