Chapter 22 Broken Engagement
The sound of the oars on the covered boat had just faded into the river mist when Chen Xuanqing's steps did not stop for a moment.
His silver robe was still damp with the morning dew from the dock, but he went straight to Master Chen's residence, not even bothering to accept the hot tea offered by the servants, and stepped directly into the main hall.
The incense smoke from burning pine trees filled the hall, and Chen Yanyun sat upright in a pear wood chair, holding an unfinished scroll in his hands.
Upon seeing him enter, he merely raised his eyes slightly, his gaze sweeping over Chen Xuanqing, his tone devoid of any emotion: "I heard that Father Yu is ill?"
"yes."
Chen Xuanqing bowed respectfully, but his brows were tightly furrowed, and his tone was filled with barely concealed anxiety. "My son just arrived in Jiangnan the day before yesterday and went to the Yu residence. At that time, he looked to be in good health and we even exchanged a few words."
"But a few hours later, a servant from the Yu family came to report that Uncle Yu had suddenly fallen ill and was not even seeing any guests."
Yu's father's illness came at such a convenient time; he was clearly pretending to be confused, trying to use his "serious illness" to delay the annulment of the engagement.
Chen Yanyun gently placed the book on the table, his gaze falling on the man's tense shoulders and back. A hint of understanding flashed in his eyes, but his tone remained calm: "It seems that the Yu family does not want to break off the engagement."
These words were like a bucket of cold water, but they did not extinguish the determination in Chen Xuanqing's eyes.
How could he not understand his father's meaning?
The Chen family, having established itself in the imperial court, must be wary of forcing other prominent families and giving them ammunition for criticism. If the Yu family insists on not giving in, the Chen family will never act like the villains who "bully others" just for the sake of one person's marriage.
All escape routes were blocked at this moment.
Chen Xuanqing did not hesitate for a moment.
He suddenly bent his knees, and his knees slammed heavily onto the bluestone slab with a dull thud.
This kneeling startled the servants outside the hall, who all cautiously peeked out, and even Chen Yanyun, who was holding a book, paused for a moment.
"Father."
Chen Xuanqing raised his eyes, his gaze surging with an unprecedented ruthlessness, yet mixed with a desperate plea. "From childhood to adulthood, I have never asked you for anything. In my studies and in socializing with the sons of prominent families, I have always followed your wishes without daring to disobey in the slightest. But this time... this time I beg you, grant my request."
His voice trembled, but every word was firm and resounding: "The Yu family refused to break off the engagement, so I kept trying and waiting. Even if I had to stand guard outside the Yu residence every day, even if people said that Young Master Chen didn't know the rules, I would accept it. I'm just afraid... afraid that Jinzhao would be anxious waiting in the capital, afraid that she would suffer from gossip again."
"knew."
Before he could finish speaking, Chen Yanyun gently interrupted him, his tone still indifferent, but without the coldness he had shown earlier.
He raised his hand, and the scroll gently tapped the table, his gaze falling on his son's stubborn profile.
This child has always been strong-willed, never uttering a cry even when he broke his leg. Yet now, for a girl, he has humbled himself and knelt here. The eagerness and tenderness in his eyes are impossible to hide.
"Get up."
Chen Yanyun stood up, walked over to him, and reached out to help him up.
When her fingertips touched her son's cold wrist, she realized that he hadn't even had time to wipe off the morning dew. "The ground is cold, kneeling for too long will hurt your knees."
Chen Xuanqing was stunned, not expecting his father to give in so easily. The ruthlessness in his eyes vanished instantly, leaving only disbelief and confusion: "Father...you?"
“Go back. I’ll send someone to deliver a message to the Yu family.” Chen Yanyun turned around, sat back down in his chair, picked up a book but didn’t read it. He just stared at the dissipating river mist outside the window, his voice as soft as the lingering scent of pine smoke, “You don’t need to bother the Yu family, and you don’t need to earn a reputation for being ‘disrespectful’.”
Chen Xuanqing then realized that his father had agreed to help him.
He quickly bowed and said, his voice full of gratitude, "Thank you, Father! Your son will certainly not let you down."
"Hmm." Chen Yanyun responded indifferently and waved his hand to dismiss him.
Only after Chen Xuanqing's figure disappeared outside the hall did Chen Yanyun put down his book, gently stroking the edge of his teacup with his fingertips, and let out a long sigh.
Before coming to Jiangnan, his mother had mentioned to him that Xuanqing had taken a liking to the eldest daughter of the Gu family, who was said to be intelligent and quick-witted, and also from an official family. He hadn't taken it seriously at the time, thinking it was just a young man's momentary infatuation. But he never expected that the boy would fall so deeply in love, willing to set aside all his pride to beg him for that girl.
That's enough.
Chen Yanyun picked up the cold tea on the table and took a sip.
It's rare for a father to ask his son for something so important, especially one that concerns his son's lifelong happiness. How could he, as a father, refuse?
But what about the Yu family...?
We must not let the Chen family lose face, but we must also ensure that the girl can wait peacefully for Xuanqing to propose marriage.
