Chapter Forty-Five: Forced Marriage (Part One)

Wei Baofu, upon hearing Rulan’s words, did not panic. Somewhat hesitantly, she said, “Aunt, all of this happened so suddenly; it wasn’t some deliberate scheme. Besides, when life and death are at stake, shouldn’t we be more concerned about survival?”

Rulan sighed helplessly and spoke earnestly, “Has Your Grace never heard the saying, ‘Starvation is a small matter, but the loss of chastity is grave’?” Only then did Wei Baofu realize the gravity of the situation. With a bitter smile, she replied, “I fear it’s already too late. This incident has caused such a stir that word has probably already reached the palace.”

“So what? As long as you return to the palace tonight, avoiding further contact with the Marquis of Zhenbei, and let everyone in the palace see you, there’s still a chance to salvage the situation,” Rulan said urgently. Wei Baofu had never experienced how harsh the standards here were for women, but she was not inclined to challenge them lightly.

She put on her outer cloak calmly and said, “Aunt, I’ll leave at once. Most of my guards are wounded and should stay here to recover. Please arrange for someone to escort me back to the palace. Assign Guard Ye a carriage to himself, leave Yu Shun behind to handle the aftermath, and there’s no need to pack my belongings.”

Wei Baofu was decisive by nature. Once she made up her mind, she wasted no time. Linglong and Pearl appeared bewildered, while Rulan, exasperated, scolded them, “I thought you two were reliable, but you’re just as careless as ever. Hurry up! Her Grace needs someone older to steer things.”

The two maids, chastened, sprang into action. Since the carriage had already been prepared for their arrival, they could depart at a moment’s notice. Rong Yanzong gathered his subordinates, planning to investigate the mastermind behind the attack. Upon hearing that Her Grace was to leave at once, his first instinct was to accompany her to ensure her safety.

But reason prevailed. The princess’s departure at this moment was precisely to distance herself from him. Though it stung, he knew better than to anger her further. He restrained himself and decided to set out at dawn.

Inside the carriage, the three sat in silence. Linglong, seeing how pale Wei Baofu looked, felt heartache. “My lady, why don’t we find an inn and rest for the night? As long as we leave Fuyue Villa, everything should be fine.”

Wei Baofu shook her head. “I understand my aunt’s concerns. Only by returning to the palace as soon as possible can I silence the rumors and defend myself. Otherwise, things may become truly irreversible.”

She was well aware that with her grandmother’s support, no matter how wild the rumors, her life would not be in danger. At most, her reputation would be ruined, she’d be the subject of gossip, and might never find a suitable match.

She didn’t care. Even if she never married, she could still lead a good life. But her grandmother would never accept such disgrace, nor would her aunt. For their sake, she could not allow herself to be maligned.

“Shouldn’t we at least send a letter to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, asking her to suppress these rumors? We can’t let outsiders have their way,” Pearl urged anxiously. She had never witnessed the power of malicious gossip, but she couldn’t bear for her mistress to be sullied.

Wei Baofu offered a reassuring smile. “It’s too late for any of that now. Only my own return will put an end to the talk. Grandmother is irascible by nature—if she hears anything unpleasant, she might not be able to control herself.”

There were things Wei Baofu left unsaid: with the Imperial Consort in the palace, someone would help suppress the matter, or at least give her time to return and handle it herself. Her only worry now was that the Emperor might seize the chance to act as he pleased.

After all, an emperor’s mind was inscrutable, and the Marquis of Zhenbei was a sensitive subject. Wei Baofu could only pray that things wouldn’t spiral out of control.

As expected, before Wei Baofu could return to the palace, the incident at the hot spring villa, fueled by those with ulterior motives, had already become the talk of the town. The focus of the rumors was not on the would-be assassin, but on the supposed affair between the Marquis of Zhenbei and the Princess of Kangping.

The stories grew ever more outrageous—some claimed the two had long been in love and had arranged a secret tryst at the villa, only to be interrupted by assassins. The more the stories spread, the more absurd they became, and even the Imperial Consort’s efforts could not quell them.

The Empress Dowager, furious, hurled her teacup to the floor and thundered, “Those heartless scoundrels! I’m not dead yet, and they dare to bully my Baofu! How dare they even mention her name! They must be courting death—I should send them all the white silk and have them hang themselves, one after another!”

Madam Feng hurried to calm her, gently massaging her chest. “Please, Your Majesty, do not anger yourself. If you fall ill, who will stand up for Her Grace? It’s clear to me that someone is plotting in the shadows, desperate to ruin her. You mustn’t collapse at such a time.”

