Chapter 37 How to get his sister-in-law to marry him
He knew his master well; he was so averse to women that he seemed heartless and devoid of sexuality, as if he were truly a stone.
Everyone knows he has someone he loves, but no one has ever seen them.
Yet, Wei Yi, despite his own circumstances, became close to Bai Xuerou.
If at first Ling Xun only thought it was because of his request, after a few times, he wouldn't be so naive.
No matter how much he instructed him, Wei Yi would not take it so seriously.
After realizing this, Ling Xun thought of many things.
For example, the extra bodyguards that night.
This question had troubled him for a long time. With such good skills, comparable to his own bodyguards, could it be Wei Yi who could provide such a person?
If so, when did they meet?
What kind of relationship do they have?
This was Bai Xue Rou's biggest secret, which she had never mentioned to anyone. Ling Xun wanted to ask her about it again and again, but he could never bring himself to say it.
It is still the same now.
As he spoke, he kept a close eye on Bai Xuerou's expression. Seeing that her expression was indifferent, he knew that she had no interest in the Yu family scion for the time being, and he felt relieved, but then he thought of Wei Yi again...
How does Wei Yi's sister-in-law treat him?
"Has your wife ever thought about remarrying?" Ling Xun's mind was in turmoil, unable to find peace, and the thoughts were even getting stronger, so he simply asked directly.
Bai Xuerou was slightly surprised, wondering how the topic had suddenly shifted to this, but the answer was quite certain.
“No,” she said.
“Why get married? You’d go to a stranger’s house, have a group of strangers, maybe even family members with ulterior motives, and have to cater to other people’s thoughts and ideas.” She said a lot of things, and concluded, “Nothing compares to the happiness I have now.”
"Free and unrestrained, I can do whatever I want." She was very content. "Why would I go and get married? That would just be asking for trouble."
Ling Xun compared the options one by one. If it were him, his sister-in-law wouldn't have to go to a strange house. She would still be in the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion. He wouldn't have troublesome family members with ulterior motives, nor would he need his sister-in-law to take care of his thoughts. His sister-in-law's life wouldn't have to change and would remain the same as it is now.
No matter how you look at it, he was someone who strongly agreed with Bai Xuerou's ideas.
He felt a surge of satisfaction.
So only one question remains: how to get his sister-in-law to marry him.
Ling Xun felt as if he had encountered the most difficult problem in the world.
Bai Xuerou said a lot, but when she turned her head, she saw Ling Xun looking thoughtful. She suddenly came to her senses and asked, "Why are you asking this?"
Ling Xun wouldn't want to marry her off, would he?
“My sister-in-law has many admirers, so I thought I’d ask her in advance. If she’s interested, I can find out and make some arrangements,” Ling Xun said gently, completely unaware of Bai Xuerou’s thoughts.
Bai Xuerou felt relieved; thank goodness.
"Then you can rest assured," she said with a smile.
Ling Xun smiled and looked at Bai Xuerou earnestly, "I just want my sister-in-law to be happy."
Bai Xuerou's heart softened instantly.
"I am very happy now," she said.
She truly believed this. There were no elders in the Ling family who would make things difficult for her, and she could make all the decisions herself. She had her own assets and didn't covet anything from the Prince's Mansion. When Ling Xun got married in the future, she would move to another courtyard and live her own life.
It sounds wonderful.
Ling Xun looked at her with a smile.
Bai Xuerou chatted with Ling Xun for a while. During this time, the steward came to report several times that many residences, including the Prime Minister's residence, had sent visiting cards. She was prepared to have him go, but Ling Xun remained unmoved.
She thought about it for a moment, then said nothing.
Afterwards, the two had lunch together, and Bai Xuerou urged Ling Xun to go back and rest.
She rushed back, and although he seemed to be in good spirits, everyone gets tired, and she felt that he needed to rest well.
Hearing the concern in her words, Ling Xun felt at ease, obediently agreed, and went back to the main courtyard to rest.
He said that resting meant real rest. He turned down everything, nothing else mattered, and then had a good night's sleep.
Bai Xuerou watched him leave. By afternoon, the sky seemed even more gloomy, and the biting wind seemed to penetrate her clothes and seep into her very bones. She shivered and hurried back inside.
Just as I warmed up inside, I heard a maid's cheerful voice: it's snowing.
Bai Xuerou became interested again, put on a cloak and went out to stand under the veranda. Sure enough, she saw snowflakes falling softly and could hear the sound of them landing.
What a heavy snowfall!
