WSMTATMC C155

Chapter 155

Yesterday, the subordinates whom Li Mu had sent to Longquan County returned, bringing back news of Lin Sui.

Because the Fang family’s scandal had caused such an uproar in the county town, they were able to uncover the truth with hardly any effort.

Compared to Li Mu’s own experience of widowhood, Lin Sui’s ordeal could be called truly tragic.

Married at a very young age, his spouse not only committed incest, but also beat him so violently that he miscarried and lost the ability to bear children. In the end, it was only thanks to the help of his elder cousin and cousin-in-law that he escaped from that sea of misery.

When Li Mu heard this news, his heart was deeply shaken. He thought of that young man with fine features and an introverted personality, never expecting he had endured such suffering.

The subordinates had also dropped by the rickshaw shop run by Lin Sui’s cousin-in-law, and the townsfolk nearby all said that the Cao family’s business had a fine reputation, with the shopkeeper being an honest and trustworthy man. When they mentioned his spouse, Lin Qiu, no one had a single bad word—everyone said he was a proper and upright person.

After hearing all this, Li Mu resolved in his heart that he must marry this Lin youth as his legitimate spouse, and so he went to discuss it with his mother.

Madam Luo was a gentle and weak-willed woman. Back at the Li estate, her status had been just above that of a servant, and she had never dared to involve herself in household matters.

Now that her son had brought her out, although she was nominally the Matriarch of the Marquis Wuping estate, she still dared not interfere in her son’s affairs. She merely said: “So long as you deem him good, that is enough. If it’s inconvenient, then just let Qing’er stay by my side to be raised.”

“Don’t worry, Qing’er likes him.”

Li Mu decided to speak with Lin Sui’s elder cousin first, as a way to give Lin Sui prior notice. If Lin Sui agreed, then he would invite Lin Sui’s mother, elder brother, and cousin-in-law together into the prefectural city to discuss the marriage.

If Lin Sui did not agree, then the matter would be dropped.

“Master Chen, may I trouble you for a word?”

Chen Qingyan was just then wiping his son’s mouth. Hearing the voice, he looked up, handed the handkerchief to Wang Ying, and then followed Li Mu outside.

“I do not know what urgent business Marquis has summoned me for?”

“I wish to take Lin Sui as my spouse.”

Chen Qingyan froze in stunned disbelief, seemingly unable to comprehend what had just been said.

“I know speaking so suddenly seems abrupt. But I am absolutely sincere. I hope Master Chen can convey my intentions. If he agrees, I will begin preparing for the marriage.”

“Marquis, one moment—did you say you wish to marry Lin Sui as your legitimate husband, not just take him as a concubine?”

Li Mu nodded. “That’s correct.”

Lin Sui had already suffered one failed marriage and had become infertile. Even if finding an ordinary husband was hard enough, whether the other side would even willingly accept him was uncertain. It wasn’t that Chen Qingyan belittled his cousin, but such was the mindset of most people in the world. Even Lin Sui himself had resigned himself to this view.

Now Marquis Wuping was suddenly saying he wished to properly wed his cousin, how could that not shock him?

“Marquis, please don’t make such a jest. My cousin is not the same as other ge’er…”

Li Mu gazed straight into Chen Qingyan’s eyes and said: “This Marquis never jests.”

That pair of blood-tinged eyes made the hairs rise at the back of Chen Qingyan’s neck. “Since Marquis is serious, then I must relate to you the full circumstances of Lin Sui’s past, and then you can reconsider after knowing…”

“No need to say it. This Marquis has already investigated Lin Sui’s entire background.”

Li Mu knew what he wished to say. He thought to himself that this Chen family was truly candid—in an ordinary household, if they had a burden of this sort to marry into a Marquis’ household, they would have hidden it to the death. He had not expected that they would voluntarily speak up to dissuade him.

Chen Qingyan was once again astonished. Marquis Wuping, knowing Lin Sui’s inability to bear children and yet still insisting on marriage—could it be he truly harbored real affections for Lin Sui?

In truth, Li Mu did not have such profound feelings for Lin Sui—not yet. After all, they had not interacted for very long, and Lin Sui usually kept his distance, speaking only a few words, so what existed was at most a glimmer of goodwill and some pity.

The greater reason he wished to marry him was because his daughter liked him very much. Lin Sui treated Qing’er with genuine affection, and when the three of them were together, Li Mu felt a sense of security.

Since his own childhood, his father had shown him no love, the primary wife treated him with coldness, and although he had his birth mother by his side, he had received little warmth. He did not wish for his daughter to be like himself—lonely, without a single companion.

Chen Qingyan hesitated for quite some time, then said: “This matter, I will need to discuss with Lin Sui’s family. Marquis, you must carefully consider—marriage is no trifling matter. My cousin has borne enough suffering once; he cannot bear it a second time.”

“I understand your meaning. But since I have made this decision, it is one of careful deliberation. I must trouble Master Chen to please discuss it well with him.” With that, Marquis Wuping clasped his hands and returned indoors.

“Qing’er, it’s already late. We must be going.”

Qing’er had just finished gnawing on a honey melon, and Lin Sui was wiping her hands and face with a damp cloth. As soon as the little girl heard they must leave, her face fell instantly, and she rose reluctantly, dragging her steps as she went to Marquis Wuping.

Lin Sui smiled and waved at her. “Come play again when you have the time.”

Qing’er pouted and was on the verge of tears, but Li Mu quickly scooped her up and strode away. Another moment, and the child would surely have broken down crying.

After they left, Wang Ying asked, “What did the Marquis say to you outside just now?”

Chen Qingyan glanced at his cousin, held nothing back, and repeated the Marquis’ direct words. “He wishes to take Lin Sui as his husband.”

