Chapter 1 Rebirth and Resignation
"Grandmother, you've always loved your granddaughter the most. Can you bear to see your granddaughter marry that penniless Lu Ming and live a life of poverty and suffering?"
In the Songhe Hall of the Xuanping Marquis's residence, where the Dowager Lady Min Qiao resided, the eldest daughter of the Marquis's family, Min Yuexi, was pleading with the Dowager Lady: "Grandmother, I beg you, please help me break off this engagement!"
"Mother, please have pity on Xier and agree!"
Min Yuexi's mother, Lady Wu, the wife of the Marquis of Xuanping, also advised from the side: "Our family is a century-old Marquis's mansion, while the Lu family is now just a declining household, without even an official position! This is not a good match. If Xi'er marries into that family, won't people laugh at her?"
The Dowager Lady Min Qiao glanced at the Marquis Lady Wu indifferently, but inwardly she sneered.
Will people laugh at me if I marry into that family?
fart!
Breaking off the engagement would make you a laughingstock!
More than a decade ago, the Xuanping Marquis's mansion encountered misfortune and faced the crisis of having its title stripped.
The old Marquis shamelessly climbed up to the then-popular Grand Secretary Lu, and went to his door to beg for a marriage between his grandson Lu Ming and Lu Ming.
After the two families were united by marriage, Grand Secretary Lu lived up to expectations and stepped in to help the Marquis's family escape disaster.
However, it was precisely because of the Marquis's residence that Grand Secretary Lu incurred the late emperor's displeasure.
Not long afterward, Grand Secretary Lu was forced to retire and return to his hometown.
After returning to his hometown, Lu Gelao died of depression less than two years later.
Grand Secretary Lu was a capable man, but his sons were utterly useless.
After Grand Secretary Lu died, the Lu family fell apart and fell into complete ruin.
Time has passed, the late emperor has fallen ill, and a new emperor has ascended the throne. The Xuanping Marquis's mansion has been given important positions again and is now renowned and enjoys great prestige.
In contrast, the Lu family has fallen to the point of being completely ignored.
Now, Lu Ming, the eldest grandson of the Lu family, is seventeen years old and of marriageable age. That's why we've come to discuss marriage between our two families today.
But Min Yuexi looked down on the Lu family for being down on their luck and felt they were not good enough for her, so she wanted to break off the engagement!
The short-sighted Wu not only failed to stop her daughter, but also aided and abetted her, indulging her daughter's willful and unruly behavior.
But she didn't consider what others would think of the Marquis of Xuanping's family if they really broke off the engagement.
Ungrateful! They've used you and then discarded you!
Does Min Yuexi want to find a good family of equal social standing in the future?
Ha, that's more like a dream!
Madam Min Qiao immediately saw the damage that breaking off the engagement would do to the Marquis's reputation, and also realized that it was not a good thing for Min Yuexi.
Therefore, in her previous life, she tried her best to stop it, and in the end, she even brought out the old Marquis's memorial tablet, which finally put an end to the engagement.
Later, she forced Min Yuexi to marry Lu Ming.
As compensation, she gave half of her wealth to Min Yuexi as her dowry.
As it turned out, her choice was correct.
Because of this marriage, the Xuanping Marquis's family gained a reputation in the capital for being grateful and loyal, and was highly regarded by the current emperor, who also made the family increasingly important to him.
Lu Ming also won first place in the provincial examination the following year, and was even personally selected as the top scholar in the palace examination by the emperor.
After that, Lu Ming's career seemed to be on a winning streak, advancing rapidly all the way, and finally, like his grandfather, Old Master Lu, he became a first-rank official.
Because of the Min family's unwavering support, Lu Ming also respected and loved Min Yuexi, always granting her requests, and never took a concubine throughout his life.
However, despite her newfound status, glamorous life, and blissful existence, Min Yuexi still harbors resentment over the forced marriage she was forced into and harbors deep hatred for her grandmother.