She watched for a while, yawned, thought for a moment, then opened her umbrella and went to the yard to pick a few sprigs of winter plum blossoms.
Winter plum blossoms are most fragrant in winter, which she loves, and she plants one in almost every yard.
As the saying goes, spring brings drowsiness, autumn brings fatigue, summer brings naps, and the three months of winter are the most sleepy. Recently, she has been carefree and has developed the habit of taking a nap.
Bai Xuerou picked a few sprigs of winter plum blossoms and brought them back. The warmth of the heating filled the air with fragrance. Just as she was about to take a nap in the fragrance, Yuzan came in and whispered that someone from Madam Wu's side had come and invited her to come and admire the plum blossoms.
"Now?" Bai Xuerou glanced at the snow outside; it had already fallen quite thick in a short time.
She knew without even thinking what Madam Wu meant; it was nothing more than pleading for Wu San Niang's sake, or finding her a suitable husband.
You can't get around her no matter what.
Yu Zan nodded.
"Just tell her I'm going to sleep, and we'll go when I wake up." Bai Xuerou had already decided to go to sleep and had no intention of going out.
The jade hairpin should be fine.
Bai Xuerou didn't take the matter to heart at all. She lay on the bed surrounded by the fragrance of winter plum blossoms and fell asleep without realizing it.
Huiyin Academy.
When Madam Wu received the reply from Zhiwei Courtyard, she pressed her forehead and thought to herself that she was so upset by the matter of Wu San Niang that she had forgotten that Bai Xue Rou had a habit of taking a nap after lunch.
Wu San Niang, standing to the side, paid no attention to any of this. She had been weeping ever since Ling Xun left, and now, hearing Bai Xue Rou talk about the afternoon nap, both old and new grudges welled up in her heart. She cried out, "She just wouldn't help."
"Right now at Zhiwei Academy, who knows how they'll laugh at me?" she sobbed.
"Wu Lingyi." Upon hearing this, Madam Wu's voice turned somber.
Since Wu San Niang came to Wu Shi's side, this was the first time she had heard Wu Shi call her in such a tone. She was so shocked that she forgot to cry and looked at her with confusion and fear.
“Auntie…” she said timidly, then choked up again.
"You always feel that Chunniang doesn't like you, but have you ever thought about why? Have you ever thought about whether she has seen through your thoughts, which is why she is always distant towards you?" Madam Wu asked.
Wu San Niang was somewhat bewildered, and also felt a sense of embarrassment and panic.
Did Bai Xuerou see through her thoughts?
"No matter what, Chunniang, have you ever heard a single word from anyone that she mentioned you? As for you, did you have any manners befitting the Wu family just now? What kind of talk is that!" Madam Wu was quick-tempered and sharp-tongued, but what annoyed her most was that Wu Sanniang was so brainless that she started talking like that.
If she knew to keep it a secret, did she really think she could be completely at ease just because she was in Huiyin Courtyard?
After saying this, Madam Wu dismissed all the servants who were attending to her in the room.
Wu San Niang was a little dazed by the reprimand. After a while, she realized what was happening and saw that she was in the act. She was both scared and aggrieved. She took her hand and said, "Auntie, I feel uncomfortable."
Her eyes were red and she looked extremely pitiful.
"In matters of the heart, one-sided love will never succeed," said Madam Wu.
“But I, but I…” Wu San Niang was reluctant, unwilling, and could only cry.
Helpless, Madam Wu uttered a sigh of injustice.
"Now we have no choice but to ask Chunniang to see if she can mediate," she said.
Ling Xun has always respected Bai Xue Rou, and now he only hopes to persuade Bai Xue Rou to speak on his behalf.
The Wu family does not seek the position of principal wife; even a concubine would suffice.
This was certainly not Wu's intention. In fact, it was a message from the head of the Wu family, her grandfather, that made her eager to make this happen, and a concubine would be fine too.
Otherwise, why would the Wu family have acted this way?
Thinking of this, Wu looked at the girl in front of her and couldn't help but feel pity.
She had long known the fate of the women of the Wu family; she was fortunate enough to marry the Prince of Zhenbei as his second wife, which was already an excellent thing. But Third Sister was clearly not as lucky as her.
Which side room is the easiest to make?
She couldn't help but ask Wu San Niang again, and seeing that she was certain, she sighed once more.
With tears in her eyes, Wu San Niang looked at her, nestled into her arms, and whispered, "Don't worry, Aunt, San Niang knows what she's doing."
