Wei Rao’s voice was very soft; only Old Madam Wei above her head heard it, while Earl Cheng’an and his wife, kneeling on either side of Wei Rao, remained completely unaware.

Old Madam Wei looked at her granddaughter as if she were a stranger.

Wei Rao answered with her gaze—she truly wanted to marry.

Old Madam Wei’s heart became chaotic. She needed to know what her granddaughter was thinking. Surely it couldn’t be that she was moved by Duchess Ying’s tears? When people have requests, they naturally say pleasant things, but who knows how much truth lies in sweet words versus how much is false?

Gripping Wei Rao’s hand in return, Old Madam Wei stood up. Without revealing any flaws on her face, she said to Duke Ying and Duchess Ying, “This matter concerns Raorao’s entire life. I must carefully consider it. Please sit for a moment while I take my leave first.”

Duchess Ying immediately said: “As it should be, as it should be.”

A pair of moist eyes looked earnestly at Wei Rao. She had a feeling that whether the marriage succeeded or not depended on whether Wei Rao was willing.

Wei Rao remained perfectly composed, curtsying to the two distinguished guests before following her grandmother away.

Earl Cheng’an stayed to accompany the guests.

Guo Shi stared at Wei Rao’s hem with a complex expression. For a vixen like her, such a marriage was already an enormous advantage—yet she still put on airs?

Thinking of her daughter Wei Chan, who hadn’t been chosen, Guo Shi’s jealous eyes nearly turned red!

That was Duke Ying Mansion! Even if her daughter became a widow for life at Duke Ying Mansion, it would still be profitable for the Wei family. How much benefit could her son receive?

Old Madam Wei brought Wei Rao back to Zhengchun Hall, dismissed everyone around them, and privately questioned Wei Rao in the room: “Do you want to marry? Do you know how much gossip a marriage for good luck will provoke?”

Wei Rao knew. From the moment her grandmother spoke the first words with Duchess Ying, Wei Rao had begun analyzing all the advantages and disadvantages of marrying versus not marrying.

Helping her grandmother sit on the bed, Wei Rao sat beside the old lady and said calmly: “Duke Ying Mansion came to our house so conspicuously to propose marriage. Within a few days, the entire capital will hear the news. If I don’t marry, outsiders will say I’m cold-blooded and heartless, unwilling to save even a good man like Lu Zhuo, who protects the country. And it won’t just be me—you and Uncle will also be scolded for lacking righteousness.”

Old Madam Wei said with heartache: “So, to prevent us from being scolded, you’d rather sacrifice yourself?”

Wei Rao smiled: “Not entirely. I want to marry because marrying into the Lu family benefits me.”

Old Madam Wei: “What benefits? If Lu Zhuo recovers, this marriage would naturally be good, but what if…”

Wei Rao signaled the old lady not to worry: “What if he doesn’t wake up? This marriage would still greatly benefit me. Grandmother understands—if I don’t marry, I’ll be scolded. But if I marry, I can wash away the stains on my reputation.”

Old Madam Wei: “You’re thinking too simply. Do you think people will praise you for bringing good luck? They’ll say you couldn’t get married before, and now being able to bring Lu Zhuo good luck is just you taking advantage of Duke Ying Mansion’s vulnerability.”

The same deed, done by different people, receives different evaluations.

Wei Rao had her response: “My marriage comes with conditions. First, the Lu family must prepare a dowry of one hundred thousand taels. Second, if the good luck fails and Lu Zhuo dies, I will return all the dowry money to the Lu family, taking not a single coin, and willingly remain a widow for Lu Zhuo for five years. This way, outsiders will believe I agreed to marry only to save someone, not to take any advantage from the Lu family, completely silencing them.”

Old Madam Wei frowned tightly: “Doing this might preserve your reputation, but you’d lose too much. A perfectly good girl—why go bring good luck and remain a widow? Even if you remain pure, when you remarry, you’d still carry the title of a second marriage.”

Wei Rao smiled bitterly and lowered her voice: “Because what I want is the identity of a Lu family daughter-in-law. I need Duke Ying Mansion’s protection. Grandmother, there’s something I’ve never told you. In March, when I went to the villa to celebrate Great-grandmother’s birthday, that person in the palace sent assassins to follow me. Fortunately, I know martial arts, so they didn’t succeed.”

Old Madam Wei’s face turned deathly pale with shock: “Such… such a thing happened?”

After the shock, Old Madam Wei felt both delayed fear and fury, her eyes nearly turning red: “Poisonous woman! I curse her to die horribly!”

Since so much time had passed, Wei Rao was very calm. She rubbed the old lady’s back and continued: “Originally, I wanted to marry into a prestigious family to make that person wary. Grandmother, think about it—if I go to bring Lu Zhuo good luck, Duke Ying and Duchess Ying will surely be grateful to me. Even if they’re not grateful for the Lu family’s dignity, they won’t allow that person to bully me. After five years, that person will probably be gone too, and I can do whatever I want without worrying about her.”

