Good Ending: She Swears She Will Not Let Him Die!

Du Yunluo glanced at Du Yunnuo and directly said, "Fourth Aunt doesn’t dare to speak to Grandmother, so she lets you talk instead?"

Du Yunnuo smiled wryly, "How would I dare to speak? I just wanted to ask you about the Ying Family and Ying Ji, what they’re really like."

"I only gathered so much," Du Yunluo recounted the general situation again, "It should be about right, but that’s all outside opinions about the Ying Family. What’s really inside, no one can say for sure."

That truly is an honest statement.

There are countless families in the Capital that appear splendid on the outside but are rotten inside.

To say nothing of faraway places, just looking at the Duke Jing Mansion is enough to make Du Yunnuo’s heart tremble.

Outsiders can never see as clearly as those inside. By the time outsiders see clearly, those inside have no way out.

But to truly know the inside of a family...

If there really were such a suitable family, why would she be worried today?

Speaking of it, when girls marry, eight out of ten marry into unfamiliar families. Someone like Xia Anxin with good luck is rare.

Everyone can walk blindly into an unfamiliar place, so why can’t Du Yunnuo?

She’s not afraid, as long as the family isn’t disreputable.

"You say that Ying Ji is too upright in personality? After Assistant Ying retires, his future is uncertain?" Du Yunnuo asked, clutching a handkerchief.

Du Yunluo nodded. Seeing Du Yunnuo’s conflicted face, she pondered and said, "Fourth Sister, I know you want to marry well. No one doesn’t want that. I think Ying Ji’s most outstanding feature isn’t that he has a father who’s a Second-Grade Official, but that he himself is an official."

Du Yunnuo was taken aback, suddenly remembering the conversation she and her sisters had in the corridor that day.

A high marriage—if she can’t manage her husband, everything is just fluff.

The nobles and officials in the Capital are plentiful, but many young men from those families rely on their ancestors’ and fathers’ reputations; very few truly carve out their own successful paths.

In the Duke’s and Elder Mansions, young men can get by relying on their families, but what about ordinary official families?

Her sisters’ fathers and uncles, after Du Gongfu resigned, Du Huaixi and his brothers still need to rely on their capabilities in the officialdom. How far they can climb depends on their fortunes, and some, like Du Huaiping, can’t climb at all.

In this sense, Ying Ji is already on the right path.

"Just look at Second Sister." Du Yunluo gave Du Yunnuo a pointer.

Having married into the Shen Family, Du Yunhu’s life is satisfying. The Du Family often assists the Shen Family. Without the Du Family’s help, how could Eldest Young Master Shen have come to the Capital for his examination and become a scholar in the Hanlin Academy?

Du Yunhu’s husband, the Second Young Master Shen, is also currently diligently studying. It’s said his knowledge surpasses his brother, and when he comes to the Capital for examinations, if he can achieve a title...

Then Du Yunhu also becomes an official’s wife.

As a concubine-born daughter, Du Yunhu only needs to make the right bet, and her future won’t be worse than the legitimate daughters of any official family in the Capital.

"Never underestimate a young man who is poor..." Du Yunnuo murmured softly.

This was what Du Gongfu said when the main branch picked a husband for Du Yunhu. Now it truly seems like a wise recognition of talent.

Even conceding that the Second Young Master Shen never becomes a scholar, having a brother in the Hanlin Academy doesn’t make him inferior to many young men in the Capital. After all, relying on a father or a brother is much the same.

Du Yunnuo bit her lower lip.

Liao had made it very clear to her: if not Ying Ji, finding someone better from Lianfu Garden wouldn’t be easy.

Du Yunnuo deeply agreed. With her background, dreaming of rapid advancement would be nothing but wishful thinking.

"I wonder what Grandfather and Grandmother will decide..." Du Yunnuo said anxiously. Before, she couldn’t see the path ahead, and now that she had a glimpse, she wasn’t sure if she could take it.

Du Yunluo smiled and said, "If there’s a chance in the coming days, I’ll sound them out. Don’t worry if it’s difficult to bring up."

Du Yunnuo quickly nodded, her small face slightly flushed.

Du Yunluo leaned closer to look at her and asked, "Aren’t you curious about what Ying Ji looks like?"

"Not really..." Du Yunnuo muttered. Seeing Du Yunluo smiling, she pursed her lips and spat, "I’m not in a position to be picky. If Ying Ji doesn’t look good, will I just shake my head over it? After all, he has one head and two eyes, and working in the Central Army Commander’s Mansion, he surely isn’t some grotesque figure."

Du Yunluo chuckled, propping her chin as she thought.

The standards for judging the attractiveness of young men differ from that of women, but the differences aren’t so extreme.

If Ying Ji were truly unsightly, Mu Lianxiao would have mentioned it, rather than just giving her six words today.

It seems that even if Ying Ji isn’t strikingly handsome, he is at least decent.

The next morning, Du Yunluo went to Lianfu Garden to pay her respects.

After having breakfast with Du Gongfu and Old Mrs. Xia, Du Gongfu went into the palace to give lectures to the Grand Prince.

Du Yunluo pondered how to broach the subject with Old Mrs. Xia when Mrs. Shen Changgen came in.

Lanzhi invited her inside.

Mrs. Shen Changgen was all smiles, beaming with joy.

Old Mrs. Xia also smiled, "What brings you here? Where is Huaiping’s wife?"

"I came to bring good news to the madam," said Mrs. Shen Changgen with a bow. "Second Madam is expecting."

Old Mrs. Xia’s eyes widened, "Really?"

Mrs. Shen Changgen nodded eagerly, "Last night, Second Madam felt unwell, and at dawn, she reported to the madam. The madam called in the medical woman, and upon examination, oh my! It’s a happy pulse! Madam, it has delighted both our Madam and Second Master!"

Old Mrs. Xia, filled with joy, stood up and said, "Yunluo, let’s go see Xin. I have been looking forward to this for half a year, day and night, and it has finally happened."

Du Yunluo pursed her lips, smiling, with nothing but congratulatory words, making Old Mrs. Xia beam with happiness.

They arrived in a lively group at Chunhua Courtyard, where everyone was brimming with joy.

Old Mrs. Xia entered the main room, and Xia Anxin rose to greet her, only to be stopped by Old Mrs. Xia, "Good child, take a rest. You truly are capable!"

Xia Anxin, with her thin skin, was blushing all over, causing Miao to laugh heartily on the side.

Du Yunlang paid his respects to Old Mrs. Xia, having already been advised by Miao. Old Mrs. Xia couldn’t help but say a few more words, but fortunately, Du Yunluo took Xia Anxin aside to chat, sparing Du Yunlang from the embarrassment of listening to Old Mrs. Xia’s instructions.

Cailian served Du Yunluo tea and snacks.

Du Yunluo sipped her tea and glanced at Cailian.

In her past life, without the incident with Miao Ruoshan, Miao postponed the marriage between Du Yunlang and Xia Anxin by a year or two, and only held the ceremony when it could be postponed no longer. So it happened that Xia Anxin’s first pregnancy was later.

Besides maidservant Cailian brought from her maiden family, Xia Anxin was also served by Bai Niang, transferred by Mrs. Shen Changgen and renamed Huizhu, now Jin Lan.