The Zhao Family needs a daughter-in-law who can manage the household, and the capable Wanqing is a perfect fit. The matriarch of the Li family is formidable—everything, inside the house and out, must be done her way. Wanyue has been coddled since childhood and isn't cut out to be a household manager, so she'll get along just fine with a mother-in-law like that.
Xu Su Ying's head spun from the shock; she wondered if she was hearing things.
'So the old lady wasn't trying to break the engagement, she wanted to swap the fiancés?'
'Wait, is a matter this huge something the two of us can just decide between ourselves?'
'Have you asked the Zhao Family for their opinion?'
'Have you asked the Li family for theirs?'
'What do you mean, "they have no reason to disagree"?'
'If you're so powerful, Old Lady, why don't you just ascend to the heavens!'
Before Xu Su Ying could speak, the old lady added, "Didn't you just say it yourself? That the Zhao Family's Zhao Jing is a good man with a great future ahead of him? If that's the case, then marry Wanqing to Zhao Jing. Won't she be able to live a good life with him then?"
"Is this about living a good life? This is about propriety, etiquette, and common decency! The matter isn't up for discussion, Mother, so please don't say another word. To ignore a perfectly legitimate engagement and instead 'snatch' her own cousin's betrothed... people who don't know the truth will think Wanqing is a woman of terrible character."
The old lady was not pleased to hear this.
Her face fell, and she looked down her nose at Xu Su Ying. "I didn't come here to discuss this with you. I came to inform you. You will agree to this, whether you want to or not. I'm going to the Zhao Family to discuss the matter shortly. Coincidentally, that boy Zhao Jing's mourning period ends in a few days. You'd best hurry up with the preparations and marry Wanqing to him."
Xu Su Ying was so furious she paradoxically grew calm. Her mind raced. Seeing the old lady's relentless expression, which screamed that she would not stop until she achieved her goal, a few suspicions immediately took root in her mind.
"Is there something wrong with that Zhao Jing boy, or is the Li family about to come into a fortune? ... Wanyue must be aware of this. Could it be that she has taken a liking to Li Cun and wants to marry him instead...?"
"Pah! And you call yourself her aunt! How could you think such a thing about one of the family's young ladies? Wanyue is the most proper of them all. She barely steps out the main gate, let alone the inner courtyard. Not like Wanqing, who's always running about outside."
"Now you're just being unreasonable, Old Lady. What's wrong with Wanqing going out? Has she ever once gone out alone? Don't her father and I always accompany her? We have a shop in the county town. If we don't go out to run our business, is our whole family supposed to just stay home and starve?"
"I can't win an argument with you; you're always the one with all the reasons. But I am your elder, and this time, you *will* listen to me."
"Auntie Zhao, has De'an's fever broken today?"
The argument inside had reached a stalemate when a clear, young man's voice suddenly called from outside. Both women turned their heads to look.
In truth, Xu Su Ying didn't even need to look. Just from the voice, she knew who had arrived.
It was none other than Zhao Jing of the Zhao Family.
It must have been fate. Zhao Jing was the same age as her second son, De'an, and they had similar temperaments, so they were the best of friends.
Back when Scholar Zhao was still alive, he ran a private school from his home. De'an had begun his studies as a student under Scholar Zhao.
After Scholar Zhao passed away from a sudden illness, De'an transferred to a private school in the county town, while Zhao Jing remained at home to observe the mourning period.
Though separated, whenever De'an returned home from school for a break, the two would inevitably get together to practice their studies, learning from each other's strengths.
More recently, De'an had come down with a fever from a cold and was resting at home on leave from school, so Zhao Jing had been visiting him often.
This time, however, De'an's illness was severe, and he showed no signs of improvement for many days. It was only last night, after taking a strong dose of medicine and falling asleep, that the fever had finally not returned.
Xu Su Ying had just been about to go outside when the old lady grabbed her. The old lady wanted her consent and refused to let her leave until she agreed.
Naturally, Xu Su Ying would not yield to such an unreasonable demand, so she simply stayed put.
She peered into the courtyard through the window and saw that the thick fog had dispersed at some point, allowing the morning sun to pierce through the clouds.
Sunlight, like flecks of gold, showered down upon the handsome, bright young man, making the already striking youth appear even more radiant.
He greeted Wanqing with perfect courtesy. His features were refined and handsome, his figure tall and slim. Though he was dressed in a simple cyan cotton robe with his hair tied up in a scholar's square kerchief, he had a clear, elegant bearing and his eyes were bright and full of spirit. He seemed just like a young bamboo shoot, growing straight and tall against the wind; the very sight of him was enough to make one's heart glad.
Then there was Wanqing, standing face to face with him.
Wanqing was dressed in a moon-white jacket with a bamboo pattern, a long, lake-blue skirt of thin cotton, and a silk, olive-blue sash tied around her waist, cinching it to a slenderness that a single hand could encircle.
Her beauty was of the rich, vibrant kind. From her peach-blossom complexion to her glistening, radiant eyes, every feature was a picture of soft, captivating loveliness. Her beauty was simply breathtaking.