Chapter 3, Chapter 003: "Is Fu'er willing?"
After greeting her sisters, Luo Fu left the shade of the trees and walked along the stream bank towards the stone bridge. Her gaze naturally fell on the bridge and the group of people leading their horses across it.
Huangqiao Village gets its name from this old stone bridge, which has stood for countless years. The stones that make up the bridge gleam with a dull amber yellow under the warm autumn sun, and a crystal-clear stream meanders down from beneath it. This is the scene Luo Fu has witnessed for over a decade, but today, with a handsome and refined young man on the bridge, this ordinary little bridge and flowing water has gained a touch of tranquility and elegance.
Of course, Luo Fu wasn't foolish enough to stare at the young man; she just glanced at him casually a couple of times and that was it.
The stone bridge was not long. After Xiao Rong and his son crossed the bridge, Luo Fu also came to stand in front of them.
Xiao Rong's willingness to break the contract back then stemmed from a deep-seated vanity. Although he suggested that his third son fulfill the marriage agreement between the two families for the sake of his eldest son, he actually felt sorry for his third son. His third son may not be pleasing to the eye, but his appearance and talent are outstanding among the younger generation in the capital. How wrong it would be for a nobleman's son to be forced to marry a village girl.
The guard praised the Luo family girl's beauty in the letter, but Xiao Rong didn't take it seriously at all. He only said it as written in the letter to coax his third son to agree. It wasn't until he saw the girl with his own eyes that Xiao Rong's resentment for his son dissipated. Since ancient times, heroes and talented men should be matched with beauties. There is nothing wrong with his third son marrying her!
“My dear niece, my name is Xiao Rong. You may call me Uncle.” Xiao Rong introduced himself first.
He was tall and strong, and Luo Fu had to look up to see his face clearly. Seeing the loving look in her elder's eyes, she smiled and obediently called him Uncle.
Xiao Rong nodded, then pointed to his son beside him and said, "This is my son Xiao Yu, the third in the family. If you don't mind, you can call him Third Brother."
Such an intimate address made Luo Fu's first thought that this person's relationship with her father must be extraordinary. Xiao Yu, however, understood that her father was taking advantage of Miss Luo's lack of understanding of their past relationship and wanted to get closer to her in advance.
Meeting the young girl's uncertain gaze, Xiao Yu cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, young lady. We are meeting for the first time today, and I dare not presume to claim the title of elder brother. My father is known for his bluntness, and I hope you will forgive him."
Luo Fu couldn't bring herself to call him "Third Brother," but the young master was so polite and refined, and she, who only knew her neighbors, wasn't used to it. She replied softly, "Third Young Master, you flatter me."
The unfamiliar man and woman, one polite and the other reserved, didn't even exchange a long eye contact. Seeing this, Xiao Rong quickly took over the conversation.
As they walked and talked, Luo Fu walked beside her elders, separated from the third young master by his father and two fine horses.
Xiao Rong was very talkative and kept asking about his old friend's situation over the past twenty years. Luo Fu answered almost every question, since her father didn't have any secrets anyway.
Not long after entering the village, Luo Fu saw her father sitting among several elderly men playing chess. Everyone, whether playing or watching, was very focused and no one noticed that a guest from afar had arrived in the village.
Luo Fu called out crisply, "Dad."
Luo Dayuan immediately raised his head from the group of old men. The first thing he saw was his daughter, followed by the large carriage behind her, and finally the burly man standing beside her.
Luo Dayuan froze, staring blankly at the face that seemed familiar.
He had to search his memory to find that Xiao Rong had come specifically for him. Upon seeing him, Xiao Rong immediately dropped the reins, took a few quick steps forward, and said in a choked voice, "Da Yuan, it's me, Xiao Rong!"
Xiao Rong?
Luo Dayuan jumped to his feet, limped out of the crowd, stopped and stared at Xiao Rong for a moment before finally confirming his identity. Luo Dayuan burst into tears and limped towards Xiao Rong, crying out, "It's Brother Xiao! My Brother Xiao!"
