Category: The Big Landlord

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Chapter 40 – Exchanging Cups*

[*T/N: 交杯酒 jiao bei jiu: formal exchange of cups of wine between bride and groom as traditional wedding ceremony]

As night fell, the shadow cast by the candlelight swayed on the paper panels of the window.

Fu Wu Tian walked into the inner room with a steady pace. At a glance, he saw An Zi Ran sitting on the edge of the bed. The youth’s hands were placed on his lap, and the calm face was illuminated by the candle. His heart thumped. Then he walked over.

An Zi Ran noticed someone coming in and looked up. He saw the handsome and tall Fu Wu Tian approaching, and his hands clenched slightly. Even he could not explain it. They were obviously acting, but he was really a bit nervous. He already had this feeling when Fu Wu Tian carried him down from the sedan chair.
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An Zi Ran did not want to admit that he was experiencing the feelings of a newly wedded bride. But the thumping of his heart told him the truth of the situation.

“Wang fei.” Fu Wu Tian stood in front of him and called him.

An Zi Ran glared at him. The first time, Fu Wu Tian called him that they were in front of everyone, so An Zi Ran could not refute him and not give him face. But he even dared to call him that a second time. Now they were in private. There was only the two of them. Even if they were acting they didn’t have to put on a show all the time.

“Wang ye, although I married you, don’t forget our agreement.”

Fu Wu Tian nodded incomparably serious. “Wang fei, I have not forgotten.”

An Zi Ran: “…”

Fu Wu Tian reached out to him and said, “Come out with me for a bit, I will introduce you to a few people.”

An Zi Ran thought he had heard sounds from outside, and guessed that a group of people had come to disturb the bridal chamber. Hearing Fu Wu Tian’s words he understood what he meant, and couldn’t help but accidentally arch his eyebrow.

Fu Wu Tian did not wait for him to answer. Using a strength that would not hurt him, Fu Wu Tian grabbed one of his arms and gently pulled him up. The two went out together.

The soldiers were pushing each other forward. No one wanted to be the first one to stick his head out. The most tragic one was that heckling youth. Because he was the youngest of them all, he was taken for granted by them. On this happy day, he was crying and sulking. Guan Su gave him a teasing word and everyone was ungrateful towards him.

When Fu Wu Tian and An Zi Ran appeared, they quieted down in an instant. As if they were back in the army again, they all stood ramrod straight. All eyes were twinkling as they aimed at An Zi Ran.

It’s not that they’ve never seen An Zi Ran. Everyone saw An Zi Ran when he first visited the Fu palace, however, the perspective at that time was of a completely unrelated stranger. Now it was different. This person will become the general’s wang fei and spend the rest of his life with the general.
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“These people are all my subordinates. They will come by often in the future. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with them, so that you can call them by name when you next see them.” Fu Wu Tian spoke his purpose and once again caused An Zi Ran to arch his brow.

They were only putting on a show; did they need to be so serious?

Despite his doubts, An Zi Ran did not show it.

The gathered crowd was also very surprised. Only now did they know that the general wanted to introduce them to the wang fei. To be so unofficially serious, they were surprised by the turn of events. They immediately took measure in their hearts. It seemed that wang ye was very likely to be serious. Originally, they thought that there may be something going on behind the scenes, for example, the lao wang ye was forcing Fu Wu Tian or the like, but it would seem they were thinking along the wrong path.

The young man that had a more excitable temper immediately stood up and said in a loud voice, “I am Shao Fei. I am very glad to make your acquaintance, wang fei. Please advise me in the future!” The formulaic language was set off by his grinning expression.

Following his lead, the others introduced themselves one by one. Except for two people who did not come, Fu Wu Tian’s subordinates who were also his trusted aides were here, and of course there were some people who simply could not make it to the wedding ceremony (due to their duties).

Although An Zi Ran had doubts in his heart, he still made sure to remember everyone.

Then, the crowd that was thinking of coming to disturb the bridal chamber was driven out by Fu Wu Tian. In the end, nothing was done, no pranks were played. It was just for the wang fei to be familiar with their faces in the future.

Although the crowd was disappointed, it was also within their expectations. If the general really allowed them to disturb the bridal chamber that would be unbelievable.

Looking at the door closed in front of them, Shao Fei looked disappointed. He really thought they could heckle the couple for fun. He certainly was naïve. Just one look at his expression and other people were able to guess at his thoughts. They couldn’t help but think that it was funny. But in the military camp, you needed such a simple and naïve buffoon. They didn’t like those who had too much thoughts and schemes within their hearts.

“Ah, that’s right, why haven’t we seen Zhong Yue?”

Shao Fei reacted and finally found that there was one person missing. As soon as his words came out everyone turned quiet. He was bewildered. “How come you guys aren’t saying anything?”

Guan Su leaned his arm against a pillar of the corridor. A smile crossed his lips. “Little Brother Shao Fei, first take care of yourself before thinking of asking after other people’s matters.”

[T/N: They’re not biological brothers of course. It’s just a term of address that denotes the age relation between two people.]

Shao Fei was dispirited. “I was only asking lightly.”

“Okay, okay, don’t talk nonsense. If we wait for the general to come out and see us still loitering around we will be noted down. Let’s go quickly!” A veteran soldier hurriedly pushed him out, and a foggy Shao Fei was passively pushed away.

Back in the bridal room, finally only the two of them were left.

Fu Wu Tian brought An Zi Ran over to the table. The table was covered in a red cloth embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water. On top, sat a pair of dragon and phoenix candles. Nearly half of the candles were already burned away. There was also a jug of wine and two small and delicate crystal cups on the side. He picked up the wine jug and poured two cups of wine. Then he picked up one of them and handed it to An Zi Ran.

“Wang fei, next is exchanging cups of wine.”

An Zi Ran did not take the cup right away. He stared at Fu Wu Tian without blinking. He rubbed his eyebrows. “We are not really husband and wife. There is no need to exchange cups and drink wine.”
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Fu Wu Tian took his hand and handed the cup to him personally. Calmly, he said, “Although I have promised you, but since we are married and have pledged our vows to heaven and earth, then we are a true couple. We still have to exchange wine cups.”

An Zi Ran stared at the cup in his hand and unavoidably felt a bit disheartened.

It felt as if from the time he set foot in Jun Zi City, everything slowly derailed, and now, he has completely deviated from the track of his plan. Seemed like he could only accept his fate now.

Fu Wu Tian picked up the other cup of wine and took the initiative to cross his arm with An Zi Ran’s arm. With his gaze fixed on the youth he said, “Wang fei.”

An Zi Ran was entangled. Since he couldn’t escape he might as well go along with it and drink the wine. In any case, it’s not like Fu Wu Tian could take him in any way, so in one breath he downed the cup of wine.

A spark of delight flashed across Fu Wu Tian’s eyes. He bowed his head and prepared to drink the cup of wine. Just as the cup touched his lips, he paused for a moment. Then soon after, he drank the wine, until not a drop was left.

