Chapter 1: The Woman Who Blocked the Marriage

  She wasn't born with a temperament that could tolerate it, but a long time ago, she had kicked Shen Guiya once. At that time, Second Brother was far away in Jingzhou, and Qin Niang was lifted up by someone in the middle of the night and thrown into the lotus pond in the mansion. In the dead of winter, she fell ill and almost died.

  It's laughable that no one in her courtyard knows who did it.

  Shen Guiya smiled and blocked her under the Swallow Pavilion, asking her: "Do you want to try kicking me again?"

  Shen Guiyan knelt outside Shen Shiqing's study, asking him to take charge, but Old Master Shen only came to help her up, saying that Ya'er wouldn't do such an excessive thing. After telling Madame about it, she was slapped twice instead.

  Madam said: "If you continue to slander Ya's reputation like this, don't blame me for not forgiving you."

  Shen Guiyan finally realized that in this mansion, she was no match for Shen Guiya.

  Then bear it, bear it until you get married and leave.

  She didn't expect that she was about to get married, but Shen Guiya still didn't plan to let her off.

  Her cheeks had already swollen up high, Shen Guiya finally let go of her with a satisfied expression, turned around and hugged Liu Di, laughing loudly: "Guiwen, look at your third sister now, doesn't she look like a pig head?"

  Shen Guiwen remained silent and expressionless. Wen only nodded slightly and said softly, "It does resemble him, but Fifth Sister, if Father were to investigate further, what would you do?"

  "What to do?" Shen Guiya burst out laughing: "What can Father do to me? With Mother taking the blame, what am I afraid of? She will definitely not be able to see anyone tomorrow. If she dares to go and accuse..."

  Shen Guiya paused for a moment, shivered, and hugged her own arm: "The autumn is high and the air is refreshing. I wonder if falling into the lotus pond now would still make me sick? Hmm?"

  Baoshan's eyes turned red, and she broke free from the shackles of her family's rules. She went forward to support her own young mistress. Shen Guiya smiled as she led Shen Guiwen away. Shen Guiyan touched her own face, took a deep breath, and said: "Baoshan, let's go back."

  "Miss..." Baoshan couldn't help but cry: "I thought I was finally waiting for a good day, but the fifth miss is still so arrogant. What should we do tomorrow? If Mr. Gu comes in person, he won't be able to see you..."

  "That can't be helped." Thinking of Gu Chao Dong, Shen Gui Yan's heart also tightened slightly: "I can only ask you to help me pass a poem note."

  It's been a long time since I saw that person, although we meet once a year, it's also been more than half a year since I last saw him. Shen Guiya must have met him somewhere, otherwise she wouldn't have suddenly followed him like a demon and wanted to marry him.

  Dong is indeed a man worthy of entrusting one's life to, unlike the idle young masters from other families. He has read extensively and his poems often meet her expectations. She had long since given her heart to him and thanked heaven for bringing them together through the auspicious arrangement of Lord Gu, thus forming this beautiful relationship.

  Thinking of him, it seems that her face doesn't hurt anymore. Shen Guiyan smiled and returned to her own Swallow Tower, Bao Shan brought over the ointment and applied it for her, then she lay down to rest.

  "What a beautiful lady smiling and leaning against the building! May I ask your esteemed surname and great name?"

  "Descend in the morning and face east."

  Propping up her chin, she thought of what she saw today at the Water Ink Building, Shen Guiya still couldn't help but giggle foolishly, laughing with a silly grin.

  That man was truly a talented and elegant person. When he greeted others, his demeanor was extraordinary. Even if the person in front of him was just a poor scholar, he would respond with a gentle tone, causing countless women in the nearby boudoirs to whisper and discuss among themselves.

  Whoever marries the young master of the Gu family will truly be blessed with good fortune for eight lifetimes.

  But thinking that the lucky one was Shen Guiyan, whom she had always disliked, Shen Guiya restrained her smile.

  She can't let this marriage happen, she must think of a way.

  The day of Gu Najie's courtesy visit arrived, and Gu Zhaodong really came with the matchmaker. First, they went to pay their respects to Mr. Shen and his wife, chatting and laughing elegantly, and anyone who saw them would nod in praise.

  Shen Guiyan's face was not swollen, so she wouldn't come to see him. Bao Shan brought the poem paper over and Gu Zhaodong slightly furrowed his brow, asking in a low voice: "Where is Yan'er?"

  Bao Shan pursed her lips and shook her head: "Miss is ill, can only send a poem to the young master, I hope the young master will not blame."

  Gu Zhaodong pursed his lips and flipped open the poem card to take a look, on which was written: "You should be like a boulder, I should be like a reed."

