Chapter 14: Why is he so stubborn! ...
Sunlight streamed through the window and fell on the flower branches in the vase, no longer as intense as at noon. Lou Xueying knelt on the ground, the sunlight casting a hazy golden glow on her fair neck, making her appear even more slender and thin.
How could such a frail daughter have such audacity to do such absurd things?
Lou Shu sat above, pressing his temples, closing his eyes, and remaining silent.
Madam Lou sighed and asked Lou Zhongyan, "Does Marquis Wu'an really not want to marry Su Su?"
Lou Zhongyan said, "I have hinted to him many times, but he has been pretending to be stupid and eager to sever ties with the two families. He doesn't even want to come and thank me."
"You're so foolish, Susu." At this point, scolding was useless. Madam Lou could only look at her with heartache. "What were you thinking? How could you do such a thing? If Marquis Wu'an were willing to marry you, that would be one thing, but he's not. What are you going to do? You didn't get him, and you've ruined your reputation. Have you... have you considered your future? Marquis Wu'an saved you, but he doesn't want to marry you. Outsiders will speculate that there's more to the story. How are we supposed to explain this? It's not worth it, Susu!"
Lou Zhongyan said, "No, he must marry her. Susu is more than a match for him. The only thing to criticize is that she is a bit rash, but that's only because she is so deeply in love with him. Marquis Wu'an is angry right now. Once he thinks through the pros and cons, he might agree to marry her."
“When will we get there? This matter cannot be delayed.” Madam Lou frowned in thought. “Didn’t Marquis Wu’an bring his elderly mother with him when he returned to the capital this time? Why don’t I go and sound out Madam Li’s opinion? If she is willing, she might be able to persuade Marquis Wu’an to agree.”
"Don't make any rash moves." Lou Shu finally opened his eyes and said in a deep voice, "After court tomorrow, I'll have a private talk with Marquis Wu'an. Perhaps he has some concerns that prevent him from marrying Su Su. We need to find out the truth, but we absolutely cannot force him. He's used to fighting on the frontier, and he's already restrained his temper in the capital. This kind of person responds better to gentleness than force, especially since he has a misunderstanding about us now. We need to be even more careful. Otherwise, if he keeps holding a grudge, even if he marries Su Su, he won't treat her well."
Lou Xueying had been kneeling silently, but upon hearing this, she finally burst into tears.
Madam Lou exclaimed "Oh dear!" and hurriedly bent down to wipe away her tears: "Why are you crying? No one's going to scold you here, is there?"
Lou Xueying shook her head. It was precisely because no one scolded her that she felt even more heartbroken.
She caused such a huge disaster, putting the entire Lou family in the spotlight. Although her family members blamed her somewhat, they did not beat or punish her. Instead, they tried their best to help her find a way to salvage the situation.
They hadn't done anything wrong, but because of themselves, they had to compromise in front of Li Pan.
She always wronged her family like this. In her past life, she went from being the Crown Princess to a Noble Consort, and her family suffered attacks for no reason. In this life, she wanted to marry someone else, and her family suffered again for no reason.
If she had remained a well-behaved and obedient young lady, nothing like corresponding with a strange man or borrowing his carriage would have happened, and everyone could have lived peacefully. But it was precisely because her family loved and indulged her that she became so audacious and repeatedly committed these mistakes.
"I'm sorry... It's all my fault," she choked out. "I was foolish to cause my parents and brother so much trouble. I promise I will behave myself from now on and never burden my family again."
Lou Zhongyan initially thought she was just pretending to cry as he had instructed, but upon closer inspection, he realized she was serious. He sighed and pulled her up from the ground, saying, "Alright, alright, stop crying. If you hurt yourself by crying, it will make your parents worry."
Lou Shu also sighed and said to Lou Xueying, "It's good that you know you're wrong now. Remember this in the future, and never act so recklessly again. But no matter what, since you've set your sights on Marquis Wu'an, I will definitely find a way to make him marry you."
Lou Xueying stammered, "The Marquis of Wu'an just refused His Majesty's bestowed marriage, but then he turns around and proposes marriage to us. His Majesty... won't you mind?"
"You don't need to worry about that. I'll handle the affairs of the court," Lou Shu said.
-
The next day, at Ganyang Palace.
After the morning court session ended, officials walked out of the main hall one after another and down the steps. Some looked solemn, thinking about the matters discussed in the morning court session, while others chatted and laughed, feeling carefree. But no matter who they were, when they saw the two people standing alone under the pillars outside the hall, they couldn't help but slow down and take a second look.
The reason was simply that the two men were Marquis Wu'an, Li Pan, and the Junior Secretary, Lou Shu.
