Chapter 1: The Sister's Substitute Marriage

"I would rather die than marry Jiang Fan!"

Xu Yining held the three-foot Green Sword against her neck, tears of grievance streaming down her cheeks.

The hall was in an uproar with many clan members.

"Yining, don't be impulsive! It's my fault. I shouldn't have forced you."

Xu Zhengyan was scared to the point of his heart in his throat, struggling to calm her down,

"Ten years ago, Jiang Fan's father saved Old Master Xu's life. Out of gratitude, the old master promised that you two would marry at the age of eighteen."

"If you break off the engagement, people will say we're ungrateful."

"Now that you've finally been noticed by the Green Cloud Sect and are set to become a True Disciple, if they learn of this and some elder is displeased, your disciple qualification might be revoked!"

Xu Yining's expression changed, and she stomped her foot, saying, "I don't care!"

"I won't marry Jiang Fan, and I can't lose my reputation. Father, think of something for me!"

Xu Zhengyan had a splitting headache, his eyes inadvertently glancing at Jiang Fan in the corner.

Handsome appearance, tall and slender, with peaceful and insightful eyes, exuding a graceful and indifferent aura; he was a handsome young man.

Sadly, he was a mute.

Moreover, a mute who had been tested multiple times but had no Spirit Root.

His daughter, on the other hand, was a Sixth Grade Spirit Root genius, favored by the elders of the Green Cloud Sect, who planned to accept her as a True Disciple with a boundless future.

One was in the heavens, the other on the earth, completely worlds apart.

"Husband, if there's no other way, let Youran marry in place of Yining."

His wife, Wang Yingfeng, who was by his side, sighed helplessly.

The Xu clan members' eyes all shot towards Xu Youran at the back of the crowd.

A graceful young girl in green attire with a tranquil temperament.

Her beauty was such that people couldn't take their eyes off her.

As an elder sister, she was much more attractive than her younger sister, Xu Yining!

But unfortunately, she was born of a concubine and held a far lesser status in the Xu family compared to Xu Yining.

Wang Yingfeng suggesting Xu Youran marry in place of her daughter, to a mute, was unbearable to many in the Xu family.

Such a beautiful woman like Xu Youran would have her life ruined by marrying a mute like Jiang Fan.

"Father, I just want to serve you by your side. Please don't marry me off."

Upon hearing this, Xu Youran's face instantly went pale.

Biting her red lips, she pleaded helplessly.

But Xu Zhengyan ignored her look, stepping forward to grip her shoulders earnestly,

"Youran, our Xu family has been in decline for a hundred years. It took us a lot to produce a genius like your sister. The future of the Xu family rests on her!"

"Consider this as a plea from your father. Marry Jiang Fan in place of your sister!"

Seeing her still hesitating, Xu Zhengyan gritted his teeth and bent down on his knees, "Do you want your father to kneel and beg you?"

Xu Youran was startled and quickly helped him up in panic,

"Father, don't do this."

"I'll marry, I'll marry, isn't that enough?"

The moment she agreed, her eyes were filled with grievance.

Only then did Xu Zhengyan stand up straight; the heavy stone in his chest, suspended for years, was finally set down.

He revealed a relieved smile and looked at Jiang Fan, "Fan, what do you think?"

Jiang Fan sat calmly in the corner, leisurely sipping his tea.

Upon hearing this, he raised his eyes.

He glanced at Xu Youran, who was bowing her head in silence with tears in her eyes, and sighed silently in his heart, "So pitiful, being calculated against by her own family."

The Xu family never intended to marry their prodigy daughter, Xu Yining, to Jiang Fan.

They had planned all along to use Xu Youran as a sacrifice.

From Xu Yining's deadly threat to Wang Yingfeng proposing a replacement, to Xu Zhengyan's emotional appeal, it was all pre-arranged.

Xu Youran, pure and kind, easily fell for it and agreed to the replacement.

Such a poor girl, how could Jiang Fan bear to harm her?

He picked up the paper and pen he always carried and wrote a note.

"Uncle, don't trouble Youran. Xu Mansion has taken care of me for ten years, which repays the lifesaving debt from my father. Let's annul the engagement today."

Even without considering Xu Youran, Jiang Fan had intended to annul the engagement.

Since they saved Old Master Xu ten years ago, they had been residing at the Xu Mansion.

