Actually, like Situ Sheng, the Sacrificial Wine had been caught up in state affairs and had not previously heard of the rumors about Lady Chu.

Such matters from the inner chambers of women could not reach this elder gentleman’s ears.

Hearing Situ Sheng mention it now, he only understood a little of the situation.

The rumors with no beginning and no end made Qi Gong’s brow furrow.

Setting aside Lady Chu’s character — Liao Jingxuan was absolutely an open-minded and upright gentleman, and was entirely incapable of losing his head so far as to compete with another man over a woman.

Situ Sheng’s treatment of this Lady Chu was warm and careful. Now that Situ Sheng explained his long-held intention to take Lady Chu as his wife, that was a natural progression.

The unfortunate thing was that he was in mourning and it would be improper to take a wife — which was why he had not mentioned it all this time.

This made Qi Gong nod inwardly. It was worth knowing that Situ Sheng was now quite a sought-after figure in the capital, and could easily have aimed high and taken a wife of decent birth without the slightest trouble.

Yet he harbored a unique tenderness for a woman who had been wed before, and was even willing to offer her a marriage pledge — this was no case of being blinded by beauty. He had deliberated carefully.

They say a man’s true character is revealed by his choice of wife. One could only say that this young man had, once again, exceeded Qi Gong’s expectations.

That Lady Chu was indeed different from those women of narrow and shallow view. Situ Sheng had quite a discerning eye.

Although Qi Gong had never before served as a wedding witness, on this day he was willing to make an exception and act as the presiding matchmaker and witness for Situ Sheng and Lady Chu.

And so the only one left stunned speechless from beginning to end was Chu Linlang herself.

She listened as Situ Sheng very candidly expressed to the Sacrificial Wine his intent to take Lady Chu as his wife.

Since he was in mourning and it was not yet appropriate, he wished to quietly make a private engagement with Lady Chu, to give her a promise, and to formally wed her as his wife once the mourning period had passed.

This made Linlang anxious beside him, tugging at his sleeve, wanting to stop his mad words.

But Situ Sheng sent her a look that said: be patient. And he said quietly: “Qi Gong has taken time from his busy schedule — whatever needs to be said, we can say it afterward.”

Linlang had just wanted to say ‘afterward will be too late,’ when Liao Jingxuan began to speak.

Liao Jingxuan, for his part, was very good with words. He lightly and casually explained to the Sacrificial Wine that on that day, he and Master Situ had in truth had a disagreement over a political matter, which had led to an argument. Lady Chu, kind-heartedly, had tried to mediate between the two of them, and some pulling and pushing had occurred that was witnessed by onlookers and created a misunderstanding.

In short, there had been an argument, but he was careful not to say too clearly with whom.

But to fabricate any romantic entanglement between himself and Lady Chu — that was absolute and utter nonsense.

After Situ Sheng’s carriage had left that day, Liao Jingxuan had been the last to go.

He had actually seen the whole group of people emerging from the bamboo grove, among them the wife of the Sacrificial Wine’s son.

So Liao Jingxuan felt it necessary to explain clearly to the Sacrificial Wine, and asked him to pass the message along, so that Madam Hua and the others would not continue to be mistaken.

Qi Gong, upon hearing that Lady Hua had also been there at the time, let an expression of mild displeasure cross his face, and in an instant understood Situ Sheng’s reason for seeking him out as a witness.

If the rumors had indeed spread from his daughter-in-law, he had no place left to put his old face. When he returned, he would definitely have to question her thoroughly about it.

As for Chu Linlang — after Liao Jingxuan had finished his explanation, she could only stare in silence, trailing behind Situ Sheng.

She had half understood by now. Situ Sheng had arranged all this in order to clear up the rumors about her and Liao Jingxuan.

But to clear up the rumors, did they really need to go so far as to formally make a marriage pledge? Moreover, Situ Sheng had asked the Sacrificial Wine to bear witness — would it not be terribly troublesome if he wanted to back out later?

But when she tugged secretly at Situ Sheng’s sleeve, Situ Sheng once again used his eyes to signal her to be patient and simply follow his lead.

She felt Situ Sheng must have a follow-up move, so she simply stayed quiet and let Situ Sheng make the arrangements!

Trusting entirely in Master Situ, Chu Linlang simply listened as the three exchanged pleasantries back and forth. After their conversation, Qi Gong produced two copies of a marriage contract, delivered an auspicious wedding speech in the tradition of Great Jin, and had the two of them sign and press their fingerprints in turn.

