Chapter 1400 – Nan Sheng, The Autumn of Chaos (Twenty-Six)
Jiang Pengji’s family wielded great power, so preparing a betrothal gift was certainly not a challenge.
Liu Zhi kept grumbling about “bastard sons” left and right, yet he still managed to prepare everything needed for the wedding.
Cheng Cheng had been saving up his daughter’s dowry since her birth; now that she was a grown lady, the dowry had increased significantly.
With the marriage gifts from the groom and the dowry from the bride both secured, things would progress smoothly from here.
Typically, the marriage preparations for a family of status would take at least half a year, but given the current circumstances, they had no choice but to expedite the wedding. From the matchmaking to the grand sending off of the bride, it only took a little over a month. Time was tight, but the wedding itself was anything but rushed. The groom’s gifts and the bride’s dowry had drawn astonished whispers from the common people—ah, how much the Lord dotes on his bastard brother!
“Look at Liu Sanlang’s wedding; this is quite the spectacle! Wait until Lan Ting is married—won’t that occasion be monumental enough to make the history books?”
The villagers were slightly anxious. Liu Zhi’s brother was married, but why hadn’t Lan Ting made any move yet?
If it weren’t for Jiang Pengji being a rare beauty, they would have been dreaming of matchmaking her off and marrying her off with little ones in tow.
“Marry? Who in the world is worthy of marrying Lan Ting? Isn’t it just perfect as it is?”
A few young ladies chimed in, annoyed.
Whoever marries Lan Ting would tarnish her – better for her to choose to marry herself, becoming the ruler of her own harem!
“True, no one is worthy, but staying single isn’t a great option either…”
Everyone agreed that no one was good enough for Jiang Pengji, but they concurred that it was undesirable for her to remain single forever.
Forget the future, let’s think about the now.
In ten short years, who would inherit the enormous estate that Lan Ting built?
Would it be passed to her own children, or to the children of a side branch or a bastard brother?
Who would be willing?
In this life, if one worked hard, it was all to secure a future for themselves and their descendants.
Someone scoffed, mocking, “You lot are simply overthinking things! Just because Lan Ting isn’t married doesn’t mean she lacks suitors, okay? The previous dynasty’s princess, Heng Shan, had fifty-four handsome boys around her! Surely, Lan Ting can’t be outdone by a princess? No matter whose child it becomes, as long as it’s Lan Ting’s, the bloodline continues. How could outsiders have any right to meddle? Just mind your own business!”
The nearby villagers fell silent, feeling oddly convinced by this reasoning.
At the wedding feast, the two newlyweds appeared shy and bashful. Jiang Pengji couldn’t help but show a smile of “my child has finally grown up.”
Although Liu Zhi usually showed little warmth towards Liu Zhao, today he revealed a hint of a smile.
“Once you’re settled down, you’ll be a lord. As the head of a household, act and speak carefully, none of that reckless nonsense from before.”
Liu Zhi pondered for a long while, but his words still came out sharp as ever.
Liu Zhao replied, “I’ll heed father’s teachings.”
Liu Zhi handed over the gifts he had prepared for the couple, which were arranged by Gu Min many years ago.
His feelings towards Liu Zhao were complex; initially, he held resentment towards Liu Zhao for taking Gu Min’s life, believing it was Liu Zhao’s birth that had caused the death of his beloved wife. To save Liu Zhao and avoid the so-called fate, he was forced to treat his legitimate son as a bastard for many years, unconsciously neglecting him. By the time Liu Zhao grew up and was capable of understanding, the child had already formed his own ideas and plans.
When Liu Zhi learned of Gu Min’s true death, he felt not only guilt towards Liu Zhao but also an impulse to escape.
He and Gu Min had three sons and one daughter, but only Liu Zhao had grown to be an adult and married.
If only Ah Min could see this moment—how wonderful it would be.
Liu Zhao, unaware of his father’s inner turmoil, was caught up in joy, completely forgetting his worries.
“A Zhao, you spendthrift! Your wife will tire out caring for you! Make sure you keep an eye on the household. If he misbehaves, remember to find me,” Jiang Pengji said bluntly, drenching Liu Zhao with cold water, “I’ll help you teach him a lesson.”
Liu Zhao: “…”
Waaah (╥╯^╰╥)
What a good elder sister! Is she here to get a sister-in-law or marry her brother?
Jiang Pengji coldly teased, “With your spending habits, good luck finding someone to guard your purse! Planning to live it up at the start of the month and dine on nothing but air by the end?”
Liu Zhao was just born to indulge.
He wore the best clothes—each piece required an extravagant fragrance treatment before he’d wear it. Every accessory was worth a fortune, and his three meals had to consist of three vegetarian dishes, three meat dishes, and three soups. If he could ride rather than walk, he would; and he demanded purebred horses for his carriage…
His monthly spending was six hundred guan.
What does six hundred guan even mean?
Zhang Ping and his tech-savvy friends earned about ten thousand guan a year, roughly seven million annually.
This spoiled brat Liu Zhao was spending seven thousand two hundred guan a year—equivalent to over five million!
The prices of this era aren’t that high or that low; compared to the ancient world in that livestreamed dimension, they’re way higher, but compared to the modern times in that same livestream, they’re not quite low at all. Spending five million a year in pocket money, and Jiang Pengji didn’t strangle this brother; now that’s true love.
Jiang Pengji understood that Liu Zhao, due to the circumstances, could only obediently live as a parasite.
Before being drained by his brother, should he add in a sister-in-law and future nieces and nephews, Jiang Pengji’s wealth would soon be devoured.
Liu Zhao, feeling hopeless, was met with the sight of the new bride unable to hold back her laughter, completely losing the tension and anxiety she had just moments ago.
The wedding procedures were dull and tiresome. Jiang Pengji toasted the newlyweds and, feeling bored, began looking about.
Wanzhou hadn’t seen such a happy occasion in ages; people were drinking a little too much, and Jiang Pengji feigned being overwhelmed by alcohol, slipping through a crowd of drunkards to sneak out with the slightly tipsy Wei Ci. The two found themselves in the shadows of the courtyard outside, and she stole a kiss from him.
“Today, seeing the children of Wen Zheng and others have grown so big, time truly flies, doesn’t it?”
Wei Ci rubbed his rosy cheeks and struggled to keep his balance.
“Is the Lord tempted for some little ones too?”
He was aware that Jiang Pengji loved children, just as she did in her previous life.
Jiang Pengji sighed, “I would like to have some, but you aren’t cooperating.”
Wei Ci remarked, “The timing isn’t right. Even if I’m willing, the Lord can’t have them.”
With regards to children, Wei Ci felt a mix of anticipation and repulsion.
Would the children of this life resemble Jiang Yan and Wei Cong from his memories?
Jiang Pengji replied, “You have a point; you’re so precious, how could I bear to expose you to any dangers?”
Wei Ci tilted his head in confusion at her words.
Jiang Pengji continued, “You’ll understand eventually. I’ll escort you home; remember to drink some hangover soup.”
She sent Wei Ci back to his residence, hugging him and kissing him once more before reluctantly parting ways.
Jiang Pengji mused, “The faster time passes, the fewer worries there will be.”
Hearing her words, Wei Ci couldn’t help but chuckle.
As the moon rose high, the night deepened.
But on this quiet night, a shocking incident that would infuriate Jiang Pengji took place.
Wei Ci was ambushed.
