Chapter 1: It's not a marriage contract, who wants to marry someone of unknown origin...?

During the Qingming Festival in Wuzhou, it was raining. The fine, continuous rain wove a thin veil over the Yinxi River, blurring the reflection of the Angxi Arch Bridge. Suddenly, a pink glint floated on the water, like a lotus flower pushed by the wind, tracing an arc along the bridge's outline.

It turned out to be a young woman crossing the bridge with an umbrella. Her eyes were slightly narrowed and she had a smile on her lips, as if she was thinking of something interesting.

"Should I have crispy pork hock or smoked fish?" she pondered leisurely.

Another voice immediately popped into my head: "It's not easy to earn a little money selling paintings, so let's be careful with it!"

She frowned in dissatisfaction, then thought to herself, "Tang Qingduo, you've been eating vegetarian food for so many days, you're almost as well-off as the nuns at Jiyue Nunnery! Now that you have money, why are you still humiliating yourself? You might as well just become a nun!"

Finally, she easily convinced herself and nodded with satisfaction, "Let's eat crispy pork hock! It has to be Wanjia crispy pork hock. Since we've already spent the money, we should buy the best."

Her steps quickened; had it not been for the slippery road from the rain, she probably would have hopped and skipped. Tang Qingduo crossed the bridge and turned left, her joy palpable, when suddenly she heard a vendor's cry: "Cheap! Cheap! Paints, paper, brushes, and inkstones—all cheap!"

A thought struck her, and she immediately stopped, took a few steps back, and stood in front of the stall, staring intently at the goods on the shelf, examining each one carefully.

Seeing a customer arrive, the vendor enthusiastically recommended, "Sir, what would you like to buy? I have Huizhou ink, which is of the finest quality; and this Xuan paper, which is also of the finest quality." Seeing Qingduo pick up a piece of pigment, he immediately added, "This azurite you have..."

“I know, it’s top quality,” Tang Qingduo replied, staring at the paint in her hand.

"Yes, yes, I can tell at a glance that you have good taste." He said with a big smile.

"How much will that cost?"

"Not much, just thirty coins."

Qingduo's eyes widened: "Wasn't it supposed to be cheap? How come it's the same price as braised pork hock?"

The vendor, unaware of how she had brought up "crispy pork hock," smiled apologetically and said, "This price is already very low. The goods in the shop are much more expensive than mine. I only sell at this price because it's so hot today. Normally, it would be impossible!"

He picked up a box and opened it. Inside were colors similar to azurite. He said, "Look at this 'flower blue,' five coins each. One is from minerals, and the other is extracted from indigo plants. Of course, the prices will be different. You know your stuff, young lady. You get what you pay for. That's the difference."

After the vendor finished speaking, he saw her staring intently at Shi Qingse, clearly interested, and he already felt the deal was more than half done. He watched her, waiting for her to impulsively make the decision so he could take the money and deliver the goods before she changed her mind.

Qingduo's mind raced: a piece of dark blue meant a crispy pork hock, and if you ate the crispy pork hock, you couldn't buy dark blue anymore. It was so hard to choose between food and necessities, but Su Dongpo said, "I'd rather go without meat than live without bamboo." I, Tang Qingduo, have been eating vegetarian for so long, what's a few more days? I can't lose my beautiful color.

She made her decision and waved her hand: "Give me three blue ones!"

"Alright!" The vendor was overjoyed and was about to wrap up the dark blue cloth in his hand when he suddenly realized something was wrong. He turned around, dumbfounded, and exclaimed, "Huh?"

*

Tang Qingduo returned home laden with two braised chicken legs and paint. She had bought paint, ate meat, and even had some money left over. Although it wasn't part of her plan, it was still perfect. She hummed a little tune with satisfaction as she walked home.

"Hmm?" She suddenly stopped in her tracks. Two men, one old and one young, were standing at her door. The older man was holding an umbrella for the younger one, and he was slightly bent over. He was wearing a gray cotton coat, so he must have been a servant. On the quiet, deserted path, the two men also noticed her and turned to look at her.

She immediately guessed their intentions, sneered inwardly, and slowly approached, stopping in front of her courtyard gate.

The young man bowed and asked politely, "Excuse me, young lady, is this the residence of Uncle Tang Li?"

