Cui Yunli’s eyes flew wide, and his mind briefly crashed, as though someone had set off a firecracker inside his head, sending sparks crackling in every direction.
It wasn’t him who was being matched for marriage. The one who was to marry a princess was actually his father.
“Mother.” After a brief silence, Cui Qingyuan’s voice was heavy with helplessness.
This was no longer a matter of who was worthy of whom. It was simply impossible.
Old Madam Cui spoke harshly, but having lived through so many years, she understood the situation at court very well.
“If you hadn’t forced Yunchu into a corner, she wouldn’t have done this. When all is said and done, you brought it upon yourself. Besides, how could a sheltered young lady possibly make such an arrangement happen? Most likely, she was merely being mischievous and kept it from you. If I were Yunchu, I would have retaliated against you in exactly the same way.”
Cui Qingyuan fell silent once more. In short, nothing he said was of any use here. His mother was determined to protect that girl.
Old Madam Cui glanced at Cui Qingyuan’s gloomy expression and said calmly, “Actually, I think that young man from the Shen family is quite decent.”
“Mother,” Cui Qingyuan said with a deeply furrowed brow, “have you forgotten the enmity between our three families? If Yunchu marries into the Shen family, how could they possibly treat her well?”
Old Madam Cui was silent for a moment. Only after a long while did she say, “I understand your concerns. But I can’t help feeling that, in all the years Yunchu has lived, it is not easy to find someone who treats her so well. If she misses out on such a marriage because we are too timid and cautious, it would be a great pity.”
No one could guarantee that Shen Xiabai’s feelings would last forever. But for now, the fact that he was willing to shoulder a murder charge and go to prison for Yunchu was already exceedingly rare.
“Don’t blame Yunchu. After all, so few people have ever treated her well.”
It was only natural that she had fallen for the young man from the Shen family.
Cui Qingyuan remained silent.
The scene outside the residence that day surfaced once again in his mind. He knew all too well how difficult it was for that daughter of his to say that she liked someone.
“Even the emperor would never agree to it.”
Old Madam Cui snorted. “If he cannot cut through the thorns and resolve this trouble, then he has no business marrying Yunchu.”
Prime Minister Cui’s brows drew tightly together. His rigid back seemed to sag, and he let out a faint sigh.
Old Madam Cui looked at him. “Yunchu is different from Yunfeng. If you sacrifice her happiness for the sake of the family’s circumstances, I, for one, will not permit it.”
The Prime Minister raised his eyes and said, “Mother, but Lord Shen harbors a deep grudge against our Cui family. I truly do not want Yunchu to marry into his household.”
At this, Old Madam Cui immediately realized that there was more to the matter. She questioned him at once, and Cui Qingyuan told her about Shen Xiabai’s condition.
“But you never agreed to it. Why did he still help Yunli?”
Cui Qingyuan shook his head. He was not entirely sure himself.
Old Madam Cui said, “Then he must have done it for Yunchu.”
With that, she shot Cui Qingyuan another look. “Where exactly has your heart wandered off to?”
Old Madam Cui was an exceptionally shrewd woman. From only a few exchanges, she had already understood the concerns in the Prime Minister’s heart and the reason he had refused Shen Xiabai.
“He did not demand that you leave the capital immediately. He said to wait until Yunli was capable of standing on his own. Won’t the Cui family fall into Yunli’s hands sooner or later? He never intended to touch you. He simply does not want to see you again.”
“But the deaths of his father and elder brother truly had nothing to do with the Cui or Tang families,” Cui Qingyuan said with a frown.
If it had nothing to do with them, why would he agree to Shen Xiabai’s condition?
“Be quiet.” Old Madam Cui’s gentle expression changed slightly. “Have I not told you that this matter must be buried in your stomach? No one is to speak of it.”
She continued, “Back then, we did indeed reveal the whereabouts of his father and elder brother. We did not kill Bo Ren ourselves, but he died because of it. How can you say it had nothing to do with us?”
Cui Qingyuan sighed and fell silent again.
