The problem was that although Wang Yue had ultimately been eliminated in the palace examinations, he was still a Jinshi, a member of the gentry. He had already been rejected once when he tried to take responsibility. Now that the Li family needed his help, they had suddenly come knocking again. If he agreed outright, people might look down on him.
Besides, the Li family had clearly run into trouble and been driven to desperation. Who knew whether they were sincere?
So Wang Yue deliberately made things difficult for them. "I'm willing to marry Eldest Daughter and offer the Sweetheart Shop as the betrothal gift, but the wedding rites would take at least half a year. Can the trouble you're facing wait that long?"
After hearing Wang Yue's words, Shouhua's face paled. She hadn't expected that, after putting on such a convincing act, they'd forgotten that the Li family simply couldn't wait that long.
After all, the Chai family wasn't an ordinary household, and they might not fear Wang Yue. Since Wang Yue wasn't officially married and had no legitimate grounds to act, it wouldn't be convenient for him to intervene directly.
Shouhua hadn't expected that a moment of petulance on the way back from Xiangguo Temple would leave her with such a huge problem. But when she thought of how badly her family had already been bullied, she realized she had no other choice if she wanted to protect her younger sisters and mother.
Kang Ning was also in a difficult position. Even the quickest wedding preparations would take more than three months. The wedding clothes had to be sewn by hand, and there were many dowry items to prepare.
The three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts also had to be arranged on auspicious days, so there was no