Chapter 75 Marrying now to ward off bad luck might be a disservice to you.
"Shh, you can't say that, it could cost you your head," someone warned cautiously.
"What are you afraid of! The mountains are high and the emperor is far away. They're doing just fine in the capital. Do you think they'd come all the way to these rural areas to arrest us and behead us?"
That made some sense, so everyone relaxed and started discussing it again.
Someone said, "I think this is indeed a good omen. I heard that the Lady of Huayang County has also been pardoned and allowed to return to the capital. Look at those who were previously punished; they either lost their lives or never returned. How could they be pardoned so quickly?"
"I've heard that the current emperor and the former Emperor Xuan were old friends. So, one should take care of the son of an old friend. Emperor Xuan even helped raise his daughter before. You never know, what if one day..."
"I don't think so. Why didn't she come out earlier or later? But she was pardoned right after the Lady of Liyang passed away. Could there be something going on here..."
"This matter was initiated by the Yan family. The Yang family of Hongnong and the Xiao family strongly opposed it, but they couldn't suppress it in the end. It's really hard to say."
"If that's the case, what is the Yan family after? Didn't they say they were going to find a new wife for Yan Langjun? Why are they suddenly being so nice to Li Shi?"
"What could they possibly be after? Who knows? Someone might have been involved in the death of the Lady of Liyang County. They killed someone and then wanted to show their benevolence and morality, so they tried to compensate in some other way. The Lady of Liyang only had these two relatives, so naturally they were mentioned."
Upon hearing this, everyone gasped in unison, and after a moment sighed, "It seems that being a daughter-in-law of a noble family isn't so easy after all!"
Life on the border was tough, and the little time spent gossiping became the only pleasure. Only at these times could one feel that everyone was the same, as the Buddha in the temple spoke of the equality of all beings.
Everyone was speculating about the secrets of the powerful family, and the more they talked, the more excited they became.
The only person sat there quietly drinking tea, listening without uttering a single word.
The caravan leader patted her on the shoulder. "What does Ruilin think?"
The moment someone spoke, the discussion abruptly ceased, and all eyes turned to them.
As the caravan passed by and took their seats, they noticed this handsome young man. He was so beautiful that it was hard to tell if he was male or female, and his every move exuded a charming and romantic air.
Everyone loves beauty, especially in the countryside where such colors are rare. It is pleasing to the eye, but since the other party is a caravan member, they dare not be too presumptuous. Hearing this, they took the opportunity to turn their gaze over and take a closer look.
The young man noticed their gazes but didn't react much. He slowly finished his tea, put down the cup, looked up at the sky, and said, "There will be a rain here in three days, but it won't be heavy. It will probably last for half a day. If we prepare the land in advance, we shouldn't miss the spring season."
The answer was irrelevant, yet it was the question everyone was most concerned about. However, since late autumn, there has been little rain, especially in the border areas where it is bitterly cold all year round and there is hardly any rain. Such a definite statement obviously could not convince others.
However, people seem to have plenty of patience and are not annoyed, explaining to them in detail why they are so certain.
“I have observed the celestial phenomena recently. The moon is in the Pleiades and the clouds are like fish scales. The morning glow is red. These are unusual signs and indicate that there will be rain. However, the fish scales are not gathered in large numbers and the red glow is easily dispersed, so the rain will not last long. We must seize the opportune moment.”
For those who have worked in the fields since childhood, this is the most important thing. They have also figured out their own method of observing the weather. However, due to many changes in recent times, the rain has not arrived yet. But hearing her so confident and speaking so convincingly, which is not much different from what her ancestors have passed down, people will believe her regardless of whether it is true or not. So they drank their tea and left in a hurry.
In an instant, the bustling teahouse became much quieter, leaving only caravans and a few passersby, about three or five in total, and no one mentioned the matter again.
Why not share your thoughts?
"There's nothing to say."
There's really nothing more to say.
Once Li Yunru agreed to Cui's request to fake her death and leave, there wasn't much to say, except that there was a slight accident along the way, and she almost really died.
But the results were all the same.
Everyone now believes she is dead, and the Yan family has kept their promise to her, so the transaction is considered complete. As for what happens to the Yan family now, it's none of her business.
The only thing that concerns her is that assassin who truly wants her dead!
He looked like a trained fighter, extremely skilled, agile and powerful, and he relentlessly pursued her...
It was premeditated.
She just couldn't understand, who was it?
There must be many powerful families who want her dead, but few know her whereabouts, especially her trip to Fragrant Hills, which was not originally planned and was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Who could accurately predict where she would appear and lay in ambush in advance?
Li Yunru has been thinking about this for almost half a year, but she still can't figure it out.
Perhaps it's not that I haven't thought it through, but rather that I have someone in mind, but I'm afraid to believe it...
After all, if one miscalculation is made, the whole game will be lost. To achieve this level of skill, tactical acumen, and cunning is truly remarkable.
The thought of such a person replacing her husband filled her with dread.
Fortunately, it shouldn't be that case. Cui loved her son dearly and wouldn't allow such a thing to happen.
Seeing that she really didn't want to talk, the leader didn't force her. The group drank tea and, taking advantage of the good sunshine, continued their journey.
We have now entered the territory of Sifang City.
This Sifang City is a border city, the territory of Huo Qi, General Huo.
