Chapter 649: Chapter 649

"Who?" Xie Xun’s voice instantly rose several octaves. "Fang Lingjun and Second Brother? Hahaha... That’s a great idea! I think Fang Lingjun’s lively and clever personality matches well with Second Brother!"

This was exactly the kind of reaction Xie Xun would have. He rubbed his chin and mused, "The Fang Family and the Imperial Family are also well-suited for marriage alliances. The Marshal only has one daughter. This idea is truly brilliant."

Fengyu secretly thought to herself, "What a troublemaker who enjoys stirring the pot for entertainment." Was Xie Xun just gloating, waiting to watch the drama between Second Brother and Fang Chuning unfold? Fengyu didn’t dare to tell Xie Xun what she saw firsthand in Ningzhou, so she pretended to be deaf and mute.

"Second Brother doesn’t like Junjun, right?"

"Who could he like, except..." Xie Xun’s face darkened for a moment before laughing again, "except for Ruyi."

Everyone loved little Ruyi. She was chubby, sweet, and adorably cute. Even Second Brother was gentler towards her than anyone else. When Ruyi acted mischievously, Second Brother would even shift the blame to Xie Xun, accusing him of spoiling her.

Xie Xun was enjoying the show, while the Fang Family was indeed discussing Fang Chuning’s marriage. His marital prospects were being pushed to the forefront. Mrs. Fang was utterly exhausted from worrying over his future; she had hosted many banquets to screen eligible young women. Despite the effort, she hadn’t been able to find someone satisfactory. Either the girl’s temperament didn’t suit her or her family background fell short. When the family background was good enough, she felt the girl wasn’t intelligent enough. And if a candidate had the right family background and talent, the issue of age became a problem.

Fang Chuning was considered late in getting engaged, especially since he had been stationed in Zhongzhou for several years, missing the prime marriageable age. These past years, the capital had been in turmoil, and noble families had increasingly tightened their alliances through marital ties. Young women in the household coming of age were hastily married off, with few left unmarried for long. This created an awkward situation.

Fang Chuning now had to consider suitable young women, aged seventeen or eighteen—and there were almost none left!

The newly of-age girls were only about fifteen or sixteen, while Fang Chuning was already twenty-four, almost a decade older than them. These young women still needed to stay with their families for a few more years, meaning Fang Chuning would already be pushing thirty by the time of marriage. Mrs. Fang firmly did not want this. Her standards for selecting a daughter-in-law were therefore extremely stringent. She knew her criteria were demanding, so she reluctantly lowered her expectations regarding appearance and family heritage.

The most compatible choice, in terms of status, was Lin Yunong. Her age was right, her family background was respectable, and her talents were adequate. However, Lin Yunong had been rumored to have discussed a marriage match with the son of Marquis An Yuan, and Mrs. Fang knew a bit of the inside story, so she had ruled Yunong out from the start. She had carefully considered almost all the suitable young women within noble families, even the daughters of concubines, so long as their character was decent.

If it weren’t for her son’s unfortunate reputation of bringing misfortune to his wives, he wouldn’t have been delayed all these years or missed the best window for marriage. Mrs. Fang deeply regretted this, which was why, when choosing a daughter-in-law now, she paid special attention to their physical health.

Fang Chuning understood his mother’s deeply caring intentions, but he was at a loss for words. He had no choice but to keep stalling; he couldn’t hold out indefinitely. He was the eldest son of the Fang Family and bore the responsibility of continuing their lineage. Fortunately, there was Xiaoqi now. If he remained unmarried, maybe his parents would...

Forget it, there’s no way they’d come to terms with it!

In the dining hall, all five members of the Fang Family were seated for a meal. Xiaoqi’s round, wide eyes kept darting over to Fang Lingjun, hoping she would help diffuse the tension between their parents. Fang Lingjun acted as if she didn’t notice. Fang Chuning, well-mannered and composed, ate his meal properly, keeping his gaze fixed and steady, as though he were unaware of the oppressive atmosphere at the table.

