Chapter 137 Branches Set for Marriage

The next day, Shu Yuwan summoned Lianzhi to the palace.

Regardless of the situation at Wei Mansion, Shu Yuwan wanted to know Lianzhi’s attitude.

“Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress!”

Lianzhi performed a standard greeting. Under Mrs. Luo’s guidance in recent days, Lianzhi had started to resemble a noble lady.

Shu Yuwan’s smile softened as she said, “Please rise.”

After Lianzhi stood up, her noble demeanor couldn’t be maintained, and she approached Shu Yuwan, asking, “Your Majesty, why did you suddenly summon me to the palace today?”

Since Mrs. Luo mentioned that Wei Guogong had intentions of summoning her to the palace, Lianzhi had been avoiding it.

Shu Yuwan smiled and said, “It’s been a while since I last saw you. Lately, there have been rumors outside the palace about me, causing some distress. I wanted to call you here for a chat.”

Comforted by Shu Yuwan’s words, Lianzhi replied, “Your Majesty, don’t take those people seriously. They are just jealous of how well the Emperor treats you.”

Shu Yuwan chuckled, “Indeed, the Emperor is very kind.”

She then asked, “And you, now that the mourning period is over, and you’ve reached a suitable age, do you have a preferred match in mind?”

Upon hearing this question, the usually lively and confident Lianzhi appeared a bit shy.

After the Chen family proposed a marriage, Lianzhi had been conflicted about the matter.

Although Shu Yuwan was now the Empress, Lianzhi had always regarded her as an elder sister. When Shu Yuwan inquired, Lianzhi couldn’t help but seek her opinion. She hesitantly said, “Your Majesty, I, um, that is, the eldest son of Minister Chen’s family, Chen Gongzi, came to Wei Mansion to propose…”

As she finished speaking, Lianzhi’s face turned red with embarrassment.

This matter had been well hidden by Mrs. Luo, and Shu Yuwan hadn’t heard about it. She couldn’t help but ask, “Is he the one who previously bullied you, claiming he would take you as a concubine?”

Lianzhi nodded quietly.

Seeing Lianzhi’s reaction, Shu Yuwan understood her intentions.

Feeling relieved, Shu Yuwan knew that Lianzhi had some feelings for him.

Regardless of the situation at Wei Mansion, Lianzhi had no intention of entering the palace.

Shu Yuwan smiled and asked, “What are your thoughts?”

Now that Lianzhi’s shyness had faded a bit, she said, “I don’t know. Chen Gongzi hasn’t been mistreating me lately. In fact, he has been much kinder to me. I’m not familiar with the aristocratic children in the capital, but I know Chen Gongzi. I feel like he’s not as annoying as before, and it’s been quite easy to be around him.”

She furrowed her brows and continued, “But my mother privately told me that when Ning Wang proposed to Ning Fei in the past, he also made the same promises.”

Listening attentively, Shu Yuwan said seriously, “Lianzhi, no matter who you marry, there’s no guarantee of how that person will behave in the future.”

Confused, Lianzhi looked at Shu Yuwan with wide eyes.

Shu Yuwan gently smiled and said, “All you can do is think clearly about what you want.”

Lianzhi nodded thoughtfully.

The two chatted for a while, and Lianzhi bid farewell reluctantly. Shu Yuwan prepared some jewelry and fabrics to give to Lianzhi when she left the palace.

On the way back, Lianzhi pondered deeply.

Upon returning to Wei Mansion, she went to find Mrs. Luo.

“Mother, I’ve made up my mind. I agree to the marriage proposal from Minister Chen’s family,” Lianzhi said.

Surprised, Mrs. Luo asked, “Why did you suddenly agree?”

Since receiving the marriage proposal from Minister Chen’s family, Mrs. Luo had been hesitant. While the Chen family’s status was respectable, Chen Gongzi had a history of being irresponsible, playing around all day. Although he seemed to have improved recently, it was uncertain how long it would last.

Lianzhi explained, “After thinking it over, I believe marrying Chen Gongzi won’t lead to a boring life.”

“Just for that?” Mrs. Luo inquired.

Lianzhi nodded and replied, “I don’t know what the future holds, but for now, I think marrying him is a good choice. At least I don’t feel restricted, and he promised to only marry me.”

Mrs. Luo furrowed her brows.

Lianzhi smiled and continued, “If he forgets his promise in the future, I’ll forget too. I won’t end up like Ning Fei, trapped in a situation I can’t escape from.”

“Why not find a better match among the aristocratic families in the capital?” Mrs. Luo asked.

Lianzhi questioned, “Mother, what defines a good match? I have expectations for my future husband, but no matter who I choose, they may not make promises like not taking concubines or mistresses. Even the most virtuous man, once married, will treat his wife with respect. If Chen Gongzi changes in the future, it will be the same. So why not choose someone who currently has my heart?”

Lianzhi took Mrs. Luo’s sleeve and said, “With you as my support, as long as I maintain my values and boundaries, the Chen family will always be my foundation.”

After carefully considering Lianzhi’s words, Mrs. Luo found them quite reasonable.

She also knew that Wei Guogong’s actions might cause delays and harm her daughter.

Nodding, Mrs. Luo said, “In that case, I’ll go and respond to them.”

“Yes,” Lianzhi affirmed.

After discussing and confirming, Mrs. Luo felt relieved. Her younger daughter had a clear mind, unlike her older daughter, who tended to overthink things.

Mrs. Luo then shared more about the Chen family with Lianzhi: “Although Madam Chen is a second wife, she is a good person. Additionally, although Chen Gongzi is the eldest son, he has several half-siblings. In the past, Minister Chen’s first wife, Lady Jiao, couldn’t bear children. Despite his deep love for Lady Jiao, Minister Chen refused to take concubines. After five years of no offspring, under pressure from the elderly Madam Chen, he finally took a few concubines and had several illegitimate children. Shortly after their birth, Lady Jiao fell ill and passed away. With a house full of unattended children, Minister Chen married the current Madam Chen, Lady Min. Lady Min is gentle and kind, which is why Minister Chen chose her.”

“Lady Min gave birth to a son and a daughter after marriage. The son is Chen Gongzi, and the daughter is Chen Shiyi, who recently married the Prince Ning’s heir. Minister Chen is getting older, and in a couple of years, he may retire. But if Chen Gongzi marries you and has a connection with the Prince Ning’s family, as long as he is ambitious, his future will be promising.”

After listening to Mrs. Luo’s detailed analysis, Lianzhi gained a better understanding of the Chen family.

…

Mrs. Luo acted swiftly. After confirming with Lianzhi, she sent a matchmaker to the Chen family to convey the message.

Upon receiving the news, Chen Gongzi was overjoyed.

Seeing her son’s excitement, Madam Chen couldn’t help but chuckle.

In the past, no matter how she advised him, he always acted carefree. When she took him to meet his potential.

Madam Luo acted quickly. After confirming with Lianzhi on this end, she sent a message to the Chen family.

Chen Shigao received the news and was overjoyed.

Seeing her son’s reaction, Madam Chen found it a bit amusing.

In earlier years, no matter how she advised him, her son always acted carefree. When she took him to meet potential matches, he would play tricks on the girls, leaving her embarrassed.

Now, he was finally eager to marry.

The two families quickly exchanged gifts and birthdates for compatibility. Matching the birthdates was just a formality, as both families were willing, resulting in a perfect match!

At this point, Mrs. Luo felt safe to reveal the news. By the time Wei Guogong knew, the news of the impending marriage between the two families had already spread far and wide.