Chapter 2
"You think a stepmother would be good? Haven’t you seen Zhao Donglai’s stepmother? Hmph, she’s always either hitting or scolding him." Xu Qingshi was taken aback at first, then shook his head.
The idea of wanting a stepmother didn’t seem reliable to him.
"What if we find someone from an ordinary family but with money? Maybe she wouldn’t dare offend you and would even try to win you over with gifts?" Xie Yanzhi thought about it and decided this might work.
If his father could find him such a stepmother, she’d be constantly scheming ways to give him silver to spend. Just the thought of it made him giddy.
"Where would you find someone like that?" Xu Qingshi, however, thought Xie Yanzhi was being delusional. As the two walked on, they came across a long, red wedding procession.
"Hey, Young Master, look! I wonder whose wedding this is. Should we go join the fun?" Seeing Xu Qingshi in low spirits, Xie Yanzhi wanted to distract him.
"Let’s take a look." Xu Qingshi was still a child at heart, after all, and found the spectacle quite fascinating. He had never seen such an extravagant wedding procession before.
But the closer they got, the stranger things seemed.
Why would a bridal procession just stop and not move?
They arrived at the gates of the Ruan Marquis Residence, only to find them tightly shut.
And outside the estate sat the bridal sedan.
"Goodness, Young Master, what’s going on here?" Xie Yanzhi was young but had a nose for gossip.
"Ah, why isn’t the Ruan Marquis Residence opening its gates?"
"Didn’t the Ruan Marquis’ heir just get married a few days ago? Why is there another wedding? And this one’s even grander!"
"What do you know? Look at this—it’s probably the girl forcing her way into the marriage."
"Nonsense! This is the daughter of the Li Family, the wealthiest in Lanuo Kingdom! This dowry procession stretches for miles. If the Ruan Marquis Residence hadn’t proposed first, how could the girl and her dowry have been sent here? More likely, the marquis’ family is trying to back out now."
"Wow, Young Master, this is going to be quite the show! I know the Ruan Marquis’ heir—he really did marry just two days ago, and it was the Zhou Family’s daughter!" Xie Yanzhi exclaimed excitedly.
"Then could this bride be for someone else in the Ruan Marquis Residence?" Xu Qingshi studied the bridal sedan and the procession behind it, a bold idea forming in his mind.
The wealthiest family in Lanuo Kingdom were merchants, and in the social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, merchants ranked last.
But this family must be incredibly rich.
Now that the Ruan Marquis Residence didn’t want this bride, he did.
If his father married this Li Family’s daughter, wouldn’t he have all the nine-linked puzzles he could ever want?
And who knew what other rare treasures she might bring?
"How could that be? The only eligible bachelor in the Ruan Marquis Residence right now is Lin Jitong," Xie Yanzhi said without hesitation.
"Then tell me, how does this Li Family’s daughter look?" Xu Qingshi rested his chin on his hand, thinking that if the girl was ugly, he’d pass. He didn’t like unattractive people.
"I’ve heard she’s stunningly beautiful, but I’ve never seen her myself. Still, if the rumors are true, she must be quite a sight. Young Master, why are you asking?" Xie Yanzhi was puzzled.
"What if I snatch her and take her back as my stepmother?" Xu Qingshi’s eyes locked onto the bridal sedan the moment Xie Yanzhi mentioned Li Zhiwei’s beauty.
A beautiful stepmother would make a fine decoration for the manor—it was too empty anyway.
And then he could brag to Wei Herui about his gorgeous stepmother. That guy’s mother wasn’t much to look at.
"Young Master, what did you just say?" Xie Yanzhi gulped, wondering if he’d misheard.
Sure, he had suggested that Prince An take a consort to be Xu Qingshi’s stepmother.
But he never told him to kidnap one!
If Prince An found out this was his idea, would he break his legs?
Just the thought made Xie Yanzhi’s legs ache in advance.
"Young Master, let’s hurry back. The Dowager Princess must be waiting for you to join her for lunch." Xie Yanzhi’s heart pounded wildly—he was terrified his best friend was about to become his worst enemy.
"Go back? I need to bring my grandmother a grand gift first." Gone was Xu Qingshi’s earlier frustration.
The thought of having a beautiful stepmother soon had completely lifted his gloom.
He could already picture Wei Herui’s envious face.
"Men!" Xu Qingshi waved his hand imperiously.
His guards immediately stepped forward and bowed. "Young Master, what are your orders?"
"Have that bridal sedan carried to Prince An’s residence." He pointed at the sedan not far away.
The guard hesitated.
He glanced at the sedan, wondering if there was a second one nearby.
Was the young master really eyeing someone else’s bridal sedan?
The guard wavered, unsure if the Ruan Marquis Residence would just hand it over.
"What are you waiting for? Are my words meaningless now?" Xu Qingshi frowned at the frozen guard.
"At once, Young Master! But… what about the person inside?" the guard asked cautiously.
"Take her back to the residence, of course!" Xu Qingshi glared.
The guard was stunned but quickly remembered his duty—absolute obedience to the young master.
Without another thought, he signaled his men to seize the sedan and carry it straight to Prince An’s residence.
Xu Qingshi strutted ahead, thoroughly pleased with himself.
So this was how it felt to steal a stepmother. Who knew it could be so satisfying?
Meanwhile, Li Zhiwei, still pondering her next move inside the sedan, suddenly felt a jolt.
"Cuiguo?" she called softly, but there was no response.
Cuiguo, too, was momentarily stunned. By the time she snapped out of it, her mistress was already being carried away.
"What are you all standing around for? Follow them!" Cuiguo shouted in panic.
The entourage scrambled after the sedan, and the entire wedding procession turned and marched in a new direction.
The onlookers were baffled—what fresh drama was this?
Ruan Marquis Residence
"Young Master, the marquis requests your presence in the main hall immediately," a servant announced in the courtyard.
"Understood. I’ll be there shortly." Lin Jitong sounded irritated. He couldn’t fathom why his father insisted he marry that merchant’s daughter.
"Cousin, you should go," Zhou Yutang said with a pout.
Though she hated the idea of that woman entering the household, her aunt had assured her it wouldn’t affect their relationship.
She was told not to interfere with the marquis’ plans.
Besides, as the primary wife, she would always outrank the newcomer.
And since her cousin’s heart belonged to her, he would surely side with her.
"Yutang, don’t worry. My heart is yours alone. Marrying her is only my father’s wish," Lin Jitong reassured her.
