Three Marriages

Chapter 13 The Heart Seems to Beat for the Engagement Part 1

Long Er was choked by her words and he was only able to sooth his breathing after coughing out .

She really, really has quite the arrogance!

She just wanted to marry him!

This sentence . Really, why did his heart feel so comfortable hearing that . She does know how to make him feel happy and satisfied .

Long Er smiled brightly . She’s a blind woman, so as long he made no sound, he is free to express all his emotions .

Long Er found this to be not bad at all . He doesn’t need to hide himself warily and he also can tease her however he likes; not to mention her reactions were always so amusing . Thinking about it, Long Er can’t help but continue laughing .

Ju Mu Er was glaring to her front, but her face showed confusion . After she said that, Long Er said nothing but a weird atmosphere can be felt . What is happening?

After some time, Long Er had finished feeling happy . He cleared his throat and called in Li Ke . He then said: “Tell the scouts to focus on observing Zhu Chen Shi . Do not leave out anyone that has any contact with her . Report to me if there’s any traces exposed . ”

(T/N: Shi is family name, mostly used on concubines in large families . Rather than saying first second third, they are called by their maiden family name instead . Since I did not read the chapters before I translate, I’m just going to leave it as ‘Shi’)

Li Ke replied him and left with his order .

Ju Mu Er’s large eyes showed shock and Long Er felt triumph in his heart and said: “You can’t see, so the only way for you to deduce things are none other than through your auxiliary, tactile and olfactory senses . You had just said that you know Shopkeeper Lu is not the culprit, and the backing for it is from the texture of his clothing and the fragrance of incense from him . From there, it is known that you did not hear the culprit’s voice . In the court today, other than that woman and Shopkeeper Lu, there was only one person who was so near to you to the point where you can touch or smell them, and that person was Zhu Chen Shi . You only need to touch Shopkeeper Lu’s clothing to deduce that he’s not the culprit . That also meant you didn’t know who the culprit is in there . And since you said you have clues about it, then the one with the highest possibility related to it will be Zhu Chen Shi . ”

Long Er looked at Ju Mu Er’s expression and knew that he had guessed it correctly . He then asked smilingly: “Say, am I smart?”

Ju Mu Er sighed in her heart . Does this Second Master Long, who is able to control the country’s business, has the need to be praised by others and feel satisfaction from it? She went along with him and answered: “Smart . Smart . Second Master sure is wise . ”

Long Er laughed . He found Ju Mu Er praising him reluctantly but still needs to put on a sincere face to be amusing .

He continued to tease her and stretched his hand out to hold onto her hand that is on the bamboo cane . He asked her: “Since I’m this smart, do you want to marry me?”

His palm was large and warm . Through Ju Mu Er’s cold back of hand, she had felt an indescribable dependence she strongly replied: “I want!”

Long Er’s smile slowly froze, because he can see that she’s serious, very serious .

She really wanted to be married to him . Not because of her love his face or talent, not because of her admiration towards his reputation, not because of her desire for his power…… In actual, he did not even think that their interaction and how they get to know one another are the reasons she will harbour any feelings towards him, not to mention the feeling was so deep to the point she wanted to be married to him .

So the main point is not that she wanted to be married to him, but is on the fact that she wanted to be married with someone . Since he’s not married and at the same time because the both of them are related due to the same thing, she had only think that she can use that as a condition to exchange with him .

Long Er calmed his heart down . He was still holding her hand and she did not avoid him and let him held it as he likes . Her hand is cold . Since she’s so sensitive to cold, it’s no wonder why she wore thicker clothing than the others .

He held onto her hand, feeling her hand slowly warming up under his palm .

She was facing him . Her face showed insecurities, lost and at the same time filled with expectations . Her eyes were clear, but it was a pity that there were no light in her eyes . For Long Er, her face had looked pitiable .

At that moment, his heart felt soft . He had long forgotten how he had lectured Li Ke to not be lured by the pitiable face of women, and now he was lured just like that .

He knew she still had secrets, but he went along with her wish to marry her!

Rather than giving this chance to other people and himself feel unhappy, he might as well just marry her . It’s only having an extra pair of chopsticks; with her and her amusing reactions by his side, he can tease her every day . It’s only, he would rather marry her rather than giving this benefit off to others .

“I will marry you . ”

With this sentence out of Long Er’s mouth, surprise appeared on Ju Mu Er’s face . That expression was as if light shining out brilliantly .

Long Er continued: “You return with your father first and have a proper sleep . I will go and look for you in the evening then we will head to the court and discuss the case in detail with the Master FuYin . Since you did not see the face of the culprit, words alone will not be enough . There must have real evidence so that the culprit can be comprehended . Let’s think of ways to save Shopkeeper Lu . What says you?”

(T/N: FuYin is like the mayor, to be more accurate, it would be the official who rules over a prefecture . Also, should I put it as ‘Master’ or “DaRen’?)

“Okay . ” Ju Mu Er agreed to it and she was able to finally heave a sigh of relief .

Long Er pulled her up and led her to the front of the front guest house . They said nothing along the way and with her heart feeling relieved, Ju Mu Er began to feel drowsy . Her eyes began to close as she walked while nodding off .

(T/N: Front Guest House sounds weird, but it is a house used to greet the guest . In ancient China, a large residence has a lot of buildings for different functions, while palace has countless . )

Long Er tugged the cloth wrapping around her head and said: “You haven’t ask me when our wedding will happen?”

“Ah?” Ju Mu Er was surprised: “When will our wedding happen?”

“I’ve only agreed to marry you, aren’t you afraid that I will go against our promise if we don’t set our wedding date?”

