The Female Supporting Role Shows Out

These days, Ding Mujie repeatedly told himself not to overthink. After marrying Lin Wan, everything would go well. But now, he can't help but to think about it, so he said earnestly, "Don't worry, Xiang. Tell me what happened today in detail, and don't miss any of the details.

Ding Xiang wiped her tears and recalled, "Today, Miss Lin Dan and I had arranged to visit at her place. After entering the courtyard, I found that she was picking jewelry. Those gold hairpins and silver hairpins were nicely placed in the brocade box. They were stunning. I couldn't help but take a few more glances at them, then Miss Lin Dan said she would pick one for me. "

Speaking of this, she was a little afraid. Seeing that her brother was not angry, she continued, "I… I like those pieces of jewelry very much. I thought that since Miss Lin Dan would be my sister-in-law, it wouldn't be a matter, so I picked a silver hairpin. Miss Lin Din's servant said that I have good taste, where the item I choose is very exquisite. For some reason, she said that the great empress had placed a gold headpiece of hundred flowers and Phoenix in Aunt Shi's place. The gold headpiece was indeed an ingenious and amazing piece of craftwork. It was rare even in the palace, let alone in the market. As you know, Aunt Shi came from the Hmong community. She was good at making silver ornaments and making a kind of potion to wash the old gold and silver jewelry as shine as new. The great empress gave the gold headpiece to Aunt Shi and asked her to clean it, and she will return it tomorrow. "

Ding Xiang began to cry again and sobbed, "I was curious, so I begged Miss Lin Dan to take out the gold headpiece and let me have a look. Brother, you have to trust me. I just want to have a look at it, and I don't mean to do it. But when the gold headpiece was taken out, a servant suddenly told me that the Phoenix on the headpiece looks realistic. When it was worn on the head, its wings and tail would move as if it would fly into the sky. I felt a little tempted upon hearing this, so I picked up the headpiece and shook it. I wanted to see how the wings and tail moved, but just after shaken twice, the wings were broken! "

Ding Xiang seemed to be frightened and cried even harder. "I… I was very anxious at that time, but I didn't worry much about it. I just thought that I could compensate the great empress with the money. However, several servants of Miss Lin Dan told me that the gold headpiece was a treasure that the great empress brought from her natal family. It is very spiritual and could protect the family's marriage and brings good luck. It had been passed down for nine generations. When the great empress turns a hundred years old, she would send it back to her natal family and be passed down, which signifies a special meaning. "

"I was so terrified by their words that I don't know what to do. Brother, you have to trust me. If I had known that the gold pace is so precious, I would never have touched it no matter how curious I was." Speaking of this, her tone calmed a little. "It was fortunate I have Miss Lin Dan to help me. She immediately put the box back and asked me to go home as soon as possible and pretend that nothing had happened. She went to the great empress' place to apologize and take the blame for me. The two servants didn't look good and sighed all the way while sneaked me to the corner of the door. I felt guilty in my heart, so I asked them what would happen to Miss Lin Dan. They said that Miss Lin Dan was not favored by the great empress, and now it would be even worse. She would be punished. Fortunately, Miss Lin Wan is getting married soon, and it would only take more than half a year for her to be despised by the great empress. She can endure it."

Lily rubbed her eyes and continued, "My heart doesn't feel good. Miss Lin Dan is my sister-in-law. How can I let her suffer for me? After all, the great empress was her family. Even if she is married, she still has to filial piety the great empress. If they didn't get along well with each other, it would be embarrassing for Miss Lin Dan to be with her natal family. But I'm different. I'm just an outsider. Even if the great empress despises me, it won't affect me much. So, I went back and apologized to her personally. "

"The great empress was furious. She scolded me that I am from a poor family and envious of other people's good things. She also blamed the general for choosing the in-laws like our family. How embarrassing was that? I'm so ashamed of myself that I wish I could dig a hole in the ground and hide. Miss Lin Dan didn't dare to say a word. Later on, Miss Lin Wan came and took a look at the headpiece. She said that it had reached the extent. After passing down for nine generations, the spirit in the headpiece had exhausted, and it was destined to not be passed on. The reason I broke the headpiece is that God borrowed my hand to get rid of the attachment. It has nothing to do with me. 

Speaking of this, Ding Xiang finally stopped crying and said gratefully, "The great empress has always favored Miss Lin Wan the most. She believes in Buddhism and fate. After hearing this, she immediately stopped being angry and did not punish us. She only sighed and sent me away from the Lin mansion. But I still felt sorry. After this matter, the great empress will definitely look down upon our family and you. After all, I'm still at fault. "

Ding's mother held her daughter in her arms and comforted her. After a while, she sighed, "I didn't expect that Miss Lin Wan to be that good. If she hadn't stood up for you today, you wouldn't have escaped so easily! You can't scold Miss Lin Wan anymore, and you have to personally thank her. Lin Wan is undoubtedly a good girl. She knows how to protect you at critical moments. When she marries our family in the future, you have to respect and listen to her. "

"Mom, I know Miss Lin Wan is a good person. I was wronged about her before. Sister Wan is even better, just like my own sister!" After this incident, Ding Xiang's perception of Lin Dan is much better than before, and she paid even more respect to Lin Wan.

