Chapter 67: Marriage Swap

Days colder—late autumn gone—winter come. General's house bleak—Fifth confined—Qing bedridden—only Yue to Guangwen Hall—even Mid-Autumn Chen and Yue alone—Yue shone—little to do with Fifth.
Yet Qing's matter could not wait. Doctor Chen's pills eased nausea—outsiders saw nothing—paper cannot wrap fire forever.
"Cannot go on—" Ren pressed brow—"find way send Qing away—" bear child abroad—claim grave illness—when wind passes—peace.
"Miss's body—hardship outside—" Xianglan worried—"time lost—youth wasted—"
Ren frowned—Qing sixteen nominal—seventeen next year—Dingjing girls marry then—official daughter needs high gate—one more year—best matches gone.
"Yuan returns only New Year—Qing cannot wait." Cruelty in brow.
"Madam—" Caiju silent till now—"heard Third Madam spoke with Assistant Minister Wei's wife—Wei wants Fifth Miss for legitimate heir."
"Shen Miao!" Ren gritted—"Lucky wretch!" Fourth rank civil—bold for First Rank General Shen—yet heir Wei Qian—talent and face top tier—marry Dingjing's fool—at least worthy on merit. Young already in office—future star—fortune for Fifth.
"Wei wants cling to house—" Caiju—"pain sell son for Shen goodwill—" as if Fifth filth unworthy of Young Master Wei.
"Also her luck." Ren face twisted. Years—Shen Xin's fame—almost no suitors for Fifth—weak stupid—great house needs equal match—no great house accepts Ming Qi's laughingstock main wife.
So despite Shen Xin's merit—Fifth unwanted.
Now Wei suitors—Caiju said climb—maybe review day—Fifth refreshed—fool label shed—Wei moved.
Normally Ren would not allow such match on Fifth—Qing ruined—less watch culprit prosper.
"Madam need not worry—" Xianglan—"Old Madam will never agree."
Old Madam hated first branch first—could not touch Shen Xin—could grip Fifth's marriage. Ren spread fool name—now washed—suitor comes—Old Madam will kill the match.
"Such cheap fate—cannot bear fortune—die in marriage bed." Venom. Glance at shut door—Qing won't see people—resentment: "Yet master still wants Qing marry *that*!"
Shen Gui did not know pregnancy—Ren would not tell. Cold man—lost virtue tolerable—know belly—force abort.
Even so—fear exposure—Gui urged Qing's marriage soon—high gate better—picked Huang Dexing—Shaofu Monitor's younger son.
Huang higher than Wei—endless wealth—but parents shrewd—Dexing preferred men—closet case.
Hence Huang cared little for bride—gentle—blind to debauch—rest irrelevant.
Gui thought Qing defiled—Huang wife in name—Dexing won't touch—secret safe—luxury—Gui climbs via in-laws.
Fine for Gui—Ren refused. Defiled or not—good match for Qing. Dexing—lifetime widowhood—never trade daughter. Long fight—marriage ice—Gui rarely Caiyun—concubine nights.
"If Fifth and First Miss swapped grooms—" Caiju angry.
Listener moved—Ren brow jump—"What!"
Caiju stammered—"If Fifth and Second Miss—swapped—"
"You're right!" Ren stood—mad joy—"Qing and wretch swap—" mutter—"should have been Qing's—let wretch eat fruit—" cloak—"Rongjing Hall."
"Why Rongjing?" maids confused. Ren grinned—"Keep Wei's good match for Old Madam."
……
Winter sun on windowsill plants—pale green wash—light thin—might break. Fifth wore brocade double-butterfly skirt—narrow-shoulder lotus purple jacket—deep purple skin near transparent—features ink-clean—standing still—nobility faint.
Bailu and Shuangjiang dazed—even lifelong maids—each look unfamiliar—grace on once childish face—sweet became weight—young became kill.
"Miss loves lotus purple." Bailu—"Pretty—but girls like pink blue bright?"
Lotus purple—solemn—boudoir girls rarely wear—except palace—looks old—hard to hold—child in adult robes.
Yet tender face wore it like inner consort—maids puzzled.
Low voices—Fifth heard—smile—why lotus purple—reminder—calm deep—never soft.
Last life daily empress robes—gold awed scheming consorts—queen posture—mice fear—but gold ill-suited her.
Married Fu Xiuyi young—experiences beyond age—naive ground to still water—fight Consort Mei for Fu Sheng and Wanyu—keep golden empress robe—nothing left.
Evil purple usurps red—below overthrows above. Lifetime in purple—one day seize throne power Ming Qi craves—trample bandits underfoot.
Yet—another always in purple—handsome youth.
Evil purple usurpation—Lin'an mysterious heir—same ambition?
"Miss—bad!" Jingzhe ran—"Mo Qing from Chuntao—Assistant Minister Wei proposes—Old Madam took Wei's birth chart."
Shuangjiang—"Who for?"
"Miss!" Jingzhe stomped—"Wei unknown—Old Madam took chart without asking—master madam unaware—forced sale!"
Jingzhe despised Old Madam—always harm Fifth—good house—Old Madam would not bless.
"Write master now!" Bailu frantic.
Maids chaos—Fifth silent—then laughed soft—"Strange—fourth rank Wei—rich house—heir Wei Qian fine man—grandmother's favor—overwhelmed."
"Miss—Wei good?"
"More than good—" flat—"Father returns—would not refuse. Wei Qian—worthy husband for official daughter."
