The Art of Pressuring Someone to Marry and Being Clingy
In the waterside pavilion of the back garden of the Anping Earl's Mansion.
The warm spring sun filters through the newly green leaves of the sycamore trees, casting dappled, dancing golden rays.
Wearing a light blue Hangzhou silk robe, Chen Yan leaned languidly against a cushioned chaise lounge, her bare feet and pale ankles immersed in the cool pool water. Her toes lightly touched the surface, creating ripples. On the small table in front of her, a pot of top-quality pre-rain Longjing tea steamed with a delicate bean aroma, and several plates of exquisite Suzhou-style pastries remained untouched.
His slender fingers held a thin monthly report of Jinyun Manor, his peach blossom eyes narrowed into slits with contentment, and a satisfied smile played on his lips, as if he didn't care about anything.
"Tsk, Uncle Yang is getting ruthless in getting things done."
He casually addressed his trusted guard Chen Feng, who stood outside the pavilion, flicking a piece of paper with his fingertips, "Look, we've snatched another 30% of the soap market share in the three provinces of Jiangnan, a tough nut to crack! The newly opened 'Jingyantang' cosmetics shop has also gained a foothold...tsk tsk, these dividends...a mountain of gold and a sea of silver, it's so tempting to just lie there." He tossed the report back onto the small table, picked up his thin porcelain cup, took a leisurely sip of warm tea, and sighed contentedly, "Even the gods would be envious of this life!"
Chen Feng bowed and smiled, "Lord, you have a keen eye for talent and know how to appoint people to their positions, which is why you enjoy such a carefree life today. In his letter the other day, Chief Steward Yang also mentioned that he will personally escort a batch of exotic fragrances from Southeast Asia back to the capital next month, adding some new charm to 'Jingchen Pavilion'."
"Hmm, let him do whatever he wants." Shen Yan waved his hand dismissively, splashing water again with his bare feet.
In the past two years, he has been enjoying his carefree life as the "rotating boss" more and more, and he is a hands-off boss with a clear conscience. Apart from occasionally flipping through the core briefings and taking the lead, he spends the rest of his time admiring flowers and birds, sipping tea and listening to music, and fully enjoying this extravagant wealth and rare leisure.
The children are all grown up now, which makes things easier... Shen Yan squinted his eyes, feeling that life was perfect, nothing more than this.
This perfect tranquility was abruptly shattered by a series of hurried and heavy footsteps.
Butler Liu Quan—the old man who had followed him through the muddy fields of Kaoshan Village, weathering countless hardships—now wore a gloomy expression as he trudged through the moon gate. Behind him, two servants struggled to carry, and even balanced, two large stacks of visiting cards, betrothal letters, and gift lists piled high like small mountains. The stacks of cards swayed precariously, their bright red covers glaringly obvious, almost obscuring the servants' figures.
"Lord! My dear Lord!" Liu Quan's voice was filled with anxiety, almost as if he were crying. He rushed to the pavilion and shouted, not even bothering to wipe his sweat. "You...you should give this old servant a straight answer! This...this threshold is really going to be trampled down! Look at this! Look at this situation!"
His good mood was shattered. He frowned impatiently and put down his teacup: "Old Liu, what's with the wailing? What's with the collapse?"
Liu Quan pointed to the two "mountains of marriage proposals," his mouth drooping with bitterness: "Proposals! Matchmakers! It hasn't stopped since the beginning of the year! The eldest son, Xiao-ge'er, is nineteen! The second son, Hong-ge'er, is eighteen! The eldest daughter, Wan-su, and the second daughter, Sui-he... are almost seventeen, almost eighteen! My lord!"
He slapped his thigh in frustration, "In the Great Yin Dynasty, once a girl is over nineteen, she should be waiting for the government to arrange her marriage! You...you can't just keep ignoring this like this!"
His weary gaze swept over the glaring red, the pleasantness in his peach blossom eyes vanished, replaced by a growing irritation: "I've said it eight hundred times! No rush! Xiao'er and Hong'er are with the Marquis of Zhenbei, sharpening their swords and building Wild Buffalo City in the northern frontier! What's the point of marrying a wife? It'll distract them! As for Wansu and Suihe..." His voice rose, carrying the domineering air of a mother hen protecting her chicks, "My daughters are precious and noble! Which of those ugly ducklings outside is worthy of them? Let them have a few more years! I haven't had enough of them yet, why should they even have a chance to covet them?"
