Marrying a treacherous official

Yunji stayed by Madam Gu's bedside to attend to her illness until she fell into a deep sleep before getting up and leaving the east room.

The Gu family mansion has three courtyards and three entrances. As it is an old house passed down from their ancestors, it has been in disrepair for a long time. The blue brick and tile roof and carved brick ridge have fallen into disrepair, and the mottled background is visible in the night.

It's just like the now-declining and fallen Gu family.

Chunxuan, carrying a bright lantern, led the way and brought Yunji into Ruolan Courtyard.

Madam Gu was waiting for her in the side hall early on. Hearing the commotion outside, she quickly got up to greet her, helping Yunji, who was bowing respectfully, to her feet. With a smile in her eyes, she said:

"I was thinking that since it was late at night, the old lady would leave you in the east room and you might not come over, but I didn't expect you to come here in the dark."

"If that's truly what Auntie thought, why would she have waited in the courtyard until this hour?"

Yunji was invited by Madam Gu to sit on the warm kang (heated brick bed). She took the bayberry juice handed to her by Granny You and said sweetly:

"Doesn't that make sense, Granny?"

"Yes, yes, yes, the second madam was afraid that the eldest young lady would be disappointed if she came to the room empty-handed. She insisted on staying in the side hall and lighting a celadon lamp for her."

With a smile, Granny You poured out her heart.

Madam Gu Er summoned a maid to bring over a table full of fruits and snacks, and said warmly:

"These are all pastries specially prepared by the cook according to your preferences when you were young. Try this locust sprout cake; it's fragrant and crispy. See if it suits your taste."

Yunji leaned forward and took the locust sprout cake that Madam Gu had placed in her mouth. Just as she tasted the sweetness, she heard a soft laugh coming in from outside through the rolled-up curtain:

"Big sister is here?"

Gu Yunshan arrived wearing a diamond-patterned short-sleeved shirt. Her face, free of makeup, was clear and bright, with eyebrows like crescent moons and long hair flowing gracefully down her back, adding to her charm.

"Without dressing up or changing clothes, you barge in to greet guests. Go look in the mirror; where is the slightest trace of the demeanor expected of a lady from a distinguished family?"

Madam Gu, her face stern, scolded, "You're becoming increasingly ill-mannered! What are you still standing here for? Go back and comb your hair and change your clothes!"

Gu Yunshan pouted and muttered, "Big sister isn't an outsider, why be so formal with her?"

Madam Gu was about to scold her a few more words, but Yun Ji beckoned her, and she fluttered her wings like a bird returning to its cage, burying her head in Yun Ji's arms.

"Shan'er's attire clearly shows that she heard I was coming when she was about to go to bed, so she threw on a short-sleeved shirt and rushed over without a care in the world. She couldn't refuse her kindness, so why should you blame her, Aunt?"

"You spoil her too much, don't let her get too big for her britches."

"Mother, you always show favoritism."

Gu Yunshan raised her chin haughtily and grumbled, "I've only ever seen you feed the locust sprout cakes to my older sister, but you've never given me a single bite of chestnut cake. You're allowed to spoil my older sister, but I'm not allowed to spoil mine?"

Madam Gu looked embarrassed and angry, and raised her hand as if to hit her.

Yunji stuffed a piece of chestnut cake into her mouth, silencing her by saying:

"Sweetie, if that's not enough, I'll add another piece to shut you up."

"It's cloyingly sweet."

Gu Yunshan smiled ingratiatingly, trying to please everyone.

"You're the only one in the family who can handle her."

Madam Gu shook her head repeatedly and said helplessly, "Shan'er will be of marriageable age in the twelfth lunar month. If she continues to be so temperamental, what will become of her after she marries into her husband's family?"

Upon hearing this, Yunji felt a chill run down her spine and couldn't help but ask, "Aunt, has someone come to the manor to propose marriage?"

