Chapter 53: Picking and Choosing: Xu Zaijing [Thank You All for Your Support!]

After Wu Dangzi left, Qingcao returned to Xu Zaijing’s courtyard.

Afterwards, Xu Zhang and Xu Anmei also came over.

“Oh no, I’m such a fool—how could I forget to leave my maid in Mother’s room?”

Zhang was deeply troubled.

“Brother, don’t speak—Qingcao, continue.”

Their younger brother’s little maid stammered through a retelling of Wu Dangzi’s words.

There are several families with eligible sons seeking marriage:

The Yuan family of the Zhongqin Marquisate, second legitimate son, of marriageable age, his family’s fortunes have declined, and their courtyard is small.

The Lü family of the Lingguo Duke, second legitimate son, quite famous in Bianjing, a duke’s son, with a private academy at home—he’s a scholar who reads and writes.

The Huang family of the Shoushan Marquisate, eldest legitimate son, whose mother is the biological sister of the Zhongqin Marquis; they also have another legitimate second son, the same age as Qi Heng.

The Fu family of the Changxing Marquisate, eldest legitimate son, upright in character, currently studying.

Qingcao continued speaking.

Anmei beside her slowly grew astonished.

Because this little girl, so young, remembered so many titles, legitimate and collateral branches, and brief details.

She herself was already confused just listening, yet Qingcao kept talking.

The Han family of the Zhennan Marquisate, fourth illegitimate son, reportedly studying.

“When mentioning the Lin family, Wu Dangzi whispered something to Dangzi—I didn’t hear it.”

That was Qingcao’s final remark.

Although Xu Zaijing was the youngest son in the family, Qingcao mentioned several whose names he knew and others he didn’t.

The Yuan family of the Zhongqin Marquisate—their second son, Yuan Wenshao, is a dullard; if Wu Dangzi spoke of him, then Yuan’s eldest, Yuan Wenchun, must already be married.

He likely married a niece from Yuan Dangzi’s natal family.

That Yuan Dangzi has always favored the eldest branch, Yuan Wenchun!

When the future marriage with the Sheng family was arranged, the parents were supposed to go fetch the bride, but in the end, it was Yuan Wenchun who went.

This nearly caused Wang Dangzi to outright refuse the match.

Yuan Wenchun, sent to Yangzhou, didn’t try to salvage the match for his own brother; instead, after the wedding gifts were unloaded, he goaded Gu Tingye into winning the betrothal geese with a dart game, humiliating the Sheng family.

Clearly, he wanted to destroy the match entirely—to crush his own blood brother!

This shows the Yuan brothers are utterly disunited.

Yuan Wenshao may turn out well, but right now he’s still entirely under his mother’s thumb; Hualan endured nearly ten years before finding peace.

And Yuan Dangzi keeps pushing concubines on Yuan Wenshao!

Xu Zaijing’s eldest sister has fair skin and long legs, but lacks broad experience and the guidance of the seasoned Sheng Laofuren.

Though her dowry won’t be small, it certainly won’t match what the Sheng family and the old lady have prepared.

The Yuan family is no good.

The Lingguo Duke’s family was already ruined when Sheng Hong and Sheng Wei went to borrow books there; now it’s probably just an empty shell, worse than the Yuan family—at least the Yuan Marquis is sensible.

No.

The Huang family of the Shoushan Marquisate’s Dangzi is sensible; I just don’t know about her son.

Pending.

The Fu family of the Changxing Marquisate—I don’t know them, but their Fu Boran is close to Gu Tingye; I could inquire further.

Pending.

The Zhennan Marquis—I know their finances are severely depleted; the eldest branch especially loves marrying wealthy daughters just to seize their dowries!

The second branch married a princess and is thriving; they’ll soon surpass the eldest branch.

Need to find out precisely which branch.

Hmm, pending.

Xu Zaijing pondered deeply; at his young age, he was exhausting himself for his family, for his sister’s happiness.

What would this Xu family do without him!

“Someone, bring Qingcao some water.” Pingmei watched Qingcao with keen curiosity, wondering how she remembered so much.

“Miss, Wu Dangzi said a few more things I didn’t catch, but Dangzi was very surprised after hearing them.”

With that, Qingcao picked up the teacup and drank it down in gulps.

Qingcao’s account was like a storyteller’s line: “To know what happens next, listen to the next installment”—it left everyone itching to know more.

But only Sun Shi knew what Wu Dangzi had said; they dared not ask.

Fortunately, before they could ask, someone arrived in the afternoon.