Linlang was still waiting for Situ Sheng’s follow-up move, and so used her eyes to convey her astonishment to Situ Sheng, indicating that if he did not back out now, it would be time to sign the marriage contract!

Situ Sheng still spoke in his low, deep, captivating voice: “Quickly, sign it first — do not waste Qi Gong’s time.”

Linlang had it in her heart to say ‘no,’ but her hand somehow muddled its way to picking up the brush Situ Sheng held out to her, signed her name on the contract, and pressed her fingerprint.

Situ Sheng did the same. Before long, two beautifully executed marriage contracts were signed and complete.

In addition to the names of the two parties-to-be-wed, the Sacrificial Wine’s name and Liao Jingxuan’s name were also on those contracts.

Which meant that Master Situ had officially gone from being her paramour to being her formally legitimate intended husband.

After the two witnesses left, Situ Sheng led Chu Linlang by the hand as they walked toward the carriage.

With no one around, Chu Linlang could finally ask him properly what he meant by all this: “Situ Sheng, have you gone mad? How can you be so casual about making a marriage pledge with me?”

Situ Sheng felt she was right to rebuke him: “The betrothal was indeed too modest. But I am in mourning, and even betrothing during mourning, while not against the rules, still calls for discretion. When we marry in the future, I will make up all the proper ceremonies for you without fail — absolutely I will not let you feel wronged.”

Chu Linlang was not trying to talk to him about this!

She said urgently: “If the goal was to clear up the rumors, speaking directly to Qi Gong would have sufficed. For you to pledge your marriage to me this rashly — if you want to go back on it later, will that not be extremely troublesome?”

Situ Sheng continued to reassure her: “Do not worry. Qi Gong was my grandfather’s close friend. Although he does not know my true identity, out of consideration for my request, he will keep our engagement secret from the outside world. And if one day my situation comes to light, looking at the face of my grandfather’s friendship, he will absolutely never reveal the marriage contract between you and me to anyone.”

Situ Sheng’s meaning was clear: he had sought Qi Gong precisely because the man was tight-lipped. So Chu Linlang, even having contracted a marriage with him, need not worry about being implicated in the future.

After all, each held their own copy of the marriage contract. There was no need to worry about anyone using it as leverage over them.

Was Situ Sheng under the impression that she was anxious because she feared future involvement from his background and identity?

Chu Linlang was truly about to be driven to her death by him. She shook his arm vigorously: “You still do not understand. If you do this, it only makes me greedier. If… if later you meet someone better, and I then refuse to let go, will you not regret it?”

Situ Sheng furrowed his dark brows: “How could I ever regret? Would you?”

Chu Linlang had no wish to argue with him. She also wanted to speak calmly and evenly, but could not manage to be calm!

No matter how deep this man’s reserve and calculated composure, in the matter of marriage he was nothing but an inexperienced novice.

She herself had passed through one marriage, and it was necessary to explain to this reckless young man clearly the full weight of what was at stake.

“Yes, you like me right now! Because my appearance pleases you and my figure suits your eye. But a woman’s looks are the most fleeting of things. By the day I grow old, with wrinkles piled at the corners of my eyes, no longer fresh and lively — on that day you will discover that beneath this comely exterior I am nothing more than a woman who is vulgar and practical to the marrow of my bones. I seem to handle everyone and everything with ease, but in private my temper is actually quite bad! I cannot follow your literary allusions, nor do I understand poetry and verse. Every day I would only drone on in your ear about how many taels of silver were earned. More terrifying still — I am jealous and cannot tolerate you taking concubines, and I cannot bear children. Perhaps you might speak a few extra words with some woman, and I would turn suspicious and mistrustful, thinking you had transferred your affections to another. By then, you and I would be in nothing but endless quarreling! The way we are together now, so free and easy… is it not perfectly fine? Why must you insist on marrying me, and in doing so force me into becoming the very thing I cannot stand in myself?”

As Chu Linlang spoke, she grew more and more agitated, her voice louder and louder. As she spoke, she seemed already to see the future — the once-intimate pair facing each other in wordless silence, filled with mutual loathing.

At the thought of such a scene, her tears, like a stream that had burst its banks, spread and flowed.

In the end, choking with sobs, she forced herself to speak calmly: “But fortunately, you and I only signed a marriage contract. Do not worry — I will not treat this piece of paper as real. In a few days, invite Qi Gong and Master Liao back again and dissolve the contract…”

She had thought that after parting from Zhou Sui’an for so long, she had long since walked free of the past.

