Shen Xuan had already packed his luggage and was just informed that a sedan chair would be sent to pick him up before dawn tomorrow.
His mother's exact words were: "Lu Yu will definitely not come to escort you, and you've already caused such a scandal. It's not good for you to leave in such a grand manner during the day. I'll send someone to pick you up at the hour of the Ox tomorrow."
After speaking, Madam Shen left without looking back, showing no reluctance for her son's impending marriage.
It was true, all of his mother's emotions and care were directed towards herself. As for Zhao Liu, when displeased, it was always beatings or scoldings. She treated Shen Jia quite well, though with ulterior motives, hoping that the wife Shen Jia would find in the future could bring assistance and prestige to the Shen family.
Thinking of this, Shen Xuan smiled bitterly and shook his head. It was fine, he had known this for a long time, hadn't he? It was better to be married off, then he wouldn't have to stay here anymore.
Shen Xuan walked to the memorial tablet of his father in the inner room, tidied his clothes, knelt properly on the ground, and talked for half the night.
"Young Master, it's already the second watch. You should sleep. You have to get up at the hour of the Rat tomorrow, and besides, your leg can't take it," Afu advised from the side.
Shen Xuan was helped onto the bed. As Afu was about to leave, Shen Xuan grabbed his hand, "Stay and sit with me for a while."
"Young Master, don't be nervous. After you're married, Afu will always be with you," Afu squeezed Shen Xuan's hand back.
Shen Xuan shook his head and smiled, "I wasn't going to talk about this. I wanted to ask you, do you want to stay? After all, you only have your father as your relative."
"Young Master, I won't stay. If my father truly cared about me, he wouldn't have used me to deceive you. He knows the consequences of betraying his master, yet he still hid it from me and deceived me into doing it. He doesn't care about my life or death," Afu immediately shook his head. "Young Master, from now on, you are all I have."
...
The hour of the Rat arrived, and Shen Xuan was already sitting in a chair, waiting for Afu to help him with his grooming.
Afu stomped in from outside, "Young Master, I just went to ask, but... but they were too bullying. They wouldn't even prepare your wedding attire."
"Afu, I remember my maternal grandmother gave me a red outfit when I celebrated the New Year. Get that outfit out," Shen Xuan said calmly, as if he hadn't just received this news.
"But that's the outfit you wore three years ago, it's already too small."
"Go and get it," Shen Xuan glanced at him and smiled reassuringly.
The outfit was a bit short on Shen Xuan, but it wasn't tight.
"Afu, from now on, you need to temper your temper. You must prioritize your own safety in everything." I only have you too.
After being dressed, Shen Xuan knelt before his father's memorial tablet, "Father, your son is about to leave. Don't worry, I will take care of myself."
As he was speaking, a voice from outside urged Shen Xuan to get into the sedan chair.
"Father, your son will take you with him now."
The sedan chair did not leave through the main gate. When it reached the back door, Shen Xuan stopped the sedan chair and prepared to get out.
"Young Master, this is inauspicious," Afu tried to stop him.
"What could be more inauspicious?" Shen Xuan shook his head, got out, knelt on the ground, kowtowed three times towards the main hall, then got into the sedan chair and left without looking back.
When they arrived at Canghe Village, the sky was just beginning to lighten. The farmers should have just woken up, their husbands were cooking, and wisps of smoke could be seen in the distance.
Upon reaching the entrance of Lu Yu's house, the sedan bearers knocked on the door, left Shen Xuan there, and immediately carried the empty sedan chair back. No one knew about the entire process.
Lu Yu had bought firecrackers last night and stayed up late setting them up. She was still fast asleep.
Afu glanced at the pair of red lanterns hanging outside the main door, stepped forward, and knocked, but still, no one opened the door.
"Never mind, she probably hasn't woken up yet. Let's wait outside for a while," Shen Xuan said, then suddenly remembered that he hadn't been able to go out for the past two days and wondered how his maternal grandfather was doing.
"Afu, while there's no one else around, use the money I left with you yesterday to get an ox cart to town and check on my maternal grandfather for me."