“Your Highness is a man of great talent and ambition, and his future is promising. I do not wish to live a life of perfect harmony with him, but I only wish to try my luck and give birth to his eldest son…” She did not finish her sentence and leaned against Madam Wu’s chest, lost in thought.
"And... I really like him," she murmured.
Such a dazzling young man, with his handsome appearance and achievements that countless people could not attain in their entire lives, was secretly admired by many women.
Wu San Niang recently attended a banquet, and countless people inquired about Ling Xun from her, their words laced with sarcasm.
Madam Wu was speechless. She naturally understood these things, but she didn't expect that Third Sister Wu also knew them.
But this is not as easy as it seems.
Not to mention that Ling Xun refused from the beginning, even if she did become a concubine, whether she could bear children would depend on Ling Xun's wishes.
Moreover, once you feel affection, the experience of being neglected will inevitably lead to resentment.
She sighed inwardly, but ultimately said nothing.
Madam Wu comforted Wu San Niang, and after a while she finally managed to coax her into washing up. She then dressed and made up again, and after she was all dressed neatly, she saw that Xue finally smiled a little, but she didn't stop.
Wu San Niang felt that a long time had passed, but Bai Xue Rou still hadn't made a sound, so she couldn't help but worry whether she would come.
Wu said it was still early, and that Bai Xuerou would definitely come if she had promised.
Sure enough, at the hour of Shen (3-5 PM), a maid came to announce that Madam Bai had arrived.
Bai Xuerou, wearing a fox fur cloak with a soft fur collar to keep out the wind, entered Huiyin Courtyard. Looking up, she saw that Madam Wu was waiting for her under the corridor, and she couldn't help but smile.
"Why is Mother out?" She quickened her pace.
"No rush, take your time," Madam Wu said hastily, adding that since there was nothing else to do inside, she thought she'd come out to see the snow scene. Then she led Bai Xuerou toward the flower hall where they could appreciate plum blossoms.
The floorboards inside were burning hot, and with two windows open, one could take in the view of the outside scenery.
The white snow, red plum blossoms, and rooftops were all blurred by the snow, creating a truly beautiful scene.
However, none of the people inside were in the mood to appreciate it.
Wu San Niang obediently followed Wu Shi's side, anxiously waiting for her to finish saying that she wanted Bai Xue Rou to intercede on her behalf, and anxiously looking at Bai Xue Rou, worried that she would refuse.
“This will not work,” Bai Xuerou shook her head.
Wu San Niang's heart sank, and Wu Shi was also taken aback.
She always thought Bai Xuerou wouldn't refuse, after all, it was just a matter of a word, and she was always easy to talk to.
But I never expected it to turn out like this.
Bai Xuerou knew this was a difficult matter, but it had to be resolved no matter how difficult it was; she couldn't keep dragging it on.
She shared her thoughts with the two of them.
Ling Xun had no such intention, so she wouldn't force him.
"If I were to speak up, it would only put him in a difficult position," Bai Xuerou told the two of them. Precisely because Ling Xun cared about her, she couldn't afford to damage their relationship like that.
“Mother, I’m sorry,” she said.
Wu San Niang was annoyed, feeling that Bai Xue Rou simply didn't want to help. But then she was stunned by Bai Xue Rou's words and couldn't help but think that it was probably because Bai Xue Rou cared so much about Ling Xun that Ling Xun respected her so much.
Wu remained silent for a while, and finally sighed.
"I've put you in a difficult position. Never mind, let's not talk about it now," she said.
Bai Xuerou felt relieved; this matter was finally over.
Being rejected was rather embarrassing, so she took her leave after only a short while.
“That’s it, in the end you and he are not meant to be,” said Madam Wu.
Wu San Niang couldn't help but cry again, but perhaps because she had shed too many tears in the afternoon, she stopped crying after only a short while.
“Aunt, I want to try again,” she said.
Ultimately, they refused to give up.
With some time still to go before the Lunar New Year, Wu San Niang wanted to make one last effort.
Madam Wu looked at her, sighed, and said nothing.
Ling Zheng learned about Bai Xue Rou's trip to Huiyin Academy after he woke up.
His brows furrowed slightly; he knew exactly what the two women from the Wu family would say to Bai Xuerou, and he immediately felt somewhat displeased.
Firstly, they were annoyed that even though he had clearly rejected them, the two of them still wouldn't give up.
Secondly, he was annoyed that they had approached Bai Xuerou, and worried that Bai Xuerou would try to persuade him later, as she was always so soft-hearted. Just thinking about that scene made him furious.
Is there anything worse than the person you love not knowing you like them and even urging you to get married?
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