Although they were close to each other, An Zi Ran did not notice this small action.

[T/N: Fu Wu Tian is going to drink you dry An Zi Ran! Ah~ I just love how the ML calls our MC wang fei. It’s so cute how AZR is annoyed by it. Lol.]

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Chapter 39.2 – Disturbing the Bridal Chamber?

But not everyone was afraid to pour for Fu Wu Tian. Among his subordinates, some were brother in arms that he went through fire and water with. They have been with him for over a decade. In the past, when they had celebratory feasts for heroic deeds, these were the rowdiest people.
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A man who was a few years older than Fu Wu Tian, and who has once served under Fu Wu Tian’s father, relied on the fact that he was a senior to bluntly hand over the wine in his hand to him. He poured half of the wine within the jug for Fu Wu Tian, and the junior drank it all down without blinking. The gathered soldiers who saw this thought that was exceedingly boring.

“I say you guys can’t get the general drunk. Within the army he is known as the man that won’t get drunk even after a thousand cups (of wine).”

The only soldier who has yet to pour wine for Fu Wu Tian laughed out loud. He felt that he was comparatively smarter. Although today was the general’s big wedding day, he’d rather not be remembered by the general for pranking him.

Someone saw through his thoughts and immediately held him in contempt.

Although the one the general was marrying was a man, perhaps in the future there would be another grand wedding reception, but no one could be certain of events in the future. Of course, such a rare occurrence should be taken advantage of, however some people still felt that what he said made sense, so they quietly withdrew from the ranks of heckling soldiers. They also did not want to be noted down by the general.

The young man who took the lead was suddenly isolated. In anger he screamed, “How good of you guys, leaving me alone like this, are you guys still good brothers?”

After he finished, he escaped with the saucepan lid and made everyone laugh.
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Ge Qian An, who was infected by the atmosphere, also showed a faint smile, but when his eyes glimpsed a figure in the corner, his smile shriveled up.

A hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

Ge Qian An turned his head and saw the face of Guan Su. He immediately concealed the bit of emotion that leaked into his eyes and restored that dead man’s expression.

Guan Su followed his line of sight and saw a figure in the corner drinking alone. He lifted the cup of wine in his hand and drained it. Then he said in a meaningful manner, “Qian An ah, there are some things I will not say more on, you should be very clear about the matter in your own heart.”

“Are you kidding with me?”

Ge Qian An’s eyes settled on his face for a second and then immediately shifted away. His eyes were serious and solemn.

Guan Su smiled and walked away.

After drinking it was time to disturb the bridal chamber, but at this step, everyone couldn’t help by face each other. Who dared to go and disturb the wang ye’s bridal room. It was possible he already noted down everyone who poured wine for him. If they delayed the wang ye from consummating* his marriage he may bear a grudge against them and then there will be hardships for them. Thinking this and that, the crowd of soldiers pushed forth that first soldier who took the lead in heckling the groom to drink.

[*T/N: The text uses the phrase “one night of spring,” which is a euphemism for two people having sexual intercourse.]

“You go, ba.”

The young man scowled miserably, “You guys…”

At this moment, Fu Wu Tian suddenly came over. The color did not change in his face even after having drunk two jugs of wine. His eyes swept the crowd, “You want to disturb the bridal chamber? Fine, come along with me.”

Everyone’s scalp went numb. The general’s tone was obviously not good. Rather than letting them think they could disturb the bridal room, why not let them think that the sky will rain red instead.
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Fu Wu Tian did not pay attention to what they thought in their hearts. After they finished, they went to the inner courtyard of the Fu palace.

“Let’s go. Going to take a look is also good.” Guan Su, who had a handsome face that could bewitch good and innocent women, took the lead to respond to Fu Wu Tian’s call. His face even revealed a look of expectation, seeming eager to want to disturb the bridal chamber.

Others were affected by him and they hesitantly followed.

“I’m not going,” Ge Qian An suddenly spoke.

Those who were falling behind in the procession heard his words. They stared blankly. What is this person saying? Two people grabbed him by the arms and marched him along. “Do not talk nonsense. He doesn’t want to go, we will go. This is a rare opportunity.”

The bridal room was originally Fu Wu Tian’s room. Stuck on the door was a huge piece of paper cut into the character for the word ‘joy.’ The space inside looked like it was completely submerged within a red ocean. Near the entrance to the room, there was a big square table covered in red cloth. In front of them was an even bigger ‘joy’ character. There was a pair of dragon and phoenix candles burning red flames. The table was full of exquisite and beautiful pastry snacks. To the right was a red bead curtain. Beyond that was the bridal room.

The noisy people were quiet in an instant.

Wang ye wouldn’t really let them disturb the bridal chamber, right? Why does this feel unrealistic?

Their hearts were beating loudly within their chests. They really arrived at the door to the bridal room, but they dare not speak out.

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Chapter 39.1 – Disturbing the Bridal Chamber*?

[*T/N: 闹洞房 nao dong fang: “disturbing the privacy of the bridal room.” It is a Chinese custom where guests banter with and play pranks on the newlyweds.]

Fu Wu Tian’s grand wedding could be said to be the biggest event of the year.

The lucky hour has yet to arrive, but the Fu palace was already filled with guests. At first glance, most of them were important figures in Jun Zi City. Only a small portion of them was composed of lower officials. Based on this point alone, it was enough to see the emphasis that Fu Wu Tian placed on the wedding.
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He was the first wang ye in the history of Da Ya to take a man as his wang fei. Not only did he not receive severe criticism and obstruction, instead he got the emperor to agree to and decree the marriage. At the same time, all the officials of Jun Zi City came to the wedding bearing extravagant gifts. Fu Wu Tian’s influence could be seen. Da Ya’s god of war was indeed extraordinary.

“We have returned!”

There was a sudden clamor of noise. The guests who heard the announcement could not restrain themselves and ran outside. They watched the proceedings without blinking.

Fu Wu Tian’s bride welcoming team was especially spectacular and extravagant. An eight-person sedan traveled along the open road and counted on the people to clear the way. The streets were almost filled with people who were densely packed. Some people even compared the scene to the marriage of the emperor.

The valiant and formidable-looking Fu Wu Tian was riding on his horse with a pleasant smile on his face. For the first time, the handsome face was no longer wearing the expressionless and profound look of usual. His facial features were slightly softer. It could be seen that he was in a good mood. Some girls who came specifically to see him were blushing.

At this point, the rumors of Fu Wu Tian being ugly collapsed in the light of facts.

The welcoming team soon reached the grand doors of the Fu palace.

Fu Wu Tian turned and dismounted from his horse. He walked to the front of the sedan that was also coming to a halt. Behind the red covering curtain, the silhouette of a refined youth could faintly be discerned. A pair of jet-black eyes lit up with brilliance*. Even through a layer of cloth it could be seen clearly, the emotions in the eyes revealed a smile.

