The Empress Dowager was truly shocked.

She had fallen so seriously ill?

No matter how shrewd the Empress Dowager was, she could never imagine that the General’s Manor was feigning illness to escape this marriage match with Prince Wei.

Previously it would have been one thing, but now Prince Wei had slimmed down—he had status and good looks. To feign illness and break off an established engagement, even if you beat the Empress Dowager to death, she couldn’t imagine any family being so foolish.

This being the case, she naturally believed the Old Madam’s words without a doubt.

With her granddaughter on the verge of death from illness, yet still thinking not to burden Prince Wei—this was indeed something the forthright and straightforward Dou Chuncao would do.

“Old Madam, don’t think too much. First let the child recuperate properly.” The Empress Dowager intimately took the Old Madam’s hand.

The Old Madam smiled bitterly: “She is recuperating, and we’ve invited quite a few physicians to examine her. It’s just that many things can only depend on Heaven’s will and cannot be forced.”

“Then don’t mention other matters.” The Empress Dowager consoled her.

The Old Madam’s eyes reddened as tears fell: “With Chan’er in this condition, my heart aches. But thinking that this delays Prince Wei, my heart aches even more. I beseech the Empress Dowager to grant this—let it bring Chan’er peace of mind, with no one owing anyone…”

The Empress Dowager was silent for a long while before nodding: “Then I’ll mention it to His Majesty.”

The Old Madam’s heart eased.

With the Empress Dowager’s word, this matter was settled. They might even receive some compensation from the General’s Manor.

The General’s Manor didn’t lack gold or silver, but favor from His Majesty was still different.

After the Old Madam returned to the manor and told Lin Shi, Lin Shi laughed: “I told you—Mother is the best at speaking.”

Old Madam: “…” Unfilial daughter, please shut up!

The Empress Dowager soon brought up the matter to Emperor Tai’an.

Upon hearing it, Emperor Tai’an was also quite surprised.

“Miss Lin is seriously ill and the General’s Manor wants to break the engagement?”

“Yes, when the Old Madam brought it up, I was quite surprised too. I didn’t expect her granddaughter to be so seriously ill, yet she could still think of this.”

Emperor Tai’an furrowed his brow and didn’t speak for a moment.

The Empress Dowager said slowly: “Ping’er isn’t young anymore either. If something were to happen to Miss Lin, it truly wouldn’t be good. In I’s view, this marriage match might as well be broken off. What does Your Majesty think?”

Emperor Tai’an naturally thought breaking it off was good.

He had never been very satisfied with this match from the beginning. Lin Shi’s dramatic severance with Wen Rugui had been so ugly—even ordinary families would care about such things, let alone the imperial family.

Moreover— A thought flashed through Emperor Tai’an’s mind.

Although this thought passed like a shooting star, Emperor Tai’an knew clearly in his heart what it was.

Regarding the choice of heir apparent, he ultimately could not be so resolute after all.

He only had two sons—the Crown Prince and Prince Wei. Considering that remote possibility, he would naturally be much more cautious about Prince Wei’s consort selection than he had been during the chrysanthemum viewing banquet.

Selecting a more suitable match anew would naturally be a good thing.

The Empress Dowager, seeing Emperor Tai’an’s reaction, knew her son couldn’t ask for more. He was just concerned that immediately agreeing when the family’s young lady was seriously ill and proposing to break the engagement would seem somewhat callous.

“Mainly this is the General’s Manor’s sincere intention—they also want peace of mind. If Your Majesty finds it regrettable, why not show the General’s Manor more favor in other ways?”

Emperor Tai’an, handed a way out by the Empress Dowager, immediately agreed.

“What does Mother Empress think of granting Lin Shi an honorary title?”

The Empress Dowager shook her head: “I think that’s not quite appropriate. For a woman to receive an honorary title, she must rely either on her husband or her son. Lin Shi has severed ties and returned to her family—if His Majesty were to grant her an honorary title, it would likely cause people to have ideas. Your Majesty might as well reward something else more substantial.”

