Although their eldest son appears honest now, before Madam Zhu’s death, he was quite willful. If he said it, he’d likely go through with it.
He wasn’t afraid of much else, but Zhu Chenxing’s upcoming imperial examination was his main concern, fearing it would affect his reputation. After careful consideration, Lord Zhu made up his mind on the spot, "Since you wish to marry, and the Grand Tutor’s son is helping to mediate, what reason do we have to disagree?"
With the matter settled, Liu Pengcheng hurried home to inform his mother about Wu Caiwei’s situation. He pleaded and cajoled until his mother agreed to take her as a goddaughter. Madam Grand Tutor promptly summoned Wu Caiwei and inquired about her background. This time, Wu Caiwei did not conceal anything.
Upon hearing this, Madam Grand Tutor fell silent and hurried to discuss it with the Grand Tutor.
"The person I sent to investigate her should be back soon. We’ll discuss it then. I never imagined someone with such talent and ambition could be a woman. She has already set her sights on that young man from the Zhu family. Otherwise, I would have liked to see if we had any suitable young men in our family to marry her," the Grand Tutor said with some regret.
Madam Grand Tutor was too lazy to respond, not to mention the kind of women in his harem. They were all short-sighted and overly ambitious. If they heard their son wanted to marry such a woman, they would surely weep and wail, causing endless trouble.
Wu Caiwei had originally thought the Zhu family would propose marriage only after Madam Grand Tutor accepted her as a goddaughter. To her surprise, within a few days, a matchmaker joyfully arrived at the Liu family and began chatting with Madam Liu.
Madam Liu had already heard about this from her daughter and was not surprised by the matchmaker's arrival. Although they had inquired about Young Master Zhu’s health, her daughter had confidently guaranteed that she could cure him. Her daughter was determined, and they wouldn’t listen to anything else, so they could only let her have her way.
With mutual interest, both sides quickly agreed. Perhaps Lord Zhu felt that his son’s health was too frail to last long, as the formal betrothal process was conducted with unusual haste, leaving Wu Caiwei bewildered. Although she had met the two young masters from the Zhu family last time, Zhu Yuxuan had to be carried everywhere. She didn't think his condition was that dire. However, she would be marrying him sooner or later, so the sooner, the better, to avoid any complications.
That night, Wu Caiwei felt her way to his room. As soon as she arrived, Zhu Yuxuan opened his eyes as if sensing her presence and teased, "Do you miss me that much? A few days apart feel like years."
"Yes, I came to see if you were dead," Wu Caiwei retorted playfully. Judging by the strong medicinal scent in the room, it didn't look like a place where a healthy person lived.
"To outsiders, I must appear to be on my last legs, perhaps with funeral arrangements to be made within a month," Zhu Yuxuan said pointedly.
"So your father is so eager to have me marry in to bring good fortune?"
"How could he be so kind? He's merely afraid that if I die without an heir, they won't be able to rightfully claim my mother's dowry. At least, by marrying you, he'll have an excuse to keep the dowry for himself," Zhu Yuxuan sneered.
"Should I go and teach them a lesson?"
"No need. These small matters don't require your intervention. Just wait to be a beautiful bride. From now on, don't believe any rumors you hear about me. The sicker I appear, the smoother our wedding will proceed," Zhu Yuxuan whispered as he embraced her.
A few days later, rumors spread through the marketplace that Zhu Yuxuan was bedridden and on the verge of death. Upon hearing this, Father and Mother Liu were greatly alarmed and rushed to find Wu Caiwei. "Daughter, are your words reliable? Don't let him die before you even marry him. There's no turning back then."
"Don't worry. Do I look like someone who would suffer a loss? Anyone who can bully me hasn't been born yet," Wu Caiwei vowed confidently.
Father and Mother Liu were merely offering well-intentioned advice. Seeing their daughter’s confident demeanor, they knew everything was under her control and felt relieved.
The people the Grand Tutor had sent to investigate Wu Caiwei's background had returned. Listening to the news, the Grand Tutor’s mouth hung open. It was the first time he had encountered such a person – not only brilliant but also skilled in martial arts and medicine. This made him hesitate.
Although she had never actively sought to harm others, she was ruthless in her retaliation. If her life had always been smooth sailing, it would be one thing. But if someone were to make an enemy of her, he had no doubt that Wu Caiwei would strike back. He wondered if she would implicate the Grand Tutor’s mansion.
The Grand Tutor shared his worries with his son. Liu Pengcheng was not someone who took things lightly. He had originally thought the other party was merely a talented ordinary woman, capable of causing little trouble. To his surprise, her actions were earth-shattering. Honestly, he was a bit frightened as well.
As a young master from a prominent family, he was not as naive as he appeared. As long as Wu Caiwei didn't ask, he would pretend not to know anything.
Wu Caiwei had also been a lady of a prominent family and knew their concerns well. For her, having an extra identity or not made no difference. She decided to act as if this had never happened, and their meetings continued as usual.
Soon, it was time for their wedding. A shocking scene unfolded: on a joyous occasion, the groom was nowhere to be found. And during the ceremony, the one performing the kneeling ritual with her was a large rooster. This was a scene she had heard rumored about, but she never expected it to happen in reality.
Seeing the whispers and pointing fingers, Madam Zhu secretly rejoiced. Didn't she want to overshadow her and ruin her child? Didn't she want to be alone in her old age? It was retribution. Soon her son would meet her, and she would enjoy the blessings of descendants. With the Grand Tutor’s daughter marrying in within two months, the Zhu family would ultimately be hers.
Given the groom's peculiar situation, everyone left after the meal, making the wedding unusually somber. When the room was left with just the two of them, Zhu Yuxuan, whose face had been pale and gray, looking as if he were at his last breath, suddenly leaped from the bed. They exchanged a knowing smile; everything was understood without words.
Perhaps to show her magnanimity, or perhaps because Zhu Yuxuan was believed to be dying, Madam Zhu didn’t bother to quibble with them. The tea ceremony the next day proceeded smoothly. Apart from Zhu Yuxuan’s absence due to his supposed poor health, everything appeared perfect.
To test Liu Zhiyi’s mettle, Wu Caiwei specifically paid her a visit.
Liu Zhiyi had heard of this woman’s legendary exploits but had never had the chance to meet her. She wondered what the purpose of this visit was.
"Please take a look, Miss. My mother specifically instructed me to present this to you. This set of jade and pearls is exceptionally rare. Mother thought it would be perfect for someone as young as you, so she sent me to deliver it personally. I humbly accept this honor," Wu Caiwei said with a smile. The jewelry was indeed a gift from Madam Zhu, but it also carried a hint of her desire to provoke. This was all thanks to Wu Caiwei's recent efforts to emphasize her close ties with the Grand Tutor's family in front of the Zhu family. Madam Zhu, unable to stand it, felt that no matter how close Wu Caiwei's relationship with the Grand Tutor's family was, she was still an outsider. Meanwhile, a young lady from the Zhu family was about to become her daughter-in-law.