[*T/N: 流光溢彩 liu guang yi cai: lit. flowing light and overflowing color / brilliant lights and vibrant colors (idiom)]

Before the expectant eyes of everyone, who was looking forward to seeing the appearance of the future wang fei of the god of war, Fu Wu Tian stretched his hand out towards the red curtain. When the future wang fei stepped out, the crowd could not help but be disappointed.

Fu Wu Tian held An Zi Ran within his arms in the princess carry, but his head was blocked by his large sleeves. The youth’s face was completely hidden. Not even his chin could be seen.
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As for the person being held, when Fu Wu Tian went to carry him, he had struggled, but he was not as strong as the other. Fu Wu Tian’s arms were like copper walls and iron poles. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t move, so he could only give up in the end. The only thing that made An Zi Ran happy was that his face was blocked from view.

Fu Wu Tian carried his wang fei into the Fu palace.

He did not conceal the fact that his wang fei was a man. Instead, the great general and god of war boldly displayed affections. The gathered crowd looked at each other in speechless dismay. Only when Fu Wu Tian passed by them did they return to their senses. Sounds of congratulations echoed one after the other*. Only the speaker knew how sincere were their well wishes.

[*T/N: 此起彼伏 ci qi bi fu: to rise and fall in succession / no sooner one subsides, the next arises]

Within the guests, there was no lack of people from the imperial family. After seeing this scene, their expressions became weird. Within their hearts they were making plots that only they knew. Fortunately, they also knew that today was Fu Wu Tian’s big wedding.

The next step was the most important part of getting married: the ritual bowing to heaven and earth by the bride and groom.

For Fu Wu Tian’s immediate family member, there was only Fu lao wang ye. At this moment, he was sitting in the high hall position in a formal manner. Like a happy old man, if it were not for the excitement of his eyes, one would not think that he has dementia.

As for An Zi Ran’s elders, Fu Wu Tian investigated him and knew that his parents died in an accident. There were only three concubine mothers who could not parade around in public, so he was very considerate and did not mention it. He knew that An Zi Ran did not want them to come; otherwise he would’ve sent someone back to An Yuan County to inform them.

Although there were some problems with Fu lao wang ye’s brain, when he was not causing trouble he still seemed quite normal.

And the key point was that when he knew that his granddaughter-in-law was to be a man he did not display any anger. His face was very ruddy, and when Fu Wu Tian and An Zi Ran made the ritual bows, he smiled like a sunflower. Some people who were hoping that he would flip out were endlessly disappointed.

Fu Wu Tian not only knew how to handle the emperor, but he also had experience in dealing with his grandfather.
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After finishing the ritual bows, An Zi Ran was sent to the bridal chamber.

The guests stayed in the front yard to have a banquet. Because there were a lot of people participating in the event, apart from officials and members of the imperial family, there were also businessmen. They were all people of prestige who commanded respect. So there were four or five hundred tables set up inside and out. The hubbub of sounds has not stopped since the morning.

To host such a grand wedding with less than half a month for preparation, only Fu Wu Tian could accomplish it. Even An Zi Ran thought the wedding would be simpler.

A feast cannot do without wine. Although the people who dared to pour wine for Fu Wu Tian were few, but he was the groom after all, today was his big wedding day, so he could not completely avoid alcohol. Fortunately, his alcohol tolerance has been trained up in the military camp. Even after an entire jug of wine there was not a speck of red on his face. Those who wished to see him drunk were sorely disappointed.

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Chapter 38 – Getting Married (Part 2)

The bride welcoming team filled the An family courtyard to the very brim, until not a drop could pass through.

When An Zi Ran chose this place for temporary lodgings, it was because it was quiet. Nowadays, people kept coming and going. The courtyard was also full of An Zi Ran’s dowry. Originally, it was prepared for An Yu Zhi. He did not expect to end up using it for himself.

In addition, the courtyard also had servants and the team of people from the Fu palace. It was crowded to the point that one almost could not find a place to step.
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The wedding matron saw the welcoming team and quickly picked up the red veil on the table to prepare to cover An Zi Ran’s head, but An Zi Ran raised a hand to stop the action. The wedding matron paused, “An gong zi, you…”

An Zi Ran calmly said, “I am a man. There is no need for this cover.” Although he agreed with Fu Wu Tian’s proposal, he did not intend to marry like a woman.

“But… this is not conforming to the rules ah!” The wedding matron said hesitantly with the red veil in her hands.

An Zi Ran was not moved. “I will not cover (my head), regardless of the rules.”

The wedding matron was helpless as she watched the lucky hour* fast approach. If they continued like this they will be delayed. If wang ye decided to pass down blame, she wouldn’t be able to afford to shoulder it. But she was also worried that wang ye would blame her for not giving the marriage partner the red veil.

[*T/N: The ancient Chinese believed that there are lucky, neutral, and unlucky hours in a day. Big ceremonies and rituals must be done within certain time frames to ensure the best results.]

An Zi Ran seemed to be able to see what she was thinking. “If wang ye wants to pass blame, I will bear all the responsibilities.”

Since he said it like so, she could only agree. He handed the red veil over to a servant standing on the side. Then he allowed people to support him by the arm and lead him out. The wedding matron suddenly thought of something and asked, “An gong zi, does the An family not have any elders to send you off?” She was referring to the blessing of a close relative. Da Ya’s customs generally have this step. The elder blesses the bride to have a harmonious relationship with the groom.

“Don’t have. Let’s go, ba.”

An Zi Ran thought the wedding matron was referring to An Chang Fu’s concubines. After all, in terms of elders left in the An family, there was only them. But bearing the status of concubines, they were not people that could flounce about in public. Also, he did not send anyone to inform them.
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At first, he was worried that Fang Jun Ping would not be resigned and give him trouble, so he did not tell them about the marriage contract. So they didn’t even know about him marrying into the Fu palace. If they knew, he feared that they would already be inciting unrest. Because based on his identity, marrying into the Fu palace was equivalent to bringing the property of An family into the Fu palace.*

[*T/N: Because of the difference in status, the An family would have to provide a very sizeable dowry to match up to the prestige of the Fu palace. So for a little landowning family like them it would equate to nearly all of their liquid assets, which would mean less money in the future for the concubines and their daughters.]

The wedding matron could only listen to him, and not mention it again.

The long line of people exited through the door. The densely packed crowd outside immediately entered into his line of sight. Pairs of scorching gazes fell upon the An Zi Ran who was walking in the middle. Perhaps it was because he refused to wear the red veil, but most people had expressions of amazement on their faces. They stuck their heads out to get a better look at him.

An Zi Ran’s gaze swept around in a circle. The most eye-catching person in front of the crowd was Fu Wu Tian with his pressing noble aura. A flash of astonishment flickered through An Zi Ran’s eyes. He did not think that Fu Wu Tian would come in person.

