A peasant girl travels through time with a hospital, rising to become an empress.

On the way, Jiang Lingyang was still a little confused, wondering why he suddenly went to arrange a marriage for Jiang Muxin.

Wei Susu carefully considered her words and replied softly, "Life is unpredictable. If it weren't for Doctor Qian's timely intervention at the Lake Pavilion today, Mu Xin would probably be... She has reached the age for marriage, so naturally we need to make more plans for her."

Jiang Lingyang thought about it and realized that it made sense. Although Chu Shaoyang's parents were not here, it would be improper to skip the elders and discuss marriage directly with him, but for the sake of his daughter's life, he couldn't care less about such things.

When the two arrived, Chu Shaoyang was quite surprised to see them.

Especially when he saw Wei Susu. He had seen Wei Susu a few times when he was young, but later he heard that she was ill and lived a secluded life, and he had not seen her for many years.

He had assumed that Wei Susu must be emaciated from illness, but to his surprise, although she was pale and haggard, she still retained some of her former charm.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Chu Shaoyang, and as the atmosphere gradually warmed up, Wei Susu frankly revealed the purpose of her visit.

"Shaoyang, you and Zheng'an grew up together, as close as brothers, and you also watched Muxin grow up. You have always known her talent and character. If it weren't for Doctor Qian, I'm afraid I would have lost this daughter in today's incident by the lake. This matter has left me deeply troubled. Life is unpredictable, and my health is weak. I don't even know if I can survive this surgery."

“I know it’s not proper to discuss marriage with you at this time, but as a mother, I can’t help but think about my daughter’s future. I want to discuss your marriage with Muxin first. You’ve known each other since childhood and know each other well. If you have feelings for each other, can we arrange the marriage in advance?”

Chu Shaoyang was stunned. He never expected Wei Susu to bring up the matter of marriage at this time, and he was momentarily lost in thought in front of his elders.

Seeing this, Wei Susu added, "Of course I know your parents aren't here, and it's a bit presumptuous to bring this up now, but our two families often visit each other. Years ago, your mother and I often joked about arranging a marriage between you two as children. Your mother and I both approve of this marriage."

“I have also heard that you are a promising young man with a voice in your family. I believe that as long as you are willing, your mother will respect your wishes and agree to this marriage. At that time, you only need to nod, and Lingyang and I will take care of everything else and go to the capital to discuss the marriage with your parents according to the rules.”

The meaning of these words couldn't be clearer: all Chu Shaoyang needed to do was agree, and the rest was just a formality.

Chu Shaoyang was slightly taken aback, his mind churning with thoughts.

Should he agree to the marriage?

In the past, he might not have had so many concerns.

For scions of prominent families like theirs, marriage was always about matching social status. Although the Jiang family was not as well-established as the Chu family, it was still a family of scholars. Jiang Muxin was known for her talent, and as she spent more time with him, she became closer to him than to other women. He did indeed appreciate her talent.

But now, when he truly calmed down and seriously considered it, he hesitated.

Does he really like Jiang Muxin? What kind of person does he actually like?

He originally thought that a woman as talented, beautiful, and dignified as Jiang Muxin was the epitome of a woman in the capital and the safest choice.

During this time, however, he was on official business as ordered by the emperor, traveling all over the country and seeing all kinds of different aspects of people's lives, which broadened his horizons.

Is it true that only women who live like Jiang Muxin can be considered good?

Without realizing it, he suddenly thought of Doctor Qian.

I recall her elegant and refined appearance under the black veil, her sharp and resolute eyes that were unlike those of ordinary women, her miraculous medical skills, and her admirable martial arts prowess.

This woman, so vibrant and powerful, deeply moved him.

He didn't fall in love with Doctor Qian at that moment, but Doctor Qian showed him another possibility of women and made him truly examine his own feelings.

It turns out that his feelings for Jiang Muxin weren't really love; he was just used to her presence and accepted her suitability.

Moreover, after listening to Doctor Qian's words today, he wanted to go to the river to investigate, but coincidentally, the river surface, which had already cracked, suddenly collapsed in a large area. He found nothing, but a trace of doubt remained in his heart.

For a moment, his mind was in turmoil...

Seeing that he didn't reply for a long time, Wei Susu gradually felt uneasy.

From Mu Xin's words, she could sense that Chu Shaoyang had some affection for her daughter; otherwise, they wouldn't have become so close.

But why is he hesitating like this now?

Wei Susu called out softly, "Shaoyang?"

Chu Shaoyang then came to his senses, bowed respectfully to Jiang Lingyang and Wei Susu, and said in a respectful tone:

"Thank you for your kind words, elders. Muxin and I have grown up together since childhood and have a deep friendship. However, I am here on official business by imperial decree, far from the capital. My parents are not by my side, and my marriage is a matter of great importance concerning the reputation of both families. I am truly sorry that I cannot give you a definite answer at this moment."

Upon hearing this, Wei Susu's heart sank.

Isn't this a polite way of refusing?

Jiang Lingyang felt that Chu Shaoyang's words made perfect sense. It was inappropriate to skip the elders' discussion of marriage in the first place. If it weren't for the sudden change today, he wouldn't have acted so impulsively.

He was a scholar by birth and always valued propriety, so he didn't insist. He gently pulled Wei Susu's hand and said to Chu Shaoyang:

“Nephew, please don’t take offense. We were both so worried about our daughter’s misfortune today that we lost our composure for a moment. We are truly sorry for making you laugh. You are right, arranging a marriage is no small matter. After we return to the capital, I will prepare generous gifts and personally visit your mother to discuss the matter seriously.”

Seeing that things had come to this point, Wei Susu could not force the issue, so she followed Jiang Lingyang out of the house.

As soon as she stepped out of the room, she couldn't help but ask, "Lingyang, does Shaoyang's statement mean he's politely declining?"

Jiang Lingyang nodded first, then slowly shook his head.

Wei Susu: "What do you think?"

Jiang Lingyang sighed: "As a man, I naturally know that if the woman proposing to me now were the one I truly cherish, I would agree without hesitation, even without my parents by my side, let alone with the misfortune that Mu Xin has suffered today. But Chu Shaoyang did not, which shows that his feelings for Mu Xin, even if they exist, are very limited."

He paused, then added, "But he didn't rule it out entirely. Chu Shaoyang comes from a prominent family, so he naturally knows that his marriage isn't entirely up to him. Let's discuss this further when we get back to the capital. It's just that as for Mu Xin... I'm afraid she's too deeply in love with Chu Shaoyang, and if things don't go well in the end, she might be heartbroken and have wasted her time."

Wei Susu sighed helplessly, her heart filled with worry...