At the side, Cui Yunli felt as though his brain was no longer sufficient for the task. It took him quite some time to understand the general outline of what they were saying.
Still, he was not particularly surprised. The day Yunchu had coaxed those meatballs out of Lord Shen’s mouth, he had already known that there was something unusual between the two of them.
Cui Qingyuan was subjected to Old Madam Cui’s sarcasm and stern reprimands.
Throughout it all, Cui Qingyuan maintained his silence.
Old Madam Cui said, “You have wronged Yunchu far too many times. This is the most important matter of her life. Just be her father for once. I, your mother, am begging you.”
“Mother,” Cui Qingyuan said, his expression dark and solemn.
“In my heart, I made my decision long ago.”
Chu Garden was a long way from his study. That night, for the first time, he walked along that road as a father.
A look of satisfaction rose in Old Madam Cui’s eyes. Then she added, “The matchmaking we discussed before cannot be stopped either. She should still meet the man. Do you understand what I mean?”
Cui Qingyuan replied, “Mother, rest assured. That is precisely what I intend to do. Once the banquet at the Grand Princess’s residence is over the day after tomorrow, I will arrange for Yunchu to meet that lord.”
Old Madam Cui gave a soft hum, lifted her teacup, and took a small sip before reminding him, “Remember to let Lord Shen know.”
Cui Qingyuan answered that he understood.
“But Yunchu was outrageously bold in this matter. She still must be punished.”
Old Madam Cui had been sitting for some time, and her lower back was beginning to ache. “Do as you see fit. But let me remind you: Yunchu has someone protecting her now. Don’t end up with your son-in-law sending a second wife into this household and making a laughingstock of us all.”
Cui Qingyuan’s face turned slightly green.
Old Madam Cui had already left when she suddenly turned back. “Was that young man from the Shen family also the one who had you beaten with the paddle last time?”
Cui Qingyuan’s face darkened, but he said nothing.
How could he not know what she was referring to, bringing it up so suddenly? Old Madam Cui giggled. “I find him more pleasing by the day. He certainly dotes on Yunchu.”
Then she gave the Prime Minister another chilly sideways glance. “From now on, before you punish Yunchu, think carefully. Don’t make a laughingstock of yourself.”
“…”
The Prime Minister suddenly began to reconsider.
“Perhaps that son-in-law isn’t worth having after all.”
*
As soon as Cui Yunchu returned to Chu Garden, she changed clothes, washed up, and climbed into bed. She did not even eat dinner. Xing’er thought she had fallen ill, but when she lifted the quilt, she saw a little face flushed with health. There was not the slightest sign of sickness.
“Miss, why are you hiding under the quilt?”
Cui Yunchu immediately pulled the quilt back over herself. Her muffled voice came from beneath it. “I’m tired. I want to rest. Tell everyone that, whoever they are.”
Xing’er understood at once, and her entire body grew tense.
“I’ll go stop them in the courtyard right away.”
Once the door had closed, Cui Yunchu poked half her head out from under the quilt and reached beneath her pillow. She pulled out a letter.
The handwriting on it was bold and flamboyant, every stroke powerful and vigorous. But it was the two characters “A Chu” in particular that made Cui Yunchu cover her mouth, unable to stop smiling.
“A Chu.”
“A Chu.”
Lying on the bed, Cui Yunchu repeated those two words over and over. At times, she covered her face, her voice soft and coy. “Oh, this is so embarrassing.”
“Shen Xiabai, you shameless man.”
At other times, she stared at the letter and grinned like an idiot, showing all her teeth.
“Miss, no one came.” Xing’er’s voice drifted in from outside, accompanied by a giggle as she shivered in the cold.
But Cui Yunchu was so completely immersed in the letter that she did not hear a word. Clutching it to her chest, she rolled back and forth across the bed.
At last, she lay on her stomach like a little rabbit, covered her face, and shook her head from side to side.
That jerk—I’ve only been away from her for a little while, and I’m already missing her. My lips are still sore, yet I’m already dying to see her again.
