Chapter 5 : I Want Her to Promise Herself

On the other side, Huo Zhen, who had returned to his temporary residence, beat up his two brothers and shouted, “Tell me! Who the hell told you to pick her flowers? You made me lose face!”

Yang Hu and Mo Qi, each covering their swollen faces, replied bitterly, “Brother, there aren’t any pretty wildflowers nearby. We didn’t expect Miss Song to recognize them…”

“Ji Yuefang! That flower is called Ji Yuefang! Go find it for me now! If I can’t find a wife, I’ll throw you both into the military camp and make you stick your butts up!”

Yang Hu and Mo Qi ran off clutching their backsides in fear.

Huo Zhen lay down on the bed but suddenly remembered something, sat up abruptly, and rushed into the bathroom to shower.

He had to stay clean, he couldn’t let Song Ying find him disgusting.

—

The next afternoon, Huo Zhen came again to climb over the wall into Song Ying’s courtyard.

“Why are you here again?”

Huo Zhen raised the cloth bag in his hand and shook it. “I came to return your flowers.”

Song Ying asked Faer to take the bag from him. Faer poured the seeds into her palm. Song Ying took one glance and immediately said, “This is not Ji Yuefang.”

Huo Zhen naturally didn’t know anything about flowers or plants, but since his brothers insisted these were the right ones, he had believed them.

He hadn’t expected to be fooled by them again.

Huo Zhen said, “Wait a second.”

At this point, he was so used to climbing over the wall that it was basically the same as walking in through the front gate.

Song Ying didn’t bother waiting for him. A servant had just handed her a letter, Song Jinzhuo had asked her to return home.

After packing up, Song Ying left with Faer in a carriage.

By the time Huo Zhen returned, it was already evening.

When he saw that there were no lights in Song Ying’s courtyard, he knew she had left again.

“Why didn’t you even say goodbye?”

He caught a servant guarding the villa and asked what happened. After learning that Song Ying had returned to the Marquis’ Mansion, he rushed back, grabbed his two beaten-up brothers, and headed straight for the capital.

Mo Qi stopped him, saying, “Brother, the city gates are closed. Let’s go in tomorrow morning.”

Huo Zhen thought for a moment and agreed, so the three of them camped outside the city and waited until dawn to enter.

Yang Hu and Mo Qi yawned nonstop and muttered, “Why is it so hard for Big Brother to marry a wife? If it were me, I’d just kidnap her and bring her home. What’s the point of being so polite?”

Mo Qi patted him on the shoulder. “You don’t get it, Big Brother is using strategy.”

“What are you two whispering about? Let’s go!” Huo Zhen snapped.

Mo Qi stepped forward and asked, “Brother, are you going straight to the Marquis’ Mansion?”

Huo Zhen paused, then slapped Mo Qi on the head. “You don’t understand anything. Her snobbish father will agree to anything as long as there’s profit, even if the guy’s blind or crippled. What I want is Song Ying’s own consent, not her father’s approval. Got it?”

Mo Qi held his head and said, “Got it.”

Yang Hu clenched his fist and thumped his chest. “Brother, we’re behind you all the way.”

—

Meanwhile…

“Yue Shaozhi will marry Ruoer in five days.”

Although Song Ying had already expected this, she was still shocked to hear it from her father. She gently pressed her chest it still hurt a little.

“Your mother has been exhausted these past few days and can’t handle the wedding arrangements. It should have been your job…” Song Jinzhuo looked at his obedient daughter. “I’ve handed it over to your aunt, but I’d like you to help out.”

Song Ying bent her knees slightly. “Yes.”

Just when she thought the conversation was over, Song Jinzhuo added, “I heard that while you were away, someone named Huo Zhen came to visit you?”

Song Ying’s fingertips trembled slightly, and her heart beat faster. “Yes.”

She was afraid her father would bring up marriage.

“I know this man too. He’s the newly appointed General of Longxi and the eldest son of the Huo family. The emperor holds him in high regard after he defeated enemy forces in Longxi not long ago.”

