novelraw Chapter 480 - 455: Marrying One Off is One Less (1)
Chapter 480 - 455: Marrying One Off is One Less (1)
Pei Shenyan’s servant came out of the room with a worried look and said, "Young Master, I just went to the latrine for a moment, how did you get out?"
He quickly ran over to support Pei Shenyan.
Pei Shenyan said, "I slept for too long and my body feels sore, so I just took a walk. Don’t make a fuss."
Li Yuzhu followed their master-servant duo and entered the room.
After walking a bit and talking a lot, Pei Shenyan’s face became pale again.
His servant helped him to lie down, inevitably scolding him a bit.
Previously, if his servant nagged like this when he was visiting, Pei Shenyan would have reprimanded him, but this time, though his servant nagged like a chanting monk, Pei Shenyan said nothing, just smiled slightly and lay back on the bed.
"The medicine is ready, let me bring it to you, don’t run around again," the servant said as he tucked in Pei Shenyan’s quilt and went to the stove to get the medicine.
Li Yuzhu sat by the bedside and said, "Mr. Pei, if you marry my elder sister, with your current health condition, I fear my parents won’t agree, have you thought about this?"
Knowing he has an illness that can be treated, she couldn’t understand what Pei Shenyan was thinking.
Now that Pei Shenyan proposed to the Great Princess while still so weak, it would be a wonder if Prince Luling and his wife agreed.
She felt the need to give Pei Shenyan a wake-up call.
Unexpectedly, Pei Shenyan said, "Miss Li." He looked up at Li Yuzhu, "Isn’t this better? If I die early, won’t Yu Wen just be able to remarry conveniently?"
Li Yuzhu, "..." She widened her eyes in shock, "Are you crazy? Your illness can clearly be cured."
"Don’t fool me, it can’t be cured. If it could, why would my father disdain me?" he said with a bitter smile.
"You haven’t even tried to treat it, how do you know it can’t be cured? Your father’s disdain might not be due to your illness but for other reasons. Don’t give up on yourself," Li Yuzhu advised him.
Pei Shenyan waved his hand, "I’ve decided, you need not persuade me."
"In your state, what if my parents disagree?" Li Yuzhu brought up the topic again.
Pei Shenyan, however, said, "As long as your elder sister agrees, that’s enough. She has a way to persuade your parents. I told her I won’t live past twenty, I might die within two years, and if I die, she can remarry."
Li Yuzhu didn’t know what to say to that.
Given the Great Princess’s temperament, she might actually convince her parents to agree.
"Alright then, you decided this, you must have your reasons. But if one day you think differently, remember to find me," Li Yuzhu said, looking at him.
Pei Shenyan smiled faintly, "Thank you for your concern, I have my plans."
Pei Shenyan’s servant brought the medicine and placed it on the table beside them, with red eyes, he said, "Young Master, it’s time for medicine."
Li Yuzhu glanced at the bowl of medicine, "This medicine isn’t suitable, it’s just a general tonic, taking it won’t help." She took a medicine bottle from her pocket and placed it on the table, "Take these medicine pills of mine, take two when you feel flustered and short of breath, but do not exceed ten pills a day. However, this medicine only treats the symptoms, not the root cause."
Pei Shenyan smiled slightly, "Thank you, Miss Li."
Li Yuzhu laughed, "If my parents agree to your marriage, I should be calling you brother-in-law."
Pei Shenyan was momentarily taken aback by this.
Li Yuzhu smiled and then got up to leave.
.
The Great Princess arrived at the North Courtyard Main House but didn’t find the Princess Consort Luling.
She encountered Uncle Gui, who was sweeping in the residence, and he said the Princess Consort Luling and Li Xingsheng had taken the big black carriage from home to Taohua River Village.
Things didn’t line up well, so the Great Princess had to come to the school to find Prince Luling.
It was recess time in the main hall, and the children were running in and out playing.
Prince Luling was standing on the steps in front of the school, talking to a child.
The Great Princess walked over, "Father, I have an urgent matter to discuss, can we talk alone?"
"Go on then, calculate as I told you, it’s crucial to be careful with the arithmetic to avoid mistakes," Prince Luling told the child with a wave.
The child clutched his book and quickly ran back inside the schoolhouse.
Prince Luling walked towards the Great Princess with his hands behind his back.
She wore an outfit of crabapple red, with golden flowers embroidered on the skirt.
Her jet-black hair was tied in a bun on top of her head, with the rest hanging down behind, braided and tied with a red cord.
She wore little makeup, yet she was radiant.
Slim and tall, she stood on the snow-dusted grass like a blooming red plum blossom.
"Oh, Yu Wen, what is the matter?" Prince Luling said with a small smile.
But in his heart, it was bitter.
His eldest daughter was once the brightest jewel of the capital, the number one beauty, and now she could only marry an ordinary villager.
Prince Luling felt deeply sorry for his eldest daughter.
"Father, let’s talk over there," the Great Princess pulled Prince Luling towards the path.