If Xiao Rong's earlier choking and excitement were feigned, seeing Luo Dayuan's tear-streaked, limping figure as he rushed towards him, and hearing his wailing "Brother Xiao," Xiao Rong's eyes genuinely reddened and tears streamed down his face. Even though he had abandoned his poor friend after achieving success, more than twenty years ago, when he was just a lowly soldier, the camaraderie, shared meals and sleeps, and life-and-death experiences he shared with Luo Dayuan were real. Their brotherhood was genuine, only buried by the long separation they had endured.
"Brother Xiao!"
"Dayuan!"
Two brothers who had been on the battlefield for over twenty years embraced each other tightly.
His time in officialdom had made Xiao Rong much more reserved than when he was young, but Luo Dayuan was still as passionate and unrestrained as ever. As soon as he hugged Xiao Rong, he burst into tears and began to pour out his heart: "It's so good, Brother Xiao, you're still alive! I haven't heard from you for so many years, I thought you... Waaah!"
Xiao Rong: "..."
Xiao Yu, who handed his mount to the guard who was leading it, was speechless.
Fortunately, both father and son could tell that Luo Dayuan was speaking from the heart and was not deliberately being sarcastic.
Luo Dayuan truly believed this. He was born in Guangling, Yangzhou, while Xiao Rong was born at the foot of the Great Wall in northern Hebei. These two people from opposite ends of the country became acquainted through Emperor Yongcheng's campaign against the Wu Kingdom. When Luo Dayuan was wounded and about to leave the battlefield, Xiao Rong promised to write to him frequently and said that he would visit him when the war subsided.
For the first three months after returning home, Luo Dayuan did receive a letter from Xiao Rong every month, along with silver from Xiao Rong. One letter was five qian, the next two liang. The last time, Xiao Rong made a military contribution and gave him ten liang of silver plus a gold bracelet. But after that, he never received any more, and the two completely lost contact.
Soldiers can make a fortune and gain merit on the battlefield, but they can also lose their lives on the battlefield. Luo Dayuan wondered countless times whether his brother Xiao had died in battle or was wounded and returned home, unable to help him due to his family's financial situation, and simply stopped contacting him.
Luo Dayuan knew where Xiao Rong lived. He had written letters, but each one had disappeared without a trace. He wanted to go and see for himself, but firstly, his lame leg made it difficult for him to walk; secondly, he had young children at home and couldn't leave; and thirdly, the journey was too long and he might encounter bandits on the way...
"Brother Xiao, I've written you over a dozen letters, haven't you received any of them?"
After crying his fill, Luo Dayuan wiped his face with his sleeve, his eyes swollen, and looked at Xiao Rong, asking a question.
After Xiao Rong settled in the capital, he received several letters forwarded to him from his hometown. However, by then he was already a marquis and was afraid that Luo Dayuan would insist on the marriage between their children if he replied. So Xiao Rong simply pretended not to receive them. When his eldest son reached marriageable age, Luo Dayuan stopped writing, and Xiao Rong breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's a long story, let's go home and reminisce."
"Yes, yes, you must be tired after coming all this way. Come home with me and sit down!"
.
The Luo family mansion was cleaner and tidier than Xiao Rong had imagined. However, he couldn't care less about his fussy third brother at this moment, because Luo Dayuan had asked his wife, Wang Qiuyue, who had rushed home upon hearing the news, to entertain Xiao Yu in the main room. He couldn't wait to pull Xiao Rong to the backyard to catch up. Actually, catching up in the main room was fine, but Xiao Rong wanted to find a place where the two brothers could talk alone.
There was no reason for Luo Fu to linger with the young male guest. After Xiao Rong and his companion left, she returned to her boudoir. Though she couldn't see, her mind drifted to the backyard, wondering what kind of past relationship her father and Xiao Rong had.
In the backyard, Xiao Rong and Luo Dayuan sat on chairs and talked intimately. Xiao Rong began to recount how he had risen from a centurion to a marquis after their separation on the battlefield.
"In the Battle of Chaoshan, the Emperor fell into an ambush set by Wu's generals. Outnumbered, he had no choice but to break out to survive. After several defeats, the Emperor's 20,000 elite troops were reduced to only 3,000. They were all flesh and blood, and it seemed like a dead end. Some soldiers started to riot and wanted to surrender, which angered the Emperor. Several times he wanted to raise his sword to cut off the heads of the rioting soldiers, but he restrained himself."
