Today marks the seventieth birthday of Matriarch Su. The entire Homestead is draped in festive crimson, a sea …
Today marks the seventieth birthday of Matriarch Su. The entire Homestead is draped in festive crimson, a sea of lanterns and silks radiating joy to the heavens.
Guests huddle in hushed conversation: how did the Sus, of all people, secure the favor of the Dragon King of the Dragon Tide Clan? Word on the street is that by riding the coattails of the Dragon Tide Clan, they've seized a portion of the salt trade. That single move sent them soaring, leaving Xuzhou's local gentry scrambling in their wake.
Patriarch Su, a man of fifty who has yet to outgrow his hedonistic streaks, is lost in a drunken haze, his face flushed with the pride of a family reborn. The Matriarch shoots a scathing look at her useless son and then turns to her granddaughter, Su Wan, the true power behind the family. Only then does her gaze soften. But as her eyes drift to the outsider standing beside Su Wan, they narrow with venomous spite.
"Long Yuntian, Su Wan has serious matters to attend to. No place for an outsider. Withdraw to the guest wing now!"
This Long Yuntian possesses a sharp, ascetic face with eyes like distant stars, radiating a natural, frigid aura. His unkempt hair, bound loosely today, lends him an air of the wild, untamed jianghu. Despite the public humiliation, he remains silent. He is the matrilocal groom of the Sus. To the world, he is the greatest blemish on Su Wan's otherwise perfect life.
Long Yuntian's gaze falls on Su Wan, the woman who has once been cast aside by the matriarch but now stands at the center of power, the de facto head of the Su family. She acts as if he didn't exist, her face bright with charm as she shares a laugh with Luo Feng, the illegitimate son of the Vice-Governor, as if she'd completely forgotten who stood by her when she was thrown out of the Su Homestead in disgrace, who willingly took on the humiliating label of the matrilocal groom just so she could reclaim control of the family.
Long Yuntian raises his head, the suppressed dignity of his past resurfacing. His voice drips with cold irony: "Tell me, Matriarch, is this your plan? To pimp out your granddaughter to a bastard? I'm still Su Wan's husband, whether you like it or not."
A ripple of shock and murmurs sweeps through the hall.
Su Wan spins around, her eyes blazing as they lock onto Long Yuntian. Sensing the guests' prying eyes, Su Wan suppresses her fury. "Enough! For a matrilocal groom, obeying the Matriarch is the highest propriety. How dare you hurl such reckless insults on her very birthday?"
"Propriety? Ha! A fine word for it! Do you forget, Su Wan? When that old crone cast you out, claiming a woman had no place in the family business, who stood by you? Who took the brand of the 'matrilocal groom' just to fight that very 'propriety' by your side?"
The Matriarch trembles, her finger jabbing the air at him. "You insolent cur! Wan and I are of one blood; the past is buried. Now that she leads our house to greatness, how dare you, a mere outsider, to sow discord?"
The Matriarch glances at Su Wan and, seeing the anger flash across her granddaughter's face, finally relaxes.
"Blood is thicker than your lies. How dare you spout such filth against your elders? Bring paper and ink! Today, before all the honored guests, I, Su Wan, sever our ties. We're done from this day forth!"
To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next episode.