Jiao Lianyu and Madam Huang were still guessing what Magistrate Jiao had gone to see Madam Jiao about two days ago. Before the mother and son could figure it out, the entire household knew.
"Breaking off the engagement? What is the master thinking, to go back on his word like this..." Madam Huang, not bothering to wipe the sweat from her brow, paced back and forth in the room, feeling both happy and worried.
Waving for the servant who had delivered the news to wait outside the door, Jiao Lianyu forced himself to sit up and lean against the bed, his wound aching. Being engaged to Qiu Jingyuan, the daughter of a convicted official, had its pros and cons, but this was the first matter handed down from above.
"Since the master wants to break off the engagement, he should have stopped the madam from proposing in the first place. This whole affair has damaged your reputation," Madam Huang said, sitting down after tiring herself out. She habitually listened to her son's advice on important matters and continued, "Do you think there's something fishy going on here?"
Jiao Lianyu quickly reviewed the events of the past few days in his mind, finding no loopholes or anomalies. The rumors, whether from within the manor or outside, were not spread by him. Even if the madam investigated, she wouldn't find anything.
"If Father is taking his anger out on Mother and manipulating my marriage, then Mother should be the one to handle the engagement breaking, not have Auntie bring the matchmaker to see Madam Qiu," Jiao Lianyu was certain that something he didn't know had happened.
Two quarters of an hour later, Madam Huang left. Just then, a servant entered the inner room with water. After serving Jiao Lianyu a drink, he whispered, "A message just came from the master. Madam Qiu has sent an invitation to Zhan Feiyu."
"You mean Zhan Feiyu had a hand in this?" Shocked, Jiao Lianyu sat up abruptly, his wound hurting as he did so. But he couldn't care less now. With a gloomy expression, he pressed, "Was Zhan Feiyu the one who stirred up trouble? Could Father really go back on his word!"
Zhan Feiyu had saved Jiao Lianyu's life. After all, without He Nuan and the Forbidden Dragon Guard's medicine, Jiao Lianyu would likely have died from Li Li's stab.
Magistrate Jiao had served as an official for many years, yet he still possessed the noble character and integrity of a scholar. If Zhan Feiyu intervened using the life-saving grace, it would be perfectly normal for Magistrate Jiao to agree to break off the engagement.
After all, Magistrate Jiao had disliked the engagement from the start, and Madam Jiao had acted first and reported later. Now that there was a legitimate reason to break off the engagement, Magistrate Jiao would surely go along with it.
"Zhan Feiyu wrote a letter to Magistrate Jiao before, but unfortunately, Magistrate Jiao burned it after reading it. No one knows what was in the letter," the servant continued in a low voice. Because the messenger was He Sheng, their people dared not intercept it.
...
The next day, the front hall of the separate courtyard.
Upon entering the courtyard, one could smell the strong scent of snake repellent. Fortunately, the smell was not unpleasant, rather like a rich sandalwood fragrance.
After the maid who served tea withdrew, Madam Jiao, with her graying hair, smiled and asked, "If I had known Jingzhen you would be coming, I should have gone back to stay last night and set out with you this morning."
"Thank you for making this trip, little aunt," Madam Jiao said a few polite words.
Although she was an elder, she was still a cousin. Magistrate Jiao had no choice but to ask Madam Jiao to handle the engagement breaking. Regardless, her status was more appropriate than Madam Huang's.
Magistrate Jiao was the highest-ranking official in this branch of the Jiao family. Madam Jiao was aware of the conflict between her two grandnephews from her maiden family, but at her age, even for the sake of her children and grandchildren, she would not rudely interfere in Magistrate Jiao's family affairs.
Whether Jiao Lianping or Jiao Lianyu inherited the Jiao family in the future, they were both her grandnephews. As long as she maintained good relations, that was enough.
Madam Jiao glanced at the door again. She saw that the maids serving them were all standing at the bottom of the steps. As long as the voices in the room were not too loud, the maids would definitely not be able to hear them. Only then did she feel relieved and continue, "This engagement is indeed not suitable."
If Madam Jiao, her nephew's wife, had manipulated the marriage of her concubine's son, Madam Jiao would not believe it. Jingzhen was also from a prominent family. If she wanted to deal with her concubine's son, Jiao Lianyu would probably not have lived to be three years old. If she hadn't acted in the past twenty years, why would she attack him now that he had become successful?
Knowing that her aunt was testing her, Madam Jiao, with a clear conscience, was not afraid of outside gossip. She curled her lips into a smile and replied slowly.
"My husband is a fourth-rank magistrate, yet overnight, the streets and alleys were filled with rumors about Jiao Lianyu's engagement to Miss Qiu. He then knelt before my husband and begged. Given the situation, we couldn't ruin the young lady's reputation, otherwise, we would truly be forcing a pure young girl to her death. Therefore, I, as the legitimate wife, am fulfilling the wish of others."
