Chapter 246

Chapter 246: Wu Hui "Don't underestimate Lu Zeyu. Others say he's young and not steady, but he has his own set of principles when handling matters." Wu Shi's sister-in-law, Dong Shi, spoke with particular enthusiasm. "Hui-jie'er has grown up under your watch. She's just been unlucky—her previous fiancé died on the battlefield. After that, people started saying she was cursed to widow her husbands, and any marriage talks had to look toward lower matches. But tell me, how is it Hui-jie'er's fault that a man died in battle?" Speaking of her daughter's marriage prospects, Dong Shi harbored deep resentment toward those gossiping tongues. Wu Shi also felt sympathy for her niece. Because of this matter, her niece had been delayed until eighteen without a marriage settled. "But the Duke of Dingguo's household—he's an adopted heir after all. Does my brother also feel the same way?" Wu Shi still had some hesitation. "What does it matter if he's adopted? There are no biological sons anyway. Won't the entire Duke of Dingguo estate eventually belong to Lu Zeyu?" Dong Shi was quite open-minded about it. "Besides, if he were a biological son with everything going for him, do you think they'd even consider Hui-jie'er?" It wasn't that Dong Shi was belittling her daughter—she too felt her daughter was well-read, sensible, and excellent in every way. But reality was what it was. She also didn't want her daughter to marry beneath her station. After looking around, Lu Zeyu was the best option. Wu Shi sighed. "Alright. If my brother and sister-in-law both think it's good, I'll go ask Lady Cui to help arrange a match." "Good sister, with you handling it, it's sure to succeed." Dong Shi said happily. "Before you married, the family always said you had a steady temperament and could accomplish great things. Hui-jie'er's marriage is now in your hands—her lifelong happiness depends on you." Dong Shi had always felt Wu Shi was formidable. She herself didn't have Wu Shi's endurance—if she had been the one whose child was harmed by County Princess Rongjia, she would have already fought the princess to the death. After settling things with her sister-in-law, Wu Shi made a special visit to see Cui Lingrong. Cui Lingrong knew Wu Shi's character. Although she passed the message along to her younger brother, she held no hopes in her heart. But to her surprise, her brother agreed to a meeting. Upon learning this news, Cui Lingrong was quite taken aback. Fearing her brother might change his mind, she hurriedly sent someone to deliver word to Wu Shi and arrange a meeting time. None of these matters were known to County Princess Rongjia. Wu Shi wouldn't tell County Princess Rongjia about this—she hadn't even told her mother-in-law or her husband. The matter wasn't certain to succeed, and if it failed, it would ruin her niece's reputation. On the appointed day, Wu Shi hosted the gathering, inviting both parties to her estate for a day of leisure. To avoid making the purpose too obvious, Cui Lingrong also brought Yu-jie'er and Qi-jie'er, while Dong Shi brought her son as well. When they met, Cui Zeyu hadn't arrived yet. Dong Shi called her daughter over. "Hui-jie'er, you've been here before. Take the younger sisters fishing." Wu Hui seemed quite shy. She nodded to her mother, then went to look at Song Yu and the others. After the children left, the adults had their own matters to discuss. Wu Shi spoke first. "This niece of mine has been the most obedient since childhood—skilled in qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. You've seen her appearance—she can't compare to your Yu-jie'er, but she's still delicate and charming." "You flatter her, Hereditary Princess. Hui-jie'er is tall and elegant—she has far more presence than Yu-jie'er." Cui Lingrong responded politely. Having her daughter praised always brought joy. Dong Shi smiled and said, "I won't hide anything from you. Hui-jie'er was previously engaged. But the man died on the battlefield, and that's why her marriage was delayed." Dong Shi had considered not mentioning this, but she feared that if she concealed it from Lady Cui, and her daughter married into the family, this matter might cause friction between her and Lu Zeyu. She hoped for her daughter to marry up, but she also wanted her daughter to be happy—otherwise, she wouldn't have delayed her daughter's marriage for so long. Cui Lingrong had already looked into this matter. "What's past is past. Hui-jie'er's good fortune lies ahead." This statement made clear that she didn't mind Wu Hui's previous engagement. Hearing this, Dong Shi's smile grew even