But just to be safe, they couldn’t afford not to be careful!
Madam Zhu instructed Cai’er, “Listen well, if you accompany the young miss in any more nonsense, I definitely won’t forgive you! Now no matter what, you must carefully attend to the young miss. If anything happens to her, I’ll take your life, understand?”
Cai’er’s entire body trembled. She lowered her head even deeper and nodded heavily, “Yes, this servant will definitely watch the young miss carefully and won’t let anything happen to her. Master and Madam can rest assured.” Though she said this, Madam Zhu still didn’t trust her. After all, she had grown up alongside Zhu Yao and only listened to Zhu Yao alone. Who could guarantee she wouldn’t do something foolish? So Madam Zhu later instructed the steward to add two new maids to Zhu Yao’s courtyard to keep a close watch.
Afterward, Minister Zhu and Madam Zhu returned to the hall.
“Master, now that Yao’er has agreed to call off the engagement, what should we… do?” Minister Zhu fell silent for a moment, thinking it over. He glanced at the sky outside, then brushed his sleeves and said, “Since Yao’er has already agreed to call off the engagement, we should handle this matter sooner rather than later. No need to drag it out day after day. Later this evening I’ll personally make a trip to the Marquis residence and speak clearly with the Marquis face to face. We must get this marriage engagement called off.”
Hearing this, Madam Zhu didn’t know which nerve was acting up, but she suddenly grabbed him and said, “How about… we wait a bit longer?”
Hm? “Wait longer? Wait for what? If we don’t call it off now and Yao’er changes her mind again, wouldn’t we have worked ourselves up for nothing! It’s decided then. Later I’ll go to the Marquis residence and explain this matter thoroughly.” As Minister Zhu spoke, he clasped his hands behind his back and went to his room to change clothes.
…
It was evening when Zhu Yao finally got up.
When one is ill, one becomes increasingly drowsy! She had rested the entire day, and her spirits had improved considerably. Her complexion had also gradually recovered, no longer as dispirited and dejected as before. After eating something, she had Cai’er fetch her several books to read. During this time, she never mentioned anything about Li Shiyan again, as if that person truly had nothing to do with her anymore.
But this made Cai’er worry in her heart. Several times she wanted to say something, but each time the words reached her lips, she swallowed them back down.
Zhu Yao focused intently on her book, occasionally using her brush to write down some beautiful verses on paper to record them. She looked quite leisurely and refined.
The cold wind from outside broke through the window and poured onto her body, making her shiver involuntarily. Only then did she lift her gaze to look outside. Without realizing it, the sky had already turned completely dark!
Cai’er closed the window while saying, “Miss, rest for a while. You’ve been reading for so long.”
“I’m fine.”
“How about this servant go make some more porridge? It would be good to warm your stomach.”
Zhu Yao rarely nodded in agreement!
Just as Cai’er was about to go to the kitchen, Zhu Yao called her back and asked, “By the way, where are Mother and Father? How come they haven’t come to see me?”
She was now bedridden with illness. The Zhu family elders must be very worried. How could there be any reason for them not to come visit her? But from the time she woke until now, it had been an hour or two already, yet she hadn’t seen any sign of her parents.
Cai’er said, “Master and Madam came earlier. Seeing the young miss was still resting, they just gave this servant a few instructions.”
“Oh!” She continued reading.
But Cai’er seemed to have something else to say, hesitating for quite a while.
Zhu Yao sensed something unusual. She put down the book in her hand, her brow slightly furrowed as she looked at her and asked, “What is it? Is there something you want to say? Usually you speak without restraint. If you have something to say now, why aren’t you saying it?”
“Miss, Master he… went to the Marquis residence.”
To call off the engagement!
Zhu Yao understood in her heart. Her eyes dimmed for a moment before she said, “It’s better to resolve it sooner rather than keep dragging it out.”
She spoke lightly, without sorrow or sadness in her tone. Everything seemed as if it had nothing to do with her, as if she were just hearing about some very ordinary matter. This was completely different from the her who had been willing to fight to the death to marry Li Shiyan.
Whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, who could say!
Seeing her like this, Cai’er didn’t continue speaking further and quietly withdrew…
At the same time, the Zhu residence’s carriage had already arrived at the gates of the Marquis residence.
The entire Marquis residence was unprepared for this uninvited guest. The young servant outside took one look and saw Minister Zhu descending from the carriage. He quickly sent another servant inside to report while he himself respectfully went forward to greet him.
