Chapter 7 Breaking off the Engagement with the Guan Family
Lu Ze paused, took the wine glass handed over by Qi Yu'an, took a sip and said, "Does the princess know about the matchmaking?"
Qi Yu'an said, "Your family did this and my sister was very angry. I haven't had the chance to talk to her yet. But it doesn't matter if Master Lu acts as a matchmaker first. I will talk to my sister about these two people later."
Lu Ze nodded calmly and said, "I'll do my best, Prince Qi. I still have to go to the Guan family, so I'll take my leave now."
Qi Yu'an patted Lu Ze's shoulder and said, "Okay, I'll leave the matchmaking for my sister to you, Master Lu. If this marriage is successful, I will definitely reward you handsomely as the matchmaker."
…
South of Shengjing City, inside Guan’s residence.
Guan Yao was originally the magistrate of Jinling. His first three daughters married well, and because of his in-laws, Guan Yao was able to enter Shengjing as a sixth-rank councilor.
Now, the youngest daughter of the Guan family is engaged to Princess Pingrou's eldest son, Prince Lu, Lu Ze. That is truly a huge fortune.
In the room of Guan Zhiyi, the sixth lady of Guan family.
Aunt Zhu, the Sixth Miss's biological mother, smiled as she spoke of the news she had just heard.
"Zhiyi, Prince Lu has indeed become a monk. Originally, I was worried that after you marry Prince Lu, there will be princess brothers and sisters who will always suppress you.
Even though you are the eldest sister-in-law, you will not be able to raise your head in front of Princess Qi, your younger sister-in-law. It is really the Bodhisattva’s blessing that Princess Qi will not be your younger sister-in-law anymore!"
Guan Zhiyi thought of the Lu Ze she had met in the temple that day. He was a handsome man with a slender figure, noble and handsome. Her face turned red and she said, "Aunt, the marriage has not been decided yet. It's just a verbal agreement. Please don't talk nonsense."
Aunt Zhu smiled and said, "Duke Lu's Mansion is the most prestigious family in our Great Sheng Dynasty. Since Old Madam Lu has already made a verbal engagement, how could it not count? I never thought that my little six would be so rich!"
Lu Ze's family background, appearance, temperament and future are all impeccable. He can be said to be the dream husband of all the girls in Shengjing.
Guan Zhiyi asked, "Aunt, did Prince Lu really become a monk to break off the engagement? Wouldn't Princess Qi be pissed to death?"
Aunt Zhu hid her smile and said, "Isn't it? I heard that Princess Qi went to Xianglin Temple yesterday in her wedding dress to ask Prince Lu to return to secular life and marry her. Prince Lu was unwilling to return to secular life and marry her. Fortunately, Qi Yuning has no sisters, otherwise the reputation of the Qi family's daughters would have been ruined by her."
Aunt Zhu sighed again, "I heard that Master Lu went to the Qi family to apologize and gave a lot of gifts, almost as much as a betrothal gift. All these treasures that the Lu family gave as an apology should have been given to you, but now they are all given to Qi Yuning!"
Guan Zhiyi said: "The most important thing for a woman is to be virtuous and be able to manage her household. Princess Qi is arrogant, no wonder Prince Lu is willing to become a nun."
While Guan Zhiyi was joking, a maid came hurriedly and said, "Sixth Miss, Master Lu is here, and he has brought a generous gift."
Aunt Zhu was delighted and asked, "Zhiyi, did the prince come here to arrange a marriage?"
Upon hearing this, Guan Zhiyi felt relieved. The marriage she had planned with so much effort had finally come to fruition.
When Guan Yao, the councillor in the lobby of Guan's house, heard that Lu Ze wanted to cancel the verbal engagement, his expression changed.
Guan Yao said, "Master Lu, breaking off an engagement means a woman will lose all her reputation. If my little six is broken off, her sisters will also be dragged down and have their reputations ruined. Although my Guan family is a small family, we also attach great importance to rules and reputation."
Lu Ze stood tall and said, "Master Guan, this marriage was just a verbal agreement. It is not a finalized marriage, let alone a broken engagement. It will not affect the reputation of the Guan family's daughter marrying off."
"But this matter is indeed my fault. I had a daughter before marriage, so I had to cancel the verbal agreement. I am really sorry Miss Guan Liu."