He fought alongside Emperor Xuan of Qi to conquer the country, and later volunteered to guard the border. However, after the incident, for some unknown reason, he did not return to visit. Therefore, rumors arose that the two had a bad relationship and that he had secretly reached some agreement with the current emperor, Emperor Wucheng, to stand by and watch.
Whether it's true or false is unclear.
However, the city was well-governed, and over the years, invaders have been beaten into submission and dared not come again.
Aside from the harsh cold, this place seems relatively more stable than other places.
There were far fewer bandits blocking the road.
However, they were carrying a lot of goods and a letter entrusted to them by their families, all of which were important, so it was best to be cautious and get into the city as soon as possible.
...
Jiankang, Yan family.
Just as Cui Shi finished feeding the medicine and walked out of Wutong Garden, Cui Wan blocked her way and invited her to talk.
She didn't know what Cui Wan wanted to do, but she didn't refuse. The two went to a warm pavilion and sat down.
Cui Wan was very direct, stating her purpose in seeking out the Cui family, and suggesting that since Yan Ning was like this, perhaps they could try the method of marrying to bring good luck.
Madam Cui frowned and said, "With Changjun in his current state, I'm afraid marriage would be a disservice to you."
Cui Wan shook her head and said firmly, "Awan is not afraid of being wronged!"
Cui did not respond.
"Feeling wronged" was just a polite way of saying it; the real reason was that she had some concerns.
She used to want Cui Wan to marry into the family and become her daughter-in-law, more than anyone else, but recent events have made her think twice.
What a person desires is a dignified and elegant wife from a prominent family who can support her husband, not... a venomous person.
Cui Wan's behavior and demeanor sometimes made her inexplicably afraid.
She cared about the prestigious position and power of this family, but she cared even more about her son…
Cui Wan noticed her hesitation and said, "I know what Aunt is considering."
She said, "Perhaps my aunt thinks I was too ruthless in dealing with Li, but Awan had no choice but to do it. If it happened again, I would still do the same thing."
The man looked up, his gaze fixed intently on Madam Cui. "Aunt, the situation at that time left no room for our womanly compassion to make a second choice. If Madam Li hadn't been eliminated, she would have remained stubbornly alive, causing endless trouble for the marriage alliance between the Cui and Yan families. Just like today, you have no other choice but me to help you solidify your position in the Yan family. Are you willing to be suppressed and beaten by the second branch of the family? Are you willing to let someone else replace your cousin and take over as head of the family in the future? If that day really comes, have you thought about what will happen to you, your cousin, and Asheng?"
She took Cui's hand and gently stroked the back of it. "Aunt, we are family, we should help each other. You can't be confused right now!"
Cui was clearly persuaded, but still couldn't make up her mind. Cui Wan said, "This is also Grandfather's wish, have you forgotten?"
"Let me discuss this with the Lord."
This can be seen as a way to ease the tension between Cui and Yan Lang, allowing them to sit down together again to discuss the marriage of their eldest son.
Yan Lang said, "A-Wan is truly thoughtful. Since that's the case, why not leave everything to Madam to handle and settle things as soon as possible?"
Cui had long anticipated that people would say such things.
He didn't care about his child's wishes, nor did he care about the outcome of a young woman marrying a mentally unstable man.
The marriage between the Cui and Yan families was a great thing for him. Not only could he regain the support of the Cui family, but it also helped to dispel the rumors of discord between him and the Cui family.
As for that legitimate son...
If this marriage can be saved, that would be great; if it can't, it doesn't matter.
No matter what, I won't suffer any losses.
...
Without Li Yunru's obstruction, the marriage became much easier, and the date was set for the third day of the fourth month.
The reason for the speed of the marriage is twofold: firstly, the two families had already reached an understanding and prepared everything for the marriage, so there was no need to worry too much; secondly, they were afraid that things might change if they delayed, as Old Master Cui was in poor health and they wanted to hurry up so that he could see the outcome of the marriage with his own eyes.
Whether it was intentional or just a coincidence, the date was set only a few days earlier than when Li Yunru and Yan Ning got married, and even a few days earlier, putting her ahead of her.
During that period, the Yan family was filled with the joy of the new bride's arrival, and there was a rare sense of liveliness in the family. Only Yan Sheng was always frowning.
She was still young and couldn't see through the many schemes involved. She just felt a tightness in her chest and couldn't understand why things had to be this way. Her brother was already so delirious, and her sister-in-law's body was barely cold. Why did they have to hold such a grand wedding?
Does the practice of marrying to bring good luck really work?
If this kind of thing were useful, then what would be the point of having doctors? Everyone who gets sick could just get married!
But no matter how confused she was, she couldn't change anything. The wedding preparations were still in full swing, and the Cui family sent over the wedding dress that Cui Wan had embroidered long ago, as well as the dowry.
The 108-bearer dowry procession came from Qinghe to Jiankang in a grand procession, which was quite a sight and aroused the envy of many.
Everyone praised her for her noble character, saying that even though Yan Sanlang was like this, she remained devoted and unwavering, truly a model of womanhood. They also lamented the fate of their relationship, saying that if it weren't for Li Shi, they would have been a perfect match, and why had things been delayed until now? Yan Sanlang had been tormented by Li Shi so much before they finally achieved their happy ending.
Li Yunru's "death" became insignificant in the grand and lively atmosphere of this wedding.
All that's left when you mention it is the sound of it bothering others.
-----------------------
Author's Note: This is still a transitional chapter. There will be one or two more transitional chapters later, so please be patient!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