  With a faint smile, he put the poem in his sleeve pocket, and Gu Zhaodong casually stuffed some reward money into the fan, saying in a low voice: "Take good care of Ben Gongzi's reed, when the time comes, I will come to take it."

  Bao Shan's face turned slightly red as she smiled for her own mistress, and quickly turned around and ran away.

  Yu Chai, the maid beside Shen Guiya, had been waiting on the side. After Na Ji finished asking about the rules of courtesy, she immediately stepped forward and said to Gu Zhaodong, who was about to leave: "Miss invites you to meet at Sanqing Inn outside the mansion."

  Gu Zhaodong had never been to Shenfu, and apart from Bao Shan, he didn't recognize any of the other maids. However, Yu Shu finished speaking and left immediately, not giving him a chance to ask questions. After thinking for a moment, although he didn't know which young lady it was, in order not to be rude, Gu Zhaodong still went.

  What awaited him was Shen Guiya, the door closed, and the room was filled with a faint scent of incense. Gu Zhaodong felt something was off and wanted to leave, but Shen Guiya said: "Yan sister is in trouble, I risked great danger to come out and tell you, sir, are you really not going to listen before leaving?"

  Gu Zhaodong's footsteps paused, and he frowned at her: "A single man and a young unmarried woman, it's not quite proper."

  "It's a matter of Yan sister's life and death, what are you still thinking about?" Shen Guiya hummed softly, quickly pulling the person back: "Listen to me..."

  At this point, spring feelings are fragrant and enter the nose, what else is there to follow?

  On the third day after Naqi's visit, Shen Guiyan's face had almost recovered and she could barely see people with a veil on.

  "Miss, Mr. Gu has sent a message." Bao Shan smiled with a hint of mystery and whispered, "You're almost married, but you can't hide your longing for each other. Mr. Gu wants to meet you at the third willow tree by the Qing River at dusk, a perfect time."

  Shen Guiyan's face turned red as she nodded and said: "I'll go get it, Bao Shan, help me pick out a set of clothes."

  Because she was going to get married, she still had clothes, chose a new one, re-combed her hair, put on hair accessories, and took advantage of the fact that there was no one in the backyard, sneaking out of the mansion from the side door.

  The sky was already orange, Shen Guiyan walked all the way with a fluttering heart, and Bao Shan was almost unable to catch up with her. When she arrived at the Qing River, she slowed down her pace, just like everyone else's quiet and elegant walk.

  Gu Zhaodong had been standing by the river for a long time, his body was somewhat stiff. Wearing a black long shirt, he suddenly looked much thinner.

  "Swallow." He saw her and called out softly.

  Shen Guiyan nodded and stood three steps away from him: "Young Master is looking for me, is there something on your mind?"

  Gu Chao Dong's expression didn't look too good, as if he had been hesitating for a long time, and finally said: "If...if I have had intimate relations with other women, would you blame me?"

  Shen Guiyan was taken aback for a moment, looking at him in confusion.

  "Your fifth sister... has had a physical relationship with me." Gu Zhaodong closed his eyes and said bluntly, "However, she was the one who overstepped her bounds first. Without a good matchmaker or a marriage certificate, I would never have agreed to it. But this matter is indeed somewhat... I've already politely declined her affections."

  Her whole body felt like it had been suddenly drenched in cold water, and she was chilled to the bone. Shen Guiyan couldn't help but think that Gui Ya really had no shame, doing such things and still daring to say that she was shameless.

  Without her parents' permission, and without the matchmaker's words, she dared to give herself to Gu Zhaodong on her own? To be a wife or a concubine, Shen Guiya hadn't read many books, so didn't she know this phrase either?

  Moreover, Gu Zhaodong is also about to become her brother-in-law.

  She smiled lightly and lost interest in saying anything more to Gu Zhaodong, so she just bowed to him and turned around to walk back.

  "Swallow, don't hate me." Gu Zhaodong frowned and said: "I didn't mean to."

  It wasn't intentional, but even a man like him could be led astray by a young woman's words. Shen Guiyan let out a long sigh and decided it was best to head back first.

  She thought that by giving her body, she could marry into the Gu family. This arrogant sister of hers is actually as stupid as a tofu flower. Now that she's been rejected, who knows how she'll get married in the future?

  Returned home and was about to go to Qing Ya Zhai to take a look, but just walked halfway and saw Yu Shen hastily leading the doctor inside.

  "What's wrong?" Bao Shan hastily pulled Yu Shu and asked: "Who is sick, so anxious?"

  Jade Comb brandished a hairpin and flung the precious fan away, shouting: "Get out of my way! You're delaying my young mistress's life - no one can bear the consequences!"