Chapter 3: Interest and Affection
Although not to the same extent as her mother, Onhye was well aware that their grandmother’s heart had tilted toward Onyeon.
“Grandmother! I’m the one who was discussing the marriage proposal. I’m also the one who likes Gye-gu…!”
Onhye protested, sounding wronged.
“Then why is the proposal being discussed with Onyeon instead?”
“What nonsense are you talking about!”
Madam Gye looked at Onhye with clear disappointment.
“How can an unmarried girl say such things? This marriage is not something Yeonjeo requested—the Sunpyeong Baek Estate is the one asking for her.”
Madam Jo grabbed Onhye’s wrist to stop her and, recalling something, added:
“Now that I think about it, I believe I saw Gye-gu in the carriage yesterday. I only caught a glimpse of his figure, so I couldn’t greet him properly.”
Ignoring decorum, Madam Gye turned to Onyeon.
“What do you think?”
“You and Aunt have discussed this so much without asking me even a single question. I assumed the elders would decide, and that I had no right to speak.”
After a brief pause, Onyeon nodded as if in thought and continued:
“They say marriage is decided by one’s parents and the matchmaker. I will follow Grandmother’s decision.”
Everyone was stunned.
At first, she had shown irritation and dissatisfaction, yet now she appeared gentle and obedient. For a moment, Madam Gye could not tell whether Onyeon was sincere or being sarcastic.
But there was not the slightest trace of mockery on Onyeon’s mild expression.
Suppressing her doubts, Madam Gye probed further.
“Then… it should be fine to accept the proposal?”
“Grandmother.”
Onyeon gently shook her head.
“My parents have only been gone for a year. Matters of marriage should wait two years. If this family is making such a sudden decision today, what about next year—or the year after? They might even change their minds before two years pass. In my opinion, if a marriage is truly desired, Second Sister should marry first and settle it early so it cannot be reversed. Since she likes Gye-gu, isn’t that perfect?”
Hearing this, Onhye nodded inwardly again and again. Everything made sense. She had not expected Onyeon to speak so well on her behalf.
She was about to smile at Onyeon, but upon hearing the last sentence, she subconsciously asked:
“Don’t you like him? What is it about Gye-gu that you dislike?”
The moment the question ended, Onyeon’s gaze became strangely unsettling.
It was warm, yet helpless—like someone showing interest and affection toward a fool.
And that fool… was Onhye.
Yet there was nothing she could say against that look.
Lowering her gaze, Onhye murmured weakly,
“I like him.”
“If you like him, isn’t that enough?” Onyeon replied.
There were many reasons why Onyeon disliked Gye-gu.
She had never had a good impression of the Sunpyeong Baek Estate, and upon hearing Gye-gu’s name, memories of his notorious reputation from her previous life resurfaced.
Gye-gu was the youngest son of the So Baekya couple, a late-born child and the treasure of Madam Baek. Even though he failed the imperial examinations, he was excessively doted on by his grandmother and mother. If So Baekya ever tried to discipline him, Madam Baek would defend her grandson and scold her own son instead.
Spoiled beyond correction, Gye-gu went to the capital and indulged in reckless behavior—frequenting courtesans and earning widespread resentment. Eventually, he fled back to Lin’an.
Madam Baek shamelessly shielded him, causing an uproar in both the capital and the old city.
How could such a man be considered a good match?
Linking this with Madam Jo’s earlier words, Onyeon could guess why the Sunpyeong Baek Estate had suddenly changed its attitude.
Gye-gu must have been in the carriage yesterday, returned home, and caused a scene—begging his grandmother and mother until Madam Baekya could no longer endure it and came early in the morning to see Madam Gye.
No wonder Madam Baekya’s tone had sounded strange—forcing herself to do something that hurt her pride.
Onyeon did not like Gye-gu.
However, since Onhye was so insistent on this marriage, Onyeon could not forcibly stop her.
Even if she spoke of her past life, it would be meaningless if Onhye did not believe her.
Besides, this was merely Onhye’s one-sided wish. If the Sunpyeong Baek Estate truly favored her, they would not have treated Madam Gye coldly before.
There was no need to become the villain over something that would never come to pass.
Madam Gye’s gaze shifted from her two granddaughters to Madam Jo behind them.
Understanding her intent, Madam Jo stood and led Onhye and Onjeong back to their quarters.
Onhye hesitated, unwilling to leave, but Madam Jo advised her to think carefully about what excuse the old lady would give to the Baek Estate. Only then did Onhye reluctantly turn back.
After they left, Madam Gye ignored Madam An and spoke to Onyeon:
“Yeonjeo, since your parents are gone, I will discuss this with you. Since the Sunpyeong Baek Estate has brought it up…”
Onyeon smiled.
Madam Gye already knew Onhye would not work. Having been rejected face-to-face before, how could she not?
The mourning period meant nothing to her. As long as their birth charts matched, a wedding date could be set.
She would never refuse something beneficial to the family.
Thinking this, Onyeon said:
“I have something to tell you in private.”
After dismissing Madam An and the servants, leaving only the two of them, Onyeon asked:
“Have you heard the name Guo Yixiao? He is the Third Prince’s study companion.”
Madam Gye raised her brows.
“You mean the nephew of Consort Dowager Guo? There are rumors about him…”
Onyeon nodded.
“They are true.”
Madam Gye inhaled sharply.
Although the On family was based in Lin’an, they still received news from the capital.
