Dayong Dynasty, Jingdu.
In the main hall of Yanshou Hall, located in the rear courtyard of the Luo Manor, a domestic, ethical war of words was unfolding.
Old Madam Luo watched with a headache as her eldest and third sons argued back and forth. Her second son sat there blankly, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.
“Eldest Brother, I know it hasn’t been easy for you to manage the family’s affairs all these years. You and Eldest Sister-in-law have also been the ones at Mother’s side, showing your filial piety. If it were any other matter, I would not hesitate to help you resolve your worries. But to have A Yan marry into the Huo Family to be a stepmother to that little brat—I will never agree!” Luo Lao San declared.
Luo Lao Da frowned upon hearing this. “Third Brother, let’s not even talk about the family’s sake for a moment. A Yan was rescued from the lotus pond by Lord Huo in front of everyone. The whole crowd saw it. If she doesn’t marry into the Huo Family, who else can she marry?”
Zhao Shi echoed her husband’s words, “That’s right, Third Brother! We are A Yan’s family too. If there were any other choice, why would we be so eager to play the villain?”
Seeing Luo Lao San fall silent, she continued to persuade him in a soft, gentle voice, “Third Brother, you’ve just returned from Jizhou, so you may not be familiar with the great and powerful families of Jingdu. This Huo Jin is the next head of the Huo Family and a trusted subject of the Emperor. Although A Yan will be his second wife, she will be no worse off than the ladies of other noble houses.”
Luo Lao Er also nodded in agreement. “Lao San, countless families are trying to climb the social ladder by marrying into the Huo Family right now. For our Yan’er to be able to marry him is a blessing she must have earned in a past life. You…”
He was about to tell his third brother to count his blessings when his wife, Cao Shi, tugged on his sleeve, signaling him not to meddle any further. In any case, their second branch had no daughters, so the outcome would not greatly affect them. Moreover, Cao Shi knew that in her mother-in-law’s eyes and heart, her third brother-in-law was the most important one. It would likely not be easy for the first branch to secure this marriage with the Huo Family.
“If other families wish to curry favor, that is their choice. As a father, I, Luo Guan Qing, will absolutely not do something as dishonorable as selling my daughter for glory,” Luo Lao San said with a resolute expression.
“At worst, I will plead with the Emperor to let me take another post outside the capital. When the time comes, our family of three will leave this place of trouble. I refuse to believe that with so many talented young men in the Dayong Dynasty, we cannot find a better match than this Huo Jin.”
Clang!
Furious, Old Madam Luo grabbed a teacup from the table and smashed it at Luo Lao San’s feet.
“You worthless thing! Do you think you’re some prince or imperial grandson? That the Emperor will let you do whatever you please?” As she spoke, she shot a fierce glare at her third daughter-in-law, Yin Shi, who had kept her eyes lowered the entire time.
She had disagreed when her youngest son wanted to marry this merchant’s daughter back then. But her youngest son had been spoiled by her since childhood; he was unruly, rebellious, and had become a notorious wastrel everyone shunned.
Who would have thought that a person with such a temperament would shed all his bad habits for a woman like Yin Shi? For the sake of his future, she had promised him that if he could pass the imperial examinations and earn an official title, she would let him marry Yin Shi.
He did not disappoint her. He passed the examinations, even earning the title of bangyan, the second-place scholar. The Emperor had even wanted to bestow a marriage upon him. But this ungrateful scoundrel had refused on the spot, declaring that his heart already belonged to Yin Shi and he would marry no other. Fortunately, the Emperor was benevolent and did not blame him, instead praising him for his sentiment and loyalty.
Unable to overcome his stubbornness, she could only let him have his way. Thinking back on it now, she only felt that she should not have been so soft-hearted at the time.
Not long after Yin Shi married into the family, she became pregnant. She nearly died during a difficult childbirth, and after giving birth to her granddaughter, Luo Chaoyan, she never conceived again. Several times, Old Madam Luo had arranged for concubines to be placed in his chambers, but he had sent them all away and even thrown a huge tantrum at her. After his daughter turned two, this scoundrel submitted a memorial to the Emperor requesting a post in Jizhou. He was gone for over a decade.
