After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 715 Confession
Ma Shangyi calmed down and said, "Brother has always concealed it very well. I thought... you didn't intend to let me know?"

Jin Jiashu sneered: "Since it concerns the reputation of a girl, I naturally have to conceal it. Besides, the Hai family has no such idea at all. Even if I have the intention, I can only do it slowly. As long as things are not done, I can't easily reveal the flaws, so that outsiders will say bad things about her and damage her reputation, which will also add variables to the things I want to promote. I didn't mind letting the nanny know, after all, the nanny also likes Sister Hai, but... the nanny's actions made me understand that there are many things in this world that you have to do by yourself after all, and you can't rely on others. If you rely on others for everything and the result is not what you want, it will be too late for me to cry even if I want to!"

Ma Shangyi sighed, "Brother, I know you are angry. But this marriage is more beneficial than harmful to the Hai family. As you said, I like Haitang very much. Although this girl seems lazy and unsociable, she is on good terms with the daughters of the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion and writes to them every two or three days, but she may not visit them once a month. She does not always go to banquets when invited to the mansion. The wife of the Duke of Zhenguo and Mrs. Zhou Liu intend to promote her, but she just jokes with the daughters of the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion and never shows off her talents in front of others. It can be seen that she is a good girl who is indifferent to fame and fortune and has self-respect.

"She is pretty and has studied martial arts since she was a child. She is as good as others in playing the piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, songs, riding and shooting. She is also very meticulous and proper in dealing with people. Even the young ladies of the wealthy families in Beijing may not be as considerate as her. With her character, if she was not born in a family of minor officials, she would be the daughter of a duke. But her family is born like this. She is limited by the status of her father and brothers, and she will not be able to marry into a wealthy family in the future. Although the Zhou family likes her, all the promising children and grandchildren of the Zhou family have been guarding the border for many years and died on the battlefield. How can I bear to let her end up like that? But if I ask her to marry someone who is far inferior to her, will I be willing? Wu Ke is already the best choice she can find! Whether it is temperament, character, or family background, she is the best choice. She is also a disciple of her cousin, Mr. Xie, who will not look down on her because of the difference in family background..."

Ma Shangyi admitted that when she wanted to promote the marriage between Haitang and Wu Ke, she was more inclined to Haitang's side, hoping that the Hai family could get this good marriage, and ignored the fact that Wu Ke could not get much help from the Hai family. Even if she said in front of the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo that the Hai family had a great favor to the Wu family, Wu Ke had a limited relationship with the Wu family, and that marrying the Hai family girl would bring him closer to the Wu family, but these were just excuses. As the only surviving grandson of Lord Wu Wen'an and a disciple of Xie Wenzai, even if Wu Ke did not marry the Hai family girl, the Wu family would not abandon him. The Hai family may not be able to help him, but he would not be dissatisfied with the Hai family because of this. He had Queen Mother Zhou, the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion, and the Marquis of Cheng'en Mansion, which was enough, and it was meaningless to find other help.

Ma Shangyi laid out the matter and explained it to Jin Jiashu, hoping that he could understand that she was really thinking about Haitang: "Wu Ke will not have a good future in his official career, but he has a stable title and can get a family property. He is rich but not worried, and there is nothing to worry about in life. Haitang is more than enough for him, better than the daughter of a scholarly family he randomly hired from outside. Maybe you are unwilling in your heart, but you must know that your marriage is not up to you. Empress Xu has already chosen a wife for you, so how could she let you marry in Chang'an? If you want to marry a girl from the Zhou family, even if it is just a daughter from a side branch, Empress Xu will not say anything. But the Hai family... is too far away! They can't help you at all. If you enter the officialdom in the future, you will have to endure many years of hardship before you can hope to succeed. How could Empress Xu bear it?! Parents who love their children will plan for them in the long run. Brother, you must also understand Empress Xu's painstaking efforts!"

Jin Jiashu listened to her expressionlessly, and finally couldn't help asking, "Why can't I decide my marriage? I am an orphan, and I only have an aunt among my elders. My aunt has neither raised me nor educated me, so why should she dictate my marriage?"

Ma Shangyi's face changed slightly, and she sank in anger: "Brother, you are too much to say this in front of me! There are no outsiders here, why do you have to deceive yourself?! Whose marriage is not decided by their parents? You said that Madam Xu has no right to make the decision, could it be that you resent Madam Xu for not taking care of you all these years? But it's not that she doesn't want to! She is just forced to do so. Even if you are her own flesh and blood, you can't go over the Queen Mother, the Seventh Prince and the Eighth Prince!"

Jin Jiashu laughed at himself. How could he not understand this truth? It was because he understood it too well that he felt so unwilling in his heart.

He looked at Ma Shangyi, "Where have I gone too far? I don't hate my aunt, and I have always been obedient to her arrangements. I did whatever you said. Even though I passed the imperial examination but was kicked out of the imperial examination by the emperor, I never said anything and just continued to study hard at home. I am so obedient, and in the end I just want to marry a girl I like, why should I be ruined by you?! You said that my aunt has always been concerned about me and hoped that I could live a good life, so why can't she let me be happy for once, and must make me unhappy for the rest of my life?!"

Wu Ke was his fellow apprentice! Even though he was not as close to Wu Ke as Haijiao, he still visited him frequently. Asking him to sit back and watch Wu Ke marry the girl he liked, and then watch the couple get along every other day in the future, was like stabbing him in the heart, and he wanted to stir things up a bit.

Even if Ma Shangyi managed to marry Haitang to a member of the Zhou family and let her accompany her husband to guard the border town, he would not feel so bad. Because he couldn't see, and he knew that the Zhou family was upright, even if Haitang might risk becoming a widow in the future, he would accept it. But Wu Ke... No!
Ma Shangyi understood what he meant, and couldn't help but sigh, "Madam Xu really didn't mean that! She doesn't know..." After a pause, "I was selfish and wanted the Hai family's children to marry into a good family, so that the Hai family can be rich and safe in the future. Hai Xiya is old, and he will retire after serving for three or four years at most. His rank will be the limit when he reaches the fifth rank, but Hai Jiao has not yet entered the officialdom. With such a family background, they may not be able to get a good marriage. I also hope that they can live a good life. I was wrong about this matter and shouldn't have ignored your thoughts. But brother, you must also understand that the marriage that Madam Xu has chosen for you will be of great help to your future! She always hopes that you can make a name for yourself in the future. Can't you really understand her painstaking efforts?!"

"To stand out?" Jin Jiashu smiled. "Why should I stand out? What does Madam Xu think of standing out? To marry a girl from a rich family, pass the imperial examination, enter the Imperial Academy, enter the cabinet in the future, hold great power, become a high-ranking official, and enjoy wealth and honor for the rest of my life... Is that right? But how does Madam Xu know what I think? Is this the good future she wants, or the good future I want? When she arranged all this for me, did she ask me what I thought? Or did she think... that I was just an ignorant child who only needed to obey her orders? Even if I became a high-ranking official in the future, I only needed to follow her lead and serve as her assistant in the court?"

He stopped laughing and flicked his long sleeves: "If I can only be a puppet in the hands of others for my whole life and can't even live the life I want for a single day, what do I need this high position, wealth and glory for?!"

(End of this chapter)