Chapter 99 Proposal
Jiang Ru and Pei Wu just started dating a few days ago; who gets married so soon after starting a relationship?
Although Jiang Ru was willing, she felt a little uneasy about it happening so quickly, and more than anything, she was apprehensive about the unknown. Jiang Ru looked at Song Pingzhang and asked in a gentle tone, "Lord Song, is this your intention?"
Pei Wu had not mentioned this matter to her before, and if it was Pei Wu's idea, he would definitely have discussed it with her first, so it must have been Song Pingzhang who made the decision on his own.
Before Song Pingzhang could answer, the matchmaker denied it, saying, "I was invited by Lord Pei. If Miss Jiang agrees, I will go back and discuss it with Lord Pei, and I will come to propose marriage soon."
Jiang Ru was stunned by these words and still didn't quite believe it. She looked at Song Pingzhang suspiciously: "Really?"
Song Pingzhang nodded to her.
It turned out that Pei Wu had indeed hired a matchmaker. Jiang Ru sat there, seemingly stunned by the news and unsure how to react. Her only thought at that moment was to grab Pei Wu and ask him what he meant.
While she was still in a daze, Song Pingzhang explained, "Your cousin mentioned to me before that he would send someone to propose marriage to you after he arrived in Tanzhou. As an elder, I should be there."
Jiang Ru had no idea why Song Pingzhang had come to Tanzhou with them before; it turns out it was because of this.
Back in Tangzhou, before they were even dating, Pei Wu had already decided to marry her.
A man like Pei Wu, once he sets his mind on someone, will be with her for life. Even before and after marriage, he will treat Jiang Ru the same way, so whether they get married or not makes no difference.
Jiang Ru felt that getting married now was too sudden. She felt that she was still dating Pei Wu, and according to her thinking, she should date for a while first, and then get married to Pei Wu when things were in the right place.
But if you say she doesn't want to, of course she does. Marrying the person you love is something everyone wants.
Seeing that she remained silent, Song Pingzhang urged, "What's wrong? You don't want to?"
Jiang Ru was willing, but the eyes of the three people at the table were all on her, which made Jiang Ru a little scared. Pei Wu was not present for such an important life event, and she did not even have anyone to rely on.
If Pei Wu were here, she would definitely feel much more at ease. Jiang Ru couldn't help but pick at her fingers and asked, "Where is Pei Wu?"
The young woman was perhaps too nervous, for she even forgot the proper procedures. The matchmaker, ever outspoken, said, "Young lady, the groom cannot be present when the marriage is being arranged."
With Pei Wu absent, she was truly left to make her own decision. Several people at the table were waiting for her, and seeing her hesitation, Song Pingzhang comforted her: "Don't be afraid. Your cousin told me that you should follow your own heart. If you don't want to marry him, just pretend this never happened."
Everyone knew that Jiang Ru would never refuse, but her current reaction made them all wonder if she really was unwilling.
Jiang Ru's thoughts were in complete disarray. She had previously said she wanted Pei Wu to take the initiative, but not in this way. He suddenly caught her off guard and said he wanted to marry her, which made her heart pound in her chest.
Jiang Ru felt a little resentful towards him, but this was something she should make herself, and she couldn't blame Pei Wu. Under the expectant gazes of the others, Jiang Ru lowered her head and whispered, "I'm willing."
To say she was unwilling would be to offend Pei Wu. Although marriage was too fast for Jiang Ru, she herself was willing to marry Pei Wu.
Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
This process, known as betrothal, is the first step in weddings in the Great Xia Dynasty.
Only after hiring a matchmaker and obtaining Jiang Ru's consent can the next steps proceed.
Jiang Ru agreed, and the matchmaker smiled and turned to Song Pingzhang: "Since that's the case, then next, young lady, you should write me a draft. The draft should include your birth date, place of origin, and the names and official titles of your relatives up to three generations above you. There can be no mistakes or omissions."
Why do I have to write this? Jiang Ru looked at Song Pingzhang in confusion. If she had to write about relatives, Jiang Ru really had no relatives to write about, especially her annoying uncles and aunts. Jiang Ru didn't want to be associated with them.
These are all minor matters, which Song Pingzhang can handle himself. He waved to Jiang Ru, "You can go back first. I'll discuss the rest with the matchmaker."
