Chapter 122 [VIP] Lifesaver (9)
It is imperative to cancel the engagement.
Since that day when Jin Xinli made those harsh words, he never saw Li Nanyan again. On the seventh day of October, the day after the Autumn Hunt in Shanglin Garden was completely over, Jin Xinli really came to cancel the engagement.
In addition, Jin Shili ignored everyone's opposition and re-engaged with Miss Li Er.
As soon as the news came out, it really caused a huge uproar in Yanyun City. How could this be possible? Didn't Lord Jin like the eldest daughter of the Li family? In the past, he even invited the wife of the Duke of Guo to marry him. How could he change the bride at this critical moment? Moreover, it was already October. It was said that the two would be able to get married in less than a month.
But suddenly such a commotion happened!
Are you kidding?
Isn't this completely discrediting and slapping someone in the face?
Moreover, what on earth did Miss Li do to anger Mr. Jin so much that she was broken off from engagement at this critical moment?
And the second daughter of the Li family is really resourceful. She climbed to the top by relying on the reputation of being the legitimate daughter, and even managed to snatch the fiancé from the engaged eldest daughter. This cannot be simply explained by her deep scheming.
From that day on, the eldest daughter of the Li family instantly became the laughing stock of the entire Yanyun City.
Almost everyone was discussing the deeds of the two sisters in private. There was sympathy but also ridicule. Some scolded Miss Li Er for being shameless and snatching her own sister's fiancé, while others praised her for standing up for the illegitimate children.
But without exception, everyone hated Miss Li for not fighting for her. After sympathy, most people laughed at her. After all, she couldn't even keep her own fiancé. Even if such a woman really married into an official family in the future, she would not be able to manage the household. What's the point of marrying such a woman?
This caused many mistresses of officials and princes to instantly tighten their control over their illegitimate children.
Moreover, I don't know what happened to Miss Li. She seemed to be a strong-willed person on weekdays, but she turned out to be a paper tiger. After suffering such a big loss this time, she never went to the Jin Mansion to make trouble again, and just endured it silently.
After that, she locked herself up in her house like a huddled turtle, never going out again, not attending parties, going shopping, or buying rouge and jewelry. Her old girlfriends also refused to see her anymore, and I wonder if they would be upset.
…
On the other hand, the servants in the Jin Mansion have not been having an easy time recently.
I don’t know what happened these days?
The adult in their family had a worse and worse temper, and his expression became colder and colder. Sometimes he would even lock himself in the study room and not come out all day and all night.
I don't know if it's because of the broken engagement? He exudes a gloomy aura, but isn't that the adults' own choice?
Sometimes the servants in the mansion couldn't help but talk in private, "Hey... did you see it?"
"The lady's temper has been getting weirder recently. Sometimes, the look in her eyes is as cold as a knife, almost suffocating people. This was never the case when the young lady was in the mansion before."
Someone beside him immediately echoed, his voice low, "Who said it wasn't true? I don't know what the master is thinking. Miss Li is such a lively and generous girl, why did she cancel the engagement for no reason? And if you want to cancel it, then you can do it, but you turn around and ask to marry someone else's sister. What the master did is really unkind."
As they were talking, a round-faced maid in a green skirt suddenly came in and interrupted, "You guys don't know this, but there is actually something behind this."
Hearing this, everyone who had gathered looked up at her at the same time. The round-faced maid looked around and made sure there was no danger around before whispering, "Do you remember the time when the master was seriously injured and blinded?"
"Didn't the master go missing for a while? When the master was injured, it was not the eldest lady of the Li family who saved him, but the second lady of the Li family."
At this point, the round-faced maid's voice instantly lowered, "It's just that the eldest daughter of the Li family relied on her status as the legitimate daughter to snatch the token that the master left for the second daughter, and then deceived the master!"
"Otherwise, how could you think that the spoiled and willful eldest daughter of the Li family would not even dare to ask for justice after suffering such a great loss? That's because she herself has a guilty conscience!"
The person who said this was the maid who served Li Qingrou in the tent. She knew more about the inside story than most people. In addition, Li Qingrou had a gentle personality and received many rewards, so the maid became loyal to her and treated her as her master.
After all, judging from the attitude of their family's masters, Miss Li II is the one with a promising future, so she naturally has to protect her a little so that she can get a position as a personal servant in the future.