Steward Su told him before, that many of Da Ya’s distinguished and noble people would not personally go over to the other family to escort the bride. Most grooms wait within their manors. One was because of their esteemed status, and two was because the husband’s family was considered the sky. When a bride entered the groom’s door she must adhere to her husband’s words. This situation was especially evident in the imperial family.

While he was looking at Fu Wu Tian, Fu Wu Tian was also looking at him.

The young man wearing red robes was stunning in his eyes. He was a good-looking, elegant, and graceful young man*. He always knew that the youth did not have bad looks.

[*T/N: The author used a string of adjectives here. Word for word it would be “good looks, elegant, good facial features, graceful, picturesque, elegant”… Yeah, it was quite repetitive and not grammatically well structured in English, so I simplified it, but I think you get the idea.]

Thinking up to here, Fu Wu Tian extended a hand towards the youth. “Wang fei, I came to pick you up.”

An Zi Ran stared at the hand he had stretched over. He did not hesitate for too long, and then, under the watchful eyes of other, he slowly put his hand atop Fu Wu Tian’s hand, and was immediately wrapped in warmth.

Fu Wu Tian revealed a rare smile. The maidservants watching from behind An Zi Ran all blushed. Wang ye was really good looking, completely different from rumors. It really was a “seeing is believing” type of situation.

Steward Su looked at the picture of the two standing together. He couldn’t help but blink his eyes. How could he suddenly have a feeling that the young master and the wang ye were very fitting together? It must be an illusion!

With the help of Fu Wu Tian, An Zi Ran got onto the sedan chair.
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Although the sedan had no fancy decorations, it was very high profile. Eight men carried the large sedan. Seeing their brisk pace it seemed that they all knew martial arts. The sedan was very stable to sit on, and there was almost no shaking.

The sound of copper cymbals and firecrackers sounded again, and the bride welcoming team set off.

Some of the onlookers rushed to keep up, while others stayed where they were and only returned to their senses when the crush of people knocked against them, causing them to let out a cry of surprise.

“Heavens, who said the jun wang was ugly!”

He was distinct and handsome to the max!

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Muse: Fu Wu Tian really went all out for this wedding. He gave An Zi Ran a lot of face. I give him max points for this event! (Although I’m not sure if AZR feels the same. Haha.)

Here’s a big virtual hug for AsamiKuroba who broke the record on ko-fi by filling up 5 coffee cups on the coffee counter in one shot. Woot!
(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧

Just 4 more coffees to max out the counter for a bonus update.

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Chapter 37 – Getting Married (Part 1)

The atmosphere of Jun Zi City was bustling with more noise and excitement than usual. The red lanterns hanging in front of the shops looked very festive. The flow of people on the streets was also more lively than usual. Because today was the big wedding day of Da Ya’s god of war. The god of war returned to the capital for not more than two months and he was already taking a bride. It was even more sensational than the emperor’s draft (sports).

But thinking that the god of war’s bride-to-be was the daughter of a landlord, most people still sighed. Even if the jun wang was not good looking, and had a sanguinary character, he was still a distinguished person with the titles of wang ye and war general. In the future, it was very possible that he will become the right-hand man of Da Ya’s crown prince. This kind of influential figure, marrying the daughter of a landlord…

Many people were lamenting, but more people were gloating*.

[*T/N: 幸灾乐祸 xing zai le huo: lit. to take joy in calamity and delight in diasater (idiom); fig. to rejoice in other people’s misfortune / Schadenfreude]

“That woman must be taking life too hard, to marry the jun wang.”

A woman in a pink dress stood in front of a stall selling jewelry. She was picking and choosing. The items on the stall were all pretty. They looked like luxury goods, but the prices weren’t high. They were perfect for putting on appearances. She often came here to visit as a customer.

Another young married woman with her hair done up in a bun heard what was said and could not help but let out the sound of a sneer.
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“That’s not it. What I think is that she’s after his status. If she marries the jun wang she won’t have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of her life. There will also be a huge group of servants at her feet to wait on her. Just thinking about that image, even if the jun wang is the ugliest person ever, so what.”

The pink dress woman bit her lip. “If it is me, it will be fine.”

The young married woman thought in her heart, if she were still an unmarried woman, for the title of “god of war’s wang fei” she would also want to marry that jun wang. Who does not like power and influence? Even if it was only a status, that would still be better than many people.

Of course, there were also some who paid attention to appearance.

The vendor of the jewelry booth suddenly laughed out loud, “ So the two of you still do not know, the jun wang’s marriage partner is not the daughter of a landlord. The news was already spread yesterday.”

“What did you say?” The girl in the pink dress looked surprised.

The young married woman did not believe it, and quickly asked, “A few days ago, the news was still going around. How could it not be the daughter of a landlord? Could it be that you’re deceiving us?”

The vendor did not mind and only laughed. “You two must’ve not been out yesterday. This information was released yesterday. A lot of people are saying that the one that jun wang wants to marry is not the daughter of a landlord. You can ask anyone and you will know.”

The two women couldn’t help but face each other. So it would seem that this piece of information was not false.

The woman in the pink dress impatiently asked, “Since it is not the daughter of a landlord, then who is it that the jun wang is marrying?”
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The young married woman also looked at him.

The vendor said, “I heard that it’s the older brother of the daughter of a landlord. It’s that young master of the An family. It is unclear whether it is true or false, but that is what everyone is saying now.”

The two were shocked.

Originally, they felt that the jun wang marrying that woman was an inconceivable thing, because based on the qualifications of the jun wang he could take a nobler woman as his wife. Even a princess would not be a problem. But now it suddenly became a man. They have never heard of taking a man as a wang fei before. It was preposterous!

The news that Da Ya’s god of war’s wang fei will be a man was spread all over Jun Zi City the day prior.

But this was not news released by Fu Wu Tian, because there were many people who paid attention to his movements. In addition, he entered the palace yesterday to explain the situation to the emperor. Some people could learn the news by inquiring just a little.

Although marrying a man does not necessary mean the end of the ancestral line, but many people were thinking of their own statuses. Some people were already plotting to insert people by Fu Wu Tian’s side to catch his attention.

An Family Courtyard

Today was the day that An Zi Ran was getting married.

There was no festive atmosphere in the courtyard. Instead, the mood over the courtyard was spiritless. No one spoke a word. If it were not for the red decorations, people would think a funeral was going on. The best representative was Steward Su. Since the day before his face was scrunched with worry.

“Steward.”

An Zi Ran walked out from the side of the great hall. Hearing his voice, everyone turned to look. The young master had a bright appearance, and there was a feeling of being unable to look away from him.

An Zi Ran wore that exquisite red wedding apparel. The slightly white skin looked even more handsome in that red clothing. That face that still carried a bit of baby fat was beginning to mature and it made his features more prominent. Based on An Yu Zhi’s physical looks, one could tell that An Zi Ran also had good genes. Everyone discovered that their young master was growing up to be this good looking.

