Chapter 92: The Deceptive Marriage! (Second Update)

Lin Yanyao’s expression stiffened for a brief moment.

Wu Tan furrowed her brows involuntarily and blurted out, “The Jiang family has already come to your residence to propose? So soon?” The main thing was that it all happened so suddenly.

Madam Yang was unaware of the tangled feelings each young lady harbored and simply urged, “The heir of the Duke of Pingguo and his wife have come in person. Miss, you should return quickly.”

Since both Jiang Weixian and Jiang Lishi had come together, it showed the Jiang family’s serious regard and acknowledgment of this match.

Wu Tan was somewhat puzzled—

Could it be that she had been overthinking before? But if there was no agreement or arrangement between Jiang Pingzhi and Li Xuner, then what was the point of Li Xuner’s risky scheme to orchestrate that assassination?

After all, this was a matter of great importance in life, so Lin Yanyao had no mind to stay longer at the Marquis Dingyuan’s mansion. She hurriedly squeezed Wu Tan’s hand. “Tan’er, I’m going back first.”

Wu Tan, still uneasy about what she had seen when meeting Jiang Pingzhi that day, quickly followed after her. “Cousin, do you want me to go back with you?”

Lin Yanyao misunderstood her and thought Wu Tan was still eager to inquire about Lin Wannian and Wu Xun, so she hastily flashed a smile. “No need! I’ll come find you later!”

With that, she hurried away with Madam Yang and her personal maid.

The Jiang and Lin families’ matchmaking was being handled by their elders. Wu Tan knew that even if she went, she wouldn’t have much say, and since their families were busy, her presence might only cause trouble. She reluctantly convinced herself not to overthink and returned to her room.

Shortly after sitting down, Xiao Lingzi came in, saying Wu Qinglin was looking for her.

Wu Tan guessed it was probably related to Xiao Yue’s sudden visit earlier that day. Her scalp tingled, but she had no choice but to gather her courage and follow Xiao Lingzi to the front courtyard to meet Wu Qinglin.

The study door was wide open. Wu Tan tiptoed to the door and saw him sitting behind the desk with a cold expression. Her heart tightened slightly. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she put on a cheerful smile and happily rushed inside. “Brother, you wanted to see me...”

Before she finished, her eyes caught the umbrella resting on the desk.

Suddenly, her voice cut off, her face froze, and she stiffened completely.

Wu Qinglin looked up at her.

Seeing her reaction and expression, he understood immediately and felt a surge of anger rising in his chest!

This girl had really hidden such a big matter from him!

He wanted to lash out but controlled himself, though the corner of his mouth twitched. He stared coldly at Wu Tan and bluntly demanded, “Explain this umbrella!”

He wasn’t used to losing his temper with her, but given the gravity of the situation and her complete concealment, he was truly furious.

Wu Tan had never heard her brother speak to her with such a dark tone. Fear made her tremble inside, and she stammered, “Well... this... Brother, didn’t that Shengwang say something to you? He’s dishonest! Don’t listen to him...”

Before she could finish, Wu Qinglin lost his patience and knocked the desk several times with his fingers. “Stop beating around the bush! Why didn’t you tell me he privately lent you that umbrella? And besides lending the umbrella and the relocation banquet at Shengwang’s mansion, have you had any other private contact with him? Like yesterday at Zhuque Tower...”

By the end, he was so angry he leaned back in his chair sulking.

Wu Tan instinctively shrank her head as he slammed the desk. Peeking at him, she thought—what’s there to get angry about? It’s such a trivial matter. I even hung out with him at Huayang Palace’s lake under the moonlight all night. You don’t know, and I wouldn’t tell you anyway!

Seeing her glance, Wu Qinglin’s anger flared even more. He snorted coldly, “Planning how to keep fooling me?”

Wu Tan quickly composed herself. Since Xiao Yue shamelessly came to confront them today, she no longer cared. She straightened her neck and said plainly, “I already told you, he has ill intentions. Why would I bother talking to him? I just pretended not to see him. Do I need to make a big deal and let His Majesty the Emperor suspect us? Ignoring him is enough.”

