Chapter 198 Forced Marriage
"I didn't lie. I just didn't want to be with the same person anymore."
"If that's the case, then why didn't you agree when Baili Yunzhou asked you to marry him? And why did you reject all the men who were interested in you? You're clearly deceiving yourself."
Yu Huatang said angrily, "Even if I'm deceiving myself, so what? I'm happy with this! I just don't want to get married. I just want to be alone for the rest of my life."
"No, that's not what you really want. If you weren't going to leave with me on New Year's Eve, or spend the night with me," Zhao Yan said in a deep voice, "if you were already married, I would let you go. If you were a loving couple, I wouldn't bother you. But you clearly don't want to choose them, so why can't we be husband and wife?"
Yu Huatang couldn't argue with him, and didn't want to talk to him, so she turned around and wanted to leave.
Zhao Yan pulled her and held her hand tightly.
"I don't know if you've let go of Ouyang Zui. Now he's dead. I was late and caused you harm, and now he's been punished. I'm afraid you're still hurt."
Yu Huatang looked at him and suddenly understood something, "He is you..."
Zhao Yan said, "Whether it is or not, you don't have to worry about it, and don't worry about me."
Yu Huatang snorted, "Why should I worry? I just think you're too self-righteous."
"Why do you say that?"
She no longer answered, but thought to herself, he was a royal relative. Although she didn't know what excessive words Ouyang said after he got drunk, she knew that Zhao Yan was obviously angry, so he killed him.
Seeing she didn't answer, Zhao Yan stopped agonizing and looked at her seriously. "I know you once hoped for me, and I know you once deeply loved me. I've been to Yuanxiang Street and Fulu Temple, where I found the wooden plaque you wrote. I also know the heartache and suffering you once endured at Yajingtang. I cherish you, love you, and admire you. So I hope you'll marry me. From now on, I'll do whatever I can, as long as you ask. Also, to show my sincerity, you'll be in charge of my personal property, my salary, and my body and mind. As for my looks, I think you'll like me. As for my hobbies, I don't bet on prostitutes, gamble, or fickle. As for my health, I'm twenty-nine now, so I think I'm in good health. As for my character, I may have been harsh and heartless before, but I've changed now, and I don't know if you're satisfied. But anyway, will you marry me?"
"I don't want to, I don't like you, and I don't love you, Lord Zhao, is that okay?" she answered loudly.
He seemed to have known she would say this, and without hesitation, he immediately changed his tone and said, "Okay, I understand. Then you wait for me in Quanzhou and I'll come to see you. Maybe it's Qingming Festival or Dragon Boat Festival. The Ministry of Industry is a bit busy right now, but no matter what, I'll come as long as I have time."
Yu Huatang shook it off and said, "No need!"
"Yes, in case you need a man, in case you change your mind, I will always be the first in line."
Seeing that she was about to leave, he hurriedly grabbed her other hand, and when he let go of this one, he took out a bag of silver from his arms, "We agreed that I will take care of everything when you come to the capital. This is the silver for the trip back, take it."
Yu Huatang looked at the large bag of silver and sneered, "Master Zhao thinks he's rich now and wants to impress me with money?"
Zhao Yan said, "No matter what you think, I should pay for it. Besides, you don't make as much as I do. This is what you deserve. Why refuse it?"
After saying that, he stuffed it into her hand, held it tightly, and did not allow her to let go.
The two of them had been delayed here for a long time, and Qingxing in the car would occasionally stick her head out to look over here.
"Okay, that's all. Be careful on your journey. I will write to you as soon as you get back. Remember to wait for me." He did not forget to remind her.
Yu Huatang took the money and got on the carriage. Zhao Yan came to An Yuan and said in a deep voice, "Take good care of the madam..."
"yes."
The carriage set off again.
In the carriage, Qing Xing looked at a large bag of silver and asked, "Is this what Master Zhao gave to Master?"
"Um."
Qing Xing was a little surprised, "So many?"
Yu Huatang looked at the bag of silver. Ever since they planned to go back, she had told Qingxing to be careful not to reveal her identity or the money.
So the two of them wore the most ordinary clothes, but when the carriage actually started, she was still a little scared. They were both women, and if something happened to them, it would be all over.
But now, when faced with such a large bag of silver, she was no longer afraid because An Yuan was there.
The carriage was not moving very fast, and before long, she saw the team. Qing Xing even stopped the carriage to watch for a while.
She naturally knew what happened.
So he feels that life and death are unpredictable and doesn't want to have any regrets?
I still feel that in this life, nothing can defeat destiny...
…………
Time flew by and it was early April, and Yu Huatang finally arrived in Quanzhou.
After An Yuan settled everything, he went to Hui'an County again and found Xu Jinli from Xujia Village. He bought back Yu Huatang's previous house and gave the title deed to Yu Hui, instructing him not to let Yu Huatang know.
Then he instructed Xiaolu in the yard to help with some things.
Finally, he went to find Yan Quan and gave him the letter written by Zhao Yan, which basically thanked him for taking care of Yu Huatang.
Qingxing was also at the age to get married. He might have learned a lot from this trip to the capital. At his father's urging, he still looked at several men and finally got engaged to a scholar. After meeting Yu Huatang once, the two of them were like honey and oil, which was totally different from what Qingxing said, that he hated her to death.
She also took in several new apprentices. As the reputation of "Female Lu Ban" spread, more and more women were willing to learn from her. Many families no longer discriminated against her and instead said that it was not bad for these women to have their own livelihoods.
There were more tsunamis and typhoons this year. In early May, Yu Huatang went to his cousin's house. All his cousin's farmland was flooded. There was nothing he could do during the typhoon, so he could only sigh.
In mid-May, there were more typhoons and several large tsunamis that destroyed houses in several villages.
The people were in a state of panic, and even when it started to rain, there was no sign of it stopping.
All the harvest and hard work of this year were wasted. For a time, the villagers lost hope.
That day, the sky finally cleared up, and Mrs. Hua asked her to come over and talk to her.
When Yu Huatang came in the afternoon, everyone in the yard was packing up.
The maid asked, "Are you still bringing your winter quilt?"
Madam Hua said, "Forget it, just remember to bring your winter clothes."
The maid answered.
After the maid left, Yu Huatang asked, "Madam, are you leaving here?"
Madam Hua sighed and said worriedly, "The tsunami shows no sign of stopping. He can't leave as an official here. The three of us should leave first. Even if something happens, we can't let the whole family get hurt."
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