After the Old Madam left, the Empress Dowager couldn’t help but sigh to her trusted nanny, “The years make one grow old.”

She had thought that even if Dou Chuncao couldn’t resist this forcefully arranged matter, she would at least show some reluctance. She never expected to see a Dou Chuncao who was delighted and grateful.

This left the Empress Dowager feeling relieved but also somewhat wistful.

After returning home, the Old Madam immediately had someone go to Prince Jing’s Manor to fetch Lin Hao.

Lin Hao hurried over, and seeing her grandmother’s expression was good, she finally relaxed. “Grandmother summoned me home—is something the matter?”

The Old Madam didn’t beat around the bush. “Your eldest brother’s marriage has been decided.”

Lin Hao was startled. “So suddenly?”

“Actually, it was the Imperial family’s intention. Fortunately, the person chosen is quite good—the Second Miss from the Marquis Weiwu’s Manor.”

Hearing the first half of the sentence, Lin Hao’s heart suddenly leaped, but upon hearing the second half, she couldn’t help but freeze. “The Second Miss from the Marquis Weiwu’s Manor? Isn’t that Kou Wan?”

The Old Madam nodded with a smile.

Lin Hao couldn’t help but curve her lips.

If the Imperial family hadn’t interfered, she naturally would have hoped her eldest brother could marry a wife with whom he shared mutual affection. But under an imperial decree that couldn’t be disobeyed, having the Imperial family designate Kou Wan as the wife could be considered fortunate.

She knew her eldest brother’s character and also understood Kou Wan’s character. Even if the two couldn’t be completely united in heart and mind, at least they could treat each other with respect.

“Grandmother, please don’t worry. Kou Wan is a very good young lady. She’s straightforward without many schemes, kind-hearted and not weak—she’ll certainly get along well with eldest brother.”

The Old Madam smiled. “Hearing you say this, she’ll also get along well with our General’s Manor.”

With her mind at ease, the Old Madam soon informed Cheng Zhiyuan and his son of this matter.

Cheng Zhiyuan naturally had no objections. After Cheng Shu listened in a daze, he privately sought out Lin Hao. “Ahao, what’s that young lady like?”

Lin Hao deliberately teased him. “Which aspect is eldest brother asking about? Appearance or personality?”

“Appearance, of course.” Cheng Shu answered without hesitation.

Since Second Miss Kou could become good friends with Ahao, there was no need to ask about her temperament or character.

Lin Hao shot him an annoyed glance. “Didn’t eldest brother see her before?”

A pig-headed fool who only cared about appearance didn’t deserve Kou Wan at all!

Cheng Shu scratched his head. “I only encountered her two or three times, and you were all together. How could I have the nerve to look carefully?”

“Don’t worry, Wan’er is very pretty.”

“That’s good, that’s good.” Cheng Shu breathed a sigh of relief and walked away with a silly smile.

Before long, news that the Emperor had arranged a marriage between Cheng Shu and Kou Wan spread. The Old Madam had thought she could have some peace and quiet, but unexpectedly, even more people came calling, all heading for Cheng Zhiyuan.

The Emperor arranging a marriage for Cheng Zhiyuan’s son further indicated that Cheng Zhiyuan would be given important responsibilities.

Watching her mother who couldn’t get any peace, Lady Lin couldn’t help but suggest, “Why don’t you just pick a good match and settle things for eldest brother? Look at Shu’er—once his marriage was decided, didn’t people immediately stop having designs on him?”

The Old Madam looked deeply at her obtuse daughter and sighed. “Wanqing, you’re really clever.”

Lady Lin smiled with pursed lips. “This is called solving the problem once and for all. It saves you from worrying about it every day.”

The Old Madam felt that if things continued naturally like this, her adopted son could wait until his hair turned white and still not see her foolish daughter become enlightened. She decided to give a push. “You have a point. We won’t consider teenage girls. I’ve picked out a few suitable families here—help me consider them.”

“Alright.” Lady Lin perked up.

“How about this family?”