The river breeze outside the window carried the scent of pine smoke, which landed on the books on the desk and gently turned a page.
As Chen Yanyun gazed at the daylight outside the window, a gentle smile gradually spread across his eyes—perhaps, once Xuanqing married that girl, he could start to consider his own marriage.
He recalled that pale white figure again.
Her reddened earlobes as she nodded with her eyes downcast, like ink chrysanthemums soaked in morning dew, gently landed on his heart, and even his breath was imbued with her scent.
"We will meet again, we definitely will."
Chen Yanyun murmured softly to the empty alley, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the edge of a leaf.
If they meet again, he will tell her earnestly, "My name is Chen Yanyun."
You should tell her to her face, "I want to marry you."
But then he remembered that the two were more than ten years apart in age, and the obsession of the aristocratic families in the capital with "similar ages," and a sense of unease suddenly arose in his heart.
Will she think she's too old?
Do you care about what others say?
But this unease was quickly suppressed by an even stronger obsession: he would wait, he would spend his whole life being good to her, combing her hair in the morning, watching the stars with her at night, and weaving all his love for her into his daily life.
He had never felt such a flutter in his heart before.
In the past, he only followed the duties of his marriage contract with his wife, giving her gifts during festivals and exchanging pleasantries in daily life, all according to the rules, without any extra thoughts.
But with her, all he wanted was to protect her immediately when she was wronged, and to be happier than her when she smiled.
What if she refuses?
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Chen Yanyun's eyes darkened.
He had never wanted anyone like that before. If it really came to that, he might really disregard everything and keep her by his side, even if she resented him, it would still be better than watching her marry someone else.
*
These past few days have been spent in a daze, and Chen Xuanqing is still pondering how his father will annul the engagement.
That day, as soon as he woke up, his personal servant rushed up to him with a happy look on his face: "Seventh Young Master, the annulment of the engagement is settled!"
Chen Xuanqing paused, "All done?"
"Yes!" The servant bowed and replied respectfully, "Just now, the Third Master sent someone to deliver a message, saying to the outside world that you and Miss Yu are incompatible according to your birth charts and have a shallow fate. Tomorrow, the official document to dissolve the engagement will be submitted, and the two families will have nothing to do with each other from now on."
Chen Xuanqing felt a weight lift from his heart instantly.
He hurriedly got up to pack his things, but heard the servants in the corridor whispering among themselves.
"It's not that our horoscopes don't match. I heard from the servant that it was because Young Master Chen didn't want to marry my young lady, and it was only after Third Master Chen personally intervened that the master relented."
"Shh! Keep your voice down! The Chen family is so powerful, how dare the Yu family refuse? Besides, Young Master Chen has someone else in his heart, why would he want to marry my young lady?"
"I wonder which young master Chen has taken a fancy to, that he's so interested in her..."
These whispers reached Chen Xuanqing's ears, but he paid them no heed.
He stood by the bedroom window and took out a bright white jade clasp from his sleeve pocket—he had specially picked it out in Jiangnan, with a small "Chao" character engraved on it, which he originally intended to give to Gu Jinchao after the engagement was called off.
Now things are much better. In another month, he can go to the capital in person, place the jade pendant in her hand, and tell her, "Jinzhao, our relationship is settled."
The fragrance of osmanthus wafted in from outside the window, mixed with the coolness, yet it warmed his heart.
He raised his hand and hid the jade clasp again, his eyes full of anticipation.
The courtyard of the Yu residence was covered with withered laurel leaves. The wind swirled the fallen leaves, brushing against the pillars and making a soft rustling sound, but it could not mask the cold desolation in the air.
When Chen Xuanqing walked out of the bedroom with his luggage, the maids he encountered either lowered their heads and hurriedly avoided him, or turned around and hid in the side room, without even a word of greeting like "Seventh Young Master Chen".
As soon as the news of the annulment spread, everyone in the household knew that the engagement was over, and he, the "former son-in-law," became someone no one wanted to associate with.
He twitched the corners of his mouth, unable to tell whether it was amusement or helplessness.
The moment my fingertips touched the straps of my bag, a soft, almost inaudible call came from behind me, tinged with a hesitant tremor.
"Young Master..."
Chen Xuanqing turned around and saw Yu Wanxue standing under the corridor. The collar of her light green dress was stained with tears, and the plain handkerchief she was holding was crumpled. Her almond-shaped eyes were swollen like walnuts, and her voice was hoarse.
She didn't dare to go inside, but stood outside the threshold. When she saw him looking at her, tears rolled down her cheeks first, hitting the bluestone slab and spreading out a small wet patch.
"Miss Evening Snow..."
Chen Xuanqing stopped moving, and a dull pain suddenly rose in his chest.
Just now, she was only thinking about returning to the capital to see Gu Jinzhao as soon as possible, and she forgot that Yu Wanxue had been thinking about "Chen family wife" since she was a child. This marriage was something she had been looking forward to for more than ten years. Now that it has suddenly been shattered, how could she bear it?
