Chapter 5: The Marriage Proposal (Part One)

This matter struck her like a bolt from the blue.

Yan Xi barely slept through the night. The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became; the more frightened, the more anxious, and she didn’t know what to do.

She had hoped to gain the protection of the Lu family to prevent things from unfolding as in her dream, but she never expected that the man would actually be within the Lu family—and that he would be Lu Zhi!

The next morning, she felt dazed and listless.

The previous day, the matriarch had summoned her to keep her company today.

She had risen early and arrived early, but her mind was absent along the way.

Upon reaching Fu’an Hall, the young lady was led by a maid into the main room to wait.

The maid said, “The matriarch is reciting sutras; it will be finished soon. Miss, please wait a moment.”

“Alright.”

Yan Xi nodded, lifted her step, and entered the room. Inside, her heart was calm; she had at last managed to momentarily forget that troubling matter. But to her surprise, as soon as she looked up upon entering, she saw a man sitting alone inside.

Dressed impeccably, handsome beyond compare.

It was none other than Lu Zhi!

Startled, Yan Xi’s steps faltered, and panic immediately surged through her heart. Instinctively, she wished to flee, but she knew he must have seen her out of the corner of his eye.

The room was silent, the air cold as if crystallized into ice, with only the footsteps of her and the three servants breaking the stillness.

Near the seat, two maids bowed in unison to call him.

“Young Master…”

Yan Xi’s lips whispered twice but neither “brother” nor “young master” came out. She only slightly bent her body and sat down slowly at a distance from him.

Just as she settled unguarded, she heard his faint voice.

“What’s your name again?”

Her heart pounded wildly, and she obediently lifted her head to look at him, answering meekly.

“My name is Shen Yanxi.”

Their eyes met—his gaze lowered, looking down at her with a lazy, casual air; hers lifted, delicate and soft like a pure white kitten, tender and vulnerable.

But only for a moment; Yan Xi quickly averted her eyes.

Beside her, Qing Lian smiled gently and spoke softly:

“Young Master, when you were young, you once saved our Miss.”

“Is that so?”

The man’s fingers tapped idly on the table beside him, his gaze distant and detached, and his “Is that so” seemed tinged with a hint of mockery. Then he continued, “I don’t remember.”

Qing Lian said, “Yes, Young Master, you were probably only sixteen or seventeen then. Miss accidentally fell into the water, and you happened to pass by. Thanks to you…”

“Oh…”

The tone lingered, low and drawn out, then fell silent as the man’s gaze slowly moved away from her.

Yan Xi’s heart pounded rapidly—though nervous and fearful, her mind was clear, understanding his words perfectly.

It seemed as if he was deliberately… looking down on her?

But was it because he despised her?

How could he possibly not remember her name? How could he not remember saving her?

The room fell silent once more.

At that moment, the beaded curtain of the bedroom rustled softly as Mistress Liu emerged from the matriarch’s chamber.

“Young Master, Miss, the matriarch requests your presence.”

Yan Xi stood slowly but did not move forward, allowing Lu Zhi to enter first; she waited outside for half an hour.

Half an hour later, the man came out.

Yan Xi lowered her head slightly, catching a glimpse of him as he walked past without a glance.

The young lady stood rooted to the spot for a long while before her legs ceased trembling and weakening. She sighed softly and entered the matriarch’s room.

---

Throughout the morning, she kept the matriarch company—talking and playing chess, occasionally massaging her shoulders or legs. Time passed swiftly.

After lunch, returning to her room, Yan Xi’s emotions gradually settled; she was no longer as restless as in the days before.

Because she felt the situation was different from what her dream had shown.

Lu Zhi, toward her, likely bore no such intentions…

He was cold to her—truly the coldest in the entire Lu household—and most tellingly, he clearly harbored some disdain and dislike for her.

At this point, that was actually a good thing for her.

Perhaps if she did not provoke him, kept her distance, and stayed cautious, having no entanglement with him, then their connection would naturally dissolve, and the nightmare would vanish.

Given the circumstances, this might be the best outcome after all.

That night, Yan Xi finally fell asleep.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Each morning, she visited the matriarch; in the afternoons, she rarely went out.

During these seven days, she encountered Lu Zhi twice on the estate roads—both times were much like the first, or even colder.

Apart from formal bows and greetings, she barely spoke to him.

He was even more distant.

On the eighth day, Yan Xi gradually relaxed, no longer fixating on the matter, and busied herself with other affairs.

She calculated the days, based on her dream, foreseeing an opportunity to make money.

If she had money, she could seek out her sister.

Naturally, she, Qing Lian, Tao Hong, and A Tai could live better lives in this mansion.

It had been over half a month since her return.

Everyone in the household knew that the Duke intended to fulfill his promise from years ago and adopt her as a foster daughter.

But equally, everyone knew she was the niece of a disgraced official.

She would not marry into a high position; no ambitious man would marry her. Even with the title of a Lu family daughter, her status would not improve much, especially in this prestigious Lu family.