brighter. "Indeed. I also believe Hui-jie'er's good days are ahead." For this meeting, Hui-jie'er had insisted on meeting Lu Zeyu alone. Dong Shi had initially thought it improper, but fearing it might delay her daughter's prospects, she decided having two matrons keep watch from a distance would be acceptable. As they were speaking, Cui Zeyu arrived. The moment he entered the room, Dong Shi's eyes lit up. Cui Zeyu was tall and handsome—search all of Bianjing and you wouldn't find a more refined and elegant young man. Cui Zeyu first paid his respects to his elder sister, then greeted Dong Shi and the others. Wu Shi sent a matron to show the way. "I've prepared some refreshments. Let Yu-jie'er and the others go eat first." After Cui Zeyu left, Dong Shi nearly stood up to follow him out. It was only when Wu Shi called out "Sister-in-law" that she laughed and sat back down. The more Dong Shi looked at Cui Zeyu, the more satisfied she became. She thought to herself that if this marriage truly came to pass, she would burn incense and offer thanks to the gods. Over there, Cui Zeyu met with Wu Hui, while Song Yu and the others went to have refreshments. Wu Wenchao was several years older than Song Yu. He didn't dare speak too much with the young ladies. Fortunately, Zhuang Qi kept chatting away, so the atmosphere wasn't too awkward. When Dong Shi sent someone to call them back, Wu Wenchao realized how quickly time had passed. A matchmaking meeting wasn't a matter of meeting once and immediately settling things. The man's side needed to make some indication of interest before the woman's side could respond accordingly—otherwise, if one side rushed forward too eagerly, it would be too embarrassing. Therefore, on the way back, neither side mentioned how the matchmaking went, only chatting about how Lady Wu's estate was indeed quite nice. As soon as Dong Shi got into the carriage, she praised Cui Zeyu's handsome appearance. "Hui-jie, this time you have nothing to complain about, right?" Wu Hui kept her head slightly lowered. She said nothing. It was Wu Wenchao who spoke up, "Mother, when choosing a husband for marriage, it's not just about looks—character matters more!" "Don't you know that the face reflects the heart?" Dong Shi was convinced Cui Zeyu was a good match. "With Lu Zeyu looking like that, how could he be a bad person? Do you think your mother, who has lived for decades, can't even see that clearly?" Wu Wenchao curled his lip. "That's not necessarily true—you say every handsome man you see is good." "You brat, what are you talking about?" Dong Shi shot him a sideways glance. "Speaking of which, your marriage should also start taking shape. Your father insists on waiting until you pass the Jinshi examination, but how easy is that? Can he guarantee you'll pass next year?" Although her son was a good student, one should establish a family before focusing on one's studies. If her son didn't pass next year, would they have to wait another three years? Wu Wenchao hadn't expected his mother to turn the topic to him, so he followed his sister's example and fell silent. "Fine, fine—you siblings are both like turtles. Even if someone punches you, you don't make a sound." Dong Shi snorted. "I was going to say that Yu-jie is a fine girl, and I could put in a word for you." Hearing his mother mention Song Yu, Wu Wenchao immediately looked up. "Really?" "Fake!" Dong Shi raised an eyebrow at her son's excitement. "What's the matter? Taken a liking to the girl?" "Mother, don't speak carelessly, lest you ruin the girl's reputation." Wu Wenchao's face darkened. "Don't give me that—do you think I can't read your expression? Fine, if you say no, then no. I won't pay attention to Yu-jie anymore." Dong Shi said deliberately, then turned to her daughter. "Hui-jie, tell me honestly—this Lu Zeyu. Have you taken a liking to him?" In previous instances, her daughter had always found faults, always comparing him to the deceased one. This time, Lu Zeyu was better in every way; she didn't believe her daughter could find anything wrong. "Let me tell you, this is your chance—miss it and it's gone. If you truly don't want him, I can't do anything about it, but you won't get such good conditions again." Dong Shi looked at her daughter with deep meaning. Seeing her daughter nod, she broke into a delighted smile, completely failing to notice her son's furrowed brow. "As long as you're willing, that's all that matters. We'll just wait for news from the Duke of Dingguo's residence—I think it will most likely work out!" Dong Shi wished the days would pass faster; she surely wouldn't sleep tonight.