Chapter 35 I Will Never Marry
"A betrothal between children?"
Shen Cong paused slightly in his hand holding the hand warmer, and raised an eyebrow at Wei Yan.
This was the first time Wei Yan had looked at him properly since he entered the room.
Wei Yan subconsciously sat up straight and began to analyze the situation in a serious manner.
"I've thought about it carefully. Given my current and future reputation as an official, I'm really afraid that my son will be implicated by me and won't be able to find a suitable wife."
Therefore, the best approach is to strike first and arrange a marriage beforehand, solving the problem once and for all, achieving the best of both worlds.
Shen Cong's lips curled slightly.
"Lord Wei isn't too stupid; he's quite self-aware."
Wei Yan's eyes lit up.
"So you think this marriage is suitable?"
Shen Cong lowered his eyes, picked up an orange and placed it next to the brazier to roast, then used tongs to stir the embers in the brazier.
He only managed to utter two words, "Inappropriate."
“What’s wrong with it? That little girl is cute and adorable, while my son is strong and robust. In terms of social standing, my family is a bit lower than the Marquis of Anping’s family.”
But Marquis Anping doesn't even have a proper, sinecure, and his heir, Li Mu, has been stripped of his official position. Our two families are a good match."
"The Li family may have connections with the rebel party."
"Even if there are rebels... Hey, what did you say? Rebels?"
Wei Yan was so shocked he almost bit off his own tongue.
"Are you sure? The Marquis of Anping's family is a fallen household in the circle of powerful and wealthy people. What would the rebels want from such a family?"
Are you after him because he's almost destitute? Or because he's bad at business and doesn't engage in production?
Wei Yan suddenly gasped.
"Or perhaps the decline of the Marquis of Anping's mansion is just a smokescreen?"
Shen Cong flipped the orange over expressionlessly, neither confirming nor denying his guess.
Wei Yan rubbed his arms and couldn't help but shiver.
They're traitors!
"Then let's call off this marriage. Tsk, what a pity. I really like that cute little girl."
"I don't know what stroke of luck the Marquis of Anping's heir had to have such a lovely daughter."
Wei Yan recalled Li Nanke's adorable face tilted upwards and felt envious of the good fortune of the Marquis of Anping's heir.
Shen Cong glanced at him sideways.
Sometimes accepting your fate is a good thing.
Wei Yan felt as if his tail had been stepped on.
"Are you... are you implying that I'm destined to never have a daughter?"
"If that's how you see it, there's nothing I can do about it."
"You...you!"
Wei Yan angrily pulled the nearly roasted oranges to his side, channeling his anger into strength, and quickly peeled the oranges off.
Then he held up two orange segments and waved them in front of Shen Cong, then tossed them up and caught them accurately with his mouth again.
Shen Cong watched him go crazy with indifference, then took another orange and continued grilling.
"The way you eat oranges is starting to resemble Xueying's more and more."
Wei Yan suddenly realized that the orange in his mouth was no longer sweet.
He gritted his teeth and swallowed it.
"Sometimes I really hate myself two years ago, how could I have been so blind as to think you were a close friend despite the age gap."
He was known in the court for being shrewd and difficult to deal with, because he could speak to people in a human way and to ghosts in a ghost way.
What he says and what he does are often not the same thing.
For example, if an official tried to bribe him to do something for them, he would accept the money and exchange pleasantries, but then turn around and do the same thing as before without any hesitation.
He was so angry that the other party impeached him for embezzlement, only to find that the other party had donated the money to a charity on the same day he received it, and even donated it in the other party's name.
Over time, the upright and selfless officials in the court found him to be slick and untrustworthy, while the sycophantic officials hated him for his ruthless actions.
He became a loner in the court.
Until one day he was framed and punished by the emperor to kneel outside the palace for a long time.
Shen Cong passed by, quietly looked at him for a moment, and left a comment.
"There aren't many fools left who can stick to their principles after serving as officials for many years."
Staying true to oneself—these four words struck him deeply.
