After Transmigrating, I Was Kidnapped By A Scheming Beauty Into The Bridal Chamber - Chapter 2

On the second floor of the “Jin Xiang Yu” teahouse, Jiang Chényú, accompanied by her little maid, hurried to find Matchmaker Wang.

“Aunt Wang, how are the arrangements we discussed? Is everything set?” As soon as she saw the woman, she asked impatiently.

Three days ago, while her stepfather was away, she had discreetly slipped past his watchful eyes to contact this matchmaker. Initially, the matchmaker was reluctant to get involved in a young lady finding a husband for herself.

But when the girl opened a small wooden box, a row of shiny little gold ingots beckoned to her, and she could only think of one saying: “With money, you can make a ghost turn a mill.” Forget arranging a blind date, she would even get married again herself!

“Young lady, don’t you worry. I’ve arranged everything. I’ve booked the entire second floor for you today, and I’ve notified all the suitable young men from near and far. I’m just waiting for you to come and pick one!” Matchmaker Wang grinned, her lips a bright red, and patted her chest in assurance.

“That’s good. Let’s start promptly at the shēn hour (3-5 PM)!” She took a deep breath, determined to burn her bridges behind her.

There was no other way. She could only marry herself off before her stepfather returned, and it would be best if it was public knowledge, so the wedding could happen in the next two days. This way, when her stepfather returned, the deed would be done, and he would be powerless to change it. Compared to her life’s safety, what did a little lost reputation matter? She had no other path left!

“No problem at all, you can rest assured!”

“Good!”

After the cart driver dropped Shěn Hétáng off in Píngzhōu, they parted ways in a place called Qīngyuán Town. The driver was kind enough to give her three coins for three steamed buns, so she wouldn’t faint from hunger on the way before finding her fiancée’s mansion.

Thanks to this kind-hearted man, Shěn Hétáng no longer felt afraid of this strange place. Instead, she looked at everything around her with curiosity. The classical architecture, the vendors hawking their wares along the streets, the crowds coming and going. It all seemed just like something from a TV show. It felt so unreal, as if every step she took was on cotton.

It wasn’t until she had roamed the streets for two days, and the three steamed buns were gone, and the water she drank was begged from a kind elderly woman, that she realized the hardship of survival. It felt as if every step weighed a thousand pounds.

She had asked two restaurants if they were hiring a kitchen hand, but not a single one needed a person. A small eatery finally agreed to take her in, but upon hearing she wasn’t a local and had no place to live, they asked to see her household registry. How could she have one? It was a death sentence.

So she wandered the streets for another two days in a daze, afraid of being captured, and not daring to stay on the main street. It was truly a calamity!

Shěn Hétáng held her stomach with one hand and her waist with the other, continuing to walk forward. A shop ahead seemed to be holding an event, with people both inside and out.

“Hey? Brother, what’s going on in there? Why is it so lively?” She grabbed a young man standing outside the door and asked.

“Oh, little brother, you don’t know? The eldest daughter of the Jiang family is in there throwing an embroidered ball to find a husband. If it weren’t for the fact that I’m already married, I’d definitely go in and fight for it. She’s a beauty who could put the moon and flowers to shame, I heard her fiancé betrayed her and married someone else, which is why Miss Jiang is so heartbroken.”

“Little brother, with your looks, it would be a shame not to go in and try your luck. Hurry, go inside and take a look, it’s about to start!” The man chattered on, wishing Shěn Hétáng could go in and compete on his behalf, just to satisfy his own vicarious excitement.

“No, brother, is there any pastry or fruit inside?” It seemed she hadn’t listened to a single word the man had said.

“Of course, this is the best teahouse, how could there not be pastries and tea?” Before the man could finish his sentence, the youth beside him had vanished.

Despite not having eaten properly for two days, Shěn Hétáng, both the original owner and her past life self, had a healthy body. Pushing her way through the crowd at the entrance was child’s play.

She couldn’t hear what the matchmaker was shouting from upstairs, her mind was focused on the snacks. And sure enough, there were some on the tables. With her eyes wide from hunger, Shěn Hétáng squeezed to a table and lunged for the plate of pastries. The people around her were shouting something, but she couldn’t hear them, only caring about stuffing things into her pockets.