Jiang Ru responded woodenly, her limbs stiff as she stood up. Supported by Song Shu, she left the main hall. Jiang Ru's hands and legs trembled; she seemed completely unaware of what was happening, staring blankly at Song Shu: "I'm getting married."
Song Shu was also a little confused about what had happened, and hummed in response: "Your cousin..."
Song Shu thought that Pei Wu, being such a blockhead, wouldn't have thought of this, but no one expected that he not only thought of it, but also arranged everything in advance.
The matchmaker arrived on the third day after they started dating.
He probably planned this all along, and the moment Jiang Ru forgave him, he could arrange for a matchmaker to come to his door. It's strange, considering he's only been in Tanzhou for a few days, and he's already found a matchmaker.
This seemingly clumsy man handled this matter flawlessly. Although marriage requires the approval of elders, Song Pingzhang probably only held the title of elder, and the marriage was likely arranged by Pei Wu.
However, this is a good thing. If it were Song Shu herself, she would be very happy. Moreover, Pei Wu and Jiang Ru are familiar enough that it doesn't matter to them whether they get married sooner or later. Pei Wu's current actions also show that he has plans for their future and is a reliable husband.
However, Jiang Ru is a modern person after all. In her worldview, one should fall in love before getting married. It's too fast for her to enter the hall of marriage after only two days of dating.
She did want to marry Pei Wu, but as the process actually began, she started to panic. Jiang Ru gripped Song Shu's hand tightly, her eyes filled with anxiety: "What should I do? What should I do?"
Song Shu asked in confusion, "What do you mean, 'what to do'? You just need to listen to my great-grandfather and your cousin. What's so difficult about that?"
It's just marriage. Even if she doesn't understand now, Pei Wu will hire someone to teach Jiang Ru. Song Shu patted her hand: "Don't be afraid, I'll be there too."
Jiang Ru, disoriented, was helped back to her room. She lay on the small couch, her thoughts in disarray. Perhaps it was because Pei Wu was not there that she panicked and acted recklessly when faced with such unknown situations.
After lying down for a while, Jiang Ru still couldn't calm down. She simply sat up from the couch, no longer as flustered as before, and calmly told Song Shu, "I've made up my mind. I'm going to find Pei Wu."
Pei Wu's workplace was very close by, so Jiang Ru went there alone without anyone else.
When Jiang Ru arrived at the government office, she was stopped.
None of the constables recognized Jiang Ru, so Jiang Ru could only reach into her pocket and take out Pei Wu's fish-shaped tally. She earnestly told the constables, "I am his cousin... aunt."
Fortunately, she realized her mistake and changed her story, thus avoiding giving herself away.
The constable looked at the young woman in front of him with suspicion. If they were to judge by age, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this young woman was the sister of their prefect, but... he had indeed heard from his superiors that their prefect had a cousin.
With a serious attitude towards his work, he went inside to ask for instructions, and soon, Pei Wu actually came out to greet Jiang Ru himself.
The constable kept his eyes fixed on the prefect, who was dressed in a purple official robe, and breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, he hadn't stopped the prefect's cousin from entering the house.
Upon seeing Pei Wu, Jiang Ru's long-suppressed anxiety finally subsided. She glared at him angrily, venting her panic: "Pei Wu, what exactly do you mean? Why did you send a matchmaker without even a word? Do you know how flustered I was!"
Pei Wu patiently waited for her to finish her rant before saying, "Let's go inside and talk."
After venting her anger, Jiang Ru noticed that several constables outside the door were watching her with barely perceptible glances. She forced back what she wanted to say and went inside with Pei Wu.
Pei Wu's desk was piled high with documents, books, and files, almost taller than Jiang Ru. In her impulsiveness, she had rushed over to find Pei Wu, forgetting that he was still at work and had many things to do.
Jiang Ru's arrival was quite inopportune. She found a small corner to sit down and decided to postpone the matter for a while. She leaned on the low table and whispered, "You do what you need to do first. I'll wait for you here. We'll talk about it when we get home."
He thought she was coming to interrogate him, but she treated him so lightly. Pei Wu was very considerate: "You can say whatever you want, I'll listen."
Jiang Ru shook her head, determined not to disturb him, and sat directly opposite Pei Wu, a little shorter than him, waiting for Pei Wu with a bored expression.
Pei Wu naturally knew what had happened today and what Jiang Ru wanted to see him for. He expected Jiang Ru to agree, but he wasn't sure about her attitude towards the matter, especially since she came directly to his door. Pei Wu started to overthink again.