Yet just now, as she laid out for Situ Sheng the terrible possibilities of a long marriage, she realized that eight years of married life had after all seared into her heart so many indelible scars.

When she walked out of the Zhou household that day, she had looked extraordinarily determined on the surface. But the wounds from that first marriage had never truly healed.

No matter how lively and talkative she was before others, that Lady Chu who had grown more and more self-doubting over eight years of marriage had been buried all along at the bottom of her heart, and would sprout whenever her spirits fell low…

She still wanted to say something more, but her whole body was pulled tightly into Situ Sheng’s embrace.

Situ Sheng could feel the slight trembling of the soft body in his arms.

He had also never imagined that signing the marriage contract with him would make Chu Linlang this frightened, and would tear open the old wound in her heart.

“This marriage contract was not meant to bind me — it was to bind you! The fault is mine. I should not have been so anxious about you abandoning me that I forced you into signing this contract. But why do you speak so poorly of yourself? If you were truly this worthless, I would not be so preoccupied with you, unable to let you go no matter what I do!”

Saying this, Situ Sheng tried and tried to hold back, but was defeated by her eyes brimming with tears. He could only hold her even tighter.

This was the beauty who had haunted his boyhood dreams for so many years, whom he had thought would be forever beyond his reach in this life.

Now that he had managed at last to hold her gently in his mouth, how could he allow her to so easily change course and sail away?

He was too selfish. For the sake of this one tangible certainty beneath his feet, he had put her under duress. He could clearly see that he carried Yang Yi’s blood in his veins, selfish and self-seeking to the core!

Yet even so, with an obsession run too deep, he was resolved to do this one unconscionable thing regardless — even if she did not wish to marry him, he was unwilling to release her.

Chu Linlang was never one to wallow in grief and sorrow for too long. She had cried this once — it was the overflow of anxious confusion that had welled up just now.

Now, being held in Situ Sheng’s arms as he coaxed her with warm words, she suddenly felt that her heart had actually settled quite a bit.

She thought: there she went again. What was the use of thinking so far ahead? They had only signed a marriage contract. As she had said herself — perhaps in less than a year, when the novelty between them had worn off, the contract would be rendered void of its own accord.

Why must she worry herself into fretting about the sky falling?

After crying, the grief dissipated somewhat, and the whole person became very practical. She wiped her nose and thought: though the contract might not count for much, at least a contract was signed. How could there be just a document and nothing else? His silver was all in her hands — she couldn’t very well ask him for betrothal gifts on top of that. If she had made the engagement this easily, was she not getting the worse end of the deal?

Yet Situ Sheng, unaware that Linlang’s thoughts had already migrated over to the matter of silver, was most worried that Linlang would change her mind and wish to void the contract.

Seeing the person in his arms stop weeping and instead turn her eyes about not knowing what she was thinking.

Situ Sheng drew from inside his robe a small brocade box, and from it took out a pair of jade bracelets and held them out to Chu Linlang.

“These are passed down from my grandmother. They were originally given to my mother, but she was ill at the time and could not wear them, so they have always been kept by me. Now this thing ought to be in your keeping.”

Linlang looked down at the pair of old jade bracelets. The smooth jade surface bore the warm, lustrous skin that had been polished through generations of flesh and touch.

This was not something that could easily be bought with gold and silver. She finally began to feel something of how earnest Situ Sheng’s resolve to wed her truly was.

This pair of Yang family heirloom jade bracelets was the betrothal gift Situ Sheng gave her. The significance of jade bracelets could not be exchanged for a thousand pieces of gold!

Seeing Linlang unwilling to put them on, Situ Sheng assumed she was still resisting the betrothal, and couldn’t help gripping her shoulders: “Linlang, you have already signed your name and pressed your fingerprint on the marriage contract. Do you still want to renounce it?”

Linlang was carefully wiping the old jade bracelets with a handkerchief when she heard his question, and hurriedly slipped the bracelets onto her wrists: “The person you brought to witness the contract was the Sacrificial Wine of Great Jin — not some children’s game playing at a wedding ceremony. How could one be so changeable? At least let me wear them a couple of days before you ask for them back!”

Situ Sheng could not stand to hear her provoking words. If she went on like this, even without waiting for her to grow old and her beauty to fade, Situ Sheng was certain she could exasperate him to death in the prime of her youth and good looks!

Linlang had by now put on the bracelets, and extended her hand to take Situ Sheng’s arm again, sizing up this freshly minted intended husband of hers as though meeting him anew.

There was quite a different feeling between a paramour and a legitimate intended husband!

