Chapter 12:
If he had given her even a shred of dignity as his wife, he would not have done something as sordid as sleeping with her personal maidservant in her own courtyard.
Lu Ziyan was well aware of how deep her affection was for Er Xia and Er Qing.
Leaving her family to marry into the Wuyuan Marquis’s Estate, the two personal maidservants were the closest people by her side.
Yet he seemed intent on wounding her even more deeply, taking Er Xia into the back courtyard and beating Er Qing to death with a staff.
Thinking of this, Xie Wanning even regretted speaking softly to Lu Ziyan during the day.
What Brother Ziyan? Was he even worthy?
Perhaps the gentle and considerate childhood sweetheart from her youth had long vanished, replaced by a scoundrel, but she had simply refused to believe it.
Her master’s gaze lingered on her for some time, and Er Xia had noticed. Having been neglected at home for a day, she was already somewhat bewildered and aggrieved. After laying out the bedding, she deeply curtsied toward the dressing table and said, “Did this maidservant make some mistake that angered the young lady?”
Xie Wanning had a gentle temperament, and her two personal maidservants always spoke freely in front of her, never acting cautiously as if walking on thin ice.
Hearing this, she paused slightly before saying, “It’s nothing.”
In that short time, she had already figured out how to deal with this maidservant who had betrayed her in the dream.
Even if she was determined never to marry Lu Ziyan and repeat the same mistakes, she dared not keep Er Xia by her side for long.
She vaguely remembered that after Er Xia was elevated to concubine in the dream, she had greatly annoyed Liu Manrou for a long time.
Both were of maidservant origin, but upon closer examination, Er Xia’s status as the matriarch’s dowry maidservant was even higher than that of Liu Manrou, who had once been an outer chamber concubine. She held no fear before Liu Manrou and was full of fighting spirit.
Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Xie Wanning’s face. After all, they had been master and servant; she was willing to fulfill her maidservant’s intentions.
Find an opportunity to send her to Lu Ziyan. As long as it made Liu Manrou unhappy, how delightful it would be to watch the dogs bite each other?
Seeing her master smile, Er Xia relaxed slightly, thinking she had been overly sensitive.
It was not until the next morning, when Xie Wanning went to pay respects to Madam Zheng and left her alone in the courtyard again, that Er Xia finally realized she had unknowingly committed some taboo and fallen from favor with her usually affectionate master.
…………
Her cousin’s coming-of-age ceremony was imminent, and the family needed to prepare for the banquet. Xie Wanning did not go out for the next two days; instead, she helped her mother and aunt prepare the feast and send out invitations to widely invite guests.
It was not until the fourth day of Lu Ziyan’s return that rumors finally spread in the capital city of him keeping an outer chamber concubine.
Just like in her dream, the rumors were detailed and vivid, even specifying exactly which street, which gate, and which household Liu Manrou was kept in—anyone could verify the truth with a casual inquiry.
The news was personally reported by Mama Li. At that moment, Xie Wanning was holding a brush, personally writing invitations to invite her boudoir friends to her cousin’s coming-of-age banquet.
Hearing this, she merely paused her brush tip slightly, without letting a single drop of ink fall, and continued with her task.
Four days were enough for her parents to confirm her determination to break off the engagement. This news came at just the right time and could prompt her father and mother to quickly go to the Lu Residence to cancel the marriage.
In the evening, Xie Wen and his son returned home from duty. Hearing of the matter, their expressions showed little change.
In the past few days, they had also inquired thoroughly, after all, Lu Ziyan had not deliberately concealed Liu Manrou’s existence.
Madam Zheng’s brows were furrowed with worry as she looked at her delicate, flower-like daughter and asked, “Wanwan, are you certain?”
A marriage engagement set in childhood with their childhood sweethearts, with less than two months until the wedding date—right at the doorstep, it was actually going to fall through.