Old Madam Wei finally understood her granddaughter’s choice. After pondering for a moment, she asked: “Then, if Young Master Lu wakes up…”

Wei Rao smiled: “The third condition—if Lu Zhuo wakes up and wants to be husband and wife with me, respecting and cherishing me, then I’ll peacefully be his wife. If Lu Zhuo still thinks of Miss Xie the Sixth or looks down on me, then we’ll just be husband and wife in name only—showing affection in public but sleeping in separate rooms in private. Within five years, he cannot find any excuse to propose divorce or repudiate me. After five years, I’ll naturally divorce him. Of course, if we’re lucky and that person in the palace dies early, I’ll leave early. I’ll take half the dowry and return half to the Lu family—a fair transaction.”

Old Madam Wei worried: “What if we’re unlucky and that person lives to a hundred?”

Wei Rao was very confident about this: “She won’t. Five years would already be considered long for her.” The Empress Dowager’s complexion was not that of someone destined for longevity.

Old Madam Wei repeatedly considered her granddaughter’s three conditions. The first and second had to be made public, while the third had to remain secret, known only to herself, Raorao, Duchess Ying, and Lu Zhuo—not even Duke Ying could be told.

“Grandmother, do you agree?”

Old Madam Wei touched her granddaughter’s flower-like face and said helplessly, “We can only proceed this way for now. The Lu family hasn’t left us any way out.”

Wei Rao smiled. Each getting what they needed—there wasn’t anything to feel wronged about.

After the grandmother and granddaughter had discussed everything, Old Madam Wei told Wei Rao to stay in Zhengchun Hall while she returned with her maid.

“You two may withdraw first.”

Sitting down again, Old Madam Wei said to her son, Earl Cheng’an.

Earl Cheng’an was very filial. Despite having many doubts, he didn’t say a word and withdrew with Guo Shi.

Old Madam Wei arranged for her head maid, Fei Cui, to guard the door together with the maid Duchess Ying had brought, not allowing anyone to approach.

Duke Ying and Duchess Ying looked at each other, then both looked at Old Madam Wei, waiting for her to speak.

Old Madam Wei handed the couple two documents written in black and white.

On the documents were written the three conditions for Earl Cheng’an’s mansion to agree to marry their daughter to bring Lu Zhuo good luck:

First condition: Dowry of one hundred thousand taels.

Second condition: If the good luck fails, Wei Rao voluntarily remains a widow for Lu Zhuo for five years. After five years, she returns home, leaving all one hundred thousand taels of dowry and other betrothal gifts with the Lu family, taking nothing.

Third condition: During Wei Rao’s time as a Lu family daughter-in-law, the Lu family must not force Wei Rao to do anything she’s unwilling to do and must guarantee Wei Rao’s safety.

Duchess Ying read word by word, feeling very ashamed. Old Madam Wei and Wei Rao were so righteous, yet she had worried they might refuse.

“When Raorao marries into our Lu family, the dowry and betrothal gifts are rightfully hers. Whether Shoucheng wakes up or not, Raorao can take everything when she leaves without returning anything.” Duchess Ying said tearfully. She only wanted to find a good girl to bring her eldest grandson good luck; she never thought about keeping that girl to remain a widow for her grandson forever if it failed, much less cared about gold and silver.

Duke Ying became directly angry, gripping the contract and glaring at Old Madam Wei: “Never mind one hundred thousand in dowry—even two hundred thousand, whatever we give to Fourth Lady is hers. Our Lu family absolutely won’t ask her to return it!”

He viewed Old Madam Wei’s second condition as an insult.

Old Madam Wei sighed: “Actually, the amount of dowry isn’t the issue. We must write these two conditions and follow the contract; otherwise, outsiders’ gossip could drown Raorao. They’d either say she took advantage of the Duke’s mansion or that we’re greedy for power and desperately want to connect with the Duke’s mansion.”

Duke Ying wasn’t very familiar with the capital’s gossip and looked questioningly at his wife—why would the Fourth Lady be scolded for doing good?

Duchess Ying understood the situation. A young lady’s reputation, when someone deliberately destroys it, really leaves no recourse. Unless she performs some earth-shaking good deed, it only gets worse. If you pick a peach flower to admire and someone sees you, they’ll question whether you’re deliberately putting on a show to seduce someone. In short, everything you do is wrong.

Understanding Old Madam Wei’s difficulty, Duchess Ying said solemnly, “If that’s the case, then we’ll trouble Raorao. Sister-in-law, rest assured—no matter what happens in the future, Raorao is the Lu family’s benefactor. Our Lu clan will never treat her unfairly.” After speaking, she also had Duke Ying make the same promise.

Old Madam Wei trusted the couple’s character.

Both parties pressed their handprints on the two documents. Old Madam Wei kept one, and the other was given to Duchess Ying to keep.

“Madam, I have another matter I’d like to discuss with you privately.” Old Madam Wei looked at Duchess Ying.

Without asking anything, Duchess Ying directly sent her husband out.

Duke Ying looked suspiciously at Old Madam Wei but obediently left.

