Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Matter of Marriage

Su Hong caught the underlying meaning in the words of Prince An Nan, and his heart tightened; he began to reconsider his eldest legitimate daughter.

On the way back to the mansion, Su Hong closed his eyes in thought. The Prince of An Nan's household was intent on forming an alliance with the Prime Minister's family, but "Li Luo is meant to marry the Prince of Jin; her marriage cannot be decided now."

Considering that the Prince of Jin currently enjoyed the emperor’s favor and his mother was the Noble Consort, Su Hong clenched his fists at the prospect of such a good match. He was determined to secure it. Compared to the Prince of Jin, the modest Prince of An Nan was hardly worth considering.

Having made up his mind, Su Hong first sought out the old Madam Su upon returning home. “Mother, I have something to tell you.”

“Oh? What is it that the Prime Minister wishes to discuss?”

“Mother, I have plans for Li Luo’s marriage. I’d like to ask you to help hold it off until after the New Year, not letting the madam assign her arbitrarily.” Su Hong spoke seriously, and the old Madam Su sensed the gravity of the matter. Su Hong feared that Yao Ruoshui might privately choose someone of ordinary background for Su Li Luo, ruining all his careful plans. He couldn’t help but confide in the old Madam first.

“Of course, there’s no problem. Since you have a plan, I’ll have one less worry.” The old Madam Su knew her son was shrewd and had no concerns, smiling as she spoke.

Su Hong relaxed at her agreement and joked with her, “Matters of the inner courtyard still rely on your guidance, Mother. Just this once, let yourself be a little lazy.”

The old Madam Su knew he was only trying to please her and felt gratified. “Enough, your wife manages the household well enough. I rarely get to enjoy peace; don’t make me deal with all those mundane affairs again.”

Su Hong hurriedly expressed his humility, and the old Madam didn’t keep him longer, knowing he had important business and sending him back to the outer courtyard.

Meanwhile, Su Li Luo sneaked out of the mansion. Bundled in layers, she almost got stuck crawling through the dog hole, struggling before finally squeezing herself out. Seeing her clothes dirty and disheveled, she brushed them off carelessly and headed toward her destination.

Entering the brothel through the back gate, Su Li Luo was taken straight to the training grounds where the brothel girls practiced daily. It was fairly spacious, with more than a dozen girls standing inside, all yawning. Su Li Luo secretly laughed, guessing they had been dragged from their beds.

The madam greeted her warmly, “Miss Su, you’ve finally arrived! I’ve been waiting for you every day. These girls are yours to teach.”

“Don’t worry, madam.” Su Li Luo had two braziers lit in the room, and the girls wore thin clothing for ease of dancing. She took off her own weighted jacket, performed a few movements for the girls to imitate, and then let them dance while she corrected each one individually.

Su Li Luo shared her little tricks with the girls; though she taught them, she wasn’t strict. Compared to the madam’s arbitrary scolding, the girls found themselves fond of her.

Talking with them, she learned they were only dance girls; those who entertained guests were a separate group. The dance girls had good figures and quickly learned her moves, having danced before.

“Your bodies must be flexible, your gaze alluring. Imagine you’re not simply dancing; if you want to captivate, you must infuse emotion. Think hard about it.” Su Li Luo noticed their movements were correct, but lacked soul, so she reminded them.

The dance girls nodded eagerly, practicing while exchanging thoughts. Yun Yan Yi watched from the shadows, pleased to see Su Li Luo teaching sincerely without any tricks.

An hour quickly passed. Realizing she’d been out for some time, Su Li Luo left the girls to practice on their own and prepared to return home.

The madam quickly called out, “Miss Su, the prince is upstairs waiting for you. He said he has a few words to say.”

Su Li Luo raised her brows in surprise. “When did Prince Yi arrive?”

“He’s been here a while. Miss Su, please come with me—don’t keep the prince waiting.”

Thinking of the temperamental Yun Yan Yi, Su Li Luo guessed that if he got angry, everyone in the brothel would tremble. She dared not delay, hurried after the madam, and soon ascended to the elegant room on the second floor.

It was the same room as last time. Yun Yan Yi sat at the table, smiling as she entered. “Miss Su, you’re here. Please, sit.”

Su Li Luo, both flattered and nervous, sat across from him, unsure what secret he might reveal, quietly waiting for his instructions.

“No need to worry, Miss Su. I simply wish to give you some money.” With that, Yun Yan Yi pushed a banknote toward her. Su Li Luo took it skeptically and, upon seeing the amount, gasped, “Five thousand taels? Prince Yi, what is this about?”

She felt like she was holding a hot potato, hurriedly placing it back on the table, still shocked, her eyes fixed on the note with obvious reluctance.

“Don’t worry. This isn’t payment for your service. The money is for you to open a cosmetics shop. Five thousand taels is more than enough for a storefront.” Yun Yan Yi’s expression was gentle, not at all annoyed by her misunderstanding.

“Why mention the cosmetics shop now, Your Highness? Didn’t I say I’d open it next year? Why give me so much money now?” Su Li Luo frowned in confusion, wondering if the prince simply had nowhere else to spend his wealth.

Yun Yan Yi frowned slightly, giving her a warning look. “You need not concern yourself with my affairs. Just use the money. I have only one request: the cosmetics shop must open after the New Year.”

Su Li Luo stared at him, puzzled by his urgency. Then, realizing she’d received a windfall, she grew excited about having her own shop and set aside thoughts of his motives. “Rest assured, Your Highness, you’ll see the cosmetics shop open after the New Year.”

“Oh, and one more thing. The Princess of An Nan seems to be very fond of you. Do you know the reason for the Plum Blossom Banquet held by Princess Ping?”

Su Li Luo suddenly remembered: that day, the young ladies had given her trouble simply because Princess Ping had spoken to her. Was it not because of the princess, but…?

Seeing her deep in thought, Yun Yan Yi revealed the answer. “The Plum Blossom Banquet was actually for the An Nan heir to choose a wife. Now, the Princess of An Nan is very taken with you. Can you guess what the result will be?”

“But…I never considered any of this.” Su Li Luo said anxiously. She had no wish to marry; the heir of An Nan might be considered an ideal husband by others, but not by her.

Yun Yan Yi saw her flustered gaze and felt a wave of contentment, smiling as he reassured her, “Don’t worry. Even if you wanted to marry, the Prime Minister likely wouldn’t agree.”

“Who says I want to marry? I don’t want to marry anyone.” Su Li Luo sighed in relief, now able to joke with Yun Yan Yi.

This matter made her more wary; Su Li Luo frowned in thought. She would have to find someone herself before they acted—a person without parents, someone alone in the world would be best.