However, the Su family had previously promoted the event with such great fanfare that young talents from all walks of life had already gathered in Fengyi City. Some who arrived early had even been waiting here for a month.
If they were to cancel or postpone it now, and if there happened to be someone with a perverse or eccentric temperament among the crowd, the Su family would likely suffer for it.
Furthermore, others would probably develop a mediocre impression of the Su family.
It was truly a case of being caught in a dilemma with no easy way out.
At that moment, Su Fu spoke up. “Tomorrow’s martial arts marriage competition will proceed as usual. It cannot be canceled; otherwise, our Su Mansion will truly become a laughingstock.”
As she spoke, she carried a hint of self-reproach. “Su Shan is already dead. Why should I bother haggling with a dead man? I actually let my thoughts wander for a moment.”
Her voice was weak, sounding as if it were drifting in from a great distance, making Lian Li shudder.
He thought to himself that if she didn’t follow the doctor’s orders in this state, something truly terrible might happen.
No one present wanted Su Fu to attend tomorrow regardless of her health.
But with so many people outside, not everyone would necessarily share that sentiment; the human heart is difficult to fathom.
Lian Li thought for a moment and said, “Since Miss Su has to wear a veil anyway, why not just make the veil a bit thicker and add more decorations to her head that hang down to her forehead and brows? Then, find someone to sit up there in her place. When the time comes, use a screen to block the view a bit. Who would know who is actually sitting up there watching the match?”
As soon as he said this, everyone was stunned.
Only Yun Huizhou gave Lian Li an inscrutable look from head to toe, then lowered his head with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Hearing this, Master Su’s eyes lit up. He scanned the maids in the room, but his expression soon turned to disappointment.
“The maids by Fu’er’s side are all little girls of thirteen or fourteen, and the people serving Madam are all elderly matrons. There is no one suitable.” Master Su sat back in his chair, his gaze filled with disappointment.
“Not suitable, not suitable,” Master Su muttered.
He was quite unwilling to let these young maids impersonate his daughter, and even if there were any of the right age, he wouldn’t want to.
After the incident with Su Shan, he was now extremely wary of the servants in the house.
What if a maid impersonated her once and developed wild ambitions, wanting to seduce his son-in-law or his son later?
“We cannot let the family’s maids impersonate Fu’er,” Master Su stated.
Lian Li didn’t know his concerns and only thought that the Su family lacked suitable maids, which was why Master Su rejected the proposal.
So, he shrugged and said, “Alright then.”
Madam Su also thought it was because there were no suitable candidates at home. After thinking for a moment, she said, “How about… looking for someone outside?”
Su Jun’s brow furrowed slightly as he said, “Finding someone outside is even worse. What if they have a loose tongue and talk about it?”
Su Fu spoke up again, saying, “I should still go. If I wrap myself up tightly, it should… cough, cough…”
Before she could finish her sentence, she began to cough. How could the Su family possibly let her go out tomorrow?
Su Jun immediately began to persuade her otherwise.
Lian Li watched the Su family as they remained conflicted and lowered his head to yawn. Had he known, he wouldn’t have come over.
Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly felt someone staring at him.
He looked up and found that it was Yun Huizhou who was staring at him.
There was a hint of a half-smile in Yun Huizhou’s eyes. Seeing Lian Li look up at him, the corners of his mouth curled up, and he mouthed words to him from an angle where the Su family members couldn’t see.
Lian Li identified the words carefully and realized Yun Huizhou was saying:
“Do you want to pretend to be Miss Su?”
Lian Li: !!!
Lian Li suddenly stood up and glared at Yun Huizhou. His abrupt movement startled the three members of the Su family.
Su Jun hurriedly asked, “Young Hero Lian, what’s wrong?”
Lian Li’s face turned beet red as he said, “It’s nothing. Have you all come up with an idea yet?”
Su Jun sighed and shook his head. Master Su and Madam Su also wore faces full of worry.
Only Yun Huizhou, taking advantage of his good seating position where the Su family couldn’t see his expression, kept staring at Lian Li with a beaming smile.
Seeing Lian Li sit down huffily, he opened his mouth again, still only mouthing the words.
“One day counts as ten.”
Lian Li felt a bit tempted. Anyway, he would be wearing a veil and sitting behind a screen; no one else would know. He doubted the people of the Su Mansion would dare to go out and spread rumors.
The only concern was whether the West Island Lord would recognize this as valid.
Seeing that Lian Li was actually starting to consider it, Yun Huizhou stopped looking at him.
As a result, just after he turned his head to look outside for a moment, he felt Lian Li tugging at his sleeve.
He looked back again, only to see Lian Li whisper, “Will Junior Uncle recognize it?”
Lian Li’s voice was very low. Although the Su family members heard his voice, they only thought he was whispering to Yun Huizhou and didn’t pay it any mind.
Yun Huizhou smiled and replied, “I’ll testify for you. Junior Uncle will recognize it. Besides, aren’t there also…”
He tilted his chin toward the Su family members. The meaning was obvious: the Su family would also be witnesses.
Lian Li took a deep breath, thinking that Su Fu would need at least two days to recover. Since so many people had come for the martial arts marriage competition, it certainly wouldn’t be finished in two days.
Even if it did finish, they could use the excuse of preparing for the wedding to delay for another day or two, and that would be about enough.
If someone wanted to see Su Fu, they could come to the Su Mansion to see her. After all, there were always more solutions than problems.
Furthermore, the wedding ceremony would also be held indoors. It would be fine for Su Fu to come out for the ceremony then.
Once he had thought these matters through, Lian Li looked at the three members of the Su family with an air of martyrdom and said, “Since the maids in the mansion are unsuitable and we can’t find anyone from outside, then… how about I do it?”
As soon as he said this, the expressions of the three Su family members instantly became extremely horrified.
“Young Hero Lian… cough, cough… how could that be acceptable?” Su Fu said.
Su Jun also hurriedly chimed in, “Young Hero Lian, are you saying you want to pretend to be my sister and sit up there to watch the martial arts marriage competition?”
Madam Su was so shocked she forgot to speak.
Master Su’s eyes, however, lit up. Since they had to find someone to impersonate her anyway, outsiders couldn’t be trusted, and he feared the maids at home would grow ambitious. It was actually better to have a man like Young Hero Lian do the impersonation.
He was a young hero from a proper sect. Having done such a thing, he certainly wouldn’t go around publicizing it, so there was no need to worry about word getting out.
Moreover, since he was a man, he wouldn’t develop those kinds of feelings for his son or his future son-in-law.
Thus, fearing that Lian Li would regret it or that Su Jun and Su Fu would refuse, he hurriedly spoke up. “Good! Good! This is a great idea! Thank you, Young Hero Lian! Once this matter is concluded, my Su Mansion will surely offer a heavy reward.”
He even went straight to thanking him, wanting to settle the matter quickly.
Seeing Master Su like this, Lian Li knew that unless there was some irresistible factor, it would be difficult for him to back out.
“Then… I’ll have to trouble Madam Su to prepare the clothes and jewelry,” Lian Li said.
Before Madam Su could reply, Master Su immediately said, “Quick! Go and bring several sets of clothes that the Miss hasn’t worn yet.”
The maids glanced at each other and immediately sprang into action.
At this time, Su Jun also regained his senses and said, “Although my sister is tall, there is still some difference between her and Young Hero Lian. I’m afraid the clothes might not fit properly.”
