My Lady Says She Wants to Marry Me - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“Wanrou, your father doesn’t want to see you buried in the mountains by marrying a rustic villager,” Su Shaojun said, his face dark. Unable to persuade his in-laws, he had turned to pressuring his daughter instead.

Su Wanrou had just finished freshening up. Looking at the father before her—who felt increasingly like a stranger—the coldness in her heart deepened. She gave a mocking smile. “Is marrying a man old enough to be my grandfather a better choice then?”

“You!” Infuriated by her sarcasm, Su Shaojun raised his hand to strike her.

Su Wanrou took a step back and laughed. “Father, better not. You are, after all, about to take office as a Censor. If word gets out that the Great Censor sold his daughter for glory, I’m afraid you won’t even be able to start your job.” She advised him with feigned kindness.

Su Shaojun froze, looking at the daughter he hadn’t seen in a year. She felt utterly foreign. The Old Madam had used the excuse of “missing her daughter to the point of illness” to keep Su Wanrou from returning home; with the weight of filial piety upon him, he couldn’t simply ignore it.

Moreover, he was Old Master Shao’s student as well as his son-in-law. Su Shaojun realized his plans had fallen through; Su Wanrou would not be able to provide him with another political boost. Once he understood this, he turned and left without another word, vowing never to interfere in her marriage again.

He was only forty and already a fourth-rank Censor; his future was limitless. Sooner or later, he would shed the label of being a man who relied on women. He also wanted to see how that country bumpkin would handle a woman whose status was so much higher than his own.

Watching Su Shaojun stomp off in a rage, Su Wanrou felt no emotion. Her father used to be good at playing the “kind man,” but now that he had been promoted, he didn’t even bother to pretend. She let out a soft chuckle.

Old Master Shao knew the father and daughter had parted on bad terms, but he said nothing. He simply called Su Wanrou over to ask for her thoughts.

“Grandfather, there is no need to worry. I have already sent people to look into that person,” Su Wanrou said, her heart warming at the old man’s concern.

“Good. Don’t be afraid, girl. As long as your grandfather and uncle are here, your father won’t be able to stir up any trouble.” Shao Yun stroked her head affectionately, looking at her as if seeing his youngest daughter who had passed away early.

A few days later, someone came to find Lu Youming, inviting her to meet at the Chongzhen Temple on Wangcheng Mountain.

Lu Youming knew immediately—Su Wanrou had come for her. It seemed this marriage was set in stone.

She changed into a new long robe and applied a slightly darker powder to her face, shaping her eyebrows into a sharp, heroic arc. Looking at her clear reflection in the bronze mirror, she felt satisfied. She had been here for over a year and marveled every day at her height—about 175cm. Disguising herself as a man felt remarkably natural.

She had specifically gone to wine shops in the county to observe the behaviors and subconscious habits of men from all walks of life. She adjusted her own movements, stripping away her female instincts until, within a month, she had become a “qualified male.”

Though a hunter, she carried a unique aura. Some said she looked like a decisive scholar; others said she looked like a government official with a sense of authority. Some didn’t believe she was a hunter at all; her temperament was not something an ordinary commoner could possess.

Lu Youming could only sigh—she couldn’t exactly explain that this came from being a public servant in the modern world. She was already trying her best to hide it.

Su Wanrou came to the temple today with her grandmother and aunt under the guise of offering incense and praying for blessings, but in reality, it was to discuss the marriage. The Shao family had gathered all the information they could on Lu Youming, including the fact that she was a lay disciple of Priest Puzhen.

Old Madam Shao wanted to see Lu Youming with her own eyes. No matter how much news one gathered, there was always room for error. Her granddaughter couldn’t afford any more mistakes. If the person was good, all was well; if not, she planned to settle the matter with money.

“Grandmother, don’t cry. If you cry, Sheng’er will feel sad,” Su Wanrou said, gently wiping her grandmother’s tears.

“Mother, stop crying. The person is almost here; we can’t lose our imposing manner,” Su Wanrou’s aunt said, hitting the mark. The old lady immediately wiped her tears and touched up her makeup.

Lu Youming arrived carrying gifts and a bunch of wildflowers she had picked along the way, tied with a pale ribbon. She greeted her senior brother, Cai Yun, and headed for her master’s small courtyard.

Priest Puzhen was a female Taoist with a kind, dignified face and an air of immortal grace. When Lu Youming entered the room, she saw two women—one old, one young—observing her. She showed no cowardice or awkwardness.

Old Madam Shao looked at Lu Youming’s handsome face and felt impressed. There truly are recluses in the mountains, she thought, viewing Lu Youming as a sophisticated hermit rather than a mere hunter.

“Young one, how old are you?” Old Madam Shao beckoned her forward, becoming more satisfied the more she looked. “Refined like mountain jade, vibrant like a white deer. You are a good child.”

“Thank you for the praise, Old Madam. I do not deserve such kind words,” Lu Youming replied humbly, though secretly pleased.

Since Lu Youming had no relatives, Priest Puzhen acted as her elder, taking charge of the wedding arrangements.

While the elders talked, the aunt led Lu Youming and Su Wanrou to the back of the mountain, eventually slowing her pace to leave the two youngsters behind. Lu Youming looked at the aunt, who stayed about thirty meters away—close enough to keep an eye on them, but far enough to give them private space.

“Your family is truly wonderful,” Lu Youming remarked. Having had no family in either of her two lives, she occasionally felt envious.

“Indeed,” Su Wanrou smiled. While she lacked her father’s love, her mother’s side truly loved her.

“May I ask what Miss Su’s intentions are?” Lu Youming walked along the shaded path, hands behind her back, curious if this girl really planned to marry her.

“I wish to make a pact with my benefactor,” Su Wanrou said. She didn’t want to simply hand over her life to anyone; she only trusted herself.

“I can do that,” Lu Youming raised an eyebrow. She was relieved—she wouldn’t have to struggle to explain the “wedding night” issue or find a way to draft a contract herself.

“Good. We shall set the pact on our wedding day,” Su Wanrou said smartly. Before the formal marriage, she wouldn’t leave any written evidence that could be used against her.

Lu Youming nodded. This beauty was clever; a written contract before the wedding could be a liability if things changed. “As it should be.”

After their agreement, Su Wanrou privately had someone deliver a small box. When Lu Youming opened it, she saw a stack of silver notes.

“This ‘gratitude fee’ is quite substantial,” Lu Youming counted them—three thousand taels. Enough for a lifetime.