Chapter 01: Enchanting Fragrance

Gu Dongyu noticed that Yao Mi suddenly fell silent and could not help but ask, "Cousin, why aren't you speaking?" As he said this, he took a couple of steps closer.

Yao Mi felt her breath was both hot and burning, and she could no longer hold back. She parted her cherry lips and with a "huff," blew a breath onto Gu Dongyu's face

Yao Mi sidestepped to avoid Gu Dongyu's hand, hurriedly turning her face away and said, "Cousin, I really have to go."

It was only then that Gu Dongyu recalled his chance encounter with Shi Xiuer yesterday. He noticed her eloquence and outstanding demeanor, which involuntarily stirred feelings of admiration within him. At that moment, it seemed he had also expressed that his feelings were sincere

Indeed, if I cannot marry Gu Dongjin and do not wish to marry Gu Dongyu, what am I to do? Yao Mi stepped back, her back against the railing, her chest slightly heaving. She opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again. Could it be that she would become a sister-in-law? If so, what would become of her parents and brothers? Her parents raised her and nurtured her; she has not repaid them in the slightest, and would she still want to cause them sorrow?

Although the birthday of Old Madam Fan has not yet arrived, the Gu family has welcomed three unmarried beautiful cousins. Gu Dongyu is actually well aware of the situation. In terms of kinship, cousin Yao Mi is naturally the closest, while in terms of talent, cousin Shi Xiuer is the most accomplished. When it comes to family background, cousin Fan Qing's family is the most prominent. Which one should he choose? In fact, there is no need to worry; the Ministry of Revenue has stated that the number of women is three times that of men. He only needs to follow the example of his two elder brothers, marry one legitimate wife, and then take two concubines. There is really no need to fret; the Ministry of Revenue has stated that the number of women is three times that of men. He only needs to follow the example of his two elder brothers, marry one legitimate wife, and then take two concubines. It is said that a wise wife and beautiful concubines are ideal, and a charming cousin like Yao is just right to be a favored concubine, adding fragrance to his life.

Gu Dongyu noticed that Yao Mi had fallen silent, so he leaned in and said: "Cousin Shi is not difficult to get along with, Cousin Yao, you just..."

He will be sincere? Yao Mi was taken aback, stepping back two paces and saying: "Yesterday afternoon, I was outside the pavilion, and I heard you talking with Sister Shi..."

"I will not marry alongside Shi Xiuer." Yao Mi suddenly became angry, tightly clenching her fists, and raised her head to speak each word clearly: "Cousin, I have reached the age of marriage, and I must quickly consider my marriage arrangements. This is indeed a matter of practicality, but it does not mean that I have to marry you alongside someone else. Nor does it mean that I must share a husband with anyone else. What nonsense is this about entering the door together, regardless of status, and becoming even closer? Bah!"

Yao Mi, with her charming appearance and flushed cheeks, spoke with a mix of anger and annoyance, leaving Gu Dongyu utterly mesmerized

Madam Gu thought that the Gu family was a prominent and wealthy family in the capital, with a large household and many offspring, so they would surely be able to find a suitable husband for Yao Mi among them. However, she could never have imagined that her sisters-in-law, Madam Shi and Madam Fan, also had the same intention, and each brought their eligible daughters to the Gu family one after another.

Due to the beautiful moonlight, Gu Dongyu leisurely walked into the garden, strolled halfway around the lotus pond, and under the moonlight, he saw a lively young woman standing by the lotus pond. From her silhouette, she resembled Yao Mian, the cousin of the Yao family, so he tentatively called out to her.

"I can only smell the fragrance of the lotus." Yao Mi moved two steps to the right, feeling somewhat conflicted. Sigh, whether it is blushing or flushed ears, why is there now a strange and unusual fragrance in the breath that I exhale

It is not that the Yao family does not wish to marry off Yao Mi early, but rather that those who come to propose are either from reputable families seeking a match, or they are seeking a second wife for their legitimate sons. The Yao family, after all, is a prominent family in Jiangnan, and they would never allow their daughter to marry an unworthy libertine or to become a second wife. As a result of this delay, Yao Mi has reached the age of maturity.

Gu Dongyu approached Yao Mi with a smile, only to see Yao Mi subtly shift her position, which made him chuckle: "Cousin Yao has come to the Gu residence during this time, still shy as ever. Every time we speak, she never allows anyone to get too close."

Gu Dongyu raised an eyebrow and said softly, "Since it is like this, what are you doing here by the lotus pond so late at night? Don't tell me you are waiting for Dongjin."