Although the man before her was one she had already shared a bed with more than once, now looking again, those handsome bright eyes and sword-sharp brows seemed even more dashing than before!

Now that the marriage contract was signed, before it was voided, could she rightfully and justifiably claim him as her own?

As for her fear of marriage — that could be set aside for now.

Chu Linlang was never one to worry needlessly about things before they happened. At the very least, Situ Sheng’s intent to marry her was genuine and wholehearted right now. With this one point, it was enough for Linlang to summon the courage to take a few more steps forward.

That day Situ Sheng accompanied Linlang back to the country villa in the suburbs, and also informed Lady Sun of the fact that he and Linlang had signed the marriage contract. However, constrained by the ‘mourning period,’ he could not publicly announce it at this time. When the right moment came, he would follow all proper wedding customs with three matchmakers and six betrothal rites, and formally take Linlang as his wife.

Lady Sun listened in jaw-dropped astonishment, half unable to believe her own ears. It was not until Situ Sheng produced the marriage contract witnessed by the Sacrificial Wine that Lady Sun’s floating feet finally touched slightly more to the ground.

Situ Sheng offered his future mother-in-law a respectful cup of tea, and then departed hurriedly.

After all, he was currently overwhelmed with official duties and had managed to free up half a day — that was already no small feat. Once everyone had gone, Lady Sun had still not quite come back to her senses.

She asked Linlang in some disbelief: “Does Master Situ truly mean to take you as his wife?”

Linlang smiled faintly, running her fingers over the bracelets on her wrist, and said gently: “Mother, he is such a grown man — would he really fabricate a false document to deceive you and me?”

“But you…”

Lady Sun wanted to say that her daughter could not bear children, but the words rose to her lips and she swallowed them back down.

This was her daughter’s sore spot, so she must not raise it on her own initiative.

Linlang also knew what her mother was worried about.

She let out a soft sigh: “He said that the way of husband and wife is not solely for the purpose of bearing children. If he could be with me all his life, it would be fine not to have children…”

Such an astonishing, off-the-mark declaration left Lady Sun speechless. Was this… truly a sincere statement? Had her daughter given him some bewitching potion that left him talking without knowing what he said?

If Situ Sheng had not brought such a prestigious witness to sign the marriage contract, she would have thought he was simply spouting sweet talk to lure a woman!

Chu Linlang could see her mother’s disbelief, but she could hardly tell her mother that she herself did not know whether to believe these words.

She took her mother’s hand and said quietly: “From the time I was small until now, there has never been a broad and smooth road ahead of me. I have always felt my way forward, wading through shallow and deep water. Right now there is someone who says he is willing to take my hand and walk with me a stretch of the road. Although the path ahead may perhaps be even harder to walk, I want to take the risk and try. If I do not walk it, how will I know whether ahead lies an impasse or whether the willows will part to reveal bright flowers? At the very least, I now… have feelings of admiration for him in my heart.”

What Chu Linlang left unspoken was that this admiration — this feeling — was the one and only of its kind in her entire life.

Although in her early years she and Zhou Sui’an had formed a marriage as young people do, now that she looked back, her sense of gratitude and obligation to Zhou Sui’an had utterly outweighed any man-and-woman love.

And so when Zhou Sui’an had betrayed her, though she had been heartbroken, she had been able to calmly and carefully calculate her way out, sever the bond without dragging things out.

After all, once a debt of kindness was repaid, there was nothing owed to each other anymore, so naturally one could leave with an easy conscience.

But facing Situ Sheng, Chu Linlang could not guarantee that she would be as carefree and unencumbered in the future. So she could only take one step at a time and see — because right now… she could not do without him.

Lady Sun understood somewhat what Linlang meant. This daughter of hers, from the beginning, had never walked the ordinary path.

Since this was so, she had nothing more to say. She could only hope that this Situ Sheng was a man of conscience, and would not betray Linlang’s brave and genuine heart!

This marriage pledge was made in the long pavilion outside the city. Apart from those present, it was not publicly announced.

So after the betrothal, Linlang’s daily life showed no real change — except that the bright smile on her face came more often, her skin glowed more transparently than before, and she went on as usual, busy every day with her shop’s business, sorting through accounts, attending to the affairs of the smelting workshop in the northwest.

During this period, that Madam Zhou, as though to watch the spectacle, came several times with her great belly on display.

She wanted to see Linlang’s humiliated and enraged expression after being expelled from the academy.

But unexpectedly, she found Chu Linlang radiant and in high spirits, beaming with smiles.

