When Gu Sinian returned in the evening, Qi Zhenzhen told him about the day's events. Gu Sinian's eyes held undisguised disgust. "General Yan and Madam Yan are deeply in love, and the rest of the Yan family's sons are just like their parents. How could Yan Liulang be such an anomaly?"
"As the saying goes, among the nine sons of a dragon, each is different. This is Yan Liulang's own problem. Although Jinrong is sad, I don't think she's someone who gets stuck in a rut. Now that she knows Yan Liulang's true nature, she naturally won't waste her feelings on him anymore. In this way, we have also lived up to our aunt's entrustment. It's just a pity for Jinrong; after this, she will surely have a considerable shadow in her heart," Qi Zhenzhen sighed.
"This Yan Liulang still intends to marry Jinrong and take that fisher girl as a concubine?" Gu Sinian snorted coldly. "Given his character, if he can't marry Jinrong, he'll definitely be thinking of marrying someone of equal standing to the Yan family. Then let's thwart his wishes."
"You mean..."
"Let Aunt grant them a favor, and let them be a loving couple," Gu Sinian said expressionlessly.
This... was indeed a good idea.
Yan Liulang had no intention of marrying the fisher girl as his wife. With the Noble Consort's intervention, Yan Liulang would inevitably have to marry her. Currently, Yan Liulang was very fond of the fisher girl for various reasons, but if he were truly to marry her, it was hard to say how long that fondness would last. The Yan family was considered a noble lineage, and their other daughters-in-law were all from families of equal standing. If Yan Liulang had married the fisher girl before any entanglement, his elder sisters-in-law would not have made things too difficult for her. But now, the fisher girl was pregnant, unmarried and pregnant. Which daughter from a good family would do such a thing?
Therefore, after the fisher girl entered the household, she would inevitably be looked down upon.
In such an atmosphere, the fisher girl could only complain to Yan Liulang. Perhaps, at first, Yan Liulang would comfort her. But as time went on, Yan Liulang would become annoyed, and the thought would arise: if he had married a princess back then, such things would never have happened. Even if he didn't marry a princess, marrying a wife of equal standing would not have led to this.
The Yan family had ancestral rules: concubines could only be taken after the age of forty if there were no heirs.
Since the fisher girl had given him a child, Yan Liulang could not take a concubine.
Moreover, even if he could take a concubine, with the fisher girl as his primary wife from a commoner background, families of equal standing to the Yan family would not even give their illegitimate daughters to Yan Liulang as concubines.
Thus, a pair of resentful partners was born.
"Will this offend General Yan and Madam Yan?" Qi Zhenzhen asked.
"How could it offend them? Doing so preserves the Yan family's reputation. Otherwise, wouldn't the Yan family have produced a scoundrel who deceived girls? Yan Liulang marrying that fisher girl would further protect the Yan family's reputation. Aunt granting the marriage despite past grievances gives Yan Liulang a lot of face," Gu Sinian said. "Perhaps it could even be passed down as a beautiful tale!"
Two days later, Gu Sinian entered the palace. In the afternoon, someone from the palace went to the Yan family to announce the imperial decree.
Such matters could not be kept secret, and soon, the entire capital knew that Yan Liulang was to be married, to the fisher girl who had saved his life. For a time, there were all sorts of discussions.
Jinrong came to Qi Zhenzhen's place every day, either pestering Qi Zhenzhen to tell stories or clumsily joining Feixu and the others in needlework. Of course, it wasn't embroidery or anything, but making stuffed animals. Jinrong had Da Bai to accompany her when she was sad, and she liked it very much, so she wanted to make more to give to others.
Being so busy, she naturally had no time to dwell on sadness. Later, when Qi Zhenzhen told her about the imperial decree for marriage, Jinrong was very calm. "Repaying a life-saving grace with oneself is nothing problematic. I wish them harmony and a long life together."