"Think about it, we already have few soldiers. If we kill our own people, wouldn't that save the enemy a lot of trouble?"
"Finally, in front of all the soldiers, the Emperor promised that he would not stop those who wanted to surrender and that they could leave at any time. Those who stayed to help him break through the siege would be ennobled if alive, and those who died would be given a hundred gold pieces to support their families. After saying this, the Emperor tore down a military flag and had the soldiers who were willing to be loyal to him put their waist tokens inside. After collecting them all, he would bury the bundle in the mountains and fulfill his promise according to the waist tokens when he returned with his army."
Luo Dayuan felt as if he were there, his chest heaving with a heavy feeling that made it hard to breathe: "How many people finally managed to break through?"
Xiao Rong closed his eyes, two hot tears streaming down his face: "Besides the Emperor, there were only me and two generals. The Emperor and the generals were truly amazing. I was just lucky and shouldn't have died there. Later, the two generals made countless military achievements and were enfeoffed as dukes based on their abilities. My military strategy and martial arts were average. I only got the title of Marquis of Loyalty and Resilience because of my luck and the Emperor's promise to encourage the soldiers."
In the eyes of the common people of the capital, Xiao Rong was a high-ranking marquis, but in the eyes of the real noble families, his marquisate was undeserved.
Thinking of the ostracism and grievances he suffered after being ennobled, Xiao Rong wept bitterly in front of his old friends.
Luo Dayuan was heartbroken and gave him another hug to comfort him.
Xiao Rong felt ashamed and, with his head down, clearly explained his despicable acts of breaking off old friendships and breaching promises because he was greedy for wealth and opportunistic. He made no attempt to conceal his true intentions.
Luo Dayuan didn't take it to heart at all, and chuckled, "We just said it casually back then, and I forgot about it after I came back from the battlefield. When Lan'er grew up, your fate was unknown. Although I remembered, I was afraid that Qiuyue would blame me for making a reckless promise and delaying my daughter, so I didn't dare to mention it to her. Really, you don't need to feel sorry for me. Let me tell you, Lan'er married very well. My son-in-law is a scholar who passed the imperial examination and is about to go to the capital to prepare for next year's spring imperial examination."
The eldest son-in-law is too good. Even if we go back a few years and Xiao Rong brought his eldest son to propose marriage, Luo Dayuan would still prefer Pei Xingshu and would rather not have the noble relatives in the capital.
Xiao Rong guessed that his old friend would say this, and felt even more ashamed. He then mentioned his eldest son's leg injury: "...You were injured in the same place. I'm afraid you don't hold a grudge against me, but Buddha still remembers my sin of breaking the promise and wants me to suffer the consequences. I came here this time to seek redemption from you, so that I can ask Buddha for a favor on behalf of my eldest son and ask him to forgive him."
Luo Dayuan, who knew neither medicine nor Buddhism, was troubled; he couldn't help.
Xiao Rong, taking advantage of his kind heart, said with a sincere face, "Even Buddha has punished us, which means we are destined to be in-laws. Fu'er is not yet engaged, is she? My third son is still single. If you like him, how about we match him with Fu'er?"
Luo Dayuan subconsciously looked towards the main room.
Xiao Rong then praised his third son: "Don't underestimate me just because I'm a warrior. My third son is a scholar. He became the top scholar in the provincial examination at the age of nineteen. He failed the imperial examination at the age of twenty because he ate something wrong and got an upset stomach. In the past two years, I've sent him to Songshan Academy to receive guidance from famous teachers. Next year, he will definitely pass the imperial examination with flying colors, just like in the calligraphy exam. When that happens, you'll have two sons-in-law who have passed the imperial examination. How glorious that will be!"
The pancake smelled delicious, and Luo Dayuan couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
When he woke up from his sweet dream, Xiao Rong asked enthusiastically, "So it's settled then?"
Luo Dayuan: "...I am willing, but it's not up to me in my family. Qiuyue and Fu'er both have to agree."
