Chapter 51: How Should I Instruct?

Chapter 51: How Should I Instruct?

Old Madam Zhang truly regretted marrying her daughter off to Wu Guoliang; not only had she lost her daughter early on, but now her granddaughter was being tormented by a stepmother. Yet, what could she do now?

Just as Wu Guoliang had said, if word got out, it wouldn't bode well for her granddaughter either. Having a sister who had demeaned herself, her granddaughter could forget about marrying well. Thinking of Wu Jingyun's marital prospects, Old Madam Zhang sighed, waved her hand, and dismissed Wu Guoliang.

Wu Guoliang knew that Old Madam Zhang had agreed. He thanked her profusely, bowed deeply, and exited the room, leaving space for the grandmother and granddaughter to speak.

"Speak, why do you want to break off your engagement with the heir of the Marquis of Yongning?" Old Madam Zhang was perplexed; she had personally pleaded with the Marquis's residence for this match.

Kneeling before Old Madam Zhang, Wu Jingyun lifted her tear-streaked face and said, "Grandmother, Xiao Yuchen has always harbored feelings for Liu Biqin. If I marry him, how can I endure it? If I have to watch their tender affection every day, I'd rather be dead."

Hearing her words, Old Madam Zhang paused before asking, "How did you come to know of Xiao Yuchen's enduring feelings for Liu Biqin?"

Wu Jingyun remained silent, head bowed, prompting Old Madam Zhang, her brows furrowed, to press further, "Did you hear the rumors that Xiao Yuchen is harboring Liu Biqin, and believe he's still infatuated with her?"

Still silent, what could Wu Jingyun say? Could she admit that she had personally experienced it in a past life, an ordeal too bitter to recount?

"Such a sin!" Old Madam Zhang tapped Wu Jingyun's forehead with her finger, then pulled her up to sit beside her and said, "What's gotten into you now? Even if Xiao Yuchen's heart is entirely with Liu Biqin, so what? Once you're married into the Marquis's family, you'll be the Marquis's wife. Once you have children and secure your position, what does it matter if Xiao Yuchen frolics with Liu Biqin?"

"Grandmother, but I can't get past this in my heart," Wu Jingyun sobbed, her tears for both her past and present lives. In her previous life, she had heard the same words but couldn't help herself; she couldn't help but yearn for Xiao Yuchen's heart to be with her.

Old Madam Zhang closed her eyes, then said, "Well, it's better this way. It's good that the engagement is broken off. You have deep feelings for Xiao Yuchen. If he reciprocated, it would be fine, but he clearly doesn't. If you married him, you would be doomed to a life of misery. Yet, breaking off the engagement will make your future marriage prospects challenging."

"I know, but it's better than enduring agony every day." She couldn't bear to live through her past life's torments again.

Old Madam Zhang wiped her tears with a handkerchief, rallying her spirits, "But don't worry, I'm here for you. We don't seek a lofty family, only a man of good character with a promising future."

What the Zhang family didn't lack were talented scholars from humble backgrounds. Choosing wisely, marrying such a scholar would make for a decent life.

Having made up her mind, Old Madam Zhang had someone send a visiting card to the Marquis of Yongning's residence. Tang Shuyi received the card just after dinner, calling people to join her in playing Mahjong, still not satisfied from her previous game.

Xiao Yuchen, seeing her enthusiasm, sat down to play a few rounds. Xiao Yuming, always keen on games, joined as well. Xiao Yuzhu wanted to play but didn't know how, so Cuiyun sat next to her as an advisor.

"Let's make it clear, we're playing for real," Tang Shuyi said with a smile, looking at Xiao Yuzhu, "Don't cry if you lose."

"I won't cry," Xiao Yuzhu declared, removing a pearl-embellished hairpin from her head and placing it on the table. "I bet this."

Xiao Yuming picked up her hairpin, examining it and said, "It could fetch some silver."

Xiao Yuzhu huffed, and Tang Shuyi said, "If he wins your hairpin, make him wear it on his head."

