C7 Refusing the Marriage

Mrs. Qian took a deep breath, glaring fiercely at Waner before changing the subject. "Ma'am, if this gets out, it won't just be our family that's embarrassed."

The Marquis's wife snorted, "The most embarrassed will be your daughter!"

Her words left Mrs. Qian speechless.

Despite her harsh words, the Marquis's wife knew the importance of discretion. She urged the young ladies not to spread the incident and had Jinying lead them back to the party, ensuring no one would suspect anything was amiss.

As for Yaen Ting, she politely asked him to leave the garden.

Mrs. Qian felt a bit relieved, thinking there might still be room for negotiation.

But the Marquis's wife's next words changed her expression instantly.

"I wasn't joking about what I said earlier," the Marquis's wife said, her tone icy.

"Tomorrow, I will return the Second Miss's engagement details. And I expect you, Mrs. Cui, to return the engagement gifts from the Marquis Mansion promptly."

Mrs. Qian's face turned pale. "Ma'am, breaking off an engagement is a serious matter. How can it be handled so carelessly?"

While breaking an engagement is rare, it's not unheard of. Typically, if both families agree to end it, the girl's birth details and the engagement gifts are returned on the same day. If one side returns them first, it usually means the other party has done something unforgivable.

If the lady of the Marquis Mansion had returned Waner's birthday invitation first, even if the young ladies didn't spread the word, others would know that Waner had wronged the Marquis Mansion.

"What? Your daughter has the nerve to act but not the courage to face the consequences?" The lady of the Marquis Mansion was done talking to Mrs. Qian. She was protecting the reputation of the Marquis Mansion, not Waner's.

"The Mansion does not entertain unwelcome guests. The Cui family, please leave!"

The drama finally came to an end.

Mrs. Qian left the Marquis Mansion with Waner in a fluster, followed by the unreadable expression of Cui Zuoyu.

The lady of the Marquis Mansion and her daughter also left the courtyard with a sigh of frustration.

No one noticed the slight movement of a finger, delicate as carved ivory, on the bed in the dilapidated room with its broken door.

...

Back at the Cui family home, Cui Zuoyu sent the other servants out of the room. Following a memory that had long since faded, she rummaged through the room until she found a small seal tucked in the corner of a wardrobe.

Clutching the small seal tightly, Cui Zuoyu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Her brother, Shaang Qingya, had been taken by their maternal grandfather to inherit the family business, even changing his last name to Shaang.

For years, they hadn't seen each other, yet her brother's affection for her never waned. Every year, he sent her everything she needed, each time more exquisite than the last.

A year before her wedding, he gifted her a small seal, saying that with it, she could withdraw a substantial sum from the bank for any unforeseen needs. However, she never found herself short of money, so after a brief moment of surprise at the amount, she set the seal aside and forgot about it.

In a previous life, she remembered the seal when she needed to break off an engagement for her sister, using it to withdraw the funds. Later, when she married Yaen Ting, she inadvertently revealed everything during one of his probing conversations. One day, the seal disappeared, but she paid it no mind.

It wasn't until much later that her father accused her brother of treason, leading to the downfall of his entire family. She couldn't believe her brother would do such a thing and investigated thoroughly, discovering that the evidence used against him had been transported using her seal.

Before she could act, Yaen Ting ordered her to be confined to the most secluded part of the estate.

She had been too naive, causing trouble for herself and dragging her brother into it. Given a second chance, she was determined not only to protect her brother but also to find a way to heal his leg. Anyone who dared to harm him would face her wrath.

A flash of determination crossed Zuoyu's eyes as she called for Zi Luo. "Zi Luo, do you have a way to contact my brother directly?"

Zi Luo immediately understood what Zuoyu meant—contacting him without going through the family. Suppressing a flicker of surprise, Zi Luo nodded. "If you want to reach the master, you can send a message through the White Deer Bank."

"Alright," Zuoyu replied. "Tell him to come to the capital as soon as possible. I have something important to discuss with him."

Zi Luo hesitated, looking a bit troubled. "The master is very busy with his affairs and might not have time to come to the capital. If there's something urgent, you can just send a message."

Zuoyu paused, her voice turning cold. "No matter how busy he is with business, can he really be too busy to care about his sister's marriage?"

In her previous life, something had felt off. Despite their business empire spanning the nation, Shaang Qingya had only visited the capital once, and that was for her wedding. There had to be more to it.

Zi Luo seemed to want to say something but stopped, eventually sighing. "Miss, the master has his reasons for not coming to the capital. Please don't blame him."

"What troubles?" Zuoyu's heart skipped a beat. "Is it because Father is forcing him, not allowing him to come to the capital?"

Zi Luo's eyes widened, but she didn't speak.

Zuoyu paused. "Father... is he using me to threaten my brother, forbidding him from setting foot in the capital?"

In the past, Qingya was reported by Qiao, and given Qiao's character, it wasn't surprising he would do such a thing.

Zi Luo listened, her heart pounding, recalling Qingya's warnings. She quickly said, "Miss, what are you saying? The master and the young master are father and son. Though they haven't seen each other in years, their bond is strong."

"Father and son bond?" Zuoyu laughed sarcastically. "Waner and I are supposed to be close sisters, but look at what she's done."

Zi Luo was at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.

"Zi Luo, even if you don't say it, I can guess my brother's intentions." Zuoyu looked deeply at Zi Luo. "He wants to protect me, to keep me from knowing the family's conflicts, to spare me from the pain, right?"

"Since you've guessed some things, Miss, it's best not to dig deeper. It will only bring you sorrow."

Zi Luo smiled bitterly, wondering how a visit to the Marquis Mansion had changed her so much. It was as if a needle had finally pierced through the layers of silk, revealing her true sharpness.

"Would I really be happy knowing the truth and letting him bear everything alone?"

Zuoyu felt a pang of sadness as she looked directly at Zi Luo. "Zi Luo, bring my brother back. He's protected me for so many years; it's my turn to protect him."

"Miss, just having this thought would make the family head happy."

Zi Luo sighed softly, not taking Zuoyu's words seriously.

Zuoyu declared firmly, "Tell my brother I have a plan. We can both break free from the family."