Unsure whether Jiang Ru came to see him because she was angry, Pei Wu took a moment while handling official business to tell Jiang Ru, "You can say that you won't bother me."
Multitasking isn't difficult for Pei Wu; if he can't understand Jiang Ru's intentions, he can't concentrate on his work.
However, Jiang Ru glanced at the mountain of documents on his desk and shook her head: "I'll wait for you."
Before Pei Wu could say anything more, Jiang Ru had already found a place to settle down and settled into a comfortable position.
Inside the room were some strange tales and miscellaneous books from Tanzhou. Jiang Ru picked one up and absentmindedly flipped through it.
Pei Wu was also in a state of confusion, but Jiang Ru ignored him, so he could only calm down and continue working on the documents on his desk.
These documents were all submitted by various townships and counties. Tanzhou was a remote place, and the people were not well-off. Once he stepped into this land, Pei Wu found that there was a lot he could do.
The description in the document was not detailed enough. Pei Wu would need to understand it first and then conduct an on-site investigation.
During this time, Pei Wu's subordinates would occasionally come in to report that Jiang Ru's words outside the government office had already spread to a small circle. Pei Wu's colleagues were naturally eager to hear the gossip. Some ostensibly reported, but in reality, they would always secretly glance at Jiang Ru, trying to figure out the little secret between the two of them.
Jiang Ru, on the other hand, ignored all the stares. The book she was holding completely covered her face, so no one could see her face clearly.
Finally, everyone lost interest and, since it was almost time to leave, they stopped bothering them. Only the two of them remained in the room, their breathing lightly mingling with the occasional quiet rustling of pages. Before they knew it, time had passed.
By Shenshi (3-5 PM), most of the officials in the government office had left. Pei Wu, being a newcomer, was burdened with too many and chaotic official duties, so he was delayed for an extra half hour.
At this moment, apart from the regular gatekeepers, the huge government office was almost entirely occupied by just the two of them.
Pei Wu tidied the table and looked up at Jiang Ru: "We can go now."
Hearing his words, Jiang Ru sat up abruptly. She looked up at the sky outside and said, "It's time to get off work."
It was still very early, and the sun was shining over most of the government office. Pei Wu worked overtime every day in Bianjing, but he was getting off work so early in Tanzhou.
Pei Wu nodded: "Yes."
Jiang Ru had no idea that the normal working hours for officials in Bianjing were Shenshi (3-5 PM), but Pei Wu often didn't return until evening because Song Pingzhang had given him too many tasks.
Pei Wu stood up and walked towards Jiang Ru, looking down at her. He clearly had so many questions in his mind, but what he said was, "We can go home now."
After waiting for so long, the resentment that had been brewing in Jiang Ru's heart had mostly dissipated. She had already agreed, so what trouble could she possibly cause Pei Wu?
But this matter couldn't be left unresolved so easily. Jiang Ru couldn't let it go so easily. She looked up at Pei Wu and glared at him: "Don't you have anything to explain?"
Pei Wu didn't think he had done anything wrong. His gaze fell on Jiang Ru's puffed-up face, and he wondered if Jiang Ru didn't want to marry him, which was why she had come looking for him.
Pei Wu felt disappointed; his heart was heavy as he couldn't understand why Jiang Ru was unwilling.
If Jiang Ru disagrees with him this time, will she agree in the future? Will they just continue like this, in this ambiguous situation?
Or perhaps Jiang Ru simply doesn't understand that they are no longer just cousins; they've kissed and hugged, so how can they not get married?
Who does Jiang Ru want to marry this time, and why is she unwilling to marry Pei Wu? Is there anything wrong with him?
Pei Wu felt extremely bitter, but he still had to consider Jiang Ru's feelings and said, "I'm sorry, I was too presumptuous. Just pretend this never happened, and I will tell the matchmaker not to tell anyone about it."
Jiang Ru imagined that Pei Wu might explain, "I'm sorry, I like you too much" or "I just really want to marry you," but reality was different. As soon as Pei Wu heard that she was angry, he assumed that she had already rejected him.
Jiang Ru stared at him, almost laughing in anger: "I called you an idiot, and you really are an idiot!"
She beckoned to Pei Wu with her finger. Pei Wu was in great pain, but he still bent over. Jiang Ru reached out and grabbed his collar, forcibly pulling him down to her front.