Xiao Yuzhu thought of her second brother with a pearl flower on his head and clapped her hands, exclaiming, "Good, I must lose this pearl flower to my second brother."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Just then, the steward came over and handed a visiting card to Tang Shuyi, who glanced at it before passing it to Xiao Yuzhen. Xiao Yuming and Xiao Yuzhu, curious about its contents, leaned in to have a look.

Seeing her siblings huddled together, Tang Shuyi couldn't help but laugh. She asked, "What do you think Old Lady Zhang is coming for?"

"She couldn't possibly be coming to plead a case, could she?" Xiao Yuming speculated.

Xiao Yuzhen placed the card on the table, remarking, "Why not? The incident at Chongguang Temple has tarnished the reputation of all the women in Wu's household, including Wu Jingyun."

"Then this Old Lady Zhang is really swallowing her pride," said Xiao Yuming, returning to his seat. He added, "If I were in her shoes, I'd deal with Feng and Wu Guoliang first."

Tang Shuyi began shuffling the cards, saying, "Feng will definitely be dealt with, but as for Wu Guoliang, Old Lady Zhang probably can't do much to him. After all, Wu Jingyun still lives under his roof."

"That's really frustrating," sympathized Xiao Yuzhu, although she didn't fully grasp their conversation.

Glancing at her, Tang Shuyi commented, "Actually, the root of the problem lies with Wu Jingyun."

Xiao Yuzhu looked puzzled, so Tang Shuyi explained, "She takes her grudges too seriously and acts only considering herself, not thinking about others. Your elder brother was engaged to her, yet he sent Liu Biqin to Meihuaxiang. Her resentment towards your brother is understandable, and her desire to break off the engagement is reasonable. I hinted to her that if she wished to call off the engagement, we could discuss it amicably.

Had she accepted my proposal and smoothly called off the engagement, then strived to live a better life, wouldn't that have been better? The greatest revenge against an enemy is to live a better and happier life than them. But look at the mess now; she can't clean it up herself and has to have her elders lose face and beg."

Xiao Yuzhu nodded earnestly, "If it were me, I certainly wouldn't act like that."

"What would you do?" Tang Shuyi inquired.

Xiao Yuzhu huffed, "If I were Wu Jingyun, I'd first beat up elder brother to vent my anger, then break off the engagement. After that, just like mother said, I'd live a better and more successful life than elder brother, infuriating him."

Tang Shuyi laughed heartily, "Right, that's exactly what you should do."

Still, the same saying goes, if Wu Jingyun had only targeted Xiao Yuzhen, even if she beat him half to death, Tang Shuyi wouldn't interfere.

Xiao Yuzhen's expression soured slightly, "I haven't wronged Miss Wu in any way."

Xiao Yuzhu glared at him, "She was engaged to you, destined to be your wife, but you were intimate with another woman. How humiliating for her! Isn't it natural for her to be upset and want to beat you up for losing face? Isn't she entitled to call off the engagement?"

Xiao Yuzhen: "...Women should not be so unruly."

Xiao Yuzhu hummed and looked towards Tang Shuyi, "Mother, am I right?"

Tang Shuyi nodded in agreement, "You are. However, doing things methodically would be better."

Xiao Yuzhu couldn't bear the thought of marrying someone who harbored a secret love; just the thought made her uncomfortable.

Xiao Yuzhu's eyes sparkled as she looked at Tang Shuyi, "How should it be methodical?"

"I'll teach you later," her mother replied.

Xiao Yuzhen, listening to the mother-daughter conversation, didn't know what to say and remained silent for a while before speaking up, "Mother, you shouldn't teach Yuzhu in this manner."

Tang Shuyi glanced at him sideways, "And how should I teach her? To follow the 'Three Obediences and Four Virtues', to obey her father before marriage, her husband after marriage, and her son if widowed?"

"That's exactly how it should be," Xiao Yuzhen asserted.

Tang Shuyi slapped a card onto the table center, looking at Xiao Yuzhen, "So, you mean to say, now that my husband has passed, I should obey you in all matters?"