He had only just returned home after his term of service ended. The seat in his own home was not yet warm, and now he wanted to leave again. How could she not be angry, not feel resentful? This was the youngest son she doted on the most.
Luo Lao San knew that his mother had doted on him the most since he was a child, even more than his two older brothers. With tears welling in his eyes, he knelt before her.
“Ma!”
“You are my own mother. It was already difficult for you to raise the three of us brothers, a life of toil and worry. How could you ask A Yan to be a stepmother? Ma, she is my only daughter. Can you truly bear to do this?”
Luo Lao San’s cry of “Ma” moved Old Madam Luo. Among her three sons, the eldest was steady, and the second was a simpleton. She doted on the third not only because he was intelligent, but also because he liked to call her “Ma” and act spoiled with her. In Old Madam Luo’s view, “Ma” sounded much more intimate than “Mother.”
“If you know how hard it’s been for your Ma, why do you keep angering me?”
“You scoundrel!”
As Old Madam Luo spoke, she couldn’t help but pound on him, venting her years of dissatisfaction over his absence. After hitting him a few times, she let out a breath, feeling a sliver of gratification in her heart. This brat, at least, knew that her life as a mother had not been easy.
Seeing his mother’s expression soften, Luo Lao Da sensed trouble. He had almost forgotten that his third brother had always been a shameless rogue who would resort to any trick and be as thick-skinned as necessary to achieve his goals. He glanced at his wife.
With the tacit understanding of a long-married couple, Zhao Shi took a handkerchief from her sleeve and pressed it to her face. In a moment, everyone could see her eyes brimming with tears.
“Sob…”
“Third Brother, you can certainly bend and adapt. You can walk away as if nothing happened, but what about the children of our first branch? Chaoning and Chen Qing are not yet married. If their marriage prospects also become difficult because of A Yan’s situation, can you, as their third uncle, bear it? They are your own nephew and niece… sob…”
Luo Lao Da added, “Mother, Chen Qing is the Luo family’s eldest grandson. The future of the Luo family rests on his shoulders. If he cannot find a suitable and virtuous wife to support him, what will become of our family? Will we still have a foothold in this city of immense wealth and power?”
Hearing this, Yin Shi’s heart skipped a beat. Striking a snake at its vital point—her eldest brother-in-law had indeed been immersed in officialdom for many years and knew exactly how to apply pressure. Although the Old Madam doted on her husband, no amount of affection could outweigh the family’s reputation and interests.
As expected, not only did Old Madam Luo’s expression change, but even the couple from the second branch, who had been acting aloof, could no longer sit still. Their faces began to show worry.
Luo Lao San naturally thought of this as well. He laughed in anger. “Chen Qing is a grown man. If he wants to protect his family and build a career, he should rely on his own abilities to strive for it. Glory and honor obtained through marriage will only invite ridicule.”
“Eldest Brother, Eldest Sister-in-law, if you want to curry favor with the Huo Family, then let Chaoning marry him. In any case, my A Yan will absolutely not be a second wife.”
Luo Lao Da trembled with anger, pointing a finger at him.
“You…”
If his Chaoning could marry into that family, would he have bothered to come and suffer this stubborn mule’s cold shoulder?
“Mother, Father passed away early. As the eldest son, I have worked hard to manage the Luo family all these years, finally allowing us to gain a firm foothold in Jingdu. Yet all my efforts, in Third Brother’s eyes, are merely the actions of a petty man trying to ride on coattails…” Luo Lao Da’s face was filled with grief and indignation.
Old Madam Luo glared fiercely at her youngest son. “What nonsense are you spouting! Your eldest brother is like a father. Do you have any respect for seniority? In all your years as a scoundrel, what have you ever done for this family?” As she spoke, her gaze swept coolly over her second son.
Luo Lao Er shrank his neck, trying to minimize his presence as much as possible. He couldn’t help it; in the Luo family, he was the least accomplished. His elder brother, Luo Guan Mian, was now an Imperial Secretary of the fifth rank, and his third brother, Luo Guan Qing, was an Assistant Department Director of the junior fifth rank. He, however, had yet to earn any official title. If he hadn’t married a concubine-born daughter from the Duke Cao Manor, who knows how much his mother would despise him.
