"The young lady's life is over now. That young marquis has been missing for years. Marrying into that family is like marrying a dead man."
"I heard she chose this marriage herself. Do you think she's been possessed?"
"She probably went mad after falling into that bathtub."
"That makes sense."
"..."
Xu Wan sat at her dressing table in her red wedding dress, tapping the table with a vein popping on her forehead. "Ladies, I'm still sitting right here."
Have people completely abandoned the courtesy of not gossiping about someone in their presence?
She had transmigrated into the body of a noble lady - couldn't they show her a little respect?
However, her protests were futile.
The room fell silent for a few seconds.
The maids rolled their eyes at her and left with the wedding trays.
Xu Wan: "..."
Fine, she admitted defeat.
In her previous life, Xu Wan died from overwork. When she first transmigrated and found herself as the legitimate daughter of a minister, she had crawled under her blanket and laughed hysterically for nearly an hour, rejoicing that she had finally escaped her miserable life as a corporate slave and was now on the path to prosperity.
Until the maids brought her a plate of sour fruits for dinner, and Xu Wan's hour-long dream shattered into pieces.
Although the original owner was the legitimate daughter of the Minister, her birth mother had passed away within two years. After the stepmother entered the household, she naturally had no good days ahead. While she held the title of the legitimate young lady on the surface, even the servants could bully her behind closed doors.
When she finally reached eighteen, her seemingly kind but cruel stepmother decided to marry her off, presenting her with three options:
First was a concubine's son from the Prime Minister's family - though prestigious, it would be laughable for a minister's legitimate daughter to marry a concubine's son;
Second was the legitimate second son of a duke's family - also prestigious, but he had countless concubines and mistresses, marrying him would mean endless humiliation;
The last option was the Yangyuan Marquis Manor, wealthy beyond measure. Their legitimate eldest son, Zong Zhao, had gone missing on the battlefield eight years ago. The old marquis recently claimed to have received a message from his son in a dream about wanting to arrange a marriage, so they were now seeking a bride.
Before his disappearance, Zong Zhao had no wife or concubines, only an eight-year-old son. Though without a legitimate mother, this boy was extremely favored and was immediately given the status of legitimate eldest grandson upon returning to the manor, becoming a unique case in the entire Capital City.
After a day's consideration, Xu Wan decisively chose the Marquis Manor.
Her husband was gone, she could spend money freely, and no servants would dare bully her. As for the stepson... he was just an eight-year-old brat, how much trouble could he cause?
"Miss, it's the auspicious time. Please enter the bridal sedan."
The matchmaker's voice came from outside, accompanied by the snickering of other maids.
Xu Wan rolled her eyes, thinking to herself that she would endure it...
Once she reached the Marquis Manor, she would be free.
The sound of firecrackers filled the air.
The sedan chair from the Minister's Mansion slowly made its way to the Marquis Manor.
"Step down from the sedan and cross the fire basin, bride."
Xu Wan was helped across the fire basin and followed the matchmaker's guidance into the manor.
Amidst all the ceremonial music and festivities, Xu Wan wondered who would perform the wedding ceremony with her since the groom was dead.
Would she be bowing to a memorial tablet?
Well, even a tablet would do - she couldn't see anything under her red veil anyway.
As long as she didn't feel embarrassed, the embarrassment would fall on the Marquis Manor.
However... reality slapped her in the face like a tornado.
"Cluck... cluck..."
"Cluck... cluck..."
Xu Wan thought she had misheard until the surrounding laughter grew louder and louder, becoming deafening!
"They're making her bow to a chicken? What is the Marquis Manor thinking?"
"It looks like a hen."
"Ah! Young Master Cheng switched the rooster for a hen!"
"Hahaha, has the Marquis Manor gone mad? Making the bride bow to a hen? This is unheard of!"
"This will be the talk of the town for a year!"
"Hahaha..."
Xu Wan's head was pounding.
Young Master Cheng... that was her never-met eight-year-old stepson, Zong Jincheng, the little tyrant of the Yangyuan Marquis Manor.
As expected of him, his ability to cause trouble was unmatched.
Xu Wan tried hard to ignore the surrounding laughter, constantly brainwashing herself: "It's okay, good days don't come easy, you have to give to receive, endure for a moment for peace, endure for a lifetime for happiness, even if uncle can't endure it, auntie must..."
The Marquis Manor was still a prestigious household after all. After this incident, the matchmaker and steward quickly took control of the situation, urgently replacing the nearly-laying hen with a new rooster.
The other guests, considering the Marquis Manor's face, finally put away their amused expressions, though they were still struggling to hold back their laughter.
"First bow to Heaven and Earth."
As the matchmaker's voice fell, Xu Wan quickly bowed her head in ceremony, while someone pressed down on the rooster's head on the other side...
"BANG!" An explosive sound.
"Pop pop pop pop!"
A string of firecrackers suddenly exploded above Xu Wan's head!
"Oh heavens! There were firecrackers on the rooster!"
"It's Young Master Cheng again!"
"He's blown holes in the bride's veil!"
Xu Wan angrily tore off her burned veil and looked out furiously. She immediately spotted a boy dressed in fine silk clothes, looking beautiful and delicate, appearing completely innocent - surely it couldn't be him.
But soon, Xu Wan saw the boy make a mischievous face at her...
Damn it!
It was this little devil!
The string in Xu Wan's mind that had been taut for a month finally snapped!
Forget about enduring for a better life, forget about finding freedom in the Marquis Manor, forget about eight-year-olds being little angels.
You little brat!
I'm going to beat you to death today!
