Chapter 273 Breaking off the Engagement
Mrs. Guo on the bed slowly opened her eyes. When she looked at her brother, she was speechless. She just raised her hand with all her strength and pointed at her daughter.
Lord Guo nodded immediately.
"Don't worry, sister. I've agreed. Xiao He will be Qian'er's concubine from now on! As long as your uncle is still alive, I will definitely not let her be left without a place to stay. Don't worry, okay?"
As Lord Guo finished his last word, Mrs. Guo breathed her last. The withered hand suddenly dropped to the side of the bed, shattering all of Guo Ziqian's hopes.
"Cai Qiu! My daughter..."
"Mother! Wuuwuwu..."
The shrill cries of two people, one old and one young, broke the peace of the Guo family.
Lord Guo and Mrs. Bao were busy stepping forward to comfort their mother and niece. Only Guo Xiaoting, who was standing next to her cousin, turned her head with red eyes to look at her brother who had a pale face. She took two steps forward crying and supported his body which was almost unable to stand.
"elder brother!"
Guo Ziqian said nothing, his eyes filled with pain and helplessness. He waved away his sister's support and stumbled out. He reached the stables, led out his horse, and, amid the servants' greetings, he rode in a daze straight to the Duke of Ling's mansion.
"Why is he here?"
After receiving the report from the servant, Jiang Wan looked at his sister who had already wet several handkerchiefs with tears, and asked her with a frown.
"Guo Ziqian is here, in the main hall. My parents sent someone to ask you if you want to go and see him."
"Ugh...uh...yeah!"
Holding the handkerchief in her hand, Jiang Han ran out with her eyes swollen from crying, picking up her skirt.
"Sister, walk slowly behind me, don't worry. I'll go over and take a look at the situation first!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he disappeared.
Hongxiu stretched her head out, then retracted it and nodded to her master who was sitting on the chair.
"The second young lady seems to be in good health. She can walk briskly even while wiping away her tears."
"You're the only one who talks too much!"
Hongzhu gave her a warning glare, then gently helped her master up.
"Princess, do you want to go over and take a look too?"
Jiang Wan sighed.
"It doesn't really matter whether you watch it or not. The result is roughly known anyway. Guo Ziqian does like Han Jie'er, but he is the only male heir of the Guo family after all, so he will definitely not be able to change the family in the end."
Hongxiu pursed her lips unwillingly. Thinking about how the second girl cried just now, she felt heartbroken.
"Princess, is there no room for improvement in the Second Young Lady's marriage? I can see that the Second Young Lady is truly sincere towards the Young Master of the Guo family. Look how sadly she cried just now. It's truly heartbreaking!"
"How can we turn it around? Your Second Miss knows the truth herself, and she's not confused. Even if she's reluctant, she definitely wouldn't dare to marry him without knowing what's going on."
Jiang Wan slowly walked out the door, looked up at the sun already climbing into the west, and sighed inwardly. She felt that she had never been so concerned about her own marriage.
In the main courtyard, Guo Ziqian knelt in front of the Jiang couple without saying anything.
He didn't even know why he had to come here, knowing full well that he was too embarrassed to ask for anything. But he was unwilling to give up, and he wanted to beg the girl he loved again.
"Guo Ziqian!"
Jiang Han ran all the way with a flushed face, and with her swollen eyes and slightly messy hair, she looked so pitiful no matter how you looked at her.
She tried her best to hold back her tears, with cautious hope in her eyes.
"Have you taken care of your family affairs? Your cousin's place is settled, right?"
There was an uncontrollable sob in her voice, but also a hint of hope. She hoped that the young man she loved would come home to tell her that everything had been arranged and that their wedding date could go on as planned.
Guo Ziqian turned his head and looked at the little girl standing by the door. The little girl who usually loved beauty, coquettishness and elegance was now in a very disheveled state.
Those tears in her eyes were all because of herself.
There was a sudden sharp pain in my chest, and an uncontrollable heartache rushed directly into my eyes. I could no longer open my mouth to say the despicable and shameless pleas I had wanted to say.
He was reluctant to let this young lady, with whom he had a mutual affection, suffer injustice. If he begged her now, perhaps she would agree. But he could not guarantee that he would not let her continue to suffer injustice in the future.
His lips trembled slightly several times before he forced out a very ugly bitter smile.
"My aunt went just now."
Jiang Han suddenly burst into tears.
"Then why are you still coming to my house?"
"I'll come to see you, later..."
They both knew in their hearts that there was no future.
"Don't cry so much in the future. It's not pretty for such a pretty girl like you to cry all the time."
They were clearly scolding someone, but they chose to use such a gentle tone. The Jiang couple, who were sitting nearby and listening, could only sigh along with them.
"Guo Ziqian, since you have something going on at home, go back and take care of it first. There's no rush to cancel the engagement. I'll discuss it with your father again after your family has finished their work in a few days."
Duke Ling made the final decision.
Guo Ziqian kowtowed reverently.
"I feel bad for my uncle and aunt, and I'm also sorry for Jiang's sister. Duke, go and break off the engagement with my father. I'll agree to whatever you ask."
He heard the little girl crying behind him, and his own tears began to fall. He kowtowed to the ground, bidding his final farewell to his love.
"Breaking off the engagement might damage the reputation of Jiang's younger sister. Uncle can declare to the public that I was the one who broke my promise first.
Please, Auntie... Please, Auntie, take the trouble to comfort her for a few days. Crying all the time can easily hurt her body. Goodbye, kid!
After finishing what he needed to say, he stood up and walked out without looking back. When he passed by Jiang Han, he took one last look at the girl he liked. He had tears in his eyes, but he still had to scold her.
"Don't cry, it won't look good if you cry anymore."
“…I can’t help it…”
Looking at this still charming person, he knew that she would never be his wife again. He turned away, tears streaming down his face, and left with firm and hurried steps.
This is a farewell, and there will be no chance of reuniting in this life.
Jiang Han looked at Guo Ziqian's departing back, covering her eyes with a handkerchief and tears streaming down her face, her heart filled with sorrow. The Jiang couple felt incredibly distressed to see their little daughter so heartbroken, but they didn't know how to comfort her.
In the end, it was the eldest daughter who arrived in time and brought the crying little daughter back to Chunyun Garden.
A few days later, news spread from the Guo family that Guo Ziqian had fallen in love with his cousin and was determined to marry her. The Duke and Duchess of Lingguo followed their plan and went to cancel the engagement.
The Guo family was in the wrong, so they didn't dare to argue. They just followed whatever the Jiang family said. The two families exchanged engagement letters, and the marriage was settled.
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