Chapter 80: Engagement - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 80: Engagement

As the end of the year approached, everyone became busy with preparations. This might be the last time they met before the new year, as they would all be helping their elders with various year-end tasks.

After dinner, Bai Siruo and Feng Jinyao left the Xu residence. The three friends made plans to visit Da'ao Mountain and enjoy the lantern festival together during the Lantern Festival, but unfortunately, these plans were disrupted when Bai Siruo encountered trouble first.

“I will not marry!” Bai Siruo stood in Shoukang Courtyard, eyes red, shouting angrily.

Madam Bai, her aunt Lin, and Princess Wen Yi were seated in the hall. Upon hearing Bai Siruo's declaration, their previously delighted expressions instantly darkened.

Especially Princess Wen Yi, who had always doted on her daughter and seldom spoke harshly to her. Hearing Bai Siruo’s defiant response, she immediately scolded her.

“Marriage is a significant matter determined by parents and matchmakers. How can you decide not to marry? Do you even consider your age? If you delay any longer, who will want an old maiden like you?”

“What’s wrong with being an old maiden? If necessary, I’ll shave my head and become a nun. Mother, if you insist on me marrying, you might as well kill me first.”

“You…” Furious, Princess Wen Yi slapped Bai Siruo, leaving everyone in the room stunned.

Bai Lin was the first to react, quickly pulling them apart, “What are you doing? You know Siruo's temperament. How could you hit her?”

Madam Bai, distressed by her granddaughter’s plight, hurriedly called for them to be separated and seated Bai Siruo beside her, examining her face. Though Princess Wen Yi hadn’t hit her hard, Bai Siruo’s cheek was slightly red, but her heart felt shattered as she sat in a daze, tears streaming down.

“Dear child, you mustn’t speak like that. If you’re gone, how would we old folks live?”

Madam Bai consoled her patiently while gently blowing on her cheek. Princess Wen Yi was still angry over Bai Siruo’s earlier comment. It was merely an engagement, how could it lead to talk of life and death? Moreover, the prospective groom was from Kang residence, a family she had carefully chosen. How could they mistreat her?

“Mother, don’t bother with her. I think she’s been living too comfortably, not suffering, which is why she’s grown so unruly. Whether she wants to marry or not, she must marry!”

With that, Princess Wen Yi stormed off in anger. Bai Lin, worried about her sister-in-law’s feelings, said, “Mother, I’ll go check on her. Siruo, stay with Grandmother. I’ll be back soon.”

“Go quickly.” Madam Bai was concerned about both her granddaughter and her daughter-in-law, sighing deeply.

“Siruo, tell Grandmother, is there someone you like?”

Bai Siruo didn’t answer, burying her head lower and crying even harder. Madam Bai knew she had guessed right.

“If you have a young man you fancy, tell Grandmother. I’ll look into him. If he’s suitable, our family doesn’t mind status differences.”

These words lowered the threshold for Bai Siruo’s marriage, but she didn’t know how to respond.

“Grandmother, I… I…” She struggled to speak but couldn’t form the words.

Madam Bai, understanding that she might be too shy to speak with others around, ordered Xu Mama to dismiss the attendants.

Seeing this, her maid Haitang didn’t dare hide the truth any longer. She knelt down and kowtowed to Madam Bai, “Madam, please help our miss. She’s been looking for that young hero for years. If not for him, she wouldn’t have delayed until now.”

“Haitang!” Bai Siruo, her secret exposed by her maid, felt both shocked and embarrassed.

“A young hero? What do you mean?”

“Do you remember the year our miss fell into Mingchi? It was a young hero who saved her, but we couldn’t find him anywhere in Dongdu.”

Madam Bai’s expression grew serious. This had happened six or seven years ago. Could it be that Bai Siruo had been infatuated with him since then?

“No, Grandmother. I sought him only to repay his lifesaving grace.” she hastily explained before addressing her reluctance to marry.

“I don’t want to marry into my maternal family because… I don’t have feelings for my second cousin. I only met him once as a child, and then he followed my second uncle to defend Liangzhou. I can’t marry someone I’ve met just once…”

Perhaps intimidated by the three grandsons of the General's family, Bai Siruo always thought martial men were like hulking bears with simple minds. Her impression of her second cousin, who was raised as a martial man, was very negative.

The thought of spending her life with such a person made her prefer becoming a nun. If that wasn’t possible, she’d rather join Xu Mingyue, even if it meant being an errand girl.

Madam Bai found her reasoning somewhat amusing. Times were more open now, unlike in her youth, when many saw their future spouses for the first time on their wedding night.

“He was at the longevity banquet. Didn’t you see him?”

Bai Siruo shook her head. She had been too busy showing off that day to notice her distant cousin.

Madam Bai smiled kindly, “Mu Qian is a rare, fine young man, resembling your aunt. Though he grew up in Liangzhou, he isn’t coarse. Your second uncle is a renowned scholar-warrior. Could his son be a brute like Li Da?”

In the storybooks, Li Da was a legendary general, invincible but burly and rough. Somehow, Bai Siruo’s mind conjured images of the General's burly grandsons, sending a shiver down her spine.

Despite Madam Bai’s sincere reassurances, Bai Siruo’s resistance lessened. Meanwhile, Princess Wen Yi regretted hitting her daughter, crying sorrowfully.

“Clearly, she’s your precious daughter, but you still hit her. Now, it hurts you as well.” Bai Lin teased gently.

“Don’t mock me, sister-in-law!”

Princess Wen Yi, crying and laughing at Bai Lin’s words, was comforted as Bai Lin patted her hand, speaking earnestly, “Siruo is still a child. You sprang this on her without warning, knowing her temperament. Of course, she’d react badly.”

“But you know she’ll be seventeen after the new year. If she doesn’t get engaged soon, I truly worry.”

“What’s there to worry about?” Bai Lin was puzzled. Princess Wen Yi’s urgency seemed unusual, though there had been previous talks of arranging a marriage, not with such haste.

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