Madam He turned her gaze to Cao shi and issued a direct order.
"Decline the matter. Otherwise, you may have your own daughter marry into the Feng household."
Cao shi burned with resentment, yet she still feared her mother-in-law. After a long pause, she agreed unwillingly. The false veneer of maternal kindness she usually wore had vanished entirely; she shot Ji Wanqing a vicious glare.
In all these years, she had failed to see that this niece possessed such capability.
Ji Wanqing paid it no mind. Since faces had already been torn open, such things no longer mattered. Having obtained Madam He's consent, the weight on her heart finally eased.
This was the moment to press the advantage. Without delay, Ji Wanqing continued,
"Grandmother, may I report further—while my father was still alive, he arranged a marriage for my younger sister. Now that the mourning period has passed, it would be timely for her to wed."
Madam He studied her with an unreadable expression for a long moment before nodding.
"Since it was arranged by your father in the past, then we shall proceed as you say."
As for the facts that no betrothal tokens had been exchanged, that the Zheng family had since declined—she mentioned none of it.
Indeed, speaking with someone clear-headed made matters far easier. Having achieved her aim, Ji Wanqing rose as though nothing had happened, performed a proper curtsy as before, and said,
"Please allow your granddaughter to take her leave, so as not to disturb Grandmother's rest."
Madam He also returned to her usual demeanor, even softening somewhat.
"Go on. You've had a long day—eat early and get some rest."
Ji Wanqing maintained a calm expression. Ignoring Cao shi's clenched teeth, she turned and departed at an unhurried pace.
---
Once she had received Madam He's explicit approval, Ji Wanqing immediately dispatched Nanny He to notify the Zheng family, instructing Madam Zheng to bring Zheng Yi to complete the Six Rites.
This time, she did not have them go quietly. Instead, she ordered Nanny He to lead the party out openly in a carriage through the side gate.
Before long, everyone in the residence—masters and servants alike—knew that the Second Miss was to marry a low-born military officer. It was said that the match had been arranged by the former marquis himself, and that Madam He, honoring his wishes, would allow the marriage to proceed once the mourning period ended.
In the present age, a strong-willed young lady was not praised. Moreover, to guard against any reversals, Ji Wanqing deliberately placed the responsibility squarely on Madam He, then invoked her late father's name—leaving the two elders no room to retract.
Her father had been the previous head of the household. If he had arranged his daughter's marriage, even his own mother and the succeeding marquis could not easily overturn it.
The timing was perfect. As long as Longevity Hall did not deny the matter, it became established fact. Not only would this not damage Ji Wanxiang's reputation—it would instead proclaim the Ji family's commitment to trust and honor.
Ji Wanqing let out a cold snort. It benefited those so-called elders of hers after all.
Still, until the matter was fully settled, she could not relax. She instructed Nanny He to urge the Zheng family to complete the Six Rites as swiftly as possible and bring her sister into their household at the earliest opportunity.
Handled this way, the wedding would inevitably be rushed, and Ji Wanxiang would likely be wronged by it. But there was no alternative. That it could be accomplished smoothly at all was the sisters' greatest hope.
The Zheng family understood perfectly. Zheng Yi was soon to depart for the frontier and could not afford delay. The following day happened to be an auspicious date. Madam Zheng hastily prepared tea and wine offerings in the morning, and by afternoon led the matchmaker to the main gates of the Jingbei Marquisate to formally propose.
As unmarried young women, the Ji sisters could not appear. Cao shi received Madam Zheng instead.
Cao shi dragged her feet, speaking with thinly veiled sarcasm. However, having been warned in advance by Madam He—and fearing Ji Wanqing might truly push matters beyond salvage, leaving the household unable to account to the Empress—she ultimately accepted the betrothal gifts and agreed to the proposal.
Madam Zheng had long been mentally prepared. She treated Cao shi's expressions as if she saw nothing at all. Once the na cai was completed, she finally exhaled in relief. Two days later, she returned to request the bride's birth chart.
Reluctantly, Cao shi handed over her second niece's geng tie. Madam Zheng took it swiftly, opened it on the spot, and examined it carefully to confirm its accuracy.
Ji Wanqing had already instructed Nanny He to provide her sister's eight characters. She feared Cao shi might act foolishly and deliberately provide an incorrect chart—grounds enough to annul the marriage.
Fortunately, Cao shi had not sunk to that level.
Madam Zheng returned home at once, placed Ji Wanxiang's birth chart before the ancestral altar, and sought divination.
Naturally, the signs were auspicious. Once na ji was completed, Madam Zheng barely touched the ground as she prepared the betrothal gifts, delivering them to the Jingbei Marquisate without pause. After the major rites were concluded, she engaged an official matchmaker to set the wedding date.
The bridal procession was scheduled for one month later.
The speed of the Six Rites was unprecedented—completed in just twelve days, effectively condensing them into five. By this point, the betrothal documents and gift lists were finalized. Strictly speaking, Ji Wanxiang was already considered a daughter-in-law of the Zheng family.
At long last, the Ji sisters released a breath they had been holding. With this matter settled, Ji Wanqing was finally able to devote herself fully to preparing her sister's dowry.
With Ji Wanxiang's marriage imminent, Cao shi still showed no sign of action. It was clear the household funds would not be contributing to the dowry. Fortunately, this was of little consequence. Their parents had long ago prepared complete dowries for both sisters; the items were already assembled and remained in Ji Wanqing's possession.
However, the matter of these assets had not been without complication.
After Ji Wanqing's father passed away, her second uncle inherited the title and ancestral estate. Yet the rewards her father had earned through years of military merit, as well as her mother's dowry, were not included. These belonged solely to the two sisters.
The difficulty lay in custom: unmarried women could not hold private property in their own names. Ordinarily, such wealth would be placed under the management of either Madam He or Cao shi, to be returned as part of the dowry upon marriage.
The assets were substantial. Once placed under another's control, how much would remain in the end was impossible to know. Worse still—wealth stirred greed. If someone learned the exact amount and sought to seize it outright, arranging for the sisters to "die of illness" would not be unthinkable.
That way, the assets could be taken legitimately.
How could their mother accept this?
Only days after falling ill, she sensed something amiss and immediately wrote a letter out of the capital to her natal family.
She was the only daughter born of a second wife. The family estate was inherited by a half-brother born of the first wife. Their relationship was distant, and they rarely kept in contact—but given her brother's character, at such a critical moment, he would step in.
Madam Ji held on with sheer will until her brother arrived. After her death, with her brother advocating on her daughters' behalf, those assets were transferred directly into Ji Wanqing's hands—and remained there to this day.