Madam Su hesitated, glancing at the Duke and his eldest son. "Duke, arranging a marriage for Miss Wenxia isn't difficult. Our Bai-ge'er is still young, so there's no rush..."
Yun Yue nodded in agreement, "What you say is very true, Madam. It's just arranging a marriage for her; it doesn't necessarily have to be with someone from the Yun family."
Shi Wenxia became anxious, "Uncle, my cousin escorted me back here, and we've already... had physical intimacy. I can't marry anyone else."
Yun Tian's face darkened upon hearing this.
He has memories of his past life, and along the way, he sometimes habitually regards Shi Wenxia as his own, hugging and cuddling her.
At first, he was afraid that his recklessness would frighten Shi Wenxia.
Unexpectedly, perhaps because she had been sold to the north by human traffickers, she clung to him like a lifeline, becoming extremely dependent on him, and it was clear that she had also fallen for him.
So he really enjoyed the feeling, and although they were both still young, they became less restrained in their actions.
Unexpectedly, Shi Wenxia would reveal this matter in such a setting, especially in front of his father. He was so embarrassed that he wished he could disappear into the ground.
Su's expression was also quite awkward.
Yun Yue roared, "Tian Bai, kneel down!"
Yun Tianbai knelt down on the ground with a thud.
"Where has your sense of propriety and shame gone?!"
Yun Tianbai could only admit his mistake, "Father, your son was wrong!"
Shi Wenxia also knelt down with a thud. "Uncle Duke, it's all Wenxia's fault. Wenxia was sold to the Northern Border by slave traders and was terrified. When I saw my cousin, I felt that I finally had someone to rely on, and I was very grateful and dependent on him from the bottom of my heart. That's why..."
In fact, Shi Wenxia was quite pleased with this situation.
On the one hand, since Xiao Youran has nominally become Yun Tianbai's sister, it is impossible for her to marry him.
Secondly, the arranged marriage could only be with the principal wife. If she could rise to the top and become Yun Tianbai's principal wife, then later... after Yun Tianbai inherited the title, wouldn't the position of Duchess be hers?
She no longer had to envy Jiang Youran, that fool, for occupying the position of Duchess, as she had in her previous life.
She tugged at her mother's sleeve pitifully.
Madam Shi quickly added, "Your Excellency, my Wenxia is indeed unworthy of the eldest young master. If they were both a bit older, Wenxia could come into the manor as a concubine. But now, the situation is urgent, so I beg Your Excellency to consider that we are of the same lineage as the Yun family and save Wenxia!"
Madam Su frowned and resolutely refused, "It's understandable that you want to live, but you must not drag the Duke's mansion into this mess again. Today, the Duke has revealed a secret, which is a capital offense. He has already done his duty to the Yun family. You should leave as soon as possible."
Mother Shi's face turned ashen.
But she knew that her health was critical and she didn't have many days left to live. What would happen to her two children?
She's willing to go to any lengths for her two children.
She gritted her teeth, "Lord Duke, the Duchess is right. If you reveal this today and my two children and I flee, you will have revealed a secret. You will also have a hard time explaining to the Emperor!"
Su laughed in anger, "You...you really are ungrateful wretches!"
Madam Shi kowtowed repeatedly to the two people before her. "Lady Duchess, thank you for your frankness today, Duke. We would never do such an ungrateful thing. We only beg you to save Wenxia. I will agree to let her marry any servant, as long as the engagement can be finalized in the next two days, and her life will be saved. Please grant my request, Lady Duchess!"
Shi Wenxia's face turned deathly pale. She quickly looked at Yun Tianbai, "Cousin Tianbai! Do you remember when you were 8 years old, you were pushed into the water in Sanyang Village, and it was me who called for help to save you?"
Yun Tianbai's expression changed.
Su Shi became curious and looked at Yun Yue, "So this Miss Shi Wenxia saved Yun Tianbai?"
Yun Yue thought for a moment and said, "I heard Zhou mention that when they returned to their hometown to pay respects to their ancestors that year, Tian Bai accidentally fell into the water and was later rescued by a little girl who called for help."
Yun Tianbai certainly remembered this matter. Otherwise, why would he have always doted on this cousin? It was because he had always been grateful to her.
Shi Wenxia steeled her resolve and cried again, "On this journey, I've fallen deeply in love with Cousin Tianbai. We've even had physical intimacy. If I can't marry Cousin Tianbai, I'd rather die with my mother and brother!"
Madam Shi's face changed, and she had no choice but to grit her teeth and plead, "Lord Duke, Lady Duke, please do me a favor and save my Wenxia!"
Madam Su dared not easily make decisions for her stepson, so she could only look to the Duke.
Yun Yue frowned. "Tianbai, Miss Shi did save your life. Our Duke's mansion cannot produce an ungrateful wretch. I will only ask you one question: are you willing to marry this Miss Shi?"
Yun Tianbai's words were all shut down. If he refused, he would be seen as an ungrateful person.
Moreover, Shi Wenxia was the person he cherished most in his past life, so how could he just watch her die?
So he could only nod and say, "Father, I am willing."
Shi Wenxia was so grateful that she started sobbing again.
Mother Shi quickly kowtowed several more times before standing up.
Shi Xing, standing nearby, burst into tears. "Mother, my sister is engaged and can leave, but what about me? Am I going to be beheaded?"
Helpless, Shi's mother hugged Shi Xing and wailed, "My son, this is the fate you deserve..."
"Waaaaah, why... Father is the one who did something wrong, why are we going to be beheaded..." Shi Xing was only eight years old, and he cried so hard he could barely breathe.
Yun Tianbai suddenly remembered his brother-in-law's incredible money-making ability in his previous life, and suddenly felt reluctant to let him die.
He winked at Shi Wenxia, then bowed to his father and mother, saying, "Your son will take his leave now."
Madam Su also said to Shi Wenxia and his two children, "You should all go out first. I'll discuss this with the Duke."
Shi Wenxia also pulled her younger brother and mother outside.
Xiao Youran smiled and took her leave, then walked out.
Madam Su looked at the Duke with great concern, "Cousin, is this appropriate? Won't the Emperor think you are intentionally helping the Shi family?"
“It’s alright. When I presented this matter to the Emperor, I made it clear to him that Shi Dazhu’s wife was a member of the Yun family, which is why I was able to plead with the Emperor not to implicate her entire family. Besides, Shi Wenxia is just a young girl, so saving her life is nothing.”
Madam Su was still somewhat worried, "But she is, after all, the daughter of a disgraced official, and I'm afraid she will ruin Bai Ge'er's future."
Yun Yue sighed, "Our Yun family has risen from the ashes and been promoted to Duke by the Emperor, which has already attracted envy. Taking this opportunity to add some blemishes to our record will give people a chance to impeach us. If we are too perfect and flawless, it will only sow the seeds of disaster. What's there to be afraid of?!"
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