Chapter 20 The Winds of Rumors Have Changed
Madam Wu withdrew her hand and wiped away her tears before saying, "Recently, there have been rumors circulating outside that our Marquis's family has broken off the engagement. Heaven have mercy, how could this be us kicking away the bridge after crossing the river? It's obvious that the Lu family hasn't come to visit for more than ten years, and we thought they had forgotten about this marriage!"
“Poor Xi’er is already fifteen years old and her marriage is still not settled.”
As she spoke, Madam Wu wiped her eyes again. "As you know, if a girl is over fifteen and still not engaged, people will think there's something wrong with you."
"Our family was also anxious and worried, which is why we thought of finding someone to marry."
"Look, we had just found someone we liked when Young Master Lu showed up at our door. What a mess this is!"
Madam Wang nodded, "That's true. If the Lu family is interested, they should come forward to discuss marriage as soon as possible."
“That’s right!” Madam Wu continued, “You don’t know, that young master Lu didn’t even send a visiting card beforehand, he just showed up suddenly without a word. And he chose to come in the afternoon, his first time visiting, and he didn’t even bring a gift or anything. It’s not that I’m short-sighted, but I’m eyeing his little gift…”
"Oh dear, I understand, I understand. To come without a gift, without a visiting card, and to arrive in the afternoon—this is extremely disrespectful to your family," Wang sighed. "If my son-in-law dared to come like this, I would kick him out!"
Sending a visiting card beforehand is a matter of etiquette. Similarly, visiting in the morning is also customary.
“Who says otherwise?” Madam Wu nodded. Then she sighed and continued, “Tell me, they’re not even married yet, and they’re already treating our family so poorly. If we really let Xi’er marry into that family, will she have a good life?”
"Xi-jie is still my own flesh and blood, and my heart aches for her..."
This time, Wang simply nodded without saying anything.
She agreed with what Wu said, but it was just a minor detail and didn't warrant violently breaking off the engagement.
Ultimately, it was the Marquis of Xuanping's family that was in the wrong.
Seeing that Wang did not respond, Wu changed the subject, saying, "Speaking of which, this matter of breaking off the engagement is not something I can decide."
Wang's eyes lit up again. "Could it be the Marquis of Xuanping's intention?"
Madam Wu quickly waved her hand, "No, of course not. Our Marquis is highly valued by the Emperor; how could he be such a frivolous and unruly person?"
"That is...?" Wang had already guessed what Wu was going to say, but she was waiting for Wu to say it herself.
As expected, Madam Wu remained silent for a moment before saying with a wronged expression, "Sister knows the situation in our household. My mother-in-law has always been domineering. For the past few decades, she has been the one in charge of the household. She makes all the decisions, big and small."
Wang patted Wu's hand sympathetically, "I understand. What family doesn't have a meddlesome mother-in-law?"
Wang comforted Wu with a word of comfort, then asked with great interest, "So, this idea of breaking off the engagement was your old lady's?"
Madam Wu neither nodded nor shook her head, but vaguely said, "The one who went to break off the engagement was none other than Feixu, the most favored maid of our old lady."
After saying that, Wu asked Wang, "Sister, you should have seen her before, right? She's the maid that my mother-in-law always brings with her to banquets this year."
Madam Wang thought for a moment, "Is it that pretty, lively girl?"
On several occasions, she saw the girl from afar, beaming, whispering in the ear of the Dowager Lady of Xuanping.
Other people's personal maids wouldn't be so lively in public.
Wu replied, "It is indeed that girl."
"So, the annulment of the engagement really was your old lady's idea!"
Wang was somewhat surprised, "But your old lady doesn't seem like such a confused person!"
"Who knows?" Wu replied vaguely.
Afterwards, the two chatted for a while, and then Wang left after sitting for half an hour.
Mrs. Wu kindly took the person's hand and escorted them to the hanging flower gate before returning.
***
The next day, new rumors about the Marquis of Xuanping's residence were added to the rumors in the capital.
It was said to be a matter of breaking off the engagement, but it turned out to be the old lady of the Marquis's mansion's idea, not the original intention of Marquis Xuanping and his wife.
Upon hearing this news, those who heard it brought up Min Qiao's background and past experiences.
As a result, the story of Min Qiao's background as a merchant girl and her rise from concubine to principal wife was once again widely publicized.
Everyone then realized that Madam Min was originally a merchant, which explained her short-sightedness and lack of refinement.
When the concubine was promoted to the position of principal wife, she became ungrateful and disregarded the kindness of the original wife, allowing her son to surpass the legitimate wife's son and become the heir apparent.
It's not surprising that he broke his promise and turned down the engagement with the Lu family so that his granddaughter could marry into a better family.
Of course, those upper-class families who had dealings with Min Qiaoshi and knew her character did not believe that she could do something so brainless.
But they have no obligation to explain things to others, do they?
Thus, the matter of breaking off the engagement gradually evolved from denouncing the Marquis's family for being ungrateful and betraying their benefactors into slander and abuse against Min Qiao Shi. It was as if people like Min Qiao Shi didn't deserve to live.
When Wu returned after sending someone to gather information, she was devastated upon hearing the rumors circulating outside.
"What's wrong with Lady Annan? Didn't I say that the responsibility for the annulment of the engagement lies with the Lu family? Why haven't you said a single bad word about the Lu family?"
"Furthermore, I only hinted that the annulment of the engagement was the old lady's idea. Why is everyone pointing fingers at her now? They've even dug up her past!"
"If something really happens to the old lady, what will the Marquis, her own son, do?"
The rumors didn't go as Wu had planned, and Wu was genuinely getting anxious.
She wanted to shift the blame onto the old lady and absolve herself and Marquis Xuanping of any responsibility, but she never intended to actually do anything to the old lady.
Who could have imagined that the rumors outside would spread so far and wide?
Cuixiang was also a little anxious, but Feixu calmly comforted her, "Madam, don't worry, try to think positively. Since the Grand Madam has taken the blame, no one will criticize you and the Marquis for your mistakes now."
"It doesn't matter if outsiders dig deep into the old lady's past. That will just prove that the annulment of the engagement was indeed her intention."
"Besides, if something were to happen to the old lady, the Marquis's mansion might be in trouble in the short term, but in the long run... Madam, do you really want to have a mountain weighing on your head all the time?"
Wu was startled, and her eyes were filled with shock and astonishment as she looked at Fei Xu.
That girl, how cruel she is!
Cuixiang was also shocked by Feixu's words. Feixu... she actually hoped the old lady would die!?
Pressing her wildly beating heart, Wu waved her hand absently at Feixu, "You can go out now, let me think about it myself."
"This servant takes her leave." Feixu curtsied and withdrew.
Cuixiang went to the door and glanced inside to make sure Feixu had left before turning back. She looked at Madam Wu with a terrified expression and said in a trembling voice, "Madam, Fei, Feixu, she..."
Madam Wu was also somewhat frightened. "Who could have imagined that the naive and foolish little girl could be so vicious? I've been suppressed by the old lady for so many years, and I've never even thought of doing anything to her. Yet this little girl dared to have such thoughts. Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover!"
"Those, those flying catkins..."
“We can’t keep these flying catkins,” Wu sighed. “Once this storm passes, we’ll find another excuse to sell them off.”
Little did they know that once outside, the flying catkins turned two corners and circled around to the back window of the house, overhearing every word spoken by the master and servant.
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