A Dispute Breaks Out

Fu Yunkai was dumbfounded, his mouth agape, unsure what to say. Chang'an also somewhat stunned.

Who talks about themselves like that?

Fu Yunkai's throat tightened. "Miss Zhao, if you don't want this marriage, you can just say so. There's no need to smear yourself like this. Although I fell in love with you at first sight in front of the Court of Judicial Review, I'm not the kind of person who clings to someone relentlessly."

"This is not a smear campaign, but a fact."

Zhao Ruxi glanced at him. "Didn't you say I'm straightforward? I'm just telling the truth."

"So you don't understand me. If we get married and you find that I'm not the person you imagined, won't you be very disappointed and regretful?"

Although premarital love was unrealistic in ancient times and mainstream marriages still emphasized "parents' orders and matchmaker's words," Zhao Ruxi hoped that these men would find an opportunity to get to know the women they had chosen before getting married, rather than making decisions based on imagination or even from the perspective of family interests.

If what he said is true, he fell in love with her at first sight in front of the Court of Judicial Review. Afterwards, he found an opportunity to get close to Zhao Yuanxun, wanting to propose to her. Even though he was rejected, he came back to her after so long. This shows that he was very fond of her.

But does he really understand her?

He imagines she's the one he's been searching for, and he's determined to marry her. But what happens when they're married and he discovers she's different from his expectations, even completely different?

Fu Yunkai could leave his wife at home to serve his mother-in-law, and then take a concubine he liked and bring her to the border to live his own quiet life, just like his father Fu Dayong was doing now.

And what about her? Alone and lonely, her days were miserable, and she also had to endure the mistreatment of her wicked mother-in-law.

Zhao Ruxi would never live such a life; she would never have agreed to such a marriage in the first place. Even if things came to that, she could choose divorce. But what about the other women?

Having lived in ancient times for so long, how many women in similar circumstances has she seen?

So, wasn't Fu Yunkai's purpose in coming to her simply to bypass the elders of the Earl of Suiping's Residence and win over the heart of an innocent young girl to secure this marriage? If she weren't her, but rather a typical woman like Xu Xue, who had never encountered such flirting tactics, wouldn't she be moved to tears upon hearing Fu Yunkai's words, and go back to force her family to agree to the marriage?

Since the other party only cares about himself and not others, then don't blame her for giving him a political lesson.

"I..." Fu Yunkai was speechless for a moment.

If he discovers that Zhao Ruxi is not what he imagined, he will definitely be disappointed and regretful.

But he knew that if he said that, the marriage would be hopeless.

Putting everything else aside, he liked that Zhao Ruxi could ask him such a question directly.

He dislikes clingy, hesitant women who remain silent and leave you to guess their thoughts, sulking if you can't. He prefers women who are straightforward and open, like Zhao Ruxi.

He looked at Zhao Ruxi and said sincerely and seriously, "Even if I'm disappointed and regret it, I won't abandon you. I will take responsibility for my choice."

Zhao Ruxi laughed in exasperation.

That's a typical straight man's answer.

"Then why should I bear your disappointment and regret?" Zhao Ruxi stood up, not wanting to say anything more to him.

"Didn't you ask why I refused the marriage proposal? I think my father has already made it very clear to you. His meaning is exactly the same as mine. Please forgive me if I have offended General Fu in any way."

With that, Zhao Ruxi stood up and bowed slightly to Fu Yun: "If General Fu summoned me here for no other reason, then I shall take my leave."

"Wait." Fu Yunkai quickly stood up.

He was tall and imposing; the moment he stood up, Lady Luo and Qingfeng immediately felt a sense of oppression.

Both of them were on edge and instinctively stepped forward to stand beside Zhao Ruxi in a protective posture.

Will General Fu resort to violence after the girl so directly rejects the marriage proposal?

Fu Yunkai would never hit someone; he just had something to say.

"You just said it yourself, I don't understand you; actually, you don't understand me either. You said you want to find someone you're compatible with, but you don't understand me, so how do you know we're not compatible? I can stay in the capital for a while longer. During this time, could Miss Zhiwei give us a chance to get to know each other?"

Seeing that he was still unwilling to give up, Zhao Ruxi had to be more explicit to prevent him from clinging to illusions.

She dislikes ambiguity and unresolved issues.

"General Fu, I said I lack magnanimity because I am rather selfish. I cannot bear the loneliness of my husband being away from home for so long for the sake of the country and the court, and I do not have the courage or magnanimity to shoulder all the burdens of the family alone. You are probably aware of the conflict between me and your mother at the birthday banquet of the old princess of Prince of Zhennan's Residence, right? From this, you can also see that I do not have the magnanimity to tolerate and tolerate my mother-in-law's pickiness and nagging."

She glanced at Fu Yunkai: "So, I'm destined to disappoint and make you regret it. No matter how well we understand each other, we can't be truly in love. So there's no need to waste General Fu's time anymore. I wish you find a woman who truly loves you soon."

She nodded slightly, "Goodbye," and turned to leave the private room.

Fu Yunkai watched her retreating figure, resentment and distress welled up in his heart.

"Fifth Miss Zhao!" Chang'an couldn't help but call out and chased after her.

"Saying you can't stand your husband being away from home all year round is just a way of complaining about our soldiers guarding the border. If it weren't for us soldiers guarding the border, where would you get your peaceful days? What right do you have to complain about our young master?"

Zhao Ruxi suddenly turned around, looked at Chang'an, and then at Fu Yunkai, who was standing silently, her gaze sharp.

She sneered, "So, according to you, whoever your young master takes a fancy to, and whoever is unwilling to marry him, will have to bear the stigma of disdaining border soldiers and endure the world's condemnation? What a huge label! What a moral blackmail! If that's the case, why bother coming to my door to propose marriage? Why bother asking me to talk? Go to the palace and ask the Emperor. With an imperial decree, for the sake of border peace, even if you wanted to marry a princess, I think the Emperor wouldn't dare refuse, let alone me and our humble Earl of Suiping's Residence?"

Her icy gaze swept across Fu Yunkai and Chang'an's faces before she turned away and swept her sleeves behind her.

What Chang'an said might not be entirely different from what Fu Yunkai was thinking. It's just that he knew it was wrong to think that way.

They were stationed at the border, and the imperial court provided them with corresponding compensation. Moreover, their enlistment was entirely voluntary, and no one owed them anything. Besides, whether a young woman wanted to marry or what kind of life she wanted to live was her own business.

How can they force someone into marriage just because of their own reasons? How is this any different from abducting a woman?