Upon hearing this, Madam Song turned pale. She was not a foolish woman. She had experienced half a lifetime, what kind of storm hadn’t she seen? She could naturally guess Ji Xinhe’s meaning.
Song Yalin had been delayed by the Great Prince for five years before she could cancel the marriage. Her reputation was almost ruined. Now if she does not get married and stays at her maternal home, outside gossips may begin to question the reason for Song Yalin’s cancelled wedding. They may wonder if the problem lies with Song Yalin herself.
And what could make a girl so afraid to get married again after cancelling a wedding that she would rather hide at home? It must be the loss of her chastity.
The mere thought of this possibility scared Madam Song so much that her legs trembled. It was not an exaggeration. As long as Song Yalin continued to stay at home without showing any intention to get married, all sorts of rumors might start pouring in.
By then, not only will Song Yalin be completely ruined, but the entire reputation of the Song family will be trampled underfoot, and it is feared that other daughters of the Song family will also have trouble finding a match.
Instead of waiting to be interrogated and doubted, it would be better to send Song Yalin directly to the temple.
They can tell the outside world that she is disheartened and unwilling to get married again, showing a clear attitude, perhaps they can still gain some good reputation and peace.
After all, which girl who is unwilling to get married can always stay at home?
Madam Song obviously wavered after these words were spoken by Ji Xinhe.
Song Yalin was worried while watching but there was no way she could intervene. Now Ji Xinhe placed her in a dilemma. If she agreed to the marriage, it would be really set. If she didn’t agree to the marriage, she would have to become a nun. By the time the Imperial Edict arrived, she would have shaved her head and become a nun, and even the marriage granted by the Emperor would become invalid!
How ruthless Ji Xinhe was!
The hatred in Song Yalin’s heart flared up, and the look in Ji Xinhe’s eyes was almost seething with rage.
"Mother..." Song Yalin pleaded bitterly with Madam Song: "Just wait another month, let me do as you wish after a month, okay?"
Ji Xinhe scoffed, "What’s the meaning of this, Third Miss? Neither willing to marry nor to become a nun, do you really think you can live comfortably in the Song family for the rest of your life? Madam Song used to tell me how sensible and obedient this daughter of hers is. I didn’t expect you to be so wilful. You don’t care about the family’s dignity at all. Do you know that because of your wilfulness, the entire Song family is being ridiculed?"
Madam Song pursed her lips and said helplessly, "Lin Lin, seriously, it’s not that I don’t love you. I have to consider the entire family. You can’t be so wilful. If you really don’t want to get married, what’s the difference between staying at home and going to the temple? Do you really want to be rundown to the point where you’re satisfied?"
"Mother, I didn’t, I just want one month, just one month, okay?" Song Yalin quickly said.
Madam Song said with a heartache, "You don’t have to play this delaying game with me, a month, do you know how many rumors can spread in a month’s time?"
Xin He said, "It seems that Third Miss is so unwilling to enter the temple. She must be unable to let go of the worldly affairs. If she really doesn’t want to, let’s set this marriage as soon as possible."
Song Yalin clenched her teeth bitterly, but she couldn’t say a word. The choice she was given? How could she choose?!
Song Yalin has never been so crushed, and she has never hated so much. Why has she been so relentless towards her, forcing her step by step? This granted marriage edict is her only chance now, why should she take it away?!
But Song Yalin could only curse in her heart, she didn’t dare to mention a word to Madam Song about the Emperor’s intention to grant marriage.
The foundation of the Song family was in Yu State. No matter what happens to the main branch, the second and third branches of the Song family had already chosen to rely on Pingyang Prince Mansion. In the eyes of the Song family’s people, like all other people in Yu State, Pingyang Prince Mansion was their heaven! How dare they offend it?
In these years, everyone has been longing to marry their daughter to Ji Bei, Princess Pingyang’s real brother, or even marry Li Nan who is given much importance by Princess Pingyang. Once they have a son, they hope that when he grows up, he might be lucky enough to marry the little princess of Pingyang Prince Mansion.
But not a single family dared to harbour the idea of marrying into the Pingyang royal mansion.
Because of Prince Pingyang’s love for his princess and his resistance to other women were all well known. Once there were people who were not sensible enough to send women to Prince Pingyang, their families inexplicably declined afterwards. These things were scary and served as a warning to all.
The Song family was naturally the same. What they wanted was to get close to the Pingyang Prince Mansion and to please them, not to send a daughter in to offend them.
This time the Emperor is granting a marriage, and anyone who is not a fool can see that it is just to intentionally upset Marquis Mu Houchu. But how could the Song family be willing to be the scapegoat? By then, they would have sent their daughter into the mansion and offended Marquis Mu Houchu, causing the entire family to suffer!
This is also why Duan Lan chose not to cooperate with the Song family, but skipped the Song family and chose to directly cooperate with Song Yalin.
Whether the Song family would fall or not, she did not care. Whether the Song family would be hit by Marquis Mu Houchu’s revenge, she did not care. What she cared about was just that position and an opportunity to climb up. Even if Marquis Mu didn’t love her or even hated her, what she valued was his power.
Of course, these words, she could not say to Marquis Mu, let alone the Song family. If the Song family knew about the existence of this marriage granting imperial edict, they would definitely marry her off immediately and express loyalty to the Pingyang Prince Mansion.
So, Song Yalin could not say.
Observing the frustrated look on Song Yalin’s face, a faint smile appeared on Xin He’s face and she said quietly, "Madam Song, don’t put too much pressure. Why not give her some time to think about it. Let’s see if she has made up her mind by tomorrow morning, which path she wants to take, and we can discuss it then."
Madam Song looked at Song Yalin disappointingly. She had never thought that her usually obedient and sensible daughter would have such a wilful side and she is so unvisionary. She then said, "Then I will wait for your answer tomorrow. If you still insist on not marrying anyone, I will send you directly to the temple to become a nun. Otherwise, you will set a marriage with the Wang family. Lin Lin, think it through."
After saying that, she also sighed and turned to leave.
Over the years, Madam Song has been enduring this with her. She is completely exhausted. Three years ago, she started advising Song Yalin to cancel the engagement, saying that a girl’s youth cannot afford to be spent, but she would not listen. Now having reached this stage, she is still stubbornly being wilful. This is not toying with her lifetime happiness, isn’t it?
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