Novel Full Nee Liu revealed a trace of ridicule. “He promised that Shizi will be wholeheartedly devoted to You’er. He will not have a tongfang or concubine. Father-in-law made him sign an agreement before he agreed. If not for this point, how can father-in-law let You’er get engaged to his son? Especially when his mother was so difficult?”
Duke Anguo furen was not stupid. She then understood how her son had lost. So it turned out Old General wanted his grandson-in-law to be loyal in love like him.
Duke Anguo furen unwillingly closed her mouth. She really could not guarantee that her son would not have a concubine in his lifetime. Regardless of anything else, during the time that a woman was pregnant for ten months, how many men could hold on?
Didn’t Duke Anguo marry his first concubine when she was pregnant with their Shizi son back then?
And this concubine was her beautiful maidservant. The more ironic thing was that this maidservant was prepared for her by her family early on for when she became pregnant.
This tongfang maidservant now had two sons.
This was way too normal in large households. As soon as the man was an adult (fifteen years old), they would have a tongfang maidservant. Otherwise, who would teach them about those matters?
Duke Anguo furen saw that her son looked at Zi You with heated eyes and couldn’t help but secretly sigh.
Liu Jun was the sixth oldest. Duke Anguo’s Di sons were the first, third, and sixth sons. The three Shu sons were the second, fourth, and fifth sons.
The first son was Shizi and was married. The second, third, and fourth sons were also married. The fifth was engaged.
Now, only the sixteen-year-old Liu Jun was not yet engaged. He did not like the few females whom they mentioned. Now, he liked Zi You, but Zi You just got engaged to Zhao HongXiang. They really had no affinity!
Zi You did not know Liu Jun’s intentions towards her. She also did not know that Liu Jun was bitterly reading in the study. When he heard that she came, he threw the book aside and came running over.
Zi You faintly smiled and curtsied to Liu Jun. “You’er pays respects to sixth brother [polite address]. Wishing sixth brother good fortune!”
“You meimei doesn’t have to be so polite.” Liu Jun was so excited that his face turned red. He wanted to help Zi You up, but felt that it was inappropriate, so he took his hand back.
Zi You felt something abnormal. She had never noticed Liu Jun, but she couldn’t help but look at him now. This glance stunned her. If she couldn’t understand Liu Jun’s fervent gaze, then she really was slow.
Zi You reacted and immediately said to Duke Anguo furen, “Godmother, You’er will go take a look at Xue jiejie’s wedding dress. You’er will come back to speak with you later.”
Duke Anguo furen knew that she was trying to avoid her son and couldn’t stop her, of course. She had to smile and nod. “Go then! I know you young people don’t want to be with us old people.”
“How are you old? We look like sisters.” Liu Ruixue smiled cutely and pulled Zi You outside.
Even until the two people disappeared, Liu Jun still did not turn his head.
Duke Anguo furen saw this and secretly sighed again. It would be a lie to say that she wasn’t regretful.
Zi You went to Liu Ruixue’s boudoir. The embroidery frame was empty. There wasn’t even a handkerchief on it, much less a wedding dress. She was startled and asked in surprise, “There’s a little more than a year to your wedding. Is your wedding dress already embroidered? Or haven’t you started it yet?”
Liu Ruixue shook her head. Her expression was faint. “I don’t want to embroider it. I had the embroiderers make it.”
Zi You looked at the faint expression on her face and knew that she wasn’t too happy with her upcoming marriage. Otherwise, as a soon-to-be bride, she should be bashful and nervous, with a bit of expectation. But Ruixue didn’t have any of these expressions at all. Moreover, according to Great Yan’s customs, a bride should personally make her own wedding dress. None had let others make it.
“What is it? Are you unhappy with this marriage?”
Liu Ruixue couldn’t help but frown. Her eyes turned red as she was silent for two minutes. She decided to ask, “You’er, tell me the truth. Do you like Taizi?”
Zi You knew then that the rumors between her and Taizi had hurt Liu Ruixue.
Zi You didn’t even hesitate and immediately and firmly replied, “I don’t like him. Xue jiejie, don’t believe those rumors. I have never thought about marrying into the imperial family, whether it is Taizi, Third Wangzi, or Shizi. I didn’t even want to have any association with Duke Yongnan Shizi. If I wasn’t trying to avoid the others, I wouldn’t have become engaged to him.”
“So you really became engaged to him because……” Liu Ruixue looked sympathetically at Zi You. She looked guilty.
Zi You lightly smiled and said softly, “Don’t feel guilty. This has nothing to do with you. Even without your engagement to Taizi, I still won’t marry Taizi. Actually, I don’t want to marry anyone. I just want to stay by grandfather’s side and protect him and uncle from harm. I am someone who may go to battlefield at any moment. How can I stay in an inner courtyard and fight for favor with so many women?”