Ju Mu Er rubbed her eyes as she mumbled: “I had only heard that the Second Master is narrow-minded, I had never heard of the Second Master as someone that go against his promises . I trust the Second Master . ”

Long Er now turn to tug her bamboo cane: “I’m somewhat your fiancé now, how can you bad-mouth me with the others?”

The word fiancé had stimulated Ju Mu Er and she became awake . She seriously replied: “I did praise the Second Master as someone who exacts his own promises . How did I even bad-mouth you?”

“You said earlier . What does the ‘you heard that the Second Master is narrow-minded’ mean?”

“It’s what other people had said, not me . ”

“You should not listen to it even if it’s said by others . ”

Ju Mu Er sighed in her heart and tried to sooth Second Master Long’s bad mood: “What the Second Master say is correct . I will not listen to others next time . ”

The both of them bickered about unrelated topics until they reached the front guest house . Ju Sheng had waited for so long that he had become impatient . He was feeling very full as he had eaten the morning meal thrice . Seeing Ju Mu Er coming out, he hurried and walked up to fetch her . “Why did you take such a long time just to touch a Qin?”

“The Second Master had invited me to have a meal with him . ”

Chapter 13 The Hear that Seems to Beat for the Engagement Part 2

“Oh, oh . ” Father Ju’s favourability towards Long Er had risen . Not only did he not get angry with them for coming over so early in the morning, he had even provided them with a morning meal as well . He really is a lot better than how the rumour lets out to be .

Father Ju thanked Long Er and brought his daughter out .

When the carriage of father and daughter of Ju family had disappeared from his sight, Long Er then walked to his own courtyard . He had decided to have a nap for a little while and will send someone over to tell the court of his visit before lunch . He will then head over there and pays Qiu Ruo Ming a visit in the evening .

As he lied on his bed, he thought though everything that happened earlier . He then remembered, there are a lot of things that had yet to be discussed in regards to their marriage . The dowries, betrothal gifts, ceremonies all needed money . Looking for a matchmaker also requires money . Gifts, banquet, items to buy and so on……

He had actually agreed to her without calculating any of these . This is really not his way of doing things . He needed to know how much all of these cost so that there will be no losses on his side . He also needs to think of ways to earn back the money .

Long Er had only slept for two hours and he then woke up to get all his things done . He firstly summoned Li Ke over to let him report about the progress from the scouts, he then summoned a caretaker to watch over each tea houses’ business . The business of the tea house cannot be left disorganized even if Shopkeeper Lu is not available . After that, he sent someone over to the court to send the letter of him paying a visit later and he sent another person to check out what happened around Ju Mu Er lately .

(T/N: Should I put 2 hours or 1 ShiChen? Both meant the same thing . Why is the number different? Cuz in ancient China, the standard for time is not hour but based on 12 zodiacs . So 1 zodiac/ShiChen=2 hours . As for the smaller units, I will mention about it when it’s in the novel)

After he finished his lunch, he looked through some doc.u.ments and scrolls before he tells the servant to prepare his carriage to head to the Ju Family’s alcohol shop to fetch Ju Mu Er .

In the end when he reached there and told Father Ju of his reason for arrival, he found Ju Mu Er still sleeping . Father Ju nagged on sadly: “Ever since this daughter of mine became blind two years ago, her const.i.tution had become weak as well . He had not slept for the whole night after she was shocked and injured . She had only lied down after coming back in the morning and had not wake up till now . Even after calling her up to eat her meal, she was not willing to wake up and just continued to sleep . I had the medicine warmed up for her as well . ”

Long Er nodded his head and had Father Ju to check her out once again . Father Ju was unwilling, but during their journey back, his daughter had informed him that the Second Master will come to fetch her in the evening and had asked him to wake her up when he arrives . It will also appear to be kind of bad if he had went against his daughter’s wish .

Long Er had waited for a while before he saw Father Ju leading Ju Mu Er out . Even after having a sleep, she had appeared to be sicklier Long Er furrowed as he touched her forehead: “Why is your temperature so high? Did you have any medicine after returning?”

“I had . ” Ju Mu Er was feeling weak . Father Ju hurriedly carries over the medicine that was on the charcoal stove: “You have not drink the medicine for afternoon . ”

Ju Mu Er took the bowl and frowned, she gulped the medicine down as if she was going through a sentence . The bitter face had also made Long Er frowned .

After Ju Mu Er drank the medicine, she faced towards her father weakly: “Second Master, let’s head out now . ”

Long Er felt his anger surging . Who was she calling Second Master . He stretched his hand over and turned her face towards him: “I’m over here . ”

“Oh, let’s head out, Second Master . ” Ju Mu Er repeated the same sentence blankly . She speared to be so sick that all her usual energies were lost .

With her current condition, where did she think she’s going!

Long Er felt very unhappy . He had originally wanted to say that he will come and get her on another day . But after thinking it through, he found that to be a bad idea . Father Ju did not seem to be someone that knows how to take care of people . Is there anyone that will let the patient to continue sleep and not waking them up when it’s time to eat their meal?

Long Er had decided that he will manage Ju Mu Er’s livelihood . He pulled her up and said: “Let’s go . I will bring you to visit the doctor . Rest up after having your meal . You don’t need to head to FuYin there . ”

Father Ju followed behind, feeling dumbfounded . When Long Er carried Ju Mu Er onto the carriage and the carriage setting off with the coachman’s cries, he had only regained his senses . He shouted as he chased after the carriage: “Second Master, Mu Er had visited the doctor . She even had her medicine prescribed . ”

But no one responded to him . The carriage did not stop as well and it set off .

Father Ju scratched his head . He did not know if they had even heard him . He then thought again, if they are not headed to Master FuYin, then why did he carry his daughter away?

And why is it that the Second Master seemed to be close with his daughter?

Perhaps something had happened; and it was something that he did not know even as a father?