Lady Lin looked at the recorded details and immediately shook her head. “Though there’s nothing wrong with widows, she’s already married three times and three husbands have died in succession. Isn’t that a bit… inauspicious?”

She didn’t really believe in such things, but when it concerned someone close to her, she couldn’t help but worry a little, following custom.

“This one is even worse. When her husband’s family committed a crime, she divorced and returned to her natal family. Clearly she’s someone who can’t share hardships.”

“This one is actually an unmarried young lady, but she’s nearly thirty and has never married—doesn’t that suggest some hidden concern? You should investigate thoroughly before you can feel at ease…”

The Old Madam rubbed her brow, saying with a headache, “As you can see, it’s still better to know someone’s background thoroughly.”

Lady Lin nodded. “That’s true.”

The Old Madam let out a long sigh. “If only you and Zhiyuan could make a match and form a family, your mother would have nothing more to worry about.”

“What are you saying? How could that work!” Lady Lin instinctively objected.

“Why couldn’t it work? Is your eldest brother ugly? Or is his character poor?”

“Of course not.”

“Then why wouldn’t it work?”

“But he’s my eldest brother!” Lady Lin was somewhat bewildered.

The Old Madam saw her daughter’s reaction and knew she truly had never thought in this direction. Steeling her heart, she tore through that layer of pretense. “Do you think your adopted brother dragged his feet refusing to marry all those years for no reason?”

Lady Lin froze. No longer a young girl, a certain guess arose in her heart.

“He wanted to marry you. Even after you married someone else, he still wasn’t willing to marry anyone else. It was your father who beat him severely and told him that if he didn’t marry, it would make your father unrighteous—only then did he marry Shu’er’s mother.”

“Shu’er’s mother was so pitiful…” Lady Lin unconsciously blurted out.

The Old Madam didn’t think so. “Do you think there are many mutually affectionate couples in this world? The vast majority never even met once before marriage. Shu’er’s mother lost her father young, and her mother was chronically ill. Though Zhiyuan had no romantic feelings for her, he was thoughtful in everything and treated her with respect and consideration. Not long after Shu’er’s mother passed away, her mother also died of illness. Zhiyuan handled everything, and he also helped choose husbands for her two younger sisters, even contributing a large dowry…”

The Old Madam’s tone was calm, her eyes showing the open-mindedness of her age. “Wanqing, when a woman marries, it’s not only romantic love that must be considered.”

Lady Lin was momentarily stunned.

“He’s spent years traveling outside, not returning to the capital, also because he can’t let you go and finds it painful in his heart…” The Old Madam dropped another thunderbolt.

Lady Lin was struck dumb by this thunderbolt and didn’t react for quite a while.

Seeing her like this, the Old Madam said nothing more.

The pretense had been torn through. What came next would be left to time and fate—many things couldn’t be forced.

On this day, Cheng Zhiyuan rarely had free time to return to the General’s Manor for dinner and noticed Lady Lin was exceptionally quiet.

“What’s wrong with Wanqing?”

Lady Lin’s hand holding her chopsticks paused. Somehow feeling nervous, she said, “Nothing. Eldest brother, you’ve been busy all day—please eat.”

After the meal, the family would normally drink tea and chat, but Lady Lin quickly stood up and, using a headache as an excuse, returned to her quarters.

Early the next morning, the head attendant who followed Cheng Zhiyuan came to the General’s Manor, bringing Lady Lin two bottles of cooling balm.

“The master said this cooling balm helps relieve headaches and asked you to try it.”

Gripping the cooling balm, Lady Lin couldn’t quite articulate what she was feeling.

Soon the court reopened the Maritime Trade Office. When everything was ready, Cheng Zhiyuan would cross the ocean with the merchant fleet in the capacity of an imperial envoy to conduct trade.

Once he left, he probably wouldn’t return for at least a year.

On the day of farewell, it was already late autumn.

At the capital’s dock, the autumn wind was bleak and the chill penetrating. Cheng Zhiyuan kowtowed firmly to the Old Madam who had insisted on coming to see him off. “Adoptive Mother, this child is leaving. You must take care of your health.”