Only then did Old Madam Wei quietly mention to Duchess Ying the real third condition Wei Rao wanted: after Lu Zhuo wakes up, the two young people would either be a truly harmonious couple or spend five years as a fake couple sleeping in separate rooms.

Duchess Ying’s face flushed bright red as she hurriedly assured Old Madam Wei, “Sister-in-law worries too much. With me here, I absolutely won’t let Shoucheng do such a foolish thing. Sister-in-law might not know—the marriage between Shoucheng and the Xie family was entirely my arrangement. He and the Sixth Miss have never met and have no romantic feelings whatsoever. When it needs to be broken off, it will be done cleanly. Raorao is the granddaughter-in-law I chose, the future mistress of the Duke’s mansion, and Shoucheng’s savior. If Shoucheng wakes up, he absolutely won’t humiliate Raorao like that.”

Old Madam Wei waved her hand and said self-mockingly, “I treasure Raorao, but outsiders treat her like grass. If the Young Master thinks the same way, then let’s listen to Raorao—the two can be a surface couple, sleeping in separate rooms privately, with neither wronging the other. To be honest with Madam, I just want to fight for Raorao’s dignity. That’s why I require the Young Master to pretend—even if it’s pretending—to be a loving couple with Raorao for five years, so others will also envy and be jealous of Raorao for once. Otherwise, if the Young Master wakes up and Raorao immediately divorces and returns home, outsiders will say you drove her out, and she’d be even more humiliated…”

“Sister-in-law, please don’t say such things. I’m truly mortified!” Duchess Ying could no longer listen and interrupted Old Madam Wei. “Raorao is the one I chose. For this lifetime, she’s my granddaughter-in-law. If Shoucheng dares bully her, I’ll have the old master send him to the frontier, never to return!”

Old Madam Wei took this all as polite talk and smiled faintly: “Good, I won’t say more. I only ask that Madam agree to this point, otherwise I truly don’t feel at ease letting Raorao marry over.”

Old Madam Wei’s attitude was firm—if Duchess Ying didn’t agree, then there would be no marriage.

Duchess Ying had no choice but to agree with shame.

Old Madam Wei put away her smile and looked at Duchess Ying’s eyes with a sorrowful gaze: “Gossip can kill. For Raorao’s sake, please swear by your grandson’s life that you’ll keep your promise and never reveal this to anyone except the Young Master. Including the Young Master—he must also keep this secret. Even if the servants notice something, they must be strictly controlled and not allowed to spread it.”

Duchess Ying was silent for a long time, then slowly raised her hand and swore.

She loved her grandson, and Old Madam Wei loved her granddaughter. Everyone was considering their precious ones.

No matter what, their Lu family owed Wei Rao a favor.

Duke Ying and his wife left the betrothal gifts. Just as they stepped out of Earl Cheng’an’s mansion, Third Miss Wei Chan got confirmation from her mother, Guo Shi.

“She’s going to marry Lu Zhuo?” Wei Chan murmured, unable to believe that someone like Lu Zhuo—so far beyond her reach—would go to Wei Rao.

Guo Shi saw her daughter’s envy and said through gritted teeth: “So what if she marries? Even the Xie family refused, which shows that Lu Zhuo really can’t make it. If she fails to bring good luck and gets him killed, Duke Ying Mansion might even blame her for being useless. She’ll have to return the dowry too—truly a waste of effort with no benefit gained.”

Wei Chan’s heart was already filled with sourness. She asked unwillingly: “What if Lu Zhuo survives?”

Guo Shi was stunned. If he survived, Wei Rao would not only get a husband like an immortal but also obtain one hundred thousand taels in dowry!

Never mind her daughter—even Guo Shi was jealous!

So let Lu Zhuo die—never let that little vixen benefit!

In the palace, the Empress Dowager naturally also heard about this shocking marriage for good luck in the capital.

“I really can’t understand why, with so many prestigious young ladies in the capital, Duke Ying Mansion would specifically go to request Fourth Miss Wei’s hand. Isn’t this ruining Young Master Lu’s reputation?” The palace maids and eunuchs serving in Ciming Palace naturally knew the Empress Dowager disliked Princess Shou’an, Fourth Miss Wei, and others, so they deliberately mocked: “If something happens to Young Master Lu, with Fourth Miss Wei’s family being crooked from top to bottom, would she be willing to remain a widow for him?”

The Empress Dowager looked down at the henna on her fingernails, her gaze pleased: “Using a dead horse as if it were alive—they know in their hearts that bringing good luck is useless. Rather than marry a granddaughter-in-law who would freeload for life and still owe the in-laws favors, better to marry someone who’ll run away when the person dies—saves worry and trouble.”

“That makes Duke Ying Mansion quite cunning, too. Poor Fourth Miss Wei, being used by both her husband’s family and her natal family. Without even losing her virginity, she’ll become a widow for remarriage after just going through the motions.”

“How do you know it won’t be lost? Men—as long as they have a breath left, they can still pass on the family line.”