SGEIRS -Chapter 495 A Difficult Marriage

Changxing Marquis’s Residence

Outside, in the small courtyard, flowers bloomed in full, colorful butterflies danced through the air, and the scene was brimming with the vitality of spring. Inside the house,

Ningdong came running in. Upon seeing Meng Jinyao, she hurried over, performed a respectful bow, and said, “Madam, there’s news regarding the Old Master.”

Meng Jinyao had been a little drowsy, her mind drifting, but at these words, she suddenly became alert and lifted her head sharply. “What mischief are they up to this time?”

Ningdong replied, “I just heard outside that the Old Madam has engaged a matchmaker, saying she wants to find a bride for the Old Master. He’s going to get married again in the near future.”

Meng Jinyao was surprised. Her father had only recently finalized his divorce, and now her grandmother was already arranging a marriage for him?

She was certain this was not her father’s idea. Given how reluctant he had been to part with Aunt Dong, there was no way he would be eager to remarry so quickly. For a considerable time, he would still not be able to let go of Aunt Dong. If he married another girl in this situation, it would be quite a mess—unless the new wife was capable of replacing Aunt Dong in his heart.

Ningdong continued, “Madam, if the Old Master marries again, it would be his fourth marriage.”

Just then, Gu Jingxi entered and overheard the last part. Curiously, he asked, “Jinyao, who’s marrying for the fourth time?”

Meng Jinyao smiled. “My father—your father-in-law.”

Gu Jingxi was shocked, even finding it hard to believe. “Your father just finalized his divorce a few days ago. He’s going to marry again so quickly?”

Meng Jinyao shook her head helplessly. “I don’t think it’s my father’s idea, but my grandmother’s. She’s already looking for a suitable girl for him. I guess he’ll marry within this year. We should prepare the wedding gifts in advance.”

Gu Jingxi remained silent. A few days after the divorce, and already arranging a marriage—wasn’t that a bit fast?

After a moment, he signaled the maid to leave and asked, “Jinyao, what do you think about this?”

Meng Jinyao didn’t seem very concerned. “If it’s going to rain, let it. If father wants a stepmother, let him. Let them deal with the trouble themselves. In fact, when father divorced a few days ago, I already suspected he might remarry; I just didn’t expect grandmother to engage a matchmaker so soon.”

Gu Jingxi asked again, “Aren’t you worried your father might marry a woman like Madam Sun?”

Meng Jinyao shook her head lightly. “My second brother is grown up, and we’ve got his back. Even if father really marries such a woman, she wouldn’t dare harm my brother. If there’s any trouble, it won’t be him who suffers.”

She laughed softly. “To be frank, I actually hope someone gives them a hard time. Better they suffer a bit than go causing trouble for others.”

Gu Jingxi nodded. “That’s true.”

The Old Madam Meng believed that with their family title and her son being the Marquis of Yongchang, finding a good bride for him was not difficult. After all, marrying her son meant becoming a countess—how many young women wouldn’t want that?

However, the Old Madam Meng was overly confident.

The matchmaker, following her instructions, sought young girls who had never been married, but it did not go smoothly.

Originally, the Old Madam thought girls around the age of the previous daughter-in-law were difficult to manage, so she wanted a younger girl, around fifteen or sixteen, who could bear children and provide more grandchildren. After all, her son’s heirs were still few—just two sons and two daughters.

The matchmaker followed these instructions: the girl’s family background didn’t have to be too high, just a respectable scholarly family; her father or older brother could be a minor official of sixth or seventh rank. The girl should be gentle, virtuous, and well-educated, and her appearance decent. But in the end, no suitable candidates were found.

The matchmaker was troubled, so she personally visited the Old Madam, thinking she might persuade her to lower her expectations.

The Old Madam, hearing that the matchmaker had arrived, assumed it meant a good girl had been found, and her annoyance immediately eased. With her family’s status, finding a good girl shouldn’t be difficult at all. As for Aunt Dong, at twenty-six, having married twice, her family wasn’t particularly wealthy. It was impossible for her to marry a man better than her son, and perhaps even difficult for her to remarry at all. By the time her son took a new wife, Aunt Dong would regret her choices.

The matchmaker, led by a maid, arrived at the Hall of Glory and Fortune, performed her greetings, and before she could speak, the Old Madam asked, “Matchmaker Zhang, which family’s daughter have you found?”

The matchmaker hesitated for a moment, then cautiously said, “Old Madam, I have selected several girls for Master according to your requirements, but…” She trailed off.

The Old Madam frowned. “But what?”

The matchmaker chose her words carefully. “But their parents are unwilling to marry their daughters to Master.”

The Old Madam was stunned. Her son wasn’t a high-ranking official, but he had a title and a wife from the Changxing Marquis family. What could be lacking? And yet, families of modest status were unwilling to let their daughters marry him?

Her frown deepened. “Why?”

The matchmaker looked at her, seeing her displeasure, but spoke the truth despite her apprehension. “They say Master is cursed in marriage. Whoever marries him cannot stay together for life.”

The Old Madam’s face darkened. She angrily said, “Nonsense! Who is spreading such lies about my son?”

The matchmaker hurriedly explained, “Old Madam, calm down. It isn’t me saying this; it’s what people outside say. They claim that Master’s first wife died one year after marrying him, his second wife lived fifteen years before being divorced, and his third wife divorced within a year.”

She quietly glanced at the Old Madam’s face and continued, “They also say that the second wife survived so long because of her malicious nature; kind-hearted women cannot survive long. The only surviving Dong family girl did so only because of the children protecting her from misfortune.”

The Old Madam’s anger surged. “Nonsense! That was their problem, what does it have to do with my son?”

The matchmaker replied, “Old Madam, I know it has nothing to do with Master, but that’s how the rumor spreads. Hence, they are unwilling to marry their daughters to him.”

The Old Madam was furious, unable to accept reality. Her son, after all, was the Marquis of Yongchang, handsome and talented. How could families of humble status disdain her son?

The matchmaker, sensing that earning money from the Meng family would be difficult, but also not wanting to offend them, tentatively asked, “Old Madam, what about Master’s marriage?”

The Old Madam replied firmly, “Keep looking. I don’t believe there isn’t a girl who will marry my son.”

The matchmaker looked troubled. “Old Madam, under the current circumstances, finding a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl who has never been married might be difficult. Perhaps you could slightly relax your requirements?”

The Old Madam frowned, looking at her. “How would you suggest I relax them?”

The matchmaker considered carefully. “Widows or divorced women are easier to find. But younger girls, around twenty, may still be difficult. Older candidates may be necessary. Don’t worry, Old Madam, they will still be younger than Fourth Master.”