Stealing a man?
"A small gift as a token of gratitude from Red Robe Pavilion."
"You're really something, using someone else's gift to present to Buddha." Wen Ruo paused for a moment, then said somewhat embarrassedly while holding the box, "Actually, the princess has already given me a gift."
"What, has the stingy person changed their ways? Were you just secretly criticizing me?" Qi Guanlan wrinkled his nose slightly, his eyes half-closed, and said coldly, "Or were you reminding me that I haven't given you the shop and the golden walnuts yet?"
Wen Ruo shook her head repeatedly, "How could that be? Thank you, young master, this is enough." Forget about the shop; who knows what the princess would think of her if she actually got her hands on it? Pomegranate Mother has told you a million times what the consequences of greed are. The young master is a god of wealth, but also a sword of Damocles hanging over his head.
Qi Guanlan nodded in satisfaction, remaining motionless, seemingly with no intention of leaving. Wen Ruo, having already become familiar with the place, cleared her throat and smiled, "Young Master, tell me, what do you need me to do?"
Xiao Qiang is perceptive. Qi Guanlan took a sip of tea and said reservedly, "I have a friend." As soon as she finished speaking, Wen Ruo couldn't help but burst out laughing. Qi Guanlan glanced at her sideways, pursed her lips, and stretched out her hands, "Please continue."
"He wants to marry the woman he loves, but unfortunately, their social statuses are far apart, and the mistress wants to arrange a marriage between them that is of equal social standing. He doesn't dare to resist. What do you think?" If Yang Cong hadn't knelt down and repeatedly begged him to keep it a secret, he wouldn't have bothered with this. It turns out that all that talk about self-cultivation was just a lie, and he still has the nerve to ask for his help.
It turned out to be about Yu Niang. Wen Ruo secretly glanced at his expression. He didn't look like someone deeply in love and troubled by love at all. He seemed nonchalant, and there was something else she couldn't quite put her finger on. It must have been her imagination. She asked, "Do you really want to marry her?"
Qi Guanlan nodded, "Really."
"Then let's start our own business."
"Is it that serious?" Qi Guanlan frowned. "I'm afraid it won't work."
Wen Ruo poured herself a cup of tea to moisten her mouth, and then said, "If you can't go up, you can only come down. Let's not talk about the kindness of our parents in raising us. We'll earn our own future. Love makes even water taste sweet."
Qi Guanlan glanced at him suspiciously, then became absolutely convinced: "You're being sarcastic! Xiao Qiang, you've gotten quite bold. Are you getting married soon? You're so fearless now."
The young master has grown up. Wen Ruo couldn't help but smile. "How could that be? If you are willing to be together, you should start a small family first and support each other. Parents' hearts are always the softest. Young master, you know this best. At most, they will agree after three or five years. How can you say it's sarcastic? Young master, please don't wrong me."
Feeling that something was amiss, Qi Guanlan didn't dwell on it and apologized directly, "I admit I was wrong." Indeed, just like his princess mother, she softened as soon as he acted cute, and all the whipping he had endured in the past was for nothing. "But is there any way to shorten the time? Three to five years is a bit too long."
Wen Ruo sighed, "Young Master is a member of the royal family. He has seen more people than I have ever known anything. He knows more about these things than I do. Either his parents agree, or his beloved woman has to back down. Is she willing? Is his fiancée willing?"
"I doubt anyone would agree," Qi Guanlan sneered. They've gotten themselves into trouble and now they're begging him for help, hoping he'll step in and mediate? Dream on.
"Everyone says that a man should be responsible. A man with ambition will surely refuse an engagement first and then marry the woman he loves. Young master with little ambition, you can think about it yourself. I'm afraid that if I say too much, I might harm my fiancée."
I've done my duty by asking for him. Who said I was going to solve this for him? This problem isn't worth my time. Qi Guanlan thought for a moment and then asked a question that had been bothering him for a long time, "If you want to see a woman but don't want to marry her, what's going on?"
Wen Ruo frowned at these words. Qi Guanlan caught a glimpse of it, and a thought flashed through his mind so quickly that he didn't have time to savor its meaning before it disappeared. He shook his head and sighed, "Forget it, just pretend you didn't hear it. In the blink of an eye, you're getting married. I suddenly feel a little lonely."
Wen Ruo chuckled: "Don't you still have Yang Cong, and a bunch of good friends?" Mentioning those people, Qi Guanlan's eyes showed disdain. A bunch of idiots. "Why mention them? You're right, rather than marrying someone you don't like, you might as well go to the military camp."