Actually, Wu Qinglin had guessed she would react this way. His anger today wasn’t really directed at Wu Tan but at his own dullness and Xiao Yue’s shamelessness.

If Xiao Yue hadn’t brazenly admitted everything today, he might never have realized that man had secretly been contacting his sister for so long. Just thinking about it made him furious.

Wu Qinglin remained silent with a cold face.

Wu Tan thought about the day’s events and felt increasingly uneasy. She cautiously approached Wu Qinglin’s desk and tentatively asked, “Brother, what exactly did that man say to you today? And why did you bring him back? What if His Majesty the Emperor finds out...”

Wu Qinglin glanced at her and gave a self-mocking cold laugh. “I’m afraid Shengwang knew before he even set foot in our mansion.”

Xiao Yue had stopped him outside the palace after court. There was no need for anyone to gossip to the Emperor afterward; palace guards, passing servants, and eunuchs would spread the news instantly.

Previously, because Xiao Yue kept steering the conversation toward Wu Tan, Wu Qinglin’s thoughts were clouded by concerns for her. After calming down and analyzing the situation, he felt something was off—

If Xiao Yue truly harbored secret intentions, it should have been done covertly without the Emperor’s knowledge. But he came to the Wu family so openly today; wouldn’t that only raise suspicion against himself?

The logic didn’t add up.

Or perhaps his real purpose wasn’t to win over the Wu family but—

To make the Emperor suspicious of them? Then cut off his own arm?

If that were the case, then tampering with Wu Tan’s birth chart could become the perfect weapon to attack the Wu family...

But he hadn’t used that incident to strike at them!

Then—

What was this man’s true goal?

Wu Qinglin was baffled and slightly dazed.

Seeing his solemn expression, Wu Tan grew serious and nervously called out, “Brother...”

Wu Qinglin softened upon seeing her. He suppressed his inner frustration, calmed down somewhat, sat up straight, and reached out to stroke her hair. “It’s nothing. Shengwang didn’t say anything he shouldn’t have. We’ll just play dumb for now. Besides, some things aren’t so easy for him to accomplish. We’ll wait and see. After Wu Qingqiong’s wedding, when I go to Yuanzhou City, I’ll discuss everything with Father in person.”

Even if Xiao Yue harbored rebellious thoughts, plotting to seize the throne was no trivial matter. It involved many parties, and he had been away from the capital for years. There were still opportunities to smooth things over and negotiate.

Such matters certainly couldn’t be discussed through letters with Wu Xun, as any leak could endanger their lives.

“Got it!” Wu Tan nodded, then hesitated before asking, “Is there anything you need me to do?”

What could she do? She was just a young maid.

Wu Qinglin chuckled but remained worried after laughing. “Nothing for you to do! You know what’s important. I won’t burden you further. But if that Shengwang tries to approach you again, be very careful. Avoid provoking him.”

As he had told Madam Wu before, Xiao Yue’s identity was special. If he really wanted to pressure them, he could put the entire Wu family in a difficult position. For now, he treated his own family mildly, but if truly provoked to use extreme methods, he would be hard to deal with.

Wu Qinglin kept these worries from Wu Tan for the time being.

Seeing her still anxious, he changed the subject. “By the way, didn’t Yanyao just come at noon? Why did she leave so soon?”

“Oh!” Wu Tan quickly refocused. “The Lin family came to fetch her. The Jiang family came to propose. I wanted to go with her, but it didn’t seem right.”

“Hm?” The matter was sudden. Wu Qinglin frowned. “Today?”

“Yes, today!” Wu Tan leaned on his desk, increasingly uneasy about Jiang Pingzhi. “Brother, when you checked into Jiang Pingzhi yesterday, were there no results yet? The maid who came to fetch Cousin said the heir and his wife personally came to propose. It doesn’t seem like the Jiang family has any ulterior motives. Maybe I was overthinking?”

Still, if Li Xuner had truly colluded with Jiang Pingzhi, there must be a motive. Before, she thought Li Xuner wanted to marry a top scholar to gain honor, but now that Jiang Pingzhi had come to propose to the Lin family, it seemed he had no such collusion with Li Xuner.

