Chapter 24: Choice

You go out first!

Hearing Lady Lu's mocking words, Third Master Shen glanced at the kneeling concubine nearby and sent her away.

The concubine withdrew, trembling.

When only Lady Lu and Third Master Shen remained in the room, the couple fell into silence, neither speaking.

After a long while, Third Master Shen sighed and said, "Wan Ning, must you really be angry with me?"

Third Master Shen, you really know how to joke!

You are such a suave and talented person; what am I, that I have no right to be angry with you?

Lady Lu sized up Third Master Shen, then continued, "Your complexion doesn't look good; you should take good care of yourself."

Having said that, Lady Lu prepared to leave.

Seeing this, Third Master Shen hurriedly said, "Wan Ning, I can change!"

Too late!

Lady Lu didn't stop; she left decisively.

A man's mouth, a deceitful ghost.

She had actually been a virtuous and decent woman herself; she didn't object to Third Master Shen taking concubines, but she was Shen Zhen's principal wife!

At the very least, Shen Zhen should have asked for her opinion before taking a concubine!

However, he didn't!

This man never thought to ask her a word; it was always his mother speaking for him, as if Lady Lu's refusal would be unfilial.

Once, twice, three times, four times…

Lady Lu's heart grew cold and chilly under this wear and tear.

When Shen Zheng Dun and Shen Zheng Yi were born, Lady Lu even became unwilling to share a room with Shen Zhen.

In her heart, this man was already dead.

Watching Lady Lu leave resolutely, Third Master Shen felt his heart as if cut by a knife.

He still had her in his heart.

Although he took many concubines and frequented brothels, in his heart those were mere dalliances; only Lu Wan Ning was the one true good in his heart.

He didn't know where exactly the problem lay.

Why had Lady Lu's eyes suddenly lost him?

He had asked, but there was no answer, only indifference.

What should I do?

Third Master Shen was very troubled.

He wanted to find someone to ask for advice, but who could he turn to for such a marital matter?

……

Lady Lu left Third Master Shen's room and then summoned the housekeeper grandma nearby.

Go summon all the matchmakers in the city!

Also, register the household-born girls whose ages are roughly the same as the Seventh Miss!

Lady Lu is a decisive and efficient person.

Since she had decided to secure this marriage alliance with the Xie Family of Jingcheng, the dowry certainly needed to be prepared abundantly.

Besides that, the choices for the dowry maids also needed to be decided early.

The four dowry maids, if needed can be raised to concubines; they must be outstanding in appearance, requiring separate purchase, and their sale contracts must be firmly in hand.

In addition to the four dowry maids, two attentive little maids also needed to be selected for personal service.

Um, also need to find a well-mannered nanny grandma.

These years, she hasn't been in the mansion, so she doesn't know what kind of temperament this young lady has. But that doesn't matter; as long as she learns propriety, her future life is hers to walk.

Furthermore, the families providing the dowry maids also need to be carefully chosen.

As for the dowry, the shops in Jingcheng and the manors in the Jingji region are indispensable.

The Shen Family is a prominent household in Liu Cheng, but has no roots whatsoever in Jingcheng.

On the other hand, Lady Lu's natal family has some holdings in Jingcheng.

When Lady Lu originally married Shen Zhen, her dowry already included Jingcheng holdings, because at that time Third Master Shen was renowned abroad, had passed the imperial examinations, and held great promise.

The Lu Family also formed this marriage alliance for that reason, even going so far as to procure Jingcheng holdings as her dowry.

Who would have thought that Third Master Shen would be ruined halfway through his life?

Still, it's a bit lacking!

We must send someone to Jingcheng to procure what's needed!

Lady Lu immediately wrote a letter and sent her dowry housekeeper to Jingcheng.

……

Miss, Miss!

After discussing with Shen Yunyao, Cuiyu hurriedly left to inquire about news, and before long she hurried back again.

The mistress had people summon the city's matchmakers to the manor!

Surely it's to have you pick a dowry maid, Miss!

Isn't that quite good?

Shen Yunyao smiled.

Cuiyu wore a bitter face and said, "Miss, the mistress never asked what you think!"

Could it be that the mistress won't let you participate in this matter at all?

If that's the case, then everything we previously discussed is useless.

How could it be useless?

Shen Yunyao chuckled, "Although we can't decide on the personnel, but once we reach Jingcheng, how to arrange these people is up to me—I have the final say over your family's young lady!"

This is the fundamental reason for Shen Yunyao's composure.

I cannot decide what kind of person to choose, but whether to use these people and how to use them—those are decisions she can make with a single word.

"Seems, that's also right!"

Cuiyu finally let out a sigh of relief.

"You, don't worry too much!"

"When the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a way; heaven never leaves a person without a path!"

Shen Yunyao's mindset is very steady.

She actually isn't worried about marrying a non-human; at worst, we'll perish together!

She really isn't the type to wrong herself.

If she married an ordinary person and life became hard, they could just divorce.

But if she truly married that Xie Family young master, given his status as the emperor's son-in-law, wanting a divorce would be hopeless.

Then, we can only perish together.

As the saying goes, "The people fear no death; why then frighten them with death?"

Shen Yunyao is exactly such a ruthless person!

Soon, as Liu Cheng's matchmakers gathered at the Shen Family and then left, the whole Liu Cheng knew that the Shen Family Third Branch's young lady, whose engagement was broken, was about to marry, and it was a high marriage.

"Uncle Lu, is my future mother-in-law being a bit too showy?"

"The young master hasn't even given the betrothal gifts yet!"

"Doesn't she worry that something might change?"

Xie Zian glanced at Xie Lu, his beautiful eyes narrowing, as if he had become a cunning fox.

Xie Lu gave him a white eye and said, "Little ancestor, why don't you create some changes yourself?"

"Then forget it!"

Xie Zian instantly put on a smile, "The young master doesn't want to invite trouble!"

Other matters can be tossed about however, but marrying a wife must go smoothly.

"Uncle Lu, do I have a chance to see my fiancée?"

"No!"

"Don't even think about it!"

Xie Lu gave him no face at all.

In Dayong, it's customary that before marriage, men and women best not meet.

"Young master, I'm just curious, why did you settle on her?"

"Because she's beautiful!"

"In these three years, we've traveled most of Dayong, and no other girl is as beautiful as she; if I don't marry her, my looks, which surpass Pan An and Song Yu, would be wronged!"

"..."

Xie Lu looked at his self-admiring young master, unable to bear looking.

He knew his young master was handsome and liked to show off, but he had never seen him like this!

(End of chapter)