Seeing her come, Chu Linlang did not chase the guest away but only instructed someone to carry out a chair for Madam Zhou, placing it near the outer edge so that everyone could see — lest there be any bumping or jostling that would then be blamed on the shop’s inadequate hospitality.

After that, Chu Linlang paid her no further attention, and only smiled as she spoke with other customers. Xie Youran, finding she could make no impression, was unwilling to stand at Linlang’s door like a stone lion. Sulking and disgruntled, she walked away.

Chu Linlang knew the meaning behind Xie Youran’s visits to watch the joke. But unfortunately she seemed to have forgotten that she herself was no idle noblewoman with nothing to do but molder away. Even if those tea parties and palace banquets did not invite her — what of it?

Even if they did invite her, she was too busy to find a free moment to attend.

As the gold-panning business of Xia Qingyun expanded further and further, the people who came from the surrounding villages and hamlets to pan for gold grew ever more numerous.

Although the land upstream was basically purchased by Linlang and the rights of ownership were beyond dispute, the number of people panning downstream was also increasing, and clashes regularly broke out.

According to Xia Qingyun, local officials had come looking for him several times. Panning for gold did not count as mining gold ore — it had existed since ancient times, and the common people were not obliged to report it to the authorities.

But if fighting and even deaths resulted from competition over river sections, the authorities would not simply stand by and do nothing.

Chu Linlang understood the logic of too many monks for too little congee. Once the gold mines in the mountains were formally worked and the water source from above was cut off, her source of income would be severed as well — and with the water source gone, the land could not grow medicinal herbs either.

For this very reason, she had spared no expense in hiring skilled smelting craftsmen and purchasing equipment and machinery.

Regardless of the outcome, those who panned for gold ore had to sell it. If she bought it back and refined and purified it, the profit on such gold would be far higher.

When it came time to stop operating, this equipment could also be taken over by someone else — she would not lose money on it.

In addition to this, she had also begun selling off in batches the canyon land in her hands.

Only because there was now gold ore, the selling price when she put it out was many times what she had paid to buy it, and as soon as one plot was released, people rushed to fight over it.

Linlang estimated that even if the authorities later came forward to mine the ore and cut off the streams, by then she would no longer hold any land there.

Chu Linlang’s approach to business was always to seek security — she would absolutely never earn until her eyes turned red and then fight over the very last few copper coins.

In business, one must not gamble. When the taste of sweetness comes, that is the time to think of a way out.

Now, thanks to the gold ore, the liquid silver in her hands was fast approaching one thousand taels.

This was a sum that the Linlang of old had not even dared to dream of. With this money in hand, there was much more she could do.

But she did not continue to acquire land in the capital. Instead, under the name of a Li-surnamed merchant, she bought some farmland in regions close to Lingnan and planted fruit trees there.

The fruits from Lingnan, if properly preserved, would fetch excellent prices when transported to the capital — they were quite the coveted luxury. She had eaten a few times at the Sixth Prince’s estate, and apparently even the palace’s imperial supply was shipped back by the Wang household at great expense on specially hired boats.

Chu Linlang had passed in and out of the deep palace and grand estates, which had broadened her horizons and taught her how to earn the money of the wealthy.

She planned to have the cargo holds of the transport ships remodeled into ice cellars, and to stockpile more ice during winter in underground cellars. That way, with more fruit and the cold chain to keep it fresh, she could still sell it at a premium.

Furthermore, Lingnan was vast with sparse population and a fierce local culture — a land beyond the reach of the court’s authority.

This was the escape route Situ Sheng had originally arranged for her, but now she intended to plan it carefully as a retreat for the two of them.

Should Situ Sheng’s identity be exposed, the two of them could live incognito in Lingnan, selling fruit to make a living.

Just as Linlang was making calm, unhurried plans for the days ahead, a distinguished guest came to call at the shop — it was none other than Tao Yashu, come to visit her.

It turned out that although the palace’s imperial supply was plentiful, the Empress Dowager would occasionally miss the foods and pastimes of her girlhood, so Yashu, ever attentive to her wishes, went out on the Empress Dowager’s orders to make purchases, and took the opportunity to look in on Lady Chu as well.

Lady Chu saw her come and hurried out to welcome her. With a smile she said: “The magpie was calling at my eaves this morning, and I was wondering what good news it was heralding — so it was you who came. Such a good omen!”

Yashu laughed and told the palace maids and eunuchs attending her to wait outside the shop. She quickly helped up the bowing Linlang and said with a smile: “I came precisely to bring you good news… we have not seen each other for so long — how are you even more beautiful than before?”