Chapter 58 Finding a Husband
The candlelight flickered in the night, and the First Madam remained awake, sipping hot wine, hoping to numb herself with the alcohol.
"Haven't we found our daughter? Why can't you sleep?" Lord Guan, dressed in his undergarments, was already lying in bed.
"Back then, I accompanied you to your post and gave birth on the way. I barely survived giving birth to this child. For so many years, I have cherished him like a treasure, but it turns out I loved the wrong person. How can I accept this?" The First Madam wiped away her tears. Since hearing the news, she had become much more haggard and couldn't sleep at night. The fine lines at the corners of her eyes told of her anxiety every night.
"I kept that bastard child for so long because I knew you couldn't accept it. Now that our daughter is back, what use is she?"
"What do you mean?"
The First Madam broke out in a cold sweat. She quickly said, "Liu Liu is engaged to the Jiang family. She and Jiang Shuzheng have been childhood sweethearts and have a deep affection for each other. We are happy to facilitate this marriage. How about we announce to the outside world that we have twins. Zhizhi is in poor health and was raised in the countryside. Now that we have brought her back, she will be the third in line and will be called the Third Miss."
“Madam, please stop deceiving yourself. There is a world of difference between commoners and clans. Hereditary official positions are reserved for clan members, who are qualified to hold important government posts and participate in national decision-making. Etiquette does not extend to commoners. Allowing a commoner to infiltrate a clan is a disgrace to our bloodline. I cannot hide the matter of my true daughter from the Jiang family. I am going to fetch her, not to make enemies. Her marriage to the Jiang family may not be possible. After all, Zhizhi is my own daughter.”
Seeing the despair on his wife's face, Lord Guan changed the subject: "However, I have raised Liu Liu for so long, and I have developed feelings for her and poured my heart and soul into her. It is a waste that her beauty and character have been lost to the common people. Since Zhi Fang and his son are coming to the city, we need to win them over. His son, Zhi Junyuan, is not yet married, so we can give him a try."
"That's a vulgar martial artist..."
"Ha, now he has to rely on them for a living! He only has this one son, so a marriage alliance would be a great help."
The First Madam asked in confusion, "Why does Zhifang only have this one son?"
"When he was young, he fought alongside Gao Yang. The battle went poorly, and he had to retreat without taking his family with him. His three sons and two daughters died along with his wife. This youngest son was born to him later."
"What a heartless person!" The First Madam was worried. What good could come of marrying into such a family?
Lord Guan was clearly determined. In the current chaotic world, there were not many cards to play, so he could only continue to arrange marriages to make the noble families more closely connected and airtight.
The next day, Lord Guan sent people to teach Guan Zhiwei poetry, songs, etiquette, and calligraphy and painting appreciation. In short, it was a cramming education, as if he wanted to exhaust Guan Zhiwei to death in a day.
What he needs is a daughter from a prestigious family. He won't easily give her a title before she's been nurtured into a capable woman; it's like trying to hold a carrot in front of a donkey.
The servants in the mansion addressed Guan Zhiwei as "Miss Zizi" repeatedly.
She endured it again and again, thinking of her promise to Gao Huan, but finally she couldn't bear it any longer, so she slammed her fist on the table and went to find Lord Guan.
"Father, there's something I've always wanted to ask you."
"oh?"
Lord Guan was somewhat disappointed. He had no patience or composure at all. Could it be that he couldn't stand it and had come to ask for a formal title?
"Do you lack ambition?" Guan Zhiwei immediately launched into a tirade.
Gao Huan always thought he was a good strategist who could speak frankly and offer honest advice, but compared to Guan Zhiwei, he was nothing.
Guan Zhiwei didn't care about "patient persuasion" or the idea that an excellent strategist should be like a navigator, only needing to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the situation and present a vision.
For her, it all boils down to four words—just go for it.
“I’ve found that my father can be really naive at times, thinking that anyone who comes will follow the rules.”
"You think that even if this country falls, you can still remain unscathed, and as a noble family, there will always be a safe place for you to stand firm."
"Those who can remain unscathed nowadays are not the powerful families rooted in Yong'an City, but those who are wary."
"Born in a chaotic era, raising an army is the way to rule."
“Recruiting soldiers into the city will provoke the Yuan clan. Yong'an City is the only city that can withstand the damage in battle. If they can't defeat the Yuan clan, they can simply leave, just like they did in Yingzhou. Father and the others will have to bear the wrath of the Yuan clan. Do you think the Yuan clan wouldn't dare to do anything to you? Look at Gao Yang in the capital. He has gone too far and has already set a precedent for killing clans!”
"The situation outside is already so critical, Father, are you still preoccupied with such trivial matters in your own household, worrying about your children's affairs?!"
Guan Zhiwei has gained a lot of experience over the years and has come to a conclusion: she is too conservative when playing fools on TV, and she plays smart people in the wrong way.
All those elaborate schemes and hidden plans, when actually implemented, have a very low probability of success.
The chances of success are higher if the axemen lie in ambush and then swarm in.
These words came crashing down on Lord Guan, leaving him speechless.
He gave Guan Zhiwei a deep look, then had a servant summon the First Madam, saying that she should handle the affairs of the inner quarters herself.
The First Madam was overjoyed, but fearing he might change his mind, she immediately summoned the whole family and announced that she had given birth to twins. Guan Zhizhi, being frail, had been raised in the countryside, but had now returned home.
Once she was included in the family genealogy, everyone was told to address her as the Third Miss.
Guan Zhiwei breathed a sigh of relief, finally she didn't have to listen to the squeaking anymore.
"Now that I'm a daughter of this family, shouldn't it be time to get my marriage arranged?"
The First Madam hesitated before saying, "You don't need to rush. Your husband must have made arrangements for your marriage."
She glanced at Guan Liuliu, her eyes flickering slightly.
Guan Liuliu felt a chill in her heart, but still managed a smile: "Sister is destined for a good marriage. The young master of the Jiang family is handsome, kind, and benevolent..."
“That’s your fiancé, isn’t he?” Guan Zhiwei interrupted directly.
She stepped forward, took Guan Liuliu's hand, and said sincerely, "We two sisters have a deep bond. Although we've only known each other for a few days, our friendship has lasted forever. How could I steal your good match? Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere. I'll just go out and look for one."
Guan Liuliu was shocked. "Are we that close?"
"This, this really touches me, sister, you..."
Guan Zhiwei completely ignored her words of gratitude, turned her head away, her eyes gleaming. Her bright eyes didn't seem to be longing for her husband, but rather like she wanted to eat meat.
“Mother, have all the suitors who come to our house write a letter and bring it to me for me to choose from. Write down in detail their family assets and the dowry they are willing to offer. It doesn’t matter what their background is or what kind of man they are, even if he is lame, blind, or consumptive, it doesn’t matter, as long as their family has money and food.”
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