Liu Quan was so anxious he almost knelt down: "Lord! My ancestors! Young masters can achieve great things and settle down to start families! But the young ladies are getting too old... they really can't wait any longer! Look at these invitations, how many noble families and talented young men are there? We've rejected one after another, offending so many powerful families! Outside... outside people are starting to gossip, saying that our Anping Earl's Mansion is so arrogant, so high and mighty!"
"gossip?"
The words stung Shen Yan, making her even more annoyed. She grabbed a piece of plum blossom cake and took a big bite, muttering indistinctly, "Let them gossip! Who have I ever been afraid of? My daughter, I'm happy to raise her to eighty! Uncle Yang has mountains of gold and silver, he can afford to raise her! Take her away! Just looking at her makes me dizzy and upset!"
He waved his hand impatiently, as if shooing away flies.
Seeing his master's stubborn and unyielding attitude, Liu Quan was so worried that his hair was about to fall out. He could only sigh and instruct the servants to move some of the invitations away, while he pondered whether he should swallow his pride and go to West Mountain to ask his wife to come back.
Although the lady would usually just dismiss him with a simple "Let him be."
Not far from the pavilion, under the waterside corridor, came the clear laughter of girls and the cheerful chatter of boys.
"Big sister, look at this 'Sky Blue' brocade. It's so lustrous and beautiful. It would be perfect to make a spring dress for Mother!" Er Ya's voice was lively.
The eldest daughter, Shen Wansu, spoke in a gentle and calm voice: "The fabric is of the finest quality. However, Mother has been busy in the workshop and Xishan lately, and this fabric is delicate and may not withstand wear and tear. It would be better to choose that 'Sky Blue After Rain' fine cotton brocade, which is sturdy, durable, and has an elegant color."
"Big sister is right! Mother looks good in anything, but practicality is the most important!" Little Stone walked in, his height noticeably increased, and he was beginning to resemble a young boy.
Having just returned from Linzhou, Shen Xing's voice carried the steadiness of her journey: "Hmm. Didn't Father acquire a fine piece of mutton-fat warm jade the other day? It's warm and delicate, so why not make a jade button for Mother's lapel? It would be just right to match that fine cotton silk."
"Brother Xing, great idea!" Shen Chen agreed. "Father understands Mother's thoughts best. Let him choose the designs... Hey, it seems like Father is slacking off in the pavilion again!"
Shen Yan heard everything clearly in the pavilion and rolled her eyes at Chen Feng in annoyance.
He muttered under his breath, "Listen to this! They all have such big ideas! And they're even making up stories about their fathers shirking their duties? Am I shirking my duties? I'm... strategizing from within the command tent! Winning battles from a thousand miles away!" He scratched his neatly tied hair in frustration and wailed softly, "But these debt collectors... how did they all grow up so fast in the blink of an eye? I haven't even had my fill of living life to the fullest yet!"
The tedious days of "carefree living" came to an end a few days later with an imperial edict bearing the bright yellow phoenix seal, a decree that felt like a death warrant. The eunuch's shrill, monotonous voice echoed through the main hall, leaving behind a deathly silence, as if the air itself had frozen solid.
Shen Yan knelt on the ground, his face turning from a flushed red of shock to deathly pale, and finally ashen.
He looked up abruptly, his peach-blossom eyes burning with a mixture of shock and anger: "Eunuch! His Majesty is in the prime of his life, only eighteen! Empress Huo is virtuous and dignified! My daughter is young and ignorant, lacking in manners, and dull-witted; how can she possibly serve him…?"
The eunuch delivering the imperial decree interrupted with a forced smile, his voice icy and unyielding: "My lord, be careful what you say! Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is infinitely benevolent; this is a blessing bestowed upon Miss Shen by countless lifetimes! Empress Huo has reigned for many years without an heir, causing the Empress Dowager great anxiety over the fate of the nation! Miss Shen's entry into the palace is precisely to ensure the continuation of the royal line and alleviate this burden! This is an unparalleled honor! In ten days, the imperial carriage will personally arrive to escort Miss Shen to the palace for a 'short stay,' allowing her to familiarize herself with palace etiquette before discussing the grand wedding. My lord, prepare well! Do not fail to repay this imperial favor!"
With a flick of his whisk, carrying a chilling aura, he strode away.
Inside the hall, Shen Wansu swayed slightly, her fingertips digging tightly into her palms to barely keep her balance. Her face was drained of color, as pale as fresh snow.
"Father! We can't send Eldest Sister to the palace!" Little Bull's voice cracked with anxiety, his eyes bloodshot. "Empress Huo entered the palace at the age of eight and still has no children. Changqiu Palace is like...like a cold cellar! What kind of place is the palace? If Eldest Sister goes in..."