Madam Gu, seeing that Yao Mi was about to turn fifteen in the autumn, was so anxious that she could not sleep at night. After discussing with Mr. Yao for several days, she made an excuse to celebrate her mother's birthday far away in the capital, packed her belongings, and took her daughter Yao Mi back to her family home in the capital.

Although Gu Dongyu is not married, he has been indulging in romantic pursuits over the past two years, considering himself quite skilled in this regard. As he steps closer, he notices Yao Mi's cheeks flush and her breathing quicken, and he secretly laughs to himself: this girl is clearly smitten, yet she insists on pretending to be serious. With this thought in mind, he playfully reaches out to tug at Yao Mi's sleeve.

Gu Dongyu's breath came at her, and Yao Mi's profile still could not avoid it. She only felt her cheeks burning, her body slightly weak. She could not care to respond to Gu Dongyu's words, propping her right hand on the railing, straightening her body, and turning to leave.

Yao Mi also witnessed her close friend, who had reached the age of marriage without being promised to anyone, being forcibly matched by local officials and casually given to someone as a concubine. It was precisely for this reason that Gu Furen was extremely anxious and, disregarding her own dignity, instructed her to ensure that she captured the attention of either Gu Dongyu or Gu Dongjin. After all, this was her maternal grandfather's family, with her grandmother and uncle protecting her; no matter which cousin she married, the household would not treat her poorly.

Yao Mi couldn't help but frown slightly. Originally, Madam Gu had brought her to the capital to select a husband. Although Gu Dongjin was a good match, there were still Shi Xiuer and Fan Qing in the picture, so it was not certain that she would be chosen. Now that Gu Dongyu was showing interest in her, she should be happy. ... But ...

Don't go! Gu Dongyu stopped Yao Mi, having just caught a whiff of a strange fragrance. His heart suddenly raced, and an inexplicable restlessness surged within him. He attributed this to his growing feelings for Yao Mi. How could he possibly let her leave now?

Madam Gu, seeing the situation was dire, had no choice but to carefully instruct Yao Mi on many matters, telling her that if she did not want to end up being forcibly married off by the local officials, this time she must choose one of her two unmarried cousins as her husband

In the ten years preceding the Great Wei Dynasty, there was turmoil and war, resulting in countless male casualties. Three years ago, the Ministry of Revenue conducted a population check and discovered that the number of women was three times that of men. Currently, the desirability of unmarried men is significantly high. Families with daughters who are worried about marriage are not limited to just the Yao family.

After a while, Gu Dongyu finally understood what Yao Mi meant. He was reluctant to refute her and simply took a step forward and asked, "So what do you want?"

"Cousin, what is wrong with you?" Seeing that Yao Mi had run away, Shi Xiu'er could only go up to support Gu Dongyu

Yao Mi, feeling helpless, could only comply with Madam Gu's wishes, occasionally venturing out to stroll in the garden, hoping to encounter one of her cousins under the moonlight, to catch their attention, and then ask her grandmother, Old Madam Fan, to take charge of arranging the marriage. At this moment, seeing that it was her eldest uncle's third son, Gu Dongyu, who had come, she couldn't help but feel a sense of gloom, wishing only to find an excuse to slip away quickly

Gu Dongyu noticed that Yao Mi was lightly frowning, and under the moonlight, she appeared even more beautiful than usual. He couldn't help but reach out to pull her closer, saying, "Cousin, you don't dislike me, do you? Why is it that as soon as I arrive, you want to leave?" Hehe, keep pretending, keep pretending; you still can't get married back in your hometown, yet you love to put on airs like this. Be careful, or I might just ignore you and let you show off for nothing.

It just so happened that I saw Fan Qing over there, just in time to bring her over to assist Gu Dongyu. As long as Fan Qing helps Gu Dongyu, she can forget about marrying Gu Dongjin

In order to promote population growth, the court issued a decree at the beginning of this year stating that all unmarried men aged 18 and women aged 15, regardless of whether they belong to noble families or the common people, shall be fined. Furthermore, local officials will be responsible for arranging marriages, and parents or clans shall not have any objections.

How could you, Yao Mi, have given the fragrant charm to cousin, yet left me to support him? This is clearly a trap set for me to fall into! ... Once cousin can no longer resist me... I naturally am not worthy to be the legitimate wife. Shi Xiu'er shook off Gu Dongyu's hand, stood up, and said: "I will go call someone to help you!"

Gu Dongyu felt pleased; apart from Gu Dongjin, he was the only one left unmarried in the residence. Yao Mi did not wish to marry Gu Dongjin alongside Fan Qing, so she could only marry him together with Shi Xiuer. If they delayed any longer, they would have to wait for the official matchmaker to come knocking and force her to marry a poor young man!