Standing on the second floor, Jiang Chényú had seen Shen Hetang (She was dressed as a male) the moment he walked in. In a crowd of mediocre-looking people, he was simply too striking. His posture was tall and straight, his skin was like jade, with a perfect brow, aquiline nose, and red lips. Calling him one in ten thousand would not be an exaggeration.

But after entering, this person hadn’t even glanced up at the second floor. He was simply eating on his own, even putting food in his pockets. Jiang Chényú’s heart pounded.

He was the one!

All men had two eyes and one nose, so why not choose a handsome one? She gave a look to the little maid beside her, and Chuntáo immediately understood her mistress’s intent. She went straight downstairs, squeezed next to Shen Heteng and waited. She had to admit, her mistress had a good eye. This young master was too handsome. She had already stolen several glances herself.

Seeing that Chuntáo was ready, Jiang Chényú walked directly to the spot closest to Shěn Hétáng in the lively atmosphere. Holding the fiery red embroidered ball in her hand, her beautiful, peach-blossom eyes shimmered with a watery sheen beneath her veil.

“Miss Jiang, over here, over here!” Some other men below shouted excitedly. Although Miss Jiang was wearing a veil, everyone knew she was a famous beauty. If she hadn’t had a fiancé, her doorstep would have been worn out long ago.

Jiang Chényú watched for a long time, but the young man remained with his back to her and didn’t turn around, which made her so anxious she stamped her feet. She gave another look to Chuntáo.

Chuntáo’s eyes darted around before she reached out and turned Shěn Hétáng around. Shěn Hétáng, who had just managed to stuff six unnamed pastries into her pockets, felt someone grabbing her arm and turning her around. Then, plop, a red floral ball hit her.

Immediately after, the little maid next to her shouted loudly: 

“Congratulations to this young master for catching my lady’s embroidered ball and becoming the son-in-law of the Jiang residence. Please come upstairs, young master.”

Shěn Hétáng’s ears were ringing from her voice. She covered the ear closest to the maid with one hand. In her other hand, she held the floral ball. Tired and hungry, her mind was blank, and she felt like a spectator.

“Miss Jiang, you deliberately threw the ball to him! I protest!” At this moment, a big, burly man next to her shouted.

“Yeah, we protest! It’s obvious you’re just into this pretty boy and deliberately threw it to him. Why should he get it?” The others also started shouting.

“This is unreasonable, brother. I’m picking my own husband, so of course I can give it to whomever I want. Since this young master entered the ‘Jin Xiang Yu,’ he’s the same as everyone else. Why shouldn’t he get it?” Jiang Chényú’s voice was mellow and sweet, like drinking syrup.

“But this man is clearly a pretty boy with no strength to speak of. How can he be a good match? I think Miss Jiang should choose me!” As the man spoke, he went up to the second floor, and it looked like he was about to grab at Jiang Chényú.

At this moment, Shěn Hétáng finally understood what was happening. She had been chosen to be a husband. With so many people around, why did they have to pick her?

While she was still thinking about how to escape, the man had already reached the second floor and was reaching for the young lady. In ancient times, a woman’s virtue was more important than her life. What would happen if this wretched scoundrel embraced her?

She quickly threw the item in her hand, and in two steps, ran up the stairs. She grabbed the man’s coat from behind and with a single pull, yanked him back.

When Chuntáo saw Shěn Hétáng throw the embroidered ball to the ground, she quickly picked it up. She couldn’t let anyone else get it. No matter what, she had to secure this young master for her lady tonight!

“Fine, you pretty boy, you dare to hit your grandpa? I’ll tear you to shreds!” The man was enraged. He used his massive body to lunge at Shěn Hétáng.

At this point, Shěn Hétáng’s body moved faster than her mind. With a nimble sidestep, she moved out of the way of the stairs. The man, having lunged too hard, couldn’t stop and fell down the stairs, landing face down.

“Everyone saw it! We didn’t hit this man, he fell down on his own. Since I was throwing the embroidered ball here, I’m partially responsible, so this ten taels of silver is for him as compensation. If this person causes trouble again in the future, I ask everyone here to bear witness for this young lady. I won’t let you help in vain!” The matter had gone beyond her plan. She said this with all her courage, her fingers trembling, but still pretending to be calm.