The two were almost touching. At such close range, Pei Wu stared intently at Jiang Ru's face, trying to see through her thoughts, but he couldn't.
Jiang Ru said angrily, "It's no use apologizing now, I've already agreed!"
It took Pei Wu a long time to process Jiang Ru's words in a way he could understand. He paused for a moment, then asked in surprise, "You agreed?"
“Of course.” Jiang Ru raised her chin so that their noses almost touched, and her breath was on Pei Wu’s face. She raised an eyebrow. “You’ve already proposed, how could I not agree?”
When Jiang Ru came to find Pei Wu, she was full of accusations. She wanted to ask Pei Wu why he didn't come to propose to her himself and why it was so sudden. However, as soon as Pei Wu showed the signs that Jiang Ru would definitely refuse, Jiang Ru would automatically turn into a smug look of wanting to slap Pei Wu in the face.
It's like saying, "You think I'm definitely going to refuse? Well, I won't."
Pei Wu didn't understand why Jiang Ru would come to him to question him after agreeing to the agreement. He hesitated and asked, "Then why did you come to me?"
Jiang Ru tightened her grip on his collar, making Pei Wu's breathing difficult. As his breathing became labored, Jiang Ru said angrily, "Pei Wu! Why didn't you tell me beforehand that you wanted to propose! And why weren't you here today?"
Ultimately, this was what Jiang Ru cared about most. In fact, marriage wasn't a big deal for her and Pei Wu; what angered her was that Pei Wu hadn't prepared anything for her, which made her panic and confused.
Pei Wu frowned slightly: "Marriage is traditionally arranged by parents and matchmakers, and it would be against the rules for me to be involved."
Sometimes Jiang Ru felt that Pei Wu was both old-fashioned and not old-fashioned. If he was old-fashioned, he still dared to kiss Jiang Ru. If he wasn't old-fashioned, he still left the decision of marriage entirely to others.
Jiang Ru glared at him angrily: "What if Lord Song told you to marry someone else, would you listen?"
Pei Wu immediately interrupted, "I will not marry anyone else."
"That's good then," Jiang Ru pinched his cheek. "Marriage is a matter between the two of us. How could you not discuss it with me?"
Upon hearing this, Pei Wu seemed to finally understand, and said to Jiang Ru with a hint of apology, "I was wrong."
"What's the use of saying something wrong now?" Jiang Ru muttered angrily. "Do you know how panicked I was? And you weren't there. I was so scared, and you weren't there."
After hearing her complaints, Pei Wu finally realized he had made a big mistake and quickly said gently, "It's my fault. I only thought about marrying you and ignored your feelings. You were so scared, and I just stood by and did nothing. It's really my fault."
He apologized repeatedly, genuinely feeling remorseful. Even though this was the standard procedure for marriage in this era, he would immediately admit his mistake whenever Jiang Ru said he was wrong.
Jiang Ru finally softened under his repeated apologies, and her grip on Pei Wu's collar loosened a little. Pei Wu's collar was wrinkled from her grip. She felt a little better, but she still felt that the proper procedures should be followed.
Jiang Ru let go of his hand and shrank back a little. Once she was no longer so close to Pei Wu, she awkwardly said, "The custom in our area is that you have to date for a while before getting married. How can you get married after dating for just two days? Not only that, you have to propose to me first, and I will only marry you if I agree."
Pei Wu always believed that they could get married once they were in love, and only after marriage could they do intimate things.
He has gone too far these past two days. He shouldn't have kissed Jiang Ru, let alone hugged her so casually and held her hand. These are things that should only be done after marriage.
Realizing he had overstepped his bounds, he could only marry Jiang Ru as soon as possible, otherwise he would be offending her every day and it would be bad for her.
However, Jiang Ru said that she would have to date for a long time before getting married.
Pei Wu, who thought he had done the right thing, made a mistake again. He could only ask Jiang Ru, "But if we don't get married, I can't kiss you or hug you. That would be lewd behavior."
Jiang Ru was stunned, finally understanding why Pei Wu was so eager to get married, and why Pei Wu hadn't been proactive towards her at all these past two days. She had thought it was because of his personality, but now she realized that in Pei Wu's eyes, these things couldn't be done without marriage.
They've been doing "hooligan" things these past two days. For Pei Wu, who has always followed the rules, his behavior these past two days has really crossed the line, but he still overstepped the bounds.