Seeing the indifferent look Zhao Shi cast her way, Cao Shi understood that their second branch could not stay out of today’s affair. Otherwise, given her eldest sister-in-law’s personality, the second branch would likely have a hard time in the future.
She carefully considered her words before speaking to Yin Shi, “Third Sister-in-law, Third Brother has a stubborn temperament. Why don’t you try to persuade him a little? Look, you’ve even made our Old Madam angry.”
Startled at being suddenly called upon, Yin Shi said timidly, “Second Sister-in-law, you flatter me. My husband is worldly and naturally knows what choice is best for A Yan. Mother has also weathered many storms and of course knows what is best. I will simply listen to my husband and Mother.”
Zhao Shi and Cao Shi exchanged a glance and rolled their eyes in unison. After being sisters-in-law for so many years, how could they not know each other’s personalities? Although Yin Shi came from a merchant family, she was a decisive person who meant what she said. Who was she putting on this weak act for now? Just like Luo Lao San, she was slippery and hard to pin down, making it difficult to find any fault with her.
Luo Lao Da ignored the subtle barbs exchanged between the sisters-in-law. He said earnestly, “Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law, this is truly a good match. Huo Jin is diligent, skilled in both literary and martial arts, and highly regarded by the Emperor. Moreover, he has a calm and self-possessed nature. He won’t be one to philander and cause A Yan grief.”
“Eldest Brother, I have met Huo Jin. He is indeed a fine-looking man.”
Luo Lao San continued, “But I can’t say I admire his personality. He’s so cold and frosty, a complete block of ice. He’s even more imposing than I, his elder. How could he be a considerate choice for a husband!”
Old Madam Luo looked coldly at her youngest son.
“According to you, what kind of ideal husband should A Yan find?”
Luo Lao San stood up, straightened his back, and said with a proud look, “My A Yan said she doesn’t seek great wealth or status. A ‘warm man’ will do.”
A warm man? The others were perplexed.
Luo Lao San cleared his throat to explain, “It means someone who is attentive to her needs.”
“Oh, right!” He paused, then added, “And he can’t be a ‘mama’s boy’… meaning, he can’t be one of those blindly filial scoundrels who would turn a blind eye while his mother torments his wife.”
After he finished speaking, Zhao Shi and Cao Shi both looked at the Old Madam. Seeing her face had turned dark, they guessed she was thoroughly enraged.
Yin Shi felt a little awkward. Heh heh… The Old Madam had never liked her and would summon her from time to time to attend to her, though she wouldn’t go too far out of consideration for her husband. Seeing how angry she was, she probably thought Yin Shi had instigated this. She was truly more wronged than Dou E!
However, she did agree with her daughter’s views, even if she didn’t know where the girl came up with such outlandish terms.
“If you ask me, I should find a live-in son-in-law for my A Yan. Under my own roof, if he doesn’t treat my A Yan well, I’ll just divorce him for her,” Luo Lao San said.
“Lao San!”
The eldest and second brothers and their wives stared, dumbfounded, at the brazen Luo Lao San, feeling that he had truly lost his mind.
Smack!
Old Madam Luo gasped for breath in her fury and slammed her hand heavily on the table.
“You’re either insane or you’re deliberately trying to anger me. Why don’t you just have her marry the Jade Emperor!”
She pointed a finger toward the door. “Go! Both of you, go kneel in the ancestral hall right now. Don’t even think about getting up until you’ve knelt for two full hours!”
“Mother!”
“What, do you need this old woman to take you there myself?”
Hearing this, Luo Lao San and his wife said no more. They walked out the door hand in hand.
“Mother, don’t let your anger harm your health. Third Brother is just being stubborn for the moment,” Zhao Shi said, stepping forward to soothe her back.
Cao Shi also added, “Third Brother only has A Yan for a daughter, so it’s true he’s being a bit more cautious.”
Luo Lao Da hesitated. “Mother, what about this marriage?”
“You know your third brother’s stubborn, scoundrelly temper. If he doesn’t agree, who can force him?”
“But… Mother!”
Old Madam Luo waved her hand and pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Let me think more on this matter. I’m tired. You may all leave.”
The two couples looked at each other, then helplessly turned and left.