After leaving Zhaoti Temple, Bai Ruozhu asked Dagu for directions, and effortlessly found Fangzi’s ho.
Fangzi, after hearing the servant’s announcent, hurriedly ca out to greet her.
"I ca suddenly without sending a ssage, I’m not disturbing you, am I?" Bai Ruozhu asked with a smile.
Fangzi looked pleasantly surprised, but also worried, "Are you well? Why did you co in person? You could have called to visit you."
"I caught a cold before and didn’t want to infect others, so I couldn’t see you. But now I am much better, just ca out for so fresh air," Bai Ruozhu replied with a smile.
Fangzi affectionately took her hand and said, "Well, the sun is nice today and there’s no wind. Shall we sit under the tree in my yard, drink tea, and enjoy the flowers?"
"Alright."
Fangzi’s yard was small but elegant. Along the way, she tentatively asked Bai Ruozhu if she wanted to et her parents, but Bai Ruozhu politely declined, not wanting to impose, so Fangzi didn’t ntion it again.
They sat under the tree, drinking tea prepared by the maid, and finally spoke about why Fangzi sought Bai Ruozhu’s help.
"I have an urgent matter. I know I shouldn’t trouble you, but I’m really at a loss," Fangzi said with a darkened expression.
"Tell about it," Bai Ruozhu took a sip of tea, ready to see if she could be of any help.
Fangzi showed a look of anger, "Do you rember that Watanabe? He was the Kui Shou with you at the Tangfen Poetry Contest last ti."
Bai Ruozhu nodded.
"He previously proposed to Yaxi, but her family politely declined. Sohow, his attention turned to my family. My father is a kind person with no status. I told him Watanabe has a bad character, and I don’t want to marry him, but my father kept saying Watanabe was talented, and it was normal for a scholar to be a little aloof. He said he’d settle down after marriage."
Bai Ruozhu’s mouth twitched, "You should be more determined, like cries, tantrums, and threats, you know?"
Fangzi looked at Bai Ruozhu in shock. Was this the goddess she knew, suggesting cries, tantrums, and threats?
Bai Ruozhu chuckled awkwardly, "Isn’t that how won usually make a fuss when they don’t want to marry? You have to show a firm attitude."
"I am asking my mother to persuade my father. Hopefully, it will work. My mother is in poor health, and I’m worried that causing a scene might scare her and make her ill. I wouldn’t forgive myself," Fangzi said, shaking her head. "There’s sothing even more distressing."
She waved her hand at the maid beside her, "You can leave now."
The maid bowed and left the room.
Fangzi lowered her voice and said, "There was a banquet so days ago, and sothing happened between Hui Zi and my second brother. She’s probably going to marry into my family."
"Ah? Isn’t Hui Zi the one who loves stirring up trouble, the one with so many sches?"
"It’s been kept quiet, only a few families know, so I couldn’t ntion it in front of the servants," Fangzi explained why she dismissed the maid. "But my second brother doesn’t like Hui Zi at all, even knowing she bullied , he quite dislikes her. How could he have a secret eting with her?"
Bai Ruozhu imdiately thought of those sches from house fights, where they had to marry soone by causing so scandal.
"Isn’t she afraid that after marrying into your family, life will be unbearable?" Bai Ruozhu couldn’t understand Hui Zi’s mindset. Even if she held a grudge against Fangzi, it wasn’t necessary to ruin her own marriage prospects, was it?
Fangzi pouted, "You haven’t t my parents. My father is too easygoing, never imposing as a father-in-law should. My mother’s health is very poor, and she’s very gentle, so I’m afraid they couldn’t handle Hui Zi, and instead, be bullied by her in the future."
"Also, my sister-in-law cos from a humble background. My elder brother liked her gentleness, so my family agreed to their marriage, not caring about family background. Won’t she also be bullied by Hui Zi in the future?" Fangzi worried, "Seeing how much trouble she caused among us girls, how can my family still live in peace? Besides, I will one day marry, how can I help my parents then?"
Bai Ruozhu finally understood; Hui Zi had been scheming all along.
"Your family truly is troubled now. A scoundrel wants to marry you, and a scher wants to marry into your family. Did they plan this together?" Bai Ruozhu blurted out, then pinched her chin and said, "Suddenly, they seem like a perfect match. If they ended up together, at least they wouldn’t harm others."
Fangzi had been worried, but Bai Ruozhu’s words lightened her mood a bit.
"But there are quite a few people who know about Hui Zi and my second brother, how could she marry Watanabe now?"
"Tell every detail of that day’s events, the more detailed, the better," Bai Ruozhu’s eyes shone, recalling how she used to binge-read house fight novels in her past life, where her strategic thinking would readily engage.
After Fangzi finished speaking, Bai Ruozhu finally understood. In fact, nothing had happened between Hui Zi and Fangzi’s second brother. There was no catching in bed or such. Instead, Hui Zi’s tea was spilled on her, and she went to change clothes. Fangzi’s second brother had drunk so wine and just happened to walk into that room.
A young woman being seen undressed by an unrelated man had no choice but to marry him or prove her innocence by death.
Bai Ruozhu grinned wickedly, telling Fangzi, "Luckily it’s not solid evidence, there’s still a chance to turn it around."
Fangzi listened, confused, "What is ’solid evidence’?"
"If she can sche, so can you. Although you’re not fond of calculations and manipulations, one must learn to grow up. I don’t an for you to beco like Hui Zi but at least have the ability to protect yourself and your family. Too honest people are easily bullied, right?" Bai Ruozhu said.
Fangzi nodded; she was not an obscurantist, it was just that her family environnt was peaceful, and she was usually indifferent to many things.
"If Hui Zi and Watanabe ended up in bed together, could she still marry into your family?" Bai Ruozhu, resting her chin on her hand, smirked. Of course, this should not happen at Fangzi’s ho, to avoid suspicion.
"Are you suggesting they..." Fangzi blushed, "Isn’t that a bit...?"
Bai Ruozhu glared at her, "Your second brother was already sched against, don’t you know how to fight back? Willingly letting your family be troubled?"
Fangzi quickly shook her head, "Unwilling, unwilling, I’ll listen to you, I’m not an obscurantist."
"Alright, we must plan this carefully now." Bai Ruozhu smiled again, looking like a weasel that had caught a chicken.
Once Bai Ruozhu finished, Fangzi listened, dumbfounded. Bai Ruozhu raised an eyebrow, "Don’t you have anything to add?"
Fangzi earnestly pondered and after a while, said, "Wouldn’t it look deliberate if we lead them there, or maybe arrange for a maid to spread the matter? If Yaxi realizes how we used her, won’t she feel taken advantage of?"
"So, I thought of involving her in the plan," Bai Ruozhu said seriously.
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