Wu Caiwei, who had walked to a secluded spot to accept the memories with her eyes closed, opened them after a while.
It was unfair to the original host. The story began ten years ago, when the original host was only fourteen, in the prime of her youth.
The original host's father, Bao Laiyun, owned two small shops in the city. They were not rich enough for great wealth, but enough to support his wife and daughter and provide them with a peaceful life. Most people valued sons over daughters, and since Bao family only had this one daughter, Bao Laiyun doted on her, spoiling her since childhood and shaping her into a naive and cheerful personality.
Her encounter with Sun Guotang was accidental. She was shopping at the time and saw a refined-looking man holding a small box, giving it to a woman in front of him. However, the woman didn't even open it and directly refused, "Although I'm not young anymore, I will never be a concubine. You should take these things to coax some younger girls."
Afterward, she left with her personal maid with a flourish, ignoring the man's displeased expression. Bao Susu, standing not far away, saw the entire scene and even witnessed the man's heartbroken appearance. She thought that the man must have loved that woman deeply, otherwise, why would he be so crestfallen at her rejection?
Girls her age yearned for love and felt that the woman didn't cherish this fate. If it were her, she would have gladly accepted. So, she stepped forward and said shyly, "Sir, if she doesn't accept your gift, can you give it to me?"
Sun Guotang, lost in his own world, finally looked up at the bold girl in front of him and couldn't help but show a look of surprise. He had never imagined there was such a radiant girl in the city. He was captivated by her. Bao Susu called out a few times before he snapped back to attention and immediately gave her the gift in his hand.
Bao Susu was overjoyed to receive this unexpected gift. She left, skipping and hopping, while the man whose heart she had stirred stood there blankly, a smile occasionally appearing on his face as he watched her retreating figure.
She didn't know that as soon as she walked through her door, someone following her immediately went back to report to Sun Guotang.
When the matchmaker came, Bao Laiyun naturally treated her with great hospitality. His daughter was of age, and he hoped that these matchmakers would help his daughter find a good marriage.
To his surprise, as soon as they sat down, the matchmaker began to speak of Sun Guotang. Bao Laiyun's brows unconsciously furrowed. If it were someone else, he might not have known, but he knew Sun Guotang. His family had some connections with the Sun family, and he had even provided financial assistance when they were down. Sun Guotang was a rare genius, but he was of the same generation as Bao Laiyun, meaning his daughter should call him Uncle. He never imagined that he would send a matchmaker to propose marriage. If he remembered correctly, Sun Guotang already had a wife. The thought of his daughter becoming a concubine in their home made him immediately refuse.
The matchmaker didn't say much. She had been threatened by the other party this time, and plus the substantial sum of money he had given her, she had reluctantly agreed to make this trip. To maintain her reputation, she carefully considered every introduction she made, earning the recognition of the city dwellers. This time, when the other party mentioned his desire to take in the Bao family's daughter, she had a bad premonition.
Knowing that Master Bao would never agree, as they only had this precious daughter, and the Sun family was not a wealthy clan, this marriage was definitely impossible. However, Master Sun had a determined look, and he directly threw a sum of silver on the table, indicating that regardless of whether the matter succeeded or not, the silver was the matchmaker's if she made the introduction. The matchmaker hesitated for a moment and then nodded, which led to today's situation.
Seeing that the matchmaker's expression hadn't changed, Bao Laiyun couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Although he felt this marriage was truly not good and most people wouldn't agree, offending the matchmaker could lead to her spreading rumors in the city and negatively impacting his daughter's marriage prospects, which would be more harm than good. So, he quickly took out all the copper coins from his sleeves and placed them in front of the matchmaker, flattering her profusely and stating that he had only one daughter and would find her a husband of equal standing to marry as his wife.
The matchmaker repeatedly nodded in understanding. The following days passed peacefully. Bao Laiyun thought the other party had given up, as his daughter was only fourteen, and Sun Guotang was about the same age as him, old enough to be her father. He thought Sun Guotang would back down and thus felt at ease. Sudan Novel Network.
But he didn't know that every time Bao Susu went out, she would run into Sun Guotang, and his refined demeanor made her admire him. Unknowingly, she drew closer, and with his intentional interactions, the young and innocent girl quickly got together with him.
By the time Bao Laiyun found out, it was too late. Looking at his daughter kneeling on the ground with a stubborn expression, he couldn't help but shed tears. "Tell me, what do you see in him? They have a wife at home, and I heard she's not easy to get along with. Our family, though not wealthy, is not bad. He's old enough to be your father; aren't you afraid of being laughed at? Don't say I didn't warn you. Once you enter the Sun family, your life will be difficult. There's still a chance to regret it now. I'll marry you off far away and pretend this never happened."
Bao Susu hadn't expected her father to oppose it so strongly. She kowtowed to him three times without hesitation, saying, "Daughter has disappointed Father, but I will only marry him in this life, even if it's as a concubine."
"How can you be so foolish!" said Bao's wife, sitting beside him, frustrated by her daughter's lack of ambition.
Bao Susu lowered her head and remained silent. Once she set her mind on something, she was extremely determined. Even if her father married her off elsewhere, she would return to find Sun Guotang.
A few months later, a sedan chair entered the Sun family. Seeing the empty courtyard, Bao's couple wept tears of blood.
Initially, they did have a period of sweet days. However, Sun Guotang saw the common people struggling, and the imperial court was corrupt and incompetent. He wanted to achieve something, so he quietly left, changed his identity, and in the area with the heaviest taxes, he contacted the indignant commoners and led a rebellion with them.
Unexpectedly, the spark grew into a prairie fire. In just a few months, he controlled three prefectural cities, something he had never dreamed of before. It seemed the common people had long been deeply disappointed with the imperial court and were now following his lead, hoping to overthrow the government. This was excellent for him. However, after only a few days of his ambitious rise, the imperial court sent troops to suppress him.
Although the imperial court was rotten internally, their army was well-equipped, while his side consisted of ordinary civilians. The disparity was obvious, and they were defeated repeatedly. Just when Sun Guotang thought he was doomed, someone saved him. Knowing that his own abilities were insufficient to compete for supremacy, he decisively pledged allegiance to that person.