Chapter 61◇
◎A Matchmaker's Mole◎
Feng Ran went out again, but this time it wasn't voluntary; she was forced to.
The young ladies of marriageable age in the Marquis of Dingbei's household inevitably had to go out for matchmaking and attend banquets. However, the Marquis's wife couldn't personally take these young ladies out, as that would be too formal.
Several young women, concerned about their marriage prospects, had no choice but to turn to Feng Ran for help.
Although Feng Ran was unwilling, she didn't say anything, and reluctantly led the girls out.
The daughters born out of wedlock should indeed be engaged, but it's unclear whether the Lady of the Marquis is indifferent or has other plans, as they've been kept at sixteen or seventeen years old. Even the youngest, Duan Jingyin, is fourteen this year.
Looking at the three beautiful young ladies in front of her, Feng Ran felt for the first time that she had a heavy responsibility on her shoulders. At this moment, she needed a beauty mark to enhance her mood.
Winter hadn't even passed yet, and eligible men and women in the capital were already getting restless. Every year at the end of February or the beginning of March, the capital would hold a large plum blossom viewing banquet, all for the purpose of arranging marriages.
Duan Yuze and Duan Yuche were naturally going to come too, but since they were on duty, Feng Ran and the others set off first.
Unlike Duan Jingyin's reluctance, the two sisters, Duan Yutang and Duan Yuxia, were in high spirits. They hadn't expected the Crown Princess to come out and support them, and were initially quite apprehensive about the plum blossom banquet.
Being a concubine's child already puts them at a disadvantage. If they don't have a mistress or someone of high status to back them up when they go out and socialize, how can they possibly stand out?
In ordinary families, it's the eldest daughter of the main wife who leads them in social interactions, but Duan Jingyin is too young and has high aspirations. She usually disdains associating with them, so they can't even get a word in edgewise.
Lady Hou was kind on the outside but ruthless on the inside. She put on a very respectable front, but if you really needed her help, she would probably push you away.
They hadn't held out much hope for Feng Ran, given her notorious temper. They were terrified of accidentally offending her, as it would be impossible to explain themselves, no matter how right they were.
The plum blossom viewing banquet was arranged at a manor on the outskirts of Beijing. Every year, it was organized by the two royal princesses, and this year was no exception.
On the way, Feng Ran thought it was quite a coincidence. After marrying Duan Jingchuan, she attended two banquets, both hosted by the Duke of Lu's mansion. She wondered if it was fate or a curse.
She hadn't forgotten the purpose of her trip. Looking at the slightly older Duan Yutang and Duan Yuxia, she planned to ask them first.
"Do either of you have a suitable husband right now? You can tell me first." He looked at Duan Jingyin, who wasn't very old, and after thinking for a moment, added her as well, "You too."
It was rare to see Feng Ran so serious, and Duan Yutang and Duan Yuxia were somewhat at a loss.
Duan Yutang stammered, and in the end just shook her head.
Duan Yuxia lost her mother at a young age and was unloved by her father. Naturally, she seized this opportunity and whispered to Feng Ran, "I've heard that the son of Minister Li is a good man."
"Oh my, there really is someone here who's interested in me," Feng Ran's eyes lit up, and she leaned closer to Duan Yuxia. "You can point her out to me later, secretly."
Seeing Feng Ran's expression of wanting to watch the drama unfold, Duan Yuxia nodded.
In fact, ever since Feng Ran first married into the family, Duan Yuxia had been making sarcastic remarks along with everyone else, and after that, she never dared to offend Feng Ran again.
She was a pragmatic person; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to grow up peacefully and quietly. Feng Ran was clearly not one to hold grudges and didn't harbor any ill will towards her.
Or rather, even if these people harbored ill intentions towards her, Feng Ran didn't care. As long as they didn't go looking for trouble under Duan Jingchuan's nose, she could simply ignore them.
Duan Yutang didn't expect Duan Yuxia to tell Feng Ran about her crush so openly. She gave her a light glare, then remained silent, like a gourd with its mouth sawed off.
Feng Ran didn't take it to heart. She was just asking as a matter of routine. If someone told her, she would take a look. Since they didn't want to say, she didn't necessarily have to see it.
Duan Jingyin was still young and not very perceptive. When she saw the two sisters, one stammered and the other blushed. She couldn't help but ask, "Is there anything outstanding about the young master of the Li family? I only know that his family background is just average. Sister Xia, you don't have a good eye for people."
Duan Yuxia wasn't angry when she heard this. She chuckled softly and said, "I'm just an illegitimate daughter. The Li family is simple, which is perfect for me."
Over the years, Duan Yuxia has come to understand that she should not envy the wealth of others, nor should she spend her whole life being a target for others.
A woman's marriage is like a second reincarnation. She can never change the fact that she was born to a concubine. Fortunately, her father is the famous Marquis of Dingbei. As long as she marries a man with a lower official rank, she will be able to take charge of the household and turn her life around.
She didn't have such lofty ambitions; climbing the social ladder wasn't for her. She only wanted to live a peaceful and uneventful life.
Duan Yutang disagreed, "Xia'er, you are a daughter of the Marquis of Dingbei's family, and you can marry into a noble family. Why would you choose a man from a humble background?"
Since they were on different paths, Duan Yuxia didn't argue with them. She simply lowered her head, looking shy, and remained silent.
Duan Jingyin and Duan Yutang felt like they had punched cotton; they were furious and eventually turned their heads away, ignoring her completely.
