Do You Really Want to Marry Me

Yu Fulang invited a famous matchmaker from the Capital City, but the matchmaker found herself quite useless here. Yu Fulang brought her over just to show the people in the Capital City.

“Alright, it’s settled then,” Yu Fulang said, satisfied with Zheng Shanci’s cooperative attitude. “This is the matchmaker I invited for you. When the time comes, you can bring her along to perform the betrothal ceremony.”

Matchmaker Qian bowed to Zheng Shanci, who quickly returned the gesture.

Yu Fulang asked, “May I ask for Young Master Zheng’s birth date and eight characters?”

Zheng Shanci provided his birth date and eight characters, and Yu Fulang nodded, instructing the maid beside him to hand over a bundle. “All eyes in the Capital City are on you now. Here is a decent outfit for you to wear when you come for the engagement. Lanyi is the legitimate Ge’er of our Marquis Mansion, and we won’t treat him poorly, nor will we treat you poorly.”

Zheng Shanci broke into a sweat. “The Changyang Marquis Fulang has prepared everything thoroughly.”

“Don’t worry about your career. Although being a third-class jinshi is a bit low, and your initial position might be low, as long as you work hard, anything is possible,” Yu Fulang said with a gentle smile, exuding elegance and nobility.

Zheng Shanci thought to himself, “Just having someone is good enough.” This was like being spoon-fed, making one’s heart race and mind wander.

Zheng Shanci scolded himself, “Alright.”

After finishing his words, Yu Fulang also spoke to Zheng Shanci’s parents, “When you get married in the Capital City, the time is too short, and your parents might not make it in time. Please ask your parents to bear with it a bit more. This is something we didn’t consider, and we owe your family.”

“I will write to them to inform them of this matter.”

After explaining everything, Yu Fulang left the alley. He was quite satisfied with this visit to the Zheng family. Initially, he favored his maternal family’s second nephew, who was also Yu Lanyi’s second cousin. 

He didn’t have to be the heir of the Duke of England’s Mansion, was the second son in the family, was ambitious, handled matters gently, and was someone they knew well.

Unfortunately, Yu Lanyi didn’t like him.

Returning to the Marquis Mansion, Pei Furen personally came to apologize. After all, this matter involved someone else’s scheming, and Yu Lanyi’s own cleverness backfired. 

They couldn’t offend Assistant Minister Pei too much. Pei Furen brought gifts, as the incident happened at the Pei Mansion, and they had to take responsibility.

“Now that things have reached this point, when I send the wedding invitation to the Pei Mansion, Pei Furen, you must come.”

Pei Furen quickly agreed, “I will certainly come with generous gifts.”

Pei Furen promised that as soon as they found that maid, she would immediately send word to the Marquis Mansion.

After handling these trivial matters, Yu Fulang felt a weight lifted from his heart. He observed that Zheng Shanci was a reasonable person and, unlike the sons of large families, didn’t have concubines serving him. Perhaps these two could truly live a good life together.

“Fulang, the Second Young Master is causing a scene in the courtyard again, trying to hang himself with the curtains!”

Yu Fulang felt a headache coming on upon hearing this. “Have someone take the curtains back, but don’t hurt the Second Young Master. Remove all knives and dangerous items from the room. Also, have Jin Yun inform him of the engagement and wedding dates, and prepare well for the marriage.”

The attendants could imagine the storm that would arise if they told Yu Lanyi about this.

Yu Lanyi was still making a fuss in the room, crying, shouting, and threatening to hang himself.

Jin Yun was let in by the strong servants, and Yu Lanyi quickly grabbed his hand. “I knew Father still cares about me, letting you in to accompany me.”

“Young Master, please sit down and rest for a while.”

Jin Yun said, “Young Master, in six days, Young Master Zheng will come for the engagement, and in half a month, you will be married.”

Yu Lanyi jumped up, looking fierce, with flames in his eyes. “So soon? I’m not in a hurry to get married! I want to see Father! I want to see my father! I want to see my brother! I don’t want to get married so early!”

“Young Master, there’s no way around it. This time, Fulang is determined. He even personally went to see Young Master Zheng today to discuss the marriage,” Jin Yun soothed Yu Lanyi.

“How could this happen? I don’t want it!” Yu Lanyi tried to leave the room, but as soon as he poked his head out, two strong servants stood at the door, blocking the way with knives.

Yu Lanyi: “…”

He retreated in defiance, lying on the bed like a dead fish.