“Something substantial?” Emperor Tai’an pinched the bridge of his nose and thought. “The Old Madam of the Lin family has an adopted grandson with a different surname, doesn’t she? Liu Chuan, what’s that child called?”

“In response to Your Majesty, that person is named Cheng Shu and currently serves in the Jinwu Guard.”

“That’s perfect—let’s promote his position then.”

Very soon the engagement between Prince Wei and Lin Chan was broken off. At the same time, the General’s Manor received extraordinarily generous rewards from the palace, and Cheng Shu was also promoted to Company Commander.

On the surface, the General’s Manor appeared gloomy and miserable due to Lin Chan’s “serious illness.” Privately, Lin Shi was overjoyed: “Mother predicted it accurately after all. Not only does Chan’er not have to be Prince Wei’s consort, but Shu’er actually got promoted!”

Double happiness!

The Old Madam glared at her: “Don’t be so gleeful—be careful not to get carried away.”

Lin Shi said sheepishly: “I understand.”

But to outsiders, the General’s Manor seemed thoroughly unlucky.

Such an excellent match—Miss Lin truly had poor fortune.

Those whose schadenfreude was too obvious were inevitably warned by those close to them: “Although the General’s Manor lost the Prince Wei match, they were the ones who proactively proposed it. His Majesty will surely think the General’s Manor loyal and honest, and will show them favor in the future.”

Those who received warnings naturally reined in their contempt on the surface.

When the news spread, it happened to be a rest day. As soon as Wen Feng left his house, he encountered his good friend Han Baocheng lingering at the gate.

“Brother Han, were you looking for me?”

Han Baocheng nodded: “Ah.”

“Then why didn’t you go in?”

“I—” Han Baocheng hesitated, his expression somewhat conflicted.

Wen Feng sensed something was wrong: “Brother Han, is something the matter?”

Han Baocheng glanced around, leaned closer and asked in a lowered voice: “Brother Wen, have you… gone to see Miss Lin?”

Wen Feng looked at Han Baocheng with surprise in his eyes.

Han Baocheng’s face flushed red as he explained incoherently: “I know I shouldn’t ask, but I heard Miss Lin broke off her engagement—oh no, I don’t mean to take advantage of the situation, I just—”

Seeming to only dig himself deeper, Han Baocheng slapped his own forehead and said resolutely: “I just want to know how Miss Lin is doing.”

Originally, if not for the broken engagement, no matter how much he wanted to know about Miss Lin’s condition, he could only keep it bottled up inside, otherwise it would cause trouble for both of them. But now, he couldn’t hold back.

He feared that if he didn’t ask anything, the next news he heard would be of Miss Lin’s fragrant passing, and then he would regret it for the rest of his life.

Wen Feng suppressed his astonishment and sighed: “I went to visit a few days ago, but didn’t see her. Judging by my Tenth Aunt’s manner, the situation is quite bad. Now that even the engagement has been broken off, I’m afraid—”

Han Baocheng clenched his fists, his lips pressed tightly together.

“Brother Han, I thought you—”

Had let go long ago.

Though Wen Feng didn’t speak the latter words, Han Baocheng understood.

A bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth: “I didn’t intend anything, but we did once have marriage negotiations after all. Even though there’s no fate between us, thinking that she’s so young yet seriously ill, my heart truly aches…”

Wen Feng patted Han Baocheng’s shoulder: “I understand what Brother Han means.”

Han Baocheng walked forward. The willows along both sides of the street had already been cut into charming shapes by the spring breeze, but this spring scenery couldn’t reach his eyes.

He suddenly stopped: “Brother Wen, I want to ask you for a favor.”

“What favor?”

“Miss Lin is seriously ill and has lost her engagement—her heart must be extremely pained. Could you see her once and pass along a message for me? Just say—just say please set her mind at ease and recover quickly. As long as she recovers, I… I still want to marry her!”

Wen Feng’s expression changed as he said in a low voice: “Brother Han, even if you feel compassion for my cousin, some words cannot be spoken carelessly.”