Lin Sui was utterly stunned, staring at his cousin in disbelief, mumbling—

“The Marquis hasn’t gone far, should we…?”

“No, no need!”

Wang Ying excitedly patted Lin Sui. “What did I tell you earlier?”

After the initial shock, Lin Sui lowered his head. “I am no longer untouched, and I cannot conceive. Does he not know this?”

Chen Qingyan replied: “The Marquis knows. Most likely, he already sent people to investigate your background.”

“He knows, and still…”

Wang Ying said: “A true man doesn’t cling to conventions. The Marquis is naturally not like ordinary men!”

Chen Qingyan nodded. “He said he only wished to know whether you are willing. If you agree, he will begin arranging the marriage at once.”

“I… I don’t know what to do. I should discuss with Aunt and Fourth Aunt first.”

On the way, Lin Sui felt the whole matter unreal, as though dreaming. A year ago, he had been tormented in the county town, yet one year later here in the prefectural city, he was being pursued by Marquis Wuping. Even if it were written in romance novels, it would be deemed too far-fetched!

At dinner that night, Chen Qingyan recounted the matter in front of the elders.

Madam Li and Fang Ling were both stunned, never expecting that someone wholly unrelated to them by blood would be bound together by such fate.

Madam Li did not dare make the decision, but Fang Ling clasped Lin Sui’s hand and asked: “Sui’er, do you consent?”

After a moment’s consideration, Lin Sui nodded. “Yes, I consent. With my health such as it is, even peddlers or laborers may not accept me. Unless I remain unmarried for life, this is the best choice for me.”

In the ancient world, ge’er differed greatly from women of the modern age. If they did not marry, they could not even enter the ancestral tomb upon death. And Lin Sui could not live dependent on his cousins all his life either.

Wang Ying nodded from the side. Lin Sui had indeed matured and knew how to weigh pros and cons.

Indeed, Lin Sui was not especially fond of Marquis Wuping. But the advantages of marrying into the Marquis’ household were very clear.

First, his status would change. No one would dare bully him again.

Second, though he could not bear children, he loved them dearly. By marrying into the Marquis’s family, he would formally become Qing’er’s other father, which would make their living together all the more proper and righteous.

Third, as Lin Sui had said, unless he never remarried, it was unlikely he would find another spouse of such high rank and standing.

Weighing all of this, it was indeed an excellent match.

Chen Qingyan said: “I will draft a letter at once to send back to Longquan County to inform Aunt and Cousin Lin Qiu. If they agree, then we can negotiate the marriage with the Marquis.”

Lin Sui rose and bowed to Wang Ying and Chen Qingyan. “I entrust this matter to Cousin and Sister-in-law.”

Wang Ying hurried to support his hand. “We are family, no need for such ceremony. The Marquis seems to me a fine man. In all this time, he has never spoken out of bounds, his conduct is clean and decisive—he is indeed a man one can entrust their life to.”

It was just like those dramas of the previous life: the cousin’s good days were still to come!

Everyone was overjoyed that Lin Sui had found such a fine match.

Time flashed quickly, and September arrived. The weather was growing cooler day by day.

The blocks of ice in the shop could no longer be sold. Wang Ying had harvested the experimental fields’ wheat and planted vegetables, which would be ready to sell in just over a month.

Recently, Liu Changyi and Marquis Wuping seemed almost to conspire together, each sending gifts from time to time. Sometimes food, sometimes toys for the children (Qingyun and Lin Sui both cherished Yuanbao and Wang Ying’s close relations, so sending things for the children was a way of curry favor).

This morning, the Liu household had a large basket of tangerines delivered.

Transporting these was no easy feat—first shipped by river to the Laizhou docks, then galloped to Jizhou by relay horses. The whole process took nearly a month. By the time they arrived, the fruit rinds had dried out, and yet these oranges were still unavailable in the prefectural city.

The one delivering them was Liu Fu’s steward Liu Yang, a plump, smiling middle-aged man, who never offended anyone in speech.

“These oranges were originally bound for the capital. But our Second Master happened to be doing business in Laizhou and intercepted a basket. One basket our Lady divided amongst relatives, and the other we brought here, so Madam and your sisters could also have a taste.”

Madam Li smiled broadly. “This really is too kind. Such a large basket, how could we ever finish it? Why don’t you take some back?”

Liu Yang chuckled. “If you cannot finish them, you can share with friends and relatives. Such rare things, offering them to guests is quite impressive too.”

“Yes, then please give our thanks to our in-laws.”

“Of course, I will deliver the message.”

Just after Liu Yang left, men from the military camp arrived, bringing with them a wild boar.

The soldiers had gone mountain hunting while suppressing bandits and caught it there, bleeding it on the spot. Once back at camp they had scalded and shaved its bristles, making it convenient for the household to butcher later.

In ancient times, wild boar was considered tastier than domestic pig, because ordinary households were loath to spend grain to fatten pigs. They raised them near latrines, feeding them feces or weed fodder. Domestic pigs therefore remained small—barely more than a hundred pounds—and their meat carried a pungent gaminess.

Wild boars, eating more naturally in the mountains, lacked that stench.

Occasionally, hunters would sell wild pork in the market, fetching fifty copper coins a pound, and even then long lines quickly emptied their stock.

Such a large animal could not be eaten at once. Wang Ying deliberately saved several rib slabs, freezing them in the experimental field to make dumplings at New Year.

When they delivered the boar, they also passed along a message: these days Qing’er and Lin Sui had gotten on especially well, and the Old Madam invited Lin Sui to visit the Marquis estate.

Upon receiving this invitation, Lin Sui grew terribly nervous and clutched his cousin-sister-in-law for help.

Wang Ying reassured him: “Since the Matriarch herself invited you, of course you must go. Haven’t you been pining for Qing’er? Tomorrow, I will go with you.”