"shut up!"
He growled in a low voice, his tone carrying a barely perceptible tremor and a deep sense of panic, as if he were being choked.
He paced anxiously on the cold floor tiles like an ant on a hot pan, each step heavy with anxiety. "Father knows! Father knows better than anyone what that place is! But that's the Empress Dowager's decree! The gleaming Phoenix Seal! To disobey the decree... that's a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!"
He looked at his eldest daughter's lifeless face, and his heart felt as if it were being gripped by a cold, iron claw, the pain almost suffocating him. He couldn't afford to gamble! He couldn't bear to gamble with the lives of his entire family!
"Liu Quan!"
Shen Yan abruptly stopped, his eyes filled with the resolute determination of a dying beast. He roared at the old steward, who was also pale and trembling like a leaf, each word like blood and foam squeezed from between his teeth, "Prepare the horses! The fastest horses in the manor! To West Mountain! Now! Immediately! Right now! Bring the madam back to the master! Tell him... tell him the sky has fallen in the manor! The master can't hold on alone! Hurry—go—!"
The final note, hoarse and broken like a broken gong, echoed mournfully in the oppressive and deathly silent main hall.
Xishan, construction site of the hot spring resort.
The main structure, built along the mountainside, is already taking shape, with its blue stone and gray tiles gleaming with a calm luster under the sunlight.
Ling Zhan, dressed in indigo coarse cloth overalls, her long hair neatly tied back with a wooden hairpin, was squatting beside a newly built stone step. She was intently testing the stone's anti-slip and stain-resistant properties with a special medicated soap solution. The sunlight outlined her slender yet upright profile, and sweat trickled down her forehead and into her collar, but she seemed oblivious.
The rapid hoofbeats, like a dense drumbeat, came from afar, stirring up clouds of yellow dust and breaking the tranquility of the mountains.
Shen Yan practically tumbled off her horse, staggering through the swirling dust in a disheveled state. She rushed to Ling Zhan, grabbed his arm tightly with such force that she almost crushed his bones, and her voice was hoarse and broken.
"Madam! Go back! Quickly! Come back with me! Something terrible has happened! The sky has collapsed!"
Ling Zhan was jolted by his pull, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly. With a firm yet irresistible shake, she broke free from his grip. She stood up, calmly looking at the dusty, panicked man before her, who had lost all trace of the demeanor of a nobleman from the capital.
"What is it?" The voice was cold and still, like a deep well.
"Too...Queen Mother!"
Shen Yan stammered incoherently, her chest heaving violently like a broken bellows. "Imperial decree! Summon...summon Su'er to the palace! To...to be His Majesty's...concubine! The Huo...Huo family's daughter entered the palace at the age of eight...and has no children to this day! That...that's a hellhole that devours people! If Su'er...if Su'er goes in...she's finished! Madam! Save Su'er! Save our daughter!"
His eyes were bloodshot with anxiety, tears welling up in them. Gone was his usual nonchalant attitude; he was now just a father driven to the brink of despair.
Ling Zhan's eyes suddenly sharpened like unsheathed ice blades, and his gentle aura instantly froze, radiating a chilling coldness: "Entering the palace? An imperial decree from the Empress Dowager?"
"Yes! Bright yellow silk! Phoenix seal! Ten days from now... ten days from now to pick them up!"
Shen Yan stamped her feet in desperation, her voice trembling with a dying sob, "Master wants to defy the imperial decree! Master wishes he could tear that decree up! But...but defying the imperial decree is a crime punishable by the extermination of three generations of one's family! Madam...only you...only you can save Su'er! Please...quickly think of a way! Save the child!"
He almost knelt down.
Ling Zhan remained silent for a moment, her gaze sweeping across Shen Yan's despairing and distorted face with an almost tangible intensity, before turning to the distant, silent, layered mountains. She slowly and calmly brushed the dust off her hands, her movements unhurried and measured.
"Understood. Pack your things and head home."
Like a drowning man grabbing onto the only piece of driftwood, a wave of overwhelming joy and exhaustion washed over him, making his vision blur and leaving him almost unable to stand. He could only nod repeatedly, his voice trembling uncontrollably: "Good! Good! Back to the manor! Back to the manor immediately! Madam, it's all up to you! It's all up to you!" He frantically tried to bend down to pick up the tool bag that Ling Zhan had placed aside, his movements clumsy like a child's.
The main courtyard of the Anping Earl's residence.
Ling Zhan's return was like a stabilizing force thrown into a turbulent undercurrent, miraculously calming the panic that permeated the mansion, as if a pillar of support had been found.