She was indeed looking for her father.

"Yes, he's not here," Tang Qingduo replied bluntly.

The young man asked again, "When will he be back?"

"I haven't been back for a long time, and I don't know when I'll be back."

The old man and the young man exchanged a glance, their faces showing reluctance. Qingduo sized up the young man; he was dressed in a moon-white robe and possessed a refined and elegant appearance. He must have come to visit her father, just like the other scholars who had come before, after reading his poems. However, when those people saw her father, they found him to be quite different from what they had imagined, and left disappointed, gradually never returning.

If this person knew her father's true colors, wouldn't she also be greatly disappointed?

Suddenly, a mischievous thought crossed her mind. With a quick glance, she said, "If you want to find him, it's not like there's no way."

"Oh? Please tell me, young lady," the man asked immediately.

Qingduo raised her chin, pointed east, and said, "Look, if you keep walking east from here, you'll find Wuzhou's famous Flower Lane. As for whether he's with Liu Xiangxiang at Xiuwan Garden, or with Zhu Niang at Fanwu Residence, or more likely at Huanfang Tower, I don't know which lover he is. You can find out for yourself!"

The man was taken aback. Qingduo wanted to see his surprised expression. Satisfied with her goal achieved, the braised chicken legs, fresh from the pot, emitted an enticing aroma. She couldn't wait to open the door and go in to feast, when she heard the man ask from behind, "Is the young lady named 'Qingduo'?"

This time it was her turn to be surprised. She quickly turned around and asked in astonishment, "How do you know my name?"

The little girl's sly smile vanished, her eyebrows furrowed, her almond-shaped eyes widened, clear as springs, and a wet, red camellia adorned her temple. He lowered his gaze, leaned forward, and bowed again, saying:

"My name is Zeng Zhengqing. I have come here on my father's orders to find Uncle Tang in order to fulfill the marriage agreement."

Wh...what? A marriage agreement?

Qingduo shivered. His words sounded both clear and confusing. A sense of foreboding rose in her heart, and she couldn't help but ask, "The marriage you're talking about...to whom?"

Zeng Zhengqing did not answer, but simply raised his eyes and stared at her intently.

Qingduo took a deep breath of cold air; for a moment, she couldn't even smell the aroma of the chicken leg anymore.

*

After Zeng Zhengqing finished recounting the past, the two sat facing each other in silence, while spring rain pattered outside.

According to him, the marriage was arranged when the two were young. Based on the timeline, she was three years old at the time, before the family's fortunes declined.

Qingduo stared intently at the marriage certificate on the table. She had lived for sixteen years and never knew that she was betrothed to someone.

She knew her father was unreliable since she was little, but this matter was beyond her comprehension. Her father had never mentioned such an important thing!

Wait a minute! Could this person be trying to scam us out of our marriage?

She looked up at Zeng Zhengqing suspiciously, trying to find some clue. But she saw him looking up at the thatched roof, raindrops falling on him. He shifted slightly to the left and looked down to meet Qingduo's gaze.

She guiltily looked away, sighing inwardly. Judging from his clothes, demeanor, and family background, he was dozens or even hundreds of times better off than her. If it was a marriage of convenience, what would he be after? Would he just sit at a wooden table with raised legs, looking up at the rain and down at his wet clothes?

However, even if she has no interest in marriage, it doesn't mean she can accept marrying a guy who suddenly appears out of nowhere!

It was like a puppet show; she was performing perfectly and feeling quite comfortable when suddenly another puppet appeared out of nowhere, beckoning her hand and saying, "Hey! I am your husband, let's go home together!"

No, she doesn't want to get married!

Even with an engagement, she would never yield!

The room darkened, and the old servant carried in boxes of various sizes. He glanced around and panted, saying, "Young master, everything has been brought in!"

He put down the box he was carrying, and Zeng Zhengqing stood up and said, "Miss Tang, this is my first visit. I have only brought a small gift, and I hope you will accept it."

This... is not too thin. Although Qingduo did not know what was inside the box, the box looked extraordinary. She could already smell the delicate fragrance emanating from it, and it was also engraved with flowers, birds, trees and vines.

