The Lu family’s household traditions were naturally beyond question—Chancellor Lu was upright and tactful, Minister Lu never abused his power or accepted bribes, and Lu Yuanpeng was a standout among the younger generation. The Wei family was indeed climbing above their station, but if Chancellor Lu thought well of the Wei family, she was willing to marry.

Wei Bugong and his wife watched their daughter analyze everything methodically, knowing that their daughter had always been decisive, but Wei Bugong still said to his daughter: “Child, Father knows you’re doing this for our family, for your younger brothers and sisters below, thinking that… Father was suddenly promoted by His Majesty and has no foundation in the court. You’re considering that if you marry the Chancellor’s mansion’s legitimate grandson, it would benefit your siblings’ futures and marriages, but… what about yourself? His Majesty allows women to study and take the imperial examinations. You wanted to participate in the examinations. Now women’s paths are no longer limited to just marriage!”

Wei Bugong’s daughter lowered her head in thought, then raised it to look at her father with a smile in her eyes: “Who says one cannot continue taking the imperial examinations after marriage? After your daughter marries into the Lu family, she can still participate in the examinations. Lu Yuanpeng is no longer pursuing the scholarly path, so if your daughter becomes the Lu family’s granddaughter-in-law and can pass the examinations to enter officialdom, that would be beneficial for both the Lu family and our Wei family.”

Seeing his daughter’s mind was made up, Wei Bugong said no more, nodding and telling his wife: “When Master Lu Jin’s wife comes to our home, you convey our intentions.”

“This concubine understands.” Wei Bugong’s wife looked at her eldest daughter with worried eyes. She knew her eldest daughter was capable and formidable, and even if she married into the Chancellor’s mansion, she should be able to handle relationships with her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law, but she still couldn’t help worrying that their family status was inferior to Chancellor Lu’s mansion, and her daughter might be bullied.

In Wei Bugong’s wife’s view, for marriage relationships, it was best when… families were well-matched and evenly paired. This way, when her daughter married into another family, she would have more backbone.

Chancellor Lu, having received confirmation, did not delay or hesitate. He immediately engaged a matchmaker and selected an auspicious day to prepare for the formal visit. There were no secrets in the capital, and even before the matchmaker had visited, almost all the noble families in the capital already knew about Lu Yuanpeng marrying the legitimate eldest daughter of Minister of Revenue Wei Bugong.

When Sima Ping first heard the news, his hand paused while drawing his bow. He immediately dropped his bow and arrows, not even having time to change clothes, and rushed to the Chancellor’s mansion. However, he was stopped at the gate, told that Lu Yuanpeng was ill… and declining visitors.

Upon hearing this, Sima Ping immediately knew that Lu Yuanpeng had likely been placed under house arrest by Chancellor Lu. It seemed Chancellor Lu didn’t want Lu Yuanpeng to marry above his station into the imperial family, but unfortunately, that day, when Lu Yuanpeng rushed back to ask Chancellor Lu to propose marriage to Bai Jinzhi, Chancellor Lu had accelerated the speed of arranging Lu Yuanpeng’s marriage.

But now, since the matchmaker hadn’t yet visited, there was still room for maneuvering…

Sima Ping glanced at the smiling steward who had stopped him outside the Chancellor’s mansion gates, nodding impassively: “If that’s the case, I won’t disturb him!”

He turned and left, leaping onto his horse, but lingered without spurring it forward. He looked at the Lu mansion’s six-panel golden-studded main gate. If he didn’t intervene in this matter… once Lu Yuanpeng’s marriage to the Wei family’s eldest daughter was settled, Lu Yuanpeng and Bai Jinzhi would have no more chances.

The key to this matter wasn’t Lu Yuanpeng. Even if Lu Yuanpeng caused an uproar, if Chancellor Lu didn’t allow it, then it simply wouldn’t happen. Lu Yuanpeng was bound by filial piety and had no recourse. The key lay with Bai Jinzhi.

If Bai Jinzhi had feelings for Lu Yuanpeng, Chancellor Lu couldn’t forcibly separate two people in love, especially since His Majesty’s affection for Bai Jinzhi was plain for all to see.

