1997 Marriage

I am incredibly clever, how could I have been deceived by this little vixen?

Hu Xiao Cui had just returned from the White Rabbit when she saw Ying Yue. That Ying Yue had departed not long ago and transformed into a pool of water, scattered across the ground. Before dying, her face still showed fear.

Hu Xiao Cui had entered the Jade Bamboo Cave, but didn’t see her. She ran to where Hu Yu Ji was sitting, picked a vibrant flower, circulated her demonic power in her palm, and the flower transformed into a black pill. Overjoyed, Hu Xiao Cui danced happily and threw it away.

“What audacity! To steal magic at such a young age, with your mind already filled with schemes, I might as well kill you!”

Hu Yu Ji also picked another flower and came out. Hu Xiao Cui lowered her head, not daring to look up.

“Mother, please don’t be angry. Xiao Cui only wanted to learn some minor techniques to protect herself.”

Hu Xiao Cui shook her head and said hurriedly.

“If you had no ill intentions, how would you need to secretly learn spells in the shadows?”

Hu Yu Ji raised her hand to strike Hu Xiao Cui’s face.

“Wait! Xiao Cui didn’t steal it. A while ago, I met you, mother, and personally saved the son of the old fox. Seeing you with such righteous indignation and boundless compassion, I admired you immensely. So, inadvertently, I remembered your incantation.”

Hu Xiao Cui said fearfully, lifting her hand.

“In that case, you should get married. Let others properly teach you discipline. After all, I owe them a favor.”

Hu Yu Ji was pondering how to assist Wang Hong Zhi.

“What? Mother, you want me to marry?”

Hu Xiao Cui exclaimed in astonishment.

“Mother has already arranged this marriage for you, and you must go through with it!”

Hu Yu Ji would not allow opposition, and withdrew her hand.

“Mother, why do I have to marry?”

Hu Xiao Cui also hoped Hu Yu Ji would withdraw the marriage proposal.

“Thirty years ago, mother endured a lightning tribulation. It was a scholar named Wang Hong Zhi who saved me. Today, he came to seek my help in finding a wife for his son. This kindness, I must repay.”

Hu Yu Ji said, hands clasped behind her back.

“Could it be that… besides forcing her daughter to marry, mother has no other way to repay the kindness? Then mother would rather sacrifice her own daughter?”

Hu Xiao Cui had no intention of marrying at all.

“The Wang family are officials. After all, the benefactor is a kind-hearted man. This marriage is excellent; mother has decided. You have no right to refuse. To prevent you from fleeing, I will seal your demonic powers. When tomorrow you go to the Wang residence, it will naturally be lifted.”

After speaking, Hu Yu Ji raised her hand, circulated her demonic power, a strand entered Hu Xiao Cui’s body, and then she departed.

The next day, during the day.

“Reporting to the lord and madam, outside there is a woman who calls herself Aunt Hu, claiming her family is impoverished to the point of destitution, and she insists on selling her daughter to the Tai Chang Mansion to serve as a slave.”

Man Xiang walked from the entrance to the main hall and said.

“There truly is someone so unreasonable!”

Madam Wang, now preoccupied with her son Wang Yuan Feng’s marriage, had her brows furrowed tightly.

“Perhaps life has forced her hand, madam.”

Wang Hong Zhi took a sip of tea while speaking with Madam Wang, then turned to Man Xiang: “Man Xiang, invite that Aunt Hu inside. First, inquire clearly about the situation before proceeding.”

“Yes, lord.”

Man Xiang nodded and went out to handle it.

“Lord and madam, please do a good deed and save my humble family!”

The two entered the main hall, knelt on the ground without lifting their heads to regard Wang Hong Zhi.

“Tell me everything in detail.”

Wang Hong Zhi set down his teacup.

“My family has suffered years of drought in the countryside, with poor yields, leading to hunger and hardship. Unexpectedly, my father passed away the day before yesterday. As a widow with five children, I can no longer endure it.”

Hu Yu Ji did not raise her head but secretly glanced at Hu Xiao Cui, who was kneeling behind her. Hu Xiao Cui also kept her head lowered, kneeling on the ground.

“How pitiful.”

Madam Wang, upon hearing this, felt deep sympathy.

Man Xiang, go to the accounting room and fetch a few ingots of silver to provide temporary relief for this aunt.

Wang Hong Zhi looked at Man Xiang without thinking much and said, “Is what Aunt Hu said true or false?”

“Lord, I am not a beggar nor am I selling my daughter. I do not want your silver; I only hope my daughter can exchange her labor for food and shelter.”

Hu Yu Ji, hearing Wang Hong Zhi’s words, quickly responded.

“I see this aunt is quite upright. However, our family does not lack servants.”

Madam Wang chimed in from the side.

“Madam, my daughter is quite pretty, well-mannered and beautiful, obedient. If she is fortunate enough and you don’t mind, she could become a concubine or daughter-in-law. My daughter will not be picky at all. Lord and madam, please do a good deed and save our humble family.”

Hu Yu Ji lifted her head and said, then bowed again.

“May I ask, Aunt, whether you truly wish to leave your daughter here?”

Wang Hong Zhi and Madam Wang exchanged glances. Wang Hong Zhi looked at Hu Yu Ji and said.

“I believe the lord and madam will treat her well.”

Hu Yu Ji lifted her head.

“This… what does the young lady think?”

Wang Hong Zhi pondered for a moment. It should be his request for help from the fox immortal lady. He looked at Hu Xiao Cui and asked.

