84: Chapter 84 Wrong Marriage (1)

Jiang Wan returned to the system space, still feeling a bit listless.

Xiao Lingdang did not disturb or rush Jiang Wan, letting her rest properly.

After resting for two days, Jiang Wan's spirit finally returned.

Seeing Jiang Wan regain her vitality, the happiest one was, of course, Xiao Lingdang! It had thought Jiang Wan would need much more time to recover.

"Wanwan, you've rested well! Are you hungry? Is there anything you want to eat? I'll go get it for you."

Xiao Lingdang hadn't watched movies, short dramas, and TV series for nothing; it could now make many delicious things.

Although it didn't need to eat, seeing others eat made it want to taste as well.

Jiang Wan wasn't hungry, but she didn't want to brush off Xiao Lingdang's kindness, so she asked it to make her a cup of milk tea.

Xiao Lingdang quickly brought what Jiang Wan needed.

"Wanwan, you completed these few tasks very well, especially this last one. You didn't do anything, but through a series of coincidences, you completed the task. It's truly amazing!"

"However, Wanwan, I don't quite understand. Why do you only stay with the target of the mission?"

Xiao Lingdang was really curious. Their missions didn't mandate that Jiang Wan had to be with the mission target; she could find other men to be her partner.

Jiang Wan took a sip of milk tea and answered leisurely, "There's no rule saying I can't be with him, is there? Right?"

"When we first started, what did you say? The mission targets we save are all people everyone feels sorry for, right? That means these men are excellent, right? Since I have such an excellent man by my side who treats me so well, why should I look for someone else further away?"

"He is happy, and I am very happy too! Isn't that good? Why should I live so tiringly?"

Jiang Wan really thought this way. The mission target was handsome, capable, and doted on her.

She considered herself not very good at judging people; what if she chose another man and he treated her badly?

So, it was better to choose the mission target. At least his character was fine, and even if they separated later, he would generously share his assets with her.

Xiao Lingdang listened to Jiang Wan and felt what she said made quite a bit of sense.

"What you said makes a lot of sense. Thinking this way is actually quite right."

Since there was a shortcut, why take the long way around?

Jiang Wan stayed in the system space for another two days, felt bored, and proposed to Xiao Lingdang that she wanted to go do the mission.

Xiao Lingdang happily sent Jiang Wan away.

That was close! It had thought its host was going to slack off!

The Mu Family was the only family with a prince of a different surname in the Great Feng Dynasty, something Mu Songquan had earned in his early years with illustrious military achievements, and it was hereditary!

These four words indicated how great the meritorious service the Mu Family had rendered.

It could be said that without Mu Songquan, the current Emperor would never have been able to ascend to that supreme position and would have long since turned into a pile of yellow earth.

Some ministers advised that the honors given to the Mu Family were too high and they held the military tally, fearing the Mu Family might have ulterior motives.

But the Emperor didn't listen and still issued this imperial decree.

What did these people understand? If the Mu Family wanted this position, they would have taken it long ago; why wait until later?

Besides, Mu Songquan had already given him the military tally. Such a minister who was not attached to power and so loyal—of course, he liked him. What was the harm in conferring a title of Prince?

Mu Songquan handed over the military power not only because he wanted to be a leisurely wealthy family but also because he needed to observe mourning for his old mother.

When an elder in the family passes away, one needs to observe a three-year mourning period.

During these three years, children in the family who were already betrothed also had to wait until the mourning period passed before they could hold the wedding.

Once the mourning period passed, Prince Mu's Mansion began to bustle with activity.

In late spring, the vermilion gates of Prince Mu's Mansion were thrown open, with gilded bronze rings hanging with large red silk flowers. The "Double Happiness" characters on the gatehouse were as large as millstones.

Red lanterns hung from the eaves with tassels, lifted by the draft in the hall, creating waves of red that dyed the peony bushes in front of the bluestone steps with the color of rouge.

Officials coming to offer congratulations arrived in an endless stream from the hour of Chen. Tall horses with gilded saddles snorted, and the eight-bearer green-satin sedan chairs stopped for half a street. When the curtains were lifted, the Minister of Rites in scarlet official robes, the Governor of the Capital in treasure-blue rank badges, and the Marquis in dark purple python robes appeared one after another. Servants holding brocade boxes followed closely behind, the clinking of bright gold ruyi and jade objects wrapped in red silk sounding from within.

The gatekeeper shouted out the names, and every time a guest was announced, drums and music would burst forth from under the corridor, the suona horns playing "A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" high into the clouds.

Inside the mansion, it was even more dazzlingly red.