Ding Mujie patted his sister's head and comforted her. After returning to his study room, he sat by the window and was lost in thought. All kinds of complicated and indescribable emotions flashed through his eyes from time to time. He sat from day until late night and finally walked out. He looked drained from his back.

The next day, he spent a lot of money to buy a hundred years old ginseng and went to the Lin mansion to apologize. Although he was very grateful to Lin Dan, he didn't dare to meet her. He only asked his sister to go to the backyard to express her gratitude in person. When they left the Lin mansion, Ding's mother secretly asked him if he wanted to meet Lin Wan, but for some reason, he refused for the first time.

After returning home, he studied many poems to prepare for the upcoming imperial exam and carefully planned for the wedding. However, he had just calmed down for two months and was caught off guard by another incident. Lin Wan was kidnapped on the way to the temple. Fortunately, King Kang saved her. However, the two fell off the cliff while escaping, and the guards only found them after a day.

It was not pleasant to hear that a man and a woman spent a night in the wilderness alone. After being saved, King Kang proposed to take her as a concubine to protect Lin Wan's stature. If he didn't have a legal wife, he might have escort Lin Wan with a palanquin with eight carriers.

The Lin family would certainly not agree, and Lin Wan refused to be a concubine. She fell ill after returning home. On the contrary, after hearing about the news, Ding's mother felt like a thorn in her heart that couldn't pull it out anyway. Lin Wan's stature had been ruined. Having her in the family would destroy her son's career and made him a laughingstock in the city. Moreover, King Kang had a crush on Lin Wan, and marrying her was equivalent to set oneself against King Kang, which was more disadvantageous to her son's future… 

After giving a long thought, Ding's mother thought that the best solution was that her family took the initiative to call off the engagement, so she went to discuss with her son. She knew her son had been fond of Lin Wan since childhood and had already regarded her as his wife. If possible, she also wanted to see them marry and live happily ever after? But now, the situation didn't allow the Ding family to hold on.

If the Ding family didn't want to give up their marriage, others would say that her son would rather be scum for the sake of the power of the Lin family. If he called off the engagement, others would scold him for being ruthless. No matter what his son does, he would be wrong in either way. It would better to be called a cruel man than a scum. Men can be ruthless, but they couldn't be spineless cowards. They would be looked down upon.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Ding's expression became more determined. But before she could say anything, the exhausted Ding Mujie said, "Mom, I'm going to the Lin mansion to visit Lin Wan. We'll talk about the dissolution of engagement when I return. Don't worry."

In just two days, her son had been so haggard, which made Ding's mother feel heartache. She didn't want to make things difficult for her son anymore, so she nodded and said, "Okay, I won't urge you. You can do whatever you want."

Ding Mujie smiled, but his eyes were particularly dull.

—

In the afternoon, Ding MuJie, who had prepared a gift, came to pay a visit. General Lin felt sorry for him. Seeing that he proposed to visit Lin Wan alone, he agreed without hesitation. However, he knew it was inappropriate for him to visit her alone.

This was the first time Ding Mujie visited Lin Wan's room, but he didn't have any expectation or joy. He was in his thought while walking and looked very depressed. The servant leading the way didn't even dare to breathe. For some reason, Mr. Ding used to be gentle and easy-going, but now he was dignified and unapproachable.

"Sir, Lady Lin is inside. Welcome in." Two servants opened the bamboo curtain and said in a cautious tone.

Ding Mujie walked in without saying a word. When he saw Lin Wan lying like a withered figure on the bed, he felt that space and time were in a mess. She looked exactly like this when she was abandoned by King Kang in her previous life. He habitually held her fingertips but was avoided by her.

"Are you here to call off the engagement?" Lin Wan turned her head as if in despair.

Ding Mujie stared at her and didn't want to miss the slightest change in her expression. "No, I'm here to tell you that as long as you insist on marrying me, no matter how outsides talk about it and no matter how King Kang forces you, I will still marry you. Don't worry. As long as I agree, the general and the lady won't let you marry anyone else, even the prince. "

Lin Wan turned around, looking pitiful. "But but my stature has been ruined. Don't you mind it at all?"

Ding Mujie shook his head and said, "I don't mind. No matter what happens, I will marry you, cherish you and take care of you unless you refuse to marry me. What do you think, Wan'er? Are you willing to marry me?"

Speaking of this, Ding Mujie couldn't help but think, ‘Are you willing', he should have asked this in his previous life.

Lin Wan was crying and sobbed, "I would like to, but now that I'm in such a situation, I feel ashamed to marry you! If you marry me, what would others say about you? 

All she thought of was for the sake of her fiancé, but she didn't think of herself at all. Ding Mujie should have been happy. If it were in his previous life, he would have been moved to tears now. But the current Ding Mujie was no longer the young self. He was the chief assistant and was a man of few words who had been in the officialdom for dozens of years.

He stared at Lin Wan and said slowly, "No matter what others say, I will marry you as long as you are willing to." Wan'er, since you have agreed, I'll discuss with General Lin about the advance of our wedding date." Three days later, wait for me to marry you by escorting you with the palanquins with eight carriers." Then he stood up and left.