Chapter 834: 352 Fright (Part 1)
Clusters of ivy, half red and half green, wrapped themselves around the wall, the green tinged with hints of red, the red with flickers of green, complementary in their vibrancy and highly pleasing to the eye.
Yueyao stood below the wall top and looked on, engrossed for half the day.
Xiang Wei lifted her head to gaze at the sky, hmm, the sky was so blue, cloudless, as beautiful as a stretch of blue silk. Xiang Wei’s neck began to ache from looking up, and as she lowered her head she saw Yueyao still meticulously observing, so she turned to Xi Yu resignedly and ordered, "Go fetch the young miss’s painting tools."
Grumbling to herself, Xiang Wei wondered what was so fascinating about the ivy. Really now.
After the painting was finished, Xiang Wei took a look and exclaimed, "Hey, that’s actually quite lovely!"
Yueyao was very pleased with herself.
No sooner had Yueyao returned to Begonia Garden than a maid summoned her to Ma Chengteng’s study. Seeing Yueyao, Ma Chengteng looked somewhat anxious, "Yueyao, today the Fourth Prince sought me out for a talk, and the gist of it was he wants to betroth you as his Consort." Ma Chengteng didn’t understand why the perfectly fine Fourth Prince wished to take Yueyao as a Consort, this was indeed a bolt from the blue...
Yueyao’s complexion turned unsightly in an instant, "How did Uncle respond?"
Being a Consort of the Fourth Prince might sound prestigious as it linked her to the title of Yu Die, but in essence, it was no more than being a concubine. Ma Chengteng couldn’t bear the thought of Yueyao becoming someone’s concubine, "I politely declined. But I’m worried the Fourth Prince might go to the palace to ask the Empress to decree the marriage." Once the Empress decrees the marriage, it would be impossible to refuse.
Hearing this, Yueyao grew worried, "Uncle, I shall have Xiang Wei inquire at the Marquis’ household." She would rather become a nun than be reduced to someone’s concubine.
Ma Chengteng felt the same. If the Marquis Jingning’s Residence could step in, surely the Fourth Prince would abandon the idea.
Yueyao promptly asked Xiang Wei to make the inquiry at the Marquis’ household.
Xiang Wei replied unhurriedly, "Young miss, there’s no need to rush. If the Fourth Prince could have already secured the Empress’s decree, why would he need to seek out Lord Ma? I believe, since the Empress surely wouldn’t agree, the Fourth Prince has taken a detour through Lord Ma, not expecting Lord Ma to refuse as well."
Right then, Yueyao was not all that concerned about the repercussions of Ma Chengteng refusing the Fourth Prince. She said anxiously, "But what if my granduncle agrees?" Her uncle doted on her and certainly wouldn’t want her to be a concubine. Unfortunately, Lian Dongfang wouldn’t feel the same; he might even consider it the highest honor to marry her off to a Prince.
Xiang Wei found this worry more realistic. After pondering for a moment, she shook her head, "There’s no need to fret; without the consent of both Lord Ma and yourself, Lian Dongfang wouldn’t dare agree to the Fourth Prince’s proposal. Unless he has the brains of a pig." Now, Yueyao’s status was different from the past; she wasn’t someone Lian Dongfang could simply manipulate. If he agreed to the Fourth Prince’s terms, and Yueyao refused later, Lian Dongfang would be the one without a face to save.
With that, Yueyao relaxed a fair amount.
After thinking a while, Xiang Wei suggested, "Let’s send an invitation and visit the Marquis’ household tomorrow." It seemed safer to do so.
Yueyao could not wait until tomorrow, "Let’s go now!" The sooner this matter was resolved, the better. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to sleep that night. This was a matter for a lifetime, and even someone as stoic as Yueyao could not remain calm in the face of it.
Yueyao hurried to the Marquis’ household.
Upon hearing Yueyao’s concerns, Madam Ping chuckled, "I’m aware of the matter. The Fourth Prince admires your talents, hence his wish to betroth you as his Consort. He had intended to seek the Empress’s decree for the marriage, but the Empress rejected this request." As a mother, the Empress would never want her son to marry a woman with a challenging fate. Nevertheless, the Fourth Prince, undeterred, thus circled around to Ma Chengteng. Once Ma Chengteng agreed, it would have been a done deal, and the Empress would be in a difficult position to object.
Sweat formed on Yueyao’s forehead, she was relieved her uncle had declined; otherwise, she truly would have to resort to becoming a nun to escape this marriage.
Seeing Yueyao so pale with fright over the matter, Madam Ping felt somewhat poignant. Although it was only to be the Fourth Prince’s Consort, it came with a position as Yu Die, a lifetime of glory and wealth that others could only dream of. Yet, Yueyao perceived it as a flood or a ferocious beast. Truly, one man’s honey is another man’s poison.
Madam Ping smiled and said, "Though this is over, Yueyao, your own lifelong happiness should also be settled. Once your marriage is arranged, there won’t be any more troubles like this." After all, no one would covet a lady already betrothed.
Yueyao replied with a wry smile, "Where can I find a suitable match?" She thought An Zhichen was decent, but he was embroiled in his own pile of troubles. And to find another, where could she quickly find someone satisfactory? It was the first time Yueyao truly fretted over her own life-long affair.