Military camp? Wen Ruo looked at him in confusion, then suddenly asked, "Why isn't Brother Xiao Shun with you, Young Master?"
"He did something wrong, and I want him to reflect on his actions."
Qi Guanlan came and went in a hurry. Wen Ruo walked on the opposite road. She weighed the box in her hand and looked at the golden walnut in her hand. She couldn't tell what she was feeling. She felt that since she helped Young Master Qi break off the engagement, Qi Guanlan trusted her quite a lot and became more and more generous. In the past, she would never have dared to think of such things.
On the way home, I saw an acquaintance again. Winter was approaching, and there were few customers at the scholar's stall. However, in the teahouse, Yu Niang was walking through the hall, quickly tidying up the teacups. Her fingers were red from the cold. Wen Ruo was sitting on a bench near the river. The freshly served hot tea was like a warm stove. She held the bowl in her palm on the rim. "Still not giving up?"
Yu Niang paused, then got busy again. Wen Ruo sighed softly, "Why don't you rich kids just harm each other? Why do you have to provoke the poor? And think about Yang Shen, being outstanding has become a sin."
"What a tragedy!" Wen Ruo thought to herself, pressing down on her hand and whispering, "If you don't hurry, he'll be going to the military camp soon, maybe for more than half a year. Think it over carefully and don't waste your time."
A hint of panic flashed in Yu Niang's eyes. She couldn't help but sit down, too sad to speak. Wen Ruo pushed the bowl over to her, "Take care of yourself. It's time to wake up from this dream."
Yu Niang chuckled, "I heard you're getting married. Congratulations."
Wen Ruo sighed, "He's busy with the young master's wedding, so we'll just have to wait."
He sat with her for a while longer. Wen Ruo was staring blankly at the river, her thoughts a jumble of complex emotions. She was thinking about the many things that had happened recently, and it all felt like a dream, somewhat unreal.
When she saw Xiao Shun again, he was still by Qi Guanlan's side, seeing off people one by one. He had changed from his previous slack and lazy attitude. Qi Guanlan probably couldn't hold out for more than a few days. For the next three days, Yang Shen was so busy that he was never home. She couldn't catch him even once.
To everyone's surprise, as soon as they stepped onto the street, they saw Yang Shen walking ahead, followed by a group of people carrying the betrothal gifts in an orderly manner. The gifts were so generous that they resembled a long dragon, and the procession was clearly heading to the Zhou family.
The marriage between the Zhou and Yang families was arranged, and the betrothal gifts had already been brought into the house. Zhou Xuanyan stood in the corridor, staring at the leading man with such glare that she could practically pierce his back. "Madam Zhou, this is the gift list. Please take a look."
Zhou Xuanyan could no longer hold back. She stormed in, slammed the suitcase shut in a huff, and said, "I don't like these."
Zhou's mother said with a hint of anger, "Stop fooling around."
"Madam, please don't blame Miss. I will help the Second Young Master make preparations again." Yang Shen worked hard without complaint, clearly doing her best for this marriage. Her mother blamed her for her lack of manners, and none of her three sisters spoke up for her. Zhou Xuanyan stomped her feet in anger, but there was nothing she could do.
How can Yang Cong and Zhou Er's marriage be broken up? Zhou Er said that Yang Cong frequently sent people to the Zhou family to look for Xi You, so it was actually her fault.
She hadn't expected that Huaxi You would be like a grapevine, producing so many bad fruits. It was all Qi Guanlan's fault; she still needed to go into the manor to investigate.
Outside the Zhou family mansion, onlookers were filled with envy and jealousy. Wen Ruo joined in the fun and even mentioned herself, showing how well-informed she was in the capital.
Sure enough, people came to her side as well. Aunt Juan was carrying a red envelope and looked radiant. She was accompanied by a little maid and four porters carrying several large boxes of betrothal gifts into the house. Before Wen Ru could greet Aunt Juan, she was pushed into the house by Shi Liu Niang.
Separated by only a wall, before Aunt Juan could even speak, she heard Yang Fei's sarcastic voice, laughing at her for her meager dowry. Not content with that, she picked up the betrothal gift list and said, "Since neither of you can read, how about I read out my elder brother's betrothal gifts for you?"
As Miss Yang read out a string of names, Shiliu Niang became restless, barely daring to move, afraid of being ridiculed. Aunt Juan was stunned; she had promised to come and see her future sister-in-law, so why was she acting so unreasonably? She quickly stepped in to mediate:
"Young Master Yang's devotion is truly rare. Miss Wenruo must accept it with gratitude. He repeatedly instructed that he does not ask for a dowry, but only for Miss Wenruo. It's really..."