Servants dressed in red and green shuttled back and forth, holding trays filled with candied fruits and tea snacks, the silk flowers on their temples trembling with every step.

The musicians puffed out their cheeks, the brass suona horns gleaming in the sun, the tunes sometimes clear and sometimes winding, mixing with the laughter and chatter of the guests, making even the iron wind chimes under the eaves tinkle.

Today, Prince Mu's Mansion had two pairs of newlyweds getting married. These were all decided when the Old Madam was still alive.

Prince Mu had not yet requested the title of Heir Apparent, so the sons in the family were all called First Young Master, Second Young Master, and Third Young Master.

The Third Young Master was only seven years old, so today was the wedding of the First Young Master, Mu Chonghua, and the Second Young Master, Mu Huaixi.

When the Old Madam was alive, she had betrothed the First Young Master to Miss Jiang Wan of the Jiang Family, a wealthy merchant family in Jiangnan.

The one betrothed to the Second Young Master was Miss Tao Siru of the Tao Family, a fourth-rank official's daughter.

After the wedding ceremony, both pairs of newlyweds were sent to their respective bridal chambers.

The grooms still needed to entertain guests outside and hadn't returned yet, so for now, only the brides were waiting in the bridal chambers.

Jiang Wan arrived at this moment. Seeing red everywhere, she knew what her current situation was.

"Xiao Lingdang, are you there? Is there a plot summary?"

Jiang Wan wanted to understand the situation better.

Xiao Lingdang responded quickly.

"Okay, Wanwan, I'll transmit it to you immediately."

Xiao Lingdang had long sensed the mission target and, knowing the plot, quickly transmitted it to Jiang Wan.

After Jiang Wan accepted the plot, her red lips formed an "O" shape.

Oh my, isn't this just like "Wrong Carriage, Right Groom"!

Although she didn't have the part about getting into the wrong carriage, the final result was the same.

That is, her groom was now wrong!

Originally, she, Jiang Wan, was supposed to marry the legitimate First Young Master, Mu Chonghua. Now, she was sitting in the bridal chamber of the concubine-born Second Young Master, Mu Huaixi.

Why did this situation happen? That had to be traced back to that Miss Tao.

Everyone must have guessed it by now; this Miss Tao was the heroine of this world!

And the hero, unfortunately, was Jiang Wan's original groom, Mu Chonghua!

The Mu Family was originally in Jiangnan. At that time, Mu Songquan had not yet been conferred the title of Prince and was still out fighting wars.

The family was still living in Jiangnan and hadn't come to the capital yet!

Old Madam Jiang and the Old Madam of the Mu Family were good sisters, and the Mu Old Madam proposed to become in-laws, but the next generation was already married, leaving only the grandchildren.

At that time, Mu Chonghua was already two years old, and Mu Huaixi was still in his mother's womb, about to be born. And the Jiang Family didn't have any girls born yet.

At this time, Mu Songquan returned victoriously, was conferred the title of Prince, and the whole family was about to move to the capital.

Before leaving, the Mu Old Madam gave Old Madam Jiang a jade pendant, saying that if the Jiang Family had a girl born in the future, this marriage would still count, and this jade pendant would be the token.

When the time came, they just needed to take this jade pendant to the Prince's Mansion to find her.

Old Madam Jiang was very touched. She hadn't expected her good sister not to look down on her Jiang Family because of their status, so she agreed.

Later, Jiang Wan was born, and Old Madam Jiang sent a letter to the Mu Old Madam. The Mu Old Madam was also very trustworthy and had the steward bring gifts over.

The two families set the engagement, only needing the children to come of age to marry.

Although Princess Consort Mu was unhappy that her mother-in-law had made decisions without consulting her and had hastily set her son's marriage, Prince Mu had agreed, so she could only agree as well.

Mu Huaixi was born to Mu Songquan's cousin, who was the current Consort Mu.

The general environment was like this; everyone thought that for men, having three wives and four concubines was very normal.

Mu Songquan was considered good; in his inner courtyard, besides his legitimate wife, there was only this Consort Mu, which was much cleaner than many officials' backyards.

As the niece of the Mu Old Madam, Consort Mu knew that only with the Old Madam around could she choose a good wife for her son.

If she chose it herself, the Princess Consort would definitely interfere.

After all, the Princess Consort's daughter-in-law was just a merchant's daughter!

Regarding this matter, the Mu Old Madam certainly attached importance to it, but before she could take action, she was informed by Mu Songquan that he had already set the Tao family's daughter for his second son.

Mu Songquan could be so fast, of course, because he didn't want his mother and wife to find a higher-ranking noble girl.

His family could marry a princess or a county princess now, but was someone marrying in that easily served? Mu Songquan didn't want his home to be in chaos all day, so he chose his good friend's daughter.