Shěn Hétáng watched the young lady get the upper hand, speaking so eloquently, even using money to sway the public. She really wanted to see what the person behind the veil looked like.

“We all saw it! He really did fall on his own. He also tried to lay his hands on Miss Jiang, we all saw it, didn’t we?” The man who was a loyal fan of Miss Jiang was the first to stand up and speak on her behalf.

Soon, several others began to speak up for her. The troublemaker glared at Shěn Hétáng twice, and seeing that things were not going his way, he took the silver and left.

Seeing the man leave, Jiang Chényú patted her chest. She had been truly frightened. This was already a sneaky business, what if something else went wrong? What would she do?

Shěn Hétáng, seeing that everything was fine, turned to leave. But as soon as she took two steps, a soft little hand grabbed her sleeve.

“Where are you going, young master?” Her voice held a hint of urgency, and her fingertips gripping his sleeve were turning red.

“I can’t accept your embroidered ball, miss. I bid you farewell.” With that, she was about to continue down the stairs.

“No! Since you’ve accepted the embroidered ball, you are my husband! In life, you are my man, in death, you are my ghost!”

“Shall we talk somewhere else?” Seeing that she wouldn’t let go and that there were still people below watching the commotion.

“Mm, I’ll listen to the young master!” Hearing that they would talk in the back, her voice calmed down, but the hand on his sleeve remained.

The two entered a private room inside, and only then did Jiang Chényú release her fingers and pull off her veil.

A face like a lotus, peach-blossom eyes, a delicate and straight nose, and cherry-pink lips. The lashes at the corners of her eyes were long and slightly curled. If she had a small peach blossom stuck to her forehead, Shěn Hétáng would have thought she was a flower spirit. Every gesture was a pure and enchanting seduction, an allure she was unaware of.

Shěn Hétáng stared in a daze. Even if she wasn’t a man, she still loved to look at beautiful women. The young lady was still young, and her features were more pure than seductive. In time, she certainly had the potential to be a “demon consort.”

“To be honest, I’ve lost my memory and don’t know anything. I also have no home and don’t know where to go. I really can’t marry you!” Shěn Hétáng, having regained her composure, quickly explained. She still didn’t know her own identity and dared not reveal that she was a woman.

“Lost your memory? No home?” Jiang Chényú was also stunned after hearing this. Without a home, how was she going to leave the Jiang residence? As she thought about it, a glimmer of tears welled up in her eyes.

“Hey? Don’t cry!” Was she made of water? Why was she about to drop golden tears at the drop of a hat?

“But I must get married today, otherwise, what will I do!” Her stepfather might return tomorrow, and she only had tonight.

“Hmm… it’s okay if you don’t have a home, you can marry into my family! I’ll take care of you!” A brilliant idea suddenly popped into her head—she could find a live-in husband. Wú Dàoyuǎn was a live-in husband, wasn’t he?

The young lady looked at her with stars in her eyes, as if she would start crying immediately if she dared to say no.

“I have a reason why I must get married today. If you won’t help me, I will get married, even if I have to find a beggar outside.” Seeing that Shěn Hétáng was unmoved, Jiang Chényú said in despair.

Seeing her attitude, Shěn Hétáng knew she must be in some kind of trouble. But if she was truly forced to marry a beggar, it would be better for her to marry her.

“If you truly need a husband, I can help you with this. However, if there ever comes a day when we divorce, Miss’ reputation will be damaged, and it will be difficult for you to find another man!” Shěn Hétáng laid out the pros and cons for her, so she could make her own choice.

“As long as you help me through this difficult time, even if we don’t have a future and part ways, this humble lady will offer you a generous gift.” Jiang Chényú promised with urgency and determination.

At this point, the maid, Chūntáo, seeing the situation, quickly stuffed the embroidered ball into Shěn Hétáng’s arms.

After making up her mind, Shěn Hétáng looked at the bright red embroidered ball in her arms and thought to herself that there was always a way, and that a golden bowl had fallen from the sky. Why not hold onto it for a bit?

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