"My older brother said that?" Yang Fei interrupted her unhappily. Aunt Juan had been a matchmaker for so many years and was very shrewd. She understood everything at this moment. She whispered in her ear, "Miss Yang, it's not good to spread this around. Don't cause trouble for Young Master Yang."
She took Yang Fei's hand affectionately and said to Shiliu Niang, "She is still young, please bear with her. Miss Yang and Young Master Yang Shen grew up together and have a deep brotherly and sisterly bond. She is just afraid that her brother will not love her anymore after he marries a wife."
"I understand, I understand, don't worry," Shi Liu Niang said, coming back to her senses. She smiled and changed the subject with Aunt Juan. A crowd of onlookers had gathered outside. Aunt Juan instructed someone to put away the betrothal gifts before releasing Yang Fei and saying, "You all sit down. I'll go explain to Wen Ruo. Don't hold a grudge and ruin this perfect match."
She hurriedly went into the house and plopped down on the bed. "Young lady has such a bad temper." Wen Ruo sat on the other side and agreed, "Yang Shen is right. Miss Yang is indeed difficult to deal with. Return the betrothal gifts. I will talk to Yang Shen and have him personally visit Mother next time to make her happy."
Aunt Juan asked in surprise, "Are you so sure? You're not just doing this for your mother's sake, deliberately going along with the situation and breaking off the engagement, are you?"
Wen Ruo patted her shoulder and said in her usual tone, "Yang Shen is quite handsome, it's normal for a young girl to be attracted to him. It's hard to find someone, but good things come to those who wait. You can't have it twice, so Miss Yang probably had no choice but to make a scene."
Aunt Juan was relieved. Wen Ruo smiled and said, "Please ask Aunt Juan to invite Miss Yang San in for a few words."
As soon as Yang Fei stepped in, her delicate eyebrows furrowed, her eyes showing disdain. Her gaze swept around the room before stopping at the doorway. She refused to take another step and said in an annoyed tone, "What do you want to say?"
Wen Ruo sat cross-legged on the bed, her slightly narrowed eyes like a fox's, and she tossed over a tempting bait, saying, "Putting aside the issue of social status, Miss Yang, don't you want to know what Yang Shen's feelings are?"
Yang Fei's almond-shaped eyes closed slightly, as if she couldn't believe it. Wen Ruo continued, "I'm quite curious to know. You two grew up together. What are his feelings for you? I don't want to have a grudge after we get married. I don't want my husband to have another woman in his heart."
There is a fundamental difference between treating each other with respect and being like guests, and sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams.
"You're so domineering. You'd stop him if he took a concubine?"
“Why not! He’s not the emperor, and His Majesty only has one concubine. If His Majesty can be above one person, why can’t he?”
"You don't dare?" Wen Ruo frowned, a faint chill creeping into her eyes. "If that's the case, why have you made things difficult for me time and time again? Or do you treat relationships like a game, determined to disrupt his life and then abandon him to marry someone from a wealthy family?"
Yang Fei's mind went blank for a moment, and she shook her head involuntarily, "I didn't!"
"Just like your second brother, the daughter of an imperial censor is high and mighty, thinking that I am easy to bully because I come from a humble family, and wanting to vent your anger? Miss Yang also knows that I am not really that easy to bully."
Yang Fei bit her lower lip and gave her a reproachful look, but she was unwilling and helpless. She couldn't afford to offend Qi Guanlan.
"Either give it a try, or give up obediently?"
Emerging from the back gate of the Yang residence, one finds a long and wide alleyway adjacent to the main street. Before Wen Ruo even reached the gate, she saw a figure in the distance, its shadow stretched long in the sunlight. The people of the Yang residence were about to close the gate. She squinted and saw that the person closing the gate was none other than Yang Shen.
Just as she was about to knock on the door, she heard someone inside say, "Did you chase them away? Put a few guards at the back door too, and don't let these shady characters get close."
The sound of their footsteps gradually faded away. Wen Ruo waited for a while, and then the door suddenly opened, revealing a familiar face. Upon seeing her, the face immediately opened the door and said, "Come in quickly."
Wen Ruo was ostensibly there to test Yang Shen. She changed into a dress similar to Xiao Tao's, put on makeup that didn't quite resemble her own, and followed Yang Fei to Yang Cong's courtyard.
There was no other reason than that Miss Zhou was trying every means to delay. Yang Cong didn't have a mistress outside, but it was still unknown what was going on inside.
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