My Fulang is a Delicate Flower Chapter 13 Part 1

Chapter 13  

"Mother, what happened with Eldest Uncle today? Wasn’t it agreed beforehand that as the eldest of the You family, he would announce the marriage in front of everyone at the banquet?"  

"Why did he instead make excuses about being preoccupied with exam preparations and failing to host properly? Doesn’t this offend the Ji family? As an elder, why didn’t he mention the marriage at all? Uncle Ji left with a dark expression."  

After the You family banquet ended, You Lingxiao, who had just returned home, couldn’t hold back his urgent questions.  

You’s mother, Sun Yuanniang, watched her son fidgeting like "an ant on a hot pan" and replied leisurely, "Look at how impatient you are. You’re a juren now, yet you lack even half the composure."  

[热锅上的蚂蚁 (rè guō shàng de mǎ yǐ): lit. an ant on a hot pan; fig. extremely anxious or restless]  

You Lingxiao suppressed his impatience and softened his tone. "It’s only because you’re here, Mother, and there are no outsiders."  

Sun Yuanniang smiled at his words and beckoned him. "Erlang, come here."  

She pushed a small box on the table forward. "Do you know what this is?"  

Puzzled, You Lingxiao opened the box and took out a translucent jade pendant.  

"Such fine quality, who sent this?"  

Sun Yuanniang’s delight grew. "It’s a congratulatory gift from the Assistant Prefect Xue."  

"Since you’re so anxious to ask why I didn’t bring up your marriage at the banquet, let me explain it to you properly."  

"What the eldest branch said today wasn’t wrong. You’re young, already a juren, with a promising career ahead. Not to mention your handsome appearance, how many scholars in the imperial examinations can compare to you?"  

You Lingxiao immediately grasped his mother’s implication but still asked, "I don’t see how this relates to my engagement with the Ji family."  

"My son, with your career flourishing, how can you let yourself be tied down to such an ordinary in-law family?"  

Sun Yuanniang continued, "The Ji family may be respectable in our village, but beyond here, what are they? Can they pave your way forward?"  

"Mother, are you suggesting we break off the engagement?"  

You Lingxiao blurted out, then quickly added, "No, that’s absolutely out of the question! Not only are Taoyu and I childhood sweethearts deeply in love, but the village head has also treated our family well over the years. Everyone in the village knows about this engagement. If we suddenly back out, think of the gossip! It would damage my reputation and moral standing if I become an official."  

"Mother, we can’t do this, both emotionally and logically."  

"Look how frantic you are. When did I say we should break the engagement? Listen carefully to the stakes here."  

Sun Yuanniang chuckled. "Assistant Prefect Xue thinks highly of you and even sent gifts this time. His daughter is still unmarried, isn’t this an obvious hint?"  

"Though an assistant prefect isn’t the highest rank, I’ve heard his family has generations of officials with extensive connections, stronger than some higher-ranking ones. With a powerful in-law family, your career will surely advance smoothly. This is a rare opportunity!"  

She warned him sternly, "Passing the provincial exam is remarkable, but in Jiangnan, juren aren’t rare. Many end up struggling because they lack strategy. Erlang, if you don’t seize this chance, you’ll regret it later."  

"The Xue family hasn’t made it explicit because they’re waiting to see how you perform in the spring exams, it’s all about weighing pros and cons. Here’s my suggestion: focus entirely on preparing for the exams. If the Xue family’s offer falls through afterward, we’ll proceed with marrying the Ji family’s ger. If it works out, you can still keep Taoyu in mind. After all, men often have multiple wives and concubines. We’ll bring him over then. By that time, you’ll be a jinshi, and it won’t be beneath him."  

You Lingxiao hesitated. "The village head only has Taoyu as his child. Would he really agree to let him become a concubine?"  

Sun Yuanniang noticed his resistance had weakened, indicating he was considering keeping options open.  

Pleased, she coaxed, "Silly child, though the Ji family dotes on their only ger, who wouldn’t want to benefit from their child’s connections? The Ji family is probably desperate to rely on you for tax exemptions, wasn’t that their goal from the start?"  

"Being your concubine isn’t the same as serving some old man decades older. It’s no disgrace. Of course, they’ll still put on a show of anger, appearances must be kept. But you know what they truly want."  

You Lingxiao remained silent.  

Sun Yuanniang then adopted a pleading tone. "Lingxiao, as a widow, raising your sister until her marriage and supporting your studies, do you know how hard it’s been?"  

"All these years, you’ve only focused on studying. Do you know the hardships I’ve endured? Your uncles looked down on our family. After your father died, instead of pitying us orphans and widows, their mockery became routine. Life was so hard I had no choice but to arrange your engagement to that sickly Ji family ger in exchange for their support."  

"If your talents were mediocre, passing the county exam would’ve been enough. Out of gratitude for the Ji family’s help, I wouldn’t have considered alternatives. But Heaven blessed you with such brilliance. With this rare opportunity before us, how can we let it slip? If a man doesn’t act for himself, Heaven and Earth will destroy him. We’re just securing an extra path for ourselves."  

Seeing the shrewdness in his mother’s expression, You Lingxiao asked, "So Eldest Uncle’s speech today was to stall the Ji family?"  

"Keep them placated while we buy time, alright?" Sun Yuanniang looked heartbroken. "Lingxiao, you wouldn’t disappoint your mother, would you?"  

"We’re not refusing to marry Taoyu, just delaying it slightly. It makes no difference. In the end, it’ll be better for both of you."  

You Lingxiao struggled inwardly. At this ambitious age, he yearned for grand achievements, yet he was also at the stage of youthful romance, fearing he might lose his beloved for the sake of advancement.  

Sun Yuanniang saw he was swayed and clasped his hand. "Lingxiao, don’t blame your mother for being calculating and unfeeling. The three of us have come this far only through great difficulty."  

"Do you know how much money brushes, paper, and books cost? Education drains wealth like water. If I hadn’t schemed, how could I have funded you to become a juren? Life has just begun improving, we can’t slack now."  

You Lingxiao’s eyes reddened. He knew how his elder sister had been forced into a distant marriage to pay his tuition.  

That’s why the conflict tore at him so painfully. "I understand, Mother."  

Sun Yuanniang wiped her eyes. "Only the two of us share the same heart now. Your uncles just want to ride your coattails. We must step on these profit-driven people to go far."  

"Tomorrow, go early to thank Assistant Prefect Xue, you know how to handle it. Then visit the Ji family afterward to keep them steady and avoid complications."  

You Lingxiao immediately said, "I’ll go apologize to Uncle Ji now."  

But Sun Yuanniang stopped him. "You’re tired today. Rest well and go tomorrow, no need to rush. Besides, the village head must still be furious. Why provoke him further? For the clan’s sake, he’ll come around and won’t dare hold a grudge against you."  

You Lingxiao paused. "Alright then."