Chapter 203 Forced to Cancel the Engagement
When he saw the person coming, Meng Changyuan was slightly stunned and speechless for a moment.
During the Lunar New Year, Zheng Fangchu wore a light red honeysuckle flower shirt with large sleeves, an apricot yellow skirt with gold thread and rippled patterns, her hair was styled in a fallen horse bun, and she wore a gilded grass insect headpiece, a pomegranate velvet flower and tongcao hairpin, and a gold foil flower ornament on her forehead. She was dressed quite flamboyantly, which was very different from her usual elegant look.
Seeing him open the door, Zheng Fangchu's eyes flickered, and a hint of shyness appeared on her face. She said softly, "Brother Meng, I, I heard that you were watching a play here, so... I came to see you."
Looking at the tall man in front of her, she felt her heart was in turmoil and confusion.
His complexion was a little darker than in previous years, and there were a few more scars on his cheeks. Normally, she would have been very afraid of him. However, today, when she saw him, she didn't know why, she just felt that he was handsome and upright. How could she not have noticed before that he was such a manly person?
Mother is right, Brother Meng is a very good person.
Meng Changyuan only glanced at her, then looked away and said calmly, "Miss Zheng, there are differences between men and women. You'd better leave quickly, lest you fall into the eyes of others and ruin your reputation as a boudoir."
Zheng Fangchu's eyes instantly turned red, tears welling up in them. She said timidly, "I'm not afraid... Brother Meng, don't you want to see me? I didn't do those things. They were just people with ulterior motives who were jealous of me having a good husband like you, so they're stirring up trouble."
She lowered her eyes, was about to cry, and waited quietly for Meng Changyuan's comfort.
After all, in the past, whenever she acted like this, Meng Changyuan would comfort her gently, fulfill her requests, and obey her in everything.
As for the affair between her and Zhuo Shiquan, Zheng Fangchu firmly believed that he had heard rumors from nowhere, and not from Concubine Meng. After all, Concubine Meng was currently ill and near death in Shanghe Garden, so how could she possibly get up and tell Meng Changyuan about the adultery she had caught that day?
As expected, she lowered her head and waited for half a day, but the expected words of comfort did not come. Instead, Meng Changyuan's cold voice replaced it, "Miss Zheng, although I am a warrior, I am not completely stupid. I can distinguish right from wrong. I know everything you did, so there is no need for you to force yourself to defend yourself in front of me."
Zheng Fangchu was stunned. Why... why was he so different from before?
In Zheng Fangchu's heart, Meng Changyuan has always been a man who is easy to control. She even looked down on him in private, thinking that he was stupid and clumsy, and would only obey her orders.
However, this man seemed to be gradually slipping out of her grasp.
Seeing that she was silent for a long time, Meng Changyuan's gaze fell on her again. Her eyes were filled with tears, her nose was slightly red, and she looked pitiful and delicate.
The face that once filled him with such love and pity now filled him with only disgust.
Did she also use the same expression when interacting with Zhuo Shiquan, begging him to support her Zheng family?
Zheng Fangchu, what is he?
Zheng Fangchu's thoughts raced. She couldn't let Meng Changyuan kick her out like this. As her mother had said, if she missed Meng Changyuan, she would never have such a good relative again in her life!
Meng Changyuan is now a new noble in the court. She was named Duke of Protectorate when she was in her twenties and is a popular figure in front of the emperor. The families of her close friends are all trying to find ways to curry favor with her.
Some people even asked her privately whether their marriage was off. If it was, they would ask their father and brother to come and propose marriage.
Zheng Fangchu just felt wronged. She didn't do anything, so why did everyone have to make things difficult for her?
"Brother Meng... today is the first day of the new year, a major holiday, so let's not say anything hurtful. How about... I accompany you to the theater? You must be lonely sitting here all alone. I can chat and laugh with you, and that will help you relax."
Zheng Fangchu smiled softly and looked at Meng Changyuan.
Accompany him to watch a play?
Who does Zheng Fangchu think he is?!
Are they those prostitutes who were forced to serve drinks?
Or maybe she does this kind of thing so often that she has become so used to it that she has forgotten the taboos!
Meng Changyuan felt nauseous, his face growing grim. He said in a deep voice, "Zheng, please respect yourself! Saying such absurd words will only ruin the reputation of the Anguo Mansion!"
As he spoke, he closed his eyes, then slowly opened them after a while, letting out a long sigh. "Miss Zheng, we've had our share of arguments, and now that things have come to this, it's better to part ways amicably. A quarrel would be embarrassing for both of us. You're a woman, so you'll be at a particular disadvantage. Go away, and I'll pretend I haven't seen you today. Remember to have someone return the engagement documents, and I'll let bygones be bygones."
No, no, she can't cancel this marriage.
