The most dissolute couple in the capital

But when it comes to marriage, what is truly the most important thing?

After considering her words for a moment, Cui Qingyi said, "Cousin, you just asked me what I thought, so I'll just say it directly. Please don't think I was being abrupt."

Cui Lingyi looked up at her and nodded slightly.

"The capital city appears prosperous on the surface, but the intrigue and power struggles beneath are something we both know." Cui Qingyi's voice was calm and composed. "The five prominent families and seven powerful clans are deeply entrenched, and the court is rife with undercurrents. Which matriarch of a noble family has an easy time?"

"Auntie said the Zheng family's second and third branches are deeply entrenched, but isn't the Wang family the same? The more prestigious the family of civil officials, the more rules they have, and the more complicated the interpersonal relationships become. You've married into the capital, which means you're closer to your parents, but do you really think you can live a carefree life?"

Upon hearing this, Cui Lingyi was stunned for a moment.

Cui Qingyi continued, "I'm not saying that the border region is all good; in fact, I also think it's quite tough. But there's no such thing as a perfect marriage. The key is how the person you marry will treat you for the next few decades. Will he see you as a tool to manage the household and carry on his family line, or as someone he needs to treat well?"

Every word she spoke carried the weight of someone who had been through it all.

Cui Lingyi understood the deeper meaning, her eyes flickering slightly: "You mean... Wang Yu is no good?"

Cui Qingyi shook her head: "I'm not saying he's bad. Wang Yu is your cousin, he's very talented and has a bright future, that's all true. It's only natural that your aunt thinks highly of him."

She paused, as if considering how to say something that was both subtle and not too shocking.

"But... cousin, have you thought about this? His talent is a great reputation for him, but it may not be all good for his wife."

Cui Lingyi frowned slightly: "What do you mean by that?"

"Talented men are often romantic; it's been that way since ancient times." A faint smile appeared on Cui Qingyi's lips. "A talented man can write beautiful articles and compose exquisite poems; naturally, women who admire his talent will flock to him. What's the point of poetry clubs and romantic encounters?"

The room fell silent.

Cui Lingyi was incredibly intelligent; how could she not understand the deeper meaning behind those words?

"What you said... is it true?" Cui Lingyi's voice was a little hoarse. "How do you know about Wang Yu...?"

"I don't know." Cui Qingyi immediately shook her head. "I'm only talking about one possibility. There are thousands of stories about talented men and beautiful women in novels, and the heroines in them are mostly glamorous. But novels are just novels, and real life is real life. Talented men are never short of admirers. No one can guarantee how many of these admirers will stay true to their principles."

She reached out and grasped Cui Lingyi's slightly cool fingertips, her tone earnest: "I'm not telling you to reject the Wang family, nor am I telling you that you have to marry into the Xiao family. I just want to say that, whether it's Wang Yu or Xiao Jue, before the engagement, have someone you trust inquire about their character and conduct."

"In this world, the wealth and glory a man promises you, or the sweet words he speaks, are not as reliable as his true character."

"Marriage is a serious matter, like drinking water; only the person drinking knows whether it's hot or cold. You're choosing to live the rest of your life, so you should pick one that makes you happy, shouldn't you?"

Cui Lingyi remained silent for a long time.

The soft sounds of a maid sweeping came from the courtyard outside the window, and sunlight filtered through the window, casting dappled shadows on the table.

After a long pause, Cui Lingyi slowly spoke: "You're right. Although my mother is shrewd, she is, after all, from the Wang family, so she inevitably views Wang Yu with a bit of bias. As for this matter... I'll find a way to investigate it myself when I get back."

Cui Qingyi nodded in satisfaction, her tone returning to its usual lightheartedness.

"As for Xiao Jue..." she drawled, winking mischievously, "His features are well-proportioned, and his brow bones are high—you said those eight words yourself, not something I made up."

"Cui Qingyi!"

Cui Lingyi finally lost her temper, grabbed the fruit plate on the table, and pretended to smash it over her head.

Cui Qingyi smiled and stepped aside, adding fuel to the fire with her words: "The Xiao family has been military families for generations, with a clean and upright family tradition. They also guard the northern border, so the household should be small. Besides, Xiao Jue is the youngest son, and his older brothers have all started their own families and established their own households. If you marry into the family, you'll have less trouble with your sisters-in-law. Even if you marry into the family far away from the capital, at least you'll have peace and quiet."

"When did you become so knowledgeable about the Xiao family?" Cui Lingyi looked at her suspiciously.

Cui Qingyi picked up her teacup and took a slow, deliberate sip.

"What do I know? I'm just bored all day long, so I only listen to gossip from one person to another."

Cui Lingyi was skeptical, but ultimately did not press the matter further.

Then she remembered something and hesitated before saying, "But if the Xiao family doesn't stay in the capital, I really will have to marry far away to the border. In the future, if I want to see my parents again, it will be a long journey..."

At this point, her voice gradually lowered.

Cui Qingyi put down her teacup, reached out and tidied a stray lock of hair at her cousin's temple, her eyes filled with a rare tenderness.

"Cousin, as you said yourself, General Xiao intends for his youngest son to stay in the capital and develop his career. Promotions and transfers in the military aren't static. Besides..."

She smiled slightly, "Even if we really have to go to the border, so what? Do you think staying in the capital will bring peace and quiet? The wives of the five noble families and seven prominent clans, just the monthly flower and tea parties, social interactions, and open and covert attacks will keep you busy for a long time. The capital is indeed prosperous, but it is also indeed exhausting."

She stood up, walked to the window, pushed open a window, and the spring sunshine outside rushed in.

"Sometimes I think that being far away from this place might not be a bad thing. Away from the vortex of right and wrong, you can live your own life well. What matters is never where you live, but whether the person next to you is worth the journey."

Cui Lingyi stared blankly at her cousin's profile, which was backlit.

At that moment, she suddenly felt that the girl in front of her who was about to get married seemed different from before.

In the past, Cui Qingyi was gentle and taciturn, intelligent and low-key, like an orchid growing quietly in the corner of the wall, never competing with others.

But this Cui Qingyi now possesses a sharp, insightful edge in her words. Every sentence she utters seems to carry the weight of something she has experienced and seen through, allowing her to speak with such ease and grace.

"Qingyi," Cui Lingyi suddenly called out to her.

"Um?"

"Are you truly happy to have married His Highness Prince Liang?"

Cui Qingyi turned her head, her gaze reflecting the sunlight outside the window, her smile radiant and undisguised.

"Cousin." She walked back to the table and sat down, holding the teacup in both hands with a serious expression. "In my life, I only care about three things—not having to worry. This is the emperor's youngest brother, the empress dowager's darling. If I hadn't saved him, I'm afraid it wouldn't have been my turn."

Cui Lingyi couldn't help but laugh, and reached out to poke her forehead: "You're hopeless."

"I'm a loser," Cui Qingyi readily admitted, her eyes crinkling with a smile, "but I'm living a comfortable life."

The two exchanged a smile, needing no further words.