The Shi Family’s betrothal gifts were carried into the Yan estate in grand and open fashion. Steward Song counted the items and was privately astonished — though these gifts were meant for a concubine, they were in no way inferior to those sent for a primary wife.

“My lord, the Shi Family’s betrothal gifts have been delivered. Would you please come and take a look?” Madam Yan urged Master Yan.

Master Yan, now holding the evidence in hand, had long since ceased to fear Madam Shi’s threats. “Let them send whatever they wish — send back every bit of it.”

No matter what, he would not allow Yan Qing to marry into the Shi Family as a concubine.

“My lord, you must not do that. If we return the betrothal gifts, it would be the same as falling out with the Shi Family — we would truly offend them.”

“What do I have to fear?” Master Yan stood tall, chin raised. “I am not giving my daughter away — can they force her to marry?”

“My lord, though Sixth Miss would be going in as a lesser wife, with Fifth Miss there to look after her, she would not suffer any hardship. And with respect for your face, my lord, the Shi Family would not mistreat her. Given Yan Qing’s current reputation, this is the best outcome she can hope for.”

“Enough.” Master Yan slapped the table. “That’s easy for you to say — she isn’t your daughter. You haven’t a shred of compassion for her.”

Madam Yan immediately felt aggrieved. “My lord, what is the meaning of that? I have always regarded Sixth Miss as my own flesh and blood.”

“Hmph!” Master Yan gave a cold laugh.

Steward Song came hurrying in from outside. “My lord, the betrothal gifts have been tallied. Here is the list — please review it.”

“I will not look.” Master Yan said angrily. “Have them take everything back.”

“My lord.” Steward Song stepped forward. “You had better take a look.”

“What — even you will no longer heed my words?” Master Yan reprimanded him sharply. “Are you all conspiring to make me sell my daughter?”

“My lord, it is not like that. Once you have seen it, you will understand.” Steward Song again presented the gift register and a red card with both hands.

With a face full of suspicion, Master Yan reached out to take the items. Madam Yan beside him stretched her neck, equally eager to see what all the fuss was about.

Yan Qin was a daughter of the legitimate wife, and had gone as a primary wife; the betrothal gifts and ceremonial offerings for her had been of the highest grade. Since Yan Qing would be going in as a concubine, such gifts would naturally be a grade or two lower.

Master Yan first read through the gift register, then opened the red card. Upon reading the contents, he couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise: “What — what is the meaning of this?”

The news of the Shi Family coming to deliver betrothal gifts quickly spread to every corner of the Yan estate.

Second Concubine and Fourth Concubine, along with the brothers and sisters of the household, came one after another to Yan Qing’s courtyard. Among them, some had come to watch the spectacle, and some had come out of genuine concern.

Little Nuo’er clung to Yan Qing and refused to let go. “Auntie, I don’t want you to get married. If you get married, there’ll be no one to play with me.”

Her mother, Madam Jiang, quickly said, “Nuo’er, be good. Auntie is a young lady — young ladies have to get married sooner or later.”

This couple, Yan Qi and Madam Jiang, had changed their attitude toward Yan Qing ever since she had saved little Nuo’er. Though not particularly warm, they could now speak a few words in her favor.

“Sixth Miss, you and Fifth Miss are both marrying into the Shi Family — you must keep Yan Ling in mind when you’re there. She is older than both of you, and she has no good match yet.” Second Concubine seized the opportunity to promote Yan Ling. “You can’t go and forget about her as an elder sister.”

“Mother, that is something you should say to Fifth Sister,” Yan Yong, the third son, gave a snort. “She’s going to be someone’s concubine — how much influence could her words carry?”

Second Concubine quickly nudged his arm, shooting him a look with her eyes, telling him not to talk nonsense.

“Why are you glaring at me? You can glare all you like — it doesn’t change the fact that she’s going there as a lesser wife. Isn’t that right, Second Brother?”

The second son, Yan Sheng, gave a light chuckle and said nothing.

“Close your mouths, both of you.” Yan Qi frowned. “This is a joyous occasion. Who asked for your commentary?”

Seeing Yan Qi defending her, Yan Qing sent him a grateful smile.

“All right, all right.” Fourth Concubine Li Zhen smiled and smoothed things over. “It is a happy thing for Sixth Miss to marry into the Shi Family. There are countless young women throughout Shun Cheng who dream of marrying into that household. And with Fifth Miss there to look after her on the inside, the two sisters can speak freely to each other — naturally they will stand together.”

While this was being said, A-Xi’s voice drifted in from outside: “Sixth Miss, the master is asking you to come.”

Yan Qing smiled an apology to everyone present. “Please excuse me for a moment.”

Murong quickly wheeled over her chair, and the two of them followed A-Xi toward Master Yan’s courtyard.

“Going over as a lesser wife, and she thinks she’s so remarkable.” Yan Yong gave a contemptuous huff.

Second Concubine glared at him. “Can you not keep quiet for one moment? I’m still counting on Sixth Miss to find a good match for your sister.”

“She’s going to be someone’s concubine herself — how is she going to manage anything for Fourth Sister? Mother, you’re dreaming.”

“All right, everyone disperse.” As the eldest son, Yan Qi carried a measure of authority. “Another wedding is about to take place in this household. Everyone open your eyes and be sensible — do what needs to be done, and don’t say things that shouldn’t be said.”

With that, everyone gradually took their leave.

Meanwhile, Yan Qing had arrived at Master Yan’s courtyard. The dark, overcast expression she had expected to see on his face did not appear. On the contrary, Master Yan’s face was lit with joy, his eyes filled with a barely contained excitement.

“Father.” Yan Qing called out to him from a distance.

“Qing Qing.” Master Yan stepped forward to meet her. “Are you aware that the Shi Family was coming today to present the betrothal gifts?”