This woman's family background is definitely extraordinary. If I follow her, I will definitely live a life of wealth and luxury, like those ladies of wealthy families who wear fine silks and satins and ride in luxury cars. Although they are confined to the inner quarters most of the time, they have no worries about food and clothing and do not have to struggle for a living. How comfortable is that!

Thinking about it this way, it must be more comfortable than my current life.

She suddenly snapped out of her daze, cursing inwardly: Tang Qingduo! What are you thinking! How could you sell yourself for a life of luxury!

How can I bow and scrape for wealth, thus losing my freedom?

She steadied herself and reaffirmed her resolve not to marry. Before she could even speak, Zeng Zhengqing picked up the small box on top, gently placed it on the table, and said, "I once heard my father say that Uncle Tang is skilled in painting. I happened to acquire a kind of pigment, and it is just a small token of my appreciation. I would be grateful if you could convey my message to him."

Paint! This piqued Qingduo's curiosity, and she couldn't help but open the box. When she saw the colors inside, her pupils dilated instantly, and she couldn't stop smiling.

This is ultramarine! A pure and bright blue, radiating a jewel-like brilliance, and faintly, there's a sound... Hmm! Qingduo discerned that it was the clinking sound of coins colliding.

While she was still hesitating over the 30 coins for inferior azurite, he casually referred to this thing, which was more precious than gold, as "a small token of my appreciation."

Qingduo stared blankly at Zeng Zhengqing. He had his back to the door, and bathed in moonlight, he appeared even more refined and pure. For some reason, upon closer inspection, she realized that he was far more handsome than when she first saw him.

Generous, magnanimous, handsome, with impeccable manners and demeanor... She was completely bewildered. Every aspect of the man before her satisfied her immensely. As his husband, it seemed acceptable to her.

Besides, what difference does it make who she marries? I heard her maternal grandparents' family was also a scholarly family, but when their son-in-law got into trouble, didn't they immediately sever all ties with their own daughter? Her mother was beautiful and intelligent, and she was always thinking of her husband, but what good was that? Once he died, who knows which famous courtesan's bed he was sleeping in.

Instead of hoping for something vague and unrealistic, let's get some tangible benefits.

Take it one step at a time; live for the moment.

You might not meet another exceptional sucker like him in the future. He's willing to marry a penniless man just for a marriage contract.

The abacus in his mind was clicking away loudly, this deal was sure to make a profit!

Haha!

This was not an unexpected disaster.

This is a match made in heaven!

A note from the author:

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Synopsis for my next book, "My Eldest Brother is Actually My Loyal Servant"~ Please add it to your favorites~

Faced with the newly purchased red soil, Xunyi was worried that he had no help.

Heaven has a way of helping others achieve their goals; she turned around and picked up a handsome, wet man on the water.

This person looks vaguely familiar...

Ah! This is not the same woman who was once spirited, aloof, and ethereal.

Is he the senior brother who looks down on others?

"Thank you for saving my life, young lady. But, who am I?"

Seeing him rubbing his forehead in a blank expression,

Xun Yi blurted out, his eyes gleaming with cunning: "Your name is Xiao Shuanzi, and you are my loyal servant who is always at my beck and call."

From then on, the flower on the high mountain became cattle and horses in the fields.

Jiang Chenqing never imagined that the "master" he had been calling for so long was the same opponent who had once made him lose face.

He still remembered the deliberately surprised face on his face when he was defeated two years ago:

"What's going on, Senior Brother? Doesn't your sect practice martial arts?"

When he finally found her, who had vanished without a trace, she had lost all her memories and asked blankly, "Who am I?"

“Your name is Xiao Huanzi,” he said without changing his expression, “and you are my loyal servant who is always at my beck and call.”

Xunyi followed him home, only to discover that he did not need any servants.

He was the one who cooked porridge in the morning, did the laundry during the day, and slept in the leaky woodshed at night.

On a stormy night, he barged into her bed reeking of alcohol, startling her so much that she struggled desperately, but he pulled her into his arms: "Ayi, who was it that wanted to hold me for warmth last year?"

Xunyi's face flushed red.

Nonsense! That's not true! Does he really think he's lost his memory?

#Good news! My aloof senior brother has become my loyal servant after losing his memory.

#Bad news: Counterattack fails, and you get tricked instead

#It's outrageous that he can lie without even flinching.

#How did the supposedly aloof beauty turn into a domestic whiz?