In the dead of winter, there was no one walking on the road, and they were quite far from the gate of the residence, so they did not worry about being overheard.
Prince Luling looked around; not a soul was nearby. He couldn’t help but ask, "Yu Wen, what is it? Why speak here?"
"Father." The Great Princess bit her lip, speaking in a small voice, "I want to marry Pei Shenyan."
"What?" Prince Luling was taken aback, "You want to marry him?"
The Great Princess lowered her head and nodded lightly, "Mm."
"Have you thought this through?" Prince Luling reminded her, "He’s not healthy, always sickly. Why choose him? It’s uncertain if he can live another three to five years."
The Great Princess said, "Father, don’t ask so many questions. I just ask if you agree or not."
Prince Luling spoke earnestly, "Yu Wen, I know you’re proud and don’t look up to the men in this village. Don’t worry, I’ll go to the county town tomorrow to find County Magistrate Li and ask him to find you a city husband. How about it?"
"No." The Great Princess objected, "I’d choose him."
Prince Luling frowned, "He’s Prime Minister Pei’s son, and the Pei Family are our archenemies. Yu Wen, don’t forget that."
The Great Princess said, "He’s just an illegitimate son, and not a favored one by Prime Minister Pei. He’s different from the other Pei Family members. Besides, if he really stood with the Pei Family, he wouldn’t have risked his life to steal the Emperor’s decree and come here to deliver the message."
Prince Luling was stumped by her words. He frowned and asked, "Yu Wen, do you marry him because you love him, or is there another reason?"
The Great Princess said, "In any case, I have to marry. Marrying a stranger and guessing each other’s temper, suffering grievances, is not as good as marrying him. We’re familiar with his matters, you know his temper. And as for others saying he won’t live three to five more years, it’s just hearsay, can it be taken seriously?"
Prince Luling thought for a while, "Alright, if you say so, I will agree."
The Great Princess was relieved, "Mother went to the village; I couldn’t find her. Please inform her later, Father."
Prince Luling felt a heaviness in his heart, waved to his eldest daughter, signaling her to leave. He had to go to class.
The Great Princess exhaled and returned to the residence.
.
As lunchtime approached, Princess Consort Luling returned from the village.
She went by carriage and returned by carriage, yet she disembarked with a weary face.
Li Xingsheng went to park the carriage, while Princess Consort Luling adjusted her cloak and walked towards the North Courtyard alone.
At this time, Prince Luling, who had returned from school, also entered the residence, "Lady." He called out to Princess Consort Luling.
"Oh, have you finished school, my lord?" Princess Consort Luling glanced at Prince Luling with little energy, then continued heading back.
Prince Luling caught up with her stride, and the two walked side by side into the North Courtyard Main House.
After helping Princess Consort Luling sit down, Prince Luling said, "Yu Wen just came to me and said she wants to marry Pei Shenyan."
Princess Consort Luling was shocked, "What? She wants to marry Pei Shenyan? Is she serious?"
Prince Luling nodded, sitting down in the chair beside Princess Consort Luling, "You’re aware of her temperament, right? She rarely makes decisions lightly. But once she’s made a decision, even ten horses can’t pull her back."
"This child!" Princess Consort Luling felt a headache.
When their eldest daughter was born, it was during their family’s best times. Both of them adored their daughter; when the eldest was born, the couple was thrilled, and they didn’t know how to spoil her enough.
In spoiling her, they made her temperament spoiled and unruly.
Of course, she had reasons to be proud, but this matter of marriage, could she proudly decide on her own?
"Though Mr. Pei is from the Pei Family, his actions show he’s different from the others. I have no objections to his identity; it’s just... he’s not well, doesn’t Yu Wen know?" Princess Consort Luling rubbed her forehead in a headache.
Prince Luling said, "She says she knows, and that’s her decision."
"I’ll go ask her myself." Princess Consort Luling stood up.
"Mother." At this moment, the Great Princess walked into the Main House.
"You came just in time; I want to ask you something..." Princess Consort Luling nodded at her eldest daughter.
"It’s about Pei Shenyan, right? I’ve made my decision; I’ll marry him." The Great Princess said.
"Why? Don’t you know he’s not well?" Princess Consort Luling was nearly upset to death by her daughter.
"I know! Father, Mother, do you agree or not?" The Great Princess urged them, "If you disagree, I’ll wed him myself."
Princess Consort Luling was about to faint, "My lord, my chest hurts."
Prince Luling also sighed, "Lady, then let’s agree."
Princess Consort Luling held her chest, "Agree... agree. What else can be done?"
To marry off one is one less concern.
Just now she walked around the village, but couldn’t find a suitable man for the second daughter.
She’s not overly picky, but she won’t hand her daughter just to any man she meets.
The conditions for the unmarried were truly poor.
She wasn’t worried about the third daughter’s marriage, but there was no progress for the second daughter, letting go of the eldest daughter’s issues would solve some problems.
Time waits for no one; if delayed any longer, people from the Capital will arrive.