Chapter 13 Head-on Confrontation
Ruan Bi brushed aside the willow branches brushing against her face and exclaimed in surprise, "Ah!"
Granny Zheng said with a smile, "I think this is a good thing. Congratulations, young lady."
As a thirteen-year-old young lady from a respectable family, Ruan Bi knew she should lower her head shyly when her marriage was mentioned. However, she couldn't bring herself to be shy, so she turned to the side and lowered her head. Fortunately, the willow branches hung down densely, concealing her expression, but her posture still conveyed a sense of bashfulness.
Granny Zheng smiled as she watched her head bowed slightly, thinking to herself, "She's only a thirteen-year-old girl after all. No matter how calm and capable she is, she'll blush when she hears about such a life-changing event."
"I was initially worried about the young master Xu's appearance, but today I see that he is handsome and speaks elegantly, and is a good match for the young lady."
Ruan Bi carefully recalled Xu Chuanyang's appearance and demeanor. In the prime of his youth, and having topped the imperial examinations, he possessed a wealth of knowledge and ambition, yet was also arrogant and self-important—clearly not someone who would be easily manipulated. Even his own mother, Lan Da, might not listen to him, let alone his stepmother whom he disliked. She had heard that Xu Yongruo valued his opinion highly, so it seemed that whether this marriage could be finalized depended primarily on Xu Chuanyang's wishes.
Seeing that she kept her head down and didn't speak, Granny Zheng assumed she was shy and embarrassed to talk, and said, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this, lest we scare the young lady away." After a pause, she said with a smile, "Is the young lady still not willing to turn around?"
Ruan Bi turned around and smiled, saying, "Mom is so mean, she always teases me."
"I'm happy for you, young lady." Seeing Ruan Bi turn her head away again, he quickly said, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this."
Ruan Bi couldn't quite grasp the proper demeanor of a thirteen-year-old young lady, so she took a few steps towards the pond, keeping a distance from Granny Zheng. With the arrival of autumn, the lotus flowers in the pond, though still dazzlingly beautiful, were showing signs of fading. Across the pond, Chunyun stood on tiptoe, peering in this direction; her expression was obscured by the distance.
Seeing Ruan Bi looking over, she threw the pebble in her hand into the water and turned to leave.
"Young lady, there is something that is deeply unsettling me..."
Ruan Bi turned her head in surprise and saw that Zheng Mama's smile had faded, and there was a hint of worry between her brows. "...It's been so long, and there's still no news from Dongxue. Young Master Xu has been traveling all the way here, she should have returned before him."
"I heard she still has relatives in her hometown. Could it be that she's going back there instead of returning to Beijing?"
Granny Zheng shook her head and said, "That day when I saw her off on the boat, she knelt on the ground and kowtowed to me, saying she would definitely come back. This child is honest and kind-hearted; she always keeps her word. I'm just worried... worried that the journey is long and not very safe, and that something might happen to her."
"Don't worry, Mom. Dongxue has beautiful eyebrows and is destined for good fortune."
Granny Zheng looked up at Ruan Bi and smiled, saying, "I didn't know you had even learned face reading, Miss. I hope it's as you say. Let's wait a few more days. If there's still no news, I'll go ask Young Master Xu."
"No, no," Ruan Bi said. "If Dongxue really had been to the Xu residence, Aunt Lan wouldn't have kept her there. Young Master Xu certainly wouldn't have seen her. Otherwise, if he came to the residence and mentioned it to the Old Madam, wouldn't he know that I sent someone to Guangzhou?"
Granny Zheng pondered deeply, and indeed, that made sense. Miss Lan was kind-hearted, but not foolish in her actions. "What you say is true, Miss; it was I who was foolish."
“Mom is just worried and confused,” Ruan Bi said, patting her hand. “Don’t worry, things are peaceful now, and the world is calm. Dongxue has her cousin with her, so she will definitely be fine.” She said that, but when she thought of the similar sound she heard while shopping that day, she felt a little uneasy.
“What you say is true, young lady.” Granny Zheng glanced at the sky and said, “It’s getting late, I should head back now.”
Ruan Bi nodded and watched her walk down the willow embankment toward the old lady's courtyard.
Turning around, she saw Ruan Chi emerge from the depths of the blooming flowers and weeping willows, a mocking smile on his face. He said, "I didn't expect you to grow up to be so much more capable than when you were a child... You've not only managed to curry favor with the old nun Ziying, but you've also won over the old woman's confidante." He paused, then laughed and said, "By the way, you've also managed to seduce Prince Jin." As he said the last sentence, he looked at her intently, with a hint of inquiry in his eyes.
Ruan Bi both sympathized with and loathed this inexplicable third uncle of the original owner. Not wanting to deal with him, she turned and left.
"stop."
Ruan Bi kept walking when she suddenly heard a faint gust of wind behind her. She quickly turned her head and saw willow branches just brushing past her head.
Ruan Chi strode over, holding a long willow branch, and said with a fierce expression, "You little brat, scared? Trying to run away?"
Ruan Bi had originally planned to avoid Ruan Chi if possible, hoping to gradually resolve the hatred later. However, it was clear that this guy was blinded by hatred and couldn't distinguish right from wrong. Retreating would only be seen as cowardice, and polite restraint would be seen as fear. Since that was the case, the only option was to confront him head-on, fighting him each time he came, until he gave in. Having made up her mind, Ruan Bi stopped, looking at him with a calm expression, and remained silent.