“Minister Zhu, why have you come so late?”
Minister Zhu’s expression was stern. “This official has important business with your Marquis.”
“Yes, yes, yes, please come inside.”
Since the two families were going to form a marriage alliance, the servants of the Marquis residence naturally treated Minister Zhu with great respect.
Just like they would treat their master!
When Marquis Kangding heard that Minister Zhu had suddenly come to visit, a bad premonition immediately surged in his heart. He quickly rose and went to the front hall, where he saw Minister Zhu sitting inside with a somber expression.
“Minister Zhu, why didn’t you send someone ahead to inform us of your visit? I could have made proper arrangements.”
Minister Zhu stood and cupped his hands. “Marquis, please don’t take offense. I’ve arrived uninvited.”
“Not at all, not at all. Please sit!”
The two sat down. The Marquis saw there was no tea at hand and immediately scolded the serving staff, “Why hasn’t tea been served!”
The servants hadn’t expected Minister Zhu to come calling at this hour, so preparing tea would take a bit of time. But they couldn’t very well say this, so they could only bow their heads and take the scolding, then brought up the quickly prepared tea. Minister Zhu had no mind for tea. He glanced lightly at the steaming tea in the cup, then turned his gaze to Marquis Kangding and said straightforwardly, “Marquis, coming to disturb you so late, please don’t take offense. It’s really because I have important matters to discuss, so I had no choice but to come at this hour. I thought some things are better resolved sooner rather than later.”
The Marquis’s heart was clear as a mirror—he had already guessed most of it! But he still said politely, “Minister Zhu, why be so polite with me? Just speak your mind directly.”
“Then I won’t beat around the bush!” Minister Zhu said seriously, “The purpose of my visit this time is to call off the engagement!”
“…”
Truly not one to beat around the bush!
Straightforward!
The Marquis’s expression suddenly darkened. Minister Zhu continued, “Actually, to say ‘call off the engagement’ isn’t quite accurate either. After all, it was only verbally agreed between you and me. Not a single ceremony has been conducted in between, so there’s no actual marriage alliance between our two families! I originally just wanted to send someone to inform you, but since it was we who decided on this marriage match in the first place, I should also come personally to explain things clearly to you.”
The Marquis’s eyes blazed with fire, though he still held back, saying, “What you’re saying means… everything from before doesn’t count anymore?”
“Actually, it’s not really much. It was all just verbal promises.”
The Marquis laughed coldly. “Even children understand that a gentleman’s word is as good as gold. Why shouldn’t verbal promises count? Minister Zhu, saying such things now, you’re truly burning bridges after crossing the river!” “One cannot put it that way. The marriage of one’s children is a major life event. Although I verbally agreed, at the end of the day I must also respect my daughter’s wishes. Previously Yao’er was set on marrying the heir apparent, but now she’s finally come to her senses. Today she personally said she wants to call off the engagement. As her father, I naturally must respect her choice. So Marquis, I ask for your understanding.”
Bah!
The ball of rage in the Marquis’s heart rolled larger and larger. He didn’t want to be polite with the person before him anymore and said directly, “Actually, when all is said and done, you’re just worried that I’ll use your Zhu family, aren’t you!”
Heh heh!
Minister Zhu originally didn’t want to bring this matter up, but now that it had been said, he had no choice but to address it properly. “Isn’t that the truth? You just wanted to use our Zhu family as a stepping stone for your son’s future!”
“Don’t speak so absolutely. How are you and I any different? At the end of the day, weren’t you also eyeing my Li family’s marquis title, which is why you planned to marry your daughter over here!”
“So what if I was? I had thought this was a good marriage match, but look at your fine son. How long has it been, and he’s already caused such trouble! My Zhu family doesn’t want to spend a lifetime cleaning up after your son.”
“Bang!” The Marquis became thoroughly enraged. His palm slammed heavily on the tea table as he rose abruptly and said, “The murderer was Wang Huai, not Shiyan. Speaking this way, you’re trying to pin the crime of murder on my son!” Minister Zhu angrily rose to his feet and countered, “Your son may not have killed anyone, but don’t forget—it was he who stirred up this whole affair in the first place. He can’t escape responsibility! If our two families really did form this marriage alliance and your son causes such incidents again in the future, it won’t just be your Li family’s face that’s lost, but my Zhu family’s face as well. We won’t wade through such muddy waters!”