"If I'm not mistaken, you are Young Master Song's cousin, Su Xueyi, right?" Wei Shuwan's clear, cold voice revealed her true identity.
Su Xueyi, nervously weeping silently, stood by Su Shi, who was puzzled. Her niece had practically never left the Song family since she came to live with them. When she did go out, she always disguised herself as a servant; logically, no one in the capital should recognize her.
At this moment, Sun Lurong connected all the previous oddities, and a reasonable deduction became clear. She pointed at Song Zichen in astonishment and indignation: "I was wondering why you were exchanging glances with this servant in the main hall just now, and why you held her in your arms when she fell..."
Sun Lurong moved her hand to Su Shi again: "You still say they are like brothers? Bah!"
After listening to his wife's tirade, Wei Zheng suddenly understood and glared angrily at Song Zichen: "Could it be that this child is... yours?!"
Song Zichen dared not admit it, and glanced guiltily at his father.
Master Song was unaware that Su Xueyi was pregnant. He came to break off the engagement today at Su's instigation, purely to protect the Prince Jing's mansion.
With things escalating to this awkward point, Master Song glanced at Madam Su, then at his good-for-nothing son, sighed heavily, and turned to leave.
Mrs. Su was too ashamed to defend her son any longer and was eager to catch up and explain herself, but suddenly she heard her niece behind her cry out, "Auntie~".
Reluctantly, Madam Su stepped back, helped Su Xueyi up, and, with her son supporting her on either side, they walked out in a disheveled and ostentatious manner.
"Someone, take all the bowls, plates, and teaware from here and Zhaoshuitang and throw them away. Also, wipe the tables and chairs clean ten or eight times! Use mugwort to ward off bad luck!"
Sun Lurong deliberately raised her voice so that the Song family could hear her.
Su, who had already reached the door, paused, seemingly dissatisfied, but quickly continued walking forward, completely losing the arrogance she had shown when she arrived.
On the carriage, Madam Su repeatedly apologized, but Master Song remained silent. Upon returning to the mansion, he went straight to a side room.
Mrs. Su looked out the window resentfully, and behind her came her niece's weak voice: "Aunt, it's all my fault... I'll go kneel in front of the hall right now and stay until Uncle calms down..."
As she spoke, she made a move to get out of bed, but Song Zichen quickly pressed her down: "Xue'er, Mother won't blame you!"
"Alright, you're still sick." Su couldn't bear it any longer and returned to the bedside to comfort her: "Your uncle is angry with us because he was humiliated by the Wei family. It's important for you to take good care of yourself. The doctor just said that whether you can keep this pregnancy depends on you. You must not be sad and upset anymore."
As they came out, Song Zichen asked his mother in a worried whisper, "After this commotion, will Father still agree to let Xue'er marry into the family?"
Madam Su sighed softly, "That depends on whether the Wei family will publicize this matter..."
If the whole capital knew that the engagement was broken off because the Song family's son was unfaithful and broke the contract without a matchmaker, they would probably not agree to it.
*
As the sun sets in the west, its afterglow spills across the courtyard, carpeting the ground with a mesmerizing, intoxicating crimson hue.
Wei Shuwan sat by the window, wearing a robe, and watched the light and shadows moving back and forth in the corridor through the crack in the window. Before long, she saw Miaoxiang leading a girl dressed in balsam purple towards her.
"Miss, Miss Sheng has arrived," Zi Qiao reminded her from the side.
Wei Shu got up and returned to the bed. Zi Qiao helped her put away the pillow and cover her with the quilt, and then turned around and closed the window tightly.
At this moment, the girl in purple was also ushered into the house, and she called out from afar, "Sister Shuwan, I only heard after I returned to the capital that you fell into the water yesterday. Are you alright?"
A clear and urgent voice pierced through the screen and reached Wei Shuwan's ears, and she coughed a few times in response.
As Sheng Yun walked around the screen, what she saw was Wei Shuwan hunched over, holding a handkerchief to her lips, looking exactly like the pitiful Daiyu from the book.
Sheng Yun's steps quickened, and as she sat down on the edge of the bed, she tightly grasped Shuwan's hand: "Sister Shuwan, how did you get so sick after just one day... It's all that Song Zichen's fault!"
Yesterday, Sheng Yun went to Luoyun Temple outside the city with her mother and did not return until after noon today. On the way, she heard about Wei Shuwan falling into the water. Since the doctor from the Wei family who was invited yesterday was from the Sheng family, she knew everything that followed.
"Sister Shuwan, do you think that woman's child is Song Zichen's?!"
"Forget it, let them decide whether it is or not. Since I've broken off the engagement with him, I have nothing to do with him anymore." Wei Shuwan said indifferently, but the more indifferent she was, the more it aroused the resentment in the hearts of those around her.
Sheng Yun frowned in anger: "Are we just going to let them get away with this? They should at least be beaten up!"
Wei Shuwan was amused by her and gently pinched the girl's snowy cheek: "The Sheng family is a family of scholars and gentlemen, how come you have such a rebellious nature? You're always playing polo and riding horses, or hunting and fishing, and now you even dare to hit people."
Sheng Yun didn't dodge, but pouted in dissatisfaction. The young girl, who hadn't yet reached marriageable age, still had a touch of childishness on her face: "Riding and archery are also one of the Six Arts. How can they be considered more vulgar than writing and painting?"
Wei Shuwan let go of her hand and then considerately rubbed it for her: "Alright, alright, not vulgar at all~ But the Song family is a noble family from Daye, how can we let just anyone beat us up? The Song family, with such a reputation, cares most about its reputation."
"By the way, Ayun, now that you know about this, just leave it at that. You must not spread it around. If everyone knows, the Song family's reputation will be ruined, and then even the Prince Jing's mansion might face unforeseen changes... It's best if we leave ourselves an out."
Although these words were meant as a word of advice, they were like a wake-up call to Sheng Yun!
The little girl's almond-shaped eyes lit up instantly, sparkling with intelligence.
Yes, compared to a beating, being infamous and despised by everyone is far more deadly...
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