Fear of Marriage

Xiao Ruotong remained calm after hearing the maid's words. It seemed she had finally let go of everything related to the Duke of Ying's Residence.

She shook her head and said, "I've been checked, I do have a problem."

Zhao Ruxi's newly awakened hope was shattered in an instant.

"Why don't you find a few more doctors? There are many skilled doctors in the countryside; maybe one of them can cure your illness."

Many of her classmates had trouble conceiving after marriage, and after going to the hospital for checkups, they were found to have either a cold uterus or blocked fallopian tubes. She didn't know which one Xiao Ruotong had, but she felt that it should be treatable.

Xiao Ruotong smiled and nodded, "Okay." But she didn't hold out much hope; she was just being perfunctory with Zhao Ruxi.

"I should head back now, so as not to interrupt your conversation." She stood up.

Zhao Ruxi stopped her, saying, "It's all over the place right now. Why don't you stay here until dark before going back, so people don't see you and gossip."

"The one who did wrong is someone else, not me, so why should I hide? I'm not afraid, I'm going back." Xiao Ruotong said, waving her hand and walking straight out.

Zhao Ruxi and Mu Qingqiang got up to see her off, accompanying her all the way to the second gate. Only after Xiao Ruotong repeatedly asked them to stop did they stop and watch Xiao Ruotong figure disappear around the corner before turning back.

A hint of melancholy appeared on Mu Qingqiang's usually expressionless face. "Seeing Master Xiao like this, I'm so afraid of getting married."

She paused, then said softly, "I don't want to get married."

Zhao Ruxi stopped in her tracks.

She looked at Mu Qingqiang and asked seriously, "You didn't agree to the marriage with the heir of the Heir of the Marquis of Pingnan?"

Mu Qingqiang shook her head. "Not really."

The two did not return to Slender Bamboo Courtyard, but went to the garden instead.

After walking to the pavilion and sitting down, Mu Qingqiang spoke again, "When my family told me to marry Young General Fu, I was very willing. But he didn't like me at the time."

"Last time, I don't know how it happened, I almost fell off my horse, and he happened to be passing by and saved me. For some reason, after he went back, he sent someone to deliver a letter to me, inviting me out for a horse ride twice, and then he sent an official matchmaker to my house to propose marriage. Our family had always intended to form a marriage alliance with the Marquis of Pingnan's Residence, but he didn't agree last time. This time he is willing to propose marriage, so naturally my family has no reason to refuse."

When Mu Qingqiang spoke, her face was expressionless, as if she were talking about someone else. But Zhao Ruxi could tell from her slightly flushed ears that she was shy, and couldn't help but ask, "Do you like him?"

A hint of shyness finally appeared on Mu Qingqiang's face.

She said, "I admire soldiers."

Zhao Ruxi raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that great?"

She felt guilty towards Fu Yunkai Fu Yunkai. She had said some hurtful things to stop him from wasting his time. Now, seeing Fu Yunkai marry Mu Qingqiang, a woman of genuine character who admired him, she was very Gao Xing for Fu Yunkai.

Mu Qingqiang shook her head. "But I'm afraid to live in the Marquis of Pingnan's Residence. The Wife of the Marquis of Pingnan..." She frowned, "... I wouldn't be able to get along with her."

Zhao Ruxi thought about Lady He, the Wife of the Marquis of Pingnan, and sighed.

Indeed, there were very few people in the entire capital who could get along with Lady He. If it was like this even as strangers, it would be even more difficult to be her daughter-in-law.

I guess Zhao Ruyu thought the same way, right? Without the title of Wife of the Marquis of Pingnan, she probably wouldn't want to endure Lady He 'Zhao Ruyu torment any longer, so she chose another path.

Immediately, the thought that Zhao Ruyu was coveting her boyfriend ruined Zhao Ruxi's good mood.

She pulled herself out of her thoughts and comforted Mu Qingqiang, saying, "Whose marriage is perfect? Young General Fu is willing to marry you because he understands your character and likes you, which is why he sent someone to propose. He's also the hero you admire. With a husband like that, even a mother-in-law like the Wife of the Marquis of Pingnan wouldn't be unbearable. As long as Young General Fu isn't blindly filial and doesn't make you obey his mother's unreasonable demands, don't be afraid. Just stick to your principles."

As her wedding approached, Mu Qingqiang felt somewhat afraid of marriage, which is why she came to Zhao Ruxi to confide in her.

Hearing Zhao Ruxi's analysis, her heart gradually calmed down.

She nodded and said, "That's what I think too. I will be dutiful and filial. As for the rest, I won't listen to anything she says. If she goes too far, I'll go back to my parents' home. Anyway, my mother said I should marry into a family that's arranged for me, and I did. When I encounter trouble, my family has to support me."

Zhao Ruxi laughed.

A mother who could raise Mu Qingqiang to have such a personality must have been as protective of her own as the Princess of Zhennan.

A woman like Lady He —no matter how much you argue, fight, or contend with her, she can always lower your IQ and ultimately defeat you in her area of expertise. Mu Qingqiang's personality would be the perfect daughter-in-law for her.

No matter how much you throw a tantrum, she'll just watch you coldly; no matter how you try to torment her, she'll ignore any unreasonable demands. She also has a group of maids and servants around her, so you can't suppress her with force. In the end, Lady He can only suffer internal injuries from anger.

Recalling that situation, Zhao Ruxi couldn't help but laugh.

Zhao Ruxi recalled the original plot.

Because Zhao Ruyu is the female lead, most of the plot after her marriage takes place in the Marquis of Pingnan's Residence. Her battles of wits with her mother-in-law take up a lot of space in the book. There is more description of Lady He than of these cannon fodder characters.

Therefore, Zhao Ruxi had a fairly good understanding of the Lady He.

Although she felt guilty towards Fu Yunkai, she still had to come up with the bad ideas she was supposed to.

She said, "I've heard that the Wife of the Marquis of Pingnan is actually a bully who preys on the weak. The more you pay attention to her, the more aggressive she becomes. So what you just said was very good—to give her the cold shoulder is the best approach."

Mu Qingqiang's idea was approved by Zhao Ruxi, which put her mind at ease.

"If Young General Fu goes to the border, and your mother-in-law goes too far, you can come visit me at my post," Zhao Ruxi said. "After I pass the imperial examination, I plan to ask the Emperor to let me take up a post outside the capital."

Mu Qingqiang's eyes lit up.

She looked at Zhao Ruxi, her eyes filled with envy. "You don't know, I envy you the most. Your family never thought of using you to exchange for benefits. You can do whatever you want, and you do it very successfully. Of course, that's also why your family didn't arrange a marriage for you, because you are stronger than many men and have become the family's support."

She sighed softly, "So, if a person becomes strong enough, no one can defeat them. The reason someone can be defeated is because they are not strong enough."

As she said this, the last bit of unease in her heart disappeared.

Why should she be afraid of Lady He or having a bad life in the Fu Family? When she was in her parents' home, she couldn't do what she wanted because of filial piety. Now that she's married, she's repaid her parents for the kindness of giving birth to her. Now that she's in her husband's family, she can do what she wants, just like Zhao Ruxi.