"How know?" Jingzhe—Fifth home or Guangwen—how know families—speaks familiar—puzzled.
Boudoir Fifth—unknown which son good—as Empress Shen—every talent clear. Wei Qian indeed fine—upright. Wei proposal—Old Madam yes—Fifth never believed.
Guyu ran in—uneasy—"Rongjing—Xi'er from Old Madam—summon Miss."
"Fast." Eyes narrowed—smile—"Let's go."
Rongjing Hall.
Shen Yuanbai clung Old Madam—Ren nursed Qing—dumped Seventh Brother—Old Madam doted—softer to Ren.
Chen and Yue out—Ren ceded house to Chen—Chen entertained—Yue shown to ladies—future match benefit.
Ren stood lower hall—eyes heavy—unknown thought.
Fifth arrived with Xi'er—greeting.
Confinement—daily ancestral hall sutras—kneeling tablets—Old Madam disliked—no visits since before ban.
"Fifth Girl—sutras—mind peaceful?" Old Madam asked.
Literary tone—nearly laugh—Old Madam foremost disrespect—now peace talk—smile: "As Grandmother wishes."
"Good—" fake cough—Fuer tea—sip—"Recent matter not your fault—yet from you—stubborn—punished confinement—you resent me?"
"Fifth dare not."
"Good child." Satisfied glance—"Sensible—Shen girl—I cherish. Marriage age—Wei house heir proposes you—find acceptable?"
Not time—nearly laugh—wind-dust life's wisdom—what elder asks granddaughter "acceptable?"—absurd.
"Parents and matchmaker decide—" smile—"Grandparents need not fret."
"Girl!" Soft nail—almost rage—Ren's cough—calm forced—"Too willful—former crush—fine—lately clearer—know bounds—Wei match equal—Young Master Wei handsome—civil and martial jewel—father would approve—first such offer—lose chance—Wei marries another."
Old Madam poor elder—good matchmaker—singing girl knew girls love pretty—Wei painted ideal—truth—Wei was good.
Still unmoved—flat—"Wei fine—not my wish—Grandmother drop it—Father and Mother decide."
"You!" Thrice blocked—patience thin—"Think grandmother meddles too far?"
"Granddaughter said no such thing."—You said it yourself.
Old Madam near mad—Fifth all thorns—cannot touch—suffocating—hates first branch—fears Shen Xin—years cold just facade—cannot beat Fifth—Shen Xin would know—only scold—watched Ren and Chen ruin Fifth—kill with praise—rarely caught.
Suddenly clever—oil and salt proof—"Where is honor!"
Bored—Old Madam's patience—inner palace two days dead—seen worse—shallow sky-high—not worth eyes.
"I ask again—" purpose remembered—dark—"this match—your will?"
"Disagree."
"Good good good." Fuer Xi'er pat heart lest faint—laugh from rage—"Not true repentance—from today leave your yard—live ancestral hall—daily sutras—grind stubbornness!"
Hall—ancestor tablets—delicate girl frightened—yin cold—sickness—heat words—triumph—wait for pleading.
No brow furrow—"Yes—pack—go now."
Light sentence—Old Madam nearly suffocated.
Fifth bowed—left.
"Abomination—lawless!" Old Madam—low birth—no literary curse—"Little slut—old slut's blood!"
Old slut—Shen Xin's mother—Fifth's grandmother.
Ren looked door—no purple back.
"You said she'd agree!" Old Madam at Ren—"Where agreement—what now?"
Ren puzzled too—Wei Qian—Qing might waver—Fifth refused outright—no thought—still heart Prince Ding—surface calm—else would not refuse—no maiden blush at betrothal talk.
"Now?" Old Madam irritable—"She won't budge—how write Shen Xin?"
Plan—coax Fifth—letter Shen Xin—beloved in heart—marry before return—swap brides—blame Fifth—married woman silent—Shen Xin thinks Fifth loved Huang boy—Dexing's taste hidden—outside Dexing fine match.
Fifth showed Wei displeasure—no letter—disagreement—plans break—trouble.
"Soft fails—hard." Ren vicious—"Mother locked her in hall—outside we speak—bind fast—marry—swap Qing—or belly won't lie—while Qing shows nothing—finish quick."
Old Madam glance—silent—want first branch fall—hard force—Shen Xin finds—she suffers too.
Ren read mind—teeth—"Mother rest easy—after—I arrange—never reaches you."
No pretense—"Do as you say."
……
Hundred Flowers Tower—silk—high pavilion—purple youth draped like heaven's light—long lashes—peach eyes—beauty—look held cold cruelty.
*Cough*—broke silence—fine-robed man fan across chest—apology—"Late."
"You late—novel." Purple glance.
Su Mingfeng touched nose—friend hated tardiness—only friendship kept him—others Xie would leave—waited incense.
"Wei Qian unlike himself—" Su bitter smile—"Assistant Minister's son—you know. Pitiful—had beloved—family betrothed another—chart taken—match near set—Wei unhappy—dragged me drink—I 'gravely ill'—no wine—half hour counsel."
"Boring." Xie cold—Su wasted time—unhappy.
Su helpless—Xie playboy smile—vengeful picky—bad days—flat gaze—Su's skin crawls.
"Wei unlucky—wife could be anyone—must be fool—chased Prince Ding—Ming Qi knows—Wei marries helpless." Hope interest—"You know her? Shen Xin's legitimate Fifth—marry Wei—great luck."
"You say—" Xie sudden slow—"Shen Miao?"