She didn't say much, but instead held a long discussion behind closed doors in the study with Shen Yan and a few of her closest confidants.
The doors and windows were tightly shut, the candlelight flickered, and no one knew what was going on.
Shen Yan's anxious, violent, and almost world-destroying emotions were strangely suppressed and soothed under Ling Zhan's calm, unfathomable aura. Although she didn't know what brilliant plan Ling Zhan had, her heart, which had been hanging in her throat and was about to jump out, finally settled back down.
Several secret orders were sent out of the mansion silently under the cover of night.
The immense sense of crisis was temporarily suppressed.
My nerves, which had been taut like a fully drawn bow, suddenly relaxed, followed by a wave of exhaustion that swept over my entire body and a… belated, absurd feeling.
In the stillness of the night, only a single, dim candle flickered on the exquisite bronze lampstand in the main bedroom.
Ling Zhan stood with her back to Shen Yan, facing the gleaming bronze mirror on the dressing table. She raised her hand and removed the simple wooden hairpin that held her hair back. The candlelight outlined her slender yet powerful silhouette, her long, black hair cascading silently down like a waterfall, softly covering her delicate neck. Gone was the sharp, sharp look of her daytime work clothes; now, she revealed a uniquely feminine resilience and serenity—a quality Shen Yan had deliberately ignored, or rather, avoided, for many years.
Shen Yan stood a few steps behind her, looking at the blurry reflection of the two figures in the bronze mirror.
He was much taller than her, but at this moment he looked like a child who had caused a great disaster and was harboring a huge grievance, completely at a loss.
A thought that he had deliberately forgotten, or rather, that had been completely forgotten during the two years of carefree leisure and the recent terrifying experience, suddenly and clearly crashed back into his mind, carrying a scorching, undeniable heat.
His Adam's apple bobbed violently, and his mouth felt dry.
As if possessed, he took two steps forward, getting closer to the figure that exuded a faint, bitter herbal soap scent and carried the chill of the mountains.
Her fingers tentatively, with a hint of timid cheekiness and a reckless courage, gently hooked a strand of Ling Zhan's cool, smooth hair that hung behind his shoulder.
The touch was both unfamiliar and strangely familiar.
"Madam...wife..."
He spoke, his voice dry and hoarse without him even realizing it, shrouded in a deep, unyielding grievance, "Look... Su'er and the others... are all seventeen or eighteen... Xiao'er and Hong'er... are getting on in years too..." He paused, as if gathering his last bit of courage, his fingertips unconsciously twirling and caressing a strand of hair, his playful urges gradually taking over, "Those... children... are all about to get married, start their own families, and have children..."
Ling Zhan looked in the mirror and removed the hairpin without pausing, only letting out a soft syllable: "Mmm." as a response.
The bronze mirror was blurry, unable to reflect her expression at that moment.
Chen Yan's heart was pounding rapidly, like a drumbeat pounding against his eardrums, making his fingertips numb.
He took a deep breath and finally squeezed out the outrageous words that had been swirling in his mind for who knows how long, with a shameless and desperate spirit: "...As parents...shouldn't we...shouldn't we...consummate our marriage?"
He spoke rapidly, his face burning, but his eyes shone brightly as he stared intently at the blurry image in the mirror, trying to catch a glimpse of anything.
"This...this is already twenty-four...an old married couple...still...still sleeping separately...what's going on?" His voice grew softer and softer, until it was almost a mumbled murmur, but his shamelessness was clear. "If word gets out...the children will lose face...and I...I feel so empty inside, don't I?"
Ling Zhan finally stopped in his action of removing the hairpin.
In the bronze mirror, she slightly turned her face, her cool eyes accurately capturing Shen Yan's tense, expectant, and recklessly desperate gaze in the dim light. The candlelight flickered in her eyes, obscuring her true emotions. She neither turned around nor spoke.
Chen Yan's heart leaped into her throat, her palms instantly drenched in cold sweat, her brain racing, racking her brains for more "evidence" to make it more convincing, such as: "I'm in great health! I can run back and forth to West Mountain without even breaking a sweat!" "I promise I won't interfere with your quarrying and construction work, Madam! I'm an expert at making beds, serving tea, and everything else!" and other such nonsense...
Just then—
In the mirror, Ling Zhan's lips seemed to twitch upwards in an extremely subtle way?
The arc was extremely small, as fast as lightning, almost impossible to capture in the flickering, dim candlelight, yet so real that it made Shen Yan gasp for breath.
Then, she put down the simple wooden hairpin and slowly, with great composure, turned around.