Not only did they tarnish her reputation at every turn, but they also conspired with others in the Marquis's household to administer a slow-acting poison to her. Finally, they drove her to her death at her bedside!
Having been reborn, Min Qiao Shi decided to give up!
Want to break off the engagement?
Then let's retreat!
This time, she will absolutely not interfere!
She wanted to see what kind of good family Min Yuexi could marry into after breaking off her engagement with Lu Ming!
What good reputation can the Marquis's mansion possibly gain?
Just as Min Qiao's thoughts were racing, Min Yuexi, seeing that she remained silent with a somber face, suddenly knelt at her feet, hugged her legs, and cried out, disregarding her image:
"Waaaaah, Grandmother, I don't want to marry Lu Ming! I'd rather die than marry Lu Ming! Grandmother, please, please help me break off this engagement!"
Madam Wu's eyes reddened with heartache, and she pleaded, "Mother, please help Xi'er break off this engagement! Your daughter-in-law is kneeling before you!"
As she spoke, Wu knelt down on the ground.
Upon seeing this, Madam Min frowned slightly.
These things happened in my past life too.
But what did she do in her past life?
A firm refusal! A stern reprimand! Finally, a severe scolding was given to the mother and daughter!
They were criticized for being short-sighted, selfish, disregarding the bigger picture, and tarnishing the reputation of the Marquis's mansion...
Perhaps, that's when the hatred that the mother and daughter harbored for themselves began.
This time, Madam Min Qiao neither scolded nor refused. Instead, she glared reproachfully at her head maid, Fang Xing, and gave the order:
"What are you all standing there for? Quickly help Lady Hou up!"
Granny Fang quickly stepped forward to help the person.
Madam Wu didn't refuse and stood up naturally. "Thank you, Mother. As for Xi'er's annulment of the engagement..."
Madam Min raised her hand to interrupt Madam Wu, feigning a troubled expression, "This matter was decided personally by the old Marquis. My opinion doesn't count."
"grandmother!"
"Mother!"
The mother and daughter were emotional, thinking that Min Qiao was going to refuse.
Madam Min Qiao did not give them a chance to speak, and continued, "If you want to annul the engagement, you must get the Marquis's consent."
"Grandmother, are you serious? You'll agree to break off the engagement as long as my father agrees?" Min Yuexi looked up in surprise, her eyes filled with disbelief.
“Of course.” Madam Min smiled. “Now your father is the head of the Marquis’s mansion. Naturally, he has the final say in all matters of the mansion.”
Let her eldest son, Marquis Min Rong of Xuanping, step forward to break off the engagement. When Lu Ming becomes successful in the future, and the mother and daughter regret it, they won't be able to blame her!
Madam Wu's face was also beaming with joy, and she said with certainty, "The Marquis will definitely agree!"
"That's wonderful!" Min Yuexi cheered and rushed into Min Qiao's arms. "Grandmother, you're so kind! I'll definitely take good care of you in the future!"
Min Qiao was disdainful in her heart, but she smiled warmly and said, "I don't expect you to be filial. I only hope that you won't resent me in the future."
"No way! My grandmother has been so good to me, how could I resent her?"
As she spoke, she snuggled affectionately into Min Qiao's arms.
Seeing her eldest granddaughter snuggling in her arms, and recalling Min Yuexi standing in front of her sickbed in her previous life, looking down at her with eyes full of resentment and words that pierced her heart, Min Qiao felt extremely disgusted.
"Alright, you're a fifteen-year-old girl, and you don't act dignified or demure at all."
Madam Min raised her hand and pushed the person, "Aren't you going to sit down next to your mother?"
Min Yuexi stuck out her tongue, got up, and sat down next to Wu.
Madam Min then turned to look at Madam Wu, "The marriage with the Lu family was ultimately arranged by the old Marquis himself. Now that we're breaking off the engagement, I still feel guilty."
"I won't get involved in this. You two can handle it yourselves."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com