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"... could it be that you met your lover outside that's why you've been frequently escaping out of the estate? Which family's gongzi have you fallen to? Could it be that it is the fifth prince? Xiaojie, you must think and act carefully. Men cannot be trusted. Although you have feelings for him, you definitely can't give yourself to him, if he really loves you, he will respect you. How could that prince touch you before he even married you? Besides, who was it that throw Xiaojie's feelings away like nothing? There are many men who's much better than him like.... "

She paused for a moment to think before blurting out a title "like the first prince" Yan Gen massaged his temple, her scoldings is adding to his headache. He leaned his head on the edge of the bathtub in tiredness, he badly needs to sleep for a very long time. When Meigui saw her mistress like this, she bites her lower lip and bowed in apology "this servant doesn't know her boundaries, asking Xiaojie for forgiveness"

He's too tired to even reply to him but no matter how tired he is, he still has to go first to the matriarch's courtyard and then to Wei Furen. As he got dressed, Baihe covered the bags under his eyes using a rogue powder. She thinly applied it on his face and arranged his hair.

Meigui nodded in approval as she looked at their mistress from head to toe, though Zhilan is dressed simply, wearing a light green hanfu, the fabric is of high quality and her hair didn't need to be arranged in an exaggerated style or put many accessories on it as she's already very beautiful. A simple makeover is enough to enhance her beauty even more.

Reaching out her slender white hand to hold on Baihe's soft hand while the other holds the side of his head like he's about to collapse, her maidservants looked at him worriedly and suggested to just rest in his courtyard since he's too tired. What if something happened to him? To which Yan Gen declined. He doesn't want to worry Zhilan's parents by staying in his courtyard or that will be the end of his nightly escapade, it's still too early to be discovered. He endured his head-splitting head ache and put on a smile that was probably worse than holding his head in pain a while ago base on his maidservants' reactions, with that, they proceeded to go out of his courtyard despite their persuasion to him. Yan Gen is still the master, they followed what he wills regardless of their feelings.

"Xiaojie, there's no need to go to old master and first master's courtyard anymore, they've gathered at the main hall per the matriarch's order"

A middle aged servant from Wei Furen's courtyard told them while maintaining a respectful posture in front of him. The matriarch that she's talking about is Zhilan's great grandmother who's also an influential lady up until now, she's a good friend of the current Empress Dowager, Yan Gen has met her a few times. Although she looks stern, she's very loving towards Zhilan, he can tell right away that Zhilan is her favorite great grandchildren as she's the one very close to her. No wonder that Zhilan is spoiled rotten, such overly pampered young lady. How could she not have a superiority complex?

Hearing what the servant said, Yan Gen complied and goes to the main hall. He's a bit thankful that he doesn't have to to go to courtyard after courtyard.

Curiosity floats in his mind, why have they all gathered at the main hall? Is there a particular event perhaps?

Soon, Yan Gen received the answer. In the main hall, there are Zhilan's parents, Prime Minister Wei Meilin and his wife (Zhilan's grandparents), her paternal two aunts and one paternal uncle. They were sitting in two columns, facing each other, at the head of them is her great grandmother. Yan Gen looked around and saw that only her parents' children are present, including her shu-born siblings (concubine born).

Her aunts and uncle have already move out of the main Wei estate as they have build their own estates. They exchange pleasant talk first with the children, then they dismissed them out except for him. Zhilan's two half siblings, one girl and one boy that are a few years younger than her eyed him, the girl curiously looked at her while the boy eyed her with pity. The latter probably thought that their eldest sister have gotten herself into trouble again.

Yan Gen also thought that way. Did his pretty maids give him away or he was just discovered by one of the guards when he sneaked in? His fingers that was covered by his loong sleeves fidgeted. What kind of punishment will he get? Yan Gen wondered. He's hoping that it was one he can easily get away with, but that wasn't what they talked afterwards.

It's about his coming of age, his hairpin ceremony! Yan Gen was totally frozen, as if his whole being was drenched after getting thrown in an ice cold river. This is worse than getting punished, they're already talking about his marriage. HIS MARRIAGE! They talked a lot of things like the spring festival that is approaching tomorrow and how they will welcome their relatives who are going to the capital from a far place, the auspicious date for his wedding and Wei Yuu's career in the imperial court, but none of this was processed by his brain, except for one word 'Marriage'. Did they found a groom for him already?

He took in a deep breath, he's unable to hold on his consciousness if he didn't. There's too much trouble in one day that he feels like his head will explode. He held his head again and Zhilan's great grandmother noticed his action.

"Lan-er did you feel sick again?" She asked worriedly, there was a frown on her already wrinkled face. Yan Gen forced a smile and shook his head "I'am fine grandmother, just a little bit dizzy"

"Aiya! young girls these days should take a good care of themselves or one will fall sick easily, your're too fragile" The old lady dismissed him and was about to summon a physician for him when Yan Gen shook his head again and assured her that he's really fine, he just knock his head on the ground when he fall out of his bed last night. Such a lame excuse, but they still believed him. Considering his past actions since his accident which was so out of a gentle female character, him falling out of bed is not a surprise at all.

Upon reaching his courtyard, Yan Gen dragged himself on the bed and fall asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. His problem can wait for tomorrow to be problematize. Maybe he should really go to the temple and shave off his silky long hair in order to escape this cursed marriage of his.