Hearing this, the maids and servants gathered together in the mansion nodded and shook their heads, as if they knew the inside story, but someone still couldn't help but retorted,
"But even if that's the case, it's the eldest daughter of the Li family who has been with our master for such a long time! Feelings can't be faked, and the eldest daughter really likes our master. Haven't you noticed that since the eldest daughter came to the mansion, the master's temper has become much milder?"
"The number of times I scold people has become less, especially last time I accidentally broke a teacup. The master was going to punish me, but it was the eldest lady who said a few words and the master spared me. You all know the master's temper and personality. How can ordinary people persuade him?"
“That’s right…”
"Although the eldest daughter of the Li family was wrong to deceive the master, it is better to make the best of a bad situation. Besides, our master doesn't dislike the eldest daughter at all. Who knows how loving they would be if they really became a couple? Besides, the life-saving grace can't be repaid only by marrying her. The master can obviously repay the favor in other ways. Why bother to cancel the engagement with the eldest daughter?"
"Your Excellency is really too impulsive. How can Miss Li go out and meet people in the future? Moreover, a girl whose engagement is broken off will have her reputation ruined. How can she find a good marriage in the future..."
Before he could finish his words, a cold cough was heard from behind. The old butler with gray hair was staring at them expressionlessly with a pair of large scissors in his hand, which frightened the maids and servants so much that they knelt down and begged for mercy.
This steward holds a high status in the entire Jin Mansion. Apart from the masters, the steward has the highest status. All matters, big and small, in the mansion are handled by him.
The old man who usually looked kind, now had a stern face, looking like a hanged ghost. Especially when he heard them talking about the master behind his back, he couldn't help but scold them.
"What are you talking about?"
"You are all tired of living, aren't you? You dare to talk about your master behind his back. Only slaves like you can talk about the officials of the dynasty? You are ignorant and fearless, you don't care about your own life!"
"Do you still want to do this? If you really don't want to do this, I will find human traffickers to sell you all out tomorrow! You are all troublesome people, what are you still standing here for? Why don't you leave quickly to avoid being annoyed by the adults?"
These maids and servants were severely reprimanded, and they were all trembling with fear for fear of being sold out. Now, after hearing these words, they retreated in a hurry as if they had been pardoned.
Until the group of people disappeared.
The old butler then turned his back, shook his head and sighed softly. In fact, he also felt that what his master did was not right.
well……
The master of their family has always been very stubborn, and his heart is cold and hard. The eldest daughter of the Li family has been with him for so long, and it took a lot of effort to soften his heart. The two of them clearly had feelings for each other, but in the end they still broke off the engagement.
This thing was done too impulsively. The person in front of me doesn't know how to cherish him. I'm afraid that the adult will regret it in the future. In the end, I might be the only one who gets hurt.
...Oh, why bother?
Is the second daughter of the Li family really that good? She is just a life-saving favor, but she is so good that they have never been together. Does the master have to marry her?
…
As for the Li Mansion on the other side, the atmosphere in the mansion has been obviously a bit anxious and depressed recently. Ever since the day when Lord Jin came to cancel the engagement and change the one, their eldest daughter has not left the yard for three or four days, and has been locking herself in the room. Although meals are still delivered, she refuses to see anyone.
Everyone knows that the eldest lady is really sad this time. Never have they seen her so aggrieved. Not only did the second lady use tricks to ruin her reputation in the past, but now even her fiancé has been snatched away. Look at what the eldest lady has become because of what she has done to him.
The little maidservant was guarding the door, and from time to time she could hear some faint sobbing coming from the lady's room. It sounded so pitiful and really heartbreaking.
But the truth was that Nan Yan hid in the quilt and read strange stories for half the night. She didn't dare to laugh, and in the end she could only bite the quilt and let out a soft laugh, which was heard from time to time by the maids serving outside, and the rumor spread like this.
In fact, she had been eating and drinking well these past few days, and had eaten a lot of various fruits and snacks. In addition, she had been staying indoors and had not gone out. Her little face had become much rosier, and she did not look heartbroken at all.
Even her mother, Madam Li, did not see it this time. She thought her precious daughter had suffered a great deal and was in great pain. She wanted to seek justice but knew she was in the wrong. After all, she knew what her daughter had done. Besides, a higher-ranking official can crush a person to death, and that Jin was more than one level higher than her father.