Especially his daughter, who has high standards. She has been asked to marry several men who passed the imperial examinations, but all of them fell through for one reason or another.
Xiao Rong said confidently, "Alright, then you can discuss it with your sister-in-law Fu'er after dinner. My son and I sincerely want to propose marriage, and we're just waiting for your approval."
Main room.
Because of her eldest son-in-law Pei Xingshu, Wang Qiuyue was not so awkward in front of a scholar like Xiao Yu. She looked at the young man's handsome face with interest and asked him about his family, including how old he was and what academic titles he had achieved.
Xiao Yu answered each question in turn. When the maid brought him tea, he nodded his thanks and his movements as he served and sipped the tea were elegant and graceful.
Wang Qiuyue stared intently until Xiao Yu put down his teacup and looked up. Only then did Wang Qiuyue awkwardly look away and, as if possessed, ask, "Twenty-two, are you already married?"
Hsiao Yu: "I've been studying for the past two years, and my parents haven't made any arrangements yet."
Wang Qiuyue was inexplicably satisfied. Wasn't this exactly the ideal husband her youngest daughter had been longing for?
.
Another sumptuous lunch was served, but Luo Fu did not come out to entertain the guests. It was not until after the meal, when Xiao Rong and his son were about to return to the county town, that her mother called her out to see the guests off.
Unaware of her parents' plans, Luo Fu was quite open and easygoing. As soon as the carriage drove away, she went inside with her parents and brothers.
After holding it in for so long, Luo Dayuan finally couldn't contain himself any longer. He called his wife and children into the main room, closed the door, and recounted Xiao Rong's words like beans spilling from a well.
Wang Qiuyue was both happy that she could finally have the handsome Xiao Yu as her son-in-law, and worried about the Xiao family's family values: "Lord Xiao is so snobbish. He only came to us because of his eldest son's injury. What if this plan doesn't work and his son is still crippled? Will he blame Fu'er? Or what if the plan works and his son is fine, but his whole family looks down on Fu'er because of her humble background and belittles her?"
The honest and simple-minded Luo Dayuan also had a temper. He snorted and said, "If he dares to do this, I'll go to the capital and make a scene, so the whole capital will know what kind of person he is!"
After making those harsh words, Luo Dayuan thought for a moment and spoke up for his old friend, saying, "But I don't think he's the type to kick you when you've served your purpose."
Xiao Rong really looked down on him. He wouldn't open his heart to him, and a snob who was willing to bow down for his eldest son couldn't be too bad at heart.
"As for his family background, he comes from a peasant family, and his wife is also a village girl. If he dislikes Fu'er, it would be the same as disliking himself. He probably wouldn't."
Wang Qiuyue: "Xiao Yu's two sisters-in-law are both from high-ranking families..."
Luo Fu, who had been listening silently, suddenly said, "So what if they are from high-ranking families? As long as I am in the right, I am not afraid of them. Not to mention them, even the Marquis, just because of his breach of contract, I can control him for the rest of my life."
The little girl was acting all high and mighty. Wang Qiuyue understood and smiled, "Fu'er is willing?"
Luo Fu glared at her mother. "Is that even a question?"
A handsome and refined young master from a noble family, a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, possessed all the qualities of talent, virtue, wealth, and good looks. It was as if the moon had appeared out of nowhere, sending her whatever she wanted.
Anyway, Luo Fu was very satisfied with Xiao Yu. As for the trivial matters that she might face after marriage, she knew that would happen no matter who she married. She was not afraid of anything as long as she could stand on her own two feet.
Since both father and daughter agreed to the marriage, Wang Qiuyue, who was already satisfied with Xiao Yu, readily made the decision and instructed her son, "Before your eldest sister and the others have left, you should hurry into the city. Your brother-in-law knows the most, so ask him to help us make a decision."
Luo Song: "...Why don't you ask for my opinion on my sister's marriage?"
Wang Qiuyue raised an eyebrow: "You disagree?"
Luo Song: "...Fine, I'll listen to you."
A note from the author:
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Here they are! 100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow!
P.S.: Xiao San failed the exam last time for a different reason, don't believe the Marquis's lies. [Cat emoji][Cat emoji][Cat emoji]
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