In Rongton, soldiers patrolled every corner, inspecting passersby, and the streets were locked down tight. On the northern road into the city, crowds gathered along both sides—the news had already swept through Rongton like a storm.
Everyone in the city was eager to see what kind of woman Mr. Lowell would marry. Word was that Commander Li's granddaughter was extraordinarily beautiful. Many hoped Mr. Lowell would wed such a stunning bride and finally abandon his odd habits.
Every move Lowell Chongyuan made seemed to stir up trouble for people in Rongton. The worst was when a gang of local thugs picked on him while he disguised himself as a merchant. Instead of backing down, Lowell Chongyuan fought back with fierce resolve.
No one realized those thugs had powerful connections—a city official was behind them. Things spun out of control; soldiers were called in, smashing all the nearby stalls.
The incident caused quite a stir. Only later did everyone discover that the merchant was actually Lowell Chongyuan. The whole mess left Governor Rhonda furious and speechless.
The Lowell family held enormous influence in the country, and Governor Rhonda was terrified they would hear about what happened. She tried everything to keep the news from leaking out.
But the news still spread. In the capital, General Lowell heard his nephew had been beaten by street thugs, and Governor Rhonda was nearly dragged into the scandal.
That’s why the city’s wealthy and powerful feared Lowell Chongyuan most—they worried that one day the person they bullied might turn out to be him. Their feelings toward him were tangled: both love and hate.
“We’ve been delivering tofu to the Lowell estate these days, but we haven’t caught a glimpse of Mr. Lowell.”
“Yeah, who knows what Mr. Lowell is pretending to be this time. Sigh.”
Two bystanders at the gate were chatting, and many others who hadn’t seen Lowell Chongyuan lately joined the discussion. In the crowd, a one-eyed swordsman stood tall, his hand on his sword. Lowell Chongyuan smiled to himself—Governor Rhonda had arrived, and the welcoming maids and drummers were all in place.
“Ah, Governor Rhonda, our master always said he’d come back one day.”
“But where is he now? Hurry and send someone to look for him!”
Seeing the anxious faces of Governor Rhonda and Steward Lee, Lowell Chongyuan sighed helplessly in the crowd.
Outside the city, a large procession was making its way over, led by General Lowell—Lowell Chongyuan’s uncle. Lowell even spotted some of his cousins among them; the entire family had come.
Behind them, a large carriage drawn by four horses slowly approached, flanked by several maids. As soon as the carriage entered the city, joyful drumming rang out. Governor Rhonda and Steward Lee hurried over to greet the arrivals.
“Where’s my nephew?”
Faced with General Lowell’s question, the two could only sigh. General Lowell knew something of his nephew’s ways, so he let it go.
Following the wedding procession, they arrived at Governor Rhonda’s manor. Many of the city’s prominent figures were there tonight, but Lowell Chongyuan was conspicuously absent.
“Why are you so heavily covered up?”
Lowell Chongyuan followed the procession to Governor Rhonda’s manor, but still hadn’t seen the woman who was to become his wife.
Inside, the place was bustling with voices. After glancing around, Lowell Chongyuan smiled and left. He found a quiet inn, ordered some food, and ate and drank alone.
Meanwhile, the Lowell Family mobilized many people to search for Lowell Chongyuan. Steward Lee and Governor Rhonda were frantic. If word got out, it would look very bad.
Lowell Chongyuan seemed completely unaware. At thirty, he still acted like a child, but when it came to getting things done, many admired him.
Uncle Lowell, what’s going on? Why hasn’t Yanrui’s future husband arrived yet?
In a beautifully decorated bridal chamber, a young woman sat quietly. Her face glowed like peach blossoms, her large, expressive eyes sparkled, and her lips were rosy. Two maids stood behind her, helping her with her hair. The woman was Yanrui.
General Lowell had praised his nephew endlessly, but always kept Lowell Chongyuan’s eccentricities hidden. Seeing Commander Lee’s granddaughter repeatedly asking, he knew he couldn’t hide it any longer and finally told the truth.
Yanrui giggled happily after General Lowell talked about Lowell Chongyuan.
Yanrui originally thought he’d be just another dull official—always talking about state affairs, etiquette, and virtue. She didn’t expect him to be so interesting.
General Lowell finally relaxed. Yanrui was known as a troublemaker in the capital, constantly causing problems and running off, giving Commander Lee headaches. When the marriage was proposed, Yanrui actually agreed—he was overjoyed. Yanrui was nearly twenty, but had rejected every noble suitor before.
But today, Yanrui agreed without hesitation.
After General Lowell left, Yanrui’s two personal maids started laughing.
Miss, it looks like you and the young master are a perfect match.
Yanrui smiled. She knew about Lowell Chongyuan, even though she lived far away. She’d heard stories from people in Rongton and just wanted to see him for herself.
Alright, you two, think of something—this lady wants to go out. I’m not used to this place.
The two maids had been Yanrui’s personal attendants for years. Every time Yanrui tried to sneak out, they always found a way to help.
Then one of them came up with an idea. After whispering in Yanrui’s ear for a while, Yanrui agreed immediately.
That night, Yanrui said she wanted to visit her future husband’s home. General Lowell hadn’t returned to his late brother’s house in a long time, so he agreed.
They were escorted by soldiers, but halfway there, Yanrui asked the carriage to stop.