Upon seeing her mother's expression, Wu Muchuan knew he had to continue his charade.
Despite consulting one physician after another and taking medicine for several days, his son's condition showed no improvement, leaving the Prime Minister's wife deeply worried.
She didn't suspect him of faking his illness; after all, she knew her son well. If he weren't truly sick, why would he have stayed home for so long? She used to nag him about going out to carouse, but now he was confined to bed, screaming in pain every day, which tore at her heart.
After the Prime Minister's wife left again, the young servant by his side cautiously approached him. "Young Master, should we proceed to the next step of our plan?"
"Quickly, quickly, quickly! I'm suffocating," he exclaimed. He had never spent such a long continuous period at home in his life. He felt he would never forget Lin Ziyou, and the thought of her made his teeth itch with hatred. Su Dan Novel Network
Hearing his command, the servant hurried off to make arrangements. Soon after, a senior maidservant from the Prime Minister's wife's retinue suggested, "Madam, you've been looking so troubled these past few days. Why not go out for some fresh air?"
"I have no mood. My son's illness is not improving, and I have no energy for anything," the Prime Minister's wife replied absentmindedly.
"But Madam constantly worrying back and forth won't help. You worry about Young Master, and I worry about you. I'm sure Young Master wouldn't want to see you like this either," she urged him persistently.
However, no matter what the senior maidservant said, the Prime Minister's wife remained uninterested in going out.
Wu Muchuan, having received the news, sighed helplessly. He found his mother incredibly difficult to handle. His original plan was for his mother to encounter the immortal master on the street, but now he had to have him come directly to their residence.
So, in the afternoon, an elder with a head of white hair, possessing an extraordinary aura, who clearly looked like an otherworldly recluse, arrived at the Prime Minister's mansion. Upon reaching the gates, he began counting on his fingers, frowned, and shook his head. He then said to the two guards at the gate, "Your household has encountered trouble recently. Your young master is ill and his condition is worsening, posing a threat to his life."
"Is this true?" The two guards were taken aback. This was no trivial matter. The young master had been ill for several days, a fact that had spread throughout the entire mansion, and many doctors had been called without any sign of improvement.
"Of course, it's true. I am an otherworldly recluse who happens to be passing through. I know nothing of your household's situation. I merely calculated it just now. Please inform your master. If you do not do as I say, misfortune will befall your family," the elder said with great conviction.
The two servants exchanged glances, not daring to be negligent. They feared that if the young master were to truly fall gravely ill and they hadn't heeded the words of the otherworldly recluse, their master would hold them accountable. It was better to believe than not. They quickly asked the elder to wait at the gate while one of them went to deliver the message.
When the Prime Minister's wife heard this, and knowing it concerned her son, she decided to invite the elder in, regardless of whether his words were true or not.
As soon as she met the elder, before she could even speak, he clearly recounted the recent events in their household. He maintained an air of profound mystery throughout, compelling the Prime Minister's wife to believe him.
"Then, in your opinion, what caused my son's illness?" she asked somewhat cautiously.
The elder closed his eyes and meditated for a long time. Afterward, he asked the Prime Minister's wife to dismiss everyone else. Once they were alone, he sighed and said, "This matter is related to the concubine you recently arranged for your son. That concubine is indeed beautiful, and your intentions as a mother are good. However, we must also consider the birth dates and times. The horoscopes of the two are incompatible. Ever since the engagement with the Lin family, the young master has been unwell, and his condition has grown increasingly severe. If you persist, your son may be in mortal danger."
Upon hearing this, the Prime Minister's wife recalled her son's recent words, stating he felt unwell ever since the engagement. His strong aversion to this marriage made her ponder. Could this marriage truly not proceed? While it was a shame, her son's life was paramount.
In the end, she presented him with numerous gifts and politely saw him out.
Subsequently, with the Prime Minister's wife's deliberate dissemination, the news that the Lin family's daughter and the Prime Minister's youngest son had incompatible birth dates spread.
When the news reached the Lin couple, they were unwilling to accept it. They cursed incessantly at home, wondering who was against their family. Just as their family was about to prosper, such groundless rumors were being spread.
They feared that if these rumors intensified, the Prime Minister's family would use this as an excuse to break off the engagement.
As it often happens, what one fears most tends to come true. A few days later, the Prime Minister's wife personally visited with gifts. She apologized with embarrassment, "I truly adore your daughter. However, ever since my son's engagement, he has been falling ill. A Daoist priest visited us and said that while the Lin daughter is a good match, her birth date and time are incompatible with my son's. They can never be together, as it would be detrimental to my son's well-being. We are truly helpless, please understand the feelings of a mother."
With the Prime Minister's wife, a person of such high status, speaking to Madam Lin in this manner, what could Madam Lin say? She replied with some regret, "It seems our daughter is not fortunate. I hope your son recovers and remains safe and sound."
"I knew Madam Lin was reasonable. The betrothal gifts from last time, and the gifts I've brought this time, are just small tokens of our consideration. We hope you will accept them." Although she knew the Lin family would not dare to refuse, she acknowledged that their actions were less than proper this time and they wished to quell public gossip.
With the matter settled, the Prime Minister's wife quickly departed. Although Madam Lin felt uncomfortable, she forced a smile and escorted her to the gate.
The couple's hopes were dashed, and they were left speechless.
Lin Ziyou, upon receiving the news, looked joyfully at Wu Caiwei. She knew that Dong'er had been going out early and returning late, and that she had been working hard on her marriage. However, she had been afraid to ask for the specific details, fearing a disappointing answer. Now that the news had arrived, she was relieved to know that she would not have to become a concubine.
Wu Caiwei knew that the matter had been resolved and that her young lady would ask for more details. She dared not mention the affairs of the Nanfeng Pavilion, fearing it would startle her. She only told her that when she had impersonated her to go out, she had coincidentally met Wu Muchuan. He had thought she was too unattractive to be worthy of him, and had therefore pleaded with the Prime Minister's wife to break off the engagement.
Lin Ziyou had never doubted the truth of Wu Caiwei's words. She naively believed that the matter was as simple as that.
Madam Lin, thinking of the pair of mistress and servant that followed, was filled with anger. She felt that the situation was about to fall into her hands. Now, with the broken engagement, her reputation was tarnished, and she doubted she could find a good match. She could only pray that someone would propose to her Lin family, so that she could be married off quickly.