Miss Chen the Second thought Jing Xinche had softened his heart and been charmed by her beauty. Immediately, she cried even more pitifully, hoping that Jing Xinche would quickly take her back to his mansion. Even if she could only be a concubine, she would be willing. As long as she had a chance, she could work her way up.
"What's your intention, Marquis?" Lord Chen asked in confusion. For some reason, he had a bad premonition in his heart.
"I've heard that there's an unengaged eligible son in the Li family. That young Master Li is a handsome man, a perfect match for Miss Chen the Second. I'll act as a matchmaker today. What do you think, Lord Chen?" Jing Xinche looked at Lord Chen and said.
Lord Chen slumped into his seat. There was only one eligible young Master Li in the Li family, and that was the fool. This Jing Xinche actually wanted to marry his daughter to a fool!
"No... I don't want to... Marquis, this humble maiden is unwilling..." Miss Chen the Second cried and begged for mercy. Everyone in the capital knew that young Master Li had become a fool after falling into the water when he was a child. If she married him, wouldn't she become the laughingstock of everyone? She didn't want that!
"Marquis, this humble maiden has feelings for you. I only beg the Marquis to give this humble maiden a chance. Even without a proper title, I'm willing," Miss Chen the Second said fearfully as she knelt over to beg Jing Xinche. She didn't want to marry a fool.
She had seen that fool. He couldn't even dress properly. Every time he saw a woman, he would call her mother and drool all day long. If she were to be with such a person, she would be disgusted to death.
"Miss Chen the Second, this is my order, not a negotiation," Jing Xinche said as he stepped his foot back a bit. He couldn't let this woman touch him.
Miss Chen the Second slumped to the ground, in disbelief. "Why?"
She didn't understand why. She was clearly the noble second miss of the Chen Mansion. Why did she end up having to marry a fool? She was so unwilling.
Jing Xinche ignored Miss Chen the Second. He just asked Mu Fengqie if she was full, then took Mu Fengqie and left. Miss Chen the Second was led away in a daze.
As soon as she returned to her room, Miss Chen the Second began to vent her anger. She didn't spare anything in the room. Even the servants were beaten black and blue by her. They knelt on the ground without saying a word.
Miss Chen the Second looked at her personal maid kneeling on the ground with a malicious look in her eyes. She sneered sinisterly. Having raised a soldier for a thousand days, it was time for her to repay the kindness.
Not long after, Miss Chen the Second came out of the room and headed straight for Lord Chen's study.
"Father, your daughter doesn't want to marry," she said. She knew that her father would never let her marry a fool.
"This is the Marquis's order. What can I do?" Lord Chen said maliciously as he looked at Miss Chen the Second. If she weren't so stupid, how could such a thing have happened? It was all her own fault. Fortunately, although this daughter was useless, he still had other children. Moreover, his eldest daughter had a glimmer of hope for recovery.
"Your daughter begs father to send me into the palace. This is the only way out. As long as I become the emperor's woman, no one will dare to provoke me," Miss Chen the Second said.
"Are you serious?" Lord Chen looked at his second daughter in surprise. He had never thought of sending his daughter into the palace, because in the palace, one wrong step could implicate the whole family.
But now it seemed that this was the only way out for his second daughter. She could either be disgraced or enter the palace. But if she was disgraced, she would be drowned in a pig cage. The best solution was to enter the palace. Lord Chen closed his eyes.
He waved his hand and said, "Go down first. Let me think about it carefully."
"Yes, your daughter will take her leave." As long as her father hadn't completely given up on her, she still had a chance.
Lord Chen watched Miss Chen the Second leave. His eyes wavered, and he was indecisive.
"Qie'er, where are we going?" After Jing Xinche and Mu Fengqie left the Chen Mansion, they didn't go back. Instead, they followed Mu Fengqie's advice and drove the carriage straight here.
"Zhu Fei received news that the people from the Jiang family will be making a shipment here tonight, so I want to come and take a look," Mu Fengqie said. Zhu Fei had secretly seen the goods of the Jiang family. Based on Zhu Fei's description, she always felt that those goods were strange. It seemed that she had heard of them somewhere, but she couldn't remember for a moment, so she wanted to come and check.
"Okay, I'll listen to Qie'er. I saw there's a river nearby. I'll take you to eat grilled fish," Jing Xinche said. He had observed that there were very few people here, and almost no one fished here. So the fish here must be fresh and delicious.
The two of them came to the river. Sure enough, they saw a lot of fish. "We don't have any bait. How are we going to fish?" Mu Fengqie looked around but couldn't find any. How could they fish?
"No need. We can just catch them directly," Jing Xinche said. Then he broke off a suitable branch from a nearby tree, sharpened one end, rolled up his trousers, took off his shoes, and waded into the river.
"Qie'er, you wait on the shore. Watch me catch fish for you," Jing Xinche said. He stood still in the river. When he first got in, all the fish around him had been scared away, so he had to wait a while.
Mu Fengqie was bored, so she walked around nearby, found some branches, and started a fire. This way, when Jing Xinche came out of the water, he would be warmer.
Jing Xinche stared intently at his surroundings. Soon, a fish swam over. Jing Xinche quickly and accurately stabbed it. A fat and fresh fish was caught.
Mu Fengqie took the fish and started to prepare it. She was quite good at grilling fish. Although there were no seasonings, the original taste was even more delicious. When the fish in Mu Fengqie's hand was almost done, Jing Xinche came out of the water. There were four or five fish skewered on the stick in his hand.
"Come and have a taste. My fish is grilled," Mu Fengqie said excitedly, eagerly wanting Jing Xinche to taste her cooking skills.
Jing Xinche sat down, took a bite along Mu Fengqie's hand, and said in Mu Fengqie's expectant eyes, "The meat is fresh and tender, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It's delicious."
"Here, this fish is for you. I'll grill another one," Mu Fengqie said as she gave the fish in her hand to Jing Xinche. Then she picked up another fish and started grilling. Jing Xinche didn't decline. He just took it. The fish grilled by his wife was really delicious.
There were a total of six fish. The two of them divided and ate them all without any waste. Mu Fengqie ate two, and Jing Xinche ate the rest. Mu Fengqie couldn't help but wonder if Jing Xinche hadn't eaten enough at the Chen Mansion at noon. Otherwise, why would he eat so much?
Jing Xinche indicated that even if he had eaten enough at the Chen Mansion, he would still finish these fish.
Jing Xinche let out a satisfied sigh. Life was truly perfect. If only his future life could be like this.
"Let's wait here for a while. The people from the Jiang family should be coming soon."