Ji Yinshu entered the residence through the back door of the west wing. As soon as she returned to the courtyard, she saw Luan’er standing outside, so anxious she was nearly in tears.

The moment she saw her young miss had returned, her eyes widened instantly.

“Miss, you’re finally back.” Luan’er’s expression was tense.

Ji Yinshu looked at her unhurriedly with narrowed eyes. “What’s wrong? Always so flustered and frantic, making everyone panic! Didn’t I have Magistrate Liu send someone to tell you last night that I wouldn’t be coming back?”

This girl—every time she got worked up like this, it made everyone’s hearts race!

But Luan’er shook her head vigorously. “No, it’s… it’s that people from the Wei residence have come. They’re… they’re in the front hall right now. Just now, the master sent someone over saying you should hurry there immediately.”

The Wei residence?

It seemed they had come to propose marriage!

That wolf certainly moved quickly—he must be desperate to marry her off as soon as possible.

She sighed deeply. It seemed she wouldn’t be able to sleep now. What rotten luck!

Entering her room, Ji Yinshu quickly changed out of her men’s clothing, simply put up her hair in a bun, applied some light makeup, and headed to the front hall.

Inside the front hall sat a large crowd of people.

What Ji Yinshu noticed at first glance were the brocade boxes of various sizes placed on a table to the side—surely these were the betrothal gifts from the Wei family.

Ji Shuhan, seated in the main hall, saw her arrive, and that face which was always fierce whenever he saw her now appeared much more kindly.

“Yinshu, why did it take you so long to come? Uncle Wei and Aunt Wei have been waiting for you quite a while.”

Ji Yinshu looked toward the Wei family and bowed slightly. “Uncle Wei, Aunt Wei, Yinshu overslept. I hope you both will forgive me.”

Before the Wei family could say anything, the dignified and graceful Ji Muqing sitting to the side immediately jabbed with her needling words in a strange tone. “Sister is truly pampered. It’s already the hour of si—how could you only just be getting up?”

“Muqing, don’t be rude.”

The speaker was the old matriarch of the Ji family, Ji Yinshu’s grandmother.

She wore dark purple cloud-patterned brocade with exquisitely embroidered phoenixes and peonies—the thread came from the famous textiles of Suzhou. Her hair at the temples was white but arranged in an extremely dignified and elegant style. The jade beads and golden hairpins adorning her head were all premium pieces. Around her neck hung white jade and pearl strands—ninety-nine pearls in total, worn in two strings, one small and one large. Particularly notable were the pair of phoenix white silver bracelets on her left and right wrists. It was said these had been bestowed by the founding emperor and were extremely precious.

When Ji Yinshu first arrived, she had been utterly shocked by such magnificent attire.

If one were fortunate enough to excavate these remains during an archaeological dig, it would truly be major news in the archaeological world.

So Ji Yinshu had thought several times that if she could truly return to her own time, she must remember the burial location of this old matriarch.

Speaking of which, it was also strange—the Ji family’s male lineage was prosperous, but the four wives Ji Shuhan had married had all successively died of illness. Now the one managing the Ji household was this Old Madam Ji, sixty years of age.

After Old Madam Ji finished reprimanding Ji Muqing, she turned to Ji Yinshu. “Yinshu, regarding your marriage, your father and I have made the decision for you and agreed to this match with the Wei family. After you marry into the Wei residence, you must be well-behaved and must not create any embarrassments.”

Ji Yinshu did not respond.

She understood perfectly well that the cleverest person in the Ji family wasn’t Ji Shuhan, but this old matriarch who appeared so kindly and benevolent.

In her youth, she must have been quite formidable!

Otherwise, how could she sit so firmly in the position of Old Madam of the Ji residence?

While Old Madam Ji was speaking, Madam Wei had already finished appraising Ji Yinshu, her eyes unable to hide her satisfaction.

She rose and affectionately linked her arm through Ji Yinshu’s, smiling warmly. “This child is truly beautiful. I’ve heard your grandmother and father speak of you often. Indeed, you’re graceful and elegant—a perfect match for our Yi’er.”

Turning around, she glanced toward the inner hall, puzzled. “Yi’er was just here a moment ago. How did he disappear in the blink of an eye?”

Master Wei spoke up. “He must have just run outside.”

“That child—today we brought him to propose marriage, yet he ran off without even looking at his own bride’s face.” Though Madam Wei’s words were complaining, she immediately turned to “comfort” Ji Yinshu. “Yinshu, don’t take offense. Yi’er is rather wild by nature, but he’s not bad at heart. I’m sure you’re also a kind-hearted and sensible child, so please don’t mind. After you’re married, you must be understanding and get along well—don’t think poorly of our Yi’er.”

She hadn’t even entered their household yet, and this flattery was already so insincere!

“Aunt Wei is too kind. How could Yinshu think poorly of Young Master Wei? A daughter’s marriage has always been decided by parental command and the matchmaker’s word. Marrying into your distinguished household would be Yinshu’s good fortune.” As she spoke, she glanced up at her father.

Sure enough, that wolf was extremely satisfied with her words!

Madam Wei was also extremely pleased, nodding with a face full of joy.

Her foolish son was getting a wife!

Ji Shuhan stroked his beard and said to Master Wei beside him, “Master Wei, you know that all my daughters are the flesh of my heart.”

“I understand, I understand. In the future, if there’s anything at all, Master Ji, you need only say the word.” Master Wei nodded.

“Now that you’ve said that, I’m at ease. Then this match is settled. As for the betrothal gifts and the auspicious date for the wedding, we can discuss those matters slowly.”

Master Wei smiled, displaying an appearance of great wealth. “My wife and I have only Yi’er as our child. Regarding the betrothal gifts, our Wei family will be absolutely generous.”

This statement was exactly what Ji Shuhan wanted to hear.

Marrying off a daughter was for nothing more than two things—money and status!

Ji Yinshu stood obediently in the center of the inner hall, not saying much, not looking much, as the two families enthusiastically began discussing her marriage. Yet she couldn’t take in a single word.

Until Old Madam Ji called to her.

“Yinshu, why don’t you go to the courtyard and find Young Master Wei? You young people have things to talk about. As for your marriage arrangements, your father and I will handle everything.”

Madam Wei also quickly added, “That’s right, why don’t you go find Yi’er? You two should meet face to face first.”

As it happened, Ji Yinshu didn’t want to stay any longer anyway, so she politely took her leave and withdrew very obediently.

Meanwhile, the ever-observant Ji Muqing raised her phoenix eyes and soon followed her out as well.

Emerging from that hellish place, Ji Yinshu took a deep breath of cold air and patted the spot on her arm where Madam Wei had linked arms with her.

The sleeve had wrinkled!

How afraid was she that this daughter-in-law would run away!

Yawning, she was already exhausted and had no intention whatsoever of looking for Wei Yi. Instead, she headed toward her own courtyard.

She planned to get some sleep—after all, she still had to go to Yi Zhuang tonight!

She had just reached the corridor in the rear courtyard when she heard sounds of mockery.

“A fool who knows how to write? What a wonder of the world!”

Wasn’t this voice her stubborn and despicable third brother, Ji Yuanzhi?

“Third Brother, Third Brother, who exactly is this fool, and why is he at our house?”

This time the voice belonged to Ji Lingzhi, Ji Yinshu’s fourth sister, only eight years old.

“He’s that fool from the Wei residence—your future third brother-in-law.”

“I don’t want such a foolish brother-in-law—I don’t want one…”

Ji Lingzhi’s shrill, thin voice was extremely grating.