After observation by the Mu Old Madam and Consort Mu, they felt that the Tao family's daughter was also fine. The Tao family's upbringing was still very good, and presumably, the Tao family's child would not be bad.

Thus, Mu Huaixi's marriage was set.

But Mu Songquan didn't expect that his eldest son would fall for his second son's fiancée!

This happened once when Mu Chonghua went to a temple to pray for blessings with the Princess Consort. There, Mu Chonghua met Tao Siru, who was also there to pray with her mother.

When Tao Siru was watching peach blossoms alone, she accidentally sprained her foot. Mu Chonghua was also out alone, saw this, and carried her back to her room.

Tao Siru looked at this imposing man and secretly gave him her heart.

And Mu Chonghua was also holding a girl for the first time, and a beautiful one at that.

Looking at the blushing girl in front of him, he also found it extremely interesting.

After this, the two met a few more times and finally learned each other's identities.

So, he was her fiancé's older brother!

So, this was his future sister-in-law!

But the two were just so fated. During a boat trip, they met again. Tao Siru was almost pushed into the lake by an ill-intentioned girl, and it was Mu Chonghua who saved her.

Tao Siru knew she had a fiancé and had met him. However, she felt that although her fiancé looked okay, he was a bookworm.

She had only met him twice and couldn't talk to him at all.

It was better to have her fiancé's older brother; he not only appeared every time she was in danger but also cared about her.

Mu Chonghua also knew he had a fiancée, but his fiancée was in Jiangnan, younger than him, and he had never seen her.

He sometimes thought, if only his fiancée were the Tao girl, how good that would be!

This Miss Tao was not only beautiful and the number one talented woman, but her status was also much higher than that merchant's daughter.

Just like that, Tao Siru didn't want to marry Mu Huaixi, and Mu Chonghua didn't want to marry the merchant's daughter, so the two colluded and made this happen of swapping the brides.

Anyway, both pairs of newlyweds were getting married at the same time. Because of the maid's negligence, the bride walking into the wrong room was possible.

In the middle of the night, after drinking wine, by the time the bride and groom had become a reality, the matter would have exploded, and it wouldn't be blamed on the newlyweds.

It was all the maid's fault!

Then, since the mistake was made, and they had slept together, it could only be like this, right?

After receiving the plot, Jiang Wan guessed who her mission target was.

"Xiao Lingdang, so the mission target this time is Mu Huaixi, right?"

"Yes! That's right. Although Mu Huaixi didn't see his fiancée often, he knew what she looked like. Once the bridal veil was lifted, he knew you weren't his bride. He went to his brother's door, heard the commotion inside, and knew the matter was irreversible. The next day, after the matter had exploded, he defaulted to this, letting the mistake continue."

"He defaulted to you being his wife, but he never touched you. According to the data, Mu Huaixi should have Tao Siru in his heart."

"After all, this person had been his fiancée since childhood, and Mu Huaixi was a responsible person. Except for his fiancée, he had never shown a hint of kindness to other girls. He was full of anticipation to marry his fiancée, but unexpectedly, a mishap occurred."

"He should have liked Tao Siru a bit, which is why he never touched you. Later, he passed the imperial examination, was sent abroad, and did many good deeds for the people there. It's just a pity that it was too hard, he overworked himself, and eventually died young."

"There is another theory in the data, which is that because he couldn't get what he loved, he used work to numb himself, so in the end, he died of depression."

Jiang Wan snorted: "So he just left me at home to be a resentful woman? He watched such a great beauty and didn't touch her, keeping himself pure for another woman, right? Fine, if he has the guts, he should never touch me for the rest of his life!"

As for saving his dog's life, Jiang Wan felt that she could arrange for a few servants to take turns serving him.

Just like an alarm clock, reminding him when to sleep and when to eat, forcing him to follow, wouldn't that work?

If his body was taken care of, wouldn't he not die?

Unless he wanted to die himself.

If that were the case, she would just have to respect others' fates.

Xiao Lingdang saw Jiang Wan smiling sinisterly and its little heart trembled.

"Wanwan, are you okay!"

"Good, of course I'm good. No need to serve a husband, no need to give birth to children. Once I get my dowry back tomorrow, it will be time for me to live the good life."

Since Mu Huaixi didn't divorce her, she didn't plan to leave either. This was ancient times; if she divorced and went back, the Jiang Family might have to find someone else for her to marry.

Since that was the case, she might as well stay in this Prince's Mansion!

Since Mu Huaixi didn't touch her, he naturally wouldn't take concubines. Wasn't this life more comfortable than a divorce?