Wu Qinglin frowned deeply, his face serious. “Even if Jiang Pingzhi was involved in yesterday’s incident, he must be very cautious lately and wouldn’t expose himself easily. I wanted to wait and watch...”

But the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He stood up. “Let’s go! We’ll follow to the Lin family and see.”

Though they had no evidence implicating Jiang Pingzhi or his family, the final rankings of the imperial exam were just announced yesterday, and the Jiang family rushed to propose today. It all seemed suspicious.

Wu Tan, too, was worried about Lin Yanyao’s engagement, so she hurried along with Wu Qinglin.

Because Wu Tan was going with him, Wu Qinglin had a carriage prepared. He didn’t ride a horse but rode with her, thinking it inappropriate for outsiders to meddle in the matchmaking. They would observe quietly and, if nothing amiss, leave without showing themselves; if there was a problem, they would take action.

At the Lin residence, Mrs. Li did not expect the Jiang family to be so eager. They came the day after Jiang Pingzhi’s exam success was announced and quickly went to propose. After hearing the gatekeeper’s report, she hurried to welcome them.

Though the betrothal gifts were hastily prepared, the Pingguo Duke’s household was wealthy. Arranging such gifts overnight was no trouble.

The procession was grand, with music and drums, drawing a long line of onlookers behind.

Boxes sealed with the Pingguo Duke’s household stamp were carried into the alley and placed before the Lin mansion’s gate—dozens of large chests containing 60,000 taels of silver, plus gold, jade, fine silks, and the usual betrothal cakes, dried seafood, and three sacrificial animals.

Mrs. Li met them at the gate as Jiang Weixian and Jiang Lishi were dismounting.

“Sister!” Mrs. Li hurried to support Jiang Lishi’s hand, then greeted Jiang Weixian. “Why did brother-in-law come in person?”

Though proposals were usually handled by elders, since the families were close, Mrs. Li expected Jiang Lishi to bring Jiang Pingzhi.

Jiang Weixian smiled. “I happened to have a day off today. Marriage is important, so I came along to pay respects to the old matchmaker.”

Mrs. Li was pleased. “Brother-in-law and sister, please come inside and talk. Someone, quickly prepare tea in the flower hall.”

This match had been arranged in advance, so there was no hesitation. Mrs. Li was about to let them enter but noticed Jiang Pingzhi was missing. She asked curiously, “Where’s Pingzhi? He...”

Though it wasn’t necessary for the groom to come personally, given their close ties, Jiang Pingzhi should have been there.

Jiang Lishi’s eyes flickered with a hint of guilt but quickly masked it. She pulled Mrs. Li aside and explained, “Pingzhi should have come, but didn’t he have an incident during the parade yesterday? He and several fellow candidates went together to mourn the deceased. It was serious. I couldn’t stop him. So we had to be a bit negligent toward Yao’er. Don’t mind it, sister.”

The excuse sounded reasonable, so Mrs. Li didn’t suspect anything and replied, “We’re family; such things don’t matter. Sister, please come inside.”

Since this match was prearranged, though her daughter had seemed off after returning yesterday, Mrs. Li found no fault with the Jiang family and didn’t dwell on it.

Seeing Mrs. Li agree, Jiang Lishi finally relaxed as the stewards of both families began exchanging the betrothal gifts and lists.

Her excuse wasn’t entirely false, as Jiang Pingzhi had indeed been called away early to mourn with his fellow candidates. She had worried about how to avoid him interfering with the big event of delivering the betrothal gifts, so it worked out quite well.

Initially, she had planned to come alone but felt uneasy. Remembering Jiang Weixian’s day off, she persuaded him to come along since Pingzhi was absent.

Jiang Weixian was also pleased with the match and saw no harm in attending, especially since his son couldn’t come.

Mrs. Li led them to the flower hall for tea and sent Madam Yang to fetch Lin Yanyao.

However, whether Lin Yanyao was present or not did not hinder the proceedings. Both sides roughly agreed on the engagement, and Jiang Weixian went to pay respects to the old matchmaker.

