When Wu-shi heard those inner thoughts, she immediately cried that it was impossible, absolutely impossible!
Her eldest son, Shi Jiang, was upright and honorable. He would never exchange private pledges with someone behind his parents' backs.
Shi Jiang was exceptionally clever. He had begun his schooling at three, taken the children's examination at seven, and earned his jinshi degree just after turning twenty.
Shi Jiang was a dragon and phoenix among men, destined to marry above his station. Wu-shi and her husband knew their family background was ordinary. To secure such a marriage, they needed something to bargain with.
Wu-shi had stubbornly held off on arranging a marriage for Shi Jiang even when he reached twenty, waiting until the Spring Examination results were announced before slowly beginning her search for an eldest daughter-in-law.
Her eldest son had passed with distinction and been selected by the clan as a candidate to become Minister Shi's adopted son. With these two blessings arriving together, Wu-shi had finally dared to set her sights on Jian Ruonan.
Young Shi-shi did not believe Shi Jiang had exchanged private pledges with anyone either. Still, the Fifth Miss was a little uncanny, and she also had Queen Mother of the West Possession. She generally would not spout nonsense.
She was ready to listen for more details, but the Fifth Miss went quiet as a chicken.
After a short silence, Jian Ruonan, who had looked so disdainful just moments earlier, suddenly took an interest in Wu-shi's eldest son. "Second Aunt, is this man really as wonderful as you say?!"
Young Shi-shi found it rather odd. Why had the Fifth Miss scorned him in her thoughts, only to take an interest in her eldest nephew now?
Could she have taken a fancy to Shi Jiang and deliberately talked nonsense because