Upon arriving at the garden, Duan Qingyin and Duan Yutang greeted Feng Ran and then disappeared from sight. Duan Yuxia, preoccupied with her own thoughts, followed closely behind Feng Ran.
After the two sisters had walked away, Duan Yuxia curtsied to Feng Ran and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Princess Consort."
Feng Ran didn't seem to care at all. "It's nothing. Are they with the men? I'll take you there to take a look."
These words startled Duan Yuxia. "You mustn't, Princess Consort!"
“What’s wrong with that? I could see from afar that there was only a screen between the man and the woman. The screen didn’t block anyone’s view, and I could see their figures clearly. I don’t think anyone would care if I tore the screen apart.”
After getting to know her for so long, Duan Yuxia had come to understand Feng Ran's personality. She knew that Feng Ran was genuinely wondering why the screen couldn't be pulled back. She explained, sweating profusely, "Princess Consort, if we do that, it might damage your reputation."
Feng Ran didn't care about her reputation, and she figured her husband wouldn't either. "But you're right. My casual remarks represent the Dingbei Marquis's mansion, and I still have to consider the reputation of you young ladies. Forget it, let's go to the edge and take a look quietly."
Upon closer inspection, one discovers that the garden's design is truly unique.
The male and female guests were separated only by a river, and the connecting bridges were blocked by screens. In reality, men and women could still look at each other across the river, so as not to violate etiquette and not to hinder lovers from exchanging glances.
On both sides of the river are long corridors that have been built in advance, with braziers lit inside and fruits and pastries laid out. If someone gets tired from strolling around the garden, they can sit here and rest. They can look up and see the other side of the river, which is very interesting.
Seeing this, Feng Ran stopped thinking about how to dismantle the screen and directly pulled Duan Yuxia to sit down, whispering, "Who is your ideal husband?"
Duan Yuxia kept scanning the area out of the corner of her eye, when her gaze met that of the person on the opposite bank of the river. Her face flushed, and she said softly, "It's the one in the blue robe with the nine-ringed pendant at his waist."
Feng Ran smiled, completely disregarding any segregation between men and women, and stared straight at the person Duan Yuxia was talking about.
Duan Yuxia's heart skipped a beat; the Crown Princess's gaze was far too unrestrained.
The young man noticed that Feng Ran was looking at him, but he didn't avoid her. He simply nodded to her from a distance.
Feng Ran chuckled twice, then said approvingly, "Good taste, you're a good match."
Duan Yuxia was taken aback when she heard this. Wasn't it a bit too arbitrary to judge whether someone was marriage material based on just one glance?
However, she didn't expect Feng Ran to help her with her judgment; she only hoped that Feng Ran could cover for her if she chatted with the young master of the Li family alone later.
Feng Ran saw Duan Yuxia's distrust but didn't take it to heart. She simply leaned back as if completing a task, with a hint of wickedness in her voice, "You two lovers just stand there looking at each other across the river? Can't men and women get together and talk?"
Duan Yuxia quickly recovered from her dazed expression, her face slightly flushed, and explained softly, "It won't stay like this forever. Once the scene gets a bit more lively, there will be all sorts of reasons for people to travel between the two sides of the strait, and then no one will care."
Perhaps it was the pleasant atmosphere, or perhaps it was because Feng Ran was being unusually agreeable today, but Duan Yuxia couldn't help but become curious about her. "Princess Consort, forgive my presumption, but are you and the Prince always this comfortable with each other?"
When Feng Ran first married into the Dingbei Marquis's mansion, no one thought she would be successful. But this seemingly indifferent princess consort managed to live a very prosperous life and even won over her husband's heart.
Now, who in the entire Dingbei Marquis's mansion doesn't envy Feng Ran? She has her husband's love, and the old Marquis Duan, the head of the Dingbei Marquis's mansion, also adores her. Although the Marquis's wife doesn't get along with her, she doesn't hold a grudge. She is living a life that every woman in the world envies.
Duan Yuxia was no exception; she was even secretly thinking about how to learn the art of managing a husband from Feng Ran.
Feng Ran clasped her hands together, hidden under her long sleeves. Upon hearing this, she raised an eyebrow and looked at Duan Yuxia with a half-smile, saying, "Perhaps he likes you calling him Second Brother."
Duan Yuxia automatically forgot the time when Feng Ran pointed at them and forbade them to call her "Second Sister-in-law," and readily asked, "Second Sister-in-law, how do you usually get along with Second Brother?"
There's nothing wrong with saying this, Feng Ran said frankly: "We should treat each other with sincerity. If he treats me well, I will naturally treat him well in return. There's no difference."
Duan Yuxia was speechless, and could only blush.
That's easy to say, but how easy is it to actually do?
Is there any sincerity in this compound? She doesn't know.
But Feng Ran said she was sincere towards Duan Jingchuan, and she believed her.
Because Feng Ran's expression at this moment was too pure, too matter-of-fact, as if this were just an ordinary matter. She usually had a harsh tongue and inevitably offended Duan Jingchuan and Feng Ran, but at this moment, Feng Ran not only forgave the past, but also acted as if those things had never happened. She calmly sat here with her to look at her future husband. Just this kind of composure was far beyond her reach.
Feng Ran seemed to have guessed what Duan Yuxia was thinking, and shook her head and smiled, "It's not too late. As long as you treat the people who deserve to be treated well, you might be able to gain a few more genuine feelings in return."
Duan Yuxia seemed to have realized something, but then again, she didn't.
"Someone has fallen into the water!"
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