Xie Wanning nodded slightly and said firmly, “Daughter will never marry Lu Ziyan in this lifetime.”
“Good! Since my daughter truly does not wish to marry, canceling this engagement is no loss,” Xie Wen set down his teacup and said, “Tomorrow, Father will go to the Lu Residence to break off this marriage. There is no reason for a girl of our family to marry while enduring grievances.”
Xie Yanyu said, “Your son will go with you.”
“Such news has just spread, and if our family goes to break off the engagement, the Lu Family will likely not agree,” Madam Zheng said listlessly. “We will inevitably have to entangle with them for some time.”
“In daughter’s view, it’s not so certain,” Xie Wanning disagreed. Her tone was mocking: “Lu Ziyan is quite devoted to that outer chamber concubine; he probably cannot wait to cancel the marriage with me.”
……Though the several madams of the Lu Family might not let it go so easily.
The family discussed the matter of breaking off the engagement. After dinner, Xie Wanning walked out of her parents’ courtyard with her elder brother.
Night was gradually falling. Under the setting sun, the brother and sister walked side by side for a stretch. Just as they were about to part, Xie Yanyu lowered his gaze to look at his younger sister’s expression and saw no sadness in her. He relaxed slightly and instructed, “Lu Ziyan is blind. Breaking off the engagement with him is for the best. Since you have made the decision, from now on, do not let him affect your mind again.”
“I know,” Xie Wanning smiled slightly. “Elder Brother, rest assured. I will no longer do anything that makes me regret.”
The pain of regret and rage that led to vomiting blood in the dream—she never wanted to experience it again.
…………
The next morning, the Xie Family father and son personally went to the Wuyuan Marquis’s Estate.
In Jinxiu Hall.
Xie Wanning lifted her hand to pour tea for Madam Zheng. Seeing the dark circles under her eyes, she felt deeply guilty: “Daughter is unfilial for causing Mother worry.”
“Nonsense,” Madam Zheng affectionately smoothed her temple hair and said, “Do not overthink it.”
She knew her own daughter best. Her Wanwan had been obedient and sensible since childhood, and she had shared many years of affection with the Lu Family young master. If she had not been truly and deeply hurt, she would never insist on breaking off the engagement as long as there was another path.
While the mother and daughter were talking, Madam Liu entered with her daughter.
The Xuanping Marquis’s Estate now had three branches. As a daughter of the Xie Clan, Xie Wanning’s breaking off the engagement was not just the eldest branch’s affair. Xie Wen must have discussed it with his younger brother before going to the Lu Residence, so Madam Liu and Xie Ruyu surely already knew.
Upon entering and seeing Xie Wanning there, Madam Liu’s expression was composed. Her brows arched slightly as she smiled and praised, “Wanwan, that brocade skirt looks good on you today. Which embroidery shop custom-made it?”
Xie Wanning felt a warmth in her heart. She stood to pay her respects and answered, but her gaze turned to her cousin behind her.
These past few days, Xie Ruyu had been hiding in her own courtyard. She was not particularly close to this cousin and had not deliberately tried to get closer due to the support from the dream.
So this was the first time Xie Wanning had seen her after waking from the dream.
Xie Ruyu wore a crimson cloud silk skirt and followed behind her mother. From the moment she entered, her gaze sought out her cousin sitting on the soft chair. Her lips pressed together slightly, as if she wanted to speak but hesitated.
The cousins’ gazes met. Seeing her cousin like this, Xie Wanning smiled slightly: “Ayu, do you have something to say to me?”
“Usually I see you sisters not playing together, but unexpectedly she is quite protective of you. Blood is thicker than water, after all, our own sisters.” Madam Liu beside them laughed.
When mentioning the breaking off of the engagement, her tone was very casual, without the slightest unusual expression.
Madam Zheng naturally appreciated it and a smile appeared on her face. She said to her daughter, “Your aunt and I have things to discuss. You two go play by yourselves.”
