Chapter 50: Don’t Even Think About It

Chapter 50: Don't Even Think About It

Wu Jingyun had always known that Wu Guoliang was a man adept at scheming, but she never anticipated he could scheme to such an extent. How could he have the audacity to suggest that her maternal grandmother should apologize to Lady Yongning?

A stepmother plotting against the daughter of the first wife, and now expecting the mother of the first wife to clean up the mess — where is the logic in that?

Feeling aggrieved and indignant, and recalling the events of her past and present lives, Wu Jingyun's eyes brimmed with tears as she said, “Father, my grandmother is over sixty years old, and she has always been strong-willed. When have you ever seen her bow her head to anyone? How can you bear to make her... apologize to Lady Yongning?”

By the time she finished speaking, her face was already streaked with tears.

Even Wu Guoliang, a man fond of his schemes, had his pride. His face turned red, and he sighed heavily, saying, “Jingyun, I truly have no other choice! The Yongning Manor is becoming increasingly troublesome. Today, although I did not meet Lady Yongning, I can imagine that she is not one to consider past affections; otherwise, she would not have directly brought up the matter of breaking off the engagement at Chongguang Temple.

As a man, it’s inappropriate for me to meet Lady Yongning, and Feng’s condition is what it is now. After much thought, I believe that only your maternal grandmother holds some sway with Lady Yongning. This is not just for the sake of Jing Shu. If the incident at Chongguang Temple gets out, it won't bode well for you either!”

“The trouble was caused by Lady Feng and her daughter; let the Feng family go to Yongning Manor to apologize,” Wu Jingyun said, wiping her tears.

Wu Guoliang's face creased with worry like a folded steamed bun as he said, “You're not unaware of the Feng family’s humble status. If they were to meet Lady Yongning, they might just kneel down right away, and how would that solve anything?”

Wu Jingyun remained silent, tears streaming down her face, while Wu Guoliang paced the room anxiously. After a while, he said, “I know you have suffered a great deal this time. I will give you the two tracts of good farmland in Liu'an County, on the outskirts of the capital.”

A tract of land is fifty mu, so two tracts amount to a hundred mu, and all of it fertile land. Wu Guoliang was truly offering a substantial compensation. However, Wu Jingyun still hung her head, tears flowing, without saying a word. Seeing this, Wu Guoliang could only grit his teeth and say, “The shop on De Ping Street in the capital will be yours too.”

The shop on De Ping Street was the best property owned by the Wu family.

Clutching a handkerchief, Wu Jingyun dabbed at her tears and said, “Father, wealth and possessions are external things. I am just heartbroken for my grandmother, at her age she still has to…”

“I understand, I truly do,” Wu Guoliang said, knowing that Wu Jingyun had agreed, and added, “I’ll go with you to your maternal grandparents' house now and speak with your grandmother personally.”

Wu Jingyun nodded slightly, and Wu Guoliang patted her shoulder, “I know you’re sensible. Get ready, and I’ll go prepare some gifts for your grandmother.”

With her eyes red from crying, Wu Jingyun turned and went to the inner chamber to wash her face, while Wu Guoliang headed to the storeroom to select gifts for Madam Zhang, Wu Jingyun’s maternal grandmother.

The Zhang family was also of scholarly background. Wu Jingyun's maternal grandfather, the patriarch of the Zhang family, was a great scholar of his time and had once been the headmaster of the Shanglin Academy in the capital. Shanglin Academy was considered the finest academy in the Dagan Dynasty, boasting numerous students, which spoke volumes of the prestige the elder Mr. Zhang held.

However, in the past few years since the elder Mr. Zhang passed away, the prestige of the Zhang family had declined, yet many still respected Madam Zhang.

Wu Guoliang carefully selected a cartload of gifts in the storeroom. Once Wu Jingyun was ready, the father and daughter set off in a carriage towards the Zhang residence. On the way, Wu Guoliang asked Wu Jingyun, “Today, the heir of the Xiao family said it was you who first wanted to break off the engagement. Is this true?”