After his father's death three years ago, as time passed, the Xu family gradually distanced themselves from him.

Jiang Fan understood that the Xu family's patience had worn thin.

If not for concerns that breaking the engagement would harm their reputation, they would have kicked Jiang Fan out of the Xu Mansion long ago.

Now, it was time for him to leave.

After reading his note, Xu Zhengyan felt a surge of excitement.

Jiang Fan staying at the Xu Mansion constantly reminded Xu Zhengyan of the immense debt owed to the Jiang family.

Day after day, year after year, it was like a thorn in Xu Zhengyan's throat, impossible to remove.

Now that he wanted to leave, it was the best news possible!

Unexpectedly, Wang Yingfeng spoke sincerely, "Fan, how could this be?"

"The engagement was made by the old master. How dare we go against his wishes? If he returns from his travels and finds out we didn't fulfill the agreement, neither your uncle nor I could bear the consequences."

"If you truly appreciate the care of Xu Mansion for the past ten years, marry Youran, and we all become a family."

Some shrewd clan members saw through Wang Yingfeng's real intentions.

She wanted to marry Xu Youran to the mute Jiang Fan, destroying her lifetime happiness, thus eliminating any threat to her daughter Xu Yining.

With Xu Youran's outstanding temperament and unrivaled beauty, she was famous far and wide as a great beauty.

Many young men from powerful families were coveting her.

If she married into a powerful family or became the wife or concubine of a strong figure, she would undoubtedly become a rival to Xu Yining.

By marrying her to Jiang Fan, a useless mute with no Spirit Root, they would completely eliminate the hidden threat.

"Truly vicious."

Jiang Fan saw everything clearly and looked at Xu Youran silently crying, sighed silently, and thought,

"Even if I help her today, after I leave, she won't escape Wang Yingfeng's clutches."

"At that time, her fate might be worse than marrying a mute."

Over the years, Xu Youran had been the only one who treated him kindly.

The year his father passed away, he had fallen severely ill from grief, bedridden for seven days and nights.

The Xu family turned a blind eye, but Xu Youran stayed by his bedside without sleep for seven days, nursing him back to health.

He couldn't bear to leave this pure and kind girl to fend for herself in the Xu family's pit of misery.

After much contemplation, he helplessly took up the pen and wrote a single word to Wang Yingfeng.

"Alright!"

Wang Yingfeng broke into a smile, warmly saying, "Youran, quickly take Jiang Fan to have his clothes measured. You two will marry in a month."

She was eager for them to marry to avoid any unforeseen issues.

Xu Youran wiped her tears, her eyes red and swollen, and came to Jiang Fan, "Come with me. I have something to tell you."

In the boudoir.

Though called a boudoir, it was only slightly better than a maid's room, very simple.

Xu Youran opened the drawer of her dressing table, taking out a small pouch hidden in a corner.

Inside were various sizes of broken silver.

"Little mute, you shouldn't have agreed." Xu Youran sighed, "They don't really want you to marry me. They just don't want to be labeled as ungrateful."

"Once my sister joins the Green Cloud Sect, they will mistreat you and find ways to make you leave."

Oh?

Jiang Fan smiled slightly; she wasn't so naive after all.

Xu Youran stuffed the money pouch into Jiang Fan's hand, softly saying, "Take this money and leave the Xu Mansion, leave Lonely Boat City."

"I don't want you to live a life like mine."

Jiang Fan wrote a note, "What about you?"

Xu Youran's lips curled into a bitter smile, "This is my home. No matter how badly they treat me, I can't leave."

Suddenly, they heard the maids chattering and laughing as they went to fetch satin from the storeroom.

She said nervously, "You must go quickly, don't hesitate."

But, at the thought of this parting that might be forever,

That they may never see this companion she grew up with again,

A surge of inexplicable sadness arose in her heart, and she said hoarsely, "Out there, don't trust strangers easily, don't eat their food, don't drink their water."

"Also, don't talk to people randomly. If they find out you're mute, they will bully you."

"Do you understand, little mute?"

As she spoke, her voice started to choke with sobs.

Tears began to well up in her eyes.

Jiang Fan stepped forward, gently patting her head, and softly said, "You should call me husband from now on."

Huh?!

Xu Youran abruptly raised her head, her eyes wide in shock as if she had seen a ghost, stammering, "You, you spoke?"

"You're not a mute!"