想進屋去哄哄吧，又被攔在屋外不能進去，最後想把所有的氣都發洩在後院那個庶女身上，她自問當家以來也沒虧待過她，竟不曾想還是個狼子野心的，可如今，那個庶女已經跟那位位高權重的靳大人定親了，雖是口頭應承了，但她也不能再明目張膽地磋磨人了，否則日後免不了又是一場紛争。
最後實在沒辦法了，只能拿那個沒本事的丈夫出氣，都怪他沒出息，自家千嬌百寵長大的女兒被人這般駁了臉面、毀了名聲，這個糟老頭子除了搖頭嘆氣還能做什麽？
那姓靳的提出換親他當場就答應了，不就是看中了人家的權勢嗎？呸！這老東西，拿她女兒當墊腳石，她收拾不了外人，還不能收拾這個糟老頭子出出氣嗎！
所以這李府一時也是鬧得烏煙瘴氣，三天兩頭的夫婦倆吵架，老爺被夫人罵的狗血噴頭，還一句嘴都不敢還，最後直接從主院搬去書房住了。
這可真是神仙打架、凡人遭殃啊，連帶着他們這群丫鬟小厮們也是戰戰兢兢的，生怕夫人心情不好哪天就拿他們開刀了。
蕭非鶴也就是在這時候來了李府。
一開始是借着同李大人品茶賞畫的名義來李府坐坐，偏偏中途李大人臨時有事出去了片刻，再回來時，那蕭世子便不見蹤影了，李大人也沒多想，估摸着那蕭世子應該是等不及了，所以提前離開了，只是那副新收的上等字畫都還沒來得及欣賞呢。
李大人難免有些可惜，真是沒眼福！他可是都聽說了，傳聞那蕭世子也是個花天酒地、愛好風花雪月的俗人呢。
蕭非鶴來李府主要是想來看看李清柔，他也是聽說最近李府鬧得不可開交，知道李清柔的日子過得很不好，所以才忍不住心底的擔心，前來看看她過的怎麽樣了？
當然他是偷偷來的，就跟從前一樣，沿着小路直接去了清柔住的院子，那位置有些僻靜，尋常路過的丫鬟下人很少，所以不容易被人發現，再加上她的貼身丫鬟也是認得他的，所以一般不會阻攔。
只不過，越是臨近她的院子，蕭非鶴的心中就越是複雜酸澀。
其實前段日子在上林苑的時候，他找過她很多次，但每次都被拒之門外。
一開始他是真的以為她不想見他，直到後來才知道，原來她這段時間一直都跟靳厭離在一起，甚至兩人之間的誤會也已經徹底解開了。
知道這個消息時，蕭非鶴一時說不出心底是什麽感受，只覺得胸口悶悶的，有些不舒服。
他其實一直都知道的，知道清柔真正喜歡的人是靳厭離，從他被她吸引住的那一刻起，時常會不自覺地關注她的一舉一動，後來時間久了，他就知道了這事。
他也知道自己名聲差，配不上她這樣的好女子，所以他願意一直在背後默默守着她，原本他以為只要自己默默的守着她，說不定哪一天也可以等到她……
只可惜當他聽到靳厭離第二天登門退親，又重新求娶李家二小姐的消息時，
——他就知道自己應該是再無可能了。
他知道自己是個纨绔子弟，從前花天酒地，名聲不好，也不知道真心喜歡上一個女子之後是會擔心對方瞧不上自己的，更不知道喜歡上一個女子之後會變得自卑起來，擔心自己配不上對方。
畢竟如今的他，除了一個世子的身份，其他的一事無成，哪個好人家的父母願意把姑娘嫁給他這樣的纨绔呢？
蕭非鶴其實一直都很矛盾，心中惦念着她，但是又怕自己打擾她，怕自己找她的次數多了惹人閑話。
她可能從來都不知道他也一直愛慕着她，愛慕到甚至不敢明說的程度，生怕自己狼藉不堪的名聲會影響到她的聲譽，唯有一人将這份心意偷偷藏于心底。
這麽想着，蕭非鶴已經到了李清柔的院子，他原以為她如今已經得償所願，心中該是高興才對的，卻不曾想此刻的李清柔仍是一副心情郁郁的模樣。
她就坐在院子裏，也不知是怎麽了，整個人看上去有些沒什麽精神，面色瞧着也有幾分蒼白，就連下巴也比往日尖了不少。
蕭非鶴胸口微滞，一時間也顧不得男女之防，直接就上前握住了她的肩膀，“你這是怎麽了，誰又欺負你了？不是跟靳厭離定下婚約了嗎，為什麽還是這麽一副郁郁寡歡的模樣，是不是你不喜歡他？你告訴我，若是你真的對他無意，我一定幫你解決這樁……”
他話還沒說完，眼前這人的眼淚就出來了，哭得無聲無息的，蕭非鶴一時間只覺得原先所有要說的話全都堵在了喉嚨裏，整個人頓時變得有些無力，“好好好，我不說這種話行了吧？別哭，你先別哭！”