Song Ying’s pupils contracted slightly, and she bit her lip. Her father had thoroughly investigated Huo Zhen.

Song Jinzhuo glanced at her and continued, “Huo Zhen used to be a wanderer, but later returned to General Huo’s mansion. He and you…”

“Father, I don’t know him at all. This General Huo only came to see me because he got lost.”

Song Jinzhuo simply listened to her excuse, closed his eyes slightly, then chuckled and said, “Go see your aunt.”

“Yes.”

As if she had been pardoned, Song Ying quickly led Faer to her aunt Song Jinlan’s courtyard.

“Ying’er greets Aunt.”

“You’re here.”

When Song Jinlan saw Song Ying, her expression was cold and indifferent. When she wasn’t smiling, she bore a resemblance to Song Jinzhuo truly siblings.

Song Ying bowed and said, “Father asked me to help Aunt.”

Song Jinlan set her teacup down on the table with a crisp sound, then said sarcastically, “Your mother fell ill at just the right time.”

Song Ying knew that Song Jinlan had always disliked the mistress of the house, including her own late biological mother, Han.

“Has Aunt ever met my mother?”

Song Jinlan replied coldly, “What’s the point of seeing her? Just bad luck.”

Song Ying fell silent, thinking of finding an excuse to leave, when she heard Song Jinlan say, “I’ve heard your story too. I really admire you. Just like your mother, always choosing to suffer rather than inconvenience others.”

Song Ying smiled bitterly. “Ying’er has other matters to attend to. I’ll take my leave.”

“Sit down.”

Song Ying had no choice but to sit again.

Song Jinlan said, “Now you think it’s hard? Why didn’t you think twice before getting divorced? If I were you, I’d have forced her to act obediently.”

Song Ying sighed. “It’s already done. Please don’t speak of it anymore, Aunt.”

Everyone outside felt the same as Song Jinlan, they thought she shouldn’t have gotten divorced. Even if Yue Shaozhi favored Song Ruoer, as long as Song Ying held her ground, Yue Shaozhi would’ve had to take her only as a concubine.

But they all forgot that Yue Shaozhi never loved her. Even as the legal wife, without her father’s backing, if she fell out of favor, she would still end up divorced.

At least, by proposing the divorce herself, she retained a shred of dignity.

Song Jinlan rolled her eyes. She couldn’t stand her niece acting like this. Just like Han, always silently enduring suffering.

“Fine. Stay in your courtyard. I don’t need your help.”

Song Ying was only too glad to comply. “Ying’er thanks Aunt.”

Back in her room, Song Ying lay on the couch feeling gloomy. Suddenly, Faer said, “Miss, I think the Marchioness of Chengyang isn’t too bad.”

Song Ying turned to her. “Why do you say that?”

While peeling melon seeds, Faer said, “Since the Marchioness doesn’t want you to help, that means you can just enjoy yourself. And the Marquis won’t blame you either.”

Song Ying nodded. “Hmm, that actually makes some sense.”

When she married Yue Shaozhi, it was her stepmother Zhou who arranged the wedding.

Although Zhou oversaw it, most of the actual work fell to Song Ying.

Now that it was Song Ruoer getting married, Song Ying finally had a rare chance to relax.

“Miss, if you’re bored, want to play cards?”

“Not cards, let’s play Five-in-a-Row (Gomoku).”

Song Ying had been strictly educated since childhood, expected to master the four arts, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. But by nature, she was a bit rebellious. Though she could do all of them, she wasn’t particularly good at any and especially disliked chess.

It reminded her of her father, always calculating, every move made for personal gain.

She didn’t like this household, but there was nothing she could do.

After finally getting married, she suffered another blow.

After playing for an entire afternoon, Song Ying lost two taels of silver to Faer. The girl was overjoyed.

“Miss, did you lose on purpose?”

“No, you’re just that good.”

Faer happily stuffed the silver into her little coin purse and shook it. Hearing the clinking sound, she beamed and said, “Miss, once I save enough money, I’ll treat you to wontons from East Street.”

“Alright.”

In this entire family, the only one who gave Song Ying a sense of warmth was Faer.