Chapter 161: Force The Tea Down Her Throat
After the banquet ended, Jiang Ruanxi and the others had just left when Madam Yu sent someone to the Zhong Family to break off the engagement.
Old Madam Zhong was very angry when she learned of this matter. “What do you Yu Family take our Zhong Family for? This marriage was taken up on a whim and now broken off on a whim—what exactly do you mean?”
Watching the betrothal gifts that were in hand being carried away just like that, Old Madam Zhong’s heart was dripping blood.
Steward Yu said, “Old Madam, I don’t know how to explain this matter either, but our Madam now disagrees with this marriage, and there’s no way around it. If Old Madam Zhong has any opinions, you can go ask our Madam.”
How could Old Madam Zhong, a minor official’s mother, have such great face to question the Empress’s family? She must be tired of living.
Immediately, Old Madam Zhong was furious but dared not speak, her face suppressed red.
After the Yu Family people left, Zhong Xintong cried tearfully, “Grandmother, look at that little bitch. Since she came back, how many people has our Zhong Family lost face with? Now that she’s been rejected, who knows how many people will laugh at us.”
Thinking of not long ago at the Yu Family, because of Jiang Ruanxi, she was mocked by those people, she wished she could drive Jiang Ruanxi out.
She had originally planned to ask Old Madam Zhong to help her vent her anger upon returning, but unexpectedly, before she could make trouble, the Yu Family came to break off the engagement.
Originally, she should have been happy—it was finally Jiang Ruanxi’s turn to be laughed at.
But thinking of those things sent by the Yu Family that had to be returned, and the brocade she took also had to be returned, wouldn’t she have been mocked for nothing?
She had already been mocked once today by the noblewomen from Lingnan. If the brocade wasn’t returned by then, she really would be laughed to death.
Old Madam Zhong was also very angry. “I said back then she was a disaster, just like her ungrateful mother. As it turns out, I was right. The agreed marriage was broken off just like that—truly bad luck. I should have known; you should have stayed in the countryside for life.”
“Grandmother, no matter what, we can’t let outsiders know the news of the Yu Family breaking off the engagement. Not only will our Zhong Family lose face, but it will also implicate my marriage. Our Zhong Family will really be finished.”
Old Madam Zhong deeply agreed. “Then what do you say we should do?”
A vicious glint flashed in Zhong Xintong’s eyes. “Grandmother, if because of the Yu Family breaking off the engagement, my sister can’t accept it and hangs herself, wouldn’t outsiders stop blaming our Zhong Family?”
Most importantly, this matter would be the Yu Family’s fault first, so it would be justifiable not to return her brocade then, and she might even get some compensation from the Yu Family.
Old Madam Zhong did not know Zhong Xintong’s thoughts and only felt she made sense. “For the Zhong Family’s reputation, we can only do this. For her to die for our Zhong Family is her blessing from a past life.”
Soon, she sent servants to call Jiang Ruanxi over and told her about the breaking off of the engagement.
Jiang Ruanxi hadn’t expected the Yu Family to come break off the engagement so quickly and had no objections.
Old Madam Zhong pushed a cup of tea in front of her.
“Although you lived in the countryside for years, I always kept you in mind. But now you’ve made our family lose face. Grandmother has no choice but to wrong you for the sake of our Zhong clan members.”
Jiang Ruanxi had been here so long, yet this was the first time hearing her speak so amiably. She glanced at the tea, a cold smile tugging at her lips.
She pushed the teacup back. “Old Madam, does Master know about this tea you’re giving me to drink?”
Seeing her refuse kindness and court punishment, Old Madam Zhong dropped the pretense and immediately darkened her face. “Your father has so many matters; no need to bother him with this trifle.”
“So he doesn’t know. I’m not thirsty now. Old Madam, if you want to drink, why don’t you drink first.”
“You little bitch, do you think you can walk out that door today without drinking? Dream on.” Old Madam Zhong flew into a rage directly. “Men, force the tea down her!”
Yushui directly blocked in front. “I see who dares.”
“A dog servant, who do you think you are? If you don’t get out of the way, I’ll force it down you too. What are you standing there for? Hurry and force it down her!”
The servants swarmed forward.
Jiang Ruanxi showed no reaction, calmly sipping tea.
Soon, various wailing sounds rose in the living room, followed by many people lying scattered all over the living room.
Yushui clapped her hands, smiling at Jiang Ruanxi. “Miss, everything’s settled.”
“Mm, impressive.” Jiang Ruanxi praised.
Jiang Ruanxi knew Yushui was sent by Second Master Yu to protect her and should know martial arts, so she hadn’t stopped her earlier.
Praised by someone, Yushui touched her head a bit embarrassedly.
“You, you’ve truly rebelled.”
Seeing the servants completely defeated, Old Madam Zhong was so angry her eyes slanted, while Zhong Xintong hid behind Old Madam Zhong in fright, afraid Yushui would hurt her.
Looking at her cowardly appearance, Jiang Ruanxi’s lips curled in mockery.
“You, why don’t you get up and beat her to death? Do you want me to slap you out?”
Though the threat was severe, the servants were beaten unable to rise, willing but unable.
Jiang Ruanxi set down her teacup, stood up, and approached step by step. Old Madam Zhong retreated step by step in fright, her face scared pale. “You, don’t come over. I tell you, if you hurt me, my son certainly won’t let you go.”
Retreating, her legs suddenly went soft, and she collapsed on the ground.
Jiang Ruanxi looked down at the bullying Old Madam Zhong, mockery on her lips.
“What are you doing?”
Suddenly, Zhong Ding’s voice came from behind.
Entering the door, he saw the living room piled with people, but the servants had bruises on their faces, disheveled hair, disheveled clothing, and so on.
It was clearly after a fierce fight.
Seeing Zhong Ding arrive, Old Madam Zhong immediately found her backbone and stood up to go behind Zhong Ding.
“Son, you’ve finally come. If you hadn’t, I’d have been harmed to death by Zhong Ling, and you wouldn’t even see your mother’s face.”
Zhong Ding looked at Jiang Ruanxi in confusion, then at Old Madam Zhong. “What do you mean?”
Old Madam Zhong poured out all the grievances she suffered.
Finally leaving one sentence, “I was just considering the family, but I didn’t expect her to be so unfilial.”
Zhong Ding frowned tightly. “Mother, didn’t the Yu Family say the responsibility for this matter lies with the Yu Family and has nothing to do with her?”
He turned to look at Jiang Ruanxi and, seeing she wasn’t injured, breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the Yu Family had now broken off the engagement, no matter what, it was Second Master Yu who told him to take care of Jiang Ruanxi, proving her identity wasn’t simple. If Jiang Ruanxi were injured, the Zhong Family couldn’t afford the reckoning later.
“They were just being polite, and you took it seriously. She made our Zhong Family lose face; for the Zhong Family, what’s wrong with that?”
