Ye Chaoxi frowned as she listened.
She remembered that she had treated his wounds in the cave that day, and the antidote pills had cleared most of the toxins from the wounds on his legs. How could his legs still be crippled?
Is it one leg that's useless, or both legs, or is the third leg also useless?
If she's the last one, how will she have a baby?
Lost in thought, Ye Chaoxi returned to the Marquis's residence.
The next day, Ye Chaoxi went to pay her respects to Madam Bo as usual. As soon as she reached the door, she heard Ye Muling's voice coming from inside.
"Mother, I don't want to marry Xie Qinglan. Xie Qinglan is already a cripple. Can you bear to let me marry him and suffer?"
Ye Chaoxi stopped in her tracks and listened intently.
Lady Bo scolded, "What are you saying? The Marquis's family is different from ours. They have been meritorious for generations and have a deep foundation in the capital. You will enjoy a life of happiness after you marry into their family. How could you suffer?"
"Although Xie Qinglan is blind, the position of heir apparent still belongs to him, and he will inherit the position of Marquis Yongyi in the future."
"Mother, you don't know yet, do you? Xie Qinglan's legs are crippled too. He can only lie in bed like a dead man now," Ye Muling said disdainfully. "Anyway, I don't want to marry him. I already have someone I want to marry!"
The aunt frowned. "Who is it?"
Ye Muling quickly introduced Meng Wenjin to her aunt, "His name is Meng Wenjin. He is a candidate for the imperial examination this year. He is very talented and ranked in the top ten in this year's provincial examination. He will definitely pass the imperial examination and enter officialdom in the future!"
Lady Bo disagreed, saying, "A poor scholar who isn't even a top scholar in the provincial examinations is still uncertain. Even if he does become a Jinshi, it won't compare to the wealth and honor of the Marquis of Yongyi's mansion!"
Ye Muling shook her mother's arm and said coquettishly, "Mother, you have to believe me. I had a dream the other day. I dreamt about the future. The heir of the Marquis of Yongyi is not a good match. He died early. If I marry him, I will be a widow and will not be welcomed by the people in the Marquis's mansion. Do you think I can live a good life?"
"On the contrary, this Meng Wenjin has a bright future. He will become a third-ranked scholar and eventually become the prime minister. So what if he comes from a poor family? We must take a long-term view."
Ye Chaoxi, standing outside the door, widened her eyes slightly. So Ye Muling also had a precognitive dream?
But Ye Muling's dream was not quite the same as hers.
It's true that Meng Wenjin was chosen by the emperor to be a third-ranked scholar, but in reality, after passing the provincial examination, he became arrogant and began to neglect his studies. He made friends with a group of scoundrels and spent his days frequenting brothels.
He behaved himself for a while during the marriage negotiations, so that neither the Earl of Pingchang nor his wife could see anything wrong with him.
Once she married him, his true nature was revealed, and he was never home.
Meng Wenjin's mother was an unreasonable person who often disliked her and felt that she controlled her son too much.
Later, she forced him to study every day, carrying a knife, and forbade him to step out of the study. She had to deal with her mother-in-law's disapproval and unreasonable demands while disciplining Meng Wenjin. After more than half a year of this, Meng Wenjin finally achieved good results in the provincial examination the following year and was selected as the third-ranked scholar in the palace examination.
Without her pushing him to study, it's hard to say whether Meng Wenjin would have been able to pass the imperial examination.
Ye Chaoxi muttered to himself, while eavesdropping again.
Clearly, Madam Bo didn't believe Ye Muling. "How could a mere dream be taken seriously?"
"Mother, the Lady of the Marquis will be coming to propose marriage in a couple of days. She says she wants to bring good luck to the young master. If she really comes, it means my dream came true! Meng Wenjin will really rise to prominence!"
Ye Muling also listed several betrothal gifts that the Marquis's mansion would send, all of which were unique items that were not easily found on the market. This made the Lady of the Marquis somewhat believe it.
“But… the marriage between the Marquis’s family and the Earl’s family was arranged by the old lady of the Marquis’s family when she was alive. The Marquis’s family is of a higher social standing than ours, so we cannot break off the engagement!”
In Lady Bo's heart, such a large Marquis's mansion would not fall so easily; this marriage alliance with the Marquis's mansion was extremely important!
"But what about my older sister?" Ye Muling said nonchalantly. "Let her marry into the Marquis's mansion!"
"Back then, the old lady arranged for the eldest daughter of the Earl's family and the eldest son of the Marquis's family to marry into the family. My sister is also an eldest daughter, and she is older than me. How could it be my turn to marry into that family?"
"She just came back from the countryside and doesn't know many of the customs. She certainly hasn't had the chance to learn the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Marrying into the Marquis's mansion is already considered a step up for her. If she didn't marry into the Marquis's mansion, how many families in the capital would be willing to marry her?"
Hmph, let Ye Chaoxi experience the loneliness and hardship of being a widow in this lifetime.
Ye Muling's words stirred something within Madam Bo.
Yes! If she could marry into the Marquis's mansion soon, that would be the best thing ever.
If what Ling'er said is true, and Meng Wenjin is indeed a promising person, then it wouldn't be a bad idea for Ling'er to marry him.
“Alright, I’ll discuss it with your father tonight and have someone investigate Meng Wenjin’s character and abilities.”
Upon hearing what his wife said, Ye Muling knew that the matter was half settled.
Ye Chaoxi was just worried about how to get close to Xie Qinglan, and Ye Muling's request for her to marry in her place was exactly what she wanted.
However, Ye Chaoxi was fully aware of Ye Muling's scheming. Ye Muling knew that marrying Xie Qinglan would mean becoming a widow, yet she still wanted Ye Chaoxi to marry in her place; she simply didn't want Ye Chaoxi to have a good life.
Xie Qinglan is blind and her legs are injured. Madam Bo will definitely not have the heart to marry Ye Muling to her, and will only push her out to replace this marriage contract.
She had already mentally prepared herself before coming to the city that the Ye family would not truly accept her, so she wasn't too disappointed at the moment.
Once the two inside had stopped discussing the topic, Ye Chaoxi called out, "Mother, I'm late."
"Chaoxi, come in quickly."
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