The only one who was not surprised was Steward Su, who still blamed himself.

He felt that he did not take good care of the young master, and that’s why things became like this. He has failed to live up to the expectations of the old master. His head was full of thoughts of how he didn’t have the face to see the old master when he passes away.
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“Steward, today is my big wedding day, you should be a little bit happier.” An Zi Ran gently held his hand. From henceforth, there will be many more things for the old steward to fret over. He did not tell the steward about the agreement between him and Fu Wu Tian. He had his own considerations. So he could only trouble him for the time being.

Steward Su looked at him and sighed heavily, “Young Master, I… I will try.” Saying so he tried to push forth a smile that looked like he was fast about to cry.

“He he he…”

Suddenly the laughter of a baby rang out.

Everyone turned around and saw that the laughter was coming from the second young master who was held in the arms of the wet nurse. The black grape-like eyes looked in the direction of the young master and Steward Su. He waved at the two energetically. His small short hands seemed very excited. The heart could not help by smile a little. The second young master was getting more and more intelligent.

Steward Su couldn’t help but reveal a sincere smile. Today was the day that the young master was getting married. He can’t be so frustrated.

An Zi Ran lips curled lightly into a smile.

Unfortunately, no one saw it. Everyone’s attention was on the little bun. Just as the sounds of laughter and cheer were gradually rising in the courtyard, the team of people from the Fu palace finally arrived, accompanied by the bursting of firecrackers and the clapping of copper cymbals from outside…

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Next Chapter: Getting Married (Part 2)
Muse: I should note that I didn’t split the chapter this time, the author did. XP

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Chapter 36.2 – Hoodwinked

An Zi Ran was very surprised. What surprised him even more was that Fu Wu Tian did not go to the main entrance.

In the cool and bleak courtyard, the lofty and straight body of the man was hidden by the darkness. With Fu Wu Tian’s back towards the moonlight, An Zi Ran couldn’t see his face. Only a pair of glowing eyes stared at him.

“I heard from Qian An that you wanted to see me.”
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Fu Wu Tian said leisurely. There seemed to be a slight smile in his eyes. He has already smiled twice in a row at An Zi Ran. If his subordinate knew about this he would definitely be very surprised, because Fu Wu Tian has never had a lot of expressions, but unexpectedly* he wasn’t a taciturn man of few words, so you could say he was a very contradictory person.

[*T/N: 出乎意料 chu hu yi liao: beyond expectation (idiom); unexpected]

An Zi Ran fixedly looked at him. “Wang ye is so interested, climbing over the wall* in the middle of the night to come pay a visit.”

[*T/N: 翻墙 fan qiang: lit. to climb over the wall / fig. to breach the Great Firewall of China]

Fu Wu Tian calmly said, “Not over the wall, I came openly through the front door.” He paused, and then added, “The doorman is dozing off.”

An Zi Ran: “…”

The doorman will be fired tomorrow.

[T/N: I bet he knocked out the doorman]

“You want to talk here?” Fu Wu Tian said, but he had an indifferent expression.

An Zi Ran hesitated a bit, but still invited him to the study. From the main hall there was still a short distance to go. Besides, they were two men, even if people saw the two of them alone there would not be any gossip. He turned around and did not see the flash of light in Fu Wu Tian’s eyes.

There weren’t any particularly nice decorations in the study. The things most abundant in there were books. Simple and elegant like its owner, but also has taste. Like a cup of tea, the fragrance is only evident after tasting it.

“Wang ye, please (come in)!”

An Zi Ran poured him a cup of hot water. There was no tea.

Fu Wu Tian did not dislike the light and tasteless water. He threw his head back and drank it down in one gulp. The movement was very forthright and confident, with the unique strength and charm of a man. If An Zi Ran was a woman, he might be attracted to him.
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“Wang ye, in order to avoid taking up too much of your time, I will just say it.” An Zi Ran said straight away, he did not want to beat around the bushes. “I promised to cooperate with you, but I never said I would substitute the bride. I ask that you rescind your choice and choose another candidate.”

Fu Wu Tian gently set the cup on the table and spat out two words from his mouth, “It’s late.”

An Zi Ran’s eyes sharpened and focused his attention. “What is late?”

Fu Wu Tian was perfectly composed* when he said, “This morning, I entered the palace to explain the situation to the emperor. I told him the person I want to marry is not An Yu Zhi, but the young master of the An family, An Zi Ran. The emperor has already agreed.”

[*T/N: 泰然自若 tai ran zi ruo: cool and collected (idiom); showing no sign of nerves / perfectly composed]

Although he said it lightly, it was not easy getting that slightly stubborn emperor to agree to let him marry a man. After all, there was no precedent in this dynasty, but that didn’t mean that he had no way. In the end, the emperor had no choice but to agree.

“You did this deliberately.”

The youth’s cold voice suddenly sounded out, and there was a hint of anger.

Fu Wu Tian raised his eyebrows and stared at the person in front of him. It seemed that this was the first time he realized that he was only a sixteen-year-old boy. Every time he met him, he acted like a mature adult so he could not see the youth and tenderness of this young man at all. He’d investigated An Zi Ran. The An Zi Ran from the reports was completely different from what he saw. It was like two different people.
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The An Zi Ran of before was a complete dross. The An Zi Ran of now seemed to be injected with the soul of an adult. Perhaps it was due to the shock of losing his parents, but that calmness and stability seemed to be something that was built upon throughout the years. The taste was even more fresh, clean, and distant. As if one needed to savor the taste slowly before they could distinguish the notes in the fragrance.

“This is the best way, isn’t it?” Fu Wu Tian said.

An Zi Ran’s expression was angry. “Making a big man like me marry you is your so-called best way?” In his opinion, it was a rotten idea.

Fu Wu Tian stared at the angry expression of the young man and did not mind. “Do you think I will marry the daughter of a concubine from your family? The imperial family’s reputation has to be taken into consideration. So after thinking it over, I feel that it can only be you.”

“I’m a man,” An Zi Ran said with a cold expression.

Fu Wu Tian nodded. “I can see that of the children born from the main wife only you and your younger brother are left. You will never let me marry your brother who is only four months old, will you?”

An Zi Ran once thought about it, but this idea could never be said out loud. However, he still insisted on not marrying. A big man wearing red wedding attire to get married out, this wasn’t even done in the twenty-first century. In the end, Fu Wu Tian retreated a step.

“You can’t deny that this offspring came from the An family, so you have to take a certain responsibility.” Fu Wu Tian said seriously. “But for the sake of the friendship between your grandfather and my grandfather*, I can promise you, if it is really inappropriate, I will let you go. I will help you change your identity and you can start a new life again. How about it?”

[*T/N: ML refers to MC’s grandfather as 爷爷 ye ye and his own grandfather as 祖父 zu fu. The first one is more colloquial and the second one is more proper. Both terms refer to the paternal grandfather.]