Madam Jiao was stunned. At the time, she suspected that the rumors were spread by the third branch of the Qiu family. After all, it was better to marry Lianyu, the second son of the magistrate's family, than to marry Xiang Changshou, a sickly man, for a wedding to ward off evil spirits.
"You mean Lianyu begged you?" Madam Jiao's expression became even stranger when Madam Jiao nodded. After a long pause, she couldn't help but say, "That must have been difficult for you."
Madam Jiao's reputation was not good, and even Jiao Lianping was slandered by a group of high-minded scholars. Fortunately, Madam Jiao was a woman of the inner chambers, and Jiao Lianping was already a dandy. Even if people were trying to defend Jiao Lianyu, they wouldn't reach the mother and son.
"Auntie needn't worry. Whether Jiao Lianyu's engagement is confirmed or broken off, it is with the master's approval. When Madam Qiu arrives later, if there's anything inconvenient for you, just push it onto me," Madam Jiao added with a smile. Regardless, she couldn't let her aunt be the villain, after all, Qiu Jingyuan was also from the Qiu family.
Zhan Feiyu was a moment late because Madam Qiu and her eldest daughter-in-law, Hu Shi, had arrived, and Zhan Feiyu happened to be at the main entrance to welcome them.
Hearing the commotion outside, Madam Jiao and Madam Jiao also immediately got up and walked towards the entrance. Setting aside the identities of Madam Qiu and Zhan Feiyu, this was still a matter of the Jiao family.
Although Madam Qiu and Madam Jiao were good friends, there was still a round of greetings and pleasantries before everyone was seated again.
Gao Shi, who had come along, was now sitting at the lowest seat. As an official matchmaker, she should have been eloquent, but at this moment, even though she was confused, Gao Shi did not dare to speak rashly.
Especially when she noticed that Zhan Feiyu, a young girl with her hair in double buns, was sitting in the main seat, and to her right sat Madam Qiu, a second-rank noblewoman. Gao Shi became even more cautious. No matter what she heard or said later, she only needed to act according to the orders of these noble ladies.
"Ultimately, it is because I am young that I have caused so much trouble for the two madams," Zhan Feiyu stood up and apologized solemnly to Madam Qiu and Madam Jiao. "Eldest Young Master did not want Madam Jiao to suffer unjust accusations. Furthermore, I have saved the Second Young Master's life, which is why I wrote a letter to Magistrate Jiao, hoping that Magistrate Jiao would break off the engagement..."
Gao Shi listened, stunned. So, the rumors about the second young master Jiao and Miss Qiu were not spread by Madam Jiao. The eldest young master, in order to clear his mother's name, had asked this young girl to "use her life-saving grace as a bargaining chip" to ask Magistrate Jiao to break off the engagement. Since the engagement was broken off, there was no longer the issue of the legitimate wife using marriage to control her concubine's son.
Gao Shi understood and discreetly glanced at Madam Qiu, who was sitting in the main seat. One surname, Qiu, could not be written as two Qiu families. The third branch had failed, and this was the only daughter of the Qiu family in this generation. She had previously heard that she was the darling of the entire clan. Now that she had been inexplicably engaged and then had the engagement broken off, she wondered if Madam Qiu would be displeased.
If Qiu Jingyuan were truly a good girl, Madam Qiu would surely protect her to some extent. Unfortunately, she was young, with a malicious heart and ruthless actions. If Madam Qiu were not trying to protect the Qiu family's reputation, she would not have come today. In any case, it was the third branch's affair.
Zhan Feiyu took all the "blame" upon herself, preserving the Qiu family's honor. Madam Qiu, with a look of loving kindness, smiled and took over the conversation, "You are just a child, what do you know? To be frank, this whole matter is because Lianping was desperate and acted rashly."
Madam Jiao also agreed, "Madam is right. Only my useless son could do such a ridiculous thing. The child is already starting his studies, yet he is still like a greenhorn, with no sense of propriety in his words or actions. He has unfortunately implicated Miss Zhan."
Madam Jiao did not mind slandering Jiao Lianping. He already had a bad reputation in Qianzhong Dao, so adding this one more instance would not make much difference.
Gao Shi breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, one was the magistrate's wife, and the other was the provincial governor's wife. If the gods fought, the mortals would suffer. Gao Shi was truly afraid that she, a mere official matchmaker, would be caught in the middle and find herself in a difficult position. Fortunately, both sides had reached an agreement.
The betrothal letters and tokens of each other were returned, and the engagement was considered resolved. Seeing the pleasant conversation among the few, Gao Shi suddenly understood that her presence here was likely not just to break off the engagement, but also to spread the details of the engagement.