他想伸手替她擦掉眼淚，但又礙于男女之別不好動手，只能有些無措地站在哪裏，最後輕嘆了一聲無奈道，“你總要告訴我，到底是誰欺負你了吧？是你們李府的那些下人嗎？還是你那個性子嬌蠻的嫡姐，你總得告訴我原因，我才能幫你解決問題吧。”
“清柔，別哭了好嗎？”
說到這裏時，他聲音突然變得溫柔了不少，曾經那副玩世不恭的模樣也收斂了，神情變得很認真，“我說過的，你有什麽不順心的事情全都可以告訴我，我雖然沒什麽大的能耐，但幫你這個小小女子讨回公道這種事情，做起來還是很容易的。好了，清柔，你現在可以告訴我，到底發生什麽事了嗎？”
李清柔擡頭看向他，那雙眼裏迅速彌漫起了一層霧氣，大概是有人安慰，所以心底那些委屈跟情愁瞬間都找到了一個宣洩口，讓她忍不住想要對他傾訴，“你聽到了最近外頭傳的風言風語了嗎？整個燕雲城的人都在指責我，罵我搶了嫡姐的未婚夫，可是他們根本不知道，從一開始，他要找的人就是我！”
蕭非鶴看着心上人，不自覺地攥緊了手指，他動了動嘴唇，卻不知道該怎麽安慰。
這件事情确實難分對錯，真要算起來，他們三個人之間都有責任，一個不說，另一個認錯了她人，還有一個最為過分。
但如今，最過分的那個的婚事已退，不論如何，在外人看來她都是一個受害者，自然是同情多過謾罵。
他也不知道那靳厭離是怎麽想的？
也許是因為愧疚，所以對那個李南嫣頗為手下留情，甚至她私下裏做的那些事情沒有一件公之于衆，這也就導致所有人都将矛頭轉移到了清柔的身上。
而這事南嫣自然也是知道的。
畢竟這不是原劇情裏，靳厭離将所有的過錯全算到她的頭上，如今的靳厭離甚至對她心懷有愧，自然不會再去做這些事情，甚至這段時間，他都忽略了李清柔。
也正是因此，李清柔才會覺得失望。
她輕搖着頭，聲音漸漸低沉了下來，“其實我并不在意那些風言風語的，只要他知道事情的真相，知道我是個什麽樣的人，那些事情我全都可以不在意的。”
她聲音輕飄飄的，有些沙啞哽咽，“可是，自從他上次上門退親又換親之後，就一次都沒有來看過我了。”
“明明從前跟李南嫣在一起的時候，他不是這樣的，他會經常來李府陪她的……”
“怎麽辦？”李清柔臉上的淚如斷了線的珠子似的，不斷滾落，“非鶴，我現在真的很擔心，如果他發現自己喜歡的人是李南嫣，又要跟我退婚，轉而去求娶李南嫣怎麽辦？”
蕭非鶴被她朦胧的淚眼看得心口微滞。
他隐約能明白她的擔心，畢竟那個李南嫣跟他已經相處這麽久了，就算他曾經喜歡過清柔，也不代表他對李南嫣沒有過好感。
聽着她哭泣無助的聲音，他也覺得胸口有些悶得有些不舒服，他下意識伸手揉了揉胸口的位置，卻摸到了一塊四四方方的桃木牌，他拿出來，看到那木牌上雕刻的名字，心中忽然湧出了一個念頭……
“清柔，我可以幫你。”
……
說完這句話的蕭非鶴就離開了。
李清柔看着他逐漸遠去的背影，一時間有些心情複雜，她下意識地捏緊了手指，咬了咬唇，最終什麽話都沒有說出。
而在另一邊的南嫣，聽到丫鬟們私下裏說閑話的時候無意間提起，最近那個蕭世子總愛來府中跟老爺一起賞花看畫呢！聽聞那蕭世子還是當朝聖上的親侄子呢，如果不是人品稍差了些，就光樣貌來看的話，跟她家小姐還挺登對的呢……不過這話可不能亂說，誰都知道那蕭世子風流成□□美人，樣貌長得是好，但這樣不靠譜的男子如何能嫁呢？
聽到那群小丫鬟們七嘴八舌的議論着，南嫣揉揉胳膊、捶捶腿，差不多也明白了，該是她起來工作的時候了。
She has been lying at home for so many days. If she doesn't go out, I guess everyone in Yanyun City will forget about her. She should at least give the second male lead a chance to get promoted, right?
