Chapter 70 Nonsensical Talk

Brother should not only be making marriage arrangements, but he should be getting married.

Ning Yunyan stood behind her mother, her gaze sweeping over the people in the room, and she could clearly see the eagerness in the eyes of these women.

Eagerness is useless, the daughters of your families weren't worthy of my brother before, and now they are even less likely to reach his level.

But now, which family has Mother taken a liking to?

Since she's married and lives elsewhere, she has little knowledge about her natal family's affairs; her visits to her mother are always brief, and her mother doesn't tell her much anymore.

Ning Yunyan looked at Eldest Madam Ning, who nodded with a smile.

"This child always said he would discuss marriage after securing his position in the Golden Exam, postponing it this long," she said.

"It's not late, not late at all. There are candidates who are much older and yet unmarried," a woman blurted out.

Those old unmarried ones couldn't secure a position or find anyone willing to marry them, that's why.

A flicker of annoyance passed through Eldest Madam Ning's eyes.

Can anyone really compare to her son?

Realizing she misspoke, the woman awkwardly maintained a smile.

"But now Ning Yunzhao is free to choose a bride," she said with a forced laugh.

Eldest Madam Ning couldn't be bothered with her.

"Arranging a marriage is easy. As long as the person is good, we won't concern ourselves too much with the family background," she told the other women.

The women nodded in agreement.

Ning Yunyan felt anxious. Even though she was not by her mother's side, she could guess her habits. Eldest Madam Ning speaking like this surely meant she already had a preferred family in mind, maybe even a match already arranged, just waiting for Ning Yunzhao's triumphant return from the top scholar's announcement, a double celebration.

Which family? Which Miss?

Ning Yunyan wanted to find an opportunity to ask her mother, but the women in the room not only refused to leave, they seemed to be increasing in number.

While they were chatting and laughing, someone announced the arrival of the prefectural Magistrate's wife, Madam Ma.

The Magistrate's wife came in person to offer congratulations.

Eldest Madam Ning quickly stood up with the other women to greet Madam Ma, who entered with a smile.

"Congratulations, congratulations," she said with a smile. "Truly a double celebration."

Double celebration?

Ning Yunyan's eyes brightened.

Could it be true?

Is my brother's marriage related to Madam Ma?

But Eldest Madam Ning wasn't thinking about that, or rather she considered that Ning Yunzhao being awarded an official title, although inevitable for a top scholar, could also be considered a double celebration.

While giving thanks, she took Madam Ma's hand and invited her to take a seat.

"When will the top scholar's wine be drunk?" Madam Ma asked with a smile.

"The parade with flowers will be tomorrow, and the day after he will start his journey back with his uncle," Eldest Madam Ning answered. "At the earliest, he will be home on the twenty-third or twenty-fourth."

Madam Ma nodded with a smile.

"When that time comes, I'll have to come and ask for a cup of wine," she said.

"Of course," Eldest Madam Ning smiled and offered Madam Ma tea as she spoke.

Madam Ma smiled, took a sip of tea, placed the cup down, and smiled again.

"So when will Ning Yunzhao's wedding wine be drunk?" she asked.

Ning Yunyan clenched her handkerchief tightly, her gaze shifting between her mother and Madam Ma.

Eldest Madam Ning pondered over this, thinking perhaps Madam Ma wanted to celebrate as a matchmaker.

The other women in the room seemed to share this thought, with looks of envy, pride, jealousy, and urgency on their faces.

Noble Son Ning was already a sought-after marriage prospect, and now as a top scholar, he was even more attractive, and surely, many would be excluded from consideration.

"This is not urgent," Eldest Madam Ning said with a smile. "We must handle things one at a time."

Madam Ma nodded with a laugh and agreed, then inquired about Old Madam Ning, without mentioning Ning Yunzhao's marriage again or hinting at which family's daughter might be involved.

Perhaps it wasn't convenient to discuss more with so many people around,

nor would Eldest Madam Ning take the initiative to ask.

"Old Madam Ning found it noisy, and after the New Year, she hasn't been feeling well, so now that the weather has improved, she's gone to live on the homestead," Eldest Madam Ning naturally replied.

Madam Ma nodded.

"Then you have no worries," she said with a smile. "Once the new daughter-in-law arrives, she'll be able to rejuvenate Old Madam Ning with a healing hand."

So, there really is a new daughter-in-law?

And she seems to be knowledgeable in medical skills? Ning Yunyan couldn't help but move a bit closer.

Is it being implied that with the entry of a granddaughter-in-law, Old Madam Ning will be happy, and therefore in better health? Or was Madam Ma referring to a girl knowledgeable in medicine?

Eldest Madam Ning listened with a smile.

"And we don't expect the younger generation to take care of Old Madam Ning." She said with a laugh.

Madam Ma sighed.

"Let's not, many people can't even ask for this." She said, leaning in closer with a chuckle, "Today, I must ask for a favor first. Once Miss Jun enters the door, you have to bring her over to my home for a visit, and then at that time you can't refuse us by saying you're looking for some other doctor."

Hm?

Eldest Madam Ning still had a smile on her face, but her mind hesitated for a moment.

It seemed that some strange names had been mixed into these few sentences.

Had she heard wrong, or had Madam Ma misspoken?

Everyone else in the room was also laughing along, some hadn't heard, and some seemed to have not heard clearly, making the atmosphere somewhat odd.

However, Madam Ma didn't notice and, seeing that Eldest Madam Ning hadn't spoken, she spoke up again.

"Don't tell me that you, as a mother-in-law, can't manage her." She said with a laugh, seemingly needing a commitment to be at ease.

"Madam Ma, what are you talking about?" Ning Yunyan couldn't hold back any longer and bluntly asked, "Which family's daughter are you speaking of for my brother? What does she do?"

Upon these words, everyone in the room looked at Madam Ma, with the same question.

Madam Ma was taken aback, looking at Ning Yunyan.

"What daughter am I speaking of for your brother?" She said.

Ning Yunyan sharply caught her breath, perhaps because Ning Yunzhao had topped the scholar exams, and her usually diminished temper was flaring up again.

"Madam Ma, you keep mentioning a mother-in-law and a new daughter-in-law, aren't you intending to match my brother with someone?" She playfully asked, "Please speak frankly, which family's Miss is it? Otherwise, we are all confused."

Madam Ma let out a laugh, looked at Ning Yunyan, then at Eldest Madam Ning, and then around at the other ladies in the room.

"What are you saying; I'm the one who's confused." She said, "How could I be matchmaking for Noble Son Ning, doesn't he already have a wife?"

Ning Yunyan's expression froze, and the smile on Eldest Madam Ning's face also stiffened.

Has... a wife?

What does that mean?

Could it be that Madam Ma knew he already had someone he favored and was intending to propose for marriage, so she purposefully said these strange things?

"You must be joking, Madam Ma," said Eldest Madam Ning, with a smile, "Not yet, we will talk about the marriage when he returns, there's no rush."

Madam Ma also smiled.

"It's better to get married earlier." She said, with a serious undertone, "Now that Noble Son Ning and Miss Jun are both renowned, it's better to marry early to settle down."

Miss... Jun?

Why did she hear that title again?

Eldest Madam Ning looked at Madam Ma.

"What Miss Jun is going to marry my brother?" Ning Yunyan's voice rose sharply.

Madam Ma frowned, looking at Ning Yunyan.

"The Miss Jun Jiu Ling who discovered smallpox, of course." She said, "The granddaughter of the Fang Family from De Sheng Chang who was betrothed to you, the former Miss Jun from the Jun Family of Funing County Magistrate Runan."

Upon saying this, the room fell silent. Everyone looked at Madam Ma with shocked expressions.

Eldest Madam Ning was completely stunned.

"What?" She said, then steadied her mind and forced a smile, "Yes, there was a betrothal in the past, which later was a misunderstanding and has been annulled..."

Madam Ma laughed and patted Eldest Madam Ning's arm.

"Ah, you don't need to cover it up anymore. The issue with the Fang Family has been solved, and there's no need for pretense now." She laughed and continued, "The day after Noble Son Ning's name was announced on the Golden Exam, he publicly stated that the marriage agreement with Miss Jun still stands, and was planned after completing his exams."

The room remained silent, with everyone's expressions changing from shocked to horrified.

Eldest Madam Ning looked at Madam Ma, a drumming sound in her ears, for a moment she couldn't hear anything, her ears buzzing, her mind a tangle.

But in her ears, a few sentences kept repeating.

Noble Son Ning, the day after being announced on the Golden Exam...

He publicly stated... has an ongoing marriage agreement with Miss Jun...

The agreement was to marry after the exams...

Noble Son Ning, and, Miss Jun, to be married.

To be married.

The drumming sound in Eldest Madam Ning's ears stopped, as if a drum hammer had struck her in the face; her vision went black as she fell backward.

"You're spouting nonsense! My brother would never marry Jun Zhenzhen!"

Ning Yunyan's shrill cry rang in her ears, and then all went dark.

The room was momentarily frozen, then descended into chaos.

"Someone come quickly!"

Shouts tore through the joyous atmosphere that had enveloped the Ning Family's home.