Like the carrot and the stick.

An Zi Ran understood clearly. What Fu Wu Tian said made sense. Men and women were different. Once a woman lost her reputation, it was a lifelong thing, but a man’s reputation was more forgiving than a woman’s.

“I consent. Remember your promise.”

“Of course.”

Fu Wu Tian, who appeared so refreshing and straightforward at the moment, in the future he will give An Zi Ran the title of “the one who was hoodwinked to death by a rogue.” At that time he will finally understand what kind of person Fu Wu Tian really was, which was not human at all!

[T/N: Not human… but a beast! Bwahahahaha!]

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Next Chapter: Getting Married

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Chapter 36.1 – Hoodwinked

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Tomorrow was the day of the big wedding. The An family was full of cheer. Even Steward Su was no longer worried. The serious old face revealed a smile as brilliant as a blooming flower.

Only An Zi Ran still felt that something was wrong. Thinking back on the conversation that day, Fu Wu Tian did indeed agree to find someone to replace the bride in order to maintain the reputation of the Fu palace. An Zi Ran’s proposal to let An Chang De’s daughter be the replacement bride was refused, because Fu Wu Tian said he already had a person in mind. In theory, An Zi Ran should be relieved. Until Ge Qian An comes calling…
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Ge Qian An was ordered to send over the wedding attire plus two other big boxes.

One box was full of clothes, the colors were relatively light and bright, and moreover, they were all menswear. The other box was full of some silk satin, the fabric was soft and silky, very expensive. This was usually a tribute – as in a gift for the emperor – but now it appeared here.

“What is the intention of this?” An Zi Ran looked at Ge Qian An.

Ge Qian An’s face was unchanged. “By the order of wang ye, the wedding apparel for the day of the wedding is to be sent to An gong zi. This is what wang ye personally ordered. If An gong zi has looked over it and have no problems, then I will report back.”

No problems?

It was a big problem!

When An Zi Ran saw the style of the wedding attire, he was very glad that he had the foresight to dismiss the servants first, because what was about to happen next wasn’t going to be pretty. He had a very deep question and he needed Ge Qian An to give him an explanation.

An Zi Ran tried to ask in a calm tone, “Why does the wedding attire look like it was made for a man to wear?”
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It wasn’t “look like” it was “exactly like.”

Ge Qian An’s mouth twitched slightly and then quickly recovered into his expressionless face. He said, “Wang ye commanded that this be given to An gong zi.” It was not just him who had this doubt.

“Excuse me for being direct, but why is it for me?”

“Wang ye said, tomorrow the person who will be marrying in place of the bride is you, An gong zi. This was by your own consent.”

An Zi Ran only now discovered that he was hoodwinked by Fu Wu Tian. The marriage candidate he had in mind was actually An Zi Ran. No wonder he refused to say whom he had in mind. And An Zi Ran was still stupid enough to say that he would cooperate. Fu Wu Tian deliberately sent the wedding attire over the day before the wedding. This was to ensure that he would not have time to find another replacement.

“Is there a mistake? I didn’t…”

Ge Qian An interrupted his words, “If An gong zi has any questions you can go ask wang ye. I still have to go back and report on the completion of my task. I will take my leave now.” After that, he turned around and walked away.

Steward Su was shocked silly.

An Zi Ran looked silently at the red wedding apparel on the table. The clothing was very well customized. It can be seen that every stitch was done by the hand of an expert. The pattern embroidered with gold thread was very unique. Not too ostentatious or rich. It was really overseer by Fu Wu Tian. He very carefully took care of the man that was to wear this wedding attire. It said he will not let people look down on the wearer of these clothes.
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“Young Master…” Steward Su looked at him with a face that was on the verge of breaking down. His eyes carried feelings of lament and distress. He, who did not know the inside story, thought that An Zi Ran promised to marry Fu Wu Tian for the sake of the An family. His heart was suddenly full of guilt. The young master was willing to sacrifice himself for them, how could he not feel heartache!

The corner of An Zi Ran’s mouth gently tugged downwards. He wanted to explain, but then he thought better of it and gave up the idea.

All this time, Steward Su have been worrying over the An family. Speaking up now would only add to his troubles.

An Zi Ran did not speak and Steward Su took that for tacit agreement. Suddenly he burst into tears. “What a sin! For the sake of the An family, the young master has to sacrifice himself. When this old slave* dies will this old slave still have the face to see the old master. This old slave has let down the old master.”

[*T/N: In substitute of the pronoun “I” Steward Su uses the phrase “old slave” here to refer to himself because he feels very self-deprecating or unworthy.]

An Zi Ran: “…”

He even brought out the “old slave” pronoun.

In the afternoon, An Zi Ran went to Fu palace to look for Fu Wu Tian, but Steward Li told him that Fu Wu Tian had entered the (emperor’s) palace. He might not come back until the evening. Although he suspected that Fu Wu Tian might have deliberately not seen him, there was no way for him to enter the palace. He thought about waiting for another time to visit at night, but before he even had time to take action, Fu Wu Tian came over personally…

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Chapter 35 – Wedding Continues

Inside the quiet study there sat a cup of tea on the table. Hot steam wafted up from the cup.

An Zi Ran sat there, his eyes tranquil. Opposite him, Fu Wu Tian sat tall and straight. After listening to his confession, he did not say a single word.

Despite the number of times An Zi Ran looked at that man’s face, he still could not tell what he was thinking. This was the case every time he had to face Fu Wu Tian. He could never master the initiative. If it weren’t for the sake of the An family, he really did not want to meet with Fu Wu Tian again.

“The wedding is near, but now you tell me your sister fled the marriage? Do you think I am fun to play with?”

Just as An Zi Ran was about to daze off, Fu Wu Tian suddenly spoke, and his words immediately made him alert.

An Zi Ran slightly raised an eyebrow. “Play with” was hardly the appropriate term here, but he did not ponder too much on that point, instead he said seriously, “Wang ye, I did not handle this matter well, so I will properly account for it. But for the sake of my grandfather and Fu lao wang ye’s friendship, I ask that you let the An family off. At this time, I will offer you the greatest sincerity.”
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This so-called sincerity will bleed the An family’s funds and shrink their assets by a lot, but to escape even worse punishment, this kind of monetary lost was not worth belly aching over. If money was lost, it could be made again, but if the person was lost, then that was the end.

Fu Wu Tian suddenly stood up and walked to stand in front of him. Then he leaned towards his eyes. “What kind of reparation could you possibly give me? If outsiders found out that my fiancé fled from the marriage, do you know how badly this will affect the reputation of Fu palace? We will become everyone’s laughing stock. You think your small An family can compensate for that?”

An Zi Ran looked directly at him and did not flinch. It was undeniable that he was right, but he was still somewhat unhappy.