He was from Jinan Prefecture and received Confucian education from a young age, which emphasized the importance of self-cultivation in poverty and benefiting the world in prosperity.
His greatest ambition was to pass the imperial examination and become an official in the court.
But after becoming an official, one realizes how difficult it is to be a good one.
Others didn't understand, but ten-year-old Shen Cong saw through it at a glance.
Afterwards, Shen Cong pleaded with His Majesty to allow him to be transferred to Bianjing Prefecture as a sub-prefect.
From then on, he and Shen Cong gradually became acquainted.
"If I could do it all over again, I would definitely choose not to see you."
Shen Cong let out a soft chuckle.
"Turn right after you leave the house, bump into a tree, and maybe you'll have a chance to start over."
Wei Yan...
She stood up angrily and threw the remaining orange segments in her hand to Chen Cong.
Then he got up, stretched out his arm and ruffled Shen Cong's hair, messing it up.
"Let me go."
Shen Cong stiffened, a hint of unease appearing on his pale face.
Wei Yan let go of her hand, laughed heartily, and the frustration he felt from being teased vanished.
"That's more like it. Kids should act like kids. Don't be all gloomy and act like an old man. You'll never be able to find a wife when you grow up."
Shen Cong pushed his hand away, his face full of disgust.
"I will never marry in this lifetime."
"Children shouldn't speak too early, lest they bite off more than they can chew."
Wei Yan chuckled, quickly dodged the oranges Chen Cong threw at him, and left happily with his umbrella.
Shen Cong threw the hand warmer aside and gave instructions to Er Feng.
"Didn't he want to start over? Let Xueying catch up and give him a chance to choose again."
Looking at his master's awkward expression, Erfeng sighed inwardly.
Only someone with Lord Wei's personality could make the prince occasionally reveal his childish side.
The prince was only twelve years old; he was still a child.
She should be like that little girl, Li Nanke—lively and adorable, that's what she should be like...
Forget it, that girl doesn't look like an eight-year-old child.
Based on what Lord Wei said today, I'm afraid that girl is just like the prince, with a heart made of lotus root.
Eight hundred schemes.
Erfeng snapped out of his thoughts and said with a smile, "Your Highness has forgotten, Xueying ran off with the young lady from the Li family yesterday."
You won't let it in, and it's been wandering around outside the northwest corner door since last night, and now it's been getting soaked in the rain for half a day.
"Should I open the door and let it come back?"
Shen Cong snorted coldly.
"No need, it's trying to run away from home, just tell it not to come back."
Erfeng turned to look at the increasingly heavy rain outside and deliberately said, "This rain has been falling for several days in a row. It finally cleared up for two days, but it's starting to rain again today."
Judging from this, it looks like it's going to rain even harder.
He spoke while glancing at Shen Cong's expression.
Shen Cong had already picked up his book again and started reading quietly, seemingly ignoring his words.
Erfeng could only silently sympathize with Xueying in his heart, and then took an umbrella and went to the northwest corner gate.
As soon as the door opened, Xueying leaped up.
Its once fluffy fur was now matted and clung to its body by the rain, and its wet black eyes looked as if they were covered with a layer of mist. It was as if the words "So pitiful" were written all over its face.
Erfeng reached out and tapped its head.
"I told you to learn your lesson. Running away from home for a meal has still angered the prince. You'd better wait outside."
"Hey, don't wag your tail at me. It's no use me pitying you. Go find someone who will pity you."
"Fool, you'll get stupid from being soaked in the rain. The prince is still angry. Why don't you go somewhere to lay low for a while?"
The snow eagle suddenly lowered its tail, which it had been wagging halfway through, and its wet eyes brightened.
Then he shook off the rain and ran into the rain.
It knows where to go.
It was going to find that cute little girl.
At this moment, the young girl Li Nanke was unaware that Shen Cong had helped her avoid a marriage, nor did she know that Shen Cong's dog was on its way to seek refuge with her.
She and Song Yi paid the fine at the Censorate and were granted a chance to visit her father.
So right now, she's in a dark cell, resting her chin on her hand with a helpless expression, looking at her unreliable father...
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