Chapter 116 Marriage is not a temporary solution for self-preservation
"Yes, let Heng'er marry Ying'er!"
Cheng looked at Rong with hope in her eyes, and unconsciously tightened her grip on Rong's hand, saying, "Didn't Ying'er come to the capital to find a good family? Instead of marrying into someone else's family, why don't we become closer relatives?"
"You don't have to worry about Ying'er getting bullied if she marries into another family. You know Heng'er's personality. He's just like his father and second uncle. He only cares for others and will never let Ying'er suffer any injustice." Cheng's voice became louder and louder as she spoke. "This way, Ying'er's matter will be settled, and Heng'er will also have a solution. When Heng'er passes the imperial examination, Ying'er will have a blessing she can't enjoy!"
But Rong Shi didn't agree as readily as Cheng Shi thought. Instead, her face darkened and she said, "Sister-in-law, do you think Ying'er is good, so you have this intention? Or do you think that Ying'er is the only one in this city who you can marry if you just ask?"
"Now that Heng'er is in trouble, you are worried and confused, but you can't rush to seek medical help. Let's take a step back and say that if Ying'er really marries into our family and Heng'er still can't get out of this, will you still think Ying'er is okay?"
Rong Shi had always been reluctant to speak harshly, but that didn't mean she would just endure and give in. Since Cheng Shi had spoken out in front of her mother-in-law, Rong Shi decided to speak frankly.
She stood up and walked to Old Madam Du first. She bowed slightly and said, "I am a member of the Du family, and now I am in charge of this family. If Heng'er is well, our Du family will be well, and so will I. As a family, we all prosper together and suffer together."
"If this matter is really as my sister-in-law said, as long as Heng'er gets married, it can be easily resolved. Without you asking, I will definitely go all over the city to find a good girl for Heng'er and relieve my sister-in-law's worries."
"Ying'er is my niece, and Heng'er is my nephew. They are both my flesh and blood, and I love them both. Marriage is about the harmony between the two families. I don't want my two children to be married for ulterior motives and end up hating each other."
Rong paused, then reiterated her stance: "Ying'er's mother died young, and her father was easily influenced. But she still has the Rong family, and me. My father has already made connections with her friends in the capital when she comes to visit. The reason we haven't met yet is because we don't want to disturb Heng'er's peaceful study time. Besides, she won't be coming of age until the summer, so there's plenty of time left. There's no need to rush."
Cheng was filled with shame and regret after hearing Rong's words: "Ruolan, I didn't mean that. Sigh..."
"I'm really blind. Ying'er is such a good girl right in front of me, but I don't know how to cherish her. After all the trouble, it's no wonder you're heartbroken. These days, I've also seen clearly that Ying'er has a good temper, good talent, and everything else is good. I didn't ask to marry Ying'er just to prove Heng'er's innocence. It's also because Ying'er is really good. If, if Heng'er still can't get the end of the matter after getting married, I will never vent my anger on Ying'er."
Cheng really wanted to slap herself in the face. Her words became more and more unreasonable, and the thread became more and more tangled.
When everything was in a state of panic, Du Heng unexpectedly entered the old lady's living room without anyone notifying him.
He looked solemn as he walked to his grandmother, knelt on both knees, and said, "I am an unfilial grandson and have caused you to worry." Then he kowtowed solemnly.
Then he turned to his mother and second aunt.
Seeing this, Cheng and Rong both stepped forward to help him, but he insisted on kowtow to them before getting up.
He said, "Mother, my grandmother asked the old princess to be my guarantor, but the Inspectorate still put me on a deferred exam list. This shows that this matter is not resolved by whether or not the marriage takes place. I know you are worried, but this matter involves the political situation, and the outcome is difficult to force."
Then, Du Heng turned to Rong and said, "Second Aunt, Mother said many things she shouldn't have said in a moment of anxiety. Please don't take it personally."
After he finished speaking, Du Heng took a few steps back and bowed deeply to the elders, saying, "Marriage is a serious matter, not a temporary measure for self-preservation."
"I am now in the mud. Even if I have someone I love, I cannot drag them into the swamp at this moment."
Having said this, he paused, his eyes calm, but his tone was a little more resolute than before: "After the Spring Examination, when things are calm, I will ask mother to help me find someone I like. I also ask Second Aunt to take care of everything. Your nephew will be very grateful."
Du Heng did not mention Su Ying's name in any sentence, but every word he said was about his concern for her.
He liked Ying'er and wanted to marry her, but he would never ask for her hastily just to get out of trouble during this turbulent time.
She was more important than his reputation. He wanted to go through the three letters and six ceremonies, marry her in a formal way, and welcome her into his family in a dignified manner.
…
One of the reasons why Du Heng was included in the list of deferred exams was that Yuan Zhixu had decided not to lend a helping hand to Xu Chongnian and thus to put an end to him.
"Master, have you really made up your mind? Xu Chongnian has been following you since the beginning of the Inspectorate."
When Mrs. Yuan learned that her husband had decided to cut off Xu Chongnian's arm, she was still shocked and confused, and she wanted her husband to be cautious.
Yuan Zhixu snorted coldly and said, "It's because he followed me for so many years, but now he has set up his own business behind my back that makes me feel cold."
Mrs. Yuan was startled and asked, "Have you found out everything?"
Thinking of the intelligence he'd gathered from the earlier investigation at the Inspectorate, he felt his forehead swelling. Just as he was about to raise his hand, his wife had already circled behind him and gently massaged his temples. Her pressure was moderate, and her tone was a bit gentler: "Don't be angry. You've been worried about me a lot these past few days."
Yuan Zhixu finally let out a breath, his voice lowered. "This Xu Chongnian thought he had made a good move. He wanted to have the best of both worlds while also wanting to remain independent of the Lu and Pei factions. So, he set his sights on the family of his former subordinate, Minister Du, who had been dead for three years."
"Minister Du?"
Even though Mrs. Yuan was more familiar with the court than the wives of other officials, she knew little about officials below the second rank and was confused for a moment.
"It's no wonder Madam didn't know. When Minister Du was alive, he kept a low profile and kept to himself. His eldest son, Du Heng, was an outstanding young man. If Minister Du hadn't passed away so early, perhaps this child would have already won the top three prizes!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Yuan became interested and asked, "Is this Du Heng better than our Song'er?"
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