The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

Chapter 234 : Marriage Proposal (4)

Yuxi was a very cool-headed person. Although she felt that Chen Ran was earnest and did not have another agenda, she still said. “Second Master Chen, those girls are not necessarily as soft as you say they are. It’s too arbitrary for you to conclude that they can’t withstand setbacks after only meeting them once.”

Chen Ran didn’t respond to Yuxi’s statement. What did it matter if it was arbitrary or not? He just didn’t see the point anyway. But instead of arguing with Yuxi on the subject, he asked her a question. “If it were you, knowing that you would be marrying in the barren northwest and that your future husband would be a murderous man, what would you do?” His Dajie was a delicate flower kept in a greenhouse, unable to withstand the slightest setback. Her family was also a family of martial generals. Since his jie was already this fragile, how could he expect the delicate, lovely girls he met to withstand the wind and rain? Of course, even if there was a girl, who was soft on the outside but firm on the inside, he could only say that they had no fate of meeting.

Yuxi went speechless. She never thought Chen Ran would ask such a question. However, she did not shy away from it but answered frankly, “I have heard rumours about Yun Qing. In fact, I don’t believe it.”

Chen Ran was stunned. He didn’t expect Yuxi’s answer would be like this. “Why don’t you believe it?”

Yuxi explained, “Perhaps Yun Qing has killed many people, but there are rumours out there that he is bloodthirsty, cold-blooded and brutal. He even kills those around him if he doesn’t like them. How can a man who can’t even control his own emotions convince those around him to trust him and even give their lives to him?” As bad as Yun Qing’s reputation was, there was one thing that anyone could not doubt. He fought very well, he often won battles, and that army he led was known as the Iron-Blooded Division. Why would so many people still follow Yun Qing if he was as brutal and cold-blooded as the rumours?

Chen Ran felt that the topic of their conversation had gone askew. Instead of discussing what kind of person Yun Qing was, he wanted to know how Yuxi would deal with it. He didn’t want to hear Yuxi praise Yun Qing. Without Yun Qing, his Dajie wouldn’t have died. Chen Ran shifted their conversation back to the initial topic. “If Yun Qing is really a bloodthirsty person, what would you do?”

Yuxi wondered why Chen Ran was so persistent in asking such a question. However, she still answered honestly, “Since I don’t believe in this rumour, I naturally won’t be afraid of him. However, suppose I arrive at the border city and find that he really can’t control his emotions and kills even those around him when he goes berserk. In that case, I will find a way to escape.” Even if one’s reputation was important, it was not as significant as one’s life!

That was the topic Chen Ran was interested in. “Escape? Where can you escape to?”

Yuxi replied, “Heaven never seals off all the exits. If you want to live, you can always find a way to survive!”

Chen Ran very much agreed with her sentence, but he still wanted to ask, “Even if you escape the northwest, but you can’t go back to the capital, what will you do for a living?”

When it came to this kind of situation, Yuxi was sure that she would survive well outside. She hadn’t learnt all that for nothing. However, Yuxi did not need to tell Chen Ran these and simply repeated her previous answer nonchalantly. “As long as you want to live, you can always find a way to survive.”

Another question came from Chen Ran. “If you did manage to escape and survive well, will you remarry then?”

Yuxi felt a flock of crows fly over her head. When she said that this guy’s brain circuit was very different from others, now look, she was right. How could anyone ask the person who might become his wife these kinds of questions? “Do you want to hear the truth or the lie?”

Naturally, Chen Ran wanted to hear the truth.

Yuxi didn’t have any favourable impression on Chen Ran, but she didn’t loathe him. Although Chen Ran’s brain was very different from others, it was much better than that two-faced Jiang Hongjin. “He wanted to kill me, so why should I be a widow for him? If I can escape and meet the right one, I will naturally remarry.”

Chen Ran threw out another question, “What about your children? Will you also remarry if you already have children?” Fortunately, there was no one next to them, or else Chen Ran’s question would probably have scared them badly.

Yuxi genuinely felt that Chen Ran was a weirdo. If others were to see such an eccentric side of Chen Ran, he would certainly not be so popular. That was why rumours consistently misled people. “Second Master Chen, are you forcing me to answer this kind of question against my will?” With a child on the line, she would certainly not think of running away. But try to change the other person instead. Even if she could not change him, she would not leave her child behind. If she wanted to escape, she would take the child with her. She, herself, had grown up without a mother and with a father who loathed her. Suffering that outsiders would never know. There was no way she would let her child experience anything like that. However, it was enough to know this in her heart. There was no need for her to tell them to Chen Ran. [+]

Looking at Yuxi’s expression, he could guess her answer. Smilingly, he said, “I have finished asking my questions. Do you have any questions for me?”

Naturally, Yuxi had questions. A bellyful of them. “Do you have someone you like?” She didn’t want to marry another man who had affection for another person. She had suffered it once. She couldn’t let herself fall into that pit again.

Chen Ran found it surprising that Yuxi would ask him such a question. He responded amusedly, “This is a somewhat stupid question. If I had someone I liked, would I have wanted to marry you?” If he had someone he liked, he would have married the person he liked. Why would he marry someone else? [T/N]

Yuxi was very satisfied with his answer and asked a crucial question. “If your mother doesn’t like me and always makes things difficult for me, will you stand on my side?” If the Lady of Taining made things difficult for her, Chen Ran could stand on her side to protect her. Then she would not have to fear her mother-in-law making things difficult for her.

This was an excellent question since it concerned a matter of personal interest. Chen Ran nodded and said, “If my Mother were to make things difficult for you, for no reason, I would surely be on your side. But don’t worry, my Mother is a very disciplined person. As long as you don’t overstep the rules, she won’t deliberately make things difficult for you even if she doesn’t like you.”