Bai Dangzi arrived at the Xu household, holding Gu Tingyi, with her longtime maid Chang Mama leading a group of maids bearing gifts.

They entered the main hall of the back courtyard.

Both sat down, and tea was served.

Bai Dangzi smiled at Sun Dangzi. “Sister, did Wu Dangzi tell you?”

Sun Shi’s expression was not joyful; she frowned slightly. “Bai sister, I never imagined this would happen.”

Bai Dangzi sighed. “It was Yul’s own decision—he told his father first, then came to ask me.”

Sun Shi: “Sister, Yul will inherit the title. Is my child not too lowly for him?”

Gu Tingyi climbed down from his mother’s arms, walked a few steps, and threw himself into Sun Shi’s embrace.

Sun Shi, used to holding children, scooped him up at once and handed him a pastry from the table.

“These past few years, Yul has grown older, his mind more mature—he noticed the earlier clues.”

“How old is Yul? Truly—”

“After speaking with Yul, the Marquis sighed to me about how mature and clever his son has become. Since he couldn’t hide it anymore, he told Yul the truth about the Qin family’s actions. You know, Yul was famously a sickly child in this capital. Now that he’s healthy, few know—so few come to propose.”

“I do know Yul is healthy now, but my Ping’er—”

“Yul has seen your daughter several times. He told me plainly: he suffered enough from his frail body as a child, and truly wants a healthy wife.” Bai Dangzi smiled, looking at Sun Shi with a touch of pleading.

Xu Zaijing’s eldest sister had never lacked food or clothing; her mother Sun Shi came from a military family—any Dangzi who saw Xu Pingmei could tell she was fertile.

And Pingmei inherited her father’s height.

Her skin tone matched her mother’s fairness.

As the saying goes, one fair feature hides a hundred flaws—especially since Pingmei isn’t ugly.

“Sister, don’t worry—Yul is a grateful, precocious boy. He once advised the Marquis.” Here, Bai Dangzi smiled.

“Huh? Yul advised the Marquis?” Sun Shi looked astonished.

“Yul said: ‘As my stepmother, if you’d just watched me be killed by my birth family, the title would naturally go to Yege. But you exposed it, saved my life—your grace is like rebirth. I truly revere and love you.’”

Bai Dangzi spoke with a smile, but tears glistened in her eyes.

“Yul also confided in me—he’s deeply grateful to me, because since his health improved, the Marquis’s gaze toward him changed. Before, it was full of pity and sorrow, but never hope. Now, the Marquis looks at him as if imagining his future self, full of expectation.”

Sun Shi: “What a remarkably perceptive child—you’ve finally been rewarded.”

Bai Dangzi’s kindness had been repaid; she had no ulterior motives or ill will toward Gu Tingyu—she’d endured much gossip and hardship because of it.

But Gu Tingyu’s words made her feel it was all worth it.

Sun Shi, moved by Bai Dangzi’s emotion, patted her hand. “Sister, Yul is a good boy. If the Marquis doesn’t object, I’ll write to my lord right away—we’ll settle this.”

Sun Shi had seen Gu Tingyu several times—his body was certainly healthy, though his complexion was still slightly yellow and dark; his features, however, were handsome.

At this time, the three Xu brothers were all in school, unaware.

After Bai Dangzi took her leave,

Xu Anmei widened her eyes, listening to her maid’s report.

She had learned from her younger brother to leave someone behind in Mother’s room.

Just now, Pingmei had blushed and run out after hearing a few words.

Gu Tingyu had visited the Xu household several times; as they grew older, the sisters only appeared briefly to greet him, but Xu Zaijing’s room had displayed the calligraphy Gu Tingyu had written for him—

Excellent—even better than that of the Sheng uncle.

At dinner, Pingmei stood blushing beside her mother, while Anmei whispered to her brother.

The three brothers looked astonished, Xu Zaijing most of all.

Gu Tingyu had endured poison for years and still fathered a daughter—he must have been in good health.

Now, since childhood, he had stopped taking the Qin family’s poison, and these past years, Bai Dangzi had spared no expense to nurture him—he had fully recovered.

His elder sister could become the future Marquis’s Lady.

Xu Zaijing had never imagined it—but it had truly happened.

Thank you all for your support!

All metrics are doing well.

Damn this second recommendation.

Its effect is worse than the first round.

First round averaged 300 collections per day.

Yesterday, only 151 collections.

I’m spitting blood.

Keep writing, keep stockpiling—charge ahead!



(End of chapter)