Madam Qian knelt at the Empress Dowager’s feet, wailing, “If only this old servant had been by Her Grace’s side! With no elder to watch over her, how could this happen? Those two maids deserve to die—how could they let Her Grace’s reputation be tainted?”

Madam Feng sighed. “Madam Qian, don’t make matters worse. Her Grace hasn’t returned and we don’t know the truth yet. We mustn’t lose our heads.”

The Empress Dowager calmed slightly, gritting her teeth. “I’ll ask the Emperor myself—does he mean to reward the Marquis of Zhenbei with my Baofu? That man, no matter how capable, is not good enough for her!”

Madam Feng dared not say much, but gently echoed, “Our young mistress is worthy of the finest men. But Your Majesty, now is not the time to confront the Emperor. With rumors running wild, what could be gained? Surely you wouldn’t have His Majesty execute the marquis; that’s impossible. Better to wait patiently for Her Grace’s return.”

The Empress Dowager sat down, dazed and despondent. “How could my Baofu’s fate be so bitter, unable to enjoy a single day of peace?” Indeed, trouble seemed to follow her wherever she went.

After much effort, Madam Feng managed to soothe the Empress Dowager. Meanwhile, news of the scandal had reached the old matron at the Duke Wei’s household. She hadn’t even started looking for a match for her son, and already the whole city was in uproar. Though she inwardly cursed her son’s lack of propriety, she was secretly delighted. After all, if her future daughter-in-law was decided, it was a good thing, wasn’t it?

Old Lady Chai was patient and not one to act rashly. Outsiders’ words couldn’t be trusted as much as her own son’s. She didn’t want to interfere and spoil his plans. But while she kept her peace, her eldest daughter-in-law could not sit still.

Madam Li, the wife of the Duke’s eldest son, hurried into the Songhe Hall, so anxious she forgot to perform the proper courtesies. “Mother, have you heard the rumors outside? Our third son has behaved disgracefully, tarnishing the princess’s reputation! This must be a misunderstanding. We must arrange a marriage for him at once—once he’s engaged, the gossip will stop.”

It was, indeed, a sound solution. If her eldest daughter-in-law had truly good intentions, Old Lady Chai might have entrusted her with the matter. But she had long seen through the woman’s jealous nature—she couldn’t bear to see another branch of the family outshine her own. Although the title passed to her husband, the eldest son, he was conservative and had little renown, unlike the third son. Over time, Madam Li had grown scheming.

Old Lady Chai made no move to silence her, merely asking coolly, “And do you have anyone in mind?”

Delighted, Madam Li replied, “You know, Mother, my uncle has a young daughter—she’s beautiful and gentle, the perfect match for our third son. Why not let me return home and—”

Old Lady Chai shot her a withering glare and snapped, “Don’t talk nonsense! Your uncle is only a licentiate, not even an official, and his daughter is not fit to be the wife of a marquis. Have you lost your mind?”

Normally, she turned a blind eye to this daughter-in-law’s shortcomings, so long as she didn’t cross the line. Madam Li managed the household and social affairs adequately, and Old Lady Chai had trained her well in the early days. But as the years passed, the woman’s vision had grown narrower.

“But Mother, didn’t you say that in our family’s position, we needn’t care much for the bride’s background as long as she’s a good person? My little sister is truly a woman of fine character,” Madam Li protested.

Old Lady Chai sneered. “You think I’m senile? Never mind your uncle’s vices—drinking, gambling, whoring—but your little sister has tormented maids and servants in secret. So young, yet so vicious and cruel. What right does she have to marry my youngest son?”

Madam Li’s expression changed. She had assumed these minor faults were known only to their own family. Who would have guessed her mother-in-law saw through everything? Embarrassed, she muttered, “You make it sound so serious, Mother. I had no idea she was like that. I’m so busy managing the household, how would I know? But even if not her, we should at least find someone.”

Old Lady Chai snorted. “And why not the princess? Bringing a princess into the family would be a blessing, wouldn’t it?”

Madam Li’s face changed again. Her own family had little standing, her father and brothers lacked ability, and they survived only on inherited rank. If her brother-in-law married a high-born, wealthy princess with the Empress Dowager’s favor, she would be overshadowed completely.

Forcing a smile, she said, “Mother, the princess is under the Empress Dowager’s protection. It’s not something we can decide. Besides, we don’t even know what she’s like—how do we know she’s good enough for our third son? Wouldn’t it be better to act first ourselves?”

Old Lady Chai truly wanted to throw her out, but for the sake of her eldest son and grandson’s dignity, she only said coldly, “I am not dead yet. No matter how they say an elder sister-in-law is like a mother, you have no say in your brother-in-law’s marriage. Go attend to your duties and don’t get in my way. You’re about to be a grandmother yourself—mind your words, and do some good for a change.”