The Book of Songs Cover

The Book of Songs

Image Credit : Baidu via 每日头条 (周克庸读书札记：《诗经·大雅·抑》第七章“屋漏”解原文網址, Sept 7th, 2019))

Yuxi was also pleased with this result and said, “Together we’ll drink wine and live to ninety-nine. Lute and lyre by our side; in peace, we shall abide.” These phrases were taken from the poem «The Wife Says the Rooster Crows» in «The Book of Songs : Lessons From the State•Folklore of Zeng». Yuxi borrowed these lines to express her own expectations of marriage and asked Chen Ran’s attitude towards marriage. As Chen Ran was not sticking to one form anyway, there was no need for her to act coy, and she should just ask him what she wanted to ask.

Chen Ran burst into a smile as he laughingly said, “Together we’ll drink wine and live to ninety-nine. Lute and lyre by our side; in peace, we shall abide.”

Yuxi breathed out a sigh of relief and said, “I accept you.” She had agreed to this marriage. No matter what the future held, at least Chen Ran was now sincere and genuine in his desire to marry her. Chen Ran’s attitude also gave her confidence in their future marriage.

The smile on Chen Ran’s face didn’t fade away as he asked, “Would you like to hear me play a tune?” He remembered the last time Yuxi heard the tune he played, she had gotten intoxicated while listening to it.

Yuxi nodded and said, “Sure.” Chen Ran’s flute playing was so good that she could only worship it. It might not be a bad idea to listen to it even though she could not reach his level.

The notes from the flute waved in the wind, passing leisurely through the long years, telling the infinite reverie of the piper so that people who listen to the music couldn’t help falling into it.

After listening to a song, Yuxi gasped with admiration, “It’s perfect.” She would never be able to reach such a standard in her lifetime. However, there would be plenty of opportunities to listen to it later.

Chen Ran gazed at Yuxi with a touch of brilliance in his eyes, “If you want to learn, I will teach you later.” It was inconvenient now, but there would be plenty of time to teach her later.

When Yuxi heard this, her face finally turned slightly red. “We’ll talk about it later. I have been out for a long time and have to go back.” The two people had been talking for such a long time that lunchtime was estimated to have passed.

The lunch hour had indeed passed, but Qiu Shi had been waiting for her. When she saw Yuxi, she asked, “How did the talk go?”

Yuxi said with some embarrassment, “We’ve discussed them all.” She didn’t feel it when they talked about them, but now, she found it inconceivable when she looked back and thought about it. How could she have said something like that back then? That guy was indeed a strange man. There was no telling if she would either be stained with the vermilion or the ink in the future.

Qiu Shi didn’t ask for anything specific and was satisfied with her words. “You’re hungry, aren’t you? Come on, let’s go and have a meal.” The matter was successfully resolved. Thus, the visit to the temple in the middle of winter had not been in vain. [+]

After lunch, Qiu Shi dragged Yuxi to worship the Bodhisattvas at Lingshan Temple and donated 1,000 taels of joss stick money.

On the other side, the Lady of Taining also asked Chen Ran, “How is it? Has the misunderstanding been solved?” After listening to Qiu Shi’s talk for a long time, the Lady of Taining Hou now had a much better sense of Yuxi.

Chen Ran nodded slightly. “I’ve explained it clearly, and she agreed.” Without a clear explanation, it was impossible to say that Han Yuxi wouldn’t really mess up the marriage.

The Lady of Taining nodded. “That’s good then.”

On the way back, the Lady of Taining asked Old Woman Lin, “How credible do you think Qiu Shi’s words are?” Qiu Shi had been praising Han Yuxi as if she were a flower. Although she knew that Qiu Shi was a straightforward person who would not beat around the bush, she was still cautious about matters that concerned her family interests.

Old Woman Lin answered, “Most of them should be true. If my Lady still has doubts, just ask Miss Biao.” Miss Biao here was referring to Ye Qing.

The Lady of Taining responded, “Forget it. No need to ask her.” The two families had already agreed and were just waiting for the matchmaker to come to the door. It was not a good idea to inquire about Han Yuxi at this time, and it wouldn’t be good if the rest of the Han family knew about it.

Old Woman Lin knows why the Lady of Taining Hou was asking her about this matter. “My Lady, Third Lord Han has always disliked Fourth Miss Han, and Wu Shi is her stepmother. So it makes sense for Fourth Miss Han to be more thoughtful. Now that the Main House has adopted her, everything goes well for her, and she looks refreshed.” Fourth Miss Han’s father was unreliable, and her stepmother was not a good one. Under such circumstances, it was normal for her to have some means. If she didn’t have any means, she would be impatient, and as a result, she would be swallowed to her bone.

The Lady of Taining nodded slightly. “That’s true.” If Yuxi didn’t have a few tricks up her sleeve, she might not even have a life. Although the Lady of Taining’s residence had always been safe and sound, she was still well aware of the tactics of those in the inner house. So this time, her feelings towards Yuxi were two points better.

Old Woman Lin spoke of something rather insightful, “My Lady, you can see the difference whether a child is loved or not.”

The Lady of Taining agreed with this statement. “A child who is loved will be treated as a treasure, while an unloved child will be treated just like grass. Right now, Fourth Miss Han is a treasure in Lady Han’s palm, which is why she gives off the impression of being reborn.” When Qiu Shi told her how good Yuxi was to her before, the Lady of Taining somewhat believed her words. If Yuxi was not good for Qiu Shi’s, how could she be adopted to the Main House in that situation at that time?