Ruan Chi strode up to her, pointed a willow branch at Ruan Bi's nose, and said, "I'm asking you, how did you manage to seduce the Prince of Jin?"
So this was the real problem he was worried about. Indeed, Prince Jin was his backer, and if this backer fell in love with him, wouldn't he be tied down? For a moment, the thought of using Prince Jin flashed through Ruan Bi's mind, but then she thought that if Ruan Chi took it seriously and changed his mind, offering herself to Prince Jin for personal gain... she should forget about it.
After a moment's hesitation, she subtly parted the willow branches with her fingers and said, "Third Uncle, be careful. If these branches hurt me, what will I say when Grandmother asks? If I say you tried to kill me, she'll be overjoyed. Lately, she and Father haven't been able to find anything wrong with you. The charge of trying to kill your niece would be enough to kick you out of the Ruan family mansion, wouldn't it?" Seeing Ruan Chi's expression stiffen, she smiled and added, "Besides, what am I afraid of? Why am I running away? This is the Ruan family's back garden; outsiders can't come in. If I die..." "Even if I'm injured, no matter who did it, Grandmother and Father will pin the blame on Third Uncle. Third Uncle is so clever, how could he do something that pleases his enemies and pains his loved ones? So Third Uncle, I'm not afraid. The reason I left is that we have nothing more to say to each other. It's strange, really. You speak human language, but to me it sounds like bird language, a raw, animalistic stench. It's either bribery or seduction. May I ask, Third Uncle, you've known Prince Jin for so long, is he someone who can be seduced? And what could I possibly offer him?"
The last two questions were precisely what puzzled Ruan Chi.
This little girl, not even fully developed, why would the Prince of Jin be interested in her? He had followed the Prince for over half a year and knew his temperament well. He was ambitious and shrewd, concerned for the world, averse to frivolity and women, fond of reading, martial arts, and associating with virtuous men. The Xingping army had its own entourage of courtesans, many captured from the Northern Rong, each with ample breasts and hips, possessing a unique charm, yet he had never set foot there. After returning to the capital, the Emperor bestowed eight beautiful women upon him on several occasions; he gave six to his subordinates, keeping only two in his residence, yet he had never heard of any elegant gatherings of courtesans. How could he have taken a liking to Ruan Bi? Was it just a figment of his imagination, or was the Prince of Jin merely acting on a whim that day?
"Has Uncle finished asking his questions? Can I leave now?"
Ruan Chi snapped out of his reverie and scrutinized her closely. Her face was small and delicate, her eyes holding a maturity beyond her years. She was undeniably beautiful, but too immature, her allure undeveloped. He was certain the Prince of Jin wouldn't like her. "It's good that you know this. Who is the Prince of Jin? How could a lowly girl like you possibly be worthy of him?"
Ruan Bi was annoyed and said, "Why would I associate with him? I'm not Third Uncle."
Ruan Chi was stunned for a moment before realizing that she was scolding him for being a sycophant. His anger burned, and he raised the willow branch.
Ruan Bi tilted her head back, pointed to her cheek, and said, "Third Uncle, hit me here, hit me hard."
Ruan Chi's face turned green with anger. He held the willow branch for a long time before slamming it heavily to the ground, saying, "You little brat, I'll let you be smug for once." Knowing that he wouldn't get anywhere with his words, he turned and left. After taking a few steps, he heard chuckles behind him: "Third Uncle, take care."
Ruan Chi clenched his fists, wishing he could turn around and strangle her. But he was still conscious and knew he couldn't act rashly. If he were to kill her, it could only be outside the mansion, and it had to look like an accidental death. Besides, how could killing her vent his hatred? The best thing to do was to sell her to a brothel and let her suffer the humiliation of being ridden by thousands.
Watching his angry figure leave, Ruan Bi suppressed her laughter, which had been deliberately meant to provoke him. She thought to herself, "This Ruan Chi is too dangerous. I must get rid of him when I have the chance." Of course, there was another way—if she gained the favor of the Prince of Jin, he would surely hesitate to act rashly. But the Prince of Jin's favor… forget it. Becoming his concubine and serving his queen—the thought alone made her shudder.
Her dream, naturally, is to be with one person for life.
However, in the patriarchal Zhou Dynasty, this idea was unlikely to be realized. Having been transmigrated for several months, I had gained some understanding of the local customs and traditions. The ruler is the guide for the subject, the father for the son, and the husband for the wife—these were inviolable rules of etiquette. Although wives held a relatively high status, they only did so in front of concubines and children. Before their husbands, they could only be subservient and humble, for he was the head of the household.
To avoid being hurt, the only option is to guard one's heart, treat one's husband as a partner in life, and seek the greatest benefit. Thinking it over carefully, Xu Chuanyang seems like a good partner. He comes from a good family, is good-looking, and is quite talented. Most importantly, his mother is the original owner's mother, so there's no mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conflict. If she marries him, she'll definitely be the mistress of the house; no one in the mansion can give her a hard time, only she'll have to give others the hard time… But how can she win Xu Chuanyang's favor?
Lost in thought, he suddenly heard Hanxing's voice: "The young lady is back."
Looking up, I realized I was back in Liaoyuan.
Hanxing and Xiaoju stood on the rocky shore, while Xiuzhi and Chamei peeked out of the window, both looking at them with smiles.
Ruan Bi felt a warmth in her heart; she decided to deal with tomorrow's matters tomorrow.
It's so cold. I'll update another chapter tonight.
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