The candlelight finally illuminated her face. Her features remained cool and aloof, her profile sharp and defined. But deep within her eyes, which gazed at Shen Yan, something seemed to have melted away, revealing a glimmer of light Shen Yan had never seen before, a light tinged with amusement and profound meaning.
The light was sharp and complex, causing Shen Yan's heart to skip a beat!
The prepared scare tactics stuck in his throat, and his bravado deflated like a punctured balloon. He instinctively wanted to pull back his fingers that were hooking her hair.
However, Ling Zhan was faster than him.
She didn't push him away, nor did she rebuke him coldly. She simply reached out her hand—not to keep him at arm's length, but rather, with her cool fingertips, she gently brushed away the finger that was tangled in her hair.
The movement was very light, carrying an indescribable meaning, like brushing aside a fallen, withered leaf, or... a silent acquiescence.
Then, she bypassed Chen Yan, who froze in place, and went straight to the large, heavy, carved canopy bed in the inner room, leaving behind only a single, unreadable, calm yet thunderous statement:
"Let's settle in."
Shen Yan was completely stunned.
He stood frozen in place like a stone statue, looking down at his finger that had been "brushed aside." The fingertip seemed to still carry the chill of her hair and the cool, brushing touch of her fingertip against his heart. He then abruptly looked up at Ling Zhan's retreating figure as he walked towards the bed, his mind buzzing, completely blank.
No refusal?!
They didn't agree either?!
What... what does "let's settle in" mean?!
Is it tacit consent? Is it permission? Or... is it just sleeping literally?!
An overwhelming ecstasy, like volcanic lava that had been building up for a long time, instantly swept away all hesitation, exhaustion, and the fear that had just passed! Shen Yan's beautiful peach blossom eyes suddenly burst forth with an astonishing light, a hundred times brighter than a thief who had stolen the key to the world's largest vault! What were the Empress Dowager's edicts and the threat to nine generations of his family? At this moment, they were all swept away by this overwhelming, pure joy! All his anxiety, panic, and grievances vanished in an instant, leaving only the back of the figure walking towards the bed before him!
"Oh! Madam! Wait for me!"
He reacted with lightning speed, his voice instantly becoming sweet and sticky like honey, filled with obsequiousness and impatience. He scurried after her, moving as fast as a blue whirlwind, "Master... no, I'll make your bed! I'm an expert at making beds! Back in Kaoshan Village, Old Liu praised me for making beds quickly and smoothly! I guarantee they'll be soft and warm! I promise you'll sleep soundly and have sweet dreams!"
He moved with astonishing speed, rushing to the bedside before Ling Zhan could reach it. He began to diligently shake the brocade quilt and pat the soft pillows, his mouth babbling incessantly as if coated with ten pounds of honey: "Madam, look at this quilt cover! It's a tribute satin sent by Su Wanxin, said to be the Suzhou Weaving Bureau's best-kept pattern this year, so smooth it's impossible to miss! This pillow stuffing was specially ordered by Master Liu Quan to be filled with plump buckwheat hulls newly harvested from Xishan. It helps with sleep, calms the nerves, and even improves blood circulation! And this bed curtains… should we light some calming incense? Master will go get some 'Dream-Soothing Soap,' cut some into small pieces, and burn it all over the place. I guarantee you'll fall asleep the moment your head hits the pillow, and sleep soundly until the rooster crows at dawn…"
While putting on a great show, he secretly glanced at Ling Zhan's reaction.
Ling Zhan had already walked to the bedside, but paused slightly upon hearing this.
She ignored Chen Yan's nagging, simply raised her hand, her slender fingers landing on the first warm jade button at the collar of her outer garment, and gently lifted it.
"Click".
A faint yet incredibly clear sound of a jade clasp being undone echoed like a thunderclap in the room, where the silence was so profound you could hear a pin drop.
Shen Yan's vigorous patting of the pillow froze instantly. His hand trembled, and the pillow he had just fluffed fell onto the thick blanket with a "plop." He forcibly suppressed his heart, which was pounding wildly as if it would burst out of his chest. The smile on his face instantly became bright and silly to the extreme. He completely embraced his clingy, rascally-like nature and shamelessly took another step closer, his voice so sticky it could be drawn out.
"Madam, are you tired? Standing all day? Your bones must be aching. Shall I... give you a shoulder massage? Loosen your muscles? I learned this technique from a retired palace servant; it's guaranteed to soothe your muscles, improve blood circulation, and relieve fatigue..."
As he spoke, his claws tentatively, with extreme caution and shamelessness.
It reached out towards Ling Zhan's beautifully sculpted shoulders and neck.
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