Mrs. Li stayed behind to talk with Jiang Lishi.

The sisters had maintained a close relationship for years. Thinking about her daughter’s odd behavior the day before, Mrs. Li sent the maids away and asked Jiang Lishi seriously, “Sister, I want to ask you something.”

Jiang Lishi noticed the servants had been dismissed and asked curiously, “What is it?”

Though embarrassed, Mrs. Li spoke earnestly, “Have those two children had any recent quarrels?”

Jiang Lishi’s hand holding her tea cup paused. She blurted, “You mean—Pingzhi and Yao’er?”

Mrs. Li felt uneasy suspecting her son but couldn’t ignore her daughter’s feelings. She trusted Jiang Lishi, so she spoke frankly. “Yesterday, Yao’er went to watch Pingzhi’s parade. When she returned, I asked about Pingzhi but noticed her mood was low and strange. She wouldn’t say why, so I wanted to ask if those two had a disagreement. Did Pingzhi say anything after returning?”

Jiang Lishi’s heart skipped a beat.

Pingzhi didn’t just say something—he had made a scene. If not for that, she wouldn’t have rushed to propose to the Lin family.

Now that Mrs. Li asked directly, her heart pounded.

But since things had come this far, she couldn’t cause more trouble. Even if Pingzhi had other thoughts, she trusted Jiang Yuzhi’s judgment that it was a moment of impulse. Once this marriage was settled, he would drop any distractions.

With that thought, Jiang Lishi’s mind settled, and she showed no unusual expression. “No, maybe Yao’er was just scared by the incident on the street yesterday?”

“Really?” Mrs. Li was suspicious.

Jiang Lishi quickly added, “I heard the scene was frightening. Yao’er is a delicate girl. If she’s unwell, don’t neglect it—get a doctor to check on her.”

Deceiving her own sister like this made Jiang Lishi uneasy.

But she was caught between a rock and a hard place. She couldn’t stand by and watch her son be infatuated with an unscrupulous woman.

Ultimately, he had to marry a proper match.

As for any wrongs toward her niece, she would make it up later.

Even if Lin Yanyao was merely frightened, there was no reason to pick a fight with Jiang Pingzhi. Mrs. Li felt this made sense. Besides, yesterday’s parade was crowded; it was unlikely the two children quarreled.

It wasn’t that Mrs. Li was easily fooled but that their families knew each other well. Suddenly, she found no reason to suspect the Jiang family.

By the time Lin Yanyao returned, everything had settled.

The Jiang family’s betrothal gifts were brought in, and both sides exchanged formal engagement contracts, sealing the match.

Since the kitchen hadn’t prepared in advance and the counting of gifts caused chaos, Mrs. Li was overwhelmed. Jiang Weixian and Jiang Lishi didn’t stay for a meal and went home directly.

Wu Tan and Wu Qinglin’s carriage reached the alley’s entrance just as Lin Yanyao’s sedan chair was leaving. The coachman stopped the horses to let them pass first.

Inside the carriage, Wu Tan and Wu Qinglin exchanged a glance, each seeing a hint of regret in the other’s eyes.

Wu Qinglin asked, “Do you want to go inside?”

Since no betrothal gifts were brought back out, the Lin family must have accepted them. And Jiang Pingzhi’s absence spoke volumes.

At first, when Madam Yang went to the Marquis Dingyuan’s mansion to send the message that the Pingguo Duke’s heir and his wife had come to propose, Wu Tan naturally assumed they had brought Jiang Pingzhi with them.

If Jiang Pingzhi agreed to this match, it meant at least that he and Li Xuner had no complicated dealings.

But—

She had assumed wrongly! Jiang Pingzhi never appeared; it was his parents who acted on his behalf.

Now that the Lin family had accepted the Jiang family’s betrothal gifts, the match was set. Even if they went now, what could they do?

Wu Tan sighed regretfully, feeling somewhat dejected.

Wu Qinglin stroked her hair. “I’m going to check on the Princess of Qingyang’s residence. Want to come with me?”

——

As an aside—

This is probably what they call... betraying familiarity?

This novel is an original release; please do not repost!