"But how can you be alone here? What if what happened that day happens again?" Afu was still scared from that incident and really couldn't bear to leave Shen Xuan alone.
"It won't happen. She'll wake up and open the door soon. Go quickly, it will be even harder to go out later," Shen Xuan frowned, looking anxiously at Afu.
Afu frowned deeply, very conflicted, and finally made up his mind, "Young Master, Afu will be back soon."
Watching Afu's retreating back, Shen Xuan steadied himself and walked back to the door to continue waiting.
It was a lie to say he wasn't worried, but this opportunity to visit his maternal grandfather would not come again anytime soon.
Shortly after, Shen Xuan heard a man's crying and a woman's curses from the back of the village. He could only catch fragmented words, probably about the man accidentally spilling the breakfast he made that morning, and the woman having to go to the fields to work and having no food.
Beating husbands was very common in this society. However, wealthy families kept these private matters in the backyard, disciplining their husbands behind closed doors, appearing as radiant as ever from the outside. As for farmhouses, their walls were not soundproof, and no one avoided it.
The woman's scolding and the man's sobbing gradually faded.
The women also started coming out of their homes one after another, preparing to go to the fields. Shen Xuan, dressed in red by the roadside, was very conspicuous and soon attracted people's attention.
Everyone gathered around Shen Xuan, from initial whispers to group discussions.
Shen Xuan stood by the roadside, his face flushed red, his hands unconsciously clenched. His slightly rapid breathing revealed his nervousness.
With a "creak," the main door opened. Shen Xuan suddenly looked up. The woman who had tried to take liberties with him the day before was now wearing loose clothing and looking out from the doorway with sleepy eyes.
Lu Yu's eyes widened instantly, her sleepiness completely gone. She looked at Shen Xuan in disbelief, then suddenly turned and ran back into the house.
Shen Xuan watched Lu Yu run back, his body instantly stiffening, a chill running through him.
The discussions around him became even more unrestrained, the voices seeming to amplify a hundredfold, striking directly into Shen Xuan's heart.
Why, why would you do this to me? If you didn't want to marry me, why did you let me marry out from my home? I would rather you refused to marry me and let me hang myself than be made a military prostitute.
Shen Xuan felt a wave of dizziness, his feigned composure instantly crumbling. Shen Xuan desperately wanted to pretend nothing was wrong, but he couldn't control his stiff muscles, collapsing to the ground, his breathing becoming difficult.
As soon as Lu Yu stepped out, she saw Shen Xuan slumped on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, his face drained of color.
Lu Yu rushed forward and reached out to support Shen Xuan, placing one hand on his wrist.
Shen Xuan, in turn, grabbed Lu Yu's warm hand. His cold body seemed to have suddenly found a savior. He tightly grasped her hands and looked up, trying to meet Lu Yu's gaze.
Shen Xuan's hollow eyes stared directly at Lu Yu. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Lu Yu was terrified and quickly hugged Shen Xuan, patting his back reassuringly with her other hand, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, speak slowly."
This turn of events also frightened the surrounding people. They thought Shen Xuan would, like other divorced husbands, make a scene, banging on the doors and refusing to leave. They never expected Shen Xuan to react this way.
Shen Xuan's gaze towards Lu Yu gradually focused. He squeezed four words from the depths of his throat, repeating them incessantly, "Please, marry me, please, marry me..."
Shen Xuan trampled all the pride and dignity he had maintained for so many years. He now had only one thought: he did not want to be a military prostitute, nor did he want to implicate his maternal grandparents.
Lu Yu seemed to understand a little. Shen Xuan was probably afraid that she wouldn't marry him, which led to this situation. But, was it really that bad? However, Lu Yu didn't have time to think further and hastily explained to Shen Xuan.
"Of course, I'm going to marry you. I just went back to change into more formal wedding attire. Don't be afraid, I will definitely marry you."
Shen Xuan then noticed that Lu Yu's messy hair had been tied up high, and her loose, baggy clothes had been replaced by a red wedding dress.