SGEIRS -Chapter 494 Arranging a Marriage

Having been a groom three times and married three wives, Yongchang Marquis Meng Dongyuan had divorced, and the news spread immediately, becoming the hottest topic in the capital.

Of Meng Dongyuan’s three wives, one had died young, one had been dismissed, and one divorced. Across the entire capital, it was hard to find anyone else with such a track record.

Everyone wondered why he had suddenly divorced his wife. When they learned that Madam Dong had given birth prematurely and divorced within a couple of days, people began to speculate. Perhaps it was due to family power struggles, and the one most likely to have caused trouble was the heir apparent, Meng Chengxing.

However, all of this was mere speculation. No one had verified it, and few openly discussed it.

Even at the academy, Meng Chengxing’s classmates hinted and asked him why Madam Dong and Meng Dongyuan had divorced. Some even asked if Madam Dong’s premature birth had anything to do with him. After all, rumors said Meng Dongyuan once wanted to designate Madam Dong’s child as heir. Could it be that he had acted to remove a threat and harmed her?

Meng Chengxing was furious inside. He hadn’t expected that with both of them divorced, he would be left with such a mess. But he could only bite back his anger and say, “My father and Aunt Dong have incompatible temperaments, which is why they divorced. If you don’t believe it, you can ask the Dong family yourselves.”

He said this because he was sure no one would actually ask, and Madam Dong, in order to secure the divorce, had given up pursuing the matter. That settled it.

Meng Dongyuan, on the other hand, sank into despondency, drowning his sorrow in alcohol. Compared to his father’s death years ago, Madam Dong divorcing him now was even more painful. Especially seeing the familiar courtyard without the familiar person, everything felt wrong.

Old Madam Meng silently cursed her son for being useless—these past few days he had been half dead over a woman—while sending her maid to summon the best matchmaker in the capital. She wanted to arrange a marriage for her son, hoping that a new wife would quickly help him forget Madam Dong.

Meng Chengxing was annoyed when he heard this. He had finally gotten rid of Madam Dong, and now he would have a new stepmother?

Meng Dongyuan, however, did not wish to remarry. When he learned that his elderly mother had found a matchmaker to select his next wife, he immediately went to her and said, “Mother, I don’t want to marry again. You need not trouble yourself arranging a marriage for me.”

Old Madam Meng’s face immediately stiffened. “Chengzhang and Chengxing are not yet of marriageable age, and our family lacks a woman to manage household affairs. Do you want me, this old woman, to run the house and handle all social matters?”

Meng Dongyuan shook his head repeatedly. His mother was old and deserved to enjoy her retirement; he could not let her work herself to exhaustion.

Old Madam Meng said, “If you were ten years older, I wouldn’t force you to marry. But now, at just over thirty and not yet forty, you are still young. You should take a gentle and virtuous wife into the household, someone who knows how to care for you.”

She shot her son a sharp glance. Seeing his haggard appearance and the scent of alcohol on him, she continued, “Or are you still thinking of Madam Dong? What spell did she cast on you? She divorces you, and you refuse to remarry?”

Meng Dongyuan replied, “Mother, why must you bring her up again?”

Old Madam Meng would not let it go. “Marriage has always been arranged by parents and matchmakers. I will choose a wife for you. Once the match is found, the marriage will be set. It will take place this year, and you will marry whether you want to or not—unless you wish to be an unfilial son who defies his mother.”

With the word “filial” weighing down on him, Meng Dongyuan could not argue, replying only, “I leave it all to you, Mother.”

Old Madam Meng was satisfied and softened her expression. “Don’t blame me for forcing you. Everything I do is for your own good. One day, you will understand my intentions.”

Meng Dongyuan responded blankly, “I understand.”

Old Madam Meng paid no mind to his expression. As long as the outcome was what she wanted, it was fine. She changed the topic: “Chengxing will participate in this year’s Ling Mountain Academy entrance exams. Our Chengxing has always been clever; he will surely pass the assessment. So you, as his father, mustn’t hold him back.”

Meng Dongyuan frowned. “Mother, I don’t understand. How am I holding him back?”

Old Madam Meng spoke solemnly: “The matter with Madam Dong is already past. Do not scold Chengxing over it, and do not always look sour at him. Otherwise, it will affect his studies, and he may not perform well.”

Meng Dongyuan was silent.

In truth, he had once believed Chengxing would succeed, perhaps even more than Chengzhang. But in reality, Chengxing was a useless, malicious child. If the title fell to him, the family’s centuries-old legacy would likely be ruined. The title must go to Chengzhang.

Seeing him remain silent, Old Madam Meng was displeased. “Chengxing is at a critical stage of his studies. If he fails the assessment, it will be your fault.”

Meng Dongyuan was frustrated. “Mother, if he fails, it is his own ability. How is that my responsibility?”

Old Madam Meng glared. “Your attitude affects him. Haven’t you noticed that he’s afraid of you now? Both are your sons; don’t favor one too much. Nobody’s perfect. Chengxing only made a few mistakes; you’ve gone too far by holding it against him.”

Meng Dongyuan could not argue, replying, “Mother is right.”

She asked further, “I heard you sent something to Chengzhang yesterday?”

Meng Dongyuan was slightly taken aback. He hadn’t expected such a trivial matter to reach his mother. Nodding, he said, “Huiyun used to prepare things for him. Now that Huiyun and I have divorced, I will prepare them myself.”

Old Madam Meng asked, “Didn’t Madam Dong prepare some for him? That girl A-Yao took them to the Gu family, claiming she had sent them to Chengzhang. Why did you prepare another set?”

Meng Dongyuan explained, “What A-Yao sent counts as the Gu family’s gift. I, as the father, need to show my gesture as well.” In truth, he also wanted to repair his relationship with Chengzhang. He couldn’t rely on the unworthy Chengxing in the future; he would have to rely on A-Yao and Chengzhang.

Old Madam Meng could not refute this. She asked, “Did you prepare anything for Chengxing?”

Meng Dongyuan shook his head. “Mother, Chengxing comes home every day and lacks nothing. What more should I prepare?”

Old Madam Meng was unconcerned. “If Chengzhang has something, Chengxing should have it too. Don’t be biased. Chengzhang doesn’t come home every day, but he is only studying at the academy. What could he lack?”

Meng Dongyuan found this a bit grating. He had never thought his mother was biased before, but now he realized she overly favored Chengxing. Whenever Chengxing lacked something, she thought he had suffered, never considering that Chengxing had been treated far better than Chengzhang since childhood.

He could not openly defy her, so he said, “I will prepare for Chengxing.”

It would be done casually, enough to show effort. When he dealt with the troublesome Chengxing later, his mother would have no chance to accuse him of favoritism.