He wanted to do more with Jiang Ru, to fulfill her wish to "sleep together" with him, so they had to get married, and only after marriage could they do these things.
While Jiang Ru was still in a daze, Pei Wu thought of a solution: "Then let's postpone the marriage for now and talk about it later, okay?"
After learning of Pei Wu's thoughts, Jiang Ru felt both angry and loving towards him. How could she bear to reject Pei Wu, who was so old-fashioned and loved her so much?
Jiang Ru sighed, a rare occurrence for her: "I've already promised you, there's no going back on my word."
Seeing that Pei Wu was still hesitating, Jiang Ru cupped his face and said, "I said I was willing, but that was to outsiders. You didn't ask me yourself, so you have to ask me again."
Jiang Ru's whole explanation was that she felt her marriage partner was Pei Wu, so why did she need a middleman? If anyone should ask, it should be Pei Wu himself.
Pei Wu didn't quite understand what Jiang Ru was saying, but the gist of it was the same as the marriage process, except that there was no middleman, and Pei Wu and Jiang Ru were now face to face.
Pei Wu, who was always a diligent student, followed what Jiang Ru had taught him before and earnestly asked her, "Are you willing to marry me and become my wife?"
His voice was deep, and Jiang Ru felt a shiver run down her spine. Pei Wu was completely different from the thin boy Jiang Ru had seen before. He had grown up, with clear facial features and sharp angles, and he already had a sharp, aggressive look. This face alone was enough to make Jiang Ru's heart flutter.
With that face and that deep voice, Jiang Ru felt her legs go weak and her cheeks suddenly flushed. She looked away, not daring to look at Pei Wu, and whispered, "I'm willing."
As long as it's Pei Wu, Jiang Ru is willing to spend her life with him.
Jiang Ru lowered her head, caught Pei Wu's hand, and took it. With Pei Wu by her side, she was no longer afraid of the unknown. Instinctively, she asked Pei Wu, "What should we do after that? Are we getting married soon? And when should I do something?"
She grabbed Pei Wu's fingers and pinched them haphazardly, her face full of panic. Because she was younger than Pei Wu, she knew much less than him, and in this situation, Pei Wu should have been the one to guide her.
Pei Wu wrapped Jiang Ru in his palm and comforted her, "Don't be afraid, I will arrange everything. You just need to follow along."
Seeing Jiang Ru so anxious and worried, Pei Wu's heart melted. He bent down and gently told Jiang Ru, "Don't be afraid."
Jiang Ru grabbed Pei Wu's hand and buried herself in his chest, her voice muffled in his embrace: "Today I heard the matchmaker say that I need to write my birth date and my ancestors for three generations. Does that mean our relationship will be exposed? Also, aren't I already dead? If my identity is exposed, will the emperor find out?"
“No,” Pei Wu said. “These things are written down and only we can see them; the emperor will not know about them.”
Jiang Ru nodded: "That's good."
They originally came to cause trouble for Pei Wu, but when they got home, the two were all lovey-dovey and whispering sweet nothings in front of everyone, completely disregarding the others.
Song Pingzhang, being an elder, also had to take care of this matter. Seeing that the two had returned, Song Pingzhang instructed Pei Wu: "Jiang Ru's draft is finished. Remember to write a copy for me as well."
Pei Wu agreed and turned to go to the study, with Jiang Ru following behind him.
After grinding the ink, Pei Wu picked up his brush and began to write.
His name, date of birth, basic information, and even his parents' and great-grandparents' generation were written down.
Jiang Ru watched him write, and soon Pei Wu finished writing. The two of them then went over to hand it to Song Pingzhang.
Jiang Ru's copy was written by Song Pingzhang, but the columns for family members had not yet been filled in, and he had to ask Jiang Ru before he could finish writing it.
As Song Pingzhang unfolded the two draft notes, Jiang Ru leaned over to look at them, asking curiously, "Who should we give these to?"
Song Pingzhang said, "First give it to the matchmaker, and then give it to the two families of the man and woman."
Now that both the man and woman are standing here, Jiang Ru muttered, "Isn't that redundant?"
Song Pingzhang immediately looked up and glared at her, scolding, "What are you doing?"
Jiang Ru awkwardly hid behind Pei Wu, clutching his clothes tightly. Pei Wu then called out to Song Pingzhang, "Teacher."
Song Pingzhang then looked away and snorted.
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Author's note: The two of them could be considered an unconventional case of marriage before love.
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