“Young lady, may I see your face? Please lift your head.”

Madam Wang also said from the side.

“Lift your head quickly.”

Hu Yu Ji glanced at the Hu Xiao Cui behind her, who seemed asleep, and patted her with her hand.

“Greetings to the lord and madam.”

Hu Xiao Cui reluctantly lifted her head.

Wang Hong Zhi and Madam Wang saw how beautiful Hu Xiao Cui was, like a fairy. They exchanged looks and nodded in agreement.

Wang Hong Zhi and Madam Wang agreed to take Hu Xiao Cui in. Hu Yu Ji then left.

“What does your young master look like?”

Hu Xiao Cui was arranged to the east wing room, then asked the maid behind her.

“Young master? He is just like you, a kind-hearted good man.”

The maid could only smile and reply to Hu Xiao Cui.

“Young madam must be tired. We will take our leave first.”

The maid then said.

Hu Xiao Cui nodded in agreement.

“These people in the mansion are really meddlesome, coming to peek at their future young mistress.”

In her room, eating flower cakes, Hu Xiao Cui noticed someone peeking through the window at her. She thought to herself and circulated demonic power in her palm to turn it into a stone, then flicked it behind.

“Ouch!”

Wang Yuan Feng touched his forehead, in pain, and left. If he had known, he wouldn’t have listened to Man Xiang’s advice and come to peek at what a wife he was getting, even if it was Hu Xiao Cui.

Not long after, it was Wang Yuan Feng and Hu Xiao Cui’s wedding.

Because Hu Xiao Cui couldn’t find her natal home, she had to walk around the mansion before the firecrackers started.

“Sons, with so many people here, it’s just you eating!”

Wang Yuan Feng had just welcomed an official, turned around and saw Wang Yuan Feng eating, stepped forward and slapped the melon seeds in Wang Yuan Feng’s hand.

“Dad, I’m so bored. Why haven’t I seen my wife yet?”

Wang Yuan Feng held an apple in his hand and took a bite.

“Good son, it will be soon. The auspicious time is approaching.”

Madam Wang took the apple that Wang Yuan Feng was about to bite from the side, making Wang Yuan Feng watch it disappear with a bitter expression.

“The prime minister has arrived, the prime minister has arrived.”

Wang Hong Zhi hurriedly went forward to greet.

The prime minister!

Wang Hong Zhi stepped forward and bowed.

“Prime Minister, your honorable presence honors me greatly, making my face glow with gold, truly rejuvenating my spirit. Haha…”

After speaking, Wang Hong Zhi laughed heartily.

“Lord Wang, you are too kind. Today is Young Master Wang’s happy occasion, so of course I must come to celebrate.”

“Prepared a Guanyin statue, wishing Lord Wang and Madam a full house of children and grandchildren!”

Zhong Yuan Zheng, with silver hair, in high spirits, picked up the box from the servant beside him and said.

“Thank you very much, Prime Minister. Come, please the prime minister to your seat. Show him hospitality and do not neglect him.”

Wang Hong Zhi held the Guanyin statue with both hands and bowed, then instructed the servants.

“Prime Minister, please!”

Wang Hong Zhi then handed the Guanyin to Man Xiang and stretched out his hand to sit on the left side of the main seat.

“The bride has arrived!”

At this moment, the matchmaker carried Hu Xiao Cui into the main hall and called out.

“Young master, take this, the bride has arrived.”

Man Xiang held the red silk in his hand, handed one end to Wang Yuan Feng and the other to Hu Xiao Cui.

“Prepare to perform the ceremony!”

The matchmaker supported Hu Xiao Cui to the front of the high hall.

“Wait!”

“Prime Minister, Tai Chang, it seems my Wang family almost arrived late.”

Wang Jin Pin walked into the hall, cupped his hands and said.

“Not late at all, Lord Wang, you are truly thoughtful.”

Wang Hong Zhi could only smile and welcome Wang Jin Pin.

Zhong Yuan Zheng only nodded slightly.

“Young Master Wang of the Wang family, dressed in the groom’s attire, is truly a fine man, unlike the usual two different appearances. Truly, one is judged by his attire and another by his gold adornment.”

Wang Jin Pin at this time looked at Wang Yuan Feng and said with a smile.

“Lord Wang is too flattering.”

Wang Hong Zhi also knew Wang Jin Pin was his rival and would definitely do something to make him look foolish, so he endured it while smiling.

“Tai Chang, congratulations on your son’s wedding. I also brought some gifts.”

“Bring them up.”

After Wang Jin Pin finished, he stood to the side.

“You’re too kind.”

Wang Hong Zhi still didn’t know what trick Wang Jin Pin was up to.

“Fu, Lu, Shou, why is there only one Shou image?”

Wang Hong Zhi saw the Fu and Lu images, but the Shou image was missing, his expression darkened, knowing Wang Jin Pin was causing trouble.

“Tai Chang, everyone outside says Young Master Wang is an absolute fool, so this time I only sent Fu and Lu stars, plus Young Master Wang, which perfectly makes Fu Lu Shou, the three stars. Haha.”

After Wang Jin Pin finished, he laughed loudly.

“Yes, truly thank you, sir!”

Wang Hong Zhi’s face turned green with anger, yet he still cupped his hands and said with a smile.

“Lord Wang, you shouldn’t be too harsh on people.”

Zhong Yuan Zheng couldn’t bear to listen and said something.