Lu Ze ordered the servant to bring the apology gifts into the house and said, "These apologies are my small token of gratitude to the Sixth Miss for saving my grandmother."
When Guan Yao heard that Lu Ze had a child out of wedlock, he said, "Master Lu, she is just a concubine's daughter. Guan's daughters are always virtuous and won't care. You insist on breaking off the engagement, and you are trampling on the reputation of my Guan's daughter..."
Lu Ze put down the teacup in his hand, stood up and said, "Master Guan, this matter was just a verbal statement from my grandmother. It is not considered a broken engagement at all. The generous gift is also because I don't want to create resentment with the Guan family. After all, even if the marriage is not successful, the friendship between the Lu and Guan families still exists."
Guan Yao saw Lu Ze stand up and said, "Prince Lu is right."
Guan Yao sighed deeply as he looked at Lu Ze's back. This marriage was originally a verbal agreement made by the old lady of the Lu family. The princess hadn't even come to formally finalize the marriage, so it really didn't even count as a cancellation of the engagement.
But Guan Yao really couldn't bear to give up such a rich son-in-law. The other five sons-in-law of the Guan family were also considered sons-in-law from aristocratic families, but in front of Lu Ze, they were nothing.
The Lu family was so generous that any one of these apologies was comparable to the Guan family's wealth, so they were even more reluctant to give up such a noble son-in-law.
After Lu Ze left, Guan Zhiyi and Aunt Zhu, mother and daughter, hurried to the front yard. Seeing the heavy gifts filling the hall, Aunt Zhu's eyes were shining.
Aunt Zhu asked, "Master, is Prince Lu here to arrange a marriage? Is my little six really going to be the princess's daughter-in-law?"
Seeing Guan Zhiyi approaching with a happy look on her face, Guan Yao angrily said, "Master Lu is here to cancel the engagement. I've long told you not to be so picky. What kind of family is the Lu family? Your sister being able to marry the eldest son of the Earl's family is the best family our Guan family can climb up to, but you insist on thinking about the royal relatives of the duke's mansion..."
Guan Zhiyi was stunned. "How could that be? Master Lu is a gentleman, he won't repay kindness with hatred and cancel the engagement!"
Guan Yao said: "Alas, you should choose another son-in-law in the future. The Lu family is too noble. Don't dream about it. You are not worthy of it!"
Guan Zhiyi twisted her handkerchief around her neck. She had gone through so much trouble to establish a connection with the Lu family in the temple, so how come the son-in-law she was about to marry was gone?
How could she be willing to accept this? With such a good man in front of her, she would definitely not find a better son-in-law than Lu Ze.
How could she not be worthy? Wasn't she just a concubine's daughter? She was already registered under the name of her mother, so she no longer had the status of a concubine's daughter.
…
At Prince Qi’s mansion, during evening meal.
Qi Yuning held Lingling's hand and walked to the dining room.
The Qi family was descended from military generals, and the two siblings had no rule of not talking while eating.
Qi Yu'an picked up a piece of fish for Qi Yuning and said, "Sister, I just asked Master Lu to match you with Lin Jiang from the Hanlin Academy and Qin Feng, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice. You should prepare in the next few days and meet Qin Feng and Lin Jiang."
Qi Yuning just picked up the chopsticks and paused before asking, "Did Lu Ze agree?"
Qi Yu'an nodded and said, "Yes."
Lingling tilted her head and asked, "Uncle, what does matchmaking mean? Lingling hasn't seen Uncle Lin Jiang for a long time. Is matchmaking about playing with flower strings? Does Uncle Lin Jiang know how to play with flower strings?"
Qi Yu'an touched Xiao Lingling's double buns and asked, "Lingling still knows Uncle Lin Jiang?"
Xiao Lingling smiled and said, "Uncle Lin Jiang is Daddy's good friend!"
Qi Yu'an asked: "Lingling's father is actually Lin Jiang's good friend?"
Qi Yuning took the wine jug beside him and poured a glass of wine. He said casually, "Oh, Lingling's father is Lu Ze."
Qi Yu'an suddenly realized, "No wonder, the father and daughter look so alike. Since Lingling is Lu Ze's daughter, why don't you send Lingling back to the princess's mansion?"
Qi Yuning took a sip of wine and said calmly, "Because I am Lingling's biological mother."
Brother-in-law: ???
(End of this chapter)
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