Since the meal began, the three younger members hadn’t spoken a word. Each quietly focused on eating while the Marshal and Mrs. Fang exchanged just a few words. Mrs. Fang’s remarks were limited to "Hmm" or "Okay," showing little reaction and remaining exceedingly aloof.

The rules of dining etiquette in the Fang Family weren’t overly strict. Fang Lingjun usually loved chatting with Mrs. Fang about the gossip in the capital while eating. News never left the Fang household anyway. When it was just her and Mrs. Fang alone in the past, they enjoyed sharing amusing anecdotes. If Fang Chuning happened to be home, he’d occasionally join their conversations as well. However, when the Marshal was present, the atmosphere shifted entirely.

Fang Lingjun felt so distressed by the heavy atmosphere that her stomach began to ache, and she could barely eat.

"Looks and family status are not important. Health and good conduct are all that matter." The Marshal didn’t have high requirements for his daughter-in-law; he only needed someone who could uphold the family reputation. He racked his brain, trying to figure out how to reconcile with his wife, and could only start from Fang Chuning’s marriage. Fang Chuning felt the meat in his bowl lose its flavor—why did the topic have to land on him?

"Hmm," Mrs. Fang replied indifferently. "I’ve got it under control."

The Marshal asked, "Do you have a family in mind?"

"Are your standards too high?"

Mrs. Fang’s gaze turned chilly. "Yes, my standards are high."

Even a fool could see that Mrs. Fang was upset. She had been raised in the palace from a young age, living in luxury and having the best of everything. Even her maids were meticulously chosen, let alone a daughter-in-law. She would never settle for mediocrity. Nonetheless, her current predicament was overwhelming. Selecting the right match was no easy task. At a recent banquet, Lady Li had deliberately jabbed at her, suggesting that Mrs. Fang shouldn’t be overly demanding and that finding someone passable would suffice.

Why should her son settle for passable?

The Marshal had inadvertently poked the proverbial bear. With his naturally stern face, he already seemed bad-tempered. When his attitude lacked warmth, he appeared even harsher. He looked over at Fang Chuning and, in a tone entirely different from before, said, "You’re not young anymore. Stop relying on your mother to handle your life’s important matters alone. Show some initiative yourself."

He could deeply empathize with Xie Jue’s situation when dealing with Ruyi and Xie Xun—two completely distinct attitudes. Fang Chuning hadn’t even started defending himself before Mrs. Fang already interjected with displeasure. "Why are you lecturing him? He went to Ningzhou when he was fourteen. It’s been ten years now. He’s either been on the Ningzhou Battlefield or stationed in Zhongzhou. From a young age, he’s been entrenched in military camps. Where on earth would he encounter eligible women?"

"There are plenty of female generals in Ningzhou’s army..."

"Do you want him to follow Xie Er’s example and bring home a child without a marriage?"

Fang Chuning wanted to defend Xie Jue, but he didn’t even get the chance to speak. Why must their argument involve innocent parties?

"Madam, that’s not what I meant!" Content orıginally comes from novel{f}ire.net

Mrs. Fang snorted coldly, but her gaze softened slightly when she looked at Fang Chuning. "Mother will surely arrange an excellent match for you. There’s no rush."

Fang Chuning silently thought, "Mother, please be fair to everyone. The better you treat me, the less Father seems to like me."

Both Xiaoqi and Fang Lingjun didn’t dare make a sound the entire time, fearing they’d be drawn into the crossfire.

"Isn’t it time for Junjun to start considering matches as well?" The Marshal, worried about upsetting his wife further, stiffly shifted the topic. He had a markedly different attitude toward his son and daughter—when it came to Fang Lingjun, he felt she was still young and there was no need to rush.

Mrs. Fang replied nonchalantly, "I asked Duchess Marquis An Yuan to inquire about Xie Tingfeng’s thoughts. Junjun and he can be considered..."

"Who?" Fang Chuning’s eyes widened in shock. "What kind of joke is that!"

"Good heavens, Mother, please don’t make random love matches for us!"

"If we’re talking marriage alliances, it’s not like Junjun is the only one in the family!"