Liu Ruixue’s wide eyes stared at her in disbelief. She shook her head and tried to persuade her, “But that’s not realistic. You’er, do you think that if you marry Duke Yongnan Shizi, he will really be wholeheartedly devoted to you and love only you? You’er, you cannot easily believe in men.
“Although Zhao HongXiang signed an agreement, but if you want to rely on a piece of paper to control him, then it’s too naïve. I don’t know whether he will marry concubines in the future. But I don’t know if you know that Duke Yongnan got rid of Zhao HongXiang’s four tongfang yatous and sold them to the brothels after you became engaged to him.”
Liu Ruixue continued, “Zhao HongXiang is only fifteen years old this year, but already have four tongfang yatous. Can you guarantee that such a lecherous person will allow you to go to the battlefield? Or that he would be faithful to only you? You’er, if it’s like this, you might as well marry Taizi. We sisters can be companions. How about it?”
“Taizi wanted you to persuade me, right?” At this point, Zi You suddenly understood. She knew why Liu Ruixue looked indifferent at the thought of marrying Taizi now.
No matter which woman, if right before she was about to marry, her fiancé wanted her to persuade her sister to marry him too, if she didn’t feel anything, then the woman either loved him to the point where he could do no wrong or her brain was missing.
Liu Ruixue was surprised. She didn’t think that Zi You was so clever and suddenly guessed the reason.
Zi You was correct. Taizi did indeed want her to persuade Zi You on this matter. When Liu Ruixue thought of how Taizi used the gentlest attitude to say the most heartless words, she felt that her heart was sliced with a knife and her eyes couldn’t help but redden.
That was the first time that Taizi wanted to see Liu Ruixue privately. In Great Yan, unmarried couples were not allowed to meet, but lots of couples with deep feelings secretly met.
She and Taizi’s feelings weren’t deep, but she was very satisfied with the scholarly and elegant gentlemanly heir to the throne.
Her mother had told her many times, “Mother really is unhappy with this marriage. Once I think of your status being below that She yatou [Taizifei], I’m distressed.”
Liu Ruixue even tried to persuade her mother, “Mother, there is nothing perfect in this world. Daughter may be marrying Taizi as cefei, but Taizi must have requested the Empress Dowager for this marriage. Because of the Empress Dowager, Taizi would certainly not mistreat daughter.”
She had always naively thought that Taizi asked the Empress Dowager to marry her as cefei was because he liked her.
She thought that until the day Taizi asked to meet her in private. He gently and softly said, “Xue’er, do you know why I asked imperial grandmother for you to marry me? It’s because you are gentle, virtuous, and understanding. This is something that not all noble xiaojies and many imperial family members have.”
He continued with a pained face, “As a Taizi, I don’t feel any trace of warm. Fuwang now favors my third brother. Third brother is also eyeing the monarch’s position. I don’t know how much longer I can be Taizi. I really regret now that I shouldn’t have pulled you into this cold environment just because I like you. If I have the support of Old General Mu or imperial uncle’s [An Wang] support, my situation might be better.
“But imperial uncle does not like me ever since I was young. Old General Mu is angry because I proposed to marry Mu Zi You. Now, I am really worried that you will suffer grievances if you marry me. Don’t be angry at me, Xue’er. I proposed to Mu Xiaojie not because I like her in the way that I like you. It’s because I wanted to get Old General Mu’s support.
“I asked to meet you today because I missed you and because I wanted to explain this matter to you. I’m not afraid that other people will get angry at me. I’m just afraid that you will misunderstand me.”
Liu Ruixue now knew that Taizi said those words because he wanted her to take the initiative to persuade Mu Zi You for her help.
But she foolishly said then, “Taizi, Old General dotes on You’er. Now that you reached the limit for cefeis, he does not want to marry You’er to you as a shufei [consort of status lower than cefei]. That is understandable. Don’t blame him.”
She clearly remembered that after she said that, Taizi’s smile immediately went away.
He said sorrowfully to her, “But if Old General Mu really hates me because of this, I’m afraid that I can no longer be Taizi. Who doesn’t know that Fuwang holds Old General Mu in the highest regard and is almost obedient to him? If he says some bad things about me in front of Fuwang, I’m afraid that Fuwang will dislike me even more.”
Taizi was gentle, but anxious as he said, “Xue’er, take into account that I’m deeply devoted to you and help me persuade Mu Zi You. Even if she doesn’t marry me, I hope that she doesn’t hate me. Of course, it will be even better if she can marry me too. Xue’er, if you succeed, the future Empress’ position will be yours. Our son will be the future Taizi.”