Therefore, having some money in hand was fundamental.

Her dream had shown that at the beginning of this winter, the price of white snakeroot would soar.

She had already instructed A Tai to secretly gather information, and there was indeed some buzz, though no one yet believed it.

Yan Xi sold many of her valuable jewelry pieces and had A Tai stockpile goods outside.

In no time, everything was arranged, awaiting double profits in half a month.

That afternoon, the footman returned with news.

Judging by A Tai’s joyful expression, Yan Xi, Qing Lian, and Tao Hong knew all had gone well.

Qing Lian closed the door behind her, while Tao Hong stood guard outside.

Yan Xi listened intently as A Tai recounted the tale, growing increasingly pleased and more convinced that they would indeed make a substantial profit.

When the story ended, the footman suddenly remembered another matter and changed the subject.

“Miss, do you know who I met at the market today?”

Yan Xi shook her head. “Who?”

“Master Jiang.”

“Master Jiang?” Yan Xi repeated, searching her memory.

She did not know many people, so it was not difficult to recall.

Was he not the young master she had met by chance last year at the Bamboo Garden in Suzhou?

That young master’s surname was Jiang, given name Zhiyan, son of the Marquis of Jing’an in Chang’an, from a distinguished and scholarly family. His grandfather once served as the emperor’s tutor, and though the family had long lost power, their noble status was still respected throughout the capital.

Jiang Zhiyan enjoyed traveling through mountains and waters. It was for this reason that last year he went to Lingyan Mountain in Suzhou, where fate brought him to meet Yan Xi…

***

“Jiang Zhiyan…?” Yan Xi called his name.

A Tai nodded with a smile.

“That’s right, it’s him!”

Qing Lian in the room also laughed.

“What did he say? Did he say he missed you?”

“Nonsense!”

Yan Xi’s cheeks flushed immediately, her voice soft and hurried as she interrupted the maid.

A Tai laughed even more heartily and added, “Sister Qing Lian really guessed correctly…”

Then turning to Miss, he said, “Master Jiang really said so. He said ever since they parted last year, he has been haunted day and night, truly missing Miss. Now that he knows she is in Chang’an, he cannot wait to come and see her…”

Yan Xi interjected again, “N-no… nonsense…”

No one else in the room believed the “nonsense” at all.

Over the past several months, all had clearly seen that the heir of the Jiang family was very fond of their young lady, going to great lengths to find reasons to stay in the Bamboo Garden, constantly arranging meetings to please her. If not for urgent letters from home, who knew how much longer he would have stayed? To deny his fondness for her young lady was simply impossible.

Remembering this, laughter once again filled the room.

“Stop laughing…”

The young lady became noticeably more flustered.

No sooner had she spoken than a maid’s voice came from outside.

“Miss, someone is looking for you…”

***

One hour earlier, Jingzhao Prefecture.

The vermilion gates stood wide open, stone lions solemnly guarding the entrance. Lu Zhi, cloaked in black, emerged amidst a group of attendants.

No sooner had he appeared than a man in his early twenties approached him with a broad smile from the foot of the stone steps.

“Brother Lu, I’ve been waiting for you to finish your duties for quite a while!”

Lu Zhi lowered his eyes to look at the man.

The man wore a blue cloak and jade crown, exuding the air of a scholar. Handsome and refined, he was none other than Jiang Zhiyan, heir to the Marquis of Jing’an.

“What’s the matter?”

Lu Zhi slowly descended the steps. By the time his black boots touched the ground, Jiang Zhiyan was already at his side.

Radiating joy and wearing a perpetual smile, he said:

“Good news, great news! Come with me to the carriage, and I’ll tell you all about it.”

The carriage stood nearby. Before Lu Zhi could respond, Jiang Zhiyan stepped inside.

Lu Zhi followed and took a seat opposite him.

Before the door closed, Jiang Zhiyan leaned forward eagerly and asked with a smile:

“Does your family recently have a young lady who returned from Suzhou? Your sister?”

Lu Zhi did not answer immediately. He fixed his gaze on Jiang Zhiyan for a long while, then slowly and casually fingered the ring on his hand, finally speaking:

“Who told you that?”

Jiang Zhiyan laughed. “Never mind that. Just tell me if it’s true or not.”

Lu Zhi responded indifferently with an “Ah.”

Jiang Zhiyan laughed loudly.

“I didn’t hear it from anyone; I met her myself! This morning at the market, I ran into your sister’s servant from Suzhou.”

“Do you know, I recognize your sister! What a coincidence—last year when I went to Lingyan Mountain, my money pouch was stolen. It suddenly poured down rain with nowhere to shelter, so I sought lodging. By chance—or misfortune—it was where your sister was convalescing. When I first saw her through the rain, I thought I had entered a fairyland. She is truly beautiful! Kind-hearted and pure, so adorable. Not only that, adept in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—masterful in all—she’s exactly the kind of girl I like!”

He grew more and more excited, unable to stop.

Lu Zhi replied flatly, “Is that so?”