"Seventh Young Master, why do you insist on annulling the engagement?" Yu Wanxue's voice was pleading, her fingers tightly gripping the handkerchief, her knuckles turning white.
"Did I do something wrong, Wanxue? I've always known you don't like crowds, so I learned to be quiet; you love reading poetry and books, so I went to find rare books to copy; even though Mother said that women don't need to know too much about business, I secretly learned it, hoping that I could help you manage the household affairs in the future... What did I do wrong?"
As she spoke, her shoulders heaved violently, and tears streamed down her face even more fiercely: "I grew up modeled after the Chen family woman. My needlework, my knowledge, my thoughts—all of it was for you. Now you're announcing the engagement just like that. Tell me, what am I supposed to do now?"
Seeing her devastated state, Chen Xuanqing's Adam's apple bobbed, but he could only manage a bitter smile: "Miss Wanxue, breaking off the engagement may not be a bad thing for you. I, Chen Xuanqing, am stubborn by nature, and I already have someone else in my heart. If I were to force you to marry me, it would only make you suffer, and that would not be fair to you."
"Unfair?" Yu Wanxue looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with despair. "What is fairness? I've loved you since I was a child, and my dream is to marry you. This engagement is my only reason for living! If the engagement is broken off, I'd rather die!"
Before she finished speaking, she suddenly turned around and rushed towards the pillar!
Chen Xuanqing's pupils contracted sharply, and almost instinctively he rushed forward, grabbed her wrist tightly, and blocked her in front of him.
His force was too great, and Yu Wanxue stumbled and bumped into his arms, her tears instantly soaking his clothes.
"Seventh Young Master, you can't bear to see me die, can you?"
Yu Wanxue grabbed his clothes as if they were the last straw, her voice filled with a humble plea, "Please don't call off the engagement, okay? I beg you, I can forget everything, I can take care of her for you, I just want to stay by your side..."
Chen Xuanqing's heart felt like it was being squeezed. He gently pushed her away, but his tone remained firm: "Wanxue, I am really not the right person for you. If you marry me, you will only live in my indifference for the rest of your life. That is not the kind of life that should belong to you."
But just as his gaze fell upon Yu Wanxue's reddened eyes, a yellowed piece of paper suddenly flashed through his mind.
That was the suicide note Yu Wanxue left for him after her death in his previous life. The handwriting was delicate but trembling: "I am happy to leave as Chen Xuanqing's wife. After so many years as husband and wife, this can be considered as fulfilling a wish I've had since childhood..."
Memories flooded back like a tide: the image of Yu Wanxue from her past life, the words in her suicide note, overlapped with the image of her collapsing and pleading before her eyes.
Chen Xuanqing's fingertips trembled slightly as guilt entwined his heart like vines.
He knew how good Yu Wanxue was, and he knew how deep her affection was, but his heart had already belonged to Gu Jinchao. Whether in the past life or this life, he could only let her down.
"Late snow,"
He took a deep breath, suppressing his surging emotions, his voice heavy with an unprecedented weight, "I'm sorry. But I can't lie to you, and I can't hold you back. Your true love will be the one who cherishes you dearly, and that person is not me."
Chen Xuanqing gently pulled away Yu Wanxue's hand that was gripping his sleeve. His fingertips touched her cold fingertips. Although he felt guilty, he did not turn back.
He knew that hesitation at this moment would only make her more persistent. It was better to end the pain quickly than to suffer for a long time. Only by completely severing the old ties could he give her a chance to find true happiness in the future.
He carried his packed luggage and walked straight to the main hall.
The laurel leaves under the eaves were swept by the wind and fell on his shoulders, but he had no mind to brush them off. He only thought about bidding farewell to his parents-in-law as soon as possible and setting off back to the capital.
Jin Chao was still waiting for him; a month had already been agreed upon, and he didn't want to delay even a day longer.
But as soon as he reached the entrance of the main hall, the servant guarding the door stepped forward and said with some difficulty in his tone, "Young Master Chen, the master and madam said... that they are not feeling well and will not come out to see you. If you want to leave, you can just leave."
Chen Xuanqing understood.
Yu's parents must still be angry about the annulment of the engagement, and they neither want to see him nor want to get entangled with him any further.
He stared at the tightly closed doors of the main hall and could faintly hear low voices coming from inside. He guessed that Yu's mother was still weeping over her daughter's situation, while Yu's father was comforting her.
He didn't insist any further, turned around and walked to the center of the courtyard, stood upright facing the main hall, then knelt down and bowed deeply.
This bow was both a testament to the importance the Xie and Yu families had placed on the marriage agreement over the years, and an apology for the relationship that could not be fulfilled.
After the ceremony, he straightened up, picked up his bag, and strode towards the gate of the Yu residence without lingering.
Yu Wanxue stood by the bedroom window, watching the figure gradually disappear, tears falling silently again, her handkerchief clenched even tighter in her hand.
She knew that from the moment he turned and left, her hopes and dreams of more than a decade were shattered.
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