The events at the Duke of Guangping's residence yesterday have already spread throughout the streets and alleys, and every official in the court knows about them.
Seeing the two of them standing together now, they must be discussing the marriage between Marquis Wu'an and Miss Lou, right? But why do they both look so serious?
Lou Shu glanced at the crowd of curious onlookers and said to Li Pan, "The weather is fine today. If Marquis Wu'an has nothing to do, would you accompany me for a stroll for a while?"
Li Pan: "You can just stroll around in front of the Ganyang Palace?"
Lou Shu: "...It's not wrong to do it occasionally. Colleagues often discuss matters while walking after court sessions."
Li Pan: "Alright, please, Lord Lou."
The two walked to the side of the main hall, finally blocking the view of the crowd.
Lou Shu had never spoken to Li Pan alone; he had only seen him at the morning court session and heard him say a few words. Like most military officers, he would not easily speak at the morning court session unless the emperor specifically requested it. However, he was also different from the military officers in the capital. While the military officers in the capital spoke in a more roundabout and tactful manner, he was straightforward, concise, and to the point, often leaving the emperor stunned and then suppressing a laugh as he told him not to say any more.
To be honest, Lou Shu did have some admiration for Marquis Wu'an.
The prerequisite is that he is willing to marry his daughter.
Lou Shu had gained a clearer understanding of Li Pan's character from his brief conversation. After a moment's thought, he abandoned his original introductory remarks and got straight to the point: "Your Excellency is a straightforward man, and I do not wish to take up any of your time. I have invited you out today for two reasons: first, to thank you for saving my daughter's life yesterday; and second, to ask if you would be willing to marry her."
Li Pan was taken aback for a moment.
Yesterday, the second young master of the Lou family kept testing him in a literary manner, and he was prepared to have a long talk with the young master Lou today. Why is the young master Lou so direct?
But it's better to be direct, so he doesn't waste his breath.
Li Pan then said, "I saved Miss Lou only out of a sense of duty, not because I have any romantic feelings for her. To be honest, I have no plans to marry at the moment, and I hope Lord Lou will understand."
Lou Shu was not surprised and continued to ask, "I wonder if the Marquis is unwilling to marry my daughter, or if he is unwilling to marry any other woman?"
Li Pan: "At least for now, I don't want to marry any woman."
Lou Shu: "My lord is over twenty-eight years old and still unmarried. Is there any concern you may have? If so, may I ask you? Perhaps I have a way to resolve this?"
Li Pan: "It's not very convenient." Actually, he was just too lazy to say it.
Lou Shu couldn't help but frown slightly, thinking, "Could it be that he was injured on the battlefield and developed some kind of hidden illness? I spoke too soon yesterday. If he really has a hidden illness, I should hurry back and persuade my daughter to give up on this idea."
Seeing Lou Shu's suspicious gaze scrutinizing him, Li Pan suddenly sensed something was wrong. He coughed loudly and said, "Marrying a wife should be a careful decision. I've just arrived in the capital and am still getting to know everything. I don't want to get married so soon."
"Your Excellency's concerns are valid. The capital is quite different from the Northwest, and it will indeed take some time to adjust," Lou Shu replied. "It is springtime, and the capital is full of beautiful sights, well worth visiting. Unfortunately, Your Excellency is now known to everyone, and I'm afraid that wherever you go, you will attract crowds and spoil your enjoyment. I do have some connections that can ensure Your Excellency's peace and quiet while you tour. If Your Excellency has any questions, you are welcome to ask me, and I will answer them to the best of my ability."
As far as he knew, Li Pan had only stayed in three places since arriving in the capital: the imperial palace, his residence, and the restaurants where he had banquets. However, he guessed that Li Pan probably didn't enjoy socializing and that he only attended banquets out of necessity. Moreover, Li Pan was a military general and should have had the habit of thoroughly investigating the surrounding environment. The reason he hadn't taken any action might simply be because it was inconvenient.
Now he's given Li Pan a chance. If Li Pan is interested, he should accept the offer. He can also take this opportunity to bring Lou Xueying in. Since neither of them has a good reputation, having Lou Xueying accompany Li Pan on his tour of the capital might even help cultivate their relationship.
Lou Shu had a well-thought-out plan, but Li Pan said, "Thank you for your kind offer, Lord Lou, but I still prefer to explore on my own."
Lou Shu: "..."
Why are you so stubborn!
As the two were locked in a stalemate, they suddenly heard someone call out from behind: "Marquis Wu'an, Junior Supervisor Lou."
The two men turned around and found that it was none other than Eunuch Zheng, the chief eunuch of Emperor Jinghui. Eunuch Zheng bowed slightly and said with a smile, "His Majesty invites you two to the Imperial Study for a meeting."
A note from the author:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com