The current An family was indeed insignificant. Even if Da Ya loses one landlord, many more landlords will spring up to take its place. But he will turn the An family into the top business dealer. This was the goal he set after taking over the An family. It was also the real reason why he wanted to create relations with the Fu palace.

“Wang ye, please be assured. I will declare that An Yu Zhi has died of a serious illness. I will not let the Fu palace’s reputation suffer.”

An Yu Zhi fled the marriage. She would only be thinking of running far away and not letting anyone find her. So it was impossible for her to return within a short period of time. And there were very few people who knew her. Even if she later realized she committed a grave mistake and came back, no one would believe her. This was the best plan An Zi Ran could think of.

Fu Wu Tian stared at him.

An Zi Ran did not hear him speak, so he couldn’t help but lift his head to look, only to suddenly realize that the distance between them seemed to be growing shorter.
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Fu Wu Tian’s handsome face was getting really close. An Zi Ran did not know when the other man started getting close. Those black eyes seemed timeless. He could even see his own silhouette reflected in those eyes, as if he was being sucked in.

“You are very clever, but this method is only a temporary solution. Someone will know sooner or later. Fu palace will still be implicated.” Fu Wu Tian looked down and said to him.

An Zi Ran did not say anything.

Fu Wu Tian said, “Moreover, the emperor has already decreed this marriage between the two families. When the wedding is over, the name of your sister will be left in the ancestral hall. If the wedding is suddenly canceled, the emperor will certainly investigate. Maybe you can fool other people, but you can’t fool him. If the emperor gets angry, just think about the consequences…”

An Zi Ran’s eyes widened. He did not expect this*.

[*T/N: 始料未及 shi liao wei ji: not expected at the outset (idiom) / unforeseen / to be surprised by the turn of events]

He had heard that the emperor was concerned about this matter, but he did not expect it to reach this level.

Although the emperor only decreed the marriage after the fact, fleeing the marriage was still a crime against the emperor. Even if he has the assurance that Fu Wu Tian would let the An family off, there was no guarantee that the emperor’s anger could be stopped.

The anger of the emperor, blood flow into the river!

This was not just some saying. He was no fool.

An Zi Ran took a deep breath with his eyes closed. When he opened his eyes he was calm. He stared straight into Fu Wu Tian’s eyes and said, “What does wang ye want to do?”

Fu Wu Tian looked at him appreciatively. He placed his hands on the chair’s armrest, bringing him even closer. He practically enclosed An Zi Ran between him and the chair. It was rather dubious. “There is one method, depending on whether or not you cooperate.”

An Zi Ran accidentally raised his eyebrows. “What’s the method?”
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Fu Wu Tian said leisurely. “It is very simple. The wedding continues.”

Hearing these words, An Zi Ran already knew what he meant, but his answer still surprised him because he did not think that the person who proposed it would be Fu Wu Tian, and shortly said, “I understand. I will do my best to coordinate with you.”

Fu Wu Tian stared at him. “You are sure?”

An Zi Ran nodded.

Fu Wu Tian blinked and slowly said, “I am looking forward to it.”

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Chapter 34 – Breaking Relations

Ever since An Zi Ran said those words and scared Steward Su, every time Steward Su saw him, he would show a worried expression. In his heart, he thought that the young master had gone crazy because of the young miss, for An Zi Ran to be able to say those kinds of words.

An Zi Ran knew that Steward Su must be thinking those thoughts in his head, but he did not say anything.
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It’s been almost four months since he arrived in this time and place. He now knew that the Da Ya Dynasty, asides from not putting businessmen in high prestige, the people were also quite open-minded. Male homosexuality* was common in Da Ya. In Jun Zi City there were several well know specialty shops**. Many men who wanted to have a taste would go there, and some would even do it out in the open.

[*T/N: The phrase used here is 断袖龙阳 with 断袖 meaning “homosexual” and 龙阳 is colloquial for “male homosexual.”

Translator Muse would like to say “I know this is a BL world, but if the author had to specify male homosexual then does that mean female homosexuals are not accepted…?]

[**T/N: 倌馆 guan guan. I’m ninety-five percent sure the author wants to say “brothel with male prostitutes” or “restaurant catering to homosexuals,” but I don’t understand the author’s word choice. 倌 guan means “keeper of domestic animals / herdsman / (old) hired hand in certain trade” and the second 馆 guan means “building / shop / term for certain service establishments.” So I translated it as specialty shop.]

However, despite the open-mindedness of the people about such matters, taking a male wife was still rare.

After all, a man can’t compare to a woman when it came to continuing on the ancestral line for the husband. So even if one were to take a man for a wife, it would only be the status of a male concubine.

An Zi Ran was only thinking about it and nothing more. Even if Fu Wu Tian was willing to marry a man, An Zi Ran could not find someone to marry off. The little bun was only four months old. It’s not like he could make Fu Wu Tian wait, right? Just thinking about it was funny.

There was another way, but he didn’t want to implement that method.

That being An Chang De’s daughter.

An Chang De and Wu Zhi had a daughter named An Xue Yan. She was already seventeen this year. According to Steward Su her looks were okay but her character was not so good. Inheriting the bitterness and snobbery of her mother, she was very picky about her future husband. Her parents spoiled her too much, leading to her becoming unruly and willful, at seventeen years old she’s still not married.
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So when Steward Su mentioned it, An Zi Ran rejected the notion without hesitation. The purpose of the marriage was to safeguard the An family, and An Xue Yan would only cause trouble for the An family.

Steward Su knocked on the door and then entered. He put a hot thing* in front of An Zi Ran and said with concern, “Young Master, these past few days you’ve been rushing about for the young miss’s wedding, you must be very tired. I prepared a cup of hot tea for you. Drink it while it’s hot.”

[*T/N: The raws actually said “thing” 东西 dong xi]

An Zi Ran rubbed his temples. He was indeed tired.

Had it not been for the sake of the An family, he would not have dragged the family all the way to Jun Zi City. Every time he had to deal with Fu Wu Tian, a great deal of his brain cells would die in the exchange. In contrast, he would rather stay in the study every day and read over the ledgers.

Steward Su saw him start to drink the ginseng tea one mouthful at a time. Several times he wanted to speak, but refrained from doing so.

An Zi Ran perceived his line of sight and sighed. “Steward, if there’s anything you want to say then just say it, ba.”

“Since Young Master tells me to speak, then I will speak.” Steward Su seemed impatient to get the conversation over with. Watching An Zi Ran, he cautiously said, “You’re not really thinking of replacing the young miss and marrying Fu wang ye are you?”

An Zi Ran choked on the ginseng tea.

Steward Su quickly took out a handkerchief and handed it to him.

An Zi Ran coughed several times before the coughs subsided. Then he looked up at the worried Steward Su. He finally understood why he was always looking at him with that kind of gaze. As it turns out, the two of them were not thinking of the same thing. Even if he liked men, he never thought of marrying another man. It was not in his character to ruin* his future prospects for the sake of the An family.