Wu Jingyun bowed her head in silence; there was nothing Wu Guoliang did not understand. Xiao Yuchen had spoken the truth. Puzzled, he asked, "Why? It was you who pleaded with your grandmother to speak to Old Lady Marquis Yongning to arrange your marriage with Xiao Yuchen."

Holding a handkerchief, Wu Jingyun remained silent for a long while before saying, "Xiao Yuchen's heart has always been preoccupied with Liu Biqin; he has no room for anyone else."

This was the excuse she had come up with today. If Xiao Yuchen had fallen into a trap at Chongguang Temple, she could have directly called off the engagement citing his flawed character. But since Xiao Yuchen returned unscathed from Chongguang Temple, she had to find a reason for breaking off the engagement.

Xiao Yuchen and Old Lady Marquis Yongning hadn't revealed that she had drugged Wu Jingshu and Xiao Yuchen, which was already a mercy. There was no way she could take the blame for calling off the engagement.

"This..."

Wu Guoliang was torn between anger and annoyance as he said, "Didn’t the Liang family already search? Xiao Yuchen isn't hiding any daughter of the Liu family. Even if he were, what of it? What can a disgraced orphan do? Even if Xiao Yuchen has feelings for that girl from the Liu family, you'll be his principal wife once you're married. With my support, what do you have to fear?"

Wu Jingyun continued to bow her head in stubborn silence, infuriating Wu Guoliang to the point where he almost wanted to slap her. But remembering that he still needed Lady Zhang, he restrained himself.

The carriage rattled to a stop in front of the Zhang residence. Father and daughter alighted and made their way to Old Lady Zhang's quarters.

The Zhang family was thriving, and Old Lady Zhang was surrounded by several children of five or six and seven or eight years old, whose childish voices made her laugh heartily. Seeing the Wu father and daughter approach, Old Lady Zhang hurriedly beckoned them to sit.

After exchanging a few words, Old Lady Zhang sensed something was amiss with the father-daughter pair and dismissed everyone, leaving only her personal maid in the room.

Wu Jingyun approached Old Lady Zhang and whispered in her ear, "Grandmother, please ask the two aunts to leave as well."

Her words caused Old Lady Zhang's brows to furrow slightly, but she still instructed her personal maid to leave, leaving only the three of them in the room.

"Speak, what is it?" Old Lady Zhang asked, looking at Wu Guoliang. She was generally pleased with her son-in-law.

Wu Guoliang felt somewhat embarrassed to begin, but finally mustered the courage and recounted the events at Chongguang Temple, naturally omitting Wu Jingyun's involvement.

After he finished, the room fell into such a silence that one could hear a pin drop. After a while, the quiet was shattered by the sound of a teacup smashing to the ground, and then they saw Old Lady Zhang trembling with rage, pointing at Wu Guoliang and saying:

"This is outrageous, utterly outrageous! How could you have the gall to come here? And you expect me to apologize to the Marquis Yongning’s household on your behalf, to clean up after your wicked stepwife? No way, not in a million years."

Wu Guoliang fell to his knees with a thud, tears welling in his eyes as he choked out, "Mother-in-law, I know this puts you in a difficult position, but I truly have no other choice! If word of this gets out, not only will the Feng mother and daughter lose face, but Jingyun will also be implicated! Mother-in-law, please think of Jingyun."

Old Lady Zhang clenched her teeth in rage; if she could, she would have torn Wu Guoliang to pieces. Yet, his last remark left her feeling powerless. Indeed, if the matter became public, her granddaughter would also suffer.

"Grandmother..." Wu Jingyun knelt beside Old Lady Zhang and burst into tears. Unable to hold back her own, Old Lady Zhang let them fall as she stroked Wu Jingyun's head, lamenting, "Child, why is your fate so hard!"