Chapter 37: with translation of chapter title

"Any other matters?"

Wang Lin thought for a while, still couldn't figure it out; Luo Man came on behalf of Old Master Luo—what else could there be? Given his status, he had no contact with Old Master Luo whatsoever.

Suddenly.

A flash of inspiration crossed Wang Lin's mind and vanished; he coldly stared at Luo Man, expressionless, and said, "Luo steward, if you've come on behalf of your master for that beast, I ask you to keep your mouth shut!"

Besides Wang Ruhai, he couldn't fathom what else Old Master Luo could want from him.

"A beast?"

Luo Man first startled, then realized whom Wang Lin's "beast" referred to—almost certainly his own son Wang Ruhai—and never imagined Wang Lin would call his own child a beast.

Although.

Wang Ruhai had done a wrong thing—just after placing third in the imperial examinations, he divorced his wife of many years.

Just.

He could understand Wang Ruhai's actions, after all Liu Dongzhu was just an ordinary village woman; although she was considered pretty among village women, compared to ladies from noble families—or even a maid in a great household—

All of them could outshine Liu Dongzhu's appearance!

Wang Ruhai placed third in the examinations, his future limitless; wanting to divorce his wife is understandable, and moreover, the Wang examination laureate had married the prime minister's daughter.

Not only Wang Ruhai—any other man, if even slightly normal, would do the same.

Who would have thought.

Wang Lin's fury over Wang Ruhai's actions was beyond his comprehension; if his own son had placed third in the examinations, he would support him no matter what outrageous thing he did.

All that can be said is that Wang Lin is ultimately an old village bumpkin with shallow vision and limited experience.

He doesn't understand that marrying into the prime minister's family is advantageous for an official career.

Though he harbored such thoughts, Luo Man dared not show even a hint of them—after all, Wang Lin was Wang Ruhai's father; even if Wang Lin spoke of severing their father‑son ties, Luo Man wouldn't take it seriously, for everyone knows that Daxia rules the world through filial piety.

If he dared to offend Wang Lin, even if Wang Ruhai didn't speak up, other influential families would surely flatter him, offering their lives in homage; perhaps his own master would do the same, smiling obsequiously as he said:

"Old Master Wang, you've misunderstood; the matter my master entrusted me with does not involve the examination laureate—no, wait, it could be said to involve the laureate, but the one who truly has the authority is you, Old Master Wang!"

Wang Lin frowned slightly at the mention of Wang Ruhai, his mood none too good, and said expressionlessly, "Luo steward, speak freely; if I can do it, I will; if I cannot, I can only ask you and your master to excuse me."

"Old Master Wang, let me be frank: last month my master had a daughter and is looking for a childhood betrothal, but there's no suitable match in the county."

Saying this, Luo Man paused, looked up at Liu Dongzhu holding Wang Ping'an in her arms, and for some reason, as he spoke, he thought he saw a flicker of surprise in Wang Ping'an's eyes.

"I was muddle‑headed; though this lad could very well be a Great Benevolent Person Reincarnation, he's only just been born a few days, can't speak, let alone understand my words!"

Luo Man couldn't help shaking his head, doubting he'd seen things—how else could he have seen surprise in Wang Ping'an's eyes? Seeing Wang Lin stunned, he spoke again:

"Not long ago, my master heard that Old Master Wang's grandson had been born and was a Great Benevolent Person Reincarnation; he asked a Daoist to calculate the birth characters of our young lady and your grandson, found them highly compatible, and therefore wishes to form a marriage alliance with your family!" "Tie, tie, tie the knot!"

Not only Wang Lin, but even Zhang Guihua and Liu Dongzhu's faces turned extremely odd; they had considered many possibilities for why Old Master Luo would send Luo Man to them, but never imagined it would be this.

Luo Man smiled and said, "Old Master Wang, my master instructed me to come just to handle this matter; what do you think, Old Master Wang?"

Wang Lin was eager to agree outright, after all, this was a tremendous boon for their family's Ping'an.

As for Ping'an now, saying he has a father is almost like saying he doesn't—especially after that beast marries the prime minister's daughter and surely fathers his own children; that beast will never care whether Ping'an lives or dies.

He is old, and Dongzhu is a woman; thereafter Ping'an's burden will be heavy, but if they could ally with the Luo family, it would be a tremendous boon for their Ping'an.

Just.

Ultimately, the matter of their Ping'an must be decided by Dongzhu.

He well knew that ever since that beast sent a divorce letter from the Capital City, Dongzhu has been deeply hurt, and Ping'an can be said to be her emotional reliance.

If Ping'an's marriage weren't left to her to decide, it would easily wound her deeply.

You have reached this novel.

Wang Lin said, "Dongzhu, you are Ping'an's mother—what do you think of this matter?"

"We are just ordinary farmers, while the Luo family is a top‑rank wealthy household."

Before Liu Dongzhu could finish, Luo Man interrupted with a smile, saying, "Madam Wang, rest assured—our Luo family does not look down on people, and my master greatly values your son."

Liu Dongzhu smiled, not taking Luo Man's words at face value; although she had seldom left Hutou Gou, she had a rough idea of the Luo family's situation from Wang Ruhai, and she didn't want to dwell on this issue, so she rephrased:

"Let's not talk about these things for now—I don't know what Old Master Luo thinks about the future of our Ping'an."

Luo Man blurted out, "My master hopes that Young Master Ping'an will receive early education and study for the imperial examinations. Of course, Madam Wang, my master understands your family's circumstances, so our Luo family can cover all these expenses!"

According to their master's saying, "Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes"—since Ping'an's father is an examination laureate, Ping'an must be a seed of scholarship, and furthermore, being a Great Benevolent Person Reincarnation, he is undoubtedly even smarter.

He might very well place first in the examinations!

Once Ping'an places first in the examinations, the Luo family's expenses on him will be returned a hundred‑ or even thousand‑fold!

Otherwise.

Unless their master has taken leave of his senses, how could he possibly ally by marriage with the Wang family, even if this young lady is the daughter of a concubine?

But no matter what, she is still offspring of the Luo family—how could she be casually married off to someone else?

It's nothing but an investment!

Liu Dongzhu's face changed dramatically as she said, "Luo steward, you may not know this, but I do not want our Ping'an to pursue the examinations; I support his studying, but I hope he studies in the village and does not leave my sight."

"Ah?"

Luo Man exclaimed in surprise, never expecting Liu Dongzhu to say such a thing—clearly her husband is an examination laureate, yet she does not want their son to follow his father's old path of the examinations—and he reminded her:

"Madam Wang, if your son does not take the examinations, his talent will be buried!"

(End of chapter)