Thinking of this, Sima Ping decided to help Lu Yuanpeng emotionally one more time, going to find Bai Jinzhi on Lu Yuanpeng’s behalf…

Sima Ping spurred his horse and headed to the Bai mansion, using military affairs as an excuse to request an audience with Bai Jinzhi.

Bai Jinzhi was being forced by her third brother, Bai Qingqi to practice calligraphy when she heard Sima Ping had come to see her. She happily threw down her brush and went to the front hall to meet Sima Ping.

When she arrived at the front hall, she saw Sima Ping standing before the main hall entrance, not having gone in to drink tea. She smiled and called out to him: “What kind of urgent military matter has you unable to sit still in the hall? Or is the scenery in our courtyard too beautiful?”

Sima Ping turned around and saw Bai Jinzhi approaching him with a smile, wearing a frost-colored cross-collared narrow-sleeved jacket and bamboo-green lower garments with gold cloud trim. She was a world apart from the tomboy in the army who kept her black hair efficiently bound atop her head. This outfit, combined with her years of martial arts training, gave her a light gait and upright posture, adding a heroic spirit to her charm. She seemed like a tender shoot that had suddenly appeared in the depths of winter yet remained full of vitality, bathed in the golden light of the proud sun.

Since Bai Jinzhi returned home, whenever she wasn’t in the army, Third Madam Li would keep her in the mansion to dress her up. Through Li’s continuous efforts, not only had Bai Jinzhi become much fairer, but her appearance had also become increasingly striking.

“What are you looking at?” Bai Jinzhi stood before Sima Ping with her hands clasped behind her back, asking with a smile.

Sima Ping came to his senses and glanced behind Bai Jinzhi: “Could we speak privately…”

Bai Jinzhi turned and signaled for Lingzhi and Lingcui, who were following behind her, to move further away before asking: “What’s wrong? Is it some urgent military intelligence?”

“Do you know about Chancellor Lu wanting to arrange Lu Yuanpeng’s marriage to the legitimate daughter of Minister Wei?” Sima Ping asked, staring intently at Bai Jinzhi.

Speaking of this made Bai Jinzhi angry: “Of course I know! Just because Lu Yuanpeng is about to get engaged, my mother said… even Lu Yuanpeng, that dan…”

Bai Jinzhi’s voice halted, feeling that Sima Ping and Lu Yuanpeng had an extraordinary relationship, so she swallowed her words and only said: “Even Lu Yuanpeng is about to get engaged, and I still have no prospects!”

“You…” Sima Ping looked at Bai Jinzhi’s carefree appearance and tentatively asked, “Lu Yuanpeng getting engaged, do you… have no other thoughts? Aren’t you sad?”

“Isn’t his engagement a good thing?” Bai Jinzhi looked at Sima Ping with wide eyes. “Cousin Dong said that the Wei family’s daughter has a very good temperament and is quite steady. My mother also said that regardless of family background, just considering the person herself, this Wei family daughter is more than good enough for Lu Yuanpeng. Isn’t this a good thing for Lu Yuanpeng?”

Seeing Bai Jinzhi’s clear gaze and frank, upright words, Sima Ping knew that Bai Jinzhi had no feelings for Lu Yuanpeng. His throat worked, and he spoke again: “What if I got engaged?”

Bai Jinzhi stared at Sima Ping with wide eyes, saying nothing.

“If… I got engaged to someone else, would you be sad?” Sima Ping’s dark eyes gazed steadily at Bai Jinzhi.

Originally, Sima Ping had been willing to help Bai Jinzhi and Lu Yuanpeng, but if Bai Jinzhi had no feelings for Lu Yuanpeng, this shouldn’t count as betraying Lu Yuanpeng.

“You… what do you mean by that?” Bai Jinzhi’s hands, clasped behind her back, tightened slightly.

Bai Jinzhi knew both Lu Yuanpeng’s and Sima Ping’s feelings. Her eldest sister had told her that both Sima Ping and Lu Yuanpeng had romantic feelings for her…