Madam Gu didn't hide anything from her, and even seemed somewhat satisfied when talking about it.

"He Nian, the Right Grand Counselor of the Censorate, is a close friend of your second uncle. His second son is the Commander of the Four Wings of the Heavenly Martial Guard in the palace, a minor official position. Lord He has taken a liking to our Gu family's noble lineage and intends to arrange for his second son to marry Shan'er."

Yunji's ears were ringing; it seemed she had heard the words, yet it also seemed she hadn't heard anything at all.

The He family is a den of dragons and tigers, and He Qingchang is a beast in human form.

In her past life, she only learned from Cui Zeming's cold mockery that Yun Shan had been abused and tormented in her husband's family, and had been tortured beyond recognition.

When she broke into the He family home and found Yunshan, she saw her emaciated and curled up on the ground, her face ashen, her body covered in bruises, her eyes filled with turbid tears of blood, and all she could do was cry out in pain.

From that time on, she loathed all the virtues bestowed upon fame, such as aloofness, pride, and arrogance, and became fiercely righteous.

That night, heavy snow fell, and she knelt at the door of the outer study until midnight.

A black silk umbrella shielded her from the wind and snow overhead. She stiffly embraced the man's court boots, kowtowed to him, and for the first time in her life, begged him:

"Kill He Qingchang."

When Gu Yunshan heard them talking about marriage, her thin dough could no longer hold up and turned pink.

"Who said I was going to get married? Don't even think about making a move on me. I'm going to stay at home and refuse to get married, no matter what."

She was defiant, but her almond-shaped face and peach-blossom cheeks betrayed her shyness. She couldn't help but blush deeply. Seeing that the maids and nannies were all covering their mouths and secretly laughing, she jumped off the heated kang in shame and indignation and ran away as if fleeing.

Madam Gu was at a loss for words.

"Her thoughts are written all over her face; she has no guile whatsoever. How can I rest easy if I don't find her a gentle and kind husband to marry?"

"Then don't let Shan'er marry a military general."

Yunji said this seemingly unintentionally, with an air of nonchalance.

Seeing Yun Shan's free-spiritedness and carefree nature, she didn't scold or suppress her like Madam Gu did. Instead, she made up her mind to teach her how to preserve this kindness in the years to come.

Just as she knew the fate of Yun Shan, who was tortured to death in her previous life, she wouldn't openly talk about the wickedness of the He family. Instead, she would openly mention better families to outshine the He family.

Madam Gu asked hesitantly, "Ji'er, has General Cui treated you badly?"

"My lord is ambitious in his official career and is expected to be promoted after the New Year. He doesn't take in concubines or mistresses in his courtyard. How could I not be satisfied with him?"

Yunji downplayed the issue, saying, "It's just that being exposed to the refined elegance of civil officials in the Gu family, and then facing the rudeness and barbarity of military generals, I was somewhat disheartened."

Madam Gu frowned, clearly having taken these words to heart.

Yunji stroked her hand and said, "Aunt, the imperial examination is just around the corner. I wonder how many handsome young men will leap over the dragon gate. Shan'er is still young. Let's wait and see."

"It's time to take a good look at them."

As she spoke, Madam Gu took out two silver notes from her long sleeves and forcefully stuffed them into her hand.

"The mansion has accepted all the silks, gold and silver items you brought, but you must take these silver notes back."

Yunji waved her hand repeatedly, refusing to take back the silver notes. She then took a brocade box from Chunxuan's hand, took out the three thousand taels of silver notes inside, and stuffed them all into Madam Gu's hands.

"The Gu family is in dire straits now. As the head of the household, Auntie should know better than anyone else that the two young ladies in the mansion are of marriageable age and the three young men are still unmarried. Where in the storeroom can we find so much silver to prepare dowries and betrothal gifts for them?"

When Madam Gu heard her words touch upon her predicament, her eyes reddened, and she forbearingly clutched the silver notes in her hand, no longer daring to refuse.