Chapter Thirteen: I'll annul the engagement, but you must apologize to me.

Fu Langxing felt somewhat embarrassed by that gaze, but forced himself to remain calm and snorted coldly:

"Hmph! Don't try to get on my good side! The shameful things you've done have spread throughout the entire capital!"

Song Yiqiu's hand paused almost imperceptibly, and she put down the porcelain cup, the bottom of which struck the table with a crisp sound.

She smiled, her tone playful:

"No matter how tough the frontier is, it's still about protecting our country. Of course, it can't compare to my sister Sangyu, who has been living a comfortable and refined life at home for seven years, taking care of my parents."

Upon hearing her mention Song Sangyu, Fu Langxing immediately panicked, pulling Song Sangyu behind him to protect her, and angrily said:

"What are you being sarcastic about? Do you think Sang Yu is like you? She's innocent and kind. Don't use your dirty mind, picked up in the military, to judge others!"

These words came out of nowhere and pierced Song Yiqiu's heart.

As she looked at the man in front of her, who was righteously defending another woman, the image of that Mid-Autumn Festival night when she was eleven years old uncontrollably surfaced in her mind.

The little boy, holding a ridiculous wooden sword, his legs trembling, stood firmly in front of her, shouting at the fierce-looking 'bandits':

"If you want to kill her, you'll have to step over me first!"

On the eve of his departure for the frontier, he handed her the small wooden sword, his eyes sparkling.

"Yiqiu, I will work hard to practice martial arts! When you come back in seven years, I will definitely marry you!"

On the day of departure, he chased after her horse caravan, falling down again and again, only to get up again and again, until he became a tiny black dot in her sight...

Seven years have passed.

Instead of practicing martial arts, he became a famous scholar in the capital, while the boy who would risk his life for her in her memory had long since disappeared.

"Song Yiqiu! Are you even listening to me?"

Fu Langxing became even angrier when he saw her lost in thought.

"If you know what's good for you, then propose to annul the engagement yourself! I, Fu Langxing, will never accept a woman whose background is unclear!"

A number of servants, peeking and whispering, gradually gathered outside the hall, and even some neighbors who had caught wind of the disturbance came to investigate.

"Have you heard? The eldest daughter of the Song family, who came back from the frontier, was caught having an affair with a coachman!"

"No wonder the young master wanted to break off the engagement; who would want to marry a used woman!"

"Tsk tsk, what a disgrace to the Song family!"

"I think Miss Sangyu and the young master are a better match. I heard they've been in love for a long time..."

"Exactly! How can a woman who has spent seven years in the frontier compare to the gentle and virtuous Miss Sangyu?"

Song Yiqiu looked at Fu Langxing quietly, as if he were looking at a complete stranger.

He suddenly raised his voice, loud enough for everyone inside and outside the hall to hear clearly:

"Unclear and unclear? Young Master keeps saying that I am unclear and unclear. May I ask what you mean by clear and clear? Does a woman who fights back to protect herself and her grandmother's belongings after a thief breaks into her room is considered unclear and unclear?"

"Theft?!" Fu Langxing was stunned, and subconsciously retorted.

"You...you stop trying to bluff and twist the truth! The servants clearly said..."

What did the servants say?

Song Yiqiu interrupted him, her sharp gaze fixed on Song Sangyu, who was hiding behind him.

"Are you saying I was having an affair with the stable boy? Hmm? I wonder which servant saw it? And who allowed them to speak ill of their master like that? Father, Mother,"

She then looked at Mr. and Mrs. Song, who had been pretending to be deaf and mute.

"The servants in this household have slandered my daughter's innocence, ruined my reputation, and damaged the family's honor. Shouldn't this be thoroughly investigated and severely punished?"

Mr. and Mrs. Song turned pale and stammered, unable to speak.

Song Yiqiu sneered inwardly.

She understood why Fu Langxing was so determined to break off the engagement today, and why so many spectators had gathered outside the door.

Even though she no longer had feelings for Fu Langxing, she would never let this mudslinging get thrown on her.

She smiled, her gaze returning to Fu Langxing, whose expression was shifting rapidly.

"It seems that the young master would rather believe the rumors spread by certain people with ulterior motives than believe a single explanation from his 'fiancée'?"

"Without even asking what happened, you brought people to my door to humiliate me? Is this the upbringing of the Yongyu Earl's Mansion? Is this what you keep talking about... the bond of childhood sweethearts?"

Fu Langxing was a little confused by Song Yiqiu's series of questions. He subconsciously looked at Song Sangyu, who was hiding behind him.

Feeling his gaze, Song Sangyu immediately lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, revealing her slender neck, as if she had suffered a great injustice, which made Song Yiqiu seem even more aggressive.

"I...I..."

Fu Langxing was speechless. The version he heard was naturally a embellished, scandalous story of adultery, far removed from the word "theft."

But now they were in a difficult situation, especially in front of Song Sangyu, and they absolutely could not show weakness.

He forced himself to stand upright, but his tone involuntarily softened:

"I don't care what happened, whether it was theft or... or something else! Anyway, you've caused a huge uproar, and your reputation is ruined!"

"Who in this capital doesn't know that you, Song Yiqiu, have caused a scandal upon returning home? My Yongyu Earl's Mansion cannot afford such a disgrace! Today's engagement must be called off!"

Song Yiqiu found his forced composure incredibly ironic.

She answered readily:

"good."

Without any hesitation, everyone present was stunned.

All the words Fu Langxing had prepared stuck in his throat. He looked at Song Yiqiu in disbelief, as if he hadn't heard her clearly.

To be able to marry into the Yongyu Earl's family is something countless noble ladies would dream of, and she actually... agreed to it?

So easily?

Song Sangyu also suddenly raised her head, her eyes showing surprise. This was completely different from the scene of her relentless pursuit that she had expected.

Mr. and Mrs. Song became even more anxious.

Madam Song quickly spoke up, her tone reproachful:

"Yiqiu, what nonsense are you talking about! Marriage is not a child's play! Langxing was just angry for a moment, how can you back out like that? Apologize to Langxing right now!"

Mr. Song also reprimanded him with a stern face:

“That’s right! Such a small matter has been blown out of proportion! Nephew Langxing, my daughter is used to the wild life on the frontier and doesn’t know any manners. Please don’t take it to heart.”

"This engagement was arranged by the old lady and the count; how can it be called off because of some rumors?"

They were terrified of losing the Earl's family as a valuable connection.

When Song Yiqiu heard her parents finally speak, it wasn't to defend her, but rather to save face for Fu Langxing, as if they were afraid that this eligible bachelor would run away.

She sneered inwardly. So her father and mother weren't mute after all? They hadn't been so eloquent when others were slandering their daughter's innocence.

Song Yiqiu stopped looking at them and turned her gaze back to Fu Langxing, who looked completely bewildered.

"If you want to annul the engagement, that's fine. But, Your Highness, today you've brought such a large group of people to my Song residence, without asking why or distinguishing right from wrong, and you've slandered my innocence and tarnished my reputation with baseless accusations. This matter can't just be left like this, can it?"

She slightly raised her chin:

"I demand that you sincerely apologize to me in front of everyone here for your recklessness and rudeness today. If you apologize, I, Song Yiqiu, will immediately agree to annul the engagement without a second thought!"