“I only just found out.”

“Then you also don’t know who sent them?”

Yan Qing shook her head. “Is it not Shi Guang?”

“The gifts were indeed sent by the Shi Family — but not by Shi Guang.” Master Yan’s mouth curved into a full, blossoming smile. He held out the card in his hand. “Read it, and you’ll know.”

Yan Qing took the card with some puzzlement. The moment she opened it, she saw a familiar hand of writing — a style she had traced and practiced for a long while, and knew by heart.

And there, at the very end of the card, written in bold and sweeping strokes, were two large characters. Not Shi Guang — but Shi Ting.

“Father never expected it — the one who wishes to marry you is not the Shi Family’s Second Young Master, but Director Shi.” Master Yan’s face broke into a beaming smile. “This marriage has received the Grand Commander’s approval. The Shi Family has already begun the formal procedures of inquiry and acceptance.”

Yan Qing stared at the card in her hand. For a moment her heart surged, her mind going utterly blank, and whatever Master Yan said next she did not hear.

“Qing Qing.” Seeing that she had not responded, Master Yan assumed she had reservations about the match. “Qing Qing, although Director Shi does not enjoy the same degree of prominence as Second Young Master Shi, he is upright and honest, far-sighted and deeply perceptive — a man of outstanding talent. If you marry him, you will not be made to suffer.”

Suffer? How could she possibly suffer?

After the stunned disbelief, a tide of fierce, overwhelming joy filled Yan Qing’s chest. In these past few days she had imagined every possible outcome — and yet she had not imagined that he would come forward with a betrothal card at this very moment.

Her trust had not been misplaced after all. At this moment, it came to bloom and bear fruit — as though spring had arrived and all the flowers had opened.

“Qing Qing, why aren’t you saying anything? Do you not consent?” Master Yan was anxious.

It was the best match for Yan Qing that he could conceive of. Among the Shi Family’s three sons, the eldest, Shi Qian, had lost his wife and never remarried. So beyond Shi Guang, there was no match in all of Shun Cheng that could compare.

“I consent.” Yan Qing raised her head. Her eyes seemed to hold a pool of still, clear water. “Thank you, Father.”

It was rare for Yan Qing to say these words, and the weight that had been pressing on Master Yan’s heart settled into place at last. He had spent so long arranging her marriage — and now, finally, his wish had come to fruition.

“I never would have thought,” Master Yan said with deep feeling, “that you’ve been helping out at the Military Police Bureau so often — it’s no wonder Director Shi developed feelings for you.”

Yan Qing was too bashful to mention that the two of them had already confessed their feelings for each other long ago. Just the previous night, that seemingly proper and dignified Director Shi had even come climbing through the window of her bedroom.

Thinking of it, Yan Qing’s lips grew faintly warm again. The trace of him he had left behind that night seemed to linger still, and every time she thought of it, her heart raced and her face grew hot.

Seeing that she wore the look of someone quite thoroughly embarrassed, Master Yan couldn’t help but smile. “A girl grows up and must eventually marry — and the rare thing is to marry someone she does not dislike.”

He sighed softly. “Qing Qing, it is Father who has been at fault in the past. Father thought only of finding you a solid and dependable match, a reliable place to rest your life — but gave no thought to your own feelings. You have suffered through these days, and Father owes you an apology.”

“Father, please don’t say such things.” Yan Qing shook her head. “I know everything you’ve done has been for me. From beginning to end, I have never harbored even the slightest resentment toward you. Mother died young, and how you have treated me — I know better than anyone. So you need not feel guilty, and you need not blame yourself. Everything you have done, your daughter knows full well and is deeply grateful for.”

Master Yan’s eyes reddened, and he nearly let his tears fall.

Father and daughter lingered in their reflections for a while, and then Yan Qing suddenly thought of something. “Father, Shi Ting wrote in the card that the thing you promised him can now be fulfilled. What was it? When did you promise him?”

Master Yan laughed. “Director Shi has extraordinary abilities. He helped the Yan Family out of our troubles — otherwise this time, you would have had to marry Shi Guang as a lesser wife.”

Master Yan then recounted to Yan Qing the conversation he had with Shi Ting in the tea house that day.

“I could never understand why, if Director Shi had discovered the problem with Zhao Ziming, he did not notify you immediately — until today, when I saw this card, and finally truly understood.” Master Yan reflected with profound feeling. “Director Shi had feelings for you long ago, yet was held back by the engagement between you and Shi Guang. In order to marry you, he had to dismantle this enormous obstacle. He saw that Madam Shi’s scheme worked in his favor, so he let Madam Shi proceed unchecked. By not helping us at that point, he intended to use Madam Shi’s hand to destroy the engagement between you and Shi Guang. And knowing that afterward Madam Shi would use the evidence for endless coercion, he switched out the documents. I believe he was also the one who set fire to the southwestern warehouse. In this way, he not only allowed Madam Shi to successfully destroy the engagement on his behalf, but also kept the Yan Family safe from harm — ultimately achieving his true aim of marrying you. Such foresight and strategic depth is not something one would expect from a young man barely past twenty. I have lived decades, and been tempered in the business world for all this time — and even I am left in admiration, unable to do anything but yield.”

Yan Qing had not imagined that Shi Ting had been doing so much behind the scenes all along — and never once told her.

“The moment your engagement with Shi Guang was dissolved, he could pursue you openly and with dignity. No matter how Shi Guang and Madam Shi schemed, he would always be there first. You see — the betrothal gifts that Madam Shi prepared for Shi Guang have ended up serving another man entirely. Whether it was Madam Shi, Shi Guang, or even the Grand Commander — every move each of them made was within his calculations. Qing Qing, this Director Shi is no ordinary man. With him as your husband, Father can rest easy.”