So, she adjusted her mood and made her face a little paler. Just like that, Nan Yan, who had been stuck in the house for nearly seven or eight days, finally left the yard.
For a moment, the servants serving in the mansion became a little cautious, fearing that they might say something wrong and make the young lady unhappy.
After all, anyone with a discerning eye could see that the young lady still hadn't let go of the matter of breaking off the engagement, and her face had turned quite a bit paler.
Nan Yan ignored them and went directly to the back garden of Li's mansion to relax, without even bringing a maid.
The weather today is really good, especially the morning sunshine is not that bright, the morning glow greets the white dew, and many begonias in the garden are in bloom. The petals are covered with morning dew and curling tenderly inwards, which is quite tender and touching.
Nan Yan found a stone bench and sat down, looking calmly at the flower petals not far away, but her eyes seemed to be covered by something, making it impossible to see the emotions in her eyes.
This was Li Nanyan like this when Xiao Feihe arrived. To be honest, he had never thought that he could see the words gentle and beautiful on this young lady.
At this moment, Li Nanyan was sitting under the crabapple tree, her face was beautiful and delicate in the dim morning light. She lowered her head, but her eyes were round like almonds, and a little coquettish, as if filled with a pool of clear and soft spring water.
Xiao Feihe was a little hesitant for a moment, but as soon as he thought of Qingrou crying helplessly, the slightest hesitation and guilt in his heart disappeared without a trace in an instant.
Xiao Feihe took a deep breath and suppressed all those complicated thoughts deep in his heart.
After adjusting his mood, he put on his usual lazy and unfocused expression, then took out the sugar man he had prepared long ago from his sleeve and handed it over.
"Hey, the eldest daughter of the Li family whose engagement was rejected, do you still remember me?"
He smiled casually at her, his two beautiful and long eyebrows slightly raised, with narrow and long eyebrows at the ends. There was a sense of elegance and nobility between his eyebrows and eyes, and he sat down directly opposite her.
Nan Yan's gaze paused for a moment, then fell on his face. She felt that this man looked familiar. Then her gaze fell on the candy man he handed over. Her gaze paused for a moment, as if she just remembered who he was.
But she just didn't want to pay attention to him!
Nan Yan pursed her lips and turned away without listening to what the bastard said. Who would start a conversation by poking at someone's sore spot? Did he think she wasn't sad enough?
Seeing that she still had a reaction, Xiao Feihe was happy and continued to ask, "Are you very unhappy? Do you know that people outside are saying that you are not motivated? They blame you for the breakup, mock you, belittle you, and some people even say that you will never get married in your life. What can you do?"
Nan Yan's reaction was even more intense at this moment. She turned her head and glared at him. Finally, she couldn't help but curse, "You will never get married in your life. You can't spit out ivory from a dog's mouth!"
Xiao Feihe couldn't help laughing when he heard this. He held his head with one hand, looking nonchalant, "Miss, you are really capable. You can even spit out ivory from a dog's mouth. I just don't know how you spit it out. Miss, can you teach me?"
Nan Yan became even angrier now, her face turned red, and she slapped the person directly, but unfortunately she missed him and was grabbed by the wrist by him instead.
He didn't hold it very tightly, but he just couldn't get away.
Xiao Feihe raised his eyebrows slightly, then slowly stopped smiling, and then came over to ask her, "Are you angry, Miss? Do you want to vent? Do you want to go out for a walk with me?"
How to say it?
Nan Yan thought to herself, this guy is indeed a love fox. No wonder he could even coax the original owner, who was heartbroken, around and finally succeeded in falling in love with someone else.
It seems that this person is really good at making people happy!