If, if Meng Changyuan doesn't want her anymore, then she... where will she go for the rest of her life? She doesn't want to marry into some small family and live a poor life!
Zheng Fangchu's lips trembled slightly as he whispered, "Brother Meng, do you really not care about our past friendship?"
Meng Changyuan simply walked away and poured himself a cup of tea, which he drank in one gulp. However, the fingertips holding the black-glazed cup were bluish-white, and the knuckles were protruding.
"Miss Zheng, there's no need to talk about the past. Meng and you have no feelings for each other now."
He put down the tea bowl and stood with his back to the emperor. "After the New Year, if the Duke of Anguo still refuses to cancel the engagement, don't blame me for being heartless. When we go to court, don't accuse me of bullying an orphan and a widow."
Zheng Fangchu looked at his tall and resolute figure, his heart chilled. He said softly, "Brother Meng, are you really so heartless?"
"Stop talking nonsense and go!"
Zheng Fangchu smiled faintly, turned around and walked away, but did not leave. He leaned against the door frame and said softly, "Meng Changyuan, tell me, if I took off my clothes here and screamed at you to rape me, what would you do?"
Meng Changyuan turned around abruptly, his eyes wide open, staring at the woman in front of him, and angrily shouted in a low voice, "Zheng, do you really not even care about this little shame?"
Zheng raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "The Duke no longer cares for me, so why should I continue to feel ashamed? I'd like to see how the dignified Heir of Yiyang, the Duke of Protectorate appointed by the Emperor, the great hero who returned victorious from the Western Expedition, could rape a decent woman in a neighbor's home on New Year's Day. If this gets out, what will the world say? And how will you cope with this?"
As she spoke, she actually started to undress.
Meng Changyuan took a quick step forward and was about to pull her into the room.
Zheng Fangchu suddenly stumbled, stumbled forward two steps, and fell towards Meng Changyuan.
Meng Changyuan dodged and Zheng Fangchu fell straight to the ground.
Meng Changyuan was feeling confused and uncertain when a man suddenly walked in from outside the door.
The man closed the door, bowed to him, and said in a low voice, "Brother Meng, I am rude."
Meng Changyuan looked intently and saw that the man was wearing a light fur coat, a brocade belt, and a white jade crown. He was a handsome man, and his face looked vaguely familiar. After a while, he said, "So it's Prince Zhuo."
As he spoke, he snorted softly, "I wonder what brings you here, Prince Zhuo?"
Meng Yan described to him in detail the scandals between Zhuo Shiquan and Zheng Fangchu. Although he did not cause trouble for Zhuo Shiquan and planned to cancel the marriage, he was still very unhappy when he saw him.
The Ding'an Marquis's residence is really bustling today, all his enemies in the capital are here!
Zhuo Shiquan saw his cold words and didn't take them seriously. He pointed at the woman on the ground and said, "I was rude before. I'll apologize to Brother Meng after this matter is settled." Then he turned to Zheng Fangchu, his eyes cold and calm, and said, "Zheng, what did you say and do during our previous private meeting? Now that things have come to this, do you still want to cling to Brother Meng? Agree to break off the engagement early and save yourself from further embarrassment."
Zheng Fangchu fell very hard, her golden hairpin fell to the ground, her hair was disheveled, the corners of her mouth were broken and bleeding, she looked very miserable.
Seeing Zhuo Shiquan come in, she was terrified and huddled against the wall, hugging herself and trembling. She thought to herself, "Why is this guy here? Today, today, the wife of the Earl of Ding'an invited me to her house to watch a play. She said Meng Changyuan is also here, so I can see him..."
Zheng Fangchu was not a stupid person after all. She suddenly had an idea and gritted her teeth. This was clearly a trap, just to lure her into it!
She lowered her head, but stole a glance at Meng Changyuan, still fighting like a trapped beast. "Master Zhuo, I don't know what you're talking about! You've teased me time and again, and how can a delicate woman like me resist? I can only stay away from you! And now you're slandering my reputation in front of my fiancé. You... you're truly vicious!"
Speaking of this, she crawled to Meng Changyuan's side, grabbed his sleeves with both hands, and cried, "Brother Meng, this guy and I really have no beginning or end! You must believe me, I, I just had no other choice but to do this... I can't bear to leave Brother Meng, I'm afraid that Brother Meng won't want me anymore... Woo woo..."
Meng Changyuan pulled his sleeve out of her hand and brushed it off as if there was something dirty on it.
He glanced at Zheng Fangchu and saw that she was in tears and looked disoriented, as if she was not the one who had just done such a shameless thing. He couldn't help but wonder how he had fallen in love with such a woman in the first place?
Zhuo Shiquan looked at Zheng Fangchu coldly and said, "Zheng, you are so eloquent and have been able to distort right and wrong to such an extent. I really admire you. But, you can deny what you said, but can you also deny the token you left behind?!"