And the rumors about Guo Yixiao were no secret in court. Officials speculated in private, but none had confirmed it—nor dared to.
Though outwardly a member of the Guo family, he was in fact the Emperor’s biological son.
Back when the Emperor was still a prince, political struggles had forced him to entrust his child to the Guo family.
After ascending the throne, he brought Guo Yixiao back as the prince’s companion and raised him by his side.
Aside from the title, Guo Yixiao had lived no differently from a prince in recent years. Officials constantly speculated when the Emperor would formally acknowledge him.
“Who is his birth mother?” Madam Gye asked.
“I don’t know,” Onyeon replied.
“I only know her status is far from ordinary. That’s why he was sent to the Guo family. Even after returning to the palace, it hasn’t been revealed—but it will be soon.”
Madam Gye agreed. The Emperor would not bring back a bloodline he wished to hide.
“And why are you telling me this…?”
Onyeon lowered her gaze, then looked up again, appearing shy.
“Before the incident, Consort Dowager Guo discussed with my maternal grandparents and arranged a match between him and me.”
Madam Gye asked urgently,
“And now?”
“We are waiting for the mourning period to end.”
Onyeon took out a jade ring from her collar and placed it in her palm, offering it.
“This was given to me at the palace before I left the capital.”
Madam Gye examined the ring closely.
At a glance, it was clearly a fine piece—undeniably an item from the imperial palace.
That meant the incident involving the He and On families might seem grave to others, but to Consort Dowager Guo, it was nothing. She still intended for Guo Yixiao and Onyeon to marry.
One was the prince’s companion, the other the princess’s companion—they must know each other. Perhaps Guo Yixiao himself had requested the match.
Rumor had it that the Emperor was lenient toward this unacknowledged son. If Guo Yixiao insisted, he would not oppose it.
Between a youngest son who could not inherit a noble title and a prince who would soon regain his status, the choice was obvious.
If she had married Onyeon off to Gye-gu, only to have someone from the capital arrive two years later, Madam Gye would have deeply regretted it.
“You should have told Grandmother earlier,” Madam Gye said gently.
“Thankfully, we didn’t accept the Baek Estate’s proposal. That would have been disastrous. Until the marriage with the Guo family is finalized, we cannot speak of this carelessly. I will find a way to refuse the Baek Estate.”
“I didn’t expect such matters to arise during mourning. I was thoughtless. Next time, I will tell you first.”
Onyeon smiled.
Madam Gye fell silent.
It wasn’t wrong—but it wasn’t pleasant to hear either.
Still, the name Guo Yixiao sounded far too appealing for her to reprimand Onyeon.
After putting away the jade ring, Onyeon left Changshou Hall to give Madam Gye time to think.
Back at Huiyuan, she summoned Serang and Nurse Huang and asked in a low voice:
“The jade ring I wear—who gave it to me?”
Serang answered briskly,
“The Princess did. Have you already forgotten? When you left the capital, she gave you not only the ring but also two jade pendants and a box of jewelry.”
“Wrong,” Onyeon corrected.
“The others were from the Princess. But the jade ring was given by the palace—specifically by Consort Dowager Guo.”
Serang blinked and looked at Nurse Huang.
Though the young lady had spent time in the palace, she had no connection with Consort Dowager Guo.
With a calm expression, Nurse Huang said,
“The young lady’s memory is correct. The jade ring was given by Consort Dowager Guo.”
Still dazed, Serang snapped back when Nurse Huang clapped her hands and nodded like a pecking chick.
“Yes, it was from the palace. Consort Dowager Guo gave it.”
Whoever gave it didn’t matter—as long as she followed the young lady’s lead.
Onyeon nodded in satisfaction.
Originally, she had not intended to tell Madam Gye about Guo Yixiao.
It was true that she had married him in her previous life, and it was true she would marry him again in this life—but the claim that they were already promised to each other was a lie.
She also knew the identity of his birth mother.
In her past life, it had been his weakness. He once said, “I have no mother, and my father is not my father,” insisting on remaining part of the Guo family.
During the five years Onyeon spent in Zhangzi, Guo Yixiao went through many hardships and became increasingly stubborn.
Later, Consort Dowager Guo would sigh whenever she recalled the past.
If only he had been ordinary, he might have lived a smooth, unremarkable life.
But his talent could not be hidden by such an “awkward” origin. He endured trials and lost many opportunities.
A treasured sword is still a treasured sword—once drawn, its edge must shine.
If Onyeon married him two years earlier, understood him, and stayed by his side, he would not need to learn what it meant to be broken or wounded.
That was one of the reasons she would not wait five years in this life.
She needed to go to the capital as soon as possible, speak openly with him, and change his circumstances.
Things he could not easily say to Consort Dowager Guo, Onyeon would handle. The palace had its own rules of survival—and as a woman, she could navigate them more easily than he could.
She did not want him to repeat the path of his previous life.
Someone so brilliant deserved honor.
However, she had not expected Gye-gu to appear after returning to Lin’an.
Her heart held only Guo Yixiao. Even if he didn’t, she would never like Gye-gu.
To Madam Gye, the Sunpyeong Baek Estate was a delicacy—but if Onyeon did not bring back the far more desirable Guo Yixiao, the old lady would have no hesitation in “selling” her.
As for how Madam Gye responded to the Baek Estate, no one in the residence knew.
The only thing known was that every other day, she sent a personal letter to them.
Neither Onyeon nor Onhye knew its contents.