In the night breeze, a subtle fragrance wafted through the air. Gu Dongyu took a sniff and suddenly felt parched. Lowering his head, he noticed that Yao Mi's ears had turned red. She seemed flustered and wanted to leave, but suddenly made up her mind. Clearing his throat, he said: "Cousin Yao, I am sincere. Did you not come to the capital for a marriage proposal?"

Cousin!

Among several close cousins, the only unmarried ones left are the third son of the eldest uncle's family and the youngest son of the second uncle's family, Gu Dongjin. Gu Dongjin is relatively well-off, with only two maidservants in his room, and he is also willing to study and improve himself. However, Gu Dongyu has been spoiled by others; not only does he have a large number of maidservants in his room, but he also loves to indulge in frivolous pursuits, considering himself a dandy. If she were to choose a husband, she would never choose Gu Dongyu under any circumstances.

Hmm! Yao Mi caught a whiff of Gu Dongyu's scent, raising her hand to cover her left cheek, and let out a soft sound through her nostrils. The warmth of the breath brushed against her palm, quickly dissipating. Then she heard Gu Dongyu say, "Oh, what is that fragrance? It doesn't smell like lotus flower!"

Yao Mi was originally leaning on the railing by the lotus pond with both elbows. Upon hearing Gu Dongyu's call, she hurriedly straightened up, raised her hand to lightly brush her hair, forced a smile, and shouted: "Cousin!"

Yao Mi stopped a few steps away from Gu Dongyu, unable to help but breathe a sigh of relief. It was not that she suddenly became reserved, but ever since she had her first menstruation at the age of thirteen, she discovered that whenever a young man approached and she caught a whiff of his scent, her breathing would become slightly hurried, and her face would even flush red.

Even if I agree, Sister Shi may not necessarily agree. Yao Mi lowered her head, gently exhaling, feeling a sense of melancholy in her heart. Such a man is still sought after by others. Could it be that all the outstanding and good men perished in the turmoil and wars of the previous decade?

Yao Mi has crescent-shaped eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, and rosy cherry lips, possessing a striking beauty. However, such an enchanting appearance remains unwed, still waiting in her boudoir, which has become a source of concern for the entire Yao family

Seeing Yao Mi looking pitiful against the railing, Gu Dongyu had another thought: Oh, what is she doing? Of course, how could she not want to get married? This kind of pretense is nothing more than wanting me to give her a guarantee, to make her the legitimate wife! However, I hastily promised Shi Xiuer yesterday, and now I cannot agree to her.

Cousin, I have something to attend to, so I will take my leave first! Yao Mi did not wish to linger with Gu Dongyu, and after speaking, she bowed slightly and turned to leave.

Gu Dongyu was smiling when he suddenly felt a strange fragrance wafting through his mouth and nose. His chest tightened, and his whole body went limp, causing him to fall to the ground. Yao Mi's sleeve was still caught in his hand, and as he collapsed, Yao Mi was also pulled down, landing half-kneeling beside Gu Dongyu.

Cousin fell down, and I want to help him up! Upon hearing the voice of Shi Xiu'er, Yao Mi fiercely snatched back her sleeve, hurriedly got up, and ran away without looking back

Gu Dongyu thought for a moment, took a couple of steps closer, and said: "Cousin, after all, we are cousins by our father's side, while Shi is only a cousin by our mother's side. We are closer than that. I will certainly take care of you. You see..."

Gu Dongyu felt as if his entire body was on fire. He grasped Shi Xiuer's hand and murmured, "Quickly help me to a secluded place." Seeing Shi Xiuer's confusion, he added, "I have been affected by the seductive fragrance, and I must..."

What are you doing? A voice sounded.

Such a matter, Yao Mi felt embarrassed to discuss with Madam Gu, attributing it solely to her own thin skin and inability to face young men. Now, with only a few steps separating her from Gu Dongyu, the breeze carried his scent, and in an instant, her charming face flushed with color, her breath quickening

Yao Mi glanced at Gu Dongyu with her big, bright eyes, thinking that he would surely feel embarrassed. To her surprise, Gu Dongyu smiled and said, "Alright, you and cousin Shi can enter together, regardless of age, strengthening our bond even further. How does that sound?"

Yao Mi quickly realized that she was indeed foolish to hope that Gu Dongjin would come. Gu Dongjin's mother and Fan Qing's mother are biological sisters, making them close maternal cousins, so it is only natural for them to strengthen their ties; how could she possibly come to see her