It Was A Fake Marriage, But Jiu Qian Sui Took It Seriously - Chapter 46

Shen Qing Li sat quietly at the table.

The candlelight danced, alternately brightening and darkening her face. Her fingers touched the sachet at her waist. Inside was the jade pendant he had given her.

“Bring me paper and a brush.”

She quickly wrote a short note, placed it in a small bamboo tube, and sealed it. Then she took out the white jade pendant from the sachet.

She put the pendant into Chunhua’s hand and said seriously,

“Chunhua, take this pendant yourself to Prince Jiu’s residence. Please ensure that this letter is sent to His Majesty without delay.

Chunhua looked confused. “Miss…”

“Go now. The Chief Minister asked the Emperor to marry me to Chen Dabao. The imperial decree hasn’t come down yet. Our only hope is if His Majesty can stop it.”

Chunhua gasped with her eyes wide. She quickly hid the items in her clothes and ran out into the rain.

Shen Qing Li tried to stay calm. “Qiu Yue, come with me to my mother’s courtyard.”

The rain was getting heavier. A few drops hit her face, stinging like little stones.

Jiang Yingwan saw Shen Qing Li return so soon and smiled, “Did Miss Liu leave already? I was thinking about cooking more dishes for dinner…”

She stopped mid-sentence when she saw Shen Qing Li’s pale face. She put down her sewing and asked,

“What happened? Why do you look so upset?”

Before she could respond, Shen Qing Li had already relayed all of Miss Liu Yuyan’s words and detailed the events of the past few days.

“Mother, I would rather shave my head and become a nun than marry Chen Dabao.”

Her voice trembled as she bit her lip. “If things go wrong… I will leave home and live in a temple forever.”

Jiang Yingwan looked serious. “So that Chen man was planning this from the start. No wonder he didn’t apologize — this was his backup plan.”

The room went silent. The maids nearby didn’t even dare to breathe. Only the sound of wind and rain could be heard outside.

Jiang Yingwan thought for a while. Then she went to her room and took out a cloth bundle from a chest. Inside were her late husband’s belongings. Her eyes sparkled with emotion as she opened it and took out a small token.

“Your father once saved His Majesty’s life on the battlefield. His Majesty gave him this token, stating that he could use it for a single request. But later, His Majesty also saved your life, so your father put the token away, saying he wouldn’t ask for a favor again.”

“But now… try using it. Your father wouldn’t blame us from heaven.”

Shen Qing Li felt her heart pound as she held the token. After a moment, she said, “Mother, the steward said a few days ago that His Majesty went to suppress bandits in Mount Shu. He might not be at the palace right now.”

Jiang Yingwan answered quickly, “Don’t worry. I’ll send someone to Mount Shu tonight. It’s not too far from here.”

She called the steward and told him to send the best horseman to ride through the night.

The steward soon came back, panting. “Madam, the man has already left, but the rain these days has destroyed the mountain roads. He might not be able to reach Mount Shu by morning. I am afraid there will be a delay.”

The rain outside was still pouring. Thunder rolled across the sky, making everyone feel nervous.

Jiang Yingwan frowned while pacing the room. “We can’t just wait like this.”

This was her daughter’s future. His Majesty held great power, but if the Emperor gave an order, it would be difficult to stop, since there was no real connection between His Majesty and Qing Li.

They also didn’t even know if His Majesty would help.

Jiang Yingwan looked into the candlelight while thinking clearly.

“If the Emperor wants to give you to someone, he should first check if you are already engaged. If you have a marriage promise, he cannot break it.”

“The Emperor didn’t send a decree today. That means he wants to ask first.”

She looked at Shen Qing Li firmly.

“Qing Li, there is only one plan now. Before the Emperor sends someone tomorrow, you must tie the knot with Jiang Chen. Do you agree?”

Shen Qing Li’s eyes turned red. She would rather not agree at all.

Jiang Yingwan understood her daughter’s feelings. She held her hand and comforted her.

“If the present were a normal time, I would let you wait and take your time, even if you didn’t want to marry at all. I wouldn’t force you.”

“But now, we don’t have a choice. The Chen family is a pit of fire. If you marry into them, you won’t survive.”

“I’ve looked into Jiang Chen. He looks decent and has excellent character. His family is poor. However, since he’s marrying into our family, we care more about his character than his financial status.

Shen Qing Li took a deep breath and looked out the window without answering.

“Qing Li…” Jiang Yingwan’s voice was trembling. “If His Majesty were in the capital, I would beg him myself. But even if we send the token tonight and he agrees to help, it may be too late.

She held Shen Qing Li tightly by the arms. “This is the best way now. If the Emperor sends someone tomorrow, it will be too late.”

Shen Qing Li breathed deeply. The last bit of hope in her heart disappeared.

Yes. Even if Jun Mo Ran returned in this kind of weather, he wouldn’t reach the capital before sunrise. Nothing could change if the imperial messenger arrived early.

She would rather not marry someone like Chen Dabao.

Everything happened too fast. She didn’t even have time to think.

And at that moment, she realized something else — even if Jiang Chen was a good person, she would rather not marry him either.

“Qing Li,” Jiang Yingwan called her name loudly. Her eyes were full of tears, and Shen Qing Li snapped back to reality.

She and Jun Mo Ran were never meant to be.

He had told her clearly — there was nothing between them.

He was powerful and noble. He could have any woman he wanted. She was nothing special. Why would he care about her?

She knew all of this, but facing it still made her heart ache.

There was no more time to hesitate. Chen Dabao would force her into marriage if she waited.

Chen Dabao was already a terrible man. After losing his hand because of her, if she married him, she would probably die.

She bit her lip, held her handkerchief tightly, closed her eyes, and nodded. Two lines of tears slowly fell down her cheeks.

Jiang Yingwan nodded too. She asked someone to bring paper and a brush. They wrote the engagement letter, then attached the token, and sent it quickly to the courier station.

Whether or not the letter reached Jiang Chen didn’t matter at all. They could declare the engagement as soon as they sent the letter.

Even after sending the letter, Shen Qing Li and Jiang Yingwan continued to feel uncomfortable.

If the Emperor gave the order directly, all of these steps would be useless.

Jiang Yingwan pretended to be calm and patted Shen Qing Li on the hand. “No matter what happens, your mother is here to protect you.”

Her husband had died for the country. She would give her life to keep her daughter safe.

That night, Shen Qing Li didn’t return to her room. She hugged her mother and lay beside her, similar to when she was a child.

They didn’t talk, and neither of them slept.

At dawn, the sky turned gray, and the rain had finally stopped. Two sweating horses rushed down the main road.

Jun Mo Ran received the letter at his residence and rode back to the Shen family mansion in the capital.

A Shen servant who met him on the road followed closely behind.

“Where is she?” Jun Mo Ran shouted angrily in the courtyard.

The steward knelt down, shaking.

“Miss Shen was afraid the Emperor might issue the decree. She and Madam left last night…”

“They went to Datong.”

“To get married… to Young Master Jiang.