After saying that, he reached into his wide sleeves, took out a thick stack of letters, and waved them in front of Zheng Fangchu.
Zheng Fangchu's face turned pale and distorted, and he shrilled, "You, you...you actually..."
Those were all love letters she had written to Zhuo Shiquan when they were in love!
Previously, she was lonely during her illness and missed Zhuo Shiquan. When she sent someone to the Marquis' Mansion, Zhuo Shiquan asked someone to tell her that they would go their separate ways from now on and he had destroyed all the items they had exchanged in the past.
This is also what she relies on to threaten Meng Changyuan with confidence and boldness. Without any evidence, who can do anything to her!
However, who would have thought that Zhuo Shiquan not only did not burn these letters, but also brought them to Meng Changyuan.
In this case, she really couldn't explain herself even if she had a mouth all over her body!
In a panic, she got up from the ground, rushed over and tried to snatch the letter.
How could Zhuo Shiquan let her get what she wanted? He took a step back, leaving her empty-handed.
There happened to be a high mahogany table next to the wall. Zheng Fangchu bumped into it with her head, knocking the table over. She also got a bruise on her face, which made her even more embarrassed.
Zhuo Shiquan said coldly, "I originally wanted to burn them, but then I changed my mind and realized you're a cunning and treacherous woman, always trying to confuse right and wrong and turn the tables. So I kept these letters to serve as a witness later. Now, are you still going to deny it?"
Meng Changyuan was silent for a long moment before speaking again, "Zheng, if you still don't confess, I will take these letters to the government in the capital and accuse you of unmarried adultery and marriage fraud. When that happens, your presence in court will be a thousand times more embarrassing than it is now."
Zheng Fangchu saw that the situation was hopeless and felt both regret and hatred.
She held onto the wall, trembling as she struggled to stand, her eyes roving between the two men in front of her. One was tall and strong, the other was handsome, but neither of them could be touched by her.
She covered her face and cried loudly, but no one paid any attention to her.
Meng Changyuan questioned her again. She was just a woman from the inner chambers. When she heard that she was going to be sent to the government, she was already scared out of her wits. She nodded and choked with sobs, "I... I agree... to cancel the engagement..."
Meng Changyuan raised his thick eyebrows and said, "Words are not enough, please write a written document."
As luck would have it, there was paper, ink, brush and inkstone in the room of Lord Ding'an, so he found them and forced Zheng Fangchu to write down word for word how she had had an affair with someone and why she was willing to break off the engagement because the affair was discovered.
Zheng Fangchu wrote tremblingly, and when she wrote the three big words "Zheng Fangchu" as her signature, she could no longer hold on and collapsed on the table.
Meng Changyuan folded the page of paper and carefully put it in his arms, but didn't even look at her.
Zhuo Shiquan said calmly, "Zheng, do you want to go out on your own, or do you want me to go out and call a maid in? If outsiders see you like this, I'm afraid it will be even more difficult to find a husband in the future."
Zheng Fangchu was already terrified and stood there in a daze like a puppet. She slowly stood up and walked out with dragging steps.
When she reached the door, she looked back and saw that the two men who had been so caring and affectionate to her in the past were now like iron men, without any affection at all. She could not help but sigh and walked out.
What should she do in the future...
After Zheng Fangchu left, there were only two men left in the room, which was quite awkward.
Meng Changyuan touched his nose, not knowing what to say, when Zhuo Shiquan suddenly took off his outer robe, exposing his upper body. There was a bunch of brambles tied around his bare back!
He knelt on one knee and said to Meng Changyuan, "Brother Meng, I was rude to you before. Today, I want to apologize to you!"
Meng Changyuan was speechless for a moment. After a while, he untied the whip on Zhuo Shiquan's back, held it in his hand, and lightly hit Zhuo Shiquan's back twice before throwing it aside.
He said calmly, "Prince Zhuo, please stand up. You've helped me get rid of this woman. But you secretly hooked up with Zheng before, and I have to ask for your return. From now on, let's write this matter off and never mention it again!"
Zhuo Shiquan was deeply moved. As he stood up and dressed, he sighed, "Your Majesty is truly magnanimous and admirable! Your Majesty, at first, was considerate of my reputation and kept this a secret, sparing me any embarrassment. Now that Brother Meng has forgiven me, I am truly ashamed."
Meng Changyuan felt a little strange and asked, "Prince Zhuo, why did you suddenly come here today to expose that Zheng family member?"
Zhuo Shiquan replied, "This was a rumor from the palace, asking me to force Zheng to break off the engagement. I have a close personal relationship with Earl Ding'an, so I borrowed his house to invite Brother Meng and lured Zheng to come, thus orchestrating this elaborate scheme." He scratched his cheek and smiled slightly, "This idea came from that noble in the palace."
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Happy New Year’s Eve everyone, good luck and all the best in the new year!
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