Upon hearing this, Bitao hesitated, unsure of what to say, feeling a pang of sorrow in her heart. Women never had a say in their own marriages, and even a daughter of an official like herself could only accept the arrangement. She had previously thought that Young Master Qin was a fine match, seeing his ambition and good manners, but now the marriage had been called off without any clear explanation, leaving her with no choice but to accept it.
If even daughters of officials are treated this way, then she, a mere servant, is even more like a drifting duckweed.
Bitao's eyes reddened involuntarily as she comforted her, "Miss, you will surely find a husband a thousand times better than Young Master Qin in the future!"
The road ahead was uncertain, and what would the future hold? She already felt that her words were inadequate, and thinking about herself, she felt as if everything before her was shrouded in mist.
Seeing her like this, Gu Yaoniang laughed: "Silly girl, I didn't even cry, why are you crying?"
She felt more resentment than sadness, so she couldn't cry. Gu Yaoniang sat up, reached out and pulled Bitao to sit with her on the couch. Looking through the window at the frosty crescent moon outside, she felt the chill of late spring was quite biting.
"If only I were a man."
Suddenly, a voice broke the silence in the room. Bitao was taken aback at first, then began to consider it seriously. She frowned in thought, her round face contorting with worry. She spoke, her tone ambiguous, a mixture of regret and mockery: "If only I were a man!"
Bitao sincerely said to Yaoniang, "If we were men, I could accompany you all over the world! We could see everything you wanted to eat, play, and see!"
When she was carefree, her eyes sparkled, completely unlike her usual cautious demeanor. Looking at her, Yao Niang felt as if something was tearing at her heart, leaving her speechless.
yes!
If one is a man, one can read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles.
If a man is devoted to one person for life, it is considered a deep and unwavering love; if he has many women and is prone to fickleness, it can be considered a romantic and unrestrained lifestyle.
If the man is not married, he can seek another noble family.
It's a pity that I was born a woman, and from the beginning, I could only be obedient and docile. Now that I've been jilted, the difficulty of finding a husband in the future is secondary; I just don't know what rumors will circulate, and what kind of person I will be in those rumors.
How unwilling I am!
Gu Yaoniang felt a turbulent storm brewing in her heart. She looked at Bitao and asked, "Bitao, if I want to go to Shuojing, would you be willing to come with me?"
Bitao was startled: "What are you going to Shuojing for! Young Master Qin has already..."
“I didn’t intend to have anything with him.” Gu Yaoniang interrupted Bitao. “If I were to pester him, I would at most become his concubine, and I would not want to suffer that humiliation. But he is wrong, and I want to make things clear. After all these years of relationship, I need to know what he thinks.”
She really wanted to know whether Qin Yuxiu was simply unable to disobey the imperial decree or had already harbored ulterior motives.
Bitao knew that Gu Yaoniang was always decisive and stubborn; she would do whatever she thought was "right." Trying to persuade Yaoniang now would probably be useless. However… Bitao carefully chose her words: “I’m afraid the master and mistress won’t let you go to Shuojing.”
Gu Yaoniang sighed, "That's exactly what I'm worried about. Father is very strict about rules, and Mother listens to Father. I think it won't be easy to talk things out with Qin Yuxiu."
"But Bitao, if I don't make things clear to him face to face, I won't be able to rest easy." Gu Yaoniang looked out the window, where a solitary moon shone like jade, making one feel desolate. "There's a difference between him being forced to abandon me and him going to great lengths to betray me. I need to know that!"
Knowing that Gu Yaoniang had already made up her mind, Bitao didn't try to persuade her. She simply comforted Yaoniang and vowed that she would definitely go with her, then coaxed Yaoniang to sleep.
Yao Niang knew she would inevitably meet with Qin Yuxiu's parents tomorrow, and she couldn't predict what the scene would be like. Furthermore, she planned to speak openly with Bi Tao. Yao Niang and Bi Tao had grown up together, their bond was extraordinary, comparable to family. Although she was determined to go to the capital, she wasn't entirely confident. Having Bi Tao by her side would give her peace of mind.
With her mind at ease, Gu Yaoniang let go of her worries and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day, the Gu family members got up earlier than usual, and none of them looked well. Looking around, Gu Yaoniang seemed to be the one who had rested the best the day before.
Seeing that her parents and younger brother all looked serious, she temporarily put aside her plan to go to Shuojing, thinking that she would discuss it with her family after negotiating with Qin's parents.
Mr. Gu sat at the head of the table, with a jade folding fan, its surface smooth and warm, placed on the table beside him. Yao Niang recognized it immediately; years ago, during their engagement, they exchanged tokens of affection. Her family had given her a jade pendant left by her grandmother, while this jade folding fan was a token from the Qin family. Both were precious items from their respective families, used to express their sincerity and satisfaction with the marriage.
This jade-shaped folding fan had always been carefully kept by Madam Gu, and this was the first time Gu Yaoniang had seen it except on the day of the engagement. Having just learned of Qin Yuxiu's betrothal yesterday, the fact that she found this item today speaks volumes.
Yesterday was chaotic, and after a night of reflection, everyone knows there is no turning back now, but how to back down and what attitude to take towards the Qin family still needs a plan.
Mr. Gu looked at his daughter, who had no makeup on, with pity. He felt that Yao Niang was as delicate as a willow catkin swaying in the wind, making her even more charming and lovable.
The family sat around the dining table, and Gu Pingsheng was more attentive than usual. He needed to return to the academy early today, but he was worried about his sister and dawdled, unwilling to leave. Only after being glared at and snorted by his father did the boy reluctantly pack his small bundle and head out.
Before leaving, Gu Pingsheng earnestly told Gu Yaoniang, "Sister, don't be afraid! We don't care about Qin Yuxiu, I'll take care of you for the rest of my life!"
Upon hearing this, the Gu couple wished they could sweep him out the door with a broom. What a fine son, how could he have such a foul mouth! Even without Qin Yuxiu, there are a thousand fine men. Doesn't this mean he's certain that Yaoniang will never get married?
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