“He… he’s a third-class jinshi, with no future. If I follow him, I’ll only suffer. I don’t want to suffer,” Yu Lanyi buried his head in the pillow.

Only his face was still good-looking, Yu Lanyi thought to himself, muttering.

Yu Lanyi felt a bit better thinking that Zheng Shanci didn’t have any concubines around him. His father and father were childhood sweethearts, yet there were still illegitimate children born. His second cousin was a good person, but he had a concubine at seventeen, as was common among the sons of large families.

…

Zheng Shanci didn’t know that Yu Lanyi was pondering over him. He opened the bundle from Yu Fulang, which contained a luxurious garment, clearly made of fine silk, smooth and warm to the touch.

He hung the clothes up.

Zheng Shanci hadn’t written to his family yet. Since the wedding date was set, he planned to inform his family about it.

He picked up a pen and wrote about his current situation to his family, only mentioning the good things and glossing over the details of his marriage to Yu Lanyi.

After finishing the letter, Zheng Shanci went out to send it. It would probably take two months for this letter to reach his family.

The post office staff took the money and sorted the letter.

“Alright, Young Master, you can go back now.”

Zheng Shanci cupped his hands, “Thank you.”

He left the post office and was walking down the street when someone grabbed his shoulder. The person reeked of alcohol and spoke with a smile, “Zheng brother, you’ve made it big. Why didn’t you tell me? Let me treat you to a drink.”

The speaker was someone Zheng Shanci had met by chance. This person loved to drink and had gotten drunk the night before the palace examination, yet went to the exam the next day fresh as a daisy.

Indulgent and carefree.

Cui Ziqi, with his dissolute demeanor, wore a loose robe, the belt hanging lazily around his waist.

Someone came up, “Ziqi, hurry up, don’t waste time here. The new dancers are amazing.”

Cui Ziqi was surrounded by people as he walked away, turning back with a slightly unclear mind, “Aren’t you coming, Zheng brother?”

Zheng Shanci shook his head, “Drinking is bad for your health.”

Cui Ziqi initially thought Zheng Shanci was being pretentious because he had connections with the Changyang Marquis Mansion. After all, Zheng Shanci now had a future and didn’t need to drink with them, these playboys, to gain an opportunity.

Hearing Zheng Shanci’s words, a hint of surprise flashed in Cui Ziqi’s eyes. He put the encounter with Zheng Shanci out of his mind and followed the crowd away.

Zheng Shanci turned back, planning to continue copying books to earn money.

Returning home, he felt a sense of peace. Although he was in a strange dynasty, in his little room, Zheng Shanci could still feel at ease.

He diligently cleaned the house again and watered the patch of green onions in the yard.

This time, he would go to the Ministry of Personnel for an assessment. Zheng Shanci copied books for a while, then opened the original owner’s book box to prepare for the Ministry’s assessment.

With a serious expression, he spread out the rice paper and ground ink for himself.

This was how it went for the next few days.

Five days later, the day before he was to go for the engagement.

Zheng Shanci was still studying when a stone hit his desk. The stone had a note tied to it.

Startled, he untied the note from the stone and opened it.

“Are you really going to marry me?”

The handwriting was crooked, like a child’s scribble. The word “marry” had a noticeable pause, making it darker than the other words.

Zheng Shanci, now somewhat calm, thought that perhaps Yu Lanyi was still a bit anxious.

He picked up a pen and wrote his answer.

Then he threw the stone back out.

Yu Lanyi was probably still under house arrest.

Jin Yun picked up the stone from the corner and hid it in his clothes to bring back to Yu Lanyi.

This time, the Changyang Marquis couple was determined, and even Yu Changxing couldn’t help. Yu Lanyi’s tantrums over the past few days were met with cold indifference.

As the engagement approached, Yu Lanyi felt a bit anxious. After all, it was his first engagement, and he hadn’t had much interaction with Zheng Shanci. He was about to tie his life to him, feeling uneasy, which is why he had Jin Yun send a message to Zheng Shanci.

Jin Yun walked into Yu Lanyi’s room with a straight face, under the watchful eyes of the two strong servants.

“How did it go?” Yu Lanyi instinctively lowered his voice. After all, it wasn’t something to be proud of.

“Young Master, I brought the note back,” Jin Yun replied in a low voice.

Yu Lanyi untied the stone and quickly opened the note. There were only two words on it, written with warm and powerful strokes.

“Yes.”