[*T/N: 葬送 zang song: figuratively this means “to ruin (one’s future prospects etc)” but it can also mean “to hold a funeral procession and burial” or “to give somebody a final send-off”]

“Steward, do not worry, I will not do that.” An Zi Ran looked at him firmly.

Steward Su saw in his expression that he did not seem to be lying. Finally he felt a little relieved. But once he thought of the next problem, his heart tensed up again. “Young Master, about the young miss, what do you plan to do?”

A faint flash of coldness passed through An Zi Ran’s eyes. “Since she can only remember her own happiness, and doesn’t care if her actions implicate her two brothers to the point of death, then that kind of sister is not even worth recognizing. I will pretend I never had this younger sister. From now on, the An family does not have a Third Miss.”
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When Steward Su heard such a rejection, he eventually sighed. Before coming here, he never thought that things would become like this. Although Young Master’s words were heartless, the young miss’s actions were indeed bitterly disappointing. He also did not have any words to say.

“Tomorrow, accompany me on a trip to the Fu palace.”

After a moment of silence, An Zi Ran suddenly spoke.

Steward Su said, “Young Master, you are…”

After thinking it over, An Zi Ran felt that there might be a way to salvage the situation* if he just spoke openly about the situation.

[*T/N: 转圜余地 zhuan huan yu di “to have room to save a situation” or “margin for error (idiom)”]

Concerning An Yu Zhi running away to escape the marriage, they could conceal the matter for a period of time, but not for a lifetime. He’s been in contact with Fu Wu Tian several times, and he very much understood how enigmatic and unpredictable that man was. It was possible that he already knew about the matter. In that case, it was better to be active than to be passive.

An Zi Ran was someone who does what he says. So the next day he went to the Fu palace.

Steward Su wanted to persuade him to wait a bit, perhaps they could think of a solution tomorrow. But for the first time, he discovered that the young master’s temperament could also be this stubborn at times. It was something one couldn’t ordinarily tell from just looking at him.

When they were standing at the door of the Fu palace, he knew that the young master had steeled his heart.

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Next Chapter: Wedding Continues

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Chapter 33.2 – Terrible Mess

An Zi Ran looked down. “Is that all?”

Xing Er nodded. “This is it. After that, the lady stayed in her room and rarely went out. This servant believes that the young miss’s decision to runaway from home is related to what those people said.”

In other words, she may not be pursuing happiness and love, but was afraid to marry an ugly person?

An Zi Ran: “…”

Steward Su: “…”

Although Xing Er explained the situation in a simple and deft manner, An Zi Ran still felt that it was not so simple. An Yu Zhi did not look like a woman without a brain, but she also did not seem like someone with a hidden face to her.

“Young Master, the young miss went overboard with her actions.” Steward Su finally could not help but reveal his anger. Whatever the reason, the young miss should not escape from the marriage. She was going to marry a high-priority lord, not an ordinary person. This kind of thing involved the dignity of the royal family. If news of this passed out, the first person to be denounced would be the young master.
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Xing Er hesitated and said, “Young Master, why don’t we go look for the young miss right now? It’s possible that she still hasn’t left the capital yet.”

“Yes. We must bring the lady back.” Steward Su immediately answered her words. The An family only had this one daughter born from the main wife. If she left, there was no one to replace her.

Both of them looked at An Zi Ran at the same time.

An Zi Ran replied, “It’s already too late to go look now. Furthermore, Jun Zi City is beneath the feet of the emperor. Nowadays, everyone knows about the marriage between the An family and the Fu palace. Our family’s every move is being observed under their watchful eye. If we send people out to look it would be the same as announcing that Yu Zhi ran away from home to escape the marriage.”

Fu Wu Tian absolutely must not find out that An Yu Zhi ran away to escape the marriage.

Even now, An Zi Ran still can’t guess what was going on inside that man’s head. If Fu Wu Tian got angry, An Zi Ran could imagine the final ending of the An family. At that time, he wouldn’t have to wait for An Chang De’s plot to target the An family, the An family would just disappear from An Yuan County forever.

Steward Su understood Young Master’s concerns, but he was more worried about the An family.

An Zi Ran thought for a while, “Second mother and third mother’s daughters haven’t married yet. Maybe one of them could be a substitute?”

“That won’t do, Young Master,” Steward Su denied without hesitation. “Eldest Miss and Second Miss are both born from concubines. Their status is not suitable for public. Moreover, the Old Master’s promise to Fu lao wang ye was for the daughter of a main wife to marry into the Fu family. If the Fu palace found out that we tried to substitute with the daughter of a concubine, then the consequences…”

An Zi Ran felt a headache building up. He was only throwing out some ideas without thinking the matter through.

“Young Master?” Steward Su couldn’t stand to see the troubled look on the young master’s face. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the young miss was selfish. Even if she didn’t care about the An family, she should’ve at least considered the young master. They were blood-related siblings after all.
Translations by www.vmnovels.com
An Zi Ran suddenly raised his head and looked at Steward Su with a look of anticipation. “Does it have to be the child of a main wife?”

Steward Su blanked a bit, and then he nodded.

An Zi Ran’s eyes suddenly moved to a small bun who will be four months old. “Well… is a male child okay?”

Both Steward Su and Xing Er turned wooden.

…

Fu Wu Tian sat on the steps in a gesture of randomness, not too dirty, and looked at the trees in the courtyard without know what to think. The handsome face had no expression until Ge Qian An’s voice rang in his ear.

“Wang ye, this subordinate received a message. It is about the An family.”

Fu Wu Tian gave him a casual look. “Speak.”

Ge Qian An said, “An Yu Zhi ran away to escape the marriage.”

Fu Wu Tian raised his head. His lips lifted by a faint degree. In the blink of an eye the expression disappeared. Ge Qian An thought it was an illusion, except he knew it wasn’t, wang ye really smiled.

Ge Qian An continued, “In the morning, someone saw the An family’s Third Miss and one of her personal maids renting a horse carriage and then leaving the city in a hurry. They were both carrying bundles* with them. Then I sent people to investigate. It has just been determined that An family’s Third Miss did indeed escape her marriage.” A pause, and then he said, “Wang ye, do you want to send someone to catch her and bring her back?”

[*T/N: 包袱 bao fu: lit. bundle or bundle wrapped in a cloth. Because suitcases were not invented yet, a 包袱 was indicative of travel.]

Although it was only a landlord’s daughter, it would be bad for the Fu palace’s reputation if such news were spread about.

“No need, let’s see what he will do.”

He spoke this with an expectant tone. After dropping this sentence, Fu Wu Tian suddenly stood up and turned away.

Behind him, Ge Qian An revealed a grave expression. Wang ye seemed more and more interested in An Zi Ran. This was not a good thing!

[T/N: Hell yeah, it’s a good thing! XD]

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