Substitute Marriage

Cui Zhu took the prescription and went to prepare the medicine.

Wei Jin gently wiped the cold sweat from Xiao Lan’s forehead. “You mustn’t indulge in cold foods anymore.”

Weakness in qi and blood, combined with abdominal pain, was a chronic condition. After half a year of careful nourishment and a strict diet, she had mostly recovered. However, Xiao Lan hadn’t seen her aunt, the Eldest Princess in a long time, and in her excitement, she indulged in cold foods. Now, seeing her brows furrowed in pain, Wei Jin was both anxious and concerned, yet he couldn’t bring himself to scold her harshly.

Curled up on the bed, Xiao Lan’s almond eyes filled with tears as she glared at him, feeling wronged. “I only had a few bites, and now I’m so this much pain. It must be because your medical skills aren’t up to par!”

She had suffered from this abdominal pain for years, and the court physicians had prescribed countless remedies, all to no avail. It wasn’t until the Prince Consort began treating her that she’d felt better for the past six months. Still, she was reluctant to admit that she depended on him, so she seized this opportunity to vent her frustrations over their strained relationship.

Wei Jin readily took the blame. “The prescription has been improved. As long as you stick to the diet, the cure is well within reach.” He knew that he was the one who had upset her, so it was up to him to coax her.

Since the Prince Consort had offered her a way out, Xiao Lan naturally took it. No matter how unwilling she was, she wasn’t foolish enough to jeopardize her health out of spite.

When Cui Zhu brought the freshly prepared medicine, Wei Jin carefully fed it to her, spoonful by spoonful. As the warm liquid entered her body, the pain in her abdomen eased. The medicine had a mild sedative effect, and soon, Xiao Lan’s eyelids grew heavy and in her drowsiness, she vaguely heard someone urging the Prince Consort to leave soon…

When she woke again, it was time for the evening meal. Her abdominal pain had subsided, but her stomach growled with hunger.

Cui Zhu helped her sit up, placing a thick cushion behind her. The fragrant smell of fish soup filled the room—it was a yam and carp soup.

The combination of yam and fish melted in her mouth as the delicate aroma of ginger refreshing her senses. Xiao Lan, famished as she was, swallowed the first mouthful without savoring it, finding it unsatisfying. The second spoonful she chewed slowly, letting the flavors soak into her palate before swallowing. The taste was exquisite.

She quickly finished the bowl and ordered, “Bring me another.”

“Princess, the Prince Consort instructed that since you haven’t eaten much lately, you shouldn’t eat too much at once. You need to ease into it gradually, or you might get indigestion and worsen your abdominal pain,” Cui Zhu repeated Wei Jin’s exact words.
“You can have more later; Its already stocked in the kitchen. The Prince Consort made a large pot just for you.”

“The Prince Consort made it?”

“Yes,” Cui Zhu confirmed as she continued to serve the princess.

In the past, whenever Xiao Lan felt unwell, the Prince Consort would personally cook for her. His culinary skills were no less than those of the palace chefs.

During the first month of their marriage, Xiao Lan had suffered from severe menstrual cramps, leaving her drenched in cold sweat. The entire household was at a loss, but it was the Prince Consort’s meticulous care that quickly nursed her back to health.
Despite still feeling somewhat resentful, she glanced around the room and asked, “Where is he?”

Cui Zhu brought over a bowl for rinsing her mouth. “He’s being lectured by the Eldest Princess.”

“…” Xiao Lan pushed the bowl away and stood up to get dressed.

On one hand, she was angry at the Prince Consort’s unpredictable coldness and warmth; on the other, she was worried that her aunt might be too harsh on him and tear him apart with her words.

“The Prince Consort left several hours ago. It’s too late to step in now,” Cui Zhu said as she helped Xiao Lan tie her sash, trying to comfort her. “After all, it was the Prince Consort who made you upset. Let the Eldest Princess vent her anger on your behalf—it might actually be a good thing.”

Marrying the Prince Consort was his great fortune, but if he didn’t know how to cherish it, then he deserved to be taught a lesson!

Xiao Lan, now at the door, insisted otherwise. “As if he has the ability to make me sad.”
Her words were tough, but her swift steps betrayed her concern, and Cui Zhu silently noted the contradiction.

When they arrived at Xiao Ming’s courtyard, they learned that the Prince Consort had already left. “He was only reprimanded for half an hour before Madam Wen Yan, the Marchioness of Wei, sent a maid to rescue him. It was quite a show!”

Rescue? Not quite…

Xiao Ming had been in a bad mood recently, and since she was standing up for Xiao Lan, she didn’t say much about it. On the way back to the Yao Guang Palace, Xiao Lan’s thoughts were muddled and confused. It was as if she had forgotten something important.
And Wen Yan summoning the Prince Consort didn’t bode well, but Xiao Lan felt that domestic affairs were beyond her purview and that it wasn’t her place to intervene.

Passing by the palace maidens’ quarters, she saw a group of young maids setting off fireworks, laughing and celebrating someone’s birthday. Suddenly, her foggy thoughts cleared, and she hurriedly ordered, “Prepare the carriage.”

—
At the ancestral hall of the Wei Marquis Estate, tension hung thick in the air.

Madam Wen Yan sat at the head of the hall, leaning on her dowry nursemaid, her eyes brimming with tears. “In other families, brothers support one another, but my youngest son has struck his elder brother with such cruelty! After I’m gone, how can I face the Marquis in the afterlife…”

“Second son, your actions are disgraceful!” One of the clan elders rebuked Wei Jin. “Your brother is weak; you should be more accommodating!”

“Today is your brother’s birthday,” another elder chimed in. “You’ve hurt him so badly that he’s bedridden—what good does that do you?”

“You not only forgot your brother’s birthday but also lied about having urgent matters. And when you did show up, you didn’t even bring a proper gift! Do you have any respect left for your family, your mother, your brother, or us elders?”
The clan leader’s voice was stern when he gave the order, “Such narrow-mindedness and lack of discernment must be dealt with according to the family rules to satisfy everyone’s anger.”

“…”

All eyes turned on Wei Jin, their gazes like branding irons, searing with resentment, as if they wanted to leave permanent scars on his body.

“Elders, Clan Leader, please calm down. Second Master only pushed the Eldest Master; he didn’t strike him with lethal intent! And today is—”

“Han Li!”

Wei Jin called out to Han Li and then fell silent, which only infuriated the others further. They scolded him for his insolence!

Han Li was anxious and upset, but since the Young Master had spoken, he could not say more. He also realized that today’s event was a trap!

The Eldest Master had deliberately provoked the Young Master, leading to a scuffle during the birthday feast. However, the Young Master had held back in every move, while the Eldest Master, despite using all his strength, couldn’t even scratch the Young Master. He then pretended to be injured by a simple push, and the doctor who came was likely part of the plot, exaggerating the Eldest Master’s injuries to the highest degree.

In the vast Wei clan, not a single person was willing to speak up for the Young Master!

Han Li who had once been a death row inmate, was saved by Wei Jin after he had accidentally killed another criminal. Grateful for the Young Master’s mercy, Han Li pledged his life to him, and over the years, he had witnessed the Wei clan’s indifference and ingratitude toward Wei Jin. But this time, they were truly crossing the line—they were trying to destroy him! He could only lament about his own insignificance, knowing that his words carried no weight.

Wei Jin, holding a small paper packet in one hand, stood in the center of the ancestral hall. His deep, dark eyes scanned the stern faces of the clan members before settling on Wen Yan. He caught a fleeting glimpse of satisfaction in her expression which was quickly replaced by a tearful facade. Without a word, he tossed the packet to Han Li and then walked forward, kneeling on the round cushion with a detached and lifeless expression.

Wen Yan tightened her grip on the nursemaid’s hand, tears streaming down her face. “It’s my fault for failing to raise my son properly. You are all esteemed elders—if someone must be punished, let it be me!”

Her words, which were so heartfelt and sincere, moved the onlookers to tears as well. The clan leader shook his head. “There’s no need to worry, Madam. I know what to do.”

He wouldn’t let the punishment be too severe.

Little did they know, beating Wei Jin to death was exactly what Wen Yan wished for. Yet on the surface, she played the role of a loving mother, saying, “Second son, do not harbor any resentment for this. The clan members are only doing this for your own good.”

Her words seemed like a well-intentioned admonishment, but in reality, they were meant to sow discord. If Wei Jin ever clashed with the Wei clan and its elders in the future, today’s incident would be proof that he held a grudge.

Wei Jin remained kneeling with his eyes closed, his posture upright and unwavering, like a pine tree. It was as if those punishing him were not mere humans but demons from the depths of hell, with gnashing teeth and brandished claws! Han Li clenched his teeth in frustration, but all he could do was grip the packet of medicine tightly, praying that the Young Master would endure this ordeal!

Several house servants carried in thick wooden rods, each one a foot long and two inches wide. Han Li’s heart pounded with fear; a single strike from those rods would leave his master crippled, if not dead! He made a move to intervene, but Wei Jin stopped him with a calm voice, “Han Li, don’t waste time. Let them finish early—I still have military duties to attend to.”

Though his tone was composed, it sent a shiver through those who heard it. Some of the younger members of the Wei clan couldn’t help but admire his courage in the face of danger. But what good would that do?

This was the moment Wen Yan had been waiting for. As the clan elder raised his hand to deliver the blow, she watched with gleaming eyes, anticipating the sickening thud of wood against flesh.

But just then, a voice interrupted the proceedings.

“Who dares to strike a person from this palace!”

A glimmer of life returned to Wei Jin’s previously expressionless face.

The house servants were so terrified that they stumbled over themselves, struggling to stop the wooden rods mid-swing. In their panic, they dropped the rods and immediately knelt down. They were fully aware that although the order to strike the Prince Consort came from the clan leader, the Princess would likely not retaliate against the clan leader himself. Instead, she would take out her anger on them, the lowly foot soldiers. Their faces turned pale with dread, each of them wishing they could turn back time.
The clan leader, caught mid-sip of tea, choked and saw stars. He hurriedly wiped the tea stains from his clothes and face, then joined the others in welcoming the Princess. “Greetings, Your Highness!”

Wen Yan immediately scolded the gatekeepers. “How dare you neglect the Princess? Take them away and beat them with rods!”

But when she turned to face Xiao Lan, her anger transformed into a forced smile. “We were unaware of Your Highness’s arrival and failed to greet you properly. Please, Your Highness, forgive us.” Internally, she was fuming—such a perfect opportunity had been ruined!

The clan servants knelt down desperately, repeatedly declaring their guilt. Everyone in the courtyard was trembling with fear, not even daring to breathe too loudly.

“It was I who instructed them not to announce my arrival,” Xiao Lan said as she entered. She was dressed in a light apricot robe trimmed with gold, embroidered with osmanthus blossoms, and a matching long skirt. Her graceful figure moved with an elegant lightness.

Her attire was simple and approachable, yet the fact that she was a princess, added her an air of authority. Her regal demeanor perfectly complemented her delicate frame.

But what truly struck fear into the hearts of those present was the mask she wore. The rising moon on the mask was covered in a layer of cold frost, combined with the stark colors of black and crimson red, made her appear even more intimidating. Everyone knew that Princess Lan only wore this mask when she was in a particularly foul mood.