Volume One, Chapter Five: Deaf Again? Blind Again? And Still Limping?

"Bow to Heaven and Earth!"
"Bow to the high hall!"
"Bow to each other as husband and wife!"

As Jiu Mu was supported and turned around, she caught a glimpse of a pair of boots beneath her bridal veil. They were not touching the ground, but resting on the footrests of a wheelchair. She had expected to be wed to a rooster, so she was surprised the Marquis’s estate had actually brought a person out. If the rumors were false and he was not truly incapacitated, she feared it might be troublesome when the time came for her to leave.

"Very well. Escort the Young Master and his wife back and see that they are well attended to," a gentle, serene voice sounded nearby. Even without seeing her, Jiu Mu was certain the speaker was a kind and beautiful woman.

Jiu Mu was guided along the way, the rhythmic creaking of the wheelchair wheels against the floor echoing in her ears.

"Young Mistress, we have arrived at the bridal chamber." Perhaps because of the bridegroom’s unique circumstances, the matchmaker gave a brief reminder and did not insist on the usual tedious customs.

"Thank you for your trouble," Jiu Mu said, reaching up to remove her veil.

Before her sat a man in a wheelchair. He was remarkably handsome—this must be her new husband, Luo Chen, the heir to the Marquis of Cheng'en. He was thin but not frail. His face was devoid of expression, appearing even paler against the vibrant red of his wedding robes. It was easy to imagine that if he were healthy, his status and looks would have made him the prize of every noble lady in the city.

Jiu Mu moved to address him, but suddenly noticing something amiss, she waved her hand gently in front of his eyes. "Your eyes?"

"Reporting to the Young Mistress, I am Sang Lin, the Young Master’s attendant," the man standing behind the wheelchair said respectfully. "The Young Master can neither see nor hear at this moment."

Deaf? Blind? And crippled? This man was truly wretched! How had the heir to a noble house fallen into such a state? Jiu Mu could not help but feel a pang of sympathy for him.

"That will be all. You may all step out for now, and have some food prepared and brought in," Jiu Mu said, turning to the matchmaker and the maids. She had instinctively reached out to check his pulse, but realizing the timing was poor, she held back.

Once the door closed, only Luo Chen, his attendant, Xia He, and another maid remained. Jiu Mu turned to the newcomer. "What is your name?"

"Rep—reporting to the Young Mistress, this servant is named Cai Xia," the maid replied, quickly lowering her head when she met Jiu Mu’s gaze.

"Very well. Go and fetch me a basin of water," Jiu Mu said indifferently.

Once Cai Xia left, Xia He whispered a nervous explanation: "Mistress, when I went to the steward to collect your contract, he assigned Cai Xia to come along, claiming it was by the Master’s orders."

Jiu Mu could see at once that she had been sent by Yan Huaichen to monitor her. She gave a brief instruction: "Keep a close watch on her movements from now on."

"This servant understands," Xia He replied. She needed people she could rely on; if Xia He lacked the basic instinct to be wary of others, she would be of no use.

"I will let—"

"Sang Lin, I am thirsty," a low, melodic, yet raspy voice cut her off.

Jiu Mu turned to see Sang Lin carefully place a teacup into Luo Chen’s hands. He took it steadily, drank a few sips, and handed it back. His movements were unhurried, radiating an air of noble grace; even a healthy person would rarely perform such an act with such elegance. A thought struck her: would it not be a tragedy for a man like this to simply perish?

"How do you usually communicate with your master?"

"Reporting to the Young Mistress, the Young Master was not always like this; it only happened recently. When the Young Master has a need, he will speak, just as he did now. If there is nothing specific, I do not disturb him, as he dislikes being touched." Sang Lin, surprised that the new mistress would take an interest in the Young Master’s affairs, found himself speaking more than usual.

Jiu Mu understood. If Luo Chen did not initiate contact, he remained trapped in a world of silent, dark isolation.

Cai Xia and the others returned. Catching the scent of food, Jiu Mu decided to set aside her questions and rose to wash her hands. "Sang Lin, ask your master if he would like to eat with me," she said, sitting at the table. After a long day, she was famished. Her current body was far too thin and malnourished; she needed to nurture it back to health.

"As you wish." Sang Lin placed the chopsticks and bowl into Luo Chen’s hands and stood by to serve him.

As she ate, Jiu Mu glanced across the table. Luo Chen held the bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other, eating in small, steady bites. His movements were slow but elegant, each strike of the chopsticks landing precisely on the dishes before him—he was clearly well-practiced.

"Sang Lin, tell me about the Marquis’s estate," Jiu Mu said, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief after finishing her meal.

Sang Lin paused. "As you wish." He took a moment to reflect before explaining that the household was simple, consisting only of the Marquis, his wife, and their two sons, with no concubines or illegitimate children.

Meanwhile, the Marquis and his wife had just seen off the last of their guests. They let out long sighs, their faces devoid of any joy.

"Yan'er, what was it you wanted to say earlier?" The Marquis, Luo Qingming, turned to his younger son, recalling he had been interrupted earlier.

"Father, Mother," Luo Yan replied immediately, "I must tell you—the bride I brought back is not Yan Qingling, but..."

"What did you say?" his mother gasped.

Luo Qingming gripped his wife’s hand, signaling for his son to continue. Luo Yan recounted the entire trip to the Yan residence, ending with a note of praise: "In any case, I think this older sister-in-law is a decent person."

"This is a disaster!" The color drained from Lady Yue’s face. "How could you hide something so important?"

"You and Father told me to wait until the ceremony was over!" Luo Yan muttered, feeling deeply aggrieved.

"We must go to the Yan family at once and switch them back!" Lady Yue cried, turning to leave.

Luo Yan was confused by her intense reaction, but Luo Qingming pulled her back. "My dear, the wedding rites have already been performed. It would be highly inappropriate to swap them now."

"But Master Hong'en said that only a woman with that specific birth date could change Chen'er’s fate!" Lady Yue’s eyes welled with tears. Who would not love their own child? They would never have forced this marriage if they had any other choice.

Birth date? What birth date?

Luo Yan seemed to realize something. "Mother, please, don’t be so anxious..."

"How can I not be? I sent you to bring back a bride, and you’ve made such a catastrophic error! What will become of Chen'er?" Before Luo Yan could finish, Lady Yue broke into sobs. Having decided to seek a "